Show trials

They do them differently here. Usually a show trial is orchestrated by a hostile government and their lackeys in the judiciary so that the person is convicted, in Ireland, prominent people are put on trial for offences which it is very unlikely even an intelligent jury will be able to convict -- eg ask the correct leading question to get the correct answer, and even then it is so obscure there is vast room for maneouver for the defence to win on appeal. Its all completely above board of course.

Listening to the words

I have to admit I never really paid attention to the words of the country song "Desperados waiting for a train" but the economy of it suddenly hit me, and at the line "so why is he dressed up like one of those old men" I nearly blubbered, which was really inconvenient because I was driving at around 115 kph at the time

thoughts on hospitals

Had the thought to contrast two hospitals -- have been visiting a bleak public hospital, which is nice enough in a spartan and expected way, and more recently a private hospital, which had a very stuffy and old fashioned feel to it, which I suspect is due to the clientele -- I suspect the customers at the private hospital are mostly old people and they expect their moneys worth -- which is old fashioned furniture which makes them feel 'comfortable' and 'at home' or some nonsense like that. To me on the other hand, I felt uncomfortable and the last thing I want from a medical institution is for it to feel anything like the home of some boring old me-too duffer who has kept up the health insurance payments for forty years and would rather have crappy furniture than a streamlined service.

Spring

I may not have been paying attention last year, but the birds seem to be singing a lot more this year. Very pleasant. And the stretch in the days is very gratifying, although it is still at the stage where I feel a bit guilty going home from work when it is still daylight!