louisiana

Mobile phone companies that won't put you through to tech support when their f**kwit systems/software prove lacking. Endlessly explaining to call centre operatives the problem, who relay it to tech dept, who tell the operative something to tell me, which gets inevitably into Chinese whispers territory because call centre operatives frankly have no understanding at all of the words they are uttering. So you go back to them, they go back to the tech person etc. etc. Ad infinitum. How can it more efficient to constantly use the time of *two* people at the operator, rather than one of them? (And I'm not even counting my own wasted time.) Same true of broadband companies, largely.

But money is just debt, Huguenot.

Mockney, I agree that there will be many bad moments in less-developed countries, but even on our doorstep things don't look too rosy. Take water in southern Europe: they're in water crisis in Spain (variously described as 'the worst drought for 40/60/100 years', and no sign of improvement). Acquifers are no longer producing/have sunk, or have become salinised. Scientists talk matter-of-factly about the 'Africanisation' of the Spanish landscape. N and E Spain brings in water by truck and ship and train from France, and has a massive desalinsation plant construction programme going. There are huge rows about transferring water across the country. There are around 1,000 desalinisation plants already built in Spain already (the most in any country outside the Middle East) and they are going to need many thousands more, but these plants consume huge amounts of non-renewable power, while also emitting massive quantities of CO2. In other words, they (and by extension, we) are in a positive feedback loop that will be difficult to escape. And we in the UK rely hugely on southern Europe for our fruit and veg (enabled by water that costs next to nothing to farmers there). The crash and burn of Med golf courses is a given (particularly the ones that claim they are farms in order to get super-cheap water - what a racket), and I'd welcome this, but food is a slightly more serious matter. I only write about Spain because that is what I know about. I'm sure dire things are happening in Greece and other locations. (The riots in Chania last autumn took me aback.) I don't think there are going to be any really, really sudden radical changes, but resource access and price are going to become a battlefield in the near future. And I'm not sure that DEFRA et al are up to the job.

I have some doomer friends. Serious doomers. You are right about the legislation. It's been relentless and they're still at it. But I suspect government will not be able to hold the centre when things start falling apart, which I don't think will be that long into the future ("this century").

HellNoHellYeah. That kind of says it all, really.

???? Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > it can't be him - He's working on that loft > conversion over the other side Mr B > > > Come on people it's toooooo hot for all this aggro > (apart from on 'On the Ball' obviously) On the ball? Is that a new sex game?

Monbiot and Kingnorth discuss our lack of future: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cif-green/2009/aug/17/environment-climate-change They have not integrated the economic issues. A pity. Has generated quite a bit of heat on the Grauniad website.

bigbadwolf Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Don't lie to us Louisiana. I'm a 100% Tivo girl these days, I'm afraid. That means little telly (only my chosen stuff, once a week or so) and no ads at all.

davidC Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > You have a budget and moving to College road > area...................... WOW. > > I know there is a dogging site around there.... > apparently! Apparently it's on Grange Lane. Or that's what the golfers tell me. (I don't golf, meself.)

No idea who Adam and Jane are. Do I not watch enough telly? Gotta say, any telly is too much telly these days.

I have met David C at a previous drinkies. Unless he was someone else masquerading.

bigbadwolf Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Wazup? > > Don't come across as a w_nker Hal. > > Please, never use that bastardization of 'what's > up' ever again or I'll set Louisiana on you. > > This is Britain, not America. Attack dog ready and waiting BBW B) leash, strain

FH and Sydenham have lots of decent sized flats. Also some very nice tucked away corners in private roads. I think we on the Upper East Side have as many if not more trees and open green spaces, while building/house/flat size matches FH/Sydenham/Crystal Palace. And the gardens on some roads here have to be seen to be believed. One estate agent called this road "the best kept secret in the area". But I can't reveal the secret or it will no longer be that :-S

Or did the Job Centre also shut? FH's one redeeming feature is the Dartmouth Arms, where the food is excellent.

Forest Hill? A clapped out bingo-turned Wetherspoons, a Sainbury's that has the air of a mausoleum on a Sunday evening, a taxi rank that retired in the last century and the interminable South Circular with its attendant lorries and fumes... Did the post office on Dartmouth Road close? But you've still got a Job Centre, right? (I speak as a former resident.)

In the US, medical bills are the primary cause of personal bankruptcy. In the US, breadwinners live in fear of not being able to pay the medical bills for their seriously ill children, and millions take certain jobs only because of the medical insurance benefits. And they think *we* have a problem.

You know you are in a real boozer when (a) you touch the top of any table or run of wood, and (b) you have to pull away your hand/fingers owing to generalised stickiness. Because real boozers never clean with soap and water, only with beer. B)

He he, The Queen Anne Vauxhall. What a pub. I used to work across the road in the tall BT building called Camelford House(next to MI6), whence all the BT engineery type blokes (avec beer gut) disgorged into the Queen Anne of a lunchtime to gawp at the strippers. I think male BT employees provided them with the majority of their custom in those days. I didn't realise it was largely unchanged from those days (late 80s).

You are what you eat.

He has a vocabulary? You surprise me.

Well some drugs are effectively legalised. Such as those seized by so-called 'security' at venues, clubs and festivals, and those controlled/sold by same. 'Security' will harvest drugs from punters so that they can then (a) use themselves or (b) sell. They are particularly interested in coke I believe, not particularly interested in MDMA etc., for obvious reasons. They'll also let their own dealers onto the premises to deal at will. I've been astonished to see really blatant widespread dealing by individuals (who might as well have had 'dealer' emblazoned on their foreheads; for example wandering about shouting the names of the drugs they have to all and sundry) with no action at all taken by 'security', while simultaneously seen action taken by self-same 'security' against people who only appeared to be 'using'. Of course 'security' don't refer the matter to the police/venue, so they don't have to hand over the drugs. I've also seen, at a festival, 'security' confiscate commercial cream whippers (no drugs included) so they can go off and get high with some nitrous oxide nicked elsewhere. And overheard them saying as much. I'm no fan of the whole nitrous thing at festivals today (tiresome to say the least), but this kind of 'we can do/sell drugs because of who we are' stuff on the part of 'security' has got beyond a joke. The harvesting practice and dealer/'security' relationships are well known by venues and events organisers and by the authorities: long reports have been written about the relationship between security staff/firms and drugs. However, as 'security' for any venue is generally provided by a third party 'security' organisation, which has to be approved by the police and may even have a close relationship with the police (some 'security' organisations are run by ex-coppers), it's difficult for venues/organisers to do anything about it. I don't believe the current legal framework for security firms and staff has made one iota of difference: the behaviours of these people are unchanged. It's a racket, and they are running it. The government has in effect legalised drugs when in the hands of approved 'security' firms.

insipid

Keef, at the very least, a FB group does bring people together around a theme. There are not many places on the 'net that people can do this (unless you have/set up your own site on the issue). But as BBW says, it's down to how it's used.

A couple of weeks back, I set up a pledge on Pledgebank to ask people to send in a written objection to a change of use of the former Gala Bingo building (25 Church Road SE19) from cinema to church, when the new owner submits his/her planning application to Bromley Council. This is just to let everyone on here know that the pledge was successful within days. As of today there are 28 pledgees, so there are 18 more than required to make it successful. Many thanks to any forumites who've added their names as pledgees. People are still signing up most days, and if you'd like to add your voice as a pledgee you are free to do so: the pledge remains open until 31 August. When the time comes to send in objections, your own objection only needs to be a sentence long, though you can write an essay if you wish. If you're concerned about the future of this former cinema, and the possible impact on the neighbourhood of a change of use, there are other actions you can take: - check out the campaign website which has lots of useful background information, and resources for campaigners. - sign the online petition Add your name to the 3024 signatories already there. There's also a paper petition in some local shops and cafes. - join the Facebook group But if you join the Facebook group, please also sign the petition if you feel you can: the Council will look at the numbers signing the petition, not those on the Facebook group! - Talk to your friends and neighbours about it. - Write to your political representatives. There are resources on the cinema campaign website to help you do this quickly and easily.

JCC is in great form at the mo'. The BC policy of putting things that are not mainstream but are just plain good on main stages is so, so the right thing. There's no other festie that I know that would put Shackleton on a main stage (Castle) in the evening (or last year, The Bays with the Heritage Orchestra). I'd describe some of their choices as 'brave but well-informed'. Any old festie can put some chart band up there, but BC does other things... (and yes, we dipped out of Glasto this year) I was, in the words of my other half, 'laughing like a drain' at the BC Hexstatic segment about the puppet dogs on acid (last thing on main stage Sunday night). It really was so funny, I've got to track down which disc - if any - I can find this on. And yes, Latitude...