Come back and take this hurt off me
WHAT can explain a in Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet on 1 December? Evert Stefansson had both legs amputated as a result of diabetes. A powered wheelchair would improve the quality of his life, so he applied to the S枚dermanland local authority for funds. Reader Lars Gislen translates the official response as 鈥淭he handicap does not seem to be permanent鈥�. (The council soon apologised for the 鈥渦nfortunate wording鈥�.)
Meanwhile, in London, Rikki Jodelko was registered blind in 1973, as a result of retinitis pigmentosa. He is a musician, works in computer programming, and for help with mobility claims Disability Living Allowance 鈥� whose administration has been privatised to the company ATOS.
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In October, he was told that he must go to an approved optician and must take a copy of his 鈥渆yecare plan鈥�. Told, that is, in a letter 鈥� on paper. How helpful. And opticians are being required to confirm blindness, for money, which is thereby not saved.
Of course, medical decisions should be taken in the best interests of the patient, so there must be a medical rather than a financial basis for these stories. Perhaps, Rikki suggests, 鈥渨e should be told more about these developments that can make the lame walk and the blind see鈥�.
Petzplus Super Plush Toys 鈥渉elp with separation anxiety when your dog is left home alone鈥� and are 鈥渇or supervised use only鈥�. So, Peta Lee asks, are they for astral-travelling owners?
ADVANCES in technology continue to produce amazing new ways to make mistakes. Take the Siri speech recognition software on the newest Apple iPhone. Jim Woodgett an impressive example. 鈥淲hen setting an appointment for next week I told Siri 鈥�10 am this Monday, meeting with Irene鈥�. When I tapped to confirm, it added the appointment into iCal 鈥� and emailed a meeting request with the title 鈥楳ating with Irene鈥�. Irene has yet to reply 鈥� but I suspect she has left the country.鈥�
A READER who had better be anonymous was one of several recently to inform us about 鈥渜uantum fruitloopery of the highest order鈥� at . We replied that we had been there and done that (26 March 2011). 鈥淒ang,鈥� the reader replied, 鈥淚鈥檒l try again after (or perhaps before?) I perfect my time machine.鈥�
And then another thought struck him: 鈥淲ould superluminal neutrinos be perfect for those needing to shave microseconds off transatlantic trading?鈥� (1 October 2011, p 24).
Never mind putting that in Feedback, we suggested, let鈥檚 form a 鈥淧onzi Pyramid鈥� marketing franchise now! 鈥淪ee, this is precisely why I鈥檓 not rich,鈥� was the response, followed by: 鈥淵es, this is a very dull teleconference I鈥檓 in. What makes you ask?鈥�
The virtual meeting went on, and on, until our reader鈥檚 correspondence concluded with, 鈥淚 am now the proud owner of 鈥� I have no idea why鈥�. A visit will tell you, and we wish the site well.
WHEN 鈥渢he homeopathy crowd see 鈥�, writes Carl Zetie, 鈥渢heir heads will explode鈥�. It proposes that 鈥淗omeopathic remedies are prepared by mixing an ingredient with distilled water, shaking the container, pouring out 90 per cent鈥� and repeating鈥� So if you don鈥檛 use it all, you can make it even better than new!鈥�
We like the testimonials, particularly this one: 鈥淚 was worried, as the potency increased 10 times with each Replenishing, that I might overdose. But I found that as my hypochondriacal diseases became resistant to the standard doses鈥� the increase was exactly what I needed to keep them suppressed.鈥�
OBTAINING permission to use others鈥� images (or big chunks of their words) is, as all researchers know, important. You may have to email Dr Frankenstein six times before he responds with a licence to reproduce a diagram of his interesting apparatus; but you鈥檇 want him to do the same for you.
Failure to do so can have very strange results. John Toner of the National Union of Journalists mentions writing to the German Nazi party warning them against distributing postcards made with a union member鈥檚 photograph. Or鈥� what? 鈥淥r we will pursue them for punitive damages for breach of copyright,鈥� John concludes. In the annals of anti-fascism, would it be premature to celebrate this action with a very, very small footnote?
As it turned out, German police entered party premises and seized the postcards before any were distributed.
Things are going to get better
FINALLY, mention of software for the UK鈥檚 National Health Service is likely to evoke unkind thoughts about huge, failed schemes. Some of it may, however, be underrated. Another reader who needs to remain anonymous tells us that patient record software offers hints to the user. Notably, 鈥淭IP: Pressing F6 will save the current patient.鈥�
Just like that! Unfortunately, though, it takes a balanced approach to case management. 鈥淧ressing Ctrl + F6 will discard the patient.鈥�