Children and computers

My grandson, who lives far away, came recently and was able, most cleverly, to get my scanner to work even though I hadn't used it in the 10 years I've had it and it had become obsolete.  He did the equivalent of looking for a part for an old car on the internet, and finally found the old-fashioned software needed and got the thing to work.  What he did was unimaginable to me.  If I had had to pay somebody to do that it would, of course, have been much cheaper to buy a new one.  As usual, he was in a rush, and, in the process disconnected my printer and neither of us noticed until he had gone home.  He said, "Grandma, get any kid down the road to fix it" and I did just that and a 15-year-old came along and did it without too much trouble, and it wasn't a question of plugging something in somewhere, it involved a lot of mysterious key-work.  Some of this skill is taught at school, some is just a willingness to use trial and error.  I am dead scared of pressing any key on that basis - never knowing what horrors might unfold.

Younger and younger children are acquiring this skill and it's wonderful to behold and they learn a lot of facts without having to go to libraries.  But I think it gives them a rather unfounded sense of superiority, so they think there is nothing at all to be learned from their elders.  Their ignorance of every-day things is sometimes staggering, cooking the simplest of food that can't go in the microwave, knowing where the fuse-box is, how to find the candles if the lights fail, that you can smell food to judge whether, even though it's pas its sell-by date, is still perfectly safe to eat, that biscuits, for example, can be a bit soft but won't kill you.  One was idly picking my blackberries and throwing them on the ground as he chatted on his phone.  I asked him to please not do that - he was welcome to eat them, but not just to throw them down.  He didn't know they were edible!  Sewing on a button is a forgotten skill.  Because I love it, I still, or rather, again have an open fire.  The coalman told me that the staff at a pub which had newly re-opened its fireplace asked him to stay and light the fire for them because they had no idea how to do it.  Computer sense has replaced common sense.  But we do need a bit of the common kind.

A better punishment for Boat Race nuisance

I'm not mentioning his name because publicity is what he loves.  Interrupting the Boat Race was a stupid and useless prank, only calling attention to all the effort that goes into rowing and the strength of character of those young men.  But putting him in jail is a stupid expense to the tax-payer and may well turn him from a prankster to a criminal if he can't get a job afterwards and picks up a lot of "useful hints" from the other inmates.  Fine him, let him spend a few years paying off the debt, take away his driving licence, make him do community service, but jail is just a no-brain idea for that kind of stupid misdemeanour.

Recipe for fruit that doesn't ripen

We bought some hard nectarines which started going bad rather than ripening.  I cut them in halves, poured some apple juice on them and sprinkled some cinnamon and cooked them in the oven and they were delicious. Have the nerve to publicise this because I think we live in a world where it would no longer occur to a lot of people to do this, so maybe useful.

Abortion

I don't understand why Jeremy Hunt or any man other than the father of the foetus concerned should have anytthing to tell a woman about when she may or may not have an abortion.

Over-prescribimg by doctors

It was not surprising to read that a million patients are getting repeat prescriptions for tranquillisers when they should not be - that way they get hooked and can't get off them again.  Ever since my mother died, leaving so many medicines unused I have worried about this counterproductive wastage.  I was prescribed an anti-biotic and taken off it for another when it seemed to me there had been not enough time ( much less than 24 hours) for it to have a chance to have an effect.  Recently an old friend (93) who was obviously - to herself, to her nephew, to me, to the nurses - very near to death was told that she was to have another anti-biotic.  She couldn't see well, hear properly, walk, digest, control her own bodily functions, but was very clear in her mind.  She just wanted to be allowed to die in peace.  She said she did not want it.  A more senior doctor came in and persuaded her that she must try it.  Too weary to argue, she consented and it was administered, and she died 4 hours later.  Surely geriatric specialists should recognise when death is near and when nothing can help any longer, and is, anyway, just not wanted.  I have tried to get this doctor to explain his actions but have not been able to.  He said that if she had been confused her Living Will could have been consulted and she could have been allowed to die.  Since she was not confused, she could not refuse the medication.  Pure Alice in Wonderland thinking!  Is this sort of action common?   If so, no wonder the NHS is short of funds.