The Pianist With A Pipe
You don’t see many men smoking pipes these days and I was surprised to meet this gentleman as I walked to the bus.
The Pianist With A Pipe
It turned out he was the pianist; Lubomyr Melnyk, who’d given a concert last night just down the road at Cafe Oto.
I think, I’ve only seen one pipe smoker in the last three or so years and that was after Ipswich won at Bolton.
The Shops Are Closing
There are a lot of empty shops in the UK with m ore closing, according to various reports like this.
They’ve just had a town centre manager giving his views on BBC Breakfast.
No wonder shops are closing with this view from a real dinosaur in Bury. It was all about anchor tenants, large chains and advertising bringing in the punters.
Shopping must be exciting and fun and you don’t get that in chains!
It should also be chugger and smoke-free, with good public transport.
Yesterday, I needed to get a few food items, so I went to Finsbury Pavement in the City. I got a bus to outside the large Marks and Spencer there, did my shopping, then crossed the road to get my return bus from the other side of the road.
Now that is what I call convenience shopping! I could have had a coffee and visited any one of about thirty other shops in the area.
There are a few chains there, but they are ones I use like Maplins, Boots, Gap and O2 in addition to the excellent Marks.
I’ve never seen a chugger there either and smokers aren’t that common.
The only problem is that there isn’t a good gluten-free cafe, except Starbucks or by walking through to the Barbican or Spitalfields. But at least the Starbucks doesn’t masquerade as a public toilet.
Do We Need Retail Banks?
There was another cash machine fiasco last night, when Lloyds and Halifax had a big computer system failure. Read about it here in the Daily Mail.
This problem hit so many people, as they didn’t really plan their day out properly.
I’ve never been hit by one of these periodic cash point failures, as probably more by luck than judgement, Nationwide haven’t had a problem.
But one thing I do, is make sure when I’m down to my last twenty or so in my wallet, is get a cash injection. But then in places where I spend money, there are lots of cash machines. Take yesterday on my trip to Notting Hill. I passed machines in Kings Cross station, just outside Notting Hill station and close to Otto. But then I didn’t need any money.
So although yesterday’s failure was disastrous for some, with a bit of planning, it could have been avoided.
On the other hand, I’ve heard of people queuing on pay day by cash machines, so they can draw their money out to get some cigarettes.
These failures will do one good thing and that is get customers to look at how they keep and use money.
More and more we’ll question, whether we need to have a retail bank at all.
What is really needed for most of us, is a simple bank account to hold our working capital, accept our salary or pension, pay our standing orders and other bills, and tell cashpoint machines that we have money to withdraw.
Fighting Cancer With A Trojan Horse
I like this report on the BBC web site. In brief the new therapy can be described like this.
The team hid cancer killing viruses inside the immune system in order to sneak them into a tumour.
Once inside, tens of thousands of viruses were released to kill the cancerous cells.
It certainly gives hope to cancer sufferers. Obviously, it has to be proven in humans, although as the study showed, it worked well in mice with prostate cancer.
I do think though, that we underestimate the value of the immune system in fighting cancer. Research has shown for instance, that those who eat their five portions of fruit and veg each day, have a better record against cancer, as do coeliacs, who stick to the gluten-free diet.
I also know of two people, one of whom was my son, who perhaps were not too sensible with their habits, who were thought by their respective families to be coeliacs. Both died of aggressive cancers.
I know two cases doesn’t prove a theory, but I do feel that as we learn more about the immune system and treatments such as this Trojan horse method, we will start to win the fight against cancer.
On the other hand, I totally despair as I pass the pub next door and see the smokers up to six deep on the pavement.
DNA Sequencing On The NHS
This is due to be announced soon and it’s already here on the Downing Street web-site.
Sadly, it’s too late for my wife and son, who died of cancer in 2007 2010 respectively.
My wife had a squamous cell carcinoma of the heart, which is so rare and deadly, that I don’t think any new technique would have helped. The doctors at Papworth Hospital, where she was treated had never seen such a vicious cancer. Short of a transplant or an unexpected miracle nothing could have saved her.
In my son’s case of pancreatic cancer, his lifestyle hadn’t helped and he might have stood a chance, if Trafford General Hospital where he was first treated in Manchester had picked it up earlier. As it is, they didn’t and Addenbrooke’s took their time too, as it was unexpected. Knowing what I know now, I would have got him to Cambridge earlier or taken him to Liverpool, where treatment of pancreatic cancer is a specialty.
So although the sequencing of cancer sufferers DNA will help in many cases, it wouldn’t have helped in their two cases, which were so tragic for my family.
What would have helped my son, would have been better diagnosis of his problem at an earlier date.
My wife went to the hospital fairly soon after she started running out of puff. She also led an exemplary life with regard to food, drink, not smoking and keeping very fit. Although that couldn’t be said for my son, who smoked heavily. And not just tobacco!
As an aside here, I am a coeliac.
This disease can be picked up by looking at the DNA. So if DNA sequencing becomes commonplace, looking for hereditary diseases like this may be a sensible and worthwhile use of the technique.
Smoking In The Tunnel
This tunnel leads to all the platforms at Den Haag HS station.
The Tunnel At Den Haag HS Station
When I arrived, there were several smokers loitering about inside. Are the Dutch more tolerant than we are?
Should You Need A Licence To Smoke?
It’s a bit radical, but the BBC has asked the question in this article on its web site.
I proposed it myself on an anti-smoking phone-in a few years back and it was generally well-accepted.
Scotland Taxes Tobacco And Alcohol
Scotland has added extra taxes to large stores that sell tobacco and alcohol. It seems to have had the effect of getting some Sainsbury supermarkets to not sell tobacco. It’s reported here on the BBC.
Although I applaud any measure to reduce smoking, I’m not totally sure about this one. It will harm the profits of the big supermarket groups and they will react, by perhaps not investing in stores and jobs north of the border.
And of course, smokers will still get their fix, by probably buying tobacco from bootleggers and others.
I would prefer to see all tobacco sales in large supermarkets as that would perhaps make it more difficult for kids to get hold of them. After all, when did you hear of a large chain of stores selling cigarettes or alcohol to those underage.
Putting It Straight
I liked this sign at the KC Stadium in Hull.
Putting It Straight
No-one was smoking, so the message must be getting through.
The Anonymous Widower 