matthew123

Finally had my Gas Boiler fixed yesterday with a newly installed Valve and Circuit board - it took the guy 4 hours to fix it after he phoned the manufacturer Vaillant a few times. Even managed to get another nPower engineer sent out today to come and balance all the radiators after I told them the job had not been completed. I thought it was the least they could do after waiting 2 weeks with my hands in front of electric heaters.

It did make me chuckle reading all the Facebook status updates from friends happy that Barack Obama had been elected the next President of the United States - as I suspect their sentiment, and many others, is that Obama seems a jolly good chap and is without doubt the new Gandhi. Every single Southern state and majority of the mid west voted for his rival McCain - and by quite big margins. whereas Obama cleaned up similarly the West Coast and most of the Northern states. In other words Old Boy America voted McCain and Modern America voted Obama. According to the BBC on election day, Obama gained 95% of the Black vote across the US - and on the same thread, McCain took 75% of White Evangelical Christians. Just goes to show that actual policies don't count for much - it was only 15 months ago that Obama said let's bomb Pakistan. In Aug 2007, Obama said: "If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and President Musharraf won't act, we will," - obviously President Musharraf has now gone but you get the tone. In same speech he said, "The first step must be getting off the wrong battlefield in Iraq, and taking the fight to the terrorists in Afghanistan and Pakistan," March 2007: Sen. Barack Obama said the use of military force should not be taken off the table when dealing with Iran, which he called "a threat to all of us." September this year he said: "It is unacceptable for Iran to possess a nuclear weapon. It would be a game changer, and I've said that repeatedly. I've also said I would never take a military option off the table." Also in regard Iran he said, "I will never hesitate to use our military force in order to protect the homeland and United States' interests." No doubt he can talk the talk.. but we shall see what he delivers in due course.

Just had a call from the nPower muppets that my appointment has been cancelled for today - after I have waited all day for them to come and fix my heating. Apparently the spare part has not yet arrived. They are now scheduled to visit me first thing tomorrow (assuming the spare part has arrived).

Last Thursday (6th Nov), my Gas Boiler broke down. So I made an emergency claim on my Homeserve nPower Gas Boiler breakdown cover. 3 days later, last Sunday, an nPower engineer turned up and identified the fault as a broken valve. 3 days after that, yesterday 13 Nov, they came to fix it but had ordered the wrong valve. Today, I've been told they'll be fixing it with correct valve on Monday morning. By Monday 12 days will have passed since it broke down.

Also consider Luton airport, which you can do direct from Herne Hill, in just over an hour.

At Auction, it's usually 28 days to complete, which is a pretty tough ask for someone needing a mortgage even if it's agreed in principal. I know it can be done, but you're at risk of losing your 10% deposit and not everyone has the appetite for that risk particularly with the herd mentality of the world is coming to an end as we know it.... So Auction may be the market for cash buyers but not those who need a mortgage.

It's an almost impossible task to get a same day appointment in the DMC by telephone - I suspect that all same day appointments go to the long line of people who queue up at the DMC for the doors to open rather than answering the phones from 8.45am. The engaged signal you get from 8.45am is most likely the first caller waiting to be answered for 15/20 minutes. I think they've introduced some evening appointments which is very good, probably from competition at the new Doctors surgery by East Dulwich train station. I understand DMC have one Doctor on duty who does walk-in "emergency" cases - but they should really reintroduce the old walk-in service with say 1 Doctor to run parallel with the existing appointment only Doctors.

I think that Labour will try everything to re-ignite the economy / housing market as their own political futures ride on it being a success. We've seen it with stamp duty freeze / bank bail outs / interest rates being slashed and now talk of tax cuts. The Chancellor has already put pressure on Banks to reduce their mortgage rates in line with the BoE Base Rate, so I think sooner rather than later they will exert massive intolerable pressure for Mortgage borrowing to be substantially eased. I think that will reopen the gates... so IMHO we are now more or less at the bottom of the East Dulwich housing slump. I might be wrong but that's what I think.

If you want to live on a budget then it can most certainly be done in East Dulwich. Obviously you can't expect to wine and dine like King & Queen all week long so a little compromise is necessary. Few things that spring to mind from my vast experience of visiting Somerfield. Firstly shop at Somerfield, on Lordship Lane, from 7pm on any evening as they cut prices drastically on enough items to dine like an aristocrat for a pauper's purse. Secondly as a general guide stock up with frozen goods for your freezer rather than refridgerated items. If you want to go out for the night to drink then perhaps have a few cans* beforehand at home when you're quenching the initial tap bursting thirst. * If you want cheap booze, then visit Sainsbury's which seem to have endless promotions on one lager or another. As for dining out cheaply in East Dulwich, then I'm afraid the only option I can think of is a Sunday buffet in one of the many Indian restaurants on Lordship Lane.

Night buses (think they run every 30 mins) Number 12: It stops more like 10 minutes walk from Goose Green at Peckham Common. Then it cuts through the back of East Dulwich via Barry Road southbound. Number 37: There is also the 37 between East and West - Putney to Peckham via Brixton and Herne Hill. Number 176: Travels directly into ED down Lordship Lane from Trafalgar Square in about 30 minutes, and is always busy.

No it's not overreacting. It's spot on. The scum that do this should be hosed off the street. If someone fires a rocket at you, or loads one through your letter box then report it to the Police. You'd not ignore someone slipping a petrol bomb through your letter box would you?

I've seen them showing Rugby Union in the East Dulwich Tavern a few times. South Africa v Wales, Heineken Cup... I think the general rule of thumb in EDT is Premiership football has priority unless it's the England rugby team. Again unless there is some top football on I'd recommend paying a visit to the Vale opposite train station which is a pub most inclined to look after the armchair sportsman - I think if the TV inactive they'll switch it on even if it's EDF Cup but probably muted.

Although not an expert on Lordship Lane curries I thought I'd chip in with a few recommendations slightly further afield but perhaps convienient for some after work. In August I visited Clifton Restuarant in Canary Wharf - on Westferry Road about 2 mins walk from Heron Quays, and I was very impressed with quality and price. So if you're in that area and looking for a bite I'd definately recommend that place. The "Original Lahore Kebab House" on Commercial Road (about 10 mins walk from Aldgate East) is also a winner - and cheap. Been there many times, even saw Jeffrey Archer in there once eating the night before his court case that sent him to prison. As for Brick Lane I think it's very hit and miss.