Olemorris

I 've just seen a green parrot-like kooking bird in a tree in my garden. It was about size of a small magpie, with a reddish beak and longish tail. Anyone know what it might be? I have heard about flocks of parakeets living wild in the south of UK - could this be a northern adventurer or more likely escaped from captivity?

Whoops - sorry just read that womerry2 said "got their jokes from Little House on Prairie" - not their names - sorry

They didn't get their names for Little House on teh Prairie but places round Sheffield. I know "Norton Lees" - the double bass player - he's been in a few bands since including Chicken Legs Weaver - still plays - and lives in Sharrow. Other band members were "Kelvin Flats" "Red Mires" and "Thorpe Hesley". They had an LP called "I'm so far in the red, I'm blue"

There are a few posts here from people saying they respect, and that we should respect other people's beliefs and religions. Why? Why should we just respect a religion and its special book, creed, rituals, symbols, dress or whatever without requiring that the believers justify those beliefs - especially if they start impinging on someone else's right to a go peacefully about their lives? Respect a person's "right" to believe in whatever they like, by all means. But respecting the belief itself, just because someone says it's sacred, is a bit gullible, and as we can see throughout history, very dangerous.

I have no axe to grind here - I am an athiest - but I work in East Africa and have seen both Christian charities and Islamic charities operating there, alongside many NGOs, non-religious aid organisations, and philanthropic individuals. Certainly Christian ones seem more in evidence, particularly the more whacky American churches, but I think there's a tradition of Christian evangelists going there to earn their stripes saving souls for their God. There is also a tradition of Muslims giving each week to less fortunate people. This clearly spreads a fair bit of sustenance around judging by the numbers of beggars surrounding the big mosques at Friday prayers. The work all of them do seems to be valuable and valued to greater or lesser extent, but there is criticism of the Christian approach "Aid in one hand, bible in the other" type of thing - very predominant there. On balance though, the people would I'm sure be happier with a Christian bush hospital than no hospital, so it's difficult to be too critical. I once asked a fairly savvy African colleague what he thought of this approach and he replied "It's like a cake - if you don't like the whole cake you can pick out the currents" Fair enough, though if you look at the massive money spinning business that Chritianity has become in Africa (even our big cities) it's a shame more folk can't just pick out the currents - whoops .. is that an axe I'm grinding ? ...

Oh and our cellar has 8 inches of water so far .... that won't be the worst I'm sure ...

The "stream" running through Endcliffe Park was a raging torrent at 07.00 Fri morn. Burst its banks in several places and flooded the kiddies swings area. And still it's pouring down .....

Im interested in doing beadwork as well we can start one up and see how it goes.

So is this ever going to get started? I can make Sun this week or next from about 2pm til late - anywhere centralish.

Top game - played ages. I'd be up for a game. Takes about 10 hours though minimum.

Will try. I was also a great advocate for the Mangla, ever since it started further down Spital Hill with a couple of formica tables years ago (anyone remember the pictures on the wall - forest scenes with cut-out pics of motorbikes & birds stuck on?). Always a great atmosphere as you'd be sharing tables with folk who'd travelled from - ooh as far as Mansfield even. But after three disapointing curries, drowning in oil, poor service and just too expensive I need a new place to eat.

Just to change the subject slightly from "woman resisting arrest gets punched" topic - anyone seen any frogspawn anywhere this year yet? I got a lot of frog activity in my pond - basically gang rape for the few bloated females - but no spawn yet.

last night at 5am it was minus 4C just off Sharrow Lane - according to my max/min thermometer hanging out the bedroom window

Kashmir - vaguely spicey gravy for social workers and the middle classes whose critical faculties evaporate within 20m of ethnic minorities. Mangla - as good as it gets outside Kashmir I'd guess - not that I'd want to eat in Kashmir right now. All food cooked in front of you (rather than scooped out of some white placcy tub out-back). The nans are the largest and freshest you'll ever get. When they started as a late night cafe down the hill a few yards, 15 years ago? - they did sheep's brains, bitter melon curry and Alah knows what else - I guess BSE did for that. The decor down there used to be great as well - pic of waterfalls with motorbikes cut out from a mag and stuck on - class. Just noticed lately though that it's even oilier than it was, and the tarka dhal not got as much burnt garlic taste. Oh well can't live in the past for ever ...

do they have a cafe then?

Waterstones eh! Time was you could go have a coffee and read the papers gratis. Coffe 'n' cakes were pricey - but fair enough for a free read and comfy seat. Now they've only got one paper, Daily Telegraph, and you gotta buy it! Woman on the till said it was a new directive .... Coffee's still pricey, so Waterstones manage stingy and a blow to press freedom in one. Boycott or to the barricades? ....

I can't believe these comments. Well maybe I can. Yellow lines are there to ease the traffic flow. If the warden just came in the shop and siad "please move your van or I'll give you a ticket" you would have been well grateful. But if that was the norm people would soon get complacent and think they can just park when they want and get a nice friendly warning if they over stay the limit. Now you have a fine it will focus your attention next time you park and all those other folks trying to get home on the bus won't be inconvenienced.

Removing all the vermin would be a good start - I'm talking about the pigeons of course.

Thanks. It's early days yet - just sounding out the situation. 've seen education otherwise and will check teh LEA site. Chris

For a number of reasons I'm considering educating my children at home (one is 4, the other 11) - does anyone have any experience of this that they'd be prepared to share? Also, anybody else in a similar mind, with kids, interested in exploring the potential for linking up to do the educating?

most nights round here - between Sharrow Lane and Priory Road - they're Tawny owls and there was one in a tree in our garden last week

Most nights round here - between Sharrow Lane and Priory Road - they're tawny owls and there was one in a tree in our garden last week.

Anyone have a contact number for the organisers of tomorrow's Peace in the Park at the Sheffield Gen Cemetery by the Vine? Their website isn't working .....