Good News stories

[LMcD]

Of the 16 candidates who fought the Batley and Spen by-election, only one actually lives in the constituency and was therefore the only one able to vote. I'm pleased to say that she was elected.
It is to be hoped that this, together with the result from Hartlepool, where I believe the Labour candidate was 'parachuted in', might encourage local parties to choose candidates with at least some connection with the seat being contested.
I believe I'm right in saying that Ben Gummer, who captured Ipswich for the Tories and then promptly lost it, didn't live in or own a local property - a fact which may or may not have become generally known until after his victory.

[Serial_Apologist]

Of the 16 candidates who fought the Batley and Spen by-election, only one actually lives in the constituency and was therefore the only one able to vote. I'm pleased to say that she was elected.
It is to be hoped that this, together with the result from Hartlepool, where I believe the Labour candidate was 'parachuted in', might encourage local parties to choose candidates with at least some connection with the seat being contested.
I believe I'm right in saying that Ben Gummer, who captured Ipswich for the Tories and then promptly lost it, didn't live in or own a local property - a fact which may or may not have become generally known until after his victory.

And Jo Cox's sister as well, hopefully starting a process of healing, though the result was a considerable reduction in Labour votes from last time, courtesy thanks to George Galloway's intervention, about which we will surely hear more, such as to what extent it was or wasn't opportunistic.

Anyway, I'd better stop before the Powers That Be descend with their fury...

[jayne lee wilson]

Narrow win yes, but a triumph for courage and political locality.....

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-57696431

Something Andy Burnham understands well....

[jayne lee wilson]

You call Kim Leadbetter, so bravely trying to represent the constituency of her young, tragically murdered sister, beloved of her community, a woman killed by the rightwing nationalism all too present in the UK now, "opportunistic"? "Running on a sympathy ticket"?
I'm truly shocked by that cynicism. Have you never experienced such loss, such grief, yourself?.

Ever heard of the Kennedy Family? Could you have done it?

It is still far too tough a call anyway, to be a female MP in the UK today. She is extraordinarily brave...... "HATE WON'T WIN!"

[LMcD]

You call Kim Leadbetter, so bravely trying to represent the constituency of her young, tragically murdered sister, beloved of her community, a woman killed by the rightwing nationalism all too present in the UK now, "opportunistic"? On a "sympathy ticket"?
I'm truly shocked by that cynicism. Have you never experienced such loss, such grief, yourself?.

Ever heard of the Kennedy Family? Could you have done it?

She is extraordinarily brave...... "HATE WON'T WIN!"

I was merely trying, in my customary non-controversial way, to use the Batley and Spen and Hartlepool results to make a non-controversial more general point about the British electoral process.
(Will I never learn ....? )

[jayne lee wilson]

I was merely trying, in my customary non-controversial way, to use the Batley and Spen result make an uncontroversial more general point about the British electoral process.
(Will I never learn ....? )

My reply was directed at #304......as the quotes made clear.

[johncorrigan]

Yesterday I left a face-to-face meeting and was walking through the Welmeadow in Blairgowrie heading to buy a card for my pal's birthday. I started tapping various pockets looking for the requisite face covering, and couldn't believe that I had left it at the meeting, so set to turn back. Just then I heard a rap on a car window and a guy rolled his window down. 'You looking fur a face mask, pal?' When I replied in the affirmative he said, 'There ye go!' He was in NHS gear and it just made me feel so delighted that he had noticed my plight. I gave him a big wave and a big smile as he headed off - nice wee act of kindness - saved me a 200 metre walk too.

[LMcD]

My reply was directed at #304......as the quotes made clear.

And mine wasn't 'directed' at anything or anybody.
Oh, and yes, I have heard of the Kennedy family. (Could I have done what?)
(Sigh)

[LMcD]

(Ever wished you hadn't introduced a topic?)

[Serial_Apologist]

Latest half yearly bill from Thames Water - £4 less than I'd estimated!

[Bryn]

Latest half yearly bill from Thames Water - £4 less than I'd estimated!

My water bills has more than halved (i.e. I get to pay less than half of what I had to*) since they installed meters a couple of years ago.

* I baulk at "up to half price", which, to me, means less than or equal to half price.

[gradus]

My neighbour has secured a £515 refund from Anglian Water on account of excessive usage eventually found to be caused by dripping taps in his house. He was surprised as he had assumed that AW would say perhaps not unreasonably, that it was his fault and persist with the charge. Even better the refund was bumped up by a couple of hundred beyond the original charged to him, but he knows not why.

[french frank]

Just had ears syringed. Now have 20/20 hearing again after a month of deafness. Apparently the NHS no longer funds 'routine ear care' so you're lucky if your practice still offers it.

[oddoneout]

My water bills has more than halved (i.e. I get to pay less than half of what I had to*) since they installed meters a couple of years ago.

* I baulk at "up to half price", which, to me, means less than or equal to half price.

My bills more than doubled despite becoming a single rather than 3 person household and economising after the meter was installed. I would have requested a return at the end of the 12 months "trial" to unmetered as per T&Cs but moved instead. I knew that bills would increase in due course, as the rateable value of my house was very low thanks to a combination of historical low valuations and the reduction allowed by proximity to the cemetery, and the water company was having a big water saving(aka profit increasing) drive but the official line was that the proposed cost increases of unmetered supplies would be greater. That was not true. A move to a low user tariff in my new, metered, home, got bills back to a more sensible level, but a few years ago that tariff was phased out and bills have duly increased significantly as the preferential (unfair was the water co's term) rates came up to the standard tariff.

[Petrushka]

Just had ears syringed. Now have 20/20 hearing again after a month of deafness. Apparently the NHS no longer funds 'routine ear care' so you're lucky if your practice still offers it.

I'm just in the process of having mine done. Having to wait a few days while ear drops soften the hardened wax. Unfortunately, I get persistent ear trouble; if it's not wax it's eustachian tube dysfunction and music ends up getting put off for a while.

My experience over many years is that GPs have little interest in ear problems and consider them trivial without taking into account the distress caused which is often worse than the original issue. The good news is that I should be back to normal next week.