BrandNewGuy

It certainly is ? saw the first butterlfies of the year yesterday. A brimstone in the garden and a small tortoiseshell along the road.

The threat to indigenous birds is very much unproven. Reports such as this one have been quoted extensively: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/mar/27/parakeets but that just looks at activity around bird feeders. In the 'wild' there's not much evidence either that they're 'predating' other birds or that they're pushing them out from natural food sources. As has been mentioned in reference to crows and magpies, look to human activity in urban areas and changes in farming methods in the countryside for reasons why songbird populations are down. In any case, predators can't continue to predate disappearing prey...

Vet: Now what can I do for you? EDF Admin: It's this thread about dogs. I think you might have to put it out of its misery. Vet: Well, let's take a look first and see if there's anything we can do. Hmmm, signs of class warfare, unreasonableness, flouncing and being called a wanker. Oh dear, I see what you mean. EDF Admin: So it's hopeless? Vet: I'm afraid so. Would you like one last look at it? EDF Admin: No thanks, it would be too painful...

1. No! Alleyns themnselves suggested this option a few years ago. I'm not being inconvenienced even more by traffic created by them, so... 2. Is the way forward. They have plenty of land - let them soak up all the traffic they create and do nothing to deter.

"That's brilliant, dears! Well, I think that's it for the day. Back on set tomorrow at nine." Mike Leigh

"Aaaand... cut! Thanks, everyone ? you wree terrific. You've all done really well. Now let's have lunch..." Mike Leigh

Actually, Sea Cow is pretty good in our experience and not over-priced. It's main advantage is sitting down to eat when the food's come straight our of the fryer - fish and chips really are better when piping hot. If it's takeaway you want, Sema's on Underhill Road is good.

Townleygreen Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I hear the 20 mph limit was in Labour's manifesto > for the Southwark election. As they got a clear > majority, then it looks like they have a clear > mandate to do this! That's the problem with manifestos. I think voters are entitled to vote for a party and subsequently argue against some of the policies they don't agree with. Otherwise we're just election fodder. I've never voted for a manifesto I agree with 100%.

Precede, intercede, supersede, secede, proceed... that lot.

Salsaboy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > What sort of cafes do you go to then? The ones I > mostly frequent wouldn't know what pesto is let > alone a tomato unless it had been fried. They're probably caf?s rather than cafes.

Tomato Reaction Power Failure Meatwagon Mugging DJ Decks NOW GONE

They pitched for ?200K+ from a pro-cycling scheme and got it. So that's what they're doing. Spending it. It sucks.

Just a quick update. The Friends of Green Dale now have a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/friendsofgreendale And you'll find more info on the website: http://www.friendsofgreendale.org.uk/ The lease on the Green Dale open land (currently held by Hadley Property Group) expires in March, but Southwark Council seems likely to contest an extension of HPG's lease, so watch this space. In the mean time, the Friends of Green Dale continue to support keeping the site pretty much as it is according to their goal: "to protect, conserve and enhance the natural environment of Green Dale for the benefit of wildlife and people". Please click on the links if you want to get involved and know more.

The original Gordon Bennett has some claim on the most expensive wee ever. He was the heir to the New York Herald fortune and had become engaged to even-richer socialite Caroline May. On New Year's Day he went blind drunk to her parents' house, where he pissed into the drawing-room fireplace. Needless to say the wedding was off. He was escorted from the premises, horsewhipped by Caroline's brother and ostracised by Manhattan society. He went into self-imposed exile in France where he started the European version of the newspaper ? which became the Herald Tribune. So a very expensive piss turned out to be not so bad in the end. Now back to your normal programme.

Yes, it will. The pavement build-out plus the nervous cyclists 'pen' makes this inevitable. As the Council seems not to have mentioned this, my concern is that they will make all the expensive changes, there'll be an outcry about the queues at Townley Road and they'll come up with a solution ? ban right-hand turns. Can someone tell me I'm being paranoid?

minder Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Rowanofski I sympathise with you. > > Seems like Southwark are setting up cameras in > hotspots all over the borough just to make more > money. Well, if particular restrictions were in place before the cameras went up, it's not just to make money - it's to enforce existing parking restrictions. But if they start putting extra restrictions with cameras around the borough in an arbitrary way, then yes, it would be just to make money.

The 're-consultation' is now up on Southwark's site: http://www.southwark.gov.uk/info/200308/current/3729/townley_road_junction_scheme_re-consultation Right turn from Townley Road reisntated (as previously concede) and cycle 'pre signal' at the lights (as requested). Otherwise there's a lot of complicated crap incolving cycle bays and gates. A preliminary conclusion: over-engineering a simple set of solutions in order to justify the ?200,000 cycle management spend.

Day two of the revised consultation period and still nothing on the Council website. Why am I not surprised?

bloonoo Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I agree with one poster that tests should be taken > regularly, cars and road layouts have changed a > lot since I passed 10 years ago - I reckon people > over 50 should be made to take a test every 5 > years too! On the contrary ? if it's safe driving you're worried about, the test should be once a year for those under 25 :-)

Even the Police are at it. Using the crossing towards the EDT from the other side of LL and a Met Police ANPR Interceptor car (automatic number plate recognition) carried blithely on as I started crossing. He put up a hand in a sort of conciliatory gesture. Got his number plate anyway :-)

And another question :-) Can you find out why the revised Townley Road / EDG consultation hasn't started yet? The timetable was already quite tight, so days lost are important. Many thanks.

Well, that's one day of the three-week consultation gone without a whisper from the Council.

I didn't say lights would have prevented it. And no, a green light across EDG would not have given the truck priority as it was turning from LL. But my comment about the width of EDG is relevant ? a large lorry will automatically cut the corner there, with exactly the danger you point out.

But at busy times, it's often only possible to turn left out of EDG when the lights across Lordship Lane are red anyway. Add lights across the end of EDG and a pedestrian phase and you'll solve the safety issue. As far as causing slower traffic, it's probably TFL that need their minds changing, as they seem to be reluctant to make any changes that might slow down traffic on bus routes in particular. This seems not to be relevant to the shocking accident this morning, but it's a nasty junction altogether, for vehicles and pedestrains ? the sight lines into abd out of Lordship Lane are poor and it's interesting someone mentioned that the road was 'too narrow'. It certainly 'feels' that way.

Jeremy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Well, we are all becoming old. > > Probably faced with an old-school choice between > lager and cask ale, I'd go for an ale every time. > I just find a keg pale ale more refreshing. Agreed. The highly hopped and strong American IPAs need both some chilling and carbonation to cut through the inevitable heaviness of an ale that's 7%, say. I've tasted cask ales that attempt these strengths and characters - and they're way too sweet/full, despite the hoppiness.