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13 May 2014 (Tuesday) - More Stuff

Despite (or perhaps because of) over six hours sleep with CPAP nozzles up my conk I woke shortly before 6am with a rather sore nose.
Over brekkie I started watching the second season of "Game of Thrones"; I still can't work out what "Blondie-dragongirl" brings to the plot other than her two impressive attractions (which she flops out with entertaining regularity). But it passed a bit of time whilst I scoff my toast. With toast scoffed "Furry Face TM" moved from his basket (where he was sleeping) and jumped onto my lap (where he carried on sleeping).

As I drove to work the morning's news on the radio wound me up. There was a spokesman from the National Association of British Midwives (or whatever they call themselves) who claimed that the latest Government directive was a wonderful thing. The most recent advice for mothers-to-be is to have their babies in midwife-led centres or at home because (according to the latest research) the risk of complications is just the same as having a baby in a hospital, and the implication was that these were cheaper than traditional hospitals.
The radio then wheeled out another expert (I didn't catch who it was) who claimed that this same research actually said no such thing. This chap argued that this report showed that there was actually double the risk of serious harm to newborns and mothers delivered in midwife-led centres or at home compared to those born in hospital wards. The Government-sponsored pundit experts then glossed over the details of this report, and tried to rubbish his critic; all the time seeming to be oblivious to the fact that having babies is a dangerous game. Clearly no one had told him that mothers to be are not interested in dry Government reports; people just want what's safest for all concerned.
I have no idea which of the two theories was right or wrong; all I can say is that if I am going to do anything with the potential of being life-threatening (like having a baby) I'd rather do it in the general vicinity of lots of medical assistance. And as for having a baby at home... anyone who advocates that has clearly never seen a baby being born. It's a messy process.
(Over the next few months I will have something of a vested interest in the subject of squeezing littluns out).

And then my piss really did boil about the news that many fraud trials are about to collapse because barristers claim they aren't getting enough money to make it worth their while getting off their arses and rolling into court.
Apparently the judicary are up in arms that because people can't afford barristers and bearing in mind that legal aid won't stump up, many people are unable to get competent legal defence when accused of crimes and misdemeanours.
I could see that the pundits were missing the point here; the point being that the whole judicial system clearly needs a serious review and shake-up so that it is actually available to the average man in the street. We need a scheme which doesn't necessitate being beholden to over-paid wig-wearers that none of us can afford.

As it was on my way I got some petrol from Morrisons in Canterbury (which is once more slightly cheaper than Ashford's cheapest) and then went on to work. I say "work"; perhaps I could have put myself out more than I did. Mind you, there's no denying that in the last week or so that I have been getting more sleep I've also been a lot more tired during the day.
Sax practice went reasonably well. I've got to get better at slurring notes (when required); teacher says I'm rather lax on that issue. I started on two new tunes today; I'm reasonably happy with the start I've made on "Joshua", but "Yankee Doodle" needs more work. After forty minutes squawking away in the car park I realised I'd actually given myself jaw-ache. I don't know it that is good or bad in sax-playing circles.

Home, and I walked "Furry Face TM" round the park. It looked like it had rrained heavily; theere were puddles everywhere. But it stayed dry for us; it was a lovely evening.
Then it was on to the Admiralty where the talk was of which lady sci-fi actresses had maintained moral standards, and which ex-Cylons had "flopped them out for artistic reasons". I was shocked. I was even more shocked as we watched old episodes of "Doctor Who"; as I've mentioned before it's not a show which has really stood the test of time.

Oh, and Binks made himself confortable on the laptop...


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