Ketsbaia

I'm suggesting the Southwark Tavern on Borough High Steet/Southwark Street as a potential meeting venue. I'm there straight after work.

"I'll Be There..." /Four Tops

Parking near London Bridge station isn't particularly easy. There is an NCP, I think, but it's fairly pricey.

Hasn't stopped you trying repeatedly to get it off, though, eh?

I wish. Gotta look after the nippers on Saturday. Will definitely be going to Brentford, though.

There we are. Beat that!

Eureka! I've found a winning formula. All you need to do before reading one of CJ's posts is to prefix it with the words: "I think." Doesn't half make it easier and puts everything beautifully into context. Bingo. E2a: So CJ, are you actually going out for dinner or is that just an opinion?

Well, you started the conversation, you can't even finish it.

No, but it's highly likely it would make me run run run run run run away.

Qu'est-ce que c'est?

People like us can do without that sort anyway.

You reckon he'd change his mind? He'd have to be on drugs to reconsider.

I wish you wouldn't say that. Besides which, I think he's found a job elsewhere.

Mr Jones? Well, in a perfect world, we would have done.

True enough. And I have to admit I'm impatient for a bit more of the success I remember from all those years ago. In fact, those memories can't wait.

And clearly you don't see any happy day coming in the near future?

Those little creatures sure have had a wild, wild life, eh?

As long as there are stars above you...

Yeah, it's alright.

I just don't believe that.

Could have sworn I was on another messageboard then...

Not my clients. But I see what you're saying. And don't get me wrong, we're not out of this mess for a few years. But decades is way wide of the mark. Course, it won't stop doom-mongers repeating the hyperbole.

Because 'decades' implies more than one period of 10 years. So in effect, the statement you're repeating purports that it will be at least 20 years before we recover from the financial crisis. My clients at an international investment bank beg to differ. As do the many, many voices in the media/politics/economics etc. Most point to a longer-than-expected recovery period, but nothing quite so dramatic as 20 years. In fact, much if not all of the hullaballoo about how long it'll take to pay off the debt built up by the bail-out of the banks fails to take into account the almost nailed-on likelihood that those banks will pay the money back (as Northern Rock is doing at an encouraging rate).

I'm sorry, but that's utter cocksnot.