Forum Topics

Do Public Loos give you the blues????

In recent years the shortage of public loos seems to be on the increase and most of those still open are in such a horrible state that the option of going "crossed legged" springs to mind!For instance, the toilets in the Hammersmith Shopping Mall are an absolute disgrace. There are 4 toilets plus a disabled toilet, the latter has had a sign on the door stating that it is broken, that particular toilet has been "broken" for many months. As far as the other 4 toilets are concerned, for some weeks now only 2 of these are available, the others are "broken". This often results in a long queue cauing anger and fruistration to shoppers, especially those with children who are obviously desperate to use the facility.I have NEVER seen an attendant in the Shopping Mall toilets, although I have noted members of the public banging on the door where the attendant should be and getting no response.Of course there are public toilets in Hammersmith Station but one must pay 30p to use this facility. Why should we have to pay to use the facilities when they want to attract shoppers into the station complex?The only other option is for one to use the toilets in a coffee bar which of course means buying refreshments, rather defeating the purpose of the exercise!I think the people responsible for Shopping Malls really should be be doing all they can to attract potential customers to spend some time on their premises and when they want to "Spend a Penny" to ensure that they are not going to feel like throwing up at the very state of the public toilets. They should be ashamed of themselves for the way this facility is neglected.Acton High Street is not much better. The public toilets in "The Oaks" are often closed, and when they are open they are in such a state that one would have to be really desperate to actually use them. Paper scattered all over the floor, flooded sinks with bits of paper stopping the water going down, it's disgusting.Morrisons at least do try and keep their toilets in a reasonable condition but they do have to check on the situation every hour, even then it is sometimes in a mess!With the new Westfield Shopping Centre opening this week I think the people who are responsible for providing and maintaining public toilets in the surrounding areas had better review their situation because they will need to do all in their power to attract shopppers.Perhaps we should have a "Good Loo Guide" or tell those responsible to get off their backsides(!) and do something about it!Some of the best kept public toilets seem to be in Westminster, sorry but it's too far to go!!!

Jean F Fernandez ● 6552d2 Comments ● 6551d

Gordon Brown should resign

Gordon Brown bears a very heavy responsibility for the present crisis because:1. He establshed the present tripartite regulatory system of the Financial Services Authority, the Treasury and the Bank of England which failed to prevent, detect or control the situation;2. He has presided since 1997 over a massive explosion of public and private debt;3. He sold a huge part of the nation's gold reserves when the gold price was low;4. He has raided and weakened our pension funds and other savings;5. He has greatly expanded governement expenditure thus encumbering us all and future generations with higher taxes and a massive national debt including the costs of the so-called public private partnerships;6. He failed to save money and add the the nation's reserves when the economy was doing well as a result of reforms made by the Conservative Governments of 1979- 1997;7. He has squandered billions of our money on the unreformed health, social security and educational systems without a proportionate immprovement in the performance of these systems;8. He has squandered billions on the war in Iraq and in so-called  aid to corrupt and authoritarian foreign governments;9. He has dithered consistently, chopped and changed economic policies, complicated the tax systems , increased the tax burdens on the poor and the working class and lost the confidence of the British people;10. He has failed dramtically to end poverty, esp[ecially child poverty, increased the income discrepancies between rich and poor and made millions more dependent on state benefits;11. He has consistently undermined public and investor confidence in British banks and financial institutions;12. By their actions, inactions and leaks, he and his colleagues have systematically devalued the capital values and assets of British banks thus forcing them to turn to the Government for assisdtance, funds and shareholders;13. He has failed to protect investors, borrowers and shareholders by failing to regulate and limitethe explosion of credit which has led to an explosion of property prices well beyond sustainable levels;14. He has presided over a huge wave of uncontrolled immigration which  has resulted on huge pressures on housing, education, health, social security and other services;15. He has allowed banks from outside the UK and the EU (e.g. Iceland and the USA) to take depositis from UK local government, charities and individuals without ensuring that these deposits are adequately protected;16. He has failed to ensurr that the Government's plans to deal with the crisis were announced properly in such a way not to allow speculators and traders take profits at the expense of shareholders, savers and depositors. 17.The Government has leaked like a sieve feeding market sensitive information to  to the media, particularly to Brown's biographer, Robert Peston of the BBC, in a way that has enabled speculators make billions, which has encouraged the flight of capital out of the UK and UK banks and other companies and which has lead to a collapse the the sahre values of British companies and hence in the value of our pension funds;18. He does not understand  global momey, share and commodity markets;19. He has no qualifications in economics or finance and has no private sector business experience;20. He lacks the confidence of the British people, the City of London and the global banking and financial communities;21. He has not been elected by the British people.Therefore he should resign as soon as his resignation will not lead to a deterioration of the present crisis he has been so much responsible for.

David Giles ● 6568d14 Comments ● 6563d

Teachings of Zen!

1. Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me for the path is narrow. In fact, just piss off and leave me alone.2. Sex is like air. It's not important unless you aren't getting any.3. No one is listening until you fart.4. Always remember you're unique. Just like everyone else.5. Never test the depth of the water with both feet.6. If you think nobody cares whether you're alive or dead, try missing a couple of mortgage payments.7. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.8. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.9. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.10. If you lend someone £20 and never see that person again, it was probably well worth it.11. If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.12. Some days you are the bug; some days you are the wind screen.13. Don't worry; it only seems kinky the first time.14. Good judgment comes from bad experience and most of that comes from bad judgment.15. A closed mouth gathers no foot. 16. There are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works.17. Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your lips are moving.18. Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.19. We are born naked, wet and hungry, and get slapped on our ass ... then things just get worse.20. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night. Handle every stressful situation like a dog, if you can't eat it or hump it. Piss on it and walk away.

Carol Burge ● 6565d0 Comments ● 6565d