The Anonymous Widower

Power to the Computer Programmer

I’m impressed by the article in The Times about the new scanner at the London Chest Hospital.  The cost of each scan is around £500 which might seem a lot, but if it can detect a problem that saves a life, it’s peanuts!  Incidentally, in its previous incarnation, this hospital was Bart’s, who did a wonderful job on my mother-in-law.  And did it twice!

I’m also pleased that the next scanner goes in at my local hospital, Addenbrooke’s.

We will be seeing a lot more devices like this.  Some will be big and massively expensive and will be limited to regional centres like Addenbrooke’s.  I’d always prefer to travel to get the best treatment.

But think next time you are in the GP’s surgery.  He, or in my case she, has massive levels of computing power on their desk.  Could we not see equipment plugged into the USB ports on their computer to scan for such things as skin cancer?

I’m too old at 62 to develop ideas like that, but I know there are programmers out there who can create applications like that.  The rewards would be massive for worthwhile applications.

Go and create!

November 12, 2009 Posted by | Computing, Health | , | Leave a comment

BBC Expenses

There is a lot of adverse comment about the money spent by Mark Thompson, especially on a trip to Las Vegas.  He went to one of the prime media shows, which I would have thought was something we would complain about if he hadn’t visited.

Years ago, I used to go to Comdex at Las Vegas.  If you didn’t book the previous year, rooms were impossible to get and I suspect although it may be better, you don’t have the option of affordable rooms unless you book months ahead.  Unless of course you want to stay in Lake Mead. And that’s miles away!

I sent this e-mail to Victoria Derbyshire to further explain.

To get a decent room in Las Vegas at one of the big trade shows, you normally need to book for the whole week or at least a year before.  I paid $500 for one night nearly twenty years ago at Comdex in Las Vegas.  I stopped going because I didn’t want to be ripped off any more.

Mark Thompson got better value than I did.

On the other hand those trade shows are probably a must see for someone like Thompson.  We would probably be complaining a lot more, if he hadn’t gone and missed the launch of something important.

Expenses should be kept to a minimum, but how much BBC time is spent asking questions?  Especially, when many of those asking the questions have other agendas.

November 12, 2009 Posted by | News | | Leave a comment

Kirsty Joins the Red Arrows

Reports over the last few days, have announced that Kirsty Moore has joined the Red Arrows as the first female pilot. I’ve searched the Internet and can’t find any adverse comments, even in some of the more feisty red-tops.

It just shows that it really isn’t a problem.

As I’ve said in this blog before, my father was something to do with Beaverbrook in the Ministry of Aircraft Production in the Second World War.  He once told me a tale about whether female pilots were to be used by the RAF in combat.  He seemed to imply that Churchill had vetoed it on the grounds that if one was killed it would indicate to the general public, that things were desperate and it would be bad for morale.  But of course, the RAF used any capable female, disabled and elderly pilots they could find to ferry aircraft from the factories to the front-line airfields, thus releasing the fit male pilots for combat. One in eight of the pilots of the Air Transport Auxiliary were women.

But the exploits of female pilots on the western front against the Nazis, were nothing compared to what happened in the east.  I have read the excellent book, Moscow 1941, by Rodric Braithwaite, which describes in details the role of women pilots in that battle.  Wikipedia has some more information on Soviet women pilots and a whole section on the Night Witches.

Good luck, Kirsty, you’re following a lot of brave women.

November 12, 2009 Posted by | News | | Leave a comment