We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
improved quite a bit.

On Tue, 22 May 2007 11:44:59 +0100 someone who may be Marvin
 wrote this:-

>We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
>he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
>hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
>to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
>improved quite a bit.

Take a look at the bus stop at the top of Waverley Steps on the
other side of the road. Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug
equipment, dirty paving slabs. I will measure the new regime by what
they do with this location, a fairly prime one for visitors.


-- 
  David Hansen, Edinburgh 
 I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
 http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

David Hansen wrote:
> On Tue, 22 May 2007 11:44:59 +0100 someone who may be Marvin
>  wrote this:-
> 
>> We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
>> he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
>> hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
>> to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
>> improved quite a bit.
> 
> Take a look at the bus stop at the top of Waverley Steps on the
> other side of the road. Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug
> equipment, dirty paving slabs. I will measure the new regime by what
> they do with this location, a fairly prime one for visitors.
> 
> 
This norning I walked down to our locl shop - Grove Street. On the way 
the following rubbish spoiled the view:

Numerous cigarete butts litter the pavement and gutters.

Chewing gum covers most paving slabs

Overflowing rubbish bins

One fully loaded hypodermic syringe lay on the pavement outside a young 
person's hostel

Dog shite is reducing - largely because our considerate council has sold 
off the only green park in the area

As for the 'bus shelters'......

Marvin wrote:
> We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
> he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
> hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
> to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
> improved quite a bit.

Depends where you look. Grindlay Street and environs still looks like 
Mordor some mornings thanks to a combination of gulls and arseholes who 
think it is their right to put out their black bags seven days a week. 
Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being laid 
down. Can't say I've noticed casual litter, although I haven't exactly 
been looking out for it. It would be a pleasant change!

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

David Hansen wrote:

> Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug equipment, dirty paving slabs. 

Sounds like a Leith picture postcard. :-)

Actually, now that I think about it, I would appreciate the streets 
being cleaned up by taking all these beggars who hang about ATMs away 
and using them for something useful. Like landfill.

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

Mike Dickson wrote:
> David Hansen wrote:
> 
>> Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug equipment, dirty paving slabs. 
> 
> Sounds like a Leith picture postcard. :-)
> 
> Actually, now that I think about it, I would appreciate the streets 
> being cleaned up by taking all these beggars who hang about ATMs away 
> and using them for something useful. Like landfill.
> 
Oh for Leith - working ladies and TRAMS to come ;-}

Mike Dickson wrote:

> ...Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being laid 
> down. ...

You must be joking! Ok it is relatively free of litter, but looks good? 
It is a granite wasteland. The remit, as far as I understood it, was to 
create a continental type market place feel for the street. Well I can't 
  remember ever visiting anywhere similar on my travels around 
continental Europe, with the exception perhaps of La Defense. You can 
tell how successful it is by the fact that the street is usually free of 
people except on the days it is covered over by stalls.

Graeme Wood wrote:
> Mike Dickson wrote:
> 
>> ...Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being 
>> laid down. ...
> 
> You must be joking! Ok it is relatively free of litter, but looks good? 

It looks substantially better without the decades-old chewing gum 
trampled into the paving stones.

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

Graeme Wood wrote:
> Mike Dickson wrote:
> 
>> ...Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being 
>> laid down. ...
> 
> You must be joking! Ok it is relatively free of litter, but looks good? 
> It is a granite wasteland. The remit, as far as I understood it, was to 
> create a continental type market place feel for the street. Well I can't 
>  remember ever visiting anywhere similar on my travels around 
> continental Europe, with the exception perhaps of La Defense. You can 
> tell how successful it is by the fact that the street is usually free of 
> people except on the days it is covered over by stalls.

Why did they want to make it look continental? This is Scotland, can we 
not have our own ideas?

On 2007-05-23 17:54:11 +0100, Marvin  said:

> Why did they want to make it look continental? This is Scotland, can we 
> not have our own ideas

No.  All individuality must be erased.

On Tue, 22 May 2007 11:44:59 +0100 someone who may be Marvin
 wrote this:-

>We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
>he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
>hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
>to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
>improved quite a bit.

Take a look at the bus stop at the top of Waverley Steps on the
other side of the road. Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug
equipment, dirty paving slabs. I will measure the new regime by what
they do with this location, a fairly prime one for visitors.


-- 
  David Hansen, Edinburgh 
 I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
 http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

David Hansen wrote:
> On Tue, 22 May 2007 11:44:59 +0100 someone who may be Marvin
>  wrote this:-
> 
>> We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
>> he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
>> hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
>> to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
>> improved quite a bit.
> 
> Take a look at the bus stop at the top of Waverley Steps on the
> other side of the road. Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug
> equipment, dirty paving slabs. I will measure the new regime by what
> they do with this location, a fairly prime one for visitors.
> 
> 
This norning I walked down to our locl shop - Grove Street. On the way 
the following rubbish spoiled the view:

Numerous cigarete butts litter the pavement and gutters.

Chewing gum covers most paving slabs

Overflowing rubbish bins

One fully loaded hypodermic syringe lay on the pavement outside a young 
person's hostel

Dog shite is reducing - largely because our considerate council has sold 
off the only green park in the area

As for the 'bus shelters'......

Marvin wrote:
> We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
> he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
> hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
> to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
> improved quite a bit.

Depends where you look. Grindlay Street and environs still looks like 
Mordor some mornings thanks to a combination of gulls and arseholes who 
think it is their right to put out their black bags seven days a week. 
Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being laid 
down. Can't say I've noticed casual litter, although I haven't exactly 
been looking out for it. It would be a pleasant change!

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

David Hansen wrote:

> Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug equipment, dirty paving slabs. 

Sounds like a Leith picture postcard. :-)

Actually, now that I think about it, I would appreciate the streets 
being cleaned up by taking all these beggars who hang about ATMs away 
and using them for something useful. Like landfill.

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

Mike Dickson wrote:
> David Hansen wrote:
> 
>> Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug equipment, dirty paving slabs. 
> 
> Sounds like a Leith picture postcard. :-)
> 
> Actually, now that I think about it, I would appreciate the streets 
> being cleaned up by taking all these beggars who hang about ATMs away 
> and using them for something useful. Like landfill.
> 
Oh for Leith - working ladies and TRAMS to come ;-}

Mike Dickson wrote:

> ...Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being laid 
> down. ...

You must be joking! Ok it is relatively free of litter, but looks good? 
It is a granite wasteland. The remit, as far as I understood it, was to 
create a continental type market place feel for the street. Well I can't 
  remember ever visiting anywhere similar on my travels around 
continental Europe, with the exception perhaps of La Defense. You can 
tell how successful it is by the fact that the street is usually free of 
people except on the days it is covered over by stalls.

Graeme Wood wrote:
> Mike Dickson wrote:
> 
>> ...Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being 
>> laid down. ...
> 
> You must be joking! Ok it is relatively free of litter, but looks good? 

It looks substantially better without the decades-old chewing gum 
trampled into the paving stones.

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

Graeme Wood wrote:
> Mike Dickson wrote:
> 
>> ...Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being 
>> laid down. ...
> 
> You must be joking! Ok it is relatively free of litter, but looks good? 
> It is a granite wasteland. The remit, as far as I understood it, was to 
> create a continental type market place feel for the street. Well I can't 
>  remember ever visiting anywhere similar on my travels around 
> continental Europe, with the exception perhaps of La Defense. You can 
> tell how successful it is by the fact that the street is usually free of 
> people except on the days it is covered over by stalls.

Why did they want to make it look continental? This is Scotland, can we 
not have our own ideas?

On 2007-05-23 17:54:11 +0100, Marvin  said:

> Why did they want to make it look continental? This is Scotland, can we 
> not have our own ideas

No.  All individuality must be erased.

On Tue, 22 May 2007 11:44:59 +0100 someone who may be Marvin
 wrote this:-

>We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
>he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
>hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
>to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
>improved quite a bit.

Take a look at the bus stop at the top of Waverley Steps on the
other side of the road. Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug
equipment, dirty paving slabs. I will measure the new regime by what
they do with this location, a fairly prime one for visitors.


-- 
  David Hansen, Edinburgh 
 I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
 http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

David Hansen wrote:
> On Tue, 22 May 2007 11:44:59 +0100 someone who may be Marvin
>  wrote this:-
> 
>> We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
>> he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
>> hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
>> to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
>> improved quite a bit.
> 
> Take a look at the bus stop at the top of Waverley Steps on the
> other side of the road. Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug
> equipment, dirty paving slabs. I will measure the new regime by what
> they do with this location, a fairly prime one for visitors.
> 
> 
This norning I walked down to our locl shop - Grove Street. On the way 
the following rubbish spoiled the view:

Numerous cigarete butts litter the pavement and gutters.

Chewing gum covers most paving slabs

Overflowing rubbish bins

One fully loaded hypodermic syringe lay on the pavement outside a young 
person's hostel

Dog shite is reducing - largely because our considerate council has sold 
off the only green park in the area

As for the 'bus shelters'......

Marvin wrote:
> We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
> he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
> hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
> to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
> improved quite a bit.

Depends where you look. Grindlay Street and environs still looks like 
Mordor some mornings thanks to a combination of gulls and arseholes who 
think it is their right to put out their black bags seven days a week. 
Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being laid 
down. Can't say I've noticed casual litter, although I haven't exactly 
been looking out for it. It would be a pleasant change!

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

David Hansen wrote:

> Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug equipment, dirty paving slabs. 

Sounds like a Leith picture postcard. :-)

Actually, now that I think about it, I would appreciate the streets 
being cleaned up by taking all these beggars who hang about ATMs away 
and using them for something useful. Like landfill.

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

Mike Dickson wrote:
> David Hansen wrote:
> 
>> Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug equipment, dirty paving slabs. 
> 
> Sounds like a Leith picture postcard. :-)
> 
> Actually, now that I think about it, I would appreciate the streets 
> being cleaned up by taking all these beggars who hang about ATMs away 
> and using them for something useful. Like landfill.
> 
Oh for Leith - working ladies and TRAMS to come ;-}

Mike Dickson wrote:

> ...Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being laid 
> down. ...

You must be joking! Ok it is relatively free of litter, but looks good? 
It is a granite wasteland. The remit, as far as I understood it, was to 
create a continental type market place feel for the street. Well I can't 
  remember ever visiting anywhere similar on my travels around 
continental Europe, with the exception perhaps of La Defense. You can 
tell how successful it is by the fact that the street is usually free of 
people except on the days it is covered over by stalls.

Graeme Wood wrote:
> Mike Dickson wrote:
> 
>> ...Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being 
>> laid down. ...
> 
> You must be joking! Ok it is relatively free of litter, but looks good? 

It looks substantially better without the decades-old chewing gum 
trampled into the paving stones.

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

Graeme Wood wrote:
> Mike Dickson wrote:
> 
>> ...Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being 
>> laid down. ...
> 
> You must be joking! Ok it is relatively free of litter, but looks good? 
> It is a granite wasteland. The remit, as far as I understood it, was to 
> create a continental type market place feel for the street. Well I can't 
>  remember ever visiting anywhere similar on my travels around 
> continental Europe, with the exception perhaps of La Defense. You can 
> tell how successful it is by the fact that the street is usually free of 
> people except on the days it is covered over by stalls.

Why did they want to make it look continental? This is Scotland, can we 
not have our own ideas?

On 2007-05-23 17:54:11 +0100, Marvin  said:

> Why did they want to make it look continental? This is Scotland, can we 
> not have our own ideas

No.  All individuality must be erased.

On Tue, 22 May 2007 11:44:59 +0100 someone who may be Marvin
 wrote this:-

>We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
>he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
>hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
>to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
>improved quite a bit.

Take a look at the bus stop at the top of Waverley Steps on the
other side of the road. Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug
equipment, dirty paving slabs. I will measure the new regime by what
they do with this location, a fairly prime one for visitors.


-- 
  David Hansen, Edinburgh 
 I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
 http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

David Hansen wrote:
> On Tue, 22 May 2007 11:44:59 +0100 someone who may be Marvin
>  wrote this:-
> 
>> We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
>> he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
>> hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
>> to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
>> improved quite a bit.
> 
> Take a look at the bus stop at the top of Waverley Steps on the
> other side of the road. Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug
> equipment, dirty paving slabs. I will measure the new regime by what
> they do with this location, a fairly prime one for visitors.
> 
> 
This norning I walked down to our locl shop - Grove Street. On the way 
the following rubbish spoiled the view:

Numerous cigarete butts litter the pavement and gutters.

Chewing gum covers most paving slabs

Overflowing rubbish bins

One fully loaded hypodermic syringe lay on the pavement outside a young 
person's hostel

Dog shite is reducing - largely because our considerate council has sold 
off the only green park in the area

As for the 'bus shelters'......

Marvin wrote:
> We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
> he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
> hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
> to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
> improved quite a bit.

Depends where you look. Grindlay Street and environs still looks like 
Mordor some mornings thanks to a combination of gulls and arseholes who 
think it is their right to put out their black bags seven days a week. 
Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being laid 
down. Can't say I've noticed casual litter, although I haven't exactly 
been looking out for it. It would be a pleasant change!

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

David Hansen wrote:

> Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug equipment, dirty paving slabs. 

Sounds like a Leith picture postcard. :-)

Actually, now that I think about it, I would appreciate the streets 
being cleaned up by taking all these beggars who hang about ATMs away 
and using them for something useful. Like landfill.

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

Mike Dickson wrote:
> David Hansen wrote:
> 
>> Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug equipment, dirty paving slabs. 
> 
> Sounds like a Leith picture postcard. :-)
> 
> Actually, now that I think about it, I would appreciate the streets 
> being cleaned up by taking all these beggars who hang about ATMs away 
> and using them for something useful. Like landfill.
> 
Oh for Leith - working ladies and TRAMS to come ;-}

Mike Dickson wrote:

> ...Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being laid 
> down. ...

You must be joking! Ok it is relatively free of litter, but looks good? 
It is a granite wasteland. The remit, as far as I understood it, was to 
create a continental type market place feel for the street. Well I can't 
  remember ever visiting anywhere similar on my travels around 
continental Europe, with the exception perhaps of La Defense. You can 
tell how successful it is by the fact that the street is usually free of 
people except on the days it is covered over by stalls.

Graeme Wood wrote:
> Mike Dickson wrote:
> 
>> ...Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being 
>> laid down. ...
> 
> You must be joking! Ok it is relatively free of litter, but looks good? 

It looks substantially better without the decades-old chewing gum 
trampled into the paving stones.

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

Graeme Wood wrote:
> Mike Dickson wrote:
> 
>> ...Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being 
>> laid down. ...
> 
> You must be joking! Ok it is relatively free of litter, but looks good? 
> It is a granite wasteland. The remit, as far as I understood it, was to 
> create a continental type market place feel for the street. Well I can't 
>  remember ever visiting anywhere similar on my travels around 
> continental Europe, with the exception perhaps of La Defense. You can 
> tell how successful it is by the fact that the street is usually free of 
> people except on the days it is covered over by stalls.

Why did they want to make it look continental? This is Scotland, can we 
not have our own ideas?

On 2007-05-23 17:54:11 +0100, Marvin  said:

> Why did they want to make it look continental? This is Scotland, can we 
> not have our own ideas

No.  All individuality must be erased.

In ed.general David Liddle  wrote:
> David Hansen wrote:
>> On Tue, 22 May 2007 11:44:59 +0100 someone who may be Marvin
>>  wrote this:-
>> 
>>> We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
>>> he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
>>> hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
>>> to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
>>> improved quite a bit.
>> 
>> Take a look at the bus stop at the top of Waverley Steps on the
>> other side of the road. Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug
>> equipment, dirty paving slabs. I will measure the new regime by what
>> they do with this location, a fairly prime one for visitors.
>> 
>> 
> This norning I walked down to our locl shop - Grove Street. On the way 
> the following rubbish spoiled the view:

> Numerous cigarete butts litter the pavement and gutters.

> Chewing gum covers most paving slabs

> Overflowing rubbish bins

> One fully loaded hypodermic syringe lay on the pavement outside a young 
> person's hostel

> Dog shite is reducing - largely because our considerate council has sold 
> off the only green park in the area

> As for the 'bus shelters'......

One of the problems with the modern bus shelter is that it mustn't be
comfortable enough to encourage a homeless street person to sleep in
it. Am I right in thinking that there's more homeless people sleeping
in the streets than there used to be?

-- 
Chris Malcolm        cam@infirmatics.ed.ac.uk              DoD #205
IPAB,  Informatics,  JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK
[http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/homes/cam/]

On Tue, 22 May 2007 11:44:59 +0100 someone who may be Marvin
 wrote this:-

>We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
>he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
>hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
>to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
>improved quite a bit.

Take a look at the bus stop at the top of Waverley Steps on the
other side of the road. Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug
equipment, dirty paving slabs. I will measure the new regime by what
they do with this location, a fairly prime one for visitors.


-- 
  David Hansen, Edinburgh 
 I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
 http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

David Hansen wrote:
> On Tue, 22 May 2007 11:44:59 +0100 someone who may be Marvin
>  wrote this:-
> 
>> We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
>> he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
>> hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
>> to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
>> improved quite a bit.
> 
> Take a look at the bus stop at the top of Waverley Steps on the
> other side of the road. Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug
> equipment, dirty paving slabs. I will measure the new regime by what
> they do with this location, a fairly prime one for visitors.
> 
> 
This norning I walked down to our locl shop - Grove Street. On the way 
the following rubbish spoiled the view:

Numerous cigarete butts litter the pavement and gutters.

Chewing gum covers most paving slabs

Overflowing rubbish bins

One fully loaded hypodermic syringe lay on the pavement outside a young 
person's hostel

Dog shite is reducing - largely because our considerate council has sold 
off the only green park in the area

As for the 'bus shelters'......

Marvin wrote:
> We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
> he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
> hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
> to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
> improved quite a bit.

Depends where you look. Grindlay Street and environs still looks like 
Mordor some mornings thanks to a combination of gulls and arseholes who 
think it is their right to put out their black bags seven days a week. 
Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being laid 
down. Can't say I've noticed casual litter, although I haven't exactly 
been looking out for it. It would be a pleasant change!

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

David Hansen wrote:

> Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug equipment, dirty paving slabs. 

Sounds like a Leith picture postcard. :-)

Actually, now that I think about it, I would appreciate the streets 
being cleaned up by taking all these beggars who hang about ATMs away 
and using them for something useful. Like landfill.

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

Mike Dickson wrote:
> David Hansen wrote:
> 
>> Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug equipment, dirty paving slabs. 
> 
> Sounds like a Leith picture postcard. :-)
> 
> Actually, now that I think about it, I would appreciate the streets 
> being cleaned up by taking all these beggars who hang about ATMs away 
> and using them for something useful. Like landfill.
> 
Oh for Leith - working ladies and TRAMS to come ;-}

Mike Dickson wrote:

> ...Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being laid 
> down. ...

You must be joking! Ok it is relatively free of litter, but looks good? 
It is a granite wasteland. The remit, as far as I understood it, was to 
create a continental type market place feel for the street. Well I can't 
  remember ever visiting anywhere similar on my travels around 
continental Europe, with the exception perhaps of La Defense. You can 
tell how successful it is by the fact that the street is usually free of 
people except on the days it is covered over by stalls.

Graeme Wood wrote:
> Mike Dickson wrote:
> 
>> ...Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being 
>> laid down. ...
> 
> You must be joking! Ok it is relatively free of litter, but looks good? 

It looks substantially better without the decades-old chewing gum 
trampled into the paving stones.

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

Graeme Wood wrote:
> Mike Dickson wrote:
> 
>> ...Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being 
>> laid down. ...
> 
> You must be joking! Ok it is relatively free of litter, but looks good? 
> It is a granite wasteland. The remit, as far as I understood it, was to 
> create a continental type market place feel for the street. Well I can't 
>  remember ever visiting anywhere similar on my travels around 
> continental Europe, with the exception perhaps of La Defense. You can 
> tell how successful it is by the fact that the street is usually free of 
> people except on the days it is covered over by stalls.

Why did they want to make it look continental? This is Scotland, can we 
not have our own ideas?

On 2007-05-23 17:54:11 +0100, Marvin  said:

> Why did they want to make it look continental? This is Scotland, can we 
> not have our own ideas

No.  All individuality must be erased.

In ed.general David Liddle  wrote:
> David Hansen wrote:
>> On Tue, 22 May 2007 11:44:59 +0100 someone who may be Marvin
>>  wrote this:-
>> 
>>> We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
>>> he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
>>> hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
>>> to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
>>> improved quite a bit.
>> 
>> Take a look at the bus stop at the top of Waverley Steps on the
>> other side of the road. Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug
>> equipment, dirty paving slabs. I will measure the new regime by what
>> they do with this location, a fairly prime one for visitors.
>> 
>> 
> This norning I walked down to our locl shop - Grove Street. On the way 
> the following rubbish spoiled the view:

> Numerous cigarete butts litter the pavement and gutters.

> Chewing gum covers most paving slabs

> Overflowing rubbish bins

> One fully loaded hypodermic syringe lay on the pavement outside a young 
> person's hostel

> Dog shite is reducing - largely because our considerate council has sold 
> off the only green park in the area

> As for the 'bus shelters'......

One of the problems with the modern bus shelter is that it mustn't be
comfortable enough to encourage a homeless street person to sleep in
it. Am I right in thinking that there's more homeless people sleeping
in the streets than there used to be?

-- 
Chris Malcolm        cam@infirmatics.ed.ac.uk              DoD #205
IPAB,  Informatics,  JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK
[http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/homes/cam/]

On Tue, 22 May 2007 11:44:59 +0100 someone who may be Marvin
 wrote this:-

>We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
>he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
>hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
>to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
>improved quite a bit.

Take a look at the bus stop at the top of Waverley Steps on the
other side of the road. Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug
equipment, dirty paving slabs. I will measure the new regime by what
they do with this location, a fairly prime one for visitors.


-- 
  David Hansen, Edinburgh 
 I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
 http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

David Hansen wrote:
> On Tue, 22 May 2007 11:44:59 +0100 someone who may be Marvin
>  wrote this:-
> 
>> We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
>> he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
>> hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
>> to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
>> improved quite a bit.
> 
> Take a look at the bus stop at the top of Waverley Steps on the
> other side of the road. Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug
> equipment, dirty paving slabs. I will measure the new regime by what
> they do with this location, a fairly prime one for visitors.
> 
> 
This norning I walked down to our locl shop - Grove Street. On the way 
the following rubbish spoiled the view:

Numerous cigarete butts litter the pavement and gutters.

Chewing gum covers most paving slabs

Overflowing rubbish bins

One fully loaded hypodermic syringe lay on the pavement outside a young 
person's hostel

Dog shite is reducing - largely because our considerate council has sold 
off the only green park in the area

As for the 'bus shelters'......

Marvin wrote:
> We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
> he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
> hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
> to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
> improved quite a bit.

Depends where you look. Grindlay Street and environs still looks like 
Mordor some mornings thanks to a combination of gulls and arseholes who 
think it is their right to put out their black bags seven days a week. 
Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being laid 
down. Can't say I've noticed casual litter, although I haven't exactly 
been looking out for it. It would be a pleasant change!

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

David Hansen wrote:

> Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug equipment, dirty paving slabs. 

Sounds like a Leith picture postcard. :-)

Actually, now that I think about it, I would appreciate the streets 
being cleaned up by taking all these beggars who hang about ATMs away 
and using them for something useful. Like landfill.

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

Mike Dickson wrote:
> David Hansen wrote:
> 
>> Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug equipment, dirty paving slabs. 
> 
> Sounds like a Leith picture postcard. :-)
> 
> Actually, now that I think about it, I would appreciate the streets 
> being cleaned up by taking all these beggars who hang about ATMs away 
> and using them for something useful. Like landfill.
> 
Oh for Leith - working ladies and TRAMS to come ;-}

Mike Dickson wrote:

> ...Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being laid 
> down. ...

You must be joking! Ok it is relatively free of litter, but looks good? 
It is a granite wasteland. The remit, as far as I understood it, was to 
create a continental type market place feel for the street. Well I can't 
  remember ever visiting anywhere similar on my travels around 
continental Europe, with the exception perhaps of La Defense. You can 
tell how successful it is by the fact that the street is usually free of 
people except on the days it is covered over by stalls.

Graeme Wood wrote:
> Mike Dickson wrote:
> 
>> ...Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being 
>> laid down. ...
> 
> You must be joking! Ok it is relatively free of litter, but looks good? 

It looks substantially better without the decades-old chewing gum 
trampled into the paving stones.

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

Graeme Wood wrote:
> Mike Dickson wrote:
> 
>> ...Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being 
>> laid down. ...
> 
> You must be joking! Ok it is relatively free of litter, but looks good? 
> It is a granite wasteland. The remit, as far as I understood it, was to 
> create a continental type market place feel for the street. Well I can't 
>  remember ever visiting anywhere similar on my travels around 
> continental Europe, with the exception perhaps of La Defense. You can 
> tell how successful it is by the fact that the street is usually free of 
> people except on the days it is covered over by stalls.

Why did they want to make it look continental? This is Scotland, can we 
not have our own ideas?

On 2007-05-23 17:54:11 +0100, Marvin  said:

> Why did they want to make it look continental? This is Scotland, can we 
> not have our own ideas

No.  All individuality must be erased.

In ed.general David Liddle  wrote:
> David Hansen wrote:
>> On Tue, 22 May 2007 11:44:59 +0100 someone who may be Marvin
>>  wrote this:-
>> 
>>> We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
>>> he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
>>> hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
>>> to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
>>> improved quite a bit.
>> 
>> Take a look at the bus stop at the top of Waverley Steps on the
>> other side of the road. Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug
>> equipment, dirty paving slabs. I will measure the new regime by what
>> they do with this location, a fairly prime one for visitors.
>> 
>> 
> This norning I walked down to our locl shop - Grove Street. On the way 
> the following rubbish spoiled the view:

> Numerous cigarete butts litter the pavement and gutters.

> Chewing gum covers most paving slabs

> Overflowing rubbish bins

> One fully loaded hypodermic syringe lay on the pavement outside a young 
> person's hostel

> Dog shite is reducing - largely because our considerate council has sold 
> off the only green park in the area

> As for the 'bus shelters'......

One of the problems with the modern bus shelter is that it mustn't be
comfortable enough to encourage a homeless street person to sleep in
it. Am I right in thinking that there's more homeless people sleeping
in the streets than there used to be?

-- 
Chris Malcolm        cam@infirmatics.ed.ac.uk              DoD #205
IPAB,  Informatics,  JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK
[http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/homes/cam/]

On 22 May, 17:19, Mike Dickson  wrote:
> Marvin wrote:
> > We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said
> > he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I
> > hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems
> > to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have
> > improved quite a bit.
>
> Depends where you look. Grindlay Street and environs still looks like
> Mordor some mornings thanks to a combination of gulls and arseholes who
> think it is their right to put out their black bags seven days a week.

I think you've hit on something there. Having wheelie bins rather than
bin bags has made difference


Phil

philb@icbl.hw.ac.uk wrote:

>> Depends where you look. Grindlay Street and environs still looks like
>> Mordor some mornings thanks to a combination of gulls and arseholes who
>> think it is their right to put out their black bags seven days a week.
> 
> I think you've hit on something there. Having wheelie bins rather than
> bin bags has made difference

I agree wholeheartedly, but that is something that we are not going to 
gte, as this is a 'National Heritage' site of some kind. It seems that 
it's better to have rubbish strewn all over the place than it is to have 
'unsightly' bins on the roadway. A more simple-minded approach would be 
hard to encompass.

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

On Tue, 22 May 2007 11:44:59 +0100 someone who may be Marvin
 wrote this:-

>We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
>he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
>hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
>to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
>improved quite a bit.

Take a look at the bus stop at the top of Waverley Steps on the
other side of the road. Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug
equipment, dirty paving slabs. I will measure the new regime by what
they do with this location, a fairly prime one for visitors.


-- 
  David Hansen, Edinburgh 
 I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
 http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

David Hansen wrote:
> On Tue, 22 May 2007 11:44:59 +0100 someone who may be Marvin
>  wrote this:-
> 
>> We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
>> he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
>> hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
>> to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
>> improved quite a bit.
> 
> Take a look at the bus stop at the top of Waverley Steps on the
> other side of the road. Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug
> equipment, dirty paving slabs. I will measure the new regime by what
> they do with this location, a fairly prime one for visitors.
> 
> 
This norning I walked down to our locl shop - Grove Street. On the way 
the following rubbish spoiled the view:

Numerous cigarete butts litter the pavement and gutters.

Chewing gum covers most paving slabs

Overflowing rubbish bins

One fully loaded hypodermic syringe lay on the pavement outside a young 
person's hostel

Dog shite is reducing - largely because our considerate council has sold 
off the only green park in the area

As for the 'bus shelters'......

Marvin wrote:
> We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
> he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
> hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
> to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
> improved quite a bit.

Depends where you look. Grindlay Street and environs still looks like 
Mordor some mornings thanks to a combination of gulls and arseholes who 
think it is their right to put out their black bags seven days a week. 
Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being laid 
down. Can't say I've noticed casual litter, although I haven't exactly 
been looking out for it. It would be a pleasant change!

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

David Hansen wrote:

> Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug equipment, dirty paving slabs. 

Sounds like a Leith picture postcard. :-)

Actually, now that I think about it, I would appreciate the streets 
being cleaned up by taking all these beggars who hang about ATMs away 
and using them for something useful. Like landfill.

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

Mike Dickson wrote:
> David Hansen wrote:
> 
>> Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug equipment, dirty paving slabs. 
> 
> Sounds like a Leith picture postcard. :-)
> 
> Actually, now that I think about it, I would appreciate the streets 
> being cleaned up by taking all these beggars who hang about ATMs away 
> and using them for something useful. Like landfill.
> 
Oh for Leith - working ladies and TRAMS to come ;-}

Mike Dickson wrote:

> ...Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being laid 
> down. ...

You must be joking! Ok it is relatively free of litter, but looks good? 
It is a granite wasteland. The remit, as far as I understood it, was to 
create a continental type market place feel for the street. Well I can't 
  remember ever visiting anywhere similar on my travels around 
continental Europe, with the exception perhaps of La Defense. You can 
tell how successful it is by the fact that the street is usually free of 
people except on the days it is covered over by stalls.

Graeme Wood wrote:
> Mike Dickson wrote:
> 
>> ...Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being 
>> laid down. ...
> 
> You must be joking! Ok it is relatively free of litter, but looks good? 

It looks substantially better without the decades-old chewing gum 
trampled into the paving stones.

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

Graeme Wood wrote:
> Mike Dickson wrote:
> 
>> ...Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being 
>> laid down. ...
> 
> You must be joking! Ok it is relatively free of litter, but looks good? 
> It is a granite wasteland. The remit, as far as I understood it, was to 
> create a continental type market place feel for the street. Well I can't 
>  remember ever visiting anywhere similar on my travels around 
> continental Europe, with the exception perhaps of La Defense. You can 
> tell how successful it is by the fact that the street is usually free of 
> people except on the days it is covered over by stalls.

Why did they want to make it look continental? This is Scotland, can we 
not have our own ideas?

On 2007-05-23 17:54:11 +0100, Marvin  said:

> Why did they want to make it look continental? This is Scotland, can we 
> not have our own ideas

No.  All individuality must be erased.

In ed.general David Liddle  wrote:
> David Hansen wrote:
>> On Tue, 22 May 2007 11:44:59 +0100 someone who may be Marvin
>>  wrote this:-
>> 
>>> We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
>>> he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
>>> hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
>>> to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
>>> improved quite a bit.
>> 
>> Take a look at the bus stop at the top of Waverley Steps on the
>> other side of the road. Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug
>> equipment, dirty paving slabs. I will measure the new regime by what
>> they do with this location, a fairly prime one for visitors.
>> 
>> 
> This norning I walked down to our locl shop - Grove Street. On the way 
> the following rubbish spoiled the view:

> Numerous cigarete butts litter the pavement and gutters.

> Chewing gum covers most paving slabs

> Overflowing rubbish bins

> One fully loaded hypodermic syringe lay on the pavement outside a young 
> person's hostel

> Dog shite is reducing - largely because our considerate council has sold 
> off the only green park in the area

> As for the 'bus shelters'......

One of the problems with the modern bus shelter is that it mustn't be
comfortable enough to encourage a homeless street person to sleep in
it. Am I right in thinking that there's more homeless people sleeping
in the streets than there used to be?

-- 
Chris Malcolm        cam@infirmatics.ed.ac.uk              DoD #205
IPAB,  Informatics,  JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK
[http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/homes/cam/]

On 22 May, 17:19, Mike Dickson  wrote:
> Marvin wrote:
> > We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said
> > he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I
> > hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems
> > to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have
> > improved quite a bit.
>
> Depends where you look. Grindlay Street and environs still looks like
> Mordor some mornings thanks to a combination of gulls and arseholes who
> think it is their right to put out their black bags seven days a week.

I think you've hit on something there. Having wheelie bins rather than
bin bags has made difference


Phil

philb@icbl.hw.ac.uk wrote:

>> Depends where you look. Grindlay Street and environs still looks like
>> Mordor some mornings thanks to a combination of gulls and arseholes who
>> think it is their right to put out their black bags seven days a week.
> 
> I think you've hit on something there. Having wheelie bins rather than
> bin bags has made difference

I agree wholeheartedly, but that is something that we are not going to 
gte, as this is a 'National Heritage' site of some kind. It seems that 
it's better to have rubbish strewn all over the place than it is to have 
'unsightly' bins on the roadway. A more simple-minded approach would be 
hard to encompass.

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

On Wed, 30 May 2007 22:45:01 +0100 someone who may be Mike Dickson
 wrote this:-

>I agree wholeheartedly, but that is something that we are not going to 
>gte, as this is a 'National Heritage' site of some kind. It seems that 
>it's better to have rubbish strewn all over the place than it is to have 
>'unsightly' bins on the roadway. A more simple-minded approach would be 
>hard to encompass.

Indeed. However, when the council tried to introduce such bins they
were accused of all sorts of things and ISTR taken to court by
people who didn't want "ugly" bins.


-- 
  David Hansen, Edinburgh 
 I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
 http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

On Tue, 22 May 2007 11:44:59 +0100 someone who may be Marvin
 wrote this:-

>We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
>he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
>hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
>to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
>improved quite a bit.

Take a look at the bus stop at the top of Waverley Steps on the
other side of the road. Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug
equipment, dirty paving slabs. I will measure the new regime by what
they do with this location, a fairly prime one for visitors.


-- 
  David Hansen, Edinburgh 
 I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
 http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

David Hansen wrote:
> On Tue, 22 May 2007 11:44:59 +0100 someone who may be Marvin
>  wrote this:-
> 
>> We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
>> he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
>> hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
>> to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
>> improved quite a bit.
> 
> Take a look at the bus stop at the top of Waverley Steps on the
> other side of the road. Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug
> equipment, dirty paving slabs. I will measure the new regime by what
> they do with this location, a fairly prime one for visitors.
> 
> 
This norning I walked down to our locl shop - Grove Street. On the way 
the following rubbish spoiled the view:

Numerous cigarete butts litter the pavement and gutters.

Chewing gum covers most paving slabs

Overflowing rubbish bins

One fully loaded hypodermic syringe lay on the pavement outside a young 
person's hostel

Dog shite is reducing - largely because our considerate council has sold 
off the only green park in the area

As for the 'bus shelters'......

Marvin wrote:
> We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
> he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
> hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
> to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
> improved quite a bit.

Depends where you look. Grindlay Street and environs still looks like 
Mordor some mornings thanks to a combination of gulls and arseholes who 
think it is their right to put out their black bags seven days a week. 
Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being laid 
down. Can't say I've noticed casual litter, although I haven't exactly 
been looking out for it. It would be a pleasant change!

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

David Hansen wrote:

> Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug equipment, dirty paving slabs. 

Sounds like a Leith picture postcard. :-)

Actually, now that I think about it, I would appreciate the streets 
being cleaned up by taking all these beggars who hang about ATMs away 
and using them for something useful. Like landfill.

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

Mike Dickson wrote:
> David Hansen wrote:
> 
>> Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug equipment, dirty paving slabs. 
> 
> Sounds like a Leith picture postcard. :-)
> 
> Actually, now that I think about it, I would appreciate the streets 
> being cleaned up by taking all these beggars who hang about ATMs away 
> and using them for something useful. Like landfill.
> 
Oh for Leith - working ladies and TRAMS to come ;-}

Mike Dickson wrote:

> ...Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being laid 
> down. ...

You must be joking! Ok it is relatively free of litter, but looks good? 
It is a granite wasteland. The remit, as far as I understood it, was to 
create a continental type market place feel for the street. Well I can't 
  remember ever visiting anywhere similar on my travels around 
continental Europe, with the exception perhaps of La Defense. You can 
tell how successful it is by the fact that the street is usually free of 
people except on the days it is covered over by stalls.

Graeme Wood wrote:
> Mike Dickson wrote:
> 
>> ...Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being 
>> laid down. ...
> 
> You must be joking! Ok it is relatively free of litter, but looks good? 

It looks substantially better without the decades-old chewing gum 
trampled into the paving stones.

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

Graeme Wood wrote:
> Mike Dickson wrote:
> 
>> ...Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being 
>> laid down. ...
> 
> You must be joking! Ok it is relatively free of litter, but looks good? 
> It is a granite wasteland. The remit, as far as I understood it, was to 
> create a continental type market place feel for the street. Well I can't 
>  remember ever visiting anywhere similar on my travels around 
> continental Europe, with the exception perhaps of La Defense. You can 
> tell how successful it is by the fact that the street is usually free of 
> people except on the days it is covered over by stalls.

Why did they want to make it look continental? This is Scotland, can we 
not have our own ideas?

On 2007-05-23 17:54:11 +0100, Marvin  said:

> Why did they want to make it look continental? This is Scotland, can we 
> not have our own ideas

No.  All individuality must be erased.

In ed.general David Liddle  wrote:
> David Hansen wrote:
>> On Tue, 22 May 2007 11:44:59 +0100 someone who may be Marvin
>>  wrote this:-
>> 
>>> We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
>>> he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
>>> hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
>>> to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
>>> improved quite a bit.
>> 
>> Take a look at the bus stop at the top of Waverley Steps on the
>> other side of the road. Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug
>> equipment, dirty paving slabs. I will measure the new regime by what
>> they do with this location, a fairly prime one for visitors.
>> 
>> 
> This norning I walked down to our locl shop - Grove Street. On the way 
> the following rubbish spoiled the view:

> Numerous cigarete butts litter the pavement and gutters.

> Chewing gum covers most paving slabs

> Overflowing rubbish bins

> One fully loaded hypodermic syringe lay on the pavement outside a young 
> person's hostel

> Dog shite is reducing - largely because our considerate council has sold 
> off the only green park in the area

> As for the 'bus shelters'......

One of the problems with the modern bus shelter is that it mustn't be
comfortable enough to encourage a homeless street person to sleep in
it. Am I right in thinking that there's more homeless people sleeping
in the streets than there used to be?

-- 
Chris Malcolm        cam@infirmatics.ed.ac.uk              DoD #205
IPAB,  Informatics,  JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK
[http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/homes/cam/]

On 22 May, 17:19, Mike Dickson  wrote:
> Marvin wrote:
> > We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said
> > he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I
> > hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems
> > to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have
> > improved quite a bit.
>
> Depends where you look. Grindlay Street and environs still looks like
> Mordor some mornings thanks to a combination of gulls and arseholes who
> think it is their right to put out their black bags seven days a week.

I think you've hit on something there. Having wheelie bins rather than
bin bags has made difference


Phil

philb@icbl.hw.ac.uk wrote:

>> Depends where you look. Grindlay Street and environs still looks like
>> Mordor some mornings thanks to a combination of gulls and arseholes who
>> think it is their right to put out their black bags seven days a week.
> 
> I think you've hit on something there. Having wheelie bins rather than
> bin bags has made difference

I agree wholeheartedly, but that is something that we are not going to 
gte, as this is a 'National Heritage' site of some kind. It seems that 
it's better to have rubbish strewn all over the place than it is to have 
'unsightly' bins on the roadway. A more simple-minded approach would be 
hard to encompass.

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

On Wed, 30 May 2007 22:45:01 +0100 someone who may be Mike Dickson
 wrote this:-

>I agree wholeheartedly, but that is something that we are not going to 
>gte, as this is a 'National Heritage' site of some kind. It seems that 
>it's better to have rubbish strewn all over the place than it is to have 
>'unsightly' bins on the roadway. A more simple-minded approach would be 
>hard to encompass.

Indeed. However, when the council tried to introduce such bins they
were accused of all sorts of things and ISTR taken to court by
people who didn't want "ugly" bins.


-- 
  David Hansen, Edinburgh 
 I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
 http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

David Hansen wrote:

> On Wed, 30 May 2007 22:45:01 +0100 someone who may be Mike Dickson
>  wrote this:-
> 
>> I agree wholeheartedly, but that is something that we are not going to 
>> gte, as this is a 'National Heritage' site of some kind. It seems that 
>> it's better to have rubbish strewn all over the place than it is to have 
>> 'unsightly' bins on the roadway. A more simple-minded approach would be 
>> hard to encompass.
> 
> Indeed. However, when the council tried to introduce such bins they
> were accused of all sorts of things and ISTR taken to court by
> people who didn't want "ugly" bins.

The problem is that the 'ugly bins' already exist; just about every 
restaurant in town has at least two, and that establishment owned by one 
Mr J Chung has five. This much I know because they habitually have them 
parked right outside our stair door, hosting all-night parties for the 
myriad gulls and rats that gather there.

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

On Tue, 22 May 2007 11:44:59 +0100 someone who may be Marvin
 wrote this:-

>We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
>he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
>hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
>to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
>improved quite a bit.

Take a look at the bus stop at the top of Waverley Steps on the
other side of the road. Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug
equipment, dirty paving slabs. I will measure the new regime by what
they do with this location, a fairly prime one for visitors.


-- 
  David Hansen, Edinburgh 
 I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
 http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

David Hansen wrote:
> On Tue, 22 May 2007 11:44:59 +0100 someone who may be Marvin
>  wrote this:-
> 
>> We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
>> he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
>> hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
>> to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
>> improved quite a bit.
> 
> Take a look at the bus stop at the top of Waverley Steps on the
> other side of the road. Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug
> equipment, dirty paving slabs. I will measure the new regime by what
> they do with this location, a fairly prime one for visitors.
> 
> 
This norning I walked down to our locl shop - Grove Street. On the way 
the following rubbish spoiled the view:

Numerous cigarete butts litter the pavement and gutters.

Chewing gum covers most paving slabs

Overflowing rubbish bins

One fully loaded hypodermic syringe lay on the pavement outside a young 
person's hostel

Dog shite is reducing - largely because our considerate council has sold 
off the only green park in the area

As for the 'bus shelters'......

Marvin wrote:
> We have a Canadian guest staying with us just now and yesterday he said 
> he was amazed how clean the streets are here, no litter etc. Now I 
> hadn't noticed this, but I looked around after he said it and he seems 
> to be right. Edinburgh used to be very dirty but it seems to have 
> improved quite a bit.

Depends where you look. Grindlay Street and environs still looks like 
Mordor some mornings thanks to a combination of gulls and arseholes who 
think it is their right to put out their black bags seven days a week. 
Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being laid 
down. Can't say I've noticed casual litter, although I haven't exactly 
been looking out for it. It would be a pleasant change!

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

David Hansen wrote:

> Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug equipment, dirty paving slabs. 

Sounds like a Leith picture postcard. :-)

Actually, now that I think about it, I would appreciate the streets 
being cleaned up by taking all these beggars who hang about ATMs away 
and using them for something useful. Like landfill.

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

Mike Dickson wrote:
> David Hansen wrote:
> 
>> Cracked paving slabs and drains, used drug equipment, dirty paving slabs. 
> 
> Sounds like a Leith picture postcard. :-)
> 
> Actually, now that I think about it, I would appreciate the streets 
> being cleaned up by taking all these beggars who hang about ATMs away 
> and using them for something useful. Like landfill.
> 
Oh for Leith - working ladies and TRAMS to come ;-}

Mike Dickson wrote:

> ...Castle Terrace looks good thanks to the new paving stones being laid 
> down. ...

You must be joking! Ok it is relatively free of litter, but looks good? 
It is a granite wasteland. The remit, as far as I understood it, was to 
create a continental type market place feel for the street. Well I can't 
  remember ever visiting anywhere similar on my travels around 
continental Europe, with the exception perhaps of La Defense. You can 
tell how successful it is by the fact that the street is usually free of 
people except on the days it is covered over by stalls.