Nice weather, naughty NHS

 Hi All,

Well we are currently enjoying the sunshine and am reading 'the daily star'. Why, you might ask am I reading this paper, when I could read a broadsheet. Well it is simply because I find that the broadsheets of the left and right have increasingly become 'hacks' in the worse possible sense. For example if one reads one of the 2 left of centre papers, which at least used to be 'intelligent' all you read nowadays is intersectional arguments and constant moaning about Brexit ,Trump and Brexit. It is as if they have gone beyond a self -parody or satire of themselves. The same is true of the right of centre papers. So why not read about aliens, women being better at BBQ's and things about AI. Plus they have much better headlines. 

In any case I need to relax as my ongoing recovery is being frustrated. I think I've been to the hospital or GP at least 1 day of the week for the past couple of months. One thing to note is that if you can get appointments, it is good if you don't work, because if you do it's a nightmare to organise. The latest thing is the bioposy result (I also have issues with high blood pressure, which we dealt with last week finally, although calling up the pharmacy today, I have to wait until 4 for my diabeties and blood thinners). 

Now that biposy was one of the most painful thing I've undergone in my life, I could feel the blood/marrow being sucked out and the 4 times attempt (by 2 consultants) to get the bone out meant something that is supposed to take 10 minutes, took an hour.  But waiting for the results, which haven't come has meant no less than 3 cancelled appointments. Today they tried to get me to go on monday, but after checking they didn't have the results, so there is no point in going. The latest cancelled appointment was because of the doctor's strike. Why book me in if that's the case? Plus I tried to get another thursday appointment, no the consultant doesn't do clinics on that day. So why did I origionally have a Thursday appointment? Don't ask. 

Anyways enough about me. Hope you are all okay.

Shabbat Shalom!

Periodic Table

 Hi All,

Do you know the periodic table? If not then this song will help. If yes then enjoy the song!

Alternative history- the possibilities are endless

 Hi All, 

There are a plethora of choices a person can make in a lifetime and many different ‘what if’s’ of history. If you could visit these different timelines, what would you do? That’s the universal question and it is one that only a handful of species can actually answer.

This is just one of an infinite possible worlds where one simple divergence changes… everything.

In this scenario we go to 1944. It is the height of the Second World War and we need to look not at the battlefronts or the rantings of a genocidal madman, but the politics of America, specifically the ruling Democratic Party. As in our universe Roosevelt was President, but he was dying. Therefore whoever was or whoever became his Vice- President was a pitchfork in the historical road. For those who don’t know at the Democratic Convention of that election year, the party’s conservative wing succeeded in nominating Harry S Truman of Missouri for Vice President, in effect unseating incumbent- and ‘liberal’ (in American terms left wing) - Vice President Henry A Wallace. Truman would of course go on to become POTUS in April 1945, eventually overseeing the Marshall Plan, The Cold War ‘Truman Doctrine’, the Korean War and most controversially,  the dropping of the Atomic bombs on Japan. But what if Wallace had continued to be Vice President and succeeded Roosevelt and not Truman?

Let's find out.

 

A self inflicted crisis?

 Hi All,

To those of us with Parliametary Systems of government, the current 'debt ceiling crisis' in America seems strange to the point of being a self inflicted, shoot yourself in the foot event. 

In the 'Westminster' system a government depends upon  Parliamentary 'supply and confidence', supply in this meaning is the ability of the government to spend, tax and issue debt or a codified budget, if the government cannot then it collapses and further elections are called or another government that can pass a budget takes over. 

In the American  system of checks and balances the power of the purse is given to the Congress, not the Executive (President) and the 2 houses of Congress and the Executives could all be controlled by different fractions. Hence Congress passes expenditure and tax legislation, then the President can pass it into law or not. So far so good. In this instance, however, the crisis is not because no budget has been passed, the problem is that America also has a limit to the debt that can be issued.  The budget has been passed, but no-one bothered to register the fact that the debt limit was almost maxed out anyways, even as the Congress agreed to trillions in spending for Green politics under the 'Inflation reduction act' (as if inflation will be reduced in a time of existing high inflation via a trillion or two dollar simulus !) and stuff like providing student debt relief, which is going to help people who are already going to do well in life with a better education.  . 

It does seem illogical to a practical mind that Congress can pass expenditures knowing full well that it will not have enough money coming in from taxes, but not vote at the same time to increase the debt limit. Therefore one has to ask oneself, why didn't the Democrats -or at least Treasury Secretary- ask for or actually increase the limit at the same time they were spending vast sums of someone else's money and in control of all 3 levers of government. 

Either the Democrats forgot, are stupid or want to manufacture a political crisis for the upcoming Presidential elections next year and blame it on the Republicans, like Clinton did in the 1990s. I mean the Democrats  know full well that the GOP would, when facing a Democrat President and in control of at least the House,  never agree to a debt increase (when in Office under Trump it was of course voting for unfunded tax cuts, a massive increase in borrowing and spending, but that's a different story). 

Is it conspiracy theory territory to think that? Or will a deal be reached and all of this is just political theatre, in a way a Brit cannot understand American hyper partisan politics,  but no-one really wants to go nuclear with  no limit increase, 14th Amendment lawfare, gold selling or trillion dollar coins?

God Save the King!

 Hi All, 

We will be celebrating tomorrow's Coronation and we say God Save the King!

Also of interest is that Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and his wife are spending the night with the King and Queen as they are taking part in the Coronation. Tonight both the Chief , the King and their spouses will be celebrating Shabbat with Kosher Coronation Chicken. 

Shabbat Shalom!

No, Not the Alukah!

 Hi All,

I thought I would just post to say that I am feeling much better, however, I have been having multiple outpatient appointments and attempting but not getting a GP appointment, hence my absence of late.

Last week was the lung people, as I had a plural effusion (water inbetween lungs) on the right side. Thankfully it has gone down and they decided not to drain it and I have to live with it.

Today was the hemotology people (that is the study of blood). The clot should be gone in  a couple of months, but I still have to take blood thinners and my spleen is still enlarged, which they believe is the fault of my liver 'issues'- i.e. is the spleen enlarged because of damage to the liver and those absesses- for which I have a CT and then a Fibrosis scan in the next few weeks.  

But they also have to look at the hemotological 'pathway' too.

To be able to see if it is a 'hemotological problem' i.e. blood cancer,  or not, I  have had blood tests today filling 10 test tubes, across 2 arms as my veins aren't as good as they were*.  and in the next 2 weeks, I will having a bone marrow biospy, which will be taken from the hip, via a needle. Nice.

Anyway tomorrow is a meeting with the dietician.

*because of having blood tests every day for 4 weeks in hospital and then repeat blood tests at GP and Outpatient clinics as well as multiple canulars while in hospital, the only place they didn't get was my foot as I'm diabetic, also had to have a test when they took blood directly from the arterial line, which only doctors are allowed to do. I have have not yet had any Alukah (leeches), which is to my a great disappointment. Maybe I will be getting a call from the Alukah, Lilith, Motetz Dam, Vampyres, Strigoi and Moroi at some point. In the meantime there is always blood tests. Only joking. Blood tests are very important.

Woe is me

 Hi All,

Just to say I am still trying to post stuff , but I finally have the reason as to why I've been unwell for the past couple of months. I had thought it to be my diabetes to have been kicking off, but I actually have  cholecystitis or inflammation of the gallbladder. I've got a prescription , but the pain on my right side is awful as the ibuprofen and paracetamol barely have an effect, I can barely walk 100 yards and then that creates heavy breathing & finally I have daily  uncontrollable shivering outbreaks which can last up to an hour.

Very painful, it feel like I've been put on the floor and had the shit kicked out of me....

SNP on SNP

 Hi All,

After the celebrations of knowing that finally Nicola Sturgeon is on her way out and the left can stop fawning over an anti-English Scottish administration which really isn't competent enough to run anything, we now get the chance to watch the sucession take place.

Watching the highlights of the SNP 'leadership' contest and boy did they get straight on chunks off of each other, It was as if they were from different parties, especially when Kate Forbes went for the party machine candidate Humza Yuasaf. Mind you he went for Forbe's weakness by going straight on about her apparent homopobia. Although that is strange because at least she is forthright and honest in her views and so far hasn't been 'Tim Farroned' as it were and the hysterical response to a hypothetical question was ridiculous. Forbes has no chance of ever reversing gay marriage and is canny enough to know there is a difference between a personal conviction over an issue, how you personally treat gay and lesbian people and how to issue policy. As for the final one, the ginger, sorry I can't recall her name such is her non entity status. One has to be careful as parties who haven't had a leadership contest in 20 years might go for the non-entity 'who'? candiate, but any way she is dangerous in that she is bringing up the whole notion of 'if we win a general election (Westminister elections) then that gives us a green light to declare independence. Alas history does not bode well for such ideas - in the 1918 election Sinn Fein did just that and we know what happened after that....

The strange split personality of the left

Hi All 

The left is a rather strange creature because

1)on the one hand it derides and puts this country down at every opportunity telling anyone who will listen what a terrible place we are, how racist we are and after Brexit how xenophobic we are. This is despite the fact opinion polling shows Britain to be one of the most tolerate and liberal (in the small ‘l’ meaning) countries in Europe. But because we have a conservative government the country must be by definition wicked, evil and in the view of one person like nazi Germany.

2) On the other hand the left decry anyone how opposes illegal immigrants crossing the channel (from that war torn and unstable country called France, which is in turn part of the left’s utopian EU) as fascist, far right, breaking international law etc. I know that the English tend to slightly mock our frog neighbours, but France isn’t a third world country that needs escaping from. Yet the left seem to think anyone from anywhere, from any country can simply pack their bags and come over to the UK as they see fit, a sort of global freedom on movement. Yet according to their domestic analysis no one would want to come into the country in the first place.

So what gives?

Chag Purim!

 Hi All,

Happy Purim!

shabbat shalom!

 Hi All,

It has been a while, but I'm back!

Hope everyone is ok??