Morning music
Saturday quiz
Well, I managed to beat political journalist John Rentoul again, despite scoring only 5/10 (had 2 near-misses as well). Rentoul awarded himself 2/10, plus two half-points, this week. I knew the answers to questions 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8.
From the newspapers
“Hundreds of thousands of dementia patients in England face being denied access to revolutionary new drugs because the diagnostic capacity of the NHS lags behind every other G7 country, according to a damning report.
After decades of research to find a cure for the condition projected to affect 153 million people worldwide by 2050, scientists have successfully developed the first treatments to tackle the underlying causes rather than only relieve the symptoms. Two new drugs could get the green light for use on the NHS within weeks.
However, their effectiveness depends on prompt and early diagnosis of patients. The report, obtained by the Guardian, says the NHS lacks the diagnostic capacity to accurately identify those eligible in time.
The analysis reveals England is unprepared for the rollout of new treatments, with “large gaps in diagnostic capacity” for dementia. It also warns of a £14bn funding black hole that must be plugged if England is to diagnose dementia as quickly as the other G7 countries, the US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan.“
[The Guardian]
Still clapping?
Tweets seen
I have to say that the few Palestinians I have met (mostly in Qatar and around) have impressed me in that way, and far more favourably than the arrogant and stupid Gulf Arabs (Qataris and Kuwaitis) also met.
Sometime in the 1970s, I think probably in late 1977, I met the PLO representative in London, Said Hammami, who was based at the Arab League offices in Mayfair, and he was rather dismissive, but in retrospect I suppose that he had things on his mind, and probably little time in which to speak to a young person (21-y-o) with his head in the clouds in some ways…
I do not remember much about the discussion; mostly that the PLO man wore a rather filthy sheepskin coat in his little office, and that a young and rather stylish Arab woman in the outer office smoked a kind of long brown cigarette called More; I remember asking her what they were [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/More_(cigarette)].
Unfortunately, that PLO fellow was shot dead in the same office only (as far as I can recall) a few weeks later. The matter was never solved by the police. Either MOSSAD, or a different Palestinian faction to his own (he belonged to Fatah, I think). See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Said_Hammami. Apparently he was in favour of talking to the Israelis; that may have been the reason behind the assassination.
See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uri_Avnery. Interesting article about someone apparently known to the assassinated Hammami.
Voters of Britain: whatever your ideology, whatever you support or dislike, when GE 2024 arrives vote any way you like except “Conservative”, or do not vote at all. Crush and exterminate this useless party. Equally-bad “Labour” can fall later, but first things first.
The whole Westminster monkeyhouse should be done away with.
According to my use of Electoral Calculus, that would leave the Cons with about 30 MPs. https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/userpoll.html.
The Israelis await events— will they be attacked soon or not? Just as the people in Gaza have awaited attacks from Israel for decades. “What goes around comes around“…
Not so much a sign of the times as the shape of things to come.
An example of how Labour, after GE 2024, intends to be an “elected” (by default) tyranny.
Meanwhile, thick “diversity hire”, David Lammy, has been on TV saying that Churchill replaced Chamberlain “a few days before” the outbreak of war with Germany. In fact, it was 8 months after the declaration of war on Germany by Britain and France.
Near-hysteria. Imagine what would happen if Israel were to be invaded.
Late music
Crowdfunder
A few weeks ago, I set up a crowdfund appeal to help with the imposed costs of my recent free speech trial. Any donations gratefully received.
If you cannot donate, please share the link wherever you can.
Thank you.
Ian Robert Millard 