Michigan bans electric cars

See http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2014/10/22/michigan-bans-tesla-cars .

The Governor of Michigan is reported (see link) to have banned direct sales of Tesla electric cars in Michigan, USA to protect local car dealers and car makers like General Motors. King Canute comes to mind. 

Is he stupid or stupid?

A sad loss

A few years ago, a fellow radio amateur called Julian Moss, whose radio call was G4ILO, was disagnosed with an incurable brain tumour. Rather than roll over and die, Julian did his internet research and found out the treatments that would prolong his life as much as possible. He also started a blog called One Foot In The Grave to document his battle. Sadly Julian lost his battle yesterday but not before he beat the disease for several extra years.   I was greatly saddened to hear he died yesterday. He inspired many by his great bravery and determination.

Tiredness

I think the week is catching up with me as I have been profoundly tired yesterday and today.  I attempted to dig up a plant in the garden, but I was totally exhausted and had to come in. The experts tell me this is to be expected with a brain injury (cerebellum bleed) and given time I will recover. I do so hope they are right. The feeling of exhaustion is like nothing I have ever experienced before. There is no way of fighting it. I simply have to rest and recover my energy levels.

Italian UFOs?

The BBC recalls a day an Italian football match had to be stopped as a result of mysterious things in the air.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-29342407 .

Analysis suggests this was migrating spiders.

NHS and tablet PCs

Today I read that Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge is to roll out tablet PCs linked to a central database from next week.  Not before time too.

More money to the EC?

So, because our economy is doing well we owe the EC billions more? This seems unfair and plays right into the hands of those in the UK who are anti-Europe. The question is did we agree to this before it all happened? I suspect we are moaning now, but this clause has been in place for years!

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29754168 .  UK PM David Cameron says we are not paying next month, but what's the betting we soon have to pay up?

Extract from the BBC website:

David Cameron has angrily insisted the UK will not pay £1.7bn being demanded by the European Union.

"If people think I am paying that bill on 1 December, they have another think coming," the prime minister said in Brussels. "It is not going to happen."
But Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the demand should "not have come as a surprise" to the UK.
He said it was made under a system agreed by all the member states and based on data provided by them.
EU finance ministers have agreed to the UK's request for emergency talks about the top-up payment, which would add about a fifth to the UK's annual net EU contribution of £8.6bn.

NHS overhaul - extra cash needed?

 See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-29726934 .

Apparently the NHS can save a lot more money but then needs an additional £8 billion a year  to provide good patent care. Speaking as someone who has had very recent first-hand experience I know that they can save billions every year if they smarten up their communications with patients. Frankly it is abysmal. Wasted ambulance calls - no-one was informed the call should not be made, typed letters posted at great expense for beds not needed as agreed the week before, the endless telling staff the very same data they should already have on hand, physios in the community that don't know when someone is discharged so the patient is "lost" - the list goes on and on. Frankly, the NHS communications is pathetically bad and is in need of "root and branch" overhaul. In the private sector heads would have rolled.  It seems no-one is accountable.  Billions can and must be saved before a penny more is spent.