I listened to the news on
the night shift last night. Our old friend Science has been getting a
load of stick. Every so often the issue of antibiotic resistance in
microbes makes the headlines and the punters announcing the news lay
eggs about the matter. In essence the problem is that the bacteria
that cause disease become immune to the very drugs which are supposed
to eradicate them. It's not news; it was a very well known problem
thirty-plus years ago. The obvious answer would be to put effort into
developing new antibiotics. However it would seem (surprisingly)
that there's not enough profit in it to make the pharmaceutical
giants want to put in the effort.
Calls have come for a
fund to be set up to finance
research into new antibiotics. Governments have called on the
pharmaceutical giants to stump up the money. The pharmaceutical
giants have called on governments to come up with the readies.
Meanwhile children die...
In another field of
science, NASA have denied rumours that they are close to announcing
the development of a
working warp drive.
They *are* looking
into the possibilities offered by Em-Drive technology, but in the
mind of the average punter a plausible technology and
cloud-cuckoo-land are rather indistinguishable in outer space. Are
tehre really so few of us that can tell the difference?
The radio also told me of
two birthdays. Kermit the Frog is sixty today, and the fast food
chain McDonalds is seventy-five. I shared this news with the day
shift releif when they came in at 8am. They weren't impressed. In
fact they said that Kermit the Frog doesn't have a birthday because
*it* (!) is a puppet.
I might just bring cakes
in to work to celebrate on Monday and remind them that since they are
puppetbirthday-ist they can't have cakes.
And so after another
night shift I came home. I was somewhat gripped by indecision as to
where to go for our walk this morning. Most of our walks lead to or
through Viccie park. And the dog-walking fraternity in Viccie park
boil my piss. Leaving aside the silly old sod who flatly refuses not
to feed treats to "Furry Face TM"
and the rather rude bunch who seem to be having their own private
agility class, the nice lady with the black pug and the nice lady
with the two Scotties have both recently joined OrangeHead's posse.
And so consequently are obliged to make great show of blanking me
when their leader is about. In fact out of all those who regularly
lurk around the park there's only really the Irish chap with the
strange furry thing on his lead with whom I'm still on good terms.
But as I drove home my
decision was made for me; the town was awash with posters advertising
a fun fair setting up in Viccie Park. So we went round the roads for
a short wander.
A couple of days ago I
mentioned that I'd borrowed Steve's pressure washer and couldn't get
it to work. I had another go after our walk. This time successfully.
I scrubbed down the patio and the front garden. Both jobs were rather
rushed; but as a "proof of concept" I didn't do too
badly at all. I'm amazed at how clean the floors came up.
The plan was then to have
an hour's shut-eye; after all I had just done the night shift. I took
myself off to bed shortly after 11am; "er indoors TM"
woke me when she sent a message at 6pm. One of the best night's sleep
for years. It was only a shame it was in the afternoon.
I then spent the evening
doing what I had planned for the afternoon. After all, ironing
doesn't do itself. And with the tumble drier seeing to my socks I
returned the pressure washer to Steve.
I might just get myself
one; I can pay for it with money I would otherwise have spent on
saxophone lessons...
No comments:
Post a Comment