grumpy

Copacabana Grill, Epicurean Food Hall, Dublin

2010-09-30T15:00:00.002+02:00

The best Brazilian/Portuguese food in Dublin

How to beat your Muslim wife

2010-09-12T22:19:00.001+02:00

When I came across this video on Youtube I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. At first I thought it was a joke - but it's not, the man is deadly serious!

Citi Bar and Venue, Dame Street

2010-04-06T21:03:00.006+02:00

Today I finally managed to get back to Citi Bar in Dame Street. On my last visit (see my last blog on Feb 8,2010) I was shocked at how five young American girls were refused a drink. Here is what happened.
I often heard the Citi Bar and Venue being advertised on radio and I also saw it being promoted in Airlines Inflight magazines. It is a pub/retaurant/night club and hotel, centrally located in Dublin city centre on Dame Street, which is on the southern edge of Temple Bar - the main nightlife area for tourists. It was late on a Sunday night when I went there and I was surprised to find only 3 other customers, all male in the bar area. I ordered a pint of Heiniken and was served by a pleasant barman. I sat at the bar and was enjoying my pint when five young ladies walked in. They went to the bar counter and discussed among themselves what drinks they would order. Then they asked a barmaid who was washing glasses behind the bar for their drinks. She looked at them in a very unfriendly manner and said "Have you got ID?" The girls looked a bit surprised but proceeded to look for ID in their handbags, which they produced. The "friendly" barmaid glanced at their passports and informed them that she couldn't serve them because the bar had an over 23 policy. The American girls seemed bewildered. They pointed out that they were in this same bar all night last night, but still she refused and actually walked away. The barman who had served me was standing nearby and the girls asked him if he could intervene on their behalf, saying they had come back here because they had enjoyed it the previous night, but mainly to watch the super Bowl on the television. He was apologetic but said there was nothing he could do if the barmaid had refused them. At this stage I tried to intervene on the girls behalf, telling the barman " Ah go on, give the girls a drink - they're on holidays for God's sake". "They just want to watch the Super Bowl!" The barmaid was still loitering behind the bar but was not going to budge on the issue, so the five young American visitors shrugged their shoulders and headed for the door. I was so disgusted that I picked up my nearly full pint and proceeded to pour it down the sink which was just behind the counter. I accept that it's a slightly unorthodox method of protesting, but I think it was legitimate under the circumstances. I told the bar staff that it was disgraceful to treat tourists in this manner and that I was also leaving in protest.
What also annoyed me was that the other customers in the bar made no attempt to intervene on the girls behalf.

Today I went back to Citi Bar, I had soup and brown bread which was delicious and the service was good and friendly. Afterwards I asked to speak to the manager and I outlined the story of what had happened on that night to him. I asked him what was the age policy in Citi Bar and he told me it was "over 21". He said he only worked here for five weeks and that this incident happened before his time and was unfortunate. I don't know if the "friendly" barmaid still works there, but if she does I hope the owners provide her with some basic training in common sense and good manners.

I hope Citi Bar will never again treat customers like this, especially visitors to our city.

I hope the girls got to see the Super Bowl in some friendly bar - AND that their team won.

Citi Bar & Venue, Dame Street - fantastic pub ...

2010-02-08T03:12:00.003+01:00

Unless you are -
(1) American
(b) Female
(c) Under 23

More later, after some research.

I went to the much advertised Citi Bar in Dame Street tonight for the first time.
What happened next?
Suffice to say that my GRUMPY blog is going to be revived....

The Bikes Have FINALLY Arrived

2009-09-14T00:32:00.001+02:00

(See April 12 2009)

Graffiti near Thomas Street

2009-08-06T01:19:00.001+02:00

Leonard Peltier - Latest news

2009-07-28T19:04:00.003+02:00

I wrote a blog on January 29, 2009 about Leonard Peltier. Here is a message from Leonard which I am copying from Máirtín Ó Muilleoir's "From the Balcony - A Publishers Blog"

Charter Medical Group - A Health Warning

2009-07-24T23:08:00.004+02:00

I am a very infrequent visitor to Doctor's surgeries and can probably count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I've been in the last 10 years. So as the deafness in my left ear got worse and the 3rd trip to the Chemists brought no improvement I decided to look for a Medical Practitioner in my area. A neighbour told me that there was a new walk-in Medical Centre in Smithfield so I decided to go there. It's a posh new building in Smithfield Square and the friendly security lady on the ground level directed me to the Charter Medical Group on the 1st floor. There, the Receptionist told me I could see a Doctor, but they were busy and I would have to wait possibly up to an hour, or maybe longer. "Well OK then, I suppose I have to wait, How much is it to see a Doctor?" "Do you have medical insurance?" "No". "Well, it's €105 (One hundred and five Euro)".

I had been warned to expect to be charged fifty or sixty Euro - but €105 (one hundred and five)? They should publish a health warning on front of the fancy brochure extolling the virtues of Charter Medical Group!
Let's see - 4 patients per hour = €420. Let's say 6 hours per day. = €2,520. Let's say 5 days per week. = €12,600. Let's say Mr G.P. works 40 weeks per year (and takes a well earned break for the other three months). = €504,000. That's Half a Million to you and me! Nice money if you can get in these times of recession.

I said "no, thank you" and left.
Within 15 minutes I found another walk-in Medical Centre which charged €55. Moral of the story - SHOP AROUND ( or don't get sick too often).

Black Bob

2009-06-20T05:48:00.001+02:00

Shell in $15.5m Nigeria deaths settlement

2009-06-09T20:05:00.013+02:00

This item is in the news today. So Shell is finally offering some restitution for it's disgraceful behavior in Nigeria! Perhaps it's not too late for the multinational to start admitting to it's wrongdoing in Mayo also where it is similarly trampling on the local population in it's quest for profit - aided and abetted unfortunately by our corrupt government which has signed over our natural resources to Shell.

"Royal Dutch Shell has agreed to a $15.5m payout to settle a lawsuit alleging complicity in murder, torture and other abuses by Nigeria's former military government.

The settlement brings to an end a decade-long battle by relatives of Nigerian writer and activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and others executed in 1995 in what plaintiffs said was a campaign of repression backed by Shell.

Mr Saro-Wiwa led a non-violent protest against environmental destruction and abuses against the Ogoni people in the Niger Delta. He was hanged along with other activists after trial in a military court.

Human rights lawyers hailed the agreement in New York as a precedent for holding Shell and other oil giants responsible for activities in countries with repressive governments.

Shell denies all accusations, but the settlement will spare the oil giant from the potential embarrassment of having to defend itself in court."

For more information visit:
Shell to Sea at www.corribsos.com and Wikipedia on the Corrib gas controversy

If It Sounds Too Good To Be True...

2009-06-07T19:53:00.002+02:00

It probably is!

I got this message from a young lady via a dating website:

"I think, that I the nice, young girl. I search for the man for fine attitudes, but for me the age has no what value. think, that older men are more serious, experienced and family-oriented!!! They can give me some advices, because sometimes I really need them a lot!!! Older men are ready to create serious relations and not just play the games!!! I love a life and I like to enjoy a life. As I like to listen to music. I have no harmful habits. I do not smoke, I do not drink alcoholic drinks. I go in for sports, I go on discos, I love the work. I very careful girl. I like to prepare for a meal. I very much am pleasant to be introduced order at home. I think, that with my qualities I shall find the man the man of my dream. I shall hope, that the man of my dream is here. I very much would like to get acquainted with the man of the dream. I hope, that using this site I shall find the dream. I very much would like to become the happy girl, but now I am absolutely unfortunate.
My ideal date would be:
I love a life and I like to enjoy a life. As I like to listen to music. I have no harmful habits. I do not smoke, I do not drink alcoholic drinks. I go in for sports, I go on discos, I love the work. I very careful girl. I like"

Election Day

2009-06-05T02:10:00.001+02:00

Today in Ireland we have the elections for the European parliament, the local government elections and also two bye-elections. According to the polls the government parties will get a drubbing - and rightly so, because the Fianna Fáil and Green Party led adminstration is one of the worst we have ever had in the history of this state. Corruption, scandalous waste of money, inept politicians...

BBC NEWS - still fighting the war for old England

2009-05-27T17:13:00.001+02:00

Seems the BBC knows more than the rest of us! So the FARC rebels in Columbia are being trained by the IRA? Can we see the evidence please!
This kind of sloppy news-reporting is typical BBC propaganda that originated from shadowy figures in the British secret service - or possibly from the British government itself. Shameful - if you can't tell the truth BBC, don't tell lies!

BBC NEWS | Americas | Oldest insurgent force marches on: "Farc have stepped up their campaign, with more attacks so far this year than any year since 2003.

And the rebels are trying to move away from their peasant roots and project themselves into Colombia's cities, aided by training from international groups like the Provisional IRA and the Basque separatist group Eta."

Corruption

2009-05-26T20:53:00.000+02:00

Conway's Pub

2009-05-26T20:50:00.001+02:00

Today in Dublin Frank Dunlop, the former political lobbyist was jailed for 18 months for bribing politicians on behalf of property developers. Over a number of years vast sums of money passed through bank accounts controlled by Dunlop and he admitted charges before the courts of giving money to Councillors so that they would vote for rezoning lands which then became immensely valuable overnight. The corruption went on for years and went all the way from lowly City Councillors to the top echelons of the Irish political establishment, including TD's and government Ministers. The result of this corruption is that thousands of young families paid vastly inflated prices for their homes because Developers and Builders were able to control the market. These young people will be paying the price of this scandal for most of their working lives. It was a cosy cartel - operated by Builders, Bankers, Estate Agents and corrupt Politicians ( mainly, but not exclusively members of fianna Fáil). I just hope justice will also catch up with these criminals!
In my photo - Conway's Pub on the corner of Parnell Street and Moore Lane, now closed down and ironically awaiting redevelopment. Conway's was where the bribes were mostly handed over in brown envelopes because it was just around the corner from the Council offices.

Why?

2009-05-25T03:41:00.003+02:00

I took this photo on Con Colbert Road in Inchicore today at around 4pm. I was stopped at the traffic lights when I noticed this man, aged about 30 walking along with his can of beer and a shopping bag( containing perhaps more alcohol). HIS life - he can do whatever he wants! EXCEPT...
Not in the blurred photo (which I took out of my car window) was his little daughter, aged about 4 years walking behind him. This man was concerned only with himself and his alcohol and was oblivious to the safety of his little girl near a busy road.

Con Colbert was one of the revolutionary leaders of the 1916 Rising against British occupation which led to an Irish Republic. He was shot by firing squad. Is this what he died for?

Broadstone Station

2009-04-19T02:48:00.002+02:00

Broadstone Station in Dublin 7 is the headquarters of Bus Éireann. This beautiful building was designed by John Skipton Mulvaney and is built of granite in a neo-Egyptian style. The station was opened by the Midland Great Western Company in 1847 and as you can see from my photographs the building was completed in 1850. It closed to public traffic in 1937. Broadstone station was one of Dublin's six original rail termini.

But sadly...

2009-04-19T02:46:00.002+02:00

Bus Éireann have let this magnifcient building fall into a state of disrepair, The front of the building is covered in graffiti and there is broken glass and litter strewn around...

Erected 1850

2009-04-19T02:45:00.001+02:00

Graffiti..beer bottles...litter...

2009-04-19T02:44:00.002+02:00

The Station's once stylish front entrance

2009-04-19T02:43:00.001+02:00

Advertising Eyesore

2009-04-12T13:49:00.001+02:00

Described inVillage Magazine as the "ludicrous J C Decaux deal for those incongruous clunky outdoor advertising units in central Dublin that were facilitated in exchange for a notably small number of credit-card bike stands that have signally failed to materialise."
Apparently this scheme is run by J C Decaux, the huge international advertising agency in other European cities and apparently only with limited success. Yet Dublin City Council handed over a huge amount of lucrative advertising space to this private corporation. The ugly eyesores that now blight our city are making millions in revenue for J C Decaux, yet we have not seen a single one of their promised "free" bicycles. What a bad deal! Heads should roll in Dublin City Council - but don't hold your breath!

J C Decaux Monstrosity on North King Street

2009-04-12T13:47:00.003+02:00

Bicycle lane - but no bicycles

Common Sense (Part one)

2009-03-22T21:50:00.001+01:00

From the Balcony, A Publisher's Blog

I came across this interesting piece on Máirtín Ó Muilleoir's Blog

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: Knowing when to come in out of the rain; why the early bird gets the worm; life isn't always fair; and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place..

Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform
parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense (Part Two)

2009-03-22T21:48:00.001+01:00

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;

I Know My Rights
I Want It Now
Someone Else Is To Blame
I'm A Victim

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.

Two Movies In Two Days

2009-02-25T04:19:00.014+01:00

Two movies in 2 days - but oh so different! Gran Torino is a really good movie, political incorrectness yes, but ultimately it has a good heart. Clint Eastwood's best ever performance/direction? Maybe?
Revolutionary Road - superb performances from all! Di Caprio & Winslet - amazing(of course), but every single character shone , the neighbours, the office chums, Mr Pollack, Michael Shannon as the Giving's mentally unstable son... brilliant!
But it was so sad, so so dark, depressing! I did something I never did before - I left the cinema before the movie ended. When Mrs Wheeler ran out of the house and into the woods I contemplated leaving except I was sitting in a middle seat and didn't want to trample over everybody on the way out, but when she started to abort her baby I couldn't take anymore and left the Cinema(in tears). Don't know what the ending was? Maybe I will read Richard Yate's novel on which the movie was based! Maybe I shouldn't?
Still, it shows the amazing power of cinema. Now lets see, para manana - what else is showing in Cineworld in Parnell Street? Hotel For Dogs, The Pink Panther, Confessions Of A Shopaholic... ouch...

Death the Leveller - James Shirley

2009-02-20T19:48:00.001+01:00

Death the Leveller - James Shirley

politicians presidents and royalty

2009-02-20T18:59:00.007+01:00

While waiting at the traffic lights today for the lights to change to green I heard loud sirens and saw flashing blue lights approaching from behind. Almost immediately a Garda motorcyclist came speeding towards the junction and gestured to myself and others waiting at the lights to move over. He looked agitated and angry when some cars couldn't move over quick enough and he shouted and roared at them. So we all assumed it was an emergency, something really serious - maybe he was making way for an ambulance or fire brigade to speed through?
But "rambo" cop was not. His motorcyclist colleague also arrived at high speed just then and blocked the traffic coming from the other direction. Then a Garda car sped through the red lights, followed by - a LIMOUSINE!
That's what I hate about this little corrupt bankrupt banana republic. These people, be they politicians, presidents, kings or queens, think they are better that the rest of us mortals. I think it's an abuse of power! I firmly believe they should sit in gridlocked traffic like the rest of us - and maybe then they would sort things out.
THE PROBLEM WITH THESE PEOPLE IS THAT THEY DON'T LIVE IN THE REAL WORLD.

So I turned to face the Limousine with those VERY important people in it and gave them a "one finger salute".
I still remember the words of a poem I learned at school, "Sceptre and crown must tumble down and in the dust be equal made, with the poor crooked scythe and spade."

Noel O'Flynn, TD and Ned O'Keefe, TD

2009-02-10T02:21:00.008+01:00

Driving back to BÁC from the country late tonight I happened on a repeat of the morning's Eamon Keane show on Newstalk 106-108 and was disgusted to hear a Fianna Fáil TD from Cork ranting and raving about restricting immigration into Ireland because of the current economic climate (ironically a lot of our present woes were caused by Fianna Fáil's disastrous policies in government).
Noel O'Flynn, TD was echoeing similar calls made by fellow Cork TD, Ned O'Keefe. These two idiots are only looking for attention, they obviously have nothing better to do with their time and are trying to stir up resentment towards our immigrant workers by playing to the lowest common denominator. It is gutter politics. O'Flynn claimed that we have plenty of Irish and EU workers who need jobs and more or less told our immigrants to go back to where they came from, that we don't want them anymore. These are the people who toiled and sweated to make the Celtic Tiger years the great years that the were! They were often exploited and worked for low wages in jobs that Irish people turned up their noses at. They are the unsung heroes of the boom years. Amadán O'Flynn mentioned the nurses from the Philippines in particular. The Philippine health workers actually deserve special praise for the fantastic contribution they have made to our Hospitals and Nursing Homes - in fact if our President was any good she would be bestowing honours on them.
Newstalk also had Denise Charlton, a representative from the Immigrant Council of Ireland on the programme and she calmly and articulately demolished O'Flynns arguments. When he realized that he was beginning to look a little stupid he started behaving like a spoiled brat and interrupting the other speaker. One texter to the programme suggested that Newstalk get "that man from the National Front off the radio" and I couldn't agree more. Before he departed he had the temerity to tell another texter to have some "cop on" - talk about the kettle calling the pot black!
Our Immigrants (along with Polish, Latvians and others) have made a massive contribution to this country and I am sure the vast majority of decent people want them to stay to help get our country moving again. I am also sure that O'Flynn and O'Keefe are in a very small minority and I wish they would take a long holiday somewhere - like Kazakhstan.. or Outer Mongolia.
I also wish Newstalk would stop stooping so low. If this is the sort of journalism they wish to promote they will be losing a lot of listeners I suspect.

Leonard Peltier

2009-01-29T01:14:00.003+01:00

While spring-cleaning today I came across an article that I had cut out of "Daily Ireland"(sadly now no more) dated May 10 2005. It told the story of Native American Indian Leonard Peltier who was accused and convicted of murder in 1976. Most people believe that he did not get a fair trial and that he was in fact framed for political reasons. There followed a huge International campaign for his release and I remember signing a petition back in 2005.
I was curious to know if he had been freed so I Googled Leonard Peltier and was shocked and horrified to find out that he was still a prisoner in USP Canaan, Pennsylvania. The Daily Ireland article stated that he was nearly 30 years in prison - it is now 33 years, and he was recently moved to a different jail where he was assaulted. This is a cruel and inhumane incarceration of an innocent man and the sooner he is released the sooner America can start earning some respect in the world again. Hopefully Obama will do something as soon as possible to set this man free.
Visit his official website at - www.leonardpeltier.org and also his Wikipedia entry.
Write to this innocent man in jail. Write to Obama. Write to the American Ambassador. Write to Ted Kennedy and other American politicians. Don't waste a stamp writing to our Ministers Dermot Ahern or Mícheal Martin because they are useless.
Do everything you can help Leonard Peltier and tell more people about him.

Men at War

2009-01-26T03:45:00.006+01:00

Went for a drink in a late bar in BÁC 7. Sipping my pint I noticed 3 barstaff, male, all glued to the TV - Setanta Sports...think it was called UFC (Ultimate Fight ...). It's a particularly vicious "sport", which involves boxing, wrestling and kicking. Opponents wear boxing gloves but are barefoot.
In the ring, 2 men, fighting... bigger man winning... smaller man trying to hang on...bleeding, blood everywhere... hand-prints of blood on the fighting ring floor. Bell goes at the end of a round and losing man is cleaned up and psyched up to go back out and fight again...
He doe's - and is battered into bloody submission!
Then I observe a woman waiting to get served at the Bar. She is looking at the TV, and her face says - "OMG". She looks horrified. There are 4 more customers, all male - glued to the TV, grinning... happy... enjoying... egging on the combatants...
Then it came to me - all the wars, all the suffering, guns, bombs, Gaza, etc.
It's just men!

Financial Crisis - What Crisis?

2009-01-11T18:19:00.005+01:00

It's January, it's wet, it's cold, it's stormy.... I'm GRUMPY

As the financial crisis deepens and the State's coffers empty there IS light at the end of the tunnel for our beleaguered Government!
Because they literally have a license to print money.
Here's how it works.
I recently got a letter from the Garda Traffic Corps telling me that I had broken the speed limit in my car and that I had to pay a fine of €80 (along with penalty points on my driving license). The offence took place on the dual carriage, 3 and 4 lane Dublin Airport road, at the lead-in to the M1 motorway - which has a speed limit of 120 kph. Only this stretch of 3 and 4 lane dual road has a speed limit of 80kph. So a lot of people THINK they are on the start of the Motorway and after leaving the frustrating gridlock of the city behind at Whitehall "put the boot down". OK, it IS signposted as 80kph, but nonetheless a lot of people are caught out. How many?
500 PER DAY TO BE EXACT.
I know this because I met a man who knows one of the Gardai who operates a speed camera on this road. This Garda goes to the airport road every day, sits in an unmarked car with his camera and stays there long enough to "capture" 500 cars. (It's also known as "shooting fish in a barrel"). I estimate that he catches 10 cars every minute at a busy time of day, so therefore in less than an hour he will reach his target. It's as easy as taking candy from a child.
Do the maths.
That's €40,000 per day. Let's give our hard-working, crime-fighting, Police officer a day off every week. In 6 days he will still rake in €240,000 - that a quarter of a million to you or me, give or take a few coins. In a month it's a cool €1 Million. Multiply this scenario by ten... by twenty cameras and you can see that it's a nice little earner.
OK, so where does this money go? Road improvements, road safety, crime prevention? Don't be silly. It goes into the Governments coffers to help balance the books because our leaders have blown our wealth and we are officially skint.
Our Gardai are therefore being used to collect taxes for the State, instead of fighting real crime which is what they are supposed to be doing. But maybe tax collection is more important that 2 men being executed in a car in Summerhill?
P.S. In England I am told that the Police position a "dummy" Police car on busy roads to frighten people into slowing down. This is also known as road safety!

Jim Cusack Sunday Independent - World's Worst "Journalist"

2008-10-14T23:43:00.002+02:00

From the Balcony, A Publisher's Blog: Can reporting can get any worse than this?
It's worth reading Máirtín Ó Muilleoir's blog re Jim Cusack of the west-brit "newspaper", The Sunday Independent

Oxford Dictionary - new word!

2008-10-11T03:37:00.006+02:00

It's usually heard on the Northside of Dublin. ( well, in Bar 52 anyway) Phonetically it's -
" hee a ah.."
Possibly it means...Hello... excuse me... can I have a drink please...?
Answers on a postcard please

And Talking About Coffee...

2008-10-07T22:26:00.002+02:00

On Tuesday of last week I bought 2 Espresso coffees in Porto, Portugal and they cost me €1.20 (60 cent each).
Today I bought 2 Espresso coffees in the Coachman's Inn near Dublin airport and they cost me €5.50 (€2.75 each).

And the coffee in Porto tasted ten times better!

Go to the back of the geography class Mr Starbucks

2008-10-07T03:36:00.007+02:00

My friend Katarzyna spotted this strange notice in Starbucks Cafe on College Green recently.

I must say that Starbucks have THE best coffee in town, their Cafe's have a great atmosphere and friendly staff ...
But 10 years in the UK?
Er.. we are not in the UK Mr Starbuck!

Oh well, I suppose it's hard to be good at everything!

The Blizzards' Niall Breslin talking a lot of sense...

2008-10-05T23:27:00.006+02:00

I read an interview with The Blizzards frontman, Niall Breslin in a recent Hot Press magazine. Must say this man talks a lot of sense! Here is an extract from the interview.

" Staying on the theme of alcohol, what does Breslin make of the government's recent decision to curtail off license hours to 10pm?"
"That's one thing that pisses me off", he fumes. "I was listening to Newstalk recently and this guy was going that alcohol is so cheap ... have you been to southern Spain? You can get a bottle of wine for a euro and you don't see locals walking around puking. This country is being run by old men. Old, boring farts who need to cop the fuck on and stop closing off licences at 10pm and closing nightclubs early. The whole thing stinks. It's turning us into Communists. They're not even giving us a fucking choice about this - that's the worst part about it. Don't bloody lecture us on being bloody democratic and shit like this when you don't give us any choice in it. And if we do protest, we get our arse kicked and thrown in jail. I don't give a fuck about Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael or any of them - they're all the same essentially - and, at the end of the day, they only give a shit about being in power. What they're doing now is trying to take away any bit of fun we're having.
I do understand that there's a huge problem with alcohol in Ireland, but I don't think that's the fucking way to go about fixing it."

Niall Breslin for President?
p.s. Check out the Blizzards latest chart hit, the infectious "Trust Me I'm a Doctor"

Oh to be not racist

2008-09-17T00:02:00.015+02:00

O2 , be not racist!
It appears that mobile phone giant O2 are not too fond of Polish people. A friend of mine who is from Polska and lives in Dublin changed from a prepaid to a monthly bill contract with the company. When you do this you must sign up to a minimum period and there are various incentives like x amount of free minutes and texts per month, etc.
But then she discovered something VERY strange - she is not permitted to make calls to Poland on her mobile for the first three months of the contract!
Why?
Are O2 suggesting that Polish people are dishonest? That they won't pay their bill? Are they saying that all Polish people must be punished if they had some problem in the past with a Polish person? Have they never had a problem with Irish customers - or English or Spanish for that matter?

I just looked up the word "racism" in the dictionary and it is explained as "discrimination against or hostility towards people of other races". Perhaps O2 can explain why they have this rule and why it applies only to Polish people?

No Sex In This City

2008-09-14T21:55:00.003+02:00

I heard Joe Costello, TD being interviewed on the radio over the weekend about a statement that he issued condemning the sex shops operating in Phibsboro. Apparently you can open a grocery shop and change it overnight to a sex shop because of some loophole in the planning laws. Which is what they did.
Well Joe was getting mighty upset - getting his knickers in a twist even. The sex shops were in full view of the church scolded our Joe and it would upset people going to mass. Joseph went on to actually name one of the sex shops on air - lots of free publicity for the owner, but under questioning admitted that one of the shops had since closed down! Bit of a storm in a teacup really then Joe.
I know Mr Costello is doing a good job and should be commended for trying to rid our streets of these filthy, disgraceful, pornographic outlets. Furthermore, we should all go to mass every Sunday, eat only fish on Friday and yes - sex should be banned altogether as it's an immoral, disgusting habit. Right Joe?

I know there is no such thing as bad publicity but I think our Joe is scraping the bottom of the barrel. We have gang violence out of control, joyriders, burglaries, drink-fueled violence on our streets, not to mention an inept government in charge of a faltering economy and Joe Costello is worried about sex shops.
Get a life Joe!
p.s. I hope the punters going into the sex shop don't get upset and start complaining about being in full view of church-goers.

Ryanair - Another Happy Customer (desperation setting in!

2008-08-17T19:01:00.002+02:00

And so - back to my favourite theme - Ryanair.
A friend has just called me, and she's in tears. She just booked flights on Ryanair and for some reason while trying to negotiate the minefield that is their website she booked the same name twice for two separate flights instead of two different names (OK,well she IS blond actually). She immediately rang her Credit Card company and tried to cancel one flight but they told her the payment had already gone through and advised her to contact Ryanair. The Telephonist actually mentioned to her that it was however next to impossible to contact Ryanair.
My friend asked me what can she do? I said they do have a facility on their website to change the name on a booking, so she clicked on "Manage my Booking", fed in her Confirmation Number, etc., clicked on "Name Change" and discovered that they charge - wait for it.... 100 Euro.
JUST TO CHANGE A NAME!
Thieves and Robbers.

Máirtín on Ryanair

2008-07-30T20:43:00.000+02:00

From the Balcony, A Publisher's Blog: No frills no more and more masterplans: "Tuesday, July 29, 2008
No frills no more and more masterplans
You heard it here first: the reason Ryanair lost money isn't just down to the oil crisis. It's also because the no-frills airlines are no longer no-frills.

What they take off the ticket, they bang back on in insurance, baggage charges, seating charges and 'preferential' boarding. It's a joke and it ain't cheap so until they get back to the original model, cheap flights, expect no turnaround."

Ryanair.con

2008-07-30T19:40:00.003+02:00

Being in a particularly grumpy mood today (yes, it's probably the weather) I decided to look for a refund from Ryanair for the taxes they charged me for 2 flights I did not use.
Should be simple enough - I bought the flights on line using my credit card, so I'll go on to their website, log in the flight details and they will refund my card for the taxes that they did not have to pay because I didn't travel!
30 minutes later and I can not find any information about how to get my money back - although I can book a car, a hotel, buy vouchers and of course cheap(???) flights. Their website is still working at a snails pace and now keeps changing into different languages sometimes when I press the "back" button.
So, I decide to ring Ryanair instead. The problem is there is nobody home! At least nobody to answer the phone, I waited on the line from 15.15 until 15.38 - 23 minutes, listening to a message once a minute telling me "Thank you for calling Ryanair. Your call is in a queueing system, please hold for an operator".
Ryanair don't have an email address, they don't answer the phone, so how am I going to get my money back?
OK, it's not the AMOUNT of money that's worrying me, it's the principle, it's the fact that it's MY money and not theirs, and they are not entitled to pocket it, and they are making it almost impossible for me their customer to get a refund.
Is this called "robbery"? Is there no law against this practice?

No, I am not making this up...

2008-07-30T19:36:00.000+02:00

Saudi religious police ban pet cats and dogs

And talking about cars ...

2008-07-29T22:03:00.000+02:00

Brazil defends biofuel's merits

Will anyone pay for these wicked and illegal acts?

2008-07-28T16:17:00.001+02:00

This article by Vincent Browne in the Sunday Business Post is well worth reading

Sráid Capel

2008-07-28T01:16:00.006+02:00

Sráid Capel is one of my favourite streets in Dublin and I was more than a little annoyed when DCC made a dog's dinner of the middle part of it last year (see Blog 9/17/07). So it was with some trepidation that I watched the roadworks in progress there for the last few months! Was Mr Green Party/ Bicycle loving/Car Hating/"town planner" at it again? Was he going to finish off Capel Street for cars?

I am a firm believer that streets should be vibrant places.... a melting pot, a living, breathing space - full of life, commerce, homes, shops, people, noise, "Bananas - 5 for one Euro",- EVEN traffic (and car horns sometimes)..

Mr DCC, I suspect, likes most of the above, except cars..

So, it was a great relief to walk home via Capel Street tonight and to discover that the roadworks only involve upgrading the pavements. And, I have to say they look very well!

Mr DCC must be on holidays. Shhhh...

An Droichead nua (the new bridge)

2008-07-27T18:48:00.001+02:00

On Macken St Bridge - Modern.... but nice

2008-07-27T18:47:00.003+02:00

Iran executes 29 in jail hangings

2008-07-27T15:11:00.001+02:00

BBC NEWS | World | Middle East | Iran executes 29 in jail hangings

Sráid Henry - and that horrible Spire

2008-07-23T18:34:00.002+02:00

The Spire - probably the most uninspiring piece of street architecture in any Capital city in Europe! It cost millions, it wasn't even designed by an Irish person, it has no charm, no class and no street presence. It is just a big piece of metal stuck in the middle of the city's main thoroughfare. An ugly, expensive mistake!

Our Useless Politician's

2008-07-22T22:34:00.006+02:00

I left Dublin City Centre by car at 17.25 to drive to the Airport to pick up a friend who was flying from London. Her flight departed Stansted 10 minutes earlier at 17.15.
The rush-hour traffic through Dorset Street, Drumcondra and Whitehall was unbelievably bad, at times I would only move 20 metres at a change of traffic lights, and would then be at a complete standstill for 3 or 4 minutes.
As I passed the infamous St. Luke's in Drumcondra - Bertie Ahern's centre of corruption, I could not help but feel angry at the sheer mess Ahern and his useless Government colleagues had made of the Celtic Tiger years. They squandered away our wealth and left us with these disastrous traffic chaos, causing misery to thousands of people every day.
My friend texted me when I was in Whitehall - she had already arrived in Dublin Airport from London. I eventually got on to the M1 a few minutes later and managed to reach the airport within 10 minutes.
So - it took the same amount of time to fly from London to Dublin Airport as to drive from Dublin City Centre to the Airport!
BLOODY GREAT COUNTRY WE LIVE IN!

Ryanair - Michael O'Leary. Yet Another Rip-off

2008-07-20T02:07:00.003+02:00

When it comes to ripping-off customers they are in a league of their own! Yes, they do have some cheap flights but they make their millions by stealth, scams, rip-offs and hidden charges. They treat their customers with contempt and yet to listen to O'Leary on the radio you would think they were a model company who loved and respected their customers!

A friend pointed out this latest scam from Ryanair - the low standards company.
He booked a one week, return flight to Poland and the tickets were €125 each way (of course they were a hell of a lot more by the time he had paid all the stealth taxes and charges).
Then he discovered that he needed to come back in 5 days instead of 7. You can change your flights on the Ryanair website so he decided to do this. First he looked for flight availability for his new return date and he discovered that the price had actually dropped from €125 to €85. Great, so he logged in his details to change the date - only to discover that sneaky Ryanair would still charge him €125, not the €85 they were now advertising the ticket for. AND - they charged a whopping €35 just to change the ticket.
I can just imagine Michael O'Leary lying in bed at night dreaming up new charges!

Ryanair - Michael O'Leary Hates Babies

2008-07-09T14:20:00.005+02:00

I noticed that Euro MPs have been making noises today about airlines misleading the public when they offer cheap fares but don't show hidden charges! Are we going to see some action at last? I won't hold my breath, especially as far as Ryanair are concerned.

I recently booked flights on Ryanair for friends who are going from Dublin to London ( Stansted).
The flights were actually advertised as FREE for 2 adults and 2 children, but mysteriously a 3 month old baby was being charged 20 Euro. I checked different times and dates but the poor little baby was always charged 20 Euro while everybody else went "free". Anyway, when taxes were factored in ( €39.98 each way) the total price, including beautiful little baby, a not unreasonable - €119.96.

You can now check-in Online of course and avoid the queueing and hassle at the airport AND having to pay for checking-in - good idea this if you can travel with a small amount of luggage that you can bring aboard the plane. So I try to check-in my friends Online.
Problemo! Ryanair will not let you check-in Online - IF you have an infant (under 2 years) I kid you not! (pun intended) . So, we try again and must check the family in at the airport. But now Mr O'Leary charges the 2 adults and 2 children €10 each for Airport Check-in, an extra €40. Total price now - €159.96.
Ryanair now charge you for your luggage of course, but if you tick the box for "No luggage & airport check-in" you are still charged the €10, even though you have NO luggage. Our family now decide that if they are being made to go through the checking-in procedure anyway and are being charged they might as well bring 2 bags, so we tick the boxes. The price jumps another €40. New price - €199.96.
We continue with the booking, making sure to UN TICK boxes that charge you for Travel Insurance (€18 extra per person) - and best of all, "Priority Boarding" and a fee for the dubious benefit of being first to board the plane (€10 per person).
We proceed to purchase the tickets, the Ryanair website is working at a snails pace and eventually crashes, so we have to start all over again inputting all the information from start to finish. We get to the "Purchase" button - and the site crashes again! So we go for a coffee and come back to Ryanair in 1 hour. That's more than the flight time Dublin to London, but the problem still persists, so, frustrated, we decide to leave it for 24 hours.
Next day, thankfully the prices have not gone up and eventually we get our "Confirmation Number" - and a sting in the tail! What HAS gone up is the price we are charged - an extra €40 Euro, they called it a "Handling Fee"- €10 per person, seemingly it's for the luxury of using a credit card for booking the flights, total charge -€239.92. FREE FLIGHTS, HA HA HA..

Willie O'Dea(d) bodies will soon...

2008-07-07T03:55:00.004+02:00

.. be coming back in Bodybags!
At the moment Irish soldiers are in Chad, a hot dusty country in Central Africa, ostensibly to protect refugee's from the humanitarian crisis in neighboring Sudan.
Ireland is, sorry - WAS a neutral country, so what are we doing propping up a Dictator (Deby) in a former French colony, where France still pulls the strings?
Answers on a postcard to Monsieur William O'Dea, Luimneach

Ar leanúint... (to be continued)

Lisboa

2008-07-04T23:28:00.005+02:00

Worth checking out Máirtín O Muilleoir's Blog re the Lisbon Treaty - From The Balcony,a Publisher's Blog (Friday,July 4)

What Part Of "No" Do They Not Understand?

2008-06-20T01:40:00.003+02:00

I happened to be driving to the Medieval City last Friday listening to the car radio as the story of the Lisbon referendum unfolded. As it became clear that the "No" vote was doing well, the massed ranks of politicians on the "Yes" side who had been ably supported by a compliant Irish media started to go into denial mode. As the day wore on and a "No" victory became ever more apparent the spineless politicians who had tried to bluff us and had tried to sell our sovereignty became more and more hysterical. We were doomed, we would be punished, we were an ungrateful lot after all Europe had done for us, we would be kicked out of the EU.....
Probably the funniest thing I ever heard on radio was Fine Gael's rising "star" Lucinda Creighton,T.D. throwing an almighty tantrum and launching a hysterical attack on Sinn Féin for having the audacity to call for a "No" vote. Poor little Lucinda with her posh South Dublin accent was about to head off (to cry into her Martini I presume), but before she left Newstalk's studio she launched a tirade of abuse against Sinn Féin, blaming them for this disaster. (With "talent" like this at it's disposal the Blueshirts can expect to spend many more years warming the opposition benches).
Not one of the politicians interviewed had the guts to put their hands up and admit they were wrong.
Before the final results were even announced on Friday evening Senor Barroso let us know exactly what he thinks of democracy! He vowed to plough on with or without us.
Since last Friday I have heard "respect the Irish vote" being used a lot - in the same sentence as - "another referendum".
There used to be a joke about the Nazi SS soldier telling a prisoner, "VE HAF VAYS OF MAKIN YOU TALK!". The new joke coming from Europe is - "VE HAF VAYS OF MAKING YOU SAY YES TO LISBON"

Níl, No, Non, Nie to Lisbon Treaty

2008-06-11T12:38:00.005+02:00

In tomorrows referendum I will be voting "Níl".

Over the last few weeks there has been threats and bully-boy tactics from the "Yes" camp in an effort to scare us into voting for a bad treaty! Bad for Ireland and bad for freedom and democracy in all EU countries. This Treaty is an attempt by the larger members to take over the Euro project and to fashion Europe on the United States, to make Europe a world military power, so that Europe can go around the globe in the same way as the USA and fight dubious wars in the name of "democracy". We all know of course that Bush's "democracy" is all about power and influence over smaller, weaker nations and more importantly about oil and the USA's insatiable demand for it.
So what Germany failed to achieve in two world wars they are now trying to achieve by stealth, aided an abetted by France, Italy, Spain and other large member states - that is conquer Europe!
They are being helped in this attempted power grab by naive Irish politicians and by the Church and the Irish Establishment and media.
The new Europe as envisaged by the Lisbon Treaty is a Europe where power will be concentrated in a small elite, where ordinary citizens will be powerless, where workers rights will be eroded, where refugees and migrants will not be welcome, where taxes will be increased, where military spending will be VASTLY increased to keep pace with USA, where war and destruction will be visited upon weaker, emerging and third world countries so that Europe can plunder their oil and natural resources.
Some Irish people will be rewarded of course! The politicians and others who are now "onside" will be looked after by being offered cushy jobs, with huge salaries and massive expense accounts, paid for of course by taxes - yours and mine!

One hundred years ago Europe was such a place. Ireland was such a place. Power was concentrated in an elite of church and state. Hundreds of thousands of Europe's youth were sacrificed in a pointless war. European nations plundered the wealth of Africa. Here in Ireland people lived as slaves, our wealth exported to England, our people exported to far flung corners of the world. The power of the church was supreme!
It took brave men and women on Easter Monday 1916 to declare on the steps of the GPO that we had had enough.
Let not their sacrifice be in vain. Keep our freedom and our sovereignty and say no to this bad, bad treaty.
And - if this treaty is so good for Europe as it's advocates claim, isn't it very strange that Ireland is the only country allowed to have a referendum on it? What does that tell you about democracy and freedom in their "new" Europe?

Confusing

2008-06-01T21:29:00.005+02:00

As I drove through Contae Thir Eoghain (County Tyrone) in the north of Ireland recently I got a very strange text message on my mobile phone. It was from Meteor, whose network I am on, and it said "Welcome to UK". Which I thought was strange as the UK was very, very far away across the Irish Sea. The text also informed me " Per min rates 59c to call Ireland & EU".
The text from Meteor did not allow for a reply to be sent. Which is a good job as the answer would be along the lines ...
"F*** O** u shower of W*****s, I am not in the UK, I am in my own country!"
Should we be doing business with these people?

No Comment Necessary

2008-01-27T19:46:00.001+01:00

The lorry deposited a large number of stones and pebbles beside the waste ground and then two women were led to the spot wearing white and with sacks over their heads... (They) were enveloped in a shower of stones and transformed into two red sacks... The wounded women fell to the ground and Revolutionary Guards smashed their heads in with a shovel to make sure they were dead.
Eleven people, nine of them women, are currently under sentence of death in Iran for the 'crime' of adultery. Stonings can take up to 20 minutes before the victims are killed and if members of the public rounded up for the purpose refuse to participate in throwing stones, public sector employees are taken from their workplaces and ordered to take part.

From a recently published Amnesty International (www.amnesty.org) report on the continuing practice of stoning women to death in Iran.(read in An Phoblacht - www.anphoblacht.com)

How To Win Friends

2008-01-17T02:19:00.000+01:00

Observed about 20 cars parked outside Cineworld cinema on Parnell Street being booked by 3 Gardai. Their owners are obviously in the cinema enjoying a night out. The cars are not causing any obstruction and it is not clear if they shouldn't be parked there, as there are no yellow lines.
So why are they being targeted? At the risk of repeating myself let me suggest that it because:
(a) It is a revenue collecting exercise
(b) They are an easy target - much easier for the Gardai that say tackling drug dealing, "joyriding", vandalism, etc. Those crimes and more are being committed at that very moment probably very nearby - but hey don't ask our esteemed police force to actually WORK for their huge salary.
And so the local Superintendent can claim that his force have issued a record number of traffic tickets. And so the Minister can pat the Commissioner on the back and thank him for the increase in revenue. And the hardworking taxpayers who went to the movies can pay up.
What a rotten little "banana republic" we live in.

No Tea, no Wine .. no kidding

2007-11-21T00:18:00.000+01:00

On the Ryanair flight from Murcia (Espana) to Dublin last night the airhost(esses) were informing the mostly Irish travellers that they had no tea - or white wine. So I opined that it was the first time I had been on a flight leaving Spain with no wine (produces millions of litres of the stuff) and going to Ireland with no tea (highest per capita tea drinkers in the world)

Things I Wont Do

2007-10-30T23:01:00.001+01:00

Ever again buy petrol at a Shell Filling Station after their disgraceful treatment of the people of Rossport and their stealing of Ireland's natural resources.
Ever buy a copy of "The Sun", "The Star" or other "west-brit" media including "The Sunday World"and everything else published by sir (sic) Tony O'Reilly.
Ever again purchase a Kit Kat bar because the Nestle multinational company are pushing their manufactured powdered milk in India and developing countries and trying to get mothers to use their products instead of breastfeeding their babies.

* Support the Shell To Sea campaign

* Look up Nestle Boycott

Sheer bloddy arrogance!

2007-10-26T21:12:00.000+02:00

I listened to an Taoiseach Mr Ahern on the news defending his massive pay increase - 38,000 Euro to be exact. His tone was one of arrogance tinged with greed. Basically he was sticking his two fingers up at the people of Ireland. Here is the same corrupt "politician" who took massive sums of money from various "friends" in the nineties. Because he was found out he is now effectively giving himself and his cronies millions from the public purse - from our taxes in other words. This kind of daylight robbery happens in other countries of course, mostly in Africa and South America in countries run by juntas and Dictators.
Ahern is now one of the highest paid "politicians" in the world, he is paid more than Bush and Gordon Brown. But sure what is 310,000 Euros?
Meanwhile, the health service is in disarray and people are dying because of the cutbacks imposed by Ahern and Mary Harney - probably the worst Minister of Health in the history of the State.
What a crowd of wasters!

On Raglan Road - by Patrick Kavanagh

2007-10-19T03:25:00.000+02:00

On Raglan Road of an Autumn day
I saw her first and knew,
That her dark hair would weave a snare
That I might someday rue.
I saw the danger and I passed
Along the enchanted way.
And I said,'Let grief be a fallen leaf
At the dawning of the day.'

On Grafton Street in November, we
Tripped lightly along the ledge
Of a deep ravine where can be seen
The worth of passion play.
The Queen of Hearts still making tarts
And I not making hay;
Oh, I loved too much and by such and such
Is happiness thrown away.

I gave her gifts of the mind,
I gave her the secret signs,
That's known to the artists who have known
The true gods of sound and stone.
And her words and tint without stint
I gave her poems to say
With her own name there and her own dark hair
Like clouds over fields of May.

On a quiet street where old ghosts meet
I see her walking now,
And away from me so hurriedly
My reason must allow.
That I had loved, not as I should
A creature made of clay
When the angel woos the clay, he'll lose
His wings at the dawn of day."

Noel - a true Republican

2007-10-19T02:32:00.001+02:00

Wolfe Tone Grave Memorial, Bodenstown, County Kildare

2007-10-19T02:22:00.001+02:00

Why Me?

2007-10-19T02:08:00.000+02:00

Why is it that the person in front of me in the Bank queue is the person with loose change that has to be counted, is looking for information on credit cards, hasn't got their account number to hand, wants to set up a direct debit....
I just ran in for 2 minutes, am parked on double yellow lines - and just want to lodge cash in my account. There is only ONE teller working, the other 3 are talking/ shuffling paper/looking blankly at their computer screens/counting money. (Banks hate customers)
And now "person with loose change" is talking about their holiday in Turkey with the teller!
Help!!!

Shooting Fish in a Barrel

2007-10-17T10:34:00.000+02:00

It's also called "nothing to do and all day to do it". The M7/Naas Road out of Dublin is a new 3 lane dual-carriageway from Newlands Cross to Naas. It is probably the busiest road in Ireland - and probably the safest! The speed limit on this road is 100 Km per hour. When you reach the Naas byepass and from there on it is a 2 lane dual-carriageway, but the speed limit increases to 120 Km per hour, because it is classed as a Motorway.
The first piece of the M7 to Naas is without a doubt the best and safest part but with the lowest speed limit. Almost EVERY driver goes over the legal limit of 100 Km because it is perfectly safe to do so and there are few accidents on this stretch of road.
Our beloved Garda Traffic Corps have other ideas though and constantly sit along this road with their speed cameras. Why? Because it's easy to catch people here. It has Nothing whatsoever to do with road-safety and everything to do with boosting the figures that Garda bosses can boast about. More importantly it is to do with MONEY. It is in fact a revenue collection exercise on behalf of the Minister of Finance and our corrupt Taoiseach. The Gardai are being used - the same way that the police and army are used by corrupt Dictators in Third World banana-republics.
p.s. *The above mentioned Finance Minister lives in County Offaly and uses this road. Does he stick to the speed-limit in his top of the range Ministerial Garda driven car?
** Look out for the speed camera at Exit 6 on the Naas Road. Not at the official ramp where the Garda car is supposed to park but sneakily just after you pass under the bridge where there is a road exit - where I would have thought it is a dangerous place to park!

Town Planning Gone Mad

2007-09-17T21:29:00.000+02:00

I'm all for saving the environment, saving the whale, reducing greenhouse gases, recycling, etc, etc, etc, but forgive me I just can't stand these sandal-wearing, bicycle-riding types who inhabit the town planning department in Dublin City Council.
The latest example of their madness is Capel Street in Dublin city centre. Here, they have taken a nice one-way street that takes you on to the Quays and over the Liffey and completely ruined it for traffic. The new granite pavements I can live with, but do they really have to have all those space wasting islands that serve no purpose?
But, who in the name of God decided to reduce the middle part of the street from 2 lanes to one? The result is a complete bottleneck. At the bottom of Capel Street you have 3 lanes but the traffic turning left onto Ormond Quay is backed all the way up Capel Street to the new one lane, thus preventing someone trying to get over the Liffey from progressing. I used to leave North King Street, cut through the Market onto Capel Street, over the Liffey and into Dame Street. It used to take me 10 minutes to complete this journey in my car. Now with this lunatic redesign of Capel Street it takes me 20minutes plus. So I burn more fuel, create more emissions, greenhouse gases and waste more of the world's depleting oil.
So who is this genius, how much of my taxes does it take to pay him?
Secondly - HOW MUCH DID THIS DISASTER COST???
They have stopped cars from crossing the Liffey at O'Connell Street, the Church Street crossing where the lights stay green for a few seconds is another disaster and the new Joyce bridge simply does not work for traffic!
If there is a North/South divide in Dublin then Dublin City Council are certainly doing their best to maintain it.

Happy(ness)

2007-09-15T03:53:00.000+02:00

What is the secret of Happiness? Fitzsimons in Temple Bar,Dublin, fri night. Drink, feck, girls (as in Fr Ted - Fr Jack, etc Watch it Sometime!)
So many Happy People having fun. Why fight, have wars, kill...
Ok, I'm a little drunk... But I promise, 2Moro I'll be Grumpy again.

For a few dollars more

2007-09-14T12:13:00.000+02:00

If you are the Government of Ireland Minister for Finance and people are coming up to you and giving you large sums of money do you think that is unusual? Do you ask yourself the question "why... and what do these people want in return?"
We are talking about sums of tens of thousands of Euro (Punts at the time). We are talking about briefcases stuffed with cash.
Funny but when I go to the bank to make a lodgement the teller asks me how much am I lodging, then counts it and gives me a receipt. But if you are the Finance Minister or his Partner you hand over a briefcase full of cash which you haven't even counted?
Come on Mr Ahern, we are not stupid, YOU ARE CORRUPT, you took bribes, you are not fit to be Taoiseach, do the decent thing and GO!

Mise

2007-09-12T12:52:00.002+02:00

Bloody Election

2007-05-20T02:34:00.000+02:00

I wish to God it was over and done with! What a crowd of wasters! Bertie was up to his neck in it , the dogs in the street know that. So we have a choice between the brown envelope party or the Blueshirts/ Right-wing Labour / not so green Greens (well I listened to T. Sargeant backing Fine G AND ASKING US TO VOTE THEM IN. Green Party my foot!
I hope Sinn Fein and Joe Higgins hold the balance of power and make these chancers answerable to the people.