<< Aug 2009 Farewell to dear Henry Allingham Friday, July 31st, 2009 - 9:55 am
He was the last of his generation and in my opinion a truly great man. May he rest in peace. Swine Flu (again) Thursday, July 30th, 2009 - 10:24 pm
This is a true story about the family of a friend of mine. I've re-written it as fiction, changing all the names and dates, to avoid identifying them and to make it more readable, but all the significant parts of the story are completely accurate.
-----
On Monday, our Carol came down with something - a bit of a fever and feeling sick. In a family with 5 kids, that does happen - and it didn't sound like any kind of flu, so we weren't worried.
By the next day, she was feeling better again, so that was all OK.
Then on Thursday, Jane woke up with a similar sort of tummy bug - both ends active, if you know what I mean. That's what we expect as well, when we get a bug in the family, it's rare that we all get it, but it is just as rare that it's only one of us.
That lasted a couple of days, by Saturday, she'd dried up, so to speak, but she just felt worse - feverish, coughing and sneezing and she was aching all over.
That did fit with flu, so we rang NHS Direct. After we'd told them all this, they said it did sound like Swine Flu. Since it was into it's third day by then, Tamiflu wasn't going to help.
They told us what to do: keep Jane in bed - and on no account let her go out and meet friends; minimise contact with the rest of the family, so her sister had to move out of her bedroom for the duration; and to be very hygienic with the coughs and sneezes - use a new tissue every time and bin them immediately; and every time I went into her room, I should wash my hands afterwards (actually the more hand-washing that the family did, the better, so that if anyone else was incubating it, they wouldn't pass it on).
We did all that - and especially when I went to see my Gran. She lives just round the corner and she's 84 now, so we definitely didn't want her to catch it.
When we rang them the first time, they didn't tell us how long Swine Flu takes to incubate, so we were all a bit nervous; how long would we have to wait to be sure that none of the rest of us was going to be ill the next day? Since then, we've found out that it is 3 days, so we can relax.
It's a fortnight now. Jane is feeling well again and she's up and about and quarrelling with everyone again, so back to normal again.
Looking back, that tummy trouble - and the fact that none of the rest of the family caught whatever it was - don't fit what we've discovered about Swine Flu (and believe me over the last fortnight, we've looked at and listened to everything we could find). The only stomach trouble is usually just a loss of appetite and because it's very contagious, someone else ought to have caught it, if you see what I mean. In addition, there was Carol. Since the whole reason that there's a problem is that this kind of flu is new, no-one is yet immune. If it really had been Swine Flu, Carol was unlikely to have shrugged it off so fast, though perhaps hers was something different and the timing was just coincidence...
I'm guessing, of course - I'm just a Mum - but I don't think it really was Swine Flu. What does that mean? Well it means that the NHS Direct people were probably wrong, but my guess is that even the best qualified doctor would have said just the same. Whether it was that virus or not, the isolation and hygiene measures we took worked. Granny is still healthy, so are the rest of us and Jane's better now.
--------
In a way, that story isn't important: the over-the-phone diagnosis may have been wrong; and although "Jane" felt pretty rough for a few days, that was as bad as it got.
The reason that I've bothered to tell it is that over the next few months lots of people are going to have a very similar experience. Whether or not it was Swine Flu, her story is what most people who really do get it will find. For most of us, it's just flu! The only differences between Swine Flu and the other sorts that are always going round is that it is happening in Summer and that no-one has had this kind before, so we are all able to catch it. 'Ordinary' flu does kill a few (but not many) and so will this one, but it's unlikely to be any worse than happens every year.
This was just one case, so it doesn't prove anything, but it does illustrate that taking sensible precautions does work.
I found that a ray of hope shining between the clouds. Keighley needs a ring road system Wednesday, July 29th, 2009 - 10:34 pm
Keighley's traffic problem really needs some kind of ring road system around the town. This would make it possible to improve traffic flow without sacrificing Park Wood to a so-called "relief road". At the same time, by improving the flow of traffic around the town it would cut down on the temptation to use streets such as Parkwood Street as rat runs.
The Keighley Town Council and the Keighley Traffic Advisory Panel are working on ideas to solve the problems. Bradford Councillors, including their leader Kris Hopkins (who is Conservative parliamentary candidate for Keighley), are saying nothing. Well of course if you say nothing you can't get it wrong, can you? (You can't get it right either!)
Incidentally Keighley Town Councillors are paid between £600 and £1,000 per year, with no extra allowances, whilst Bradford District Councillors are paid around £14,000 a year. The Conservatives are in control. Mmmm, what is it they do, exactly? Shame on the MOD! Tuesday, July 28th, 2009 - 1:16 pm
The Ministry of Defence is bringing shame on the whole nation by trying to penny-pinch back money awarded to injured service personnel for complications following initial injuries. How dare they?
If I didn't think the MOD so gormless that they would only pose a risk to our troops serving in Afghanistan I'd suggest they go and fight in the front line as quickly as possible.
But I'd really like to send them somewhere! It really is time for our whole government to go. Let's support Keighley's very good cinema! Tuesday, July 28th, 2009 - 8:50 am
Keighley is fortunate to have a very good cinema, which was been brought back to life by private enterprise and at not a little risk. I'm absolutely against the soon-to-be-redundant college building having a cinema put into it. It's literally only a few yards along the road from our successful cinema in North Street. That would be crass!
Even better, how about going to the cinema more often? It's completely different from watching TV (unless you're rich enough to have a home cinema).
Local government claims to support local business - but actions speak louder than words. Why hasn't Keighley got a Tourist Information Centre? Monday, July 27th, 2009 - 9:45 am
Keighley Town Council is aiming to get a Tourist Information Centre for the town. It is amzing that Bradford Council has not seen fit to have one in Keighley.
People come from all over the country, and indeed from many parts of the world, to visit the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. We need to let them know all about the special things here:
The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway running from Keighley to Oxenhope - the set for many a TV programme and advertisements, one running currently on TV (sorry, can't remember what it's for, shampoo possibly, but it shows the ramp down to KWVR's Keighley platform)
East Riddlesden Hall, a National Trust Jacobean farmhouse, lots of events held there
The world's first Carnegie Library, housed in a beautiful arts & crafts building, recently restored
A book of Edward Johnston calligraphy there - the book of remembrance - lettered by THE most famous calligrapher ever
Cavendish Street, an Edwardian canopied street
Cliffe Castle Museum: a very good museum housed in a Victorian mansion within a very nice park - local industry of the past, Victorian rooms, excellent geology exhibition, real beehive with glass sides so you can watch the bees, arts & crafts stained glass windows, changing exhibitions (some of which have only been displayed in London and Cliffe Castle), work of local artists ...
Lots of other great stuff too, especially Park Wood which has public rights of way through it and is in my ward. Civic service Sunday, July 26th, 2009 - 10:27 pm
We went to Keighley Town Council's Civic Service today. It was actually rather enjoyable, with a very witty but telling sermon by Father Patrick about the pitfalls and pratfalls possible for those elected to office and reflections on duck houses. Thankfully town councillors have no such temptations put before them. Keighley's Town Hall Square & Memorial Looking Good Sunday, July 26th, 2009 - 11:09 am
Keighley's Town Hall Square and War Memorial are looking great since Keighley Town Council took over the responsibility for running them. The memorial is unusual in being Grade 2 listed.
The square has been cleaned, the memorial and its plinth cleaned and repaired. The garden and the tiered flower baskets look terrific and new fencing has been put up around the memorial to keep it in good condition. The fencing has gates which can be unlocked for occasions such as Remembrance Day; individuals can request the key from the Town Council office if they wish to lay a private wreath or flowers at the memorial.
The square looks lovely when the cherry blossom is all around it in May and, in my opinion, the Christmas lights adorning the trees in December are charming. Now it can look good all the year round.
Well done to the Town Council's General Purposes and Allotments committees. Swine flu figures? Saturday, July 25th, 2009 - 10:09 am
I'm puzzled about how swine flu figures are being arrived at. Quite sensibly people who may have swine flu are being discouraged from going to GP surgeries. They are being diagnosed by non-medical people over the phone. Fair enough, medical people are needed to treat the sick. But then we are being given statistics about the increase in numbers. I don't see how these figures are being arrived at. Going by the number who have already contacted flu phone numbers/internet links there has been an exponential increase this week. However I think a great many of them are the "worried well" and I'm not sure that I believe the figures we're being told at all.
It's being said that older people are less likely to catch swine flu. I wonder if that also applies to those in the generation below who were breastfed. This could be a great opportunity to analyse the claim that babies who are breast fed are less likely to get infections, or to get them very badly.
Studies could be done on the generation down from the golden oldies, and also on the future babies of young women who catch swine flu this time round and who recover without any permanent ill effects, as most will. That is, if any medical personnel have the time. "Secret" Swine Flu Centre Friday, July 24th, 2009 - 10:26 am
There's a swine flu centre in Keighley. It's supposedly secret - but I already know where it is and I haven't even been trying to find out. Three "Evil Men" Jailed Friday, July 24th, 2009 - 9:55 am
Two men from Keighley and one from Skipton who groomed and sexually abused a teenaged girl have received prison sentences, two of five years and one of eight years. Best place for them.
Now the police are asking for help to smash grooming rings.
Here's what the Keighley News says* about Detective asks help to smash grooming rings Grannies made moon walk possible Monday, July 20th, 2009 - 6:12 pm
On Saturday I heard that the suits worn by the first men on the moon were stitched by elderly women. They were the only ones with enough expertise to sew the suits, gloves and boots accurately enough for the walk: a pinprick out of place could have caused disaster. Pain and relief Thursday, July 16th, 2009 - 8:10 am
I have been able to help my sister by suggesting that the agonising dystonia (cramp) she has been suffering from several times a day, which can last up to five or six hours, could be linked to artificial additives in foods. She has tried out my suggestions for food alternatives and is suffering far less now; in fact last time I spoke to her she sounded very cheerful and said the attacks had stopped. She still has Parkinson's Disease but has found that the dreadful muscle spasms are not necessarily an inevitable part of it. Parking blues Wednesday, July 15th, 2009 - 5:53 pm
Keighley Liberal Democrats are trying to find out why drivers have been fined for parking outside their own homes since the new parking enforcement rules came in. There are no yellow lines at the location concerned and even if there were householders should surely be given parking permits. Otherwise they would surely be tempted to drive everywhere to cut down the risk of being fined again. This can't be what "climate change" agreements had in mind.
There must have been a mistake and we're aiming to sort it out. Keighley Town Council magazine Thursday, July 9th, 2009 - 6:54 pm
On page 2 of the Summer edition of the Town Council magazine, 'Keighley Capital of Airedale', there is an article about the Thwaites Brow Snicket saga and the successful community campaign I led to get the flagstones re-laid.
It is good to see the TC making the most of the benefits a Town Councilor can give.
But remember, you read the complete story here first! Delph Playground - progress? Wednesday, July 8th, 2009 - 8:47 pm
I've heard from Bradford Playbuilder about the Delph Playground application that I'm making via the Town Council. The "project will be considered, along with 30 other projects, for Phase 2 of the programme."
I should hear more by the end of this month. Don't let's forget the people of Iran Monday, July 6th, 2009 - 6:44 pm
It's difficult sometimes to remember that just because a news story is not on the front page any more the crisis hasn't gone away for the people concerned. Whilst I can sympathise with Michael Jackson's family over his death I hope we have not forgotten the people of Iran, living under a vicious regime. Mollie Sugden Sunday, July 5th, 2009 - 6:37 pm
Mollie Sugden who was born in Keighley died last week. Her outrageously camp humour was a delight. Hope she has a great time up there with the saints. Keighley Gala and Portsoy Festival Saturday, July 4th, 2009 - 6:23 pm
Keighley Gala day today. Everything seems to have gone well. A great day out! However I myself have been taking it easy at the Portsoy Boat Festival - interesting and fun. The Power of the Internet Thursday, July 2nd, 2009 - 10:25 am
The internet is affecting politics more than some governments may care to admit. All around the world people have been watching footage of the way the repressive and regressive regime in Iran has been misbehaving.
Power to the people! Long may it continue. Well done Andy Murray! Wednesday, July 1st, 2009 - 3:18 pm
Hope he succeeds in the succeeding rounds. Even if he doesn't win the title he's a hero. Recession and Cloud Cuckoo Land Wednesday, July 1st, 2009 - 2:43 pm
Several notables have been saying the "recession" is nearly over and I've been feeling they were living on a different planet, or perhaps in Cloud Cuckoo Land. I just haven't been able to see how things would not got a lot worse before they eventually get better but have kept my own counsel, thinking it better not to add to the gloom.
However it is now being admitted that things could get considerably worse. I don't really see how a problem can be fixed without admitting it's there in the first place so I feel rather relieved that at last the powers-that-be have admitted that the situation is not at all rosy.
We aim at the highest possible accessibility standards -
WCAG 1.0, AAA and WCAG 2.0, level 3 (with valid HTML).
Unfortunately, that's hard to prove.
The checker linked above, for instance, fails almost every page on the site,
but when I follow up the "faults", so far, they have all turned out
to be warnings about issues that have been taken into account.
Please feel free to check for yourself, then
if you find an exception, please
In accord with our aim of accessibility, it is site policy not
to specify font families or point sizes for our pages. You can choose the
size and typeface you see: set the
'default font' in your own browser. (Roger Beaumont has published
some instructions about how
to set your default font.)
Volunteers required.
We use the automated checking tools above to try to make this Website accessible
but need help from someone who has a real sight disability to give us feedback
about practical use with a screen-reader - especially about problems. If you
can help, we'd be very glad to hear from you.
The REAL alternative
"The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a free, fair
and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental
values of liberty, equality and community and in which no-one
shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity." Preamble to the Liberal Democrat Federal Constitution, first sentence.
"Hope not hate"
This Website is hosted ("printed") by Roger Beaumont, 174 Skipton Road,
Keighley.
It is published and promoted by Judith Brooksbank on behalf of the Liberal Democrats,
198 Thwaites Brow Road, Keighley, BD21 4SW
All information and opinions on this site are provided in good faith, but we are
fallible - no liability is accepted except that required by British Electoral Law.
*
*