Had a lovely evening out with family yesterday at Marwell Zoological Park.
Here are just a few snaps ….
Glow @ Marwell Zoological Park
Tag: UK
It’s Obvious Really
https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/full_page_image/page-8-1958/content.html
Read this article yesterday. I am always amazed that, so often, it requires a study to discover the obvious.
Only a few days ago, I posted that I felt my wife’s stenosis diagnosis was delayed by up to twelve months due to the lack of face to face time with a doctor.
Much of a doctors diagnosis has to do with “observation.”
You can not “observe” via a telephone consult.
We have been forced into using e-consultation tools. My experience is that they do not allow sufficient space to describe symptoms fully. On several occasions, when I have used the e-consult tool, I have found the questions leading you down a path to either diagnosis of a brain tumour or diabetes when you are suffering from a broken toe. Invariably, the tool tries to abort, telling you that you need to see a doctor, which is where we came in.
You can not “observe” via an e-consult.
Last year, we were told by a nurse practitioner that nothing had changed, that we were getting the same level of service from our GPs as we always had.
What total and utter nonsense.
Another issue with the current level of service is that there is no continuity. In the “good old days,” not only could you get a face to face appointment with a doctor, but it was the same doctor each and every time.
Continuity would allow the doctor to “observe” physical changes in the patient between appointments.
So, back to the article, anyone with more than a single brain cell could have seen that patients are not getting safe and accurate diagnosis under the current level of NHS care.
Halloween Display
https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/full_page_image/page-5-1932/content.html
Earlier in the year, I responded to a clarion call for polystyrene boxes, of which I had a few.
My boxes, along with many others culled from the local area, have been transformed into a Halloween Display with a charity collection. The proceeds of which are going to The Rowans, a local hospice.
Well done to Becky and her friends and family.
Take a look at the following pictures
Free speed cameras in east Hampshire
BBC News – Free speed cameras offered to curb dangerous drivers in east Hampshire https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-66934570
Twenty speed cameras are being offered to community groups in a bid to put the brakes on dangerous drivers. The discreet, solar-powered devices can track vehicle movement, speed and number plates, and are up for grabs for locations across east Hampshire.
This is good news and positive action from the authorities. but I have two points to make
- This is only going to tackle the boy racers. This technology isn’t going to deal with the noise nuisance. How about deploying some noise cameras
- This is East Hampshire so it doesn’t include my local roads
To be quite honest, I couldn’t care less about drivers breaking the speed limits. And yes I can hear the protests now. Speed kills, what about the emergency services that have to deal with the aftermath ? What about the families of victims ?
But they don’t encroach on my home life. Whereas the noise nuisance impinges on my life, right inside my living space.
Was It Worth The Magistrates Time ?
The act of discarding a cigarette butt in the street led to Paun Paun appearing in court
Surely, this was a waste of the courts time and would have been better dealt with by way of an on the spot fine / ticket.
The Right Decision
It’s great news that the courts have further punished this guy.
Detective Superintendent Nick Plummer, Head of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit, said: “The outcome of this hearing demonstrates how we will continue to pursue drug dealers for the assets they obtain as a result of their criminal activity. Drug dealing usually involving the exploitation of the young and vulnerable and causes harm across our communities.”
I agree that criminals should not profit from their crimes. All monies and property gained on the back of others’ misery should be forfeit.
Well done to the police and the courts for ensuring this guy pays in full.
Hooning About
Saturday night / Sunday morning, and the hoons are at play. Judging by the different engine notes, there are three or four different vehicles out there on the B2150/A3(M) intersection.
They started around 00:25 and as I write this it is 01:19 and they are still out there. We get a little respite, and then they come back again.
They have no consideration for anyone with their high engine revs, loud exhausts popping and banging, and the squealing tyres.
I don’t believe they have a single brain cell to share between them.
I won’t call 999 as it isn’t an emergency situation, I tried calling 101, but it is not much use when you are placed in a queue. And then, even if the police were to deploy a car, the hoons would scatter.
I wish this country had hoon laws like they have in Australia. Give the police the power to confiscate cars used in an antisocial manner.
Just Deserts
It never ceases to amaze, the lengths some people will go to evade capture.
I feel for the lurcher that was left behind following the vehicle roll. Its owner is now minus a car and his dog.
It makes no sense to me to risk life and limb just to avoid a fine.
Well done the police.
Portsmouth residents to have say on electric vehicle parking and charging around the city
I hope this study will look at general parking and not just focus on EV.
The strategy will include a review of parking in the city centre and district centres and encourage sustainable and alternative travel for some journeys where possible. It’s reco gnised that this will mean some people will leave their cars at home more often and will need access to parking spaces nearby.
Working for a housing association, my daughter needs her car for her job. As part of her job she has to visit various housing association properties both in the city centre but also in the suburbs.
She already experiences parking issues and quite often cannot park near her home. Finding a space near home is something of a lottery. If the council intends to implement strategies to persuade people to use alternative means of transport, leaving their cars at home, won’t this exacerbate the problem.
Lets assume you change cars and get an EV but you cannot park outside your own home, where are you supposed to charge your new EV.
Only 100 charging points in a city with a population in excess of 200,000. The council needs to be looking hard at the overall strategy for all forms of transport. The infrastructure isn’t there for folks to switch over to EV. It’s no wonder Rishi and the UK government are back pedalling on the banning of internal combustion engine powered vehicles.
Rejuvenation ?
https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/full_page_image/page-4-1895/content.html
The following image, published by The News, shows just one small part of the Waterlooville shopping centre. “Shopping Centre” is a loose term as there aren’t many shops. This particular area contains a couple of coffee and fast food eateries, tattoo parlour and hairdressers. Not really somewhere to go and browse. At the far end is Wilkos, which is scheduled for closure within the next week or so. This due to the collapse of the brand.
This area equates to approximately 20% of the available shop frontage in the town centre. The remaining 80% is in dire need of refurbishment and occupation. The picture below shows the total area that Havant Borough Council (HBC) are hoping to rejuvenate.
As I have said before, I applaud HBCs recent efforts. And the offer of grants to attract businesses into Waterlooville is most welcome. But, I fear it is too little too late.
Any business moving into this town centre is going to have to bring something special to the table. Something that will increase the footfall in the pedestrian area, both to benfit their own business but also to aid any other businesses that also take up HBCs offer.
If I analyse my own reasons for going into the centre of Waterlooville then it nets out to two, maybe three stores. Boots, Celebrations and the grocers. Boots is now a shadow of its former self and I wonder how much longer it will survive.
I used to be a regular shopper in Waitrose, Wilkos, and the butchers with occsional forays into clothes shops if my wife was with me. There also used to be quite a few charity shops but even they have thinned out.
So, there really isn’t much there anymore. Any new businesses need to be providing something really attractive to peek my interest.
I really do hope this new initiative by HBC bears fruit, but I won’t hold my breath.
WrAnTz 