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O2 has launched a new mobile app, which will allow its customers to transfer up to £500 via a text message, as an extension of the contactless technology that is being pushed by a lot of the credit and debit card market.


Do you think this would be a good idea, or are you like me a bit wary of the rapid pace of change in this field and worry about the security of your money?


Whatever happened to the ten bob note?

A few weeks ago, Devon became the latest area in the UK to be declared a drought zone; although we don’t have a hosepipe ban (yet). Ironically, a few days ago, the local weather forecast warned of local flooding and in some areas, people are being offered free sandbags to protect themselves against the onslaught of the rain, but hey that’s the UK weather for you.


There are loads of other topics on the site about water companies dealing with leaks, for instance Thames Water loses 195 million litres of water each day through leaks, but I wonder why the water companies don’t invest in water desalinisation plants (Turning sea water into drinking water). I appreciate that this is a costly option as a plant producing 130 million litres per day would cost around £1 billion and an area like the South West would need 1 or 2 plants to supplement the rainfall we have to provide all its water requirements, but surely this cost could be recovered over time.


Is this a good idea, or another pie in the sky idea?

Continuing the theme of the NHS, I heard on the radio today that a patient in Wales (as well as those in Scotland & Ireland) was complaining that they do not have access to the £200 million special fund for cancer drugs as this only applies to England.


Apparently to have the same fund operating in Wales would cost around £5 million per year, but the Welsh Executive has decided not to offer this facility to the Welsh. The flip side of this is that in Wales, patients do not pay for prescriptions, which costs the NHS in Wales £50 million, while patients in England have to pay for prescriptions.


So I suppose my question is, is it time for the NHS to go back to being one service across the UK, offering the same benefits and costs to all, or do you think it is OK for it to continue as it is going towards having four distinctly different services?