Monday 11th January 2010

The Ministry of Scare Stories and Made up Numbers is at it again today we are told that an extra 30,000 people will die in the UK as a result of the cold weather. A quick and admittedly non-scientific search on Google gives some interesting numbers:

• The Office of National Statistics tells me that total annual deaths in the UK are 600,000.
•  Recent Government propaganda tells us that 55,000 people die per year from enjoying themselves with alcohol
• According to ASH 112,000 die from Smoking
• 30,000 are dying because it is cold
• Road deaths are approximately 3000 per year
• The International Centre for Drug Policy puts Drug deaths at 2000 per year approximately

So if our leaders can increase taxes enough to stop us from drinking, smoking and driving, we will all live even longer so that we can pay even more taxes. It would also appear that smoking and drinking are far too dangerous, while, from the figures, drug taking appears to be reasonably safe.

In the General Election stakes, sure enough, Nick Clegg now joins the band wagon of changing his mind and deciding he will have to ditch some of the Lib-Dems promises on Public Spending, so over to Dave and Gordon for promises of further cuts.

I have done my bit to end the recession and done some totally unnecessary shopping today, bought myself a digital camera. Also bought a new steam iron (with ceramic sole plate, only the best) for Kathleen, I just know she cannot wait to try it out.