My Moan Of The Week
The Richard Bacon Show on BBC Radio 5 has a weekly moan-in, where people vent their moans.
My moan would be about the number of people who moan generally about the cost and problems of having a car. If it’s not fuel costs, it’s about traffic jams, congestion charging, insurance or finding somewhere to park.
I don’t have these problems any more, as since my stroke I haven’t driven and don’t have a licence any more And I reckon my bank account benefits by several thousand pounds a year. That would buy lots of taxis, if I wanted, but I prefer trains and buses, as you see more of life and don’t get the driver complaining about the sad state of the taxi industry.
Frank Gardner On Risk Profiling
Frank Gardner has written an article about risk profiling software for the BBC web site. He writes it with respect to terrorism, but buried in the article is this piece.
He says South Korean Customs, which have bought the programme, report a 20% higher detection rate of illegal goods.
That is just good use of data mining software, to identify the source of illegality.
There are so many applications for this type of software, such as in healthcare, road safety, crime, product failures from televisions and vehicles to large projects, that generally all we will see is a much better lifestyle.
Only in a few areas will there be any cause for concern about human rights.
Katie Gets It Right
I like this article by Katie Hopkins on the BBC’s web site. She feels that free healthcare on the NHS should come with responsibility to look after yourself. This is the first few paragraphs.
Former Apprentice contestant Katie Hopkins argues that people who eat, drink and smoke more than is good for them should pay more towards the NHS health care they need, as she sets out her calls for additional payments for some health services.
A strange and particularly British trait is revealed when things are free at the point of use.
Just like all-inclusive holidays, or theme-park tickets, once you have handed over the money, the cost seems instantly forgotten.
The ability to have as much as you want whenever you want it, or to go on as many rides as you can whenever you like, is all that matters.
Somehow, everything in this new land of plenty is free. The NHS is rather like this.
I hope that I do the best to make sure, I’m not too much of a burden on the NHS.
Do All Pill Packets Have A Picture?
It struck me today, that my various pill packets have a picture of the tablet on the outside.
Do All Pill Packets Have A Picture?
Either I’m being unobservant or could it be that I read the words rather than look at the picture.
Hip Ops Go Private
This is reported in a couple of papers including here in the Belfast Telegraph.
I would never have a major operation in a hospital without a fully-staffed A & E unit. I’ve lost two friends, who had expensive private hip transplants and died in the operation.
Hope For The Paralysed
I say hope, but this story from the BBC is a good news story to start the week. This is the first few paragraphs.
Scientists have reversed paralysis in dogs after injecting them with cells grown from the lining of their nose.
The pets had all suffered spinal injuries which prevented them from using their back legs.
The Cambridge University team is cautiously optimistic the technique could eventually have a role in the treatment of human patients.
The study is the first to test the transplant in “real-life” injuries rather than laboratory animals.
It may only be a first step on the long road to getting the paralysed to walk again. But it is a very significant first step.
I also think it’s very good, that the scientists did the research on dogs that had been injured in the normal course of life. It shows that often you don’t have to do experiments on healthy animals. All it needs is to think hard about what you’re doing.
So congratulations to Cambridge and its vets and scientists!
I think Jasper the dachshund will be one of the most famous dogs in the world.
Affordable Acupuncture
Several people, who I respect, have suggested I try acupuncture for the pain in my jaw and head.
So yesterday I went to the Stepping Stones Project just round the corner from where I live.
I’m not sure if it worked, but I do feel it pointed me in some of the right directions.
However, they were all very professional and affordable.
An Argument For Abortion
Abortion is a very tricky subject to say the least. But this tragic story from the BBC, may illustrate why every woman needs if not access to abortion, access to the ability to decide.
Cracking The Code
This story from the BBC’s web site shows how rapid DNA sequencing has been used to crack an MRSA outbreak.
It also shows how fast it will be in future to sequence DNA. This could lead to all sorts of new treatments for illnesses like cancer.
We should be hailing the scientists who did this! But others will say it’s wrong to mess with DNA.
As someone with a minor genetic disease, I hope we see more successes in the next few years.
On the other hand, if someone said to me, we could cure your coeliac disease, by giving you a gene change, I’d say no!
Is Curry Good For Me?
Last night I had a good curry at the Angel Curry Centre in Chapel Market at the Angel.
My throat hasn’t been good lately, but it certainly seems to have improved after the curry.
But then it’s not just curry that does that. Marks and Spencer’s roast pork in a cider sauce has a similar calming effect. There are various articles on the web, which say curry does have good effects. like this one.
But then C and I always used to go for a curry on Monday nights, although in later years we didn’t go quite as often.
So I know one thing I’m going to do to improve my health and that is have a weekly curry.
The Anonymous Widower 