The Changeling

It's only taken a year, but I've finally gotten around to putting up a review of the Mike Oldfield biography, The Changeling.

In one word, I suppose you could call label it as disappointing, for a number or reasons.

Firstly, without even reading a page of the book, it's clear that we wouldn't be getting a major exposé on his relationship with Richard Branson, as the book is published by Virgin Books. By dealing with Branson, he effectively gagged himself from discussing his long and highly publicised dispute with Virgin. If you read between the lines though, it's clear that the animosity between Oldfield and Branson has not been completely forgotten.

Another disappointment was the writing style that Oldfield engages in. Too often, when Oldfield is describing events of his past; they end up as rambling, stream of consciousness-type meanderings that often fall short in detailing the event itself. It's obviously not fair to expect him to compare with James Joyce, but I do think he could have done more research in backing up his sources.

While his childhood is covered reasonably well and his Tubular Bells piece is quite well done; everything after that feels rushed, fuzzy and written as an afterthought. It struck me that Oldfield had lost a bit of interest himself in the story at this stage, but was obliged to complete it for finality.

Overall, it's an interesting read for Oldfield fans; but completely avoidable otherwise.

Interesting fact I never knew: The name of his album Ommadown, is actually a bastardization of the Irish word for idiot, amadán.

ISEQ Stock Market Crash - Again

It's at a time like this that I'm reminded of our great statesman, Patrick Bartholomew Ahern. He imparted this bit of wisdom on us last year.

"Bank of Ireland shares are €3.80 today. Now if I meet you here next year, or the year after, do you seriously think Bank of Ireland shares will be €3.80? I'd go out and buy Bank of Ireland shares . . . that's what I'd do,"

Bank of Ireland share price today - 40 cent.

I suppose he was half right.

Willie O' Dea at Dell HQ in Texas

Willie O' Dea, snapped in Texas while trying to persuade Michael Dell to keep Dell jobs in Limerick.

Christmas Grinch Refuses Tickets for Late, Late Toy Show

Budget Reaction

Zeig Heil Motherfuckers!!

"Clap for Trap"

So, Ireland are playing Cyprus at home tonight in what's an eagerly anticipated clash. I noticed that the FAI have initiated a campaign for supporters to get behind the new manager.

"The Football Association of Ireland today (Sunday) announced that EA Sports will give out 33,000 inflatable giant hands to Irish fans at Wednesday evening’s World Cup qualifier in Croke Park (7.45om). The hands call on fans to ‘Clap for Trap’ and will be distributed before the game.
Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni said: “The game against Cyprus is our first World Cup qualifier at home. It will be very important for all of our fans to get behind us on Wednesday night. Irish fans really will be our twelfth man and I hope everyone makes their voice heard on Wednesday night”. Tickets for the World Cup qualifier match are still available through www.ticketmaster.ie and from ticket booths at Dalymount Park (opening hours Mon & Tue 12.00 – 20.00, Wed 10.00 – 17.00)."

I personally wouldn't wish "The Clap" on my worst enemy.

Government Guaranteeing Irish Deposits

Imagine a man walks into a VHI health insurance office. The man looks pale. almost sickly you'd say. His back is bent and he walks to the desk with a stoop. He then tells the clerk at the desk, he'd like to sign up for some health insurance and with that, he lets out a loud, rattling cough. The clerk at the desk asks him, "Ok, before we approve you, we need to know if you have any prior health conditions". The sickly looking man tells the clerk everything is fine, infact things couldn't be better. The clerk then happily rubber-stamps the application form and the man is now covered.

It sounds ridiculous, but this is exactly what the Irish government has done by acting as insurer for the Irish banks. Without even looking at the loan books of the banks, we have given an assurance that we will cover any potential liabilities that may arise from them.

Cork City Dole Queue

Defrauding the Passport System is Easy

After losing my passport a few months, I finally got around to getting the documentation together to make my new application.

So, off I head into the local Garda station, form, birth cert and photos in my sweaty little hands. After sitting next to a bare-footed hobo, half doused in pant, I was finally summoned to the desk. The conversation goes a little something like this . .

Me - "I'd like to get my passport and photos signed please"
Garda - "Ok, have you got your form, passport and photos?"
Me - (passes documents) "Yes, here they are"
Garda - "Ok, have you got a photo ID?"
Me - (frantically searching) "Umm, all I have on me is an old college ID"
Garda - "I'm sorry, I'll need to see a valid picture ID. Have you got your old passport, national age card or driving licence?"
Me - "I don't have an age card, I don't drive and as it says on the form, I've lost my old passport"
Garda - (passing a form) "You can apply for the national age card then"
Me - "Right, what do I need to apply for that?"
Garda - "Birth certificate, passport photograph and picture ID"
Me - "Oh, like a college ID?"
Garda - "Yes"
Me - "So what you're say is, my college ID isn't good enough to get a passport but it is good enough to get a national age card which in turn can get me a passport?"
Garda (a little confused) - "I'm sorry, but we're really clamping down at the moment"

I was then explaining this to a colleague at work. He thought it was pretty strange that I even needed to produce a form of ID, he offers to drive me to another Garda station where he got his application done without the need for photo id. We go, I walk in . . .

Me - "I'd like to get my passport and photos signed please"
Garda - (sitting at a computer on what looked like Bebo) "Wait a minute"
Garda - (a few minutes later, comes over, signs everything and without a word sits back down)
Me - (leaving, amazed) "Umm, cheers Garda"

I honestly thought that the days of the gombeen Garda were finished; evidently, they're not. I'm also amazed that in a world where identity fraud is so prevalent, that there doesn't seem to be any standards or defined process in obtaining a passport. Even with the first Garda, there was absolutely nothing to stop me from producing any sort of mickey mouse id to obtain a national age card fraudulantly. Is it any wonder the public has lost respect for the Gardai when they're so careless and negligent?

Bebo Fools Incriminating Themselves

From RTÉ News

Students urged to start house hunt Wednesday, 6 August 2008 15:56

Third level students in Dublin are already being urged to find a place to live for the upcoming academic year as soon as possible.

Leaving Certificate results are not being released until next week.

However, the Union of Students in Ireland say 90% of rentable student properties in the city will be gone by the end of this month.

It is warning that students risk being forced into staying in B&Bs unless they start searching for accommodation soon.

21-year-old I****e M****n from Clonmel, Co Tipperary, who is studying at Trinity College, says every year it is a struggle to find accommodation for the college term.

'Last year I looked for eight weeks, couldn't find anything. I even contemplated getting a place with no windows - it was €550 a month,' she said.

Ms Moylan said that many people would pay €500-550 to rent in Dublin city centre, or around €450 for a shared room.

'This year a lot of my friends were rejected from campus accommodation, as was I, so that made it even more difficult, because in fourth year you're kind of banking on getting on campus.'

Students need to be 'on the ball' - USI

She urged students to start looking early. 'Once September hits, everyone gets back from America or wherever they were on holidays and everyone starts looking, it's so hard to find a place.

'And also a lot of places don't take students - they'll only accept professionals so if you find a place now you just take it, and you pay the extra couple of months' rent.'

USI President Shane Kelly said some problematic accommodation remains around the city. 'We hear from students who are trying to rent in places where they have an outside toilet or a toilet shared between 15 apartments.'

But he said that while such situations still existed, they were only experienced in a minority of cases.

He said students were already on the look for places for next year, and added that the search would intensify after the Leaving Certificate results are issued.

'So really people need to be on the ball now if they're trying to find a decent accommodation close to where they're thinking of studying,' he said.

Naoise McNally of property website Daft.ie says there is approximately double the amount of rented property on the market compared to last year.

She said that this should make it easier for students to find a property, and added that rents were falling.

'They're not dropping by huge amounts in nominal terms - we're talking about 2% across the board - but it does vary significantly from region to region and from area to area in the city.'
The USI said that while there were more properties on the market, demand for rental housing had also increased.

I've underlined the pertinent bit in bold. Googling the young Ms. I****e M****n reveals the young lady has a Bebo page! Lots of pictures of boozing and a nice little anecdote about having to get the firemen out because some of her friends decided it would make a super spot for a mosh pit.

All I can say is, little wonder she should have trouble finding a place to stay!

Her bebo.