Raynaud's Syndrome

This is a phenomenon where the blood vessels in your extremities (normally your hands and/or feet) go into spasm for a few minutes, or up to a few hours.

Blood flow is temporarily cut off, colour drains from the skin and you get numbness, pins and needles, or sometimes pain.

• Reduce the frequency of attacks by not smoking (which also constricts blood vessels) and staying acive.
• Runyour hands under warm (not hot) water before and after going out in the cold.
• Try keeping your hands and feet warm with thermal gloves and socks - especially ones with real silver fibres. 
• Your GP may prescribe Nifedipine, which widens blood vessels.
• You can also try the herbal remedy Gingko biloba, which has been found to reduce attacks by 56%.

While uncomfortable it is not dangerous, but it can be a sign of an underlying autoimmune condition such as schleroderma (where the body overproduces collagen, which can cause hardening of the skin, joints and internal organs, which can be life-threatening).

Health feature in Glamour magazine, November 2016

Brexit Vote Breakdown

The National Centre for Social Research report is based on a "synthesis of evidence" from the British Social Attitudes Survey of 3,000 adults; the NCSR's own panel of almost 4,000 people, in May/June and September; and the British Election Study Panel of around 30,000 people.

Turnout: Pre-vote intentions to vote Leave, 11% did not actually vote. Pre-vote intentions to vote Remain, 19% did not vote.

Big issues: What decided people on how to vote:
# Economy (21%) but only 15% of these voted Leave
#  Immigration (20%) - 88% of these voted Leave
# Sovereignty/EU bureaucracy (17%) - 90% of these voted Leave.

Party: The proportion of people voting Leave, by party identification, was: UKIP - 98%, No affiliation - 70%, Conservative - 58%, Labour - 36%, Liberal Democrat - 26%, Green Party - 21%

Newspapers: Voters were more likely to "follow the position" of the newspaper they read than the political party they identified with. The rates of Leave voting were: Sun - 70%, Express - 70%, Mail - 66%, Star - 65%, Telegraph - 55%, Mirror - 44%, No newspaper - 41%, Other paper - 33%, Times - 30%, Financial Times - 22%, Independent - 15%, Guardian - 9%. [My comment: This is sad but not unexpected. The press is currently dominated by the opinions (and not facts) of the owners / editors. They may be independent but are not neutral. They were able to effectively increase Leave campaign funding by their actions.]

Groups: The people most likely to vote Leave were: those with no formal qualifications (78%), those with an income of less than £1,200 a month (66%) and those in social housing provided by councils (70%) or housing associations (68%).

They were also those finding it difficult to manage financially (70%), or just about getting by (60%), those who believe Britain has got worse in last decade (73%), those who think things have got worse for them in last decade (76%), and those who see themselves as English rather than British (74%).

General: The report found a "slow burn of Euroscepticism" with the referendum highlighting "a wide range of social, geographic and other differences". It was not a "traditional left-right battle" but one more about "identity and values".

Read in full: Brexit vote: the breakdown on BBC website 7 Dec. 2016 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-38227674

Housebuilding Issues in the UK

A House of Lords Committee has just produced a report entitled Building Better Places. A Government response is awaited.

The government has simplified the planning system almost to destruction, while its austerity measures have starved local authorities of cash.

• A viability clause means that developers can argue it is too expensive to build and give contributions to infrastructure and services, so they do not have to build to a high eco-standard or build so many affordable houses. 
• The five year land supply is a vague policy that allows developers to argue this land has not been provided by the local authority because, for example, not all the allocated land is deliverable. This means that the developer's land, which is not allocated in the local plans, can be developed.

Currently, permissions to build are up, land supplies are up, but not enough houses are being built. Why is this?

• In the past many more houses were built by local authorities than by the private sector.
• The policy for zero carbon homes has been lost.
• Giving housing tenants the right to buy was a move in the wrong direction.
• Design is sporadic.
• The housing target relies on speed and quantity, which threatens quality.

What should happen? Plans should be carefully prepared, brownfield sites given priority and local authorities helped.

The House of Lords is calling for local authorities to be allowed and encouraged to build again. For this they will need more funds - at present they cannot afford specialist planners.

Source: Feature by Charmian Spickernell (Campaign to Protect Rural England) in The Wiltshire Times, Friday 14th October 2016

Packing Travel Tips

Here are some tips for packing your suitcase.

# Roll your clothes together to reduce creasing.

• Group clothes in threes - a bulky item (sweatshirt, jumper, towel), a durable item (PJs, jeans, T-shirt or top) and something that creases (light fabrics, skirt, dress).
• Lay the bulkiest item flat, fold in sleeves or sides to make a rectangle. Roll tightly.
• Lay the durable item flat, tucking in sleeves, etc. Place the bulky item roll on top, then roll second item around it.
• Repeat with third item. If you have them, cover the finished roll with plastic clothing covers from dry cleaning.

# How to pack a hat

• Place hat upside down on a flat surface.
• Fill up the crown with small items, such as underwear and T-shirts.
• Place hat right way up on the bottom of and empty suitcase.
• Pack in remaining items around the hat to hold its shape.

Various sources

Eco-tips in the Living Room

In the living room

• Turn television off rather than leave on standby. Ditto for VCR, digiboxes, DVD, stereo, etc.
• Recycle newspapers and other papers.
• Finished with a magazine - pass it on to family or friends, donate to GP surgeries and dental practice waiting rooms (check first that this is ok), offer to local hairdressers - and if no-one wants it, then recyle.

Various sources.