This Guy Has a Big Job On
David Spiegelhalter is the Professor of Public Understanding of Risk at the University of Cambridge. He has written a very good article on the subject of risk with respect to insurance in today’s Times.
So he has a big job on to knock sense into politicians, lawyers, insurance companies and the general public.
But it will make little difference, as we are the most statistically-untrained generation for perhaps a thousand years.
By the way his superb name is literally translated as mirror owner.
Petrol and Diesel Prices
As someone who doesn’t drive at the moment and gets free travel on buses and the tube, I can’t say I’m sad that petrol and diesel prices are rising fast.
I know that I will see price increases in goods because of the increase in transport prices, but then a lot of prices are rising anyway as China and other developing countries demand a bigger share of global resources.
But having moved to London, if I look at my finances, I see a drop in gas and electricity costs, as this house is modern and fully insulated, a severe fall in transport costs and because I now have choice, my everyday food and living costs are lower too!
I know my lifestyle change has been forced on me because of the stroke, but by changing it, I have been able to make substantial savings in my cost of living. I’m also enjoying myself much more, as there is so much more to do here in the city, rather than being trapped without transport in the countryside.
So those that complain about high petrol and diesel prices, would be better to use their energy to change their lifestyle using ways that cut that energy usage.
After all, we’re going to have to cut our CO2 emissions whether we like it or not!
Should We Fear the Result of the Irish General Election?
Today, Eire goes to the polls to try to find a new government to ease them out of their troubles.
Will the result help or will it hinder? I’m no political commentator, but there are so many factors at work in the whole of Ireland, that it would take someone with real charisma and vision to sort out the mess he will inherit.
The Irish seem to be doing too, what they always do in times of trouble and that is emigrate. Surely, in some ways this will make matters worse, especially if jobs are exported as well, which will of course reduce tax revenues. An interesting aside to the emigration, is that an estate agent in London told me, that quite a few houses in London are being sold to the Irish. He wondered where they were getting the money from?
Which leads me to another question. Will a new government investigate some of the murkier financial tales of the last couple of decades? An Irish friend once described Charlie Haughey, as a man without any visible means of support. In this case, I suspect that sleeping dogs are best left to sleep long and deep. But there may be other scandals, that need to be fully investigated.
And then too, there is the question of terrorism. Incidents have happened in the last few months in the north and where will this resurgence lead? In the UK, we’re so obsessed with other issues, that some commentators, feel we may have lost sight of our oldest terrorist threat.
A strong leader in Ireland would be a great help in reducing this danger, throughout the British Isles. Let’s hope they get one!
But I fear that they won’t!
Wales Get It Right on Smoking
They would appear from this report, to want to ban smoking in a lot more places, including cars with kids in them.
They should also ban smoking at bus stops.
Should We Rescue Britons From Libya?
The question has to be asked, “What all these people are doing in Libya?”
Most have gone there to make a lot of money. So shouldn’t they or the companies they work for be responsible for getting them home.
After all, when I had my stroke in Hong Kong, it was up to me to pay to get myself back to UK.
People can’t have it all ways. High salaries and probably low taxes in a country run by a mad and very dangerous nutter and then be expected to be brought home, when he finally loses it.
ITV to Show More Adverts
Who cares? I don’t! I only watch sport on channels with adverts occasionally and usually there is a sound commentary on the radio, which I listen too.
The more adverts ITV shows, the worse the coverage will get and I’ll find something more interesting to do, like watch paint dry!
Nicole Kidman and Infertility
On my travels yesterday, I caught a headline on somebody else’s Metro, detailing Nicole Kidman’s struggle with infertility. The full story is here.
I hope she’s had her B12 levels checked. I’ve met several female coeliacs, who had all sorts of problems with carrying a baby. You just need the B12 to create a hPregnancyealthy foetus. There’s a lot of stuff on the Internet and this post is quite detailed.
If I look at my family and particularly the male line, which probably carries my coeliac genes, instances of any women giving birth are rare.
Royal Wedding Sick Bag
It just had to happen.
I shan’t be watching and I can’t say I’ve ever watched a Royal Wedding or Funeral before.
I shall be doing something much more positive, like cooking or going to IKEA
The Anonymous Widower 