Another man with his head up his arse??

Another blogger has highlighted some odd goings on regarding this article in the Telegraph. As Julie points out the article is not particularly remarkable. The author of the article, Max Pemberton, has made some very valid points and expressed his opinion, as he has every right to do. If it is true that Richard Branson has tried to stop this being published then that is outrageous. The media have come in for a lot of, quite justified, criticism recently over the phone hacking scandal, but the freedom of the press is something that safeguards us all.

It is bad enough being deceived, cheated, lied to and robbed of the NHS. Are we going to have to put up with being gagged as well?

The Telegraph is a big boy in the world of newspapers. It is quite capable of defending itself, and I think it pretty unlikely that the article will disappear. But if it does, I’ve got a copy.

More DIY

Back in December I posted on the chief executive of the NHS executive and his view that the punters should take their ailments off elsewhere, anywhere except an NHS hospital. A concept he calls “patient self care”.  Since then I have been on the lookout for instances of this, and posted one recently. Well I have found another case of DIY surgery. Mr Farrer will be pleased.

HCG drops scam

This is the latest scam doing the rounds and parting the foolish and the desperate from their cash with promises of spectacular weight loss. Adds for this are permeating far more than the usual places, and they have even hacked into facebook accounts. DZ has even had one as a comment on his blog.

This is actually two scams in one. HCG drops proper claim to contain Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin, which the scammers claim affects metabolism to burn off fat. 

Those who might consider trying this should think about three basic facts.

1. HCG is produced in pregnancy in quite large amounts. Pregnancy does NOT as a rule cause weight loss. Does it?

2. HCG is a polypeptide hormone, a protein. If you take it orally exactly the same thing happens to it as any other ingested protein, such as fish, or bacon. It’s broken down by the digestive process. You won’t absorb any HCG, only the amino acids it’s been broken down into

3. HCG drops are supposed to be taken in conjunction with a strict 500 calorie a day diet in order to result in weight loss. You will lose weight on 500 cals a day most definitely whether or not you take HCG.

This latter principle is illustrated well by another aspect of this scam. You can also get homeopathic HCG, which unsurprisingly, in conjunction with a 500 cal/day diet, results in weight loss too. It’s HOMEOPATHY. There’s fuck all in it!

Both products have been declared fraudulent and illegal by the FDA in the USA.

So if you want to lose weight, and are prepared to endure a 500 cal/day diet, good luck to you. If you can stick to it it will work. But don’t fool yourself that the weight loss is due to these worthless, and expensive products. Save your money and treat yourself to some smaller size clothes.

Oooowwwwwww!!!!

I think it fair to say that customs and immigration officers the world over do not have much of a reputation for a sense of humour. Travellers who joke about bombs, weapons, drugs or contraband are likely to encounter a very hostile response up to and including refusal of entry to the country. Often preceded by searches of the individual that can be very uncomfortable.

Even those carrying prescription medications are well advised to carry a letter verifying the bona fide nature of their drugs.

They can also be very suspicious about anything about the traveller that is the slightest bit unusual. Like a bit of string hanging from your bottom. 

Happy Birthday

By a strange coincidence today is the birthday of these 2 icons

                        North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, 4 April 1949

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, peace emblem, 4 April 1958

I get texts

A couple of days ago DZ received this text;

“Records passed to us show you’re entitled to a refund approximately £2560 in compensation from mis-selling of PPI on your credit card or loan” 

 I think as most of us would I responded with interest. Today I had a phone call from someone I will call “Eejit” from the company in question. 

This is how it went;

Eejit...” you responded to our text regarding PPI mis-selling.”

DZ....”Yes”

Eejit... “Could you give me details of the loan or credit card you think you have been mis-sold PPI on”

DZ....” I don’t have any such suspicion. You texted me saying that you have such information”

Eejit...”No I don’t have any details of that”

DZ.....”I See, do you even know who I am”

Eejit... “Er,.. no, could you give me your name please”

DZ....”So, you don’t actually have any details of mis-sold PPI’s relating to me, and you don’t even know who I am?”

Eejit, “Er ...no, but if you could give us a few details we could check to see if there has been mis-selling.”

DZ.... “So the £ 2560 mentioned in your text is a fantasy?”

Eejit... “I don’t know about that, would you care to give me a few details?”

DZ... “Would you care to go fuck yourself with a barbed wire dildo?”

Click

Privacy

1984 has arrived and Big Brother is watching you.
Whatever happened to article 8?