david_carnell

Karter - stick two fingers up all you want. You wouldn't happen to have a vested interest in complementary medicine would you? Like, ooh, I don't know....a family member who works in a local shop peddling this snake oil to unsuspecting customers would you? Or would you, in fact, be a founder of such an establishment? Because I think people should know that sort of thing before you post your true beliefs on all that is good and holy about tree bark and panda bile. It's a bit duplicitous otherwise, no?

Jeremy - I was merely responding to being told I didn't know anything and should butt out. That is condescending. And you tack on that final paragraph like an after thought... ...as if it's scarcely worth mentioning. Not subject to trial. Ripped off. Inappropriate. I'd add downright dangerous. Did you read the case in my link about the civil servant being given (I refuse to use the word prescribed) high doses of a banned substance that caused her to lose the use of her kidneys? I'm aware western medicine uses some herbs and natural derivitives as the basis for some of it's drugs but it's not the same thing at all.

Sue Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Have you actually read anything on this thread, or > do you just live within your closed-mind bubble > 24/7? Ahh, lovely Sue....I'd nearly forgotten about you and your earlier quote: Splendid stuff. Utter bollocks of course. And what do you know Sue? Are you a qualified medical doctor perhaps, with a minimum of seven years training? Or are you perhaps a "registered" seller of Chinese medicines who could offer genuine insight or provide counter-balance? Or are you just some delusional crank who has some vague anecdotal flim-flam and attempts to pass it off as evidence? I suspect it's the latter. Me on the otherhand? Well whilst I'm not trained in any medical science I've made a habit of reading works by scientists, doctors and informed commentators. All of whom think TCM is wibble. In fact I've even helpfully provided a link to some of it for you to read. Which is more than you did. Seemingly your entire argument is based on your own personal experience. And you call me close-minded? That's not closed-minded. That's reading all the available evidence and making my own mind up. And absolutely nothing over the last three pages has convinced me otherwise.

Karter, your point seems to be that real medicine is flawed. Yes it is, that?s why we have scientific method to improve it. The issue with alternative medicines is not their flaws but their complete lack of any basis in reality.

Courtesy of Ben Goldacre: Handouts from the Bachelor of Science degree in Chinese Medicine at Westminster University, for example, show students being taught ? on a science degree ? that the spleen is "the root of post-heaven essence", "Houses Thought (and is affected by pensiveness/over thinking)" and is responsible for the "transformation of qi energy", "keeping the muscles warm and firm". "Marrow helps fill the brain". "Sin Jiao assists the Lungs 'dispersing function', spreading fluids to skin in form of fine mist or vapour (so it helps regulate fluid production?)". We also see the traditional anti-vaccine spiel, as students are taught that vaccination is a significant cause of cancer. One lecture by Niki Lawrence on "Herbal approaches for patients with cancer", meanwhile, discusses the difficulties of the Cancer Act, which was specifically designed to protect patients from the more dangerous extremes of alternative therapists? self-belief. "Legally you cannot claim to cure cancer" it begins, on a slide headed "Cancer treatment and the law". "This is not a problem because: 'we treat patients not diseases'." Niki then romps on to explain that Poke root is "especially valuable in the treatment of breast, throat and uterus cancer", Thuja occidentalis is "indicated for cancers of possible viral origin, eg colon/rectal, uterine, breast, lung" and Centella asiatica "inhibits the recurrence of cancer".

I'm a Doctor too. I bought myself a phd in hamburger making online for a fiver when I was 19. Hopefully it's still valid or I've been committing fraud all these years.

Chinese medicine = utter nonsense Narnia. It's a placebo at best and harmful at worst. Don't waste your money. Get a second medical opinion. Does he smoke? Do you have a pet? Have you tried different bedding? Have you fitted a new carpet? Any other environmental factors? Ground panda bone and bear bile will do bugger all.

Try Honalulu to Los Angeles for an even more extreme version. The googlemappers must be having some fun.

Food and Drink What do you use a spurtle for?

More importantly, where is this quiz and when? I'm going to win easily now!

I'm with Jah. It's only offensive because it's so unfunny. I didn't even snigger. But racist? Not in the slightest.

It is, without doubt, a shocking way to treat a workforce whatever their profession. To threaten and carry out forced sackings in order to impose unpopular and unnecessary changes in working patterns seems both unwise and counter productive. As has been previously noted, I have failed to see the need for this. It seems no one has a bad word to say about FFs and their performance. They do not want more pay. Nor fewer hours. Merely they seek to keep working patterns that have seemingly served everyone well for decades. They are not merely defending the status quo - they are defending what works. To force through changes that bring seemingly little benefit and alienate vast numbers of your workforce seems to cut off your nose to spite your face. I'm afraid arguments from those in other professions or sectors that squawk about how they wish they had such cushy jobs/lives are mere misdirection. If you want that, either become a firefighter or negotiate for better conditions. FFs have negotiated hard for many years for their package and they deserve all of it. And if you think FFs have it cushy, I challenge you to live a day in their shoes. It is not all gushing praise though - dear God no. The FBU have behaved, yet again, like a relic from the 1970s with a PR and marketing campaign to match. To strike on the 5th of November would be hilariously ironic if it wasn't so petulent. Instead of highlighting all the good work they do on such an auspicious date the FBU will now look like pathetic schemers. Whilst I fully support the right to withdraw labour as a fundamental human right (and that includes the emergency services), FFs and the FBU now have their work cut out hoping to gain public support for their settlement. They will also have lost the ability to appeal to more moderate Labour politicians that could have helped their cause. A shambolic performance. I fear yet another setback in labour relations in this country off the back of this dispute - a sad end to a campaign that could have been a cornerstone in challenging poor management attitudes and the swinging cuts being imposed by this coalition government.

Except that is an incredibly simplified example that would only be of use in primary school maths class. We are talking about FE courses as varied as hairdressing, tourism, food science and childcare as well as traditional subjects. Whilst these have some exam based assessment, a lot is course work which is marked by teachers. I do not think it is feasible or sensible to have teachers grading students when there are financial implications at stake. You are turning teachers into judge and jury. Nor am I convinced that achievement is even the best way of deciding this. Is it anyone that gets above a C? D grade? E? Where do you draw the line? Either this benefit exists and should be universal or it shouldn't and should be scrapped. It cannot be given based on arbitrary teaching standards that will vary wildly from classroom to classroom, school to school and borough to borough. That's a nonsense.

I'm not sure that teachers should be used to judge whether someone receives a government grant. It's not really part of their job description. And do you not think that would be open to abuse, both by unscrupulous teachers and pupils? And I think you've just written this without thinking it through or really knowing the industry. Learning and education isn't as simple as "knowing something or you don't" and assessing pupils in normal circumstance is not "straight forward" but actually incredibly complex and that is without a financial penalty should you be failing. I'm afraid anecdotal evidence is yet to convince me that the system is broke to require either its abolition or such root-and-branch reform.

@DJKQ & PeckhamRose How could EMA be linked to results to combat the turn-upand-get-paid problem you report? Either it would be based on end-of-year exam results that are assessed independently, which would mean that the students would have to wait a whole year to receive any money OR It would be based on markings from a tutor or lecturer, which would seem open to the very abuses you mention taking place currently, if not more since the poor tutor would be liable not only for teaching but be responsible for benefit payments. The teaching unions would have a fit!

It's got a whole page ad in today's Guardian. They promise delivery by 7:00am on weekdays and 08:30 on weekends inc Sunday's Observer. Not sure what happens if you have a different Sunday paper. And you pay less than the cover price. Seems pretty good to me.

I think the FBU need to fire their current PR team and hire Sean McG. I'd support the FFs till the end of time but, dear lord, do they not know how to run marketing campaign. As Sean points out there are some really simple points that the FBU needed to be making that it has failed miserably to do. If I was a London FF I'd be despairing at the ineptitude of my union to win public support on an issue that should have been an easy win in the current climate. Supoport for spending cuts is beginning to waver and this could have been a userful cornerstone for future disputes. Instead it will tar the FBU and London FFs for years to come with the brush of self-interest. I sometimes despair at my brothers and sisters on the left. It makes the Kremlin look transparent.

SeanMacGabhann Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > > David_Carnell surely? Nope. Not me. A "Sherlock Holmes" pipe, or a bent apple pipe as it should be known, is a little outr? for me. I'm more of a striaght billiard pipe sort of man. With a nice Danish Black Vanilla. But talking of things you never see any more.... smoking on trains proper broadsheet newspapers (aside from the Thunderer) Michael Keaton

If you're on a tight budget, Eastern Europe might be a decent bet. The resorts are small but this won't matter as a beginner. Bulgaria might be worth looking at. And the instructors are as likely to speak English there as they are elsewhere on the continent. I've not been myself but have heard lots of good reports.

It's not really a crash blossom but good enough, I think, to be re-published: http://www.thepoke.co.uk/wp-content/gallery/week-in-pics-23-10-10/headline.jpg

http://www.thepoke.co.uk/wp-content/gallery/week-in-pics-23-10-10/commas.jpg

Pff. I barely scrape half the total needed to be Top20. I suspect I was there once, briefly, but my star was extinguished long ago. The, err, Norwich City of the forum? But without Delia heckling me.

Kbabe01 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > oh for gods sake. How anal to point out ALL > italians in ED (with addresses!) Plus how "not > italian" those suggested are! Maybe she was just > of the opinion an italian on lordship lane would > be nice. It's not anal. It's pointing out that asking for another Italian when we already are inundated with them is nonsensical. It would be like asking for another curry house. We have loads. Say you don't like the ones we have and discuss what a new one might bring and I might have some sympathy. Pointing out their addresses saves the OP asking "where's that then?" And pointing out that neither Bella Pasta nor Zizzis bears any resemblance to actual Italian food is just good eating (as Piers points out). I mean, it's actually depressing. An it doesn't even have the excuse of being cheap.

Moflo Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I have lived in ED for 41 years, not born here! > Changes in the place not all the best but on the > whole its a great place to live. Could do with > some more traditional pubs, M&S, an Italian (Bella > Pasta, Zizzi), a good steak house. Don't agree > when someone said shouldn't have Iceland here, can > get some good bargains there!! So help me Jesus. An Italian? Really? I've said this before, but I'll keep saying it till I'm blue in the face. We HAVE Italians. Lots. Il Mirto - Melbourne Grove Si Magia - Forest Hill Road Case Smerelda - towards Nunhead Il Giardino - opposite Peckham Rye station Locale - East Dulwich Road The Gowlett and the Actress do pizzas There is another new Italian opening on Bellenden Road. AND, to top it off, the two things you've suggested....Bella Pasta and Zizzis....are NOT Italians. They serve some vague approximation of cod-Italian pre-cooked, packet sauce slop. The have about as much relation to Italian food as a horse and cart to a Ferrari. Please, stop it now before I explode in a mess of puttanesca sauce!

Well yes, of course. I'm not a war monger Brendan. But if we choose to have a modern, well equipped armed forces and to continue being a world player as it were (and I'm open to the idea of not being btw - although I'd need convincing) then you have to do it properly and spend the money on the right kit at the right time. This latest Strategic Defence Review seems a bit of a fudge tbh. Lots of jam tomorrow.