spring

[MacDuff]

Update on the incinerated town of Slave Lake. Alberta Government gave $50 million to tide things over a bit. The folks still don't know whose homes were amongst those burnt to a cinder losing everything, cars in garages, the town hall, schools, there are still hot spots and over 100 helicopters were used. One helicopter crashed killing the pilot. The 7,000 folks are lodged in various communities, some here in Edmonton at University halls of residence. It still has not been decided when they will be allowed to visit the remnants of the town to see what remains of their homes.

[snoopy2]

Jeez ma creest MacDuff - such goings on and nothing in the media!! I know that media prioritise but nevertheless such goings on in Canada i would have thought warranted a spot somewhere on the news. However British media i fear is now into sensationalism as much as the next lot world wide and who is bonking who and incidentals such as are the stuff of coverage now. American election looming so Obama must to Ireland to celebrate the irish connection, privacy injuctions not working so sleeze uncovered to titilate even more. Even the good old BBC hasn't held its integrity! News from this corner - 100 mile an hour winds that caused massive mahem! That made the news.

[MacDuff]

Hola!
They are letting the people of Slave Lake back into the town, but they have to sign a waiver to be allowed in. Many homes and public buildings have just gone. The floods in Manitoba and in Quebec are still there. The army was called in to help in both those provinces.Yesterday funnel clouds were seen in Saskatchewan. No end to the weather peculiarities

[snoopy2]

These waivers are the in thing MacDuff. The Bervie Braes above Stonehaven have been slipping for years and eventually the Scottish Gov promised �2mill to underpin them. Kincardinshire council wanted ALL residents to sign a waiver for any damage done to their property by contractors while the work was ongoing. Of course people refused - giving an open ticket to shoddy work. Now the council is saying the work can not and may not go on at all 1. due to the delay in residents signing. 2. �2 mill wont cover itas costs rising. It would therfore appear that a piece of paper is more important that people's lives and their quality of life!!

[D and E]

Couldn't agree more Snoopy - having worked in the Public Service for over 37 years all I have seen is the growing importance of ar** covering at the expense of serving the citizen's true needs.

[D and E]

Didn't have time to recount a good story about public service bureaucracy and Symi yesterday so here goes

A few years back E needed to see a doctor on Symi. Being the well trained Civil Servant I duly got all the E171 documents, insurance papers, passports, etc. and accompanied her to the surgery where there was a long queue of locals. The nurse came out to call the first patient and saw us at the back of the queue - E was immediately ushered in and seen for about 30 minutes (lucky to get 10 mins in our local surgery). She came away totally reassured with the home and mobile number for the doctor. I went to the nurse with all my paperwork asking what I needed to do and there was a look of amazement on her face. The doctor came out with a smile and explained there was not much need for that kind of thing - his focus was on curing people.

Strangely a few weeks later I was in our local surgery and witnessed a young girl who was on holiday in Aberystwyth (turned out she was from Birmingham !!) who was clearly distressed and in what looked like a very poorly state. The receptionist was insistent that this girl would not see a doctor until she had completed several pieces of paper

And we wonder why we love Symi

[Colette]

When a friend broke her wrist on Symi 4 years ago we were seen by the doctor in Symi rather late in the evening and the next day went to hospital in Rhodes where the wrist was x rayed and plastered, all without any paperwork being requested.

[Kojak]

I think we are very lucky with the medical service in Symi and Rhodes. When I had my accident in Zakynthos things weren't so good until the travel insurance kicked in. Not the doctors fault but they were sorely understaffed and working in a very cramped, old hospital. When I was first wheeled into A and E they were treating a man with a badly gashed leg - on the floor! There was simply nowhere else to treat him.