It is hard to keep the risks of Covid 19 in perspective. If you are of working age the risk of dying is 8.4 per 100,000.There is variability within that number; women are at a lower risk, men at a higher. BAME seem to be at higher risk, as are Continue Reading
Long term changes resulting from the epidemic
As I write this, it is mid April 2020 and we are about 5 weeks into the lock-down that has been the response to the epidemic caused by Covid 19. Covid19 is the current epidemic, but some sort of pandemic was widely predicted for many years and then just ignored Continue Reading
Covid-19 as of 10th April 2020
The following statistics spell out the impact of this virus as collated by http://ourworldindata.org . This is what an exponential growth looks like: And this is how we compare with other countries. Note that it is a LOG scale I was surprised that the ‘normal death toll in the UK Continue Reading
Exclusive: universal credit linked to higher suicide risk, says study
Exclusive: universal credit linked to higher suicide risk, says study https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/nov/15/exclusive-new-study-links-universal-credit-to-increased-suicide-risk?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_WordPress If it weren’t for the Brexit train wreck, the incompetent roll out of Universal credit which is costing lives, would be the story of the day. But now it is relegated to the back pages.
Draft Brexit Agreement
Now that the agreement has been finally published we all have the chance to form our own opinion as to its quality. My preliminary view is that this deal is worse than staying in the EU, but then I am an ardent ‘Remainer‘ and I have seen no evidence that Continue Reading
Global Warming
Carbon countdown clock.
The question of the EU
Posted on February 23, 2016 The debate is now on and in 100 days we have to make a decision that will have repercussions for at least the next 30 years. Sovereignty Lots of people are arguing over the issues of sovereignty. But I should declare my point of view Continue Reading
Sometime science developments are so amazing that all you can do is laugh
It has been suggested that at the heart of humour and what makes us laugh, is the dissonance that sometimes arises between how we think the world works, and the actual practice. Today I was walking along the sea front enjoying the unseasonably lovely weather and listening to a Pod Continue Reading
UK Health care in the run up to the 2015 election
Posted on January 30, 2015 1. Our expenditure on Health is 9.2% of GDP. The USA spends 17.9% of its GDP for a health outcome that is not appreciably better (though substantially less equal). 2. In the future we will be able to do more to intervene against the depredations Continue Reading
Global warming and the power of change
Posted on October 5, 2013 In 1898, delegates from across the globe gathered in New York City for the world’s first international urban planning conference. One topic dominated the discussion. It was not housing, land use, economic development, or infrastructure. The delegates were driven to desperation by horse manure. The Continue Reading