The Dutch cabinet formation has again failed. The VVD (conservative-liberal party), CDA (Christian-democratic party), D'66 (social-liberal party) and GroenLinks (green-progressive party) have again not managed to overcome their differences to become a cabinet.

Lucky us, because the plans GroenLinks have for everyone driving a car, and everyone eating meat are really bad. As if we aren't taxed enough, they'll want us to pay per kilometer of driven asphalt on top of road taxes and all the taxes we already pay per liter of gasoline. (over the 1 liter Euro95 at €1.628 a liter, we pay 47% consumer-tax, 17% tax, 11% marketing-cost, and 25% production. The real cost of 1 liter of Euro95 is € 0,772).
They'll want to introduce that tax for everyone, whether you drive for work or in your free time. Of course they themselves come by chauffeured car.
Nothing said about adding a high tax on meat. Completely stark staring mad.

We had our general elections the 15th of March.

I like that link on the right more - for us foreigners: Confused by UK politics? You're not alone. Although I would think even the residential Brits are a bit confused by now. :)

Strong and stable, strong and stable. Oh, it's now the opposite.

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I like that link on the right more - for us foreigners: Confused by UK politics? You're not alone. Although I would think even the residential Brits are a bit confused by now. :)

Strong and stable, strong and stable. Oh, it's now the opposite.

Austerity is over! Theresa May's found a magic money tree!

And if you believe that, you'll believe anything.

And more seriously, if she can end austerity that easily, it wasn't needed in the first place. A change of direction after the bankers ran away with the money in 2008, sure, but how hard and how long was pure Tory ideology.

Well, I don't often agree with some on Main, but I think Guy has hit the nail on the head with this: -

"Sure, long-serving officials have experience. But it’s the wrong experience. It forgets about the real world and puts self-interest ahead of public service. We need to term limit career politicians in Washington and everywhere else before they drive our country further into the fiscal ditch alongside Illinois."

I think that can be said of most governments today.

Full text

And more seriously, if she can end austerity that easily, it wasn't needed in the first place. A change of direction after the bankers ran away with the money in 2008, sure, but how hard and how long was pure Tory ideology.

Well it's crushed me under its wheels unfortunately. It's forced my daughter to live abroad, and saddled my son with almost £40 000 of debt, whilst containing multiple ATOS (who have done very very well out of it) insults like my other half being able to get something out of his top pocket meaning he is fit for work. So it's not been a lot of fun I must say, and I don't expect that to change much to be honest, but we'll see :)

ATOS - The biggest profanity in Britain

Unfortunately, it was Labour & not the Tories who brought them in :-(

And more seriously, if she can end austerity that easily, it wasn't needed in the first place. A change of direction after the bankers ran away with the money in 2008, sure, but how hard and how long was pure Tory ideology.

Well it's crushed me under its wheels unfortunately. It's forced my daughter to live abroad, and saddled my son with almost £40 000 of debt, whilst containing multiple ATOS (who have done very very well out of it) insults like my other half being able to get something out of his top pocket meaning he is fit for work. So it's not been a lot of fun I must say, and I don't expect that to change much to be honest, but we'll see :)

Well, I may get to see a little bit of that today - just had an urgent call to spring somebody from hospital against - it sounds like - the administration's advice. Bout of pneumonia, now sorted out - but "if I have to spend another night in here, somebody's going to get hurt, and it won't be me".

So, searching for a pro-forma self discharge letter for her to sign - anybody got any advice/experience?

ATOS - The biggest profanity in Britain

Unfortunately, it was Labour & not the Tories who brought them in :-(

Y-e-e-e-s - new labour was a bit of a house of mirrors wasn't it? To me, one of the biggest affronts was them sponsoring the Paralympics. At least under labour - equal weight would be given to a medical report from a genuine health professional, and would overturn an ATOS reviewer. Since 2010, Doctors' reports are increasingly being sidelined in favour of one "professionally trained" ATOS interviewer. The professional training for assessing someone with autism, for example, consists of a non-compulsory 2 hour talk delivered by the National Autistic Society.

My son's been training me all his life, and I still don't know everything about it :)

So, searching for a pro-forma self discharge letter for her to sign - anybody got any advice/experience?

Not really, sorry :( My other half just announces that if he stays in any longer he's likely to kill the most disruptive patient he's been incarcerated with, so he's going home, and someone eventually turns up with something for him to sign. Which he does.

Good luck!! :)

edit: he can get quite loud sometimes... if that helps? ;)

So, searching for a pro-forma self discharge letter for her to sign - anybody got any advice/experience?

Not needed. Had a similar event back in 2003 while on a delivery, lost my footing on the rear of the truck & my head hit the ground first. As I'm aware of what concussion is, I was kept in for observation - understandable.

Both arms & legs were badly lacerated but on the 3rd afternoon in, the doc cleared me, but the admin wanted me to remain until my limbs healed sufficiently to be discharged. I just got dressed & walked out. The medical staff had no issue with it.

IMV, it's the medical staff's opinion that counts not some pen pushers. If the medical staff feel he/she is okay to go home, job done.

Edit: Unless it's a "section issue" they can't hold you.

This looks helpful. Why is Cornwall the only hospital trust to put this online?

Interesting stats - Poor England

Has it not always been that way?

It was that way in the mid 70's and as far as I can tell, it has never changed.

Patient is elderly and severely disabled - no question of walking. She has: own electric wheelchair, own (directly employed) care worker on site with her. Will be a chair and taxi job to get her home - no problem, she's done that before. But we'll probably need to borrow a hospital hoist to transfer her from bed to chair.

Ah, in that case the admin are just CYA.

OK, prep done, on my way. Bradford Royal Infirmary, ward 29, room 3 if you need to send a search party.

And back. Looks like it's going to be OK.

Good :)