AnotherPaul

Surely we will need an expensive facilitator to help us agree which consultants to consult with.

all this talk of chavs and posh kids assumes we live in a predictable world, them over there and them over there but things ain't like that. a new cultural hybrid is out there, boring stoned posh chavs are the new ED demographic. they can be anyone, poor kids who feel like the new aristos, posh coz they posses some trappings of wealth and a willingness dominate by violence. then there's posh kids who dress like all shabby and are willing to rob from anywhere. hmmm. not sure the later exists. anyone? ap

Hands off the cheese master! Not a bundle of laughs but then when has serving cheese required a grin? Do we want to live in the US where strangers greet you like someone they want to marry? Surly is ok, I like surly and it kind of goes with the smell in there. ap

Were Labour or the Tories faced with such an issue they'd go and 'borrow' a pile of cash from persons unstated who live outside the UK. That's far more sleazy but requires real journalism which the Metro and its parent, the Standard Evening don't do. Maurice, do you know Louisa?

(tu)

I was driving along Bellenden Road last night and there was a gang of young people, male guys with prince Harry oversized fructus haircuts and girls all semi-Winehouse. They were smoking fags, looked well up for some naughty, think extras from Skins. For a second it occured to me that SE London, hell hole that it's purported to be, may actually be a destination for kids who want to rough them self up little. As for the changing face of a night out on Lordship Lane I am blinkered. I grew up in Stevenage so everyday I wake up happy that I'm not there. Nothing else matters. ap

Subscribe to LivingSouth!? I feel ill.

I'm not complaining, let's set up a death match.

Ko, you don't seem to be stirring. It was that stall and what was being said to passers by which seems to be stirring things up somewhat but I didn't witness it so will leave comments to others. I posted my opinions here today in response to the comment about asking the police to protect us (BARA) against trouble. ap

Sorry, going back a bit, It's not always Elton John. Sometimes it has been Whitney Houston which I can tell you was not funny. "and i-e-i will always love youeargh" at 4am in hackney. things get no worse than that, surely.

because there's an idea out there that more fighting more litter more broken glass more puke more cop cars more ambulances more disturbances is somehow more fun.

Like Zammo.

These 'churches' are a joke. Just a load of shit singing, bad music and self righteous guff. They think being loud makes up for the made-upness of what they're doing. Can individuals issue cease and desist notices to churches? ap

BARA may have wanted to find out the full facts initially but have entrenched in a position which is informed by utter loathing of what might happen if the pharmacy opened and some needles were exchanged and methadone treatment was administered. There wasn't much fact finding at the meeting last week. One of the BARA folk referred to us being there to listen and learn (or words to that effect) and yet what followed was a long, ugly rant against the perceived destruction of the local community. Snorky's right, this is about denial of the truth. People in our society and community have all manner of vices and some, whether they like it or not, wind up as addicts. These people need compassion, understanding and the chance to get out of that hole they're in. That's what methadone programs are about. The concerns of those supporting BARA are very real and it is perfectly correct that they express those concerns but what I saw at the meeting was - from the majority of speakers - was not simply the expression of concern rather it was an outpouring of fear and hatred. They didn't want to know, rather they wanted something they don't like the thought of to go away. Maurice, it is not possible to answer the Might Roars point as that would assume it's ok to be a NIMBY and it's not.

Maurice, what's your point. Should Chav disagree with herself to please you? ap

For kids, probably a good idea although bob is right, I would feel so bad launching into one to discover the recipient was 11. For parents a designated area would would thrive. Doesn't need a separate forum, parents aren't lepers. ap

Wow, after snorky and I exchanged various ageddons last week this thread seemed to wither. Then BARA get out there and stir it up when there is nowt to stir. So? I feel I was too conciliatory last week and some may have got the wrong idea about the meeting. I see now it was an error on my part to stress the positive impressions of the meeting. It seems that BARA don't want that so what follows is an unabridged account of the meeting inspired by the knowledge that the Police were there at BARA's behest to protect them from others. Daft to be that paranoid but moronic to come on here and tell us that's what you did. The only people who felt scared at that meeting were probably those from the DMC and Mediquick. Irrespective of the rights and wrongs of the need for a pharmacy/needle exchange the way they were treated was vile. They were shouted at and down by David, the Chair of the meeting, Jonathan the councillor and an assortment of other flat-earthers present. I address the chief shouters in turn; David, leader of the angry mob. Please get out there and and keep talking, the more you do the fewer supporters you shall have. BARA, I did not say that David was actually eloquent. Rather he was close to being so. David's speech was considered, he'd obviously rehearsed so it came over quite well. What he didn't need to rehearse was his rude, relentless and aggressive heckling of anyone who didn't agree with him. The Chair. Didn't understand how to be a chair. Got caught up in the argument, was even inspiring it by the end. Jonathan the Councillor. If it possible to report politicians to trading standards then this bloke needs to experience that, Liberal he was not. So sickeningly chasing votes, he seemed to perceive this as his chance to be a little bit like Churchill, all "we shall fight them on the beaches?" but missing the point that Churchill didn't look like a radish in a suit. And it is worth repeating, he suggested that the DMC was like a nuclear explosion in our midst. I'm sure BARA would like you to think the meeting was impassioned but it was actually not far being a witch hunt. What tempered my view slightly was that the rage being poured forth was both farcical and missed the salient statement of the evening came ten minutes in - that the pharmacy probably isn't going to happen. I do not suggest for one minute that everyone there was horrible, a few of the old women seated behind me did on occasion suggest that people should be heard. However there was a palpable atmosphere of intollerance and NIMBYism. This issue has give a few otherwise unheard voices in our community the chance to offload their dislike for the other, secure in a delusion that they are right and others are wrong. Well it's just not that simple. BARA, Your handling of this issue has been as poor as the DMC's. You seem to have on gear, angry. You were right to invite the Police. Not to control others but to make sure that when your impotent fury finally boils over the right people are there to put you away. ap

it seems Gareth Southgate agrees with you. my initial reaction was that the footballers were being stingy but having heard what you're saying stb i agree with you.

My experience of Virgin Media was terrible. Wrongly installed box so VM bloke had to come out twice terrible NTL handset box blew and took out my modem with it channels often froze transforming 'on demand' into no demand awful on screen display - all that type out black ain't a good idea and to cap it all paying for tech support. Am now on sky + which is great apart from being phoned and sent letters almost daily. ap

And Mrs Hamilton can get the f@ck off my surname, weirdo person inventor.

Nice flip Siduhe. snorky, sorry. i'll never be tough on you or your causes. ap

Aside form there being no schools on Lorpshit Lane you seem to be letting your desire for a bargain cloud your judgement. I'll get our local RADISH HEADED COUNCILLOR to smite you with his ILLIBERAL VENOM OUTSIDE SCHOOLS so the kiddy-winks can WITNESS JUSTICE. ap tough on snorky, tough on the causes of snorky.

hope you bought shampoo from a local pharmacy.

to another planet one would hope. we're so far off topic as to be laughable. i know i'll get back on topic. i thought it a little strange that there's been such intense discussion here on the forum and yet little evidence of people from the forum bothering to show up at a real meeting - with biscuits. theinternetemasulatedmydemocracyageddon or ilikerantingonlinebutcantstandpeopleinthefleshageddon or something else?

everythinghaschangedandidontlikeitageddon