Anorak Man covers himself in stats

AFTER a couple of weeks of clear, blue skies, the mists started to fall yesterday and we found ourselves back in familiar climatic (more like bloody anti-climatic) conditions.

There are a couple ways you can observe that poor weather is on the way. One is a red sky in the morning. Another is a dog eating grass. But perhaps the best one of all, is Bertie Ahern telling the Dáil that the health budget has increased from €3 billion in 1997 to €14bn today.

The moment you hear that, be advised that you need to run for cover for you know that you are going to be drowned by an endless drizzle of statistics.