When the boys were young, C and I used to occasionally take them for lunch on Saturdays in Harrods. It was enjoyable and we used to like to browse and sometimes we’d even buy something. For example, the Gieves and Hawkes jacket I’m wearing in this post, was bought nearly twenty years ago in the store. It’s still perfect, and has perhaps only been cleaned once, if that.
A A Gill in the Sunday Times describes the shop in some amazing words, of which the pick is probably this.
The shop is now as sophisticated as a Malibu enema.
He reserves his greatest prose for the reason for his visit; the Disney Cafe, giving it one star out of five for atmosphere and no stars for the food.
The article was well worth the price I paid for the newspaper.
May 26, 2013
Posted by AnonW |
Food, World | Cafe, Harrods, Shopping |
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We have an awful lot of bad NHS hospitals in this country. My son was in one in Manchester that was terrible and should have been closed years ago. I also grew up in Southgate, where there was a ring of bad hospitals and from reports recently, one is not much better, fifty years later. But protestors still fight to keep it open.
Now we have the story of Julie Bailey and the backlash against her campaign against malpractice at Stafford Hospital. It looks like her cafe business is now going bust and I suspect lots of people will be pleased, when she leaves town.
For many years, I lived in the Suffolk countryside, miles from any hospital. But on the whole healthcare was good, as we were always taken to Addenbrookes at Cambridge, which is a large well-equipped hospital supported by a very good ambulance service.
There was a tremendous fuss, when Newmarket Hospital was downgraded, but a few years later, no-one felt the system was worse, than when it was a General Hospital.
Healthcare is moving on and more and more things are being done in the community, by GPs and even like in my INR testing, by patients themselves.
but those evil people in Stafford don’t seem to have seen this reality, hence the title of this post.
Interestingly, at Stafford in an unrelated piece in the Sunday Times, it is stated that recent data shows that those choosing Stafford Hospital has dropped by two-thirds.
May 26, 2013
Posted by AnonW |
Health | Hospitals |
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This article on the BBC web site, asking if Ryanair really is Europe’s most punctual airline provokes a few thoughts. The data is suspect on the headline question, but as Charles Babbage said, “Errors using inadequate data are much less than those using no data at all”, so there is probably a degree of truth in Ryanair’s posturing.
If I look at my recent flights to and from Majorca, Schipol, Budapest and Geneva on easyJet, none of these were late and you could argue that the return from Geneva was an hour or so early, as I exchanged waiting in a lonely airport for an earlier flight.
When I choose a flight, my criteria are based on a classic objective function, involving several factors.
The choice of airports is important, both at the London end and the destination. although, I’ve used it for years, I tend to avoid Stansted, for no better reason, than I can’t get a good meal before I fly. Gatwick is now very easy for me and I like the quickness of Southend. I think, I would only avoid Luton specifically on an outward journey, although, it would probably be acceptable on a return.
The flight time is important to me as well. If I have a chance, I’ll fly out at a time that is convenient for a relaxed journey to the airport and one that gets me to my destination at a time, where I can get to my hotel with ease.
I only ever these days, carry one small article of hand baggage, so a lot of the luggage conditions airlines apply don’t bother me. So long as my case-cum-briefcase fits under the seat in front, I don’t care.
I actually prefer choose-your-own-seat on getting on the plane, as it makes the boarding process quicker and I can wait until the last minute to get an aisle seat, hopefully next to a pretty young woman or intelligent-looking person, which will enable me to make a quick exit. How about a no-baggage except for a very small under-seat item, discount? After all, easyJet are warning there is not enough space in the overhead lockers.
But the thing I hate is airlines that have a bad attitude, that grates with my normally calm disposition. So I will not choose to fly Ryanair again, until they reform some of their aggressive attitudes. I don’t know whether they still play that awful landing fanfare, as it’s been some time since I experienced their hospitality.
I also value my safety, so their are certain airlines I would never fly.
Cost if only relevant, if it is just too much. Why get the flight for £50, when you fly to an airport miles from the city centre, when you are going to spend say a hundred or so a night on a decent hotel.
I’m intending to fly to Stockholm soon and come back by train. Applying my criteria what do I find.
Three airlines fly at a reasonable price to Stockholm, Ryanair, Norwegian Air and British Airways.
Ryanait get dropped, as they fly to some neck-end airport miles from Stockholm. A friend flew there recently and said it was a long journey.
So I have a choice of two airlines. I think I’ll try British Airways
May 26, 2013
Posted by AnonW |
Transport/Travel | EasyJet, Flying, Ryanair, Sweden |
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The Anonymous Widower 