http://sjhoward.co.uk Reactionary ramblings from an ill-informed junior doctor Sun, 03 Aug 2008 22:59:59 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en I've just spotted the Google Street View car in Newcastle. Very exciting stuff! « http://sjhoward.co.uk/archive/2008/08/03/diary-for-3rd-august-2008 [caption id="attachment_1928" align="alignright" width="250" caption="Moab is my Washpot"][/caption] I'm surprised to find that we're already into the second half of my Summer Books series, shocked to find that I'm writing about an autobiography, and amazed to be giving it a good review. I should explain that I'm no fan of autobiographies, which ... http://sjhoward.co.uk/archive/2008/08/03/summer-books-moab-is-my-washpot-by-stephen-fry [caption id="attachment_1904" align="alignright" width="314" caption="Patientline Bedside System"][/caption] I note with interest that Patientline, provider of controversial bedside phone-cum-television-cum-internet consoles in NHS hospitals, went into administration on Friday. My posts on Patientline - dating back as far as 2005 - received numerous comments complaining about the overpriced nature of the system, as well ... http://sjhoward.co.uk/archive/2008/07/28/patientline-goes-into-administration-few-tears-shed Mr Brown's current favourite refrain is that he is "Getting on with the job". When will he realise that many want him to do the opposite? « Carol Vorderman's treatment by the makers of Countdown is shocking, and I don't share their confidence that the show will go on without her. ... http://sjhoward.co.uk/archive/2008/07/27/diary-for-27th-july-2008 [caption id="attachment_1888" align="alignright" width="275" caption="Never Push When It Says Pull"][/caption] The fifth book I've picked for my Summer Books series is perhaps the most summery of the bunch so far: Never Push When it Says Pull: Small Rules for Little Problems by Guy Browning. Guy Browning is one of a very few ... http://sjhoward.co.uk/archive/2008/07/27/summer-books-never-push-by-guy-browning Eddie Mair's masterful pasting of the News of the World's lawyer on PM today was the best bit of interviewing I've heard in ages. « It's testament to Richard Whiteley's work ethic that two supposedly more experienced presenters - Lynan & O'Connor - couldn't hack the load. « http://sjhoward.co.uk/archive/2008/07/24/diary-for-24th-july-2008 [caption id="attachment_1892" align="alignright" width="256" caption="Valley News's front-page oopsie."][/caption] It seems that the New Hampshire-based Valley News managed to misspell its own title on its own masthead on Monday by appending a superfluous 's'. Quite impressive stuff and, rather extraordinarily, not spotted by anybody involved in the production process. No doubt if I ... http://sjhoward.co.uk/archive/2008/07/24/newspaper-misspells-own-name-in-masthead Just had my first experience of booking train tickets under the new, simplified system. It was just as ludicrously time consuming as before. « http://sjhoward.co.uk/archive/2008/07/22/diary-for-22nd-july-2008 Today's Daily Mail has no fewer than 17 coupons to cut out and collect. If I want a crap DVD or vile encrusted hairclip, I know where to go. « http://sjhoward.co.uk/archive/2008/07/21/diary-for-21st-july-2008 I'm sure drivers exhibit a negative correlation between familiarity with the highway code and familiarity with their car horn. « http://sjhoward.co.uk/archive/2008/07/20/diary-for-20th-july-2008