On Thu, 14 Feb 2013 20:29:18 +0000, dennis@home wrote:

On 14/02/2013 20:26, GB wrote:
On 14/02/2013 20:23, dennis@home wrote:


8


Why not sign http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/32346 instead?


Good idea. I have done that.

Here's one for harry to sign.

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/36402

Now trying to check if this is the Professor John Middleton who gives
environmental talks to the local U3A.

Just tried to set fire to some water but as there is no fracking around
here it didn't work.

Cheers

Dave R

In article ,
tim..... wrote:
Bus passes tend to be self-means tested, I.e the better off pensioners
who drive don't use them extensively.

Not round here. Problem in London is not so much the cost of fuel, but
trying to park in the High Street, etc. And buses go down the High Street
- but not so likely to go to shopping malls. Of course if I have heavy
shopping to bring home the car is the obvious choice.

So I tend to use which is most convenient - not much influenced by the
cost of either.

--
*I have my own little world - but it's OK...they know me here*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article ,
tim..... wrote:
I never understand the attitude of pensioners who insist on living in
poverty in a million pound house, (and then complain about it!)

My house is far larger than I now need - but it is my investment to pay
for decent care if I ever need it. Selling it and buying somewhere smaller
then investing the balance doesn't seem like a good idea in these times.

--
*I like cats, too. Let's exchange recipes.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article ,
Huge wrote:
On 2013-02-15, wrote:
On Friday, February 15, 2013 10:06:44 AM UTC, Kim Bolton wrote:
snip
You should meet my mid-80s mother-in-law.

I don't really know the reason why - it might be
something to do with WWII,

We're busily clearing my 95 y/o MILs house, since she's had to go into a
care home. She was much the same - we've thrown away hundreds of poly
bags, foil pie trays, "TV dinner" plastic trays and the like. She never
threw *anything* away.

My mother was the exact opposite. Only things like that she kept were
those which *would* be used. Glass jars for jam making, for example. She
never bought any 'prepared' food either - except pastry. Always took a
shopping bag so never had plastic ones.

Only thing like that I keep is those microwaveable plastic boxes a Chinese
takeaway comes in. Better quality boxes for say screws, than other food
containers.

--
*If horrific means to make horrible, does terrific mean to make terrible?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On 15/02/13 12:49, David.WE.Roberts wrote:
On Thu, 14 Feb 2013 20:23:34 +0000, dennis@home wrote:

On 14/02/2013 20:16, GB wrote:
On 14/02/2013 12:22, Man at B&Q wrote:
On Feb 14, 11:40 am, "David WE Roberts" wrote:
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/31778

Petition against the removal of additional tax allowances for
pensioners.

Why would I want to do that?

It will do absolutely nothing to help those in real need.

All it will do is give more to those who already have enough to
benefit from said tax allowances.

How much do people need to get in order to benefit from the Age
Allowance?


Why not sign http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/32346 instead?

Might do if it was less specific - general nuclear power instead of one
specific technology.

I now have to go and research that specific technology.

Not that much support so far.

Cheers

Dave R

Thorium reactors really need a joint effort over two decades from
several competent nations.

Looks like we and the Chinese and Japanese might be sensible candidates.

But no way is it an instant fix.

Probably the best right now is some standard established technology like
the Hitachi ABWR that is being proposed.

EDF and the EPWR are looking like they are expensive and buggy in terms
of construction.


BUT the public wont be in favour until some spectacular grid failures
die to renewable energy enable the engineers who know the score to be heard.



--
Ineptocracy

(in-ep-toc-ra-cy) €“ a system of government where the least capable to
lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the
members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are
rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a
diminishing number of producers.

In article ,
The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Never mind the bus passes: Id settle for a bus..

If you live in a 2 million plus house remote from bus services, why not
get one of the staff to drive you where you want to go?

--
*I used to have an open mind but my brains kept falling out *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On 15/02/13 14:12, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Never mind the bus passes: Id settle for a bus..

If you live in a 2 million plus house remote from bus services, why not
get one of the staff to drive you where you want to go?

because I don't.


--
Ineptocracy

(in-ep-toc-ra-cy) €“ a system of government where the least capable to
lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the
members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are
rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a
diminishing number of producers.

On 15/02/2013 08:51, polygonum wrote:
8

However, I and everyone else on this medicine qualify for a Medical
Exemption Certificate (Medex), so actually pay nothing. (And have the
benefit of not then paying for any other prescriptions.)

The exemption is based on the illness not the drug used.
Unless its a very specific drug some people may have to pay if its not
being used to treat one of the listed medical conditions.


If I had to pay the full prescription charge of £7.65 twelve times a
year, I would be being ripped off by the system. (That is, being charged
almost £80 more than the NHS is charged for the medicine.)


You get your doctor to prescribe 3 months at a time.
then you buy a three month certificate and get it dispensed.
Then a week before it expires you get your next 3 months.

repeat 3 months later and you get all your regular medds for just over
half the cost of a 12 month prepayment certificate.

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
tim..... wrote:
Bus passes tend to be self-means tested, I.e the better off pensioners
who drive don't use them extensively.

Not round here. Problem in London is not so much the cost of fuel, but
trying to park in the High Street, etc. And buses go down the High Street
- but not so likely to go to shopping malls. Of course if I have heavy
shopping to bring home the car is the obvious choice.

But London is different

They still give them out to peeps over 60 despite the rest of the country no
longer being so entitled.

And you can use them on the underground/overground.

So it seems likely that if HMG introduced means tests London would not

tim

On 15/02/2013 10:06, Kim Bolton wrote:


But one day SWMBO came across her 'stock' of medication - most of it
was out of date, and there was enough to fill a big bin liner. SWMBO
costed it as being over £1000-worth of medications, all useless and
wasted. and that was dished out on a monthly-prescription basis.


That's nothing..

when I was doing some work for the childrens hospital I collected a load
of out of date stuff from a patient.
there were dozens of bottles of the stuff and it cost about £300 a bottle.

More worrying is what were they giving to the kid who was supposed to be
taking the medicine?

On Fri, 15 Feb 2013 13:29:24 +0000, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

In article ,
Huge wrote:
On 2013-02-15, wrote:
On Friday, February 15, 2013 10:06:44 AM UTC, Kim Bolton wrote:
snip
You should meet my mid-80s mother-in-law.

I don't really know the reason why - it might be something to do
with WWII,

We're busily clearing my 95 y/o MILs house, since she's had to go into
a care home. She was much the same - we've thrown away hundreds of poly
bags, foil pie trays, "TV dinner" plastic trays and the like. She never
threw *anything* away.

My mother was the exact opposite. Only things like that she kept were
those which *would* be used. Glass jars for jam making, for example. She
never bought any 'prepared' food either - except pastry. Always took a
shopping bag so never had plastic ones.

Only thing like that I keep is those microwaveable plastic boxes a
Chinese takeaway comes in. Better quality boxes for say screws, than
other food containers.

Yup, SWMBO uses them for the freezer. I nick a few every now and then for
the workshop.



--
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
My posts (including this one) are my copyright and if @diy_forums on
Twitter wish to tweet them they can pay me £30 a post
*lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor

Huge wrote:

On 2013-02-15, wrote:

We're busily clearing my 95 y/o MILs house, since she's had to go into a
care home. She was much the same - we've thrown away hundreds of poly
bags, foil pie trays, "TV dinner" plastic trays and the like. She never
threw *anything* away.

You have my sympathy....

MiL's combi boiler is upstairs, in the room she uses for airing. She
has a massive 'wing' type airer in there - as well as a spare bed
(used to pile rubbish on) and a cheap wardrobe (full of stuff she'll
never wear), the side of which faces you immediately on opening the
door. To get to the boiler (see below) she has to wriggle round the
door, past the wardrobe, then past the airer, to get to the boiler.
Entreaties to have the bed cleared of rubbish, dismantled, and got
rid of are met with the same incredulity as the suggestion to clear
the wardrobe and have it disposed of. The thought of being able to
open the door and walk straight to the boiler has no attraction at
all for her.

She checks the boiler pressure every day. Having discovered that
0.5 bar is the lower limit for the boiler to operate, and that 1.0 bar
is sufficient, she then assumes that 2.0 bar must be better and 3.0
bar the best of all. She's got though loads of pressure vessel
replacements (which she complains about) but firmly believes she is in
the right.

The same applies to microwave dinners, for the rare times she eats
one. The pack might say that 5 minutes on full power is the cooking
time, but MiL firmly believes that if 5 minutes is good, 10 minutes
must be better! The food is usually uneatable by then, but she won't
be told.

Doh!

--

Terry Fields

On 15/02/2013 13:21, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article , tim.....
wrote:
I never understand the attitude of pensioners who insist on living
in poverty in a million pound house, (and then complain about it!)

My house is far larger than I now need - but it is my investment to
pay for decent care if I ever need it. Selling it and buying
somewhere smaller then investing the balance doesn't seem like a good
idea in these times.


There's the difference. I don't here you bitching and you have a plan
for future years.

On 15/02/2013 14:42, dennis@home wrote:
On 15/02/2013 08:51, polygonum wrote:
8

However, I and everyone else on this medicine qualify for a Medical
Exemption Certificate (Medex), so actually pay nothing. (And have the
benefit of not then paying for any other prescriptions.)

The exemption is based on the illness not the drug used.
Unless its a very specific drug some people may have to pay if its not
being used to treat one of the listed medical conditions.


If I had to pay the full prescription charge of £7.65 twelve times a
year, I would be being ripped off by the system. (That is, being charged
almost £80 more than the NHS is charged for the medicine.)


You get your doctor to prescribe 3 months at a time.
then you buy a three month certificate and get it dispensed.
Then a week before it expires you get your next 3 months.

repeat 3 months later and you get all your regular medds for just over
half the cost of a 12 month prepayment certificate.



It has only one licensed use. Indeed, both the SPC and the PIL are very
specific about it having only one use. In fact, many pharmacists are
happy to assume a Medex simply because of the medicine it is.

When doctors are forced to keep to two month prescriptions by the PCT,
getting a three month one just to buck the system is unlikely to be
achievable. And, as I said, I do have a Medex so it is not a problem
from that POV for me.

--
Rod

On Feb 14, 8:29*pm, "dennis@home"
wrote:
On 14/02/2013 20:26, GB wrote:

On 14/02/2013 20:23, dennis@home wrote:

8



Why not signhttp://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/32346instead?

Good idea. *I have done that.

Here's one for harry to sign.

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/36402

Barking mad.
Is that one you set up?

On Feb 15, 1:21*pm, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:
In article ,
* *tim..... wrote:

I never understand the attitude of pensioners who insist on living in
poverty in a million pound house, (and then complain about it!)

My house is far larger than I now need - but it is my investment to pay
for decent care if I ever need it. Selling it and buying somewhere smaller
then investing the balance doesn't seem like a good idea in these times.

Too true. The gov. is robbing anyone with any money saved.
You should have bought solar PV panels.

On Fri, 15 Feb 2013 14:21:55 +0000, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

Never mind the bus passes: Id settle for a bus..

If you live in a 2 million plus house remote from bus services, why
not get one of the staff to drive you where you want to go?

because I don't.

Niether do I.

There is a bus that passes the house twice a day during term time, the
school bus but they aren't allowed to carry fare paying (or bus pass)
passengers on that anymore. Too risky for the children, apparently. TBH
I'd say it'd be too risky for the passengers, from the kids. B-)

--
Cheers
Dave.

In article
,
harry wrote:
You should have bought solar PV panels.

Watched a Grand Designs again last night - the eco house half buried.

"Which was the most disappointing of all the 'eco features' you did?"

"The solar panels."

--
*If you try to fail and succeed, which have you done? *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Kim Bolton" wrote in message
...
Jethro_uk wrote:

I would be curious if there's been any research (as opposed to Daily Mail
headlines) as to whether people who don't pay charges are any more
wasteful than those who do.

You should meet my mid-80s mother-in-law.

I don't really know the reason why - it might be
something to do with WWII, but I'm not sure - but she has to have a
'stock' of everything. In the days when she could get out and do her
own shopping, it included having a 'stock' of supermarket plastic
bags. We estimate she had 20,000 of them, before SWMBO threw them
out. She won't eat food in her freezer (because it's her 'stock') so
lives on sandwiches. She's been prescribed a medicated cream for a
skin condition, but won't use it as she doesn't have a 'stock' of
it, so saves it up. No 'stock' item is ever used for anything.

But one day SWMBO came across her 'stock' of medication - most of it
was out of date, and there was enough to fill a big bin liner. SWMBO
costed it as being over £1000-worth of medications, all useless and
wasted. and that was dished out on a monthly-prescription basis.

Sure, but its not feasible to design a system around a few loons
like that and there arent likely to be enough of those to matter.

Mike Barnes wrote
Nightjar wrote

Having to get a prescription every month is a NICE recommendation, to
reduce the cost to the NHS from medicine supplied to people who die
before using it all.

That might be a good reason for not allowing the drugs to be collected
more than a month in advance. But there's no reason not to issue a one-
year prescription with monthly collections. This would make life easier
for the doctor and the patient. Of course the prescription period
wouldn't exceed the review period. I believe similar systems operate in
some other countries.

Australia has a system which is basically 6 month prescriptions, monthly
collections.

How they are paid for is complicated.

The most useful meds have a price cap for everyone.

Those who qualify for the health care care get a much lower
cap and all of those who receive the dole, aged pension etc
all qualify for the health care card.

And once you have spent over a specified amount per calendar
year, the rest are free for all citizens, but not foreign visitors etc.

"tim....." wrote in message
...

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
On 14/02/13 20:39, Roger Mills wrote:
On 14/02/2013 13:13, Nightjar wrote:
On 14/02/2013 11:40, David WE Roberts wrote:
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/31778

Petition against the removal of additional tax allowances for
pensioners.

Vote early, vote often :-)

If you are canvassing for votes against the removal of additional tax
allowances, it might be a good idea to explain why you think that the
increase in personal allowances for those over 65 does not adequately
compensate for them.

Colin Bignell


I agree. I suppose some would argue that this doesn't maintain the
differential between pensioners and non-pensioners. But I'm not sure
exactly what the case for a differential is.

Personally, I'd rather have it as an increased personal allowance for
everyone. That way, it doesn't get clawed back when my total pension
income exceeds a certain threshold.

I would also support means testing things like bus passes and winter
fuel allowance. Not so sure about prescriptions and eye test. Older
people tend to have a greater need for these. Free dental treatment
would be good, too.

Useless blatherings. Us over 60s know we will have our pensions removed,
our houses stolen by mansion taxes,

There's as simple solution to that

Sell the damn thing and move somewhere smaller

I never understand the attitude of pensioners who insist on living in
poverty in a million pound house, (and then complain about it!)

Presumably they dont see why the state should be forcing them to downsize
like that.

They do have a point.

The biggest waste we have seen on medicines is first prescription of
something which may, or may not agree. I was given Omeprazole - can't
remember pack quantity - probably 28. Current NHS cost £1.62 or £1.81 so
hardly expensive. Only accepted from GP because he insisted it should
help (I flatly disagreed but said I would try to keep in with him). One
tablet made me vomit - a recognised side-effect. So after one tablet,
the rest are waste.



I was told omeprazole would change my life and, by golly, it did. Can't
believe it's so cheap

On Fri, 15 Feb 2013 12:51:12 +0000, polygonum wrote:

On 15/02/2013 12:40, David.WE.Roberts wrote:


I go to the patient review meetings at our practice and they have stated
that they have saved significant money by cutting the prescription maximum
from 3 months to 2 months.

My feeling is that they could start with 1 month prescriptions, and work
upwards with those with chronic conditions to 2,3 even 6 months of
medication.

The assumption being that if you have been on the same medication for over
a year and the general prognosis is that you aren't going to peg out soon
from any known condition then you might as well have a long term supply.

I wonder, though, how much saving comes from the retire patients going to
Spain for 3 months over winter and having to buy one month's worth of
medication abroad. :-)

Cheers

Dave R


Or maybe relate the prescription length to the cost of the medicine?

As I say, in my case, £12 a year. Honestly, I can't believe it is worth
doing even two prescriptions rather than one!

We do see (if you read Pulse!) lots of complaints over the work burden
on doctors of handling repeat prescriptions. That could be reduced. :-)

It would be useful if all doctors took that view. A couple of medicines
wouldn't be too serious if I ran out of them but the Warfarin...! That could
prove fatal or worse if I didn't have it.
--
Peter.
The gods will stay away
whilst religions hold sway

On Fri, 15 Feb 2013 10:54:48 +0000 (GMT), Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

In article ,
Roger Mills wrote:
I would also support means testing things like bus passes and winter
fuel allowance. Not so sure about prescriptions and eye test. Older
people tend to have a greater need for these. Free dental treatment
would be good, too.

Older people tend to feel the cold more - hence the winter fuel payment.

As regards bus passes, it's difficult to calculate what they really do
cost, as PT usually has plenty spare capacity outside rush hour.

Other factors affecting cost are things such as there being a contract for
the buses to run (so no real cost for passes) as on my route and how much if
the buses are cancelled and the drivers and ancillary staff are out of work.
Add in the extra medical costs due to lack of activity (although earlier
death might balance this) and pensioners spending in shops in the town and
the savings aren't that much.
--
Peter.
The gods will stay away
whilst religions hold sway

On 15/02/2013 10:59, Tim Streater wrote:
In article ,
Huge wrote:

On 2013-02-15, Tim Streater wrote:
In article ,
RJH wrote:

It's tricky - overall I don't think means testing is a good idea,
for reasons ranging from admin cost to stigma. I'd like to think
people who don't need or use a benefit hand it back, but then I
like to think a lot of things ;-)

Hand it back *how* ?

Write a cheque and send it to No.11 Downing Street.

Who should I make the cheque out to?


"Help the aged".

"polygonum" wrote in message
...
On 15/02/2013 09:47, Nightjar wrote:
On 15/02/2013 09:12, polygonum wrote:
On 15/02/2013 09:08, Nightjar wrote:
On 15/02/2013 08:14, RJH wrote:

And anecdotally at
least people don't use prescription medicine because of the cost.

I would have thought that the majority of people for whom that would be
a problem should qualify for free prescriptions.


Majority maybe, but IIRC, Jobseekers flat rate does not, but
income-related does - and there are many cracks in the systems.

My point is that there is probably not a huge number of people waiting
in the wings who would suddenly start to get prescriptions were they to
be made free.

I agree that there is unlikely to be a sudden upswing. Though maybe over
time there would be more?

Yeah, there will always be some fools that demand
a prescription for stuff like the common cold.

Makes no sense for the state to be paying for that.

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Huge wrote:
On 2013-02-15, wrote:
On Friday, February 15, 2013 10:06:44 AM UTC, Kim Bolton wrote:
snip
You should meet my mid-80s mother-in-law.

I don't really know the reason why - it might be
something to do with WWII,

We're busily clearing my 95 y/o MILs house, since she's had to go into a
care home. She was much the same - we've thrown away hundreds of poly
bags, foil pie trays, "TV dinner" plastic trays and the like. She never
threw *anything* away.

My mother was the exact opposite. Only things like that she kept were
those which *would* be used. Glass jars for jam making, for example. She
never bought any 'prepared' food either - except pastry. Always took a
shopping bag so never had plastic ones.

Only thing like that I keep is those microwaveable plastic boxes a Chinese
takeaway comes in. Better quality boxes for say screws, than other food
containers.

I did keep the best of the glass jars, particularly the commercial marmalade
jars and the relish jars. Did wonder if it was worth keeping any more once
I got up to about 200 of the marmalade jars. Then they stopped making the
best of the lemon and lime marmalade and I started to make my own, and
found that by far the cheapest limes were a 10KG box from the only operation
in this fruit growing area which bothered with limes and found I need
most of them for all the marmalade that produces, couple of years supply.

The relish jars are ideal for screws etc, main downside is that they are a
lot
more fragile than the metal 200ml soft drink cans with the tops cut off.

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
On 15/02/13 12:49, David.WE.Roberts wrote:
On Thu, 14 Feb 2013 20:23:34 +0000, dennis@home wrote:

On 14/02/2013 20:16, GB wrote:
On 14/02/2013 12:22, Man at B&Q wrote:
On Feb 14, 11:40 am, "David WE Roberts" wrote:
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/31778

Petition against the removal of additional tax allowances for
pensioners.

Why would I want to do that?

It will do absolutely nothing to help those in real need.

All it will do is give more to those who already have enough to
benefit from said tax allowances.

How much do people need to get in order to benefit from the Age
Allowance?


Why not sign http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/32346 instead?

Might do if it was less specific - general nuclear power instead of one
specific technology.

I now have to go and research that specific technology.

Not that much support so far.

Thorium reactors really need a joint effort over two decades from several
competent nations.

I doubt it needs several competant nations.

Looks like we and the Chinese and Japanese might be sensible candidates.

Bet it turns out to be the chinese alone.

But no way is it an instant fix.

We dont need an instant fix. Those with a clue
like the french have used nukes for decades now.

Probably the best right now is some standard established technology like
the Hitachi ABWR that is being proposed.

The french nukes are fine.

EDF and the EPWR are looking like they are expensive and buggy in terms of
construction.

BUT the public wont be in favour until some spectacular grid failures die
to renewable energy enable the engineers who know the score to be heard.

Didnt take that with the french.

"harry" wrote in message
...
On Feb 15, 1:21 pm, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:
In article ,
tim..... wrote:

I never understand the attitude of pensioners who insist on living in
poverty in a million pound house, (and then complain about it!)

My house is far larger than I now need - but it is my investment to pay
for decent care if I ever need it. Selling it and buying somewhere
smaller
then investing the balance doesn't seem like a good idea in these times.

Too true. The gov. is robbing anyone with any money saved.

The answer is obvious, flush govts that stupid.

On Feb 15, 6:02*pm, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:
In article
,
* *harry wrote:

You should have bought solar PV panels.

Watched a Grand Designs again last night - the eco house half buried.

"Which was the most disappointing of all the 'eco features' you did?"

"The solar panels."

--
*If you try to fail and succeed, which have you done? *

* * Dave Plowman * * * * * * * * London SW
* * * * * * * * * To e-mail, change noise into sound.

I didn't see it.
Was it a repeat of the one where there was an existing quarry?
What sort of solar panels?

I get an 18% (tax included) return on my outlay.
How is that disappointing?

If there was an architect involved, that was probably the reason.
They are clueless gits.

On Feb 15, 7:15*pm, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:
On 15/02/13 17:21, harry wrote: On Feb 15, 1:21 pm, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:
In article ,
* * tim..... wrote:

I never understand the attitude of pensioners who insist on living in
poverty in a million pound house, (and then complain about it!)

My house is far larger than I now need - but it is my investment to pay
for decent care if I ever need it. Selling it and buying somewhere smaller
then investing the balance doesn't seem like a good idea in these times.

Too true. The gov. is robbing anyone with any money saved.
You should have bought solar PV panels.

sand then you can rob EVERYBODY yourself.


People that send their kids to state school are robbing everyone.
They should be made to pay for their kids education.
Also people with bus passes.
Also people who eat food.
Also people with a state pension.

According to your barking mad theories that is.

"harry" wrote in message
...
On Feb 15, 7:15 pm, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:
On 15/02/13 17:21, harry wrote: On Feb 15, 1:21 pm, "Dave Plowman
(News)"
wrote:
In article ,
tim..... wrote:

I never understand the attitude of pensioners who insist on living in
poverty in a million pound house, (and then complain about it!)

My house is far larger than I now need - but it is my investment to
pay
for decent care if I ever need it. Selling it and buying somewhere
smaller
then investing the balance doesn't seem like a good idea in these
times.

Too true. The gov. is robbing anyone with any money saved.
You should have bought solar PV panels.

sand then you can rob EVERYBODY yourself.

People that send their kids to state school are robbing everyone.

Nope, not when they are paying more tax than average.

They should be made to pay for their kids education.

They already did, with the taxes they paid.

Also people with bus passes.

Depends on what taxes they pay.

Also people who eat food.

Even sillier.

Also people with a state pension.

Even sillier.

According to your barking mad theories that is.

Even sillier.

On Fri, 15 Feb 2013 19:05:38 +0000, polygonum wrote:

On 15/02/2013 18:42, PeterC wrote:
On Fri, 15 Feb 2013 12:51:12 +0000, polygonum wrote:



Or maybe relate the prescription length to the cost of the medicine?

As I say, in my case, £12 a year. Honestly, I can't believe it is worth
doing even two prescriptions rather than one!

We do see (if you read Pulse!) lots of complaints over the work burden
on doctors of handling repeat prescriptions. That could be reduced. :-)

It would be useful if all doctors took that view. A couple of medicines
wouldn't be too serious if I ran out of them but the Warfarin...! That could
prove fatal or worse if I didn't have it.

And that too is a cheapie:

Warfarin (Non-proprietary) Prescription only medicine

Tablets, warfarin sodium 500 micrograms (white), net price 28-tab pack =
£1.67; 1 mg (brown), 28-tab pack = 86p; 3 mg (blue), 28-tab pack = 86p;
5 mg (pink), 28-tab pack = 92p. Label: 10, anticoagulant card

Brands include Marevan®

Get the impression the cost is in the regular testing.

Yes, that's what the INR nurse told me. I'm now tested every 2 months - it's
a bit nerve-wracking as I need 6 months within therapeutic range before
ablation.
--
Peter.
The gods will stay away
whilst religions hold sway

On 16/02/2013 09:21, PeterC wrote:
On Fri, 15 Feb 2013 19:05:38 +0000, polygonum wrote:

On 15/02/2013 18:42, PeterC wrote:
On Fri, 15 Feb 2013 12:51:12 +0000, polygonum wrote:



Or maybe relate the prescription length to the cost of the medicine?

As I say, in my case, £12 a year. Honestly, I can't believe it is worth
doing even two prescriptions rather than one!

We do see (if you read Pulse!) lots of complaints over the work burden
on doctors of handling repeat prescriptions. That could be reduced. :-)

It would be useful if all doctors took that view. A couple of medicines
wouldn't be too serious if I ran out of them but the Warfarin...! That could
prove fatal or worse if I didn't have it.

And that too is a cheapie:

Warfarin (Non-proprietary) Prescription only medicine

Tablets, warfarin sodium 500 micrograms (white), net price 28-tab pack =
£1.67; 1 mg (brown), 28-tab pack = 86p; 3 mg (blue), 28-tab pack = 86p;
5 mg (pink), 28-tab pack = 92p. Label: 10, anticoagulant card

Brands include Marevan®

Get the impression the cost is in the regular testing.

Yes, that's what the INR nurse told me. I'm now tested every 2 months - it's
a bit nerve-wracking as I need 6 months within therapeutic range before
ablation.

What? They're going to put you through re-entry into the atmosphere?

Fingers crossed.

--
Rod

On 16/02/2013 08:37, Rod Speed wrote:


"harry" wrote in message
...


On Feb 15, 7:15 pm, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:
On 15/02/13 17:21, harry wrote: On Feb 15, 1:21 pm, "Dave
Plowman (News)"
wrote:
In article , tim.....
wrote:

I never understand the attitude of pensioners who insist on
living in poverty in a million pound house, (and then
complain about it!)

My house is far larger than I now need - but it is my
investment to pay for decent care if I ever need it.
Selling it and buying somewhere smaller then investing the
balance doesn't seem like a good idea in these times.

Too true. The gov. is robbing anyone with any money saved. You
should have bought solar PV panels.

sand then you can rob EVERYBODY yourself.

People that send their kids to state school are robbing everyone.

Nope, not when they are paying more tax than average.


I suspect people who install PV arrays are already paying more tax than
the average in order to afford their installation, so that makes it ok?

On 15/02/2013 09:43, Chris J Dixon wrote:

Though I have benefited, I don't think the original decision to
introduce these at 60 for everybody, instead of at state pension
age, was right.


AIUI, at the time they were introduced the pensionable age for women WAS
60. Sex equality legislation made the age 60 for men also.

Another Dave

On 15/02/2013 18:50, PeterC wrote:

Other factors affecting cost are things such as there being a contract for
the buses to run (so no real cost for passes) as on my route and how much if
the buses are cancelled and the drivers and ancillary staff are out of work.
Add in the extra medical costs due to lack of activity (although earlier
death might balance this) and pensioners spending in shops in the town and
the savings aren't that much.


I hadn't thought of it like that but, on reflection, you're probably right.

I hardly ever use mine; the buses seem to be full of youths going
to/coming back from a meeting with their probation officers

Another Dave

In article ,
Another Dave wrote:
On 15/02/2013 18:50, PeterC wrote:

Other factors affecting cost are things such as there being a contract
for the buses to run (so no real cost for passes) as on my route and
how much if the buses are cancelled and the drivers and ancillary
staff are out of work. Add in the extra medical costs due to lack of
activity (although earlier death might balance this) and pensioners
spending in shops in the town and the savings aren't that much.


I hadn't thought of it like that but, on reflection, you're probably
right.

I hardly ever use mine; the buses seem to be full of youths going
to/coming back from a meeting with their probation officers

Do they wear striped jumpers, masks and carry bags marked swag - or are
you guessing?

--
*Some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On 16/02/13 16:52, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

Do they wear striped jumpers, masks and carry bags marked swag?


Yes.

Another Dave

On 16/02/2013 17:05, Another Dave wrote:
On 16/02/13 16:52, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

Do they wear striped jumpers, masks and carry bags marked swag?


Yes.

Another Dave

So we need to incorporate image recognition technology into our security
cameras - a striped jumper automatically puts it into "wake up" mode,
and when the OCR sees "SWAG", "פˆ€MS", "GAWS" or "SMˆ€×¤" it sounds the alarm.

--
Rod