Democracy is a delicate and very precious thing. It can never be taken for granted. No citizen, no more than any leader, is the fount of all wisdom, but the concept of democracy attempts to harness the innate wisdom of humankind and continually repair the failings and imperfections of communities and of society as a whole. I am very proud of my country, Ireland, and I am very proud that it is a functioning democracy.

These are challenging times, as I set up this blog, in November 2011. Perhaps all times are. Of late it has seemed to me important to engage in the debate. Whereas heretofore I felt it was best to focus on what I was good at, or specialized in, it seems important to have the courage to express views occasionally as a citizen. Whatever views I express are mine at a point in time and are not immutable. I hope I can always express them respectfully. They are not intended to cause offense or hurt. I hope I am always open to being challenged about them.

Life is short and one individual at one point in time should not expect too much. I am not a professional blogger. For the most part, I busy myself with topics such as applied thermodynamics and being involved in engineering education, without a clear demarcation between what I do as a hobby and what I do for a living.