Exploring the Daily Mail's defintion of "soaring"

From The Daily Mail, 26 December 2007: Soaring toll of patients hit by drug side-effects
"Soaring toll of patients hit by drug side-effects
The number of patients suffering serious side-effects from NHS drugs is soaring.

Last year, 4,635 people were taken to hospital suffering adverse reactions from medicines they had been prescribed - up from 4,429 in 2004."

Can 206 people out of 4,635, ever be described as soaring?

Crowborough recycle centre

Crowborough household recycling centre centre (aka the dump) has an interesting sign that welcomes customers:

We cannot and will not help with builder's bags!

Physical and verbal abuse of our workers is not tolerated!

It's a friendly place.

Tescowborough

Tesco are rumoured to be buying the Focus DIY store in Crowborough, E Sussex. We already have three supermarkets in the town -- LIDL, Morrisons and Waitrose. Do we need a fourth?

This rumour hit the town a few weeks back, after a news item about supermarkets being given licence to expand ever more. That day, ITV news ran a report on Rye (also in Sussex), and how a local, independent store tried to buy land to expand its service, yet was thwarted when Tesco purchased a small strip of road near the site.

Every little helps (keep the independents from threatening).

helphound.com: Comment about Rye and Tesco

Why we can't (always) trust the media

This is not a rant against newspapers, TV and radio. It's just a note that quite often, you spot an error that needs to be highlighted.

Friday night on Meridian Tonight, the local TV news programme for the south-east, and they preview the Walsall versus Southend football game in the Coca-Cola League One. They claim Southend's only injury worry is the goalkeeper, Daryl Flahavan, so his deputy, Steve Collis may have to step in. Now, they got the injury correct, but "deputy" Collis has actually played the last nine games for the Shrimpers. ("Flavs" played the first six games of this football season.)

I know it's only local TV, which is as maligned as any TV show with Jeremy Kyle in it, but if the local TV news can't get a football team selection story correct, it makes you wonder where else the mistakes might be creeping in?

Sport attendances

The Observer two weeks ago, mentioned a crowd of 26,000 at a Twenty 20 cricket match between Middlesex and Surrey in 2004.

Why aren't crowd numbers at cricket and rugby matches, or athletic events covered in the press? It's only football matches that regularly get an attendance figure. Why?

Football lookalikes

Continuing my occasional series in thinking, 'Oh yeah, doesn't he look like so-and-so'.

Everton's goalkeeper, Stefan Wessels, looks like...



... England's favourite ex-Army moaner, James Blunt

Tips for modern life

A dodgy accountant my Dad knew once told him if you ever want to know what's going on somewhere, ask a taxi driver.

Today I learned the consumer knowledge that workers at recycling centres (aka 'dumps') also have.

I threw out my two-year-old Panasonic vacuum cleaner and a fluorescent-bibbed gentleman asked what was wrong with it. I explained how the motor had packed up and he said he'd seen lots of similar makes chucked away.

Mars admits mistake by email

From: xxxxxx@masterfoods.co.uk
Sent: 23 May 2007 11:58:53
Subject: Mars UK: Vegetarian

Dear Sir/Madam
Thank you for taking the time to contact us in connection with the change of ingredients in our chocolate confectionery and ice cream range.

Please note that after recently changing the source of some of the whey that is used in some of our chocolate products we have received lots of feedback that this decision has made it difficult for some of you, especially those of you who are vegetarians, to continue to enjoy our products. We realise that we made a mistake and we apologise. We have committed that we at Mars UK will ensure that a selection of favourite brands including Mars bars, Snickers bars, Galaxy and Maltesers will be suitable for vegetarians in the near future.

Meanwhile we are currently experiencing unusually high volumes of contacts from our consumers and therefore we hope that you understand that, rather than answer your question individually, we are attaching a list of questions and answers we believe would be useful and help answer your enquiry.

Alternatively you can visit our web site (www.masterfoodsconsumercare.co.uk) for this, and other useful information.

Once again thank you for taking the time to contact us. Please do get back in touch, at the dedicated email address below, if your specific query has not been answered and we will do our best to get a speedy response to you.

Yours faithfully

On Behalf of Xxxx Xxxx
Mars UK

Q1.What are you announcing?
A1.We have recently changed the source of some of the whey which is used in our chocolate products made in the UK from a vegetarian friendly variety to one which contains traces of traditional rennet from animal sources. We have received lots of feedback from consumers and reversed this decision.

Q2.Are you reverting to vegetarian recipes for all of those products that were subject to the ingredient change?
A2.Yes, this announcement means that favourite products - Mars bars, Snickers bars, Galaxy, and Maltesers will once again be suitable for vegetarians.

Q3.You make lots of other brands - what about the suitability of them?
A3.Other products will also be suitable for vegetarians including Minstrels, Revels, and Ripple. However, Twix, Bounty and Celebrations will continue not to be suitable for vegetarians.

Q4.I'm a vegetarian - which products can I eat / should I avoid?
A4.Currently we cannot guarantee that our products contain vegetarian rennet. However, we are starting to change our manufacturing process with immediate effect. We want to get our vegetarian products on the shelves as soon as possible. During this process of changing the recipes we will provide updates on this consumer care website, on a regular basis. If you are not sure about the suitability of our products please call us on 0845 0450042.

Q5.Why did you decide to change the ingredients in the first place?
A5.We made the change to broaden our supply base in order to ensure we could continue to provide our consumers with products of consistent quality in the future.

Q6.Will you now consult with consumers on any future changes to products?
A6.Yes. This change was a mistake and we are sorry that we may have prevented consumers from enjoying the products they've always enjoyed.

Overheard...

... at a market:

-- "Oh look. They've got tent pegs!"
-- "We haven't got a tent."

What is breaking news?

Weeks ago, I contacted several* news broadcasters and asked a simple question:

Q: How long can news be described as "breaking"?

None of them answered.



* BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Sky

Links:
insidecable.blogsome.com
How long should "BREAKING NEWS" last for in our 24 hour news media?

BBC2's Dragons' Den: Chairs

Why are they all different?

Where's What's On Ed?

4 times out of 64 pages

Down on last month

Why...?

... don't they show how much time is left in football highlight programmes?

Another BT scam

BT are now advertising the very attractive free UK evening and weekend calls for a year - all for the price of a £10.75 land line.

Sounds quite good - until you read the small print...

... it's an 18-month contract, which bumps up to £14.95 a month after the first year. So your free calls are going to end up costing you at least another £25.

Go over to moneysavingexpert.com and find a much cheaper deal instead.

My Windows, a study in watercolour

Windows

Colemanballs

Alan McInally, heard on Sky Sports' Soccer Saturday programme, today:

"... They're throwing the kitchen sink at them and every other domestic compliance you can think of..."

Ode to RG43 BAE

Oh, RG43 BAE,
Why didn't you like driving behind me?
You appeared from nowhere, flashing your headlights,
All I wanted to do was to get home for the night.
Next time I see you I'll know,
To pull over for the madman in the Renault.

Why are all American international goalkeepers bald?

Kasey Keller

Marcus Hahnemann

Brad Friedel

Tim Howard