Archive for December, 2009

Pope Pius Xll and the October 16th 1943 Round-Up of Roman Jews

The recent decision by the Vatican to recognise Pius Xll as someone possessed of the three heroic virtues of faith, hope and charity has reignited controversy about the war-time Pope.

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A not-so-surprising result of the BMA’s latest survey

The latest salvo by the BMA in its ‘Look after our NHS’ campaign (i.e. get rid of the market) is to ask the following question, in a poll carried out by Doctors.net.uk:

“The BMA’s ‘Look after our NHS’ campaign is concerned that some large multinational companies are making profits out of running local clinical services on behalf of the NHS. To what extent do you agree with the campaign’s concerns?”

There were 697 responses with 80% saying they either strongly agreed (51%) or agreed (29%) with the statement. Just 7% said they either disagreed (4%) or strongly disagreed (3%).

Might I suggest a couple of problems with this?

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A Thought for Christmas

Ever since exhorting indigent parishioners to meet vital needs by shop-lifting from large chain stores rather than by resorting to mugging or prostitution, Rev. Tim Jones has really had it in the dog-collar from those accusing him of having contravened the teachings of his religion.

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Batten down the hatches

The change in times seems marked.  In its 2002 command paper, Delivering the NHS Plan, the government adopted a new paradigm that choice and competition was the means to a more efficient and responsive service:

‘If it is to better respond to the needs of patients the NHS can no longer be run as a monolithic, top-down, monopoly provider…  Patients will choose hospitals… [and] changes to the funding flows and incentives will… enable all providers – public or private – who offer good quality and value for money to more easily provide services for NHS patients…’

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Alphabetical Minefields

Weeding out the rogues from the refined is a particularly difficult task for—often very vulnerable—people in search of a private psychotherapist or counsellor.  Scanning through the myriad of entries in the Yellow Pages makes for an interesting, if not distressing, task.

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It’s behind you!

The EU has finalised the 2010 deal on its Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) setting the total allowable catches (TACs) to dictate the amount of fish which can legally be caught in the EU waters next year.

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