Donal MacIntyre
I like Donal and was interested to hear his piece on MS last night on Radio 5 Live. All good stuff that made you think.
I would feel that the project he discussed, on the use of beta-interferon could have been better handled and researched by the NHS and the other parties involved. It can’t be that sound, if some of those who originally proposed the use have now changed their views.
Research should always be impeccable.
Commons on Homeopathy
This has just been reported in the Guardian.
The NHS should stop all funding of homeopathy, an influential committee of MPs said today.
The science and technology committee of the House of Commons says there is no evidence that homeopathy has anything other than a placebo effect. It says that manufacturers must no longer be able to make medical claims for homeopathic products.
About time too!
Everything must be properly reviewed with double blind trials.
Who’d Buy Portsmouth Football Club?
Portsmouth are over £50million in debt and they are seven points adrift of the bottom of the Premiership. They also have no training ground, a small dilapidated stadium surrounded by land owned by one of the major creditors.
And yet, according to reports on the BBC, there are four or five interested parties, who want to take over the club. One South African group will provide proof of funds by Monday.
Now let’s suppose you are rich as Croesus. You also like football and feel that buying a football club would be good for your image, business interests and ultimately your bank balances.
There are quite a few clubs with rickety finances and some of these have brand new stadia and very good training facilities. As an example, Southampton has just been bought by a sensible Swiss millionaire, who appears to be enjoying his new role.
So would you buy Portsmouth if you were sane and had no other business with the owners?
No! Especially as you’re be buying a Championship Club.
Cashpoints on Belgian and Dutch Motorways
I needed some euros on the way home and couldn’t find a cashpoint on the motorway.
Beware! After all, most garages and motorway services in the UK have them.
Countdown to Dunkirk
This post is for my own information, as I always forget the length of the last part of the journey to Dunkirk from the junction of the A18 and A10 at Jabbeke near to Ostende and Bruges. Jabbeke has a large service station on both sides of the motorway, so it is sensible pitstop both ways.
It took forty minutes from Jabbeke to the ferry at Dunkirk. Remember that the Dunkirk ferry is some way west of the actual town at junction 24. At the moment you should add another five minutes for bridge repairs west of Dunkirk. If they are bad, you can actually go into Dunkirk itself and take the D601 to the port.
Incidentally, there is a BP garage at Dunkirk on the motorway. I usually fill up there with diesel for the Jag as it’s cheaper than in the UK. But petrol is more expensive, so the Lotus comes through empty.
Don’t be caught out though with fuel when taking the ferry for Dover to Dunkirk. You have to travel almost to Jabbeke to get fuel on the motorway. Once I had to go off to look for petrol for the Lotus. Judging by the amount I put in that day, I was running on the fumes in the tank.
The Anonymous Widower 