About Dean

All posts by Dean

8774_gasmask

Duck-And-Cover Couture

The scourge of polite society, and a garment guaranteed to strike fear into the hearts of houseproud folk across London, the hoodie is nothing if not an adaptable form of clothing. In the wake of the bulletproof edition sold by a Romford firm, another variant …

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Brown Bruised By Commons Taunts

Our lonely PM’s glowering grimace doesn’t lend itself easily to sympathy, but it would take a heart as hard as granite (or Granita, even) not to feel for Gordon Brown’s plight. Having spent ten years waiting for the top job, in just ten months of …

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Demand For City Property Sinks

The Cheesegrater, the Shard, the Walkie-Talkie… love them, loathe them, or merely shrug your shoulders in their general direction, our shiny new skyscrapers and bulky buildings are set to change the London skyline as they creep up over the Square Mile in the next few …

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“Wild West Style Shootout” Claimed Care Worker’s Life

On the same day that a gunman was shot dead in the King’s Road, the story of Magda Pniewska’s senseless death in a skirmish between armed teenagers last October was relayed by prosecutors at the Old Bailey. Ms. Pniewska was caught in a “Wild West”-style …

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Whale Whacked Following Boris Booster

You may have noticed that not every element of London’s media was truly fair and balanced in their coverage of the Race for City Hall. Chickens, you may commence roosting: one of Boris’ bandwagon-jumpers has been given his marching orders for encouraging people to vote …

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CCTV Doesn’t Cut Crime, Says Top Cop

Reassured by the omnipresent CCTV cameras that train their Cyclops vision on London’s populace as they go about their business? Neither are we, particularly now that a senior police officer has claimed they don’t cut crime Back in January we reported that London now boasts …

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London vs. Moscow: The Champions League Final

Vindication finally came to Avram Grant last night. The lugubrious Chelsea manager (and sometime Dangermouse nemesis) achieved what his beloved predecessor never could: he smuggled his side into a European cup final. Long derided by fans, and perennially in danger of being chopped by Chelsea …

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PCSOs Actually Do Their Job

Okay, confession time: Londonist hasn’t always been particularly supportive toward London’s police community support officers. In fact, judging by our generally disdainful tone, you might imagine that we think they’re nothing more than well-meaning but ineffectual quota-fillers with nary a backbone nor a shred of …

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More Hand-Wringing Over Olympic Costs

Another day, another thunderclap of hand-wringing and dire Nostradamus warnings about the 2012 Games. Organisers have been accused of “spending money like water” as costs for the event rise like floodwaters threatening the ageing Thames Barrier. This is the charge made by the Culture, Media …

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Paddick Wants Bus Drivers To Curb Crime

In an attempt to wheeze a bit of life into his flagging mayoral campaign, Liberal Democrat candidate Brian Paddick has called for bus drivers to become ‘have-a-go heroes’ and tackle crime and anti-social tomfoolery on their double-deckers. The former cop inveigled bus drivers to take …