Magpie

Urine works for Cats as well as foxes - and is perfectly hygenic - just a bit smelly if you are not hydrated - its very pleasant on a lovely spring day to break the seal in the sunshine!

Yes looks likes its fixed - fingers crossed - thanks James for chasing this.

No, it sounds like you are though.

It is an example of a perceived trend that the "Britishness/Englishness" of the country is being sacrificed at the altar of multi-culturalism and, when combined with the dismissive attitude articulated by Brendan, breeds resentment. It is also patronising as everyone knows they mean Easter, and to pretend otherwise is just ridiculous.

Yes lets laugh at people who bizarrely cling to cultural identity

I have also contacted James Barber on this - and spoke to Southwark Council, who said it was TFL, and then TFL said its Southwark! I believe James reported it on Friday, but it was still a problem yesterday, and this morning. I watched the lights for about 5 minutes yesterday - it goes green for a literally a matter of seconds to let a couple of cars through, then for every few cycles it will stay green longer and clear some of the backlog.

Seems somewhat bizare given the legal name for the Bank holidays is indeed Good Friday and Easter Monday

East Dulwich was certainly an "Irish" area - we still have the Irish shop on the highstreet, and the EDT was an Irish pub when I moved into the area, not in the sense of an O'Neils but in a "Republican Times on the bar" and a "Don't wear an England Shirt" way, hence the origins of the festival

Second post suggests the festival will go on anyway - the real question is not whether funding should be scrapped, but why was it funded in the first place? its clearly self-sustaining

James - I have asked this question on another thread, but the timings at the traffic lights at the Plough Junction have been causing long tail backs for a few weeks. The problem is heading out of East Dulwich up to Forest Hill. The lights are only letting a few cars through at a time, the result is queuing traffic back down Lordship Lane, causing noise and air pollution to local residents (of which I am one), as well as to anyone walking past. It was particularly bad yesterday. Do you know who I can contact about this - it has been going on for a least 4 weeks now.

Thanks Siduhe - I will track his thread down

Traffic light timings at the Plough junction are causing long tail backs down Lordship - yesterday was awful - it increases both noise and air pollution for residents on Lordship Lane (of which I am one), as well as making it unpleasent for anyone walking by. I have emailed TFL, but the phone line I can find is for emergencies only - does anyone have any thoughts?

I agree it didn't - but 9/11 provided the political will and support from the US people for intervention overseas. Iraq was seen a another enemy of the US, and so although no link existed, a parallel could be drawn between Saddamm and the Taliban. Bluerevolution - suggest you stop believing in fairy stories

"The McCanns did it" Quite. An article written by a thinktank is hardly evidence that invasion would have occured regardless. The focus of the Bush administration changed decisively after 9/11 away from domestic matters, and onto foreign affairs. If there had been no 9/11, then i doubt there would have been an invasion of Iraq, nor would there have been a military operation in Afghanistan. The US and UK were not supporters of Saddam, he was simply preferred to the Iranians - he relied far more on the Russians for military support.

The rationale for the invasion of Iraq is interesting. I imagine that the reality is that the decision was driven by some combination of Oil, WMD, failure in Gulf War I and the supposed terrorist threat. Having read the Andrew Rawnsley book on the Blair years, his view is that TB felt that having stood up so publicly to support GB, and having formed such a strong relationship, he couldn't back down from going to war with GB. Also Rawnsley comments that the US government couldn't understand why Saddam would bluff - he refused to deny he had WMD, and let in the UN inspectors very late in the day, when the momentum for war was already un-stoppable. It was a mis-calculation on Saddam's part (used to Clinton's sanctions and air strikes approach) as to how far the US would go, as much as anything that led to the invasion.

Sounds like a great idea - lots of po faced republicans on here by the looks of things, although a residential street or Goose Green would be more practical. The Royal family, are by the way, net contributors to the public coffers as a result of the Treasury receiving all income generated from the the Crown Estates, which are the legal property of the Queen.

Several fresh loads on Melbourne Grove this morning right by the dog poo bin - lazy gits. Does anyone must have an insight as to who the culprit is? I would love to see Southwark council making a visit with a large fine to the anti-social owner

When they have been alone, either walking home, at bus stops etc and have been worried about attracting the attention of predatory males, they feel far less vulnerable if they are chatting into a phone. It also means that they don't have to talk/make conversation with them, if they don't want to. Usually, by the time they have finished the real or pretend phone call, the male in question has lost interest and moved elsewhere. Seems a bit strange to feel safer when out at night when distracted by your phone, then when fully aware of whats going on around you

Well Peak oil may not be as bad as you think - higher oil prices should provide incentives for more rapid development of alternative technologies.

Ridgley - her background is pretty humble - her mum was a flight attendent, her father was I believe a Pilot - they got rich off the back of a business they started together. Both her parents roots are in northern coal mining families. She may have had a upper-Middle class upbringing, but she is definately of the "commoner" variety.

I may be a failure as an open fire owner, but I just can't get smokeless fuel to actually get going even with kindling, paper, cardboard etc. I know its meant to be hotter than real coal, but real coal burns, while the smokeless stuff doesn't. Any tips?

Charging for tuition fees is logical and equitable, its also progressive as the consequence of charging is that the cost is transferred to future high earners. Unlike school attendence at university is not compulsory, in general a degree leads to a higher average income over a working life, therefore it makes sense to pay for something that gives you an advantage, especially as you don't pay back the loan until you start realising the benefit of obtaining a degree. The alternative (general funding from taxation) sees the lowest paid subsidising future high earners.

"Immigration has never been uncapped, the low waged immigrants you describe are mostly derived from asylum seekers or illegals. The reason for both of these has little to do with immigration legislation, but to do with either international trade, social responsibility or an ineffectual security apparatus." Sorry thats rubbish and you know it - the majority of low wage immigration has been from Eastern Europe - the UK, along with Ireland and Sweden (I think) were the only old EU member states that did not impose caps on immigration from new member states - the result was c1m Eastern Europeans moving to the UK in a period of about 12 months. My understanding is that an immigration cap is a policy yet to be introduced by the Coalition. Currently, there is a points based system introduced in the dying days of the last Labour government when they realised that their open doors policy on immigration had been a disaster socially, electorally, and had little long term economic benefit as any increase in economic output is offset by the increase in population.

Its about being considerate - why should my enjoyment impinge on someone elses personal space/nights sleep etc even if it is a one off.

Again you miss the point - how can someone who is unemployed afford to turn down a 20k a year job? He neatly fits into my category 3 - he either has some very very understanding parents, or is happy to sit watching Sky and getting paid by the taxpayer. Cut his benefits and send him out to work. Are you really using the Climbe and Baby P cases as examples of the "help" that social workers provide? Not the best advertisments for the profession. Actually perhaps you're right - better to replace all indigenous social workers with some immigrants who practice common sense. Immigration will not drop until its not possible to come to the UK for a better life (ie while any wage differential remains) thus logically we either allow unlimited immigration or we impose strict border controls, and allow immigration on a needs-only basis basis. It then becomes a question of numbers and criteria.