Happy New Year 2013

Happy New Year - 2013 - to all

Race to the Bottom

When the basis of human survival are being attacked surely we have reached the bottom.
Water, Food, Shelter and Fuel are now under increasing attacks and yet these are not luxury items.
These are the basics.
Significant taxation on these necessities is driving the economy of Europe to the wall

1916 Solo Run

While the majority of Irish people at the time were more interested in where their next meal was coming from or how they were going to stay warm, a band of intellectuals caused havoc in Dublin city centre.

This week of 'rebellion' only managed to destroy most of Dublin city centre, lead to the introduction of martial law in the city and resulted many innocent dead citizens.

Con Houlihan, a portrait

Portrait of renowned Kerryman Con Houlihan to be unveiled tomorrow in Castleisland library. This portrait is the work of  Kerryman Mike O'Donnell who is the Court Sketcher at the Irish Criminal Courts www.courtsketcher.com Mike has also produced significant portraits of other historical figures such as Roger Casement which is on display in Casement Station, Tralee.

Ireland's Newest Blood Sport!

In Ireland today we are on the verge of officially sanctioning the latest blood sport. For the past few years this sport has been tried and tested to ensure that it meets all the requirement to gain full sanction. The media and the politicians were the first to recognise that this sport could be very fruitful for their respective agendas.

As I write it seems that the games are on and the final for the first round of the games will be in early December 2012. The referees and umpires have been chosen and the fields of play have been readied.

Referees and umpires : Government Ministers
Fields of play : Media outlets (print and broadcast)

The Game:  Who can create the best and most efficient battle ground for the
Public v's Private Sectors

The main sponsor: The Budget

WARNING: This game will last for 3 months and will make distressing reading/viewing. It is recommended that this Game is not suitable for children under 4 or pensioners.

NOTE: Podcasts and Archive material will be available throughout. See press for details.

Tralee Town Park - Hands OFF!

We are merely custodians of Tralee Town Park which has served as an oasis of calm and tranquility for Tralee people for decades. We have no right to change it's current status as gifted to the town in the early 1900's.
I ask for a special vote of the towns people in regard to any proposed changes that may now be proposed.
The decision to change any part of the Town Park should not solely be in the hands of councillors or town managers.
I would also like to know when the plan for the proposed roadway was first investigated. In the current economic climate it is very noticeable that traffic volumes have decreased significantly. Why then is it necessary to propose this alteration and serious invasion of Tralee Town Park

Kerry Walks and Cycles

Kerry County Council need to designate roads where walkers and cyclists have priority over motor vehicles. Mark these roads and reduce the speed limit to 30 kph in order to encourage more walkers and cyclists to take these routes. Typically these are regional or third class roads in the most scenic parts of the county.

Tralee Wetlands lacks basic 21st Century facilities!

Tralee Wetlands

If you intend to visit this facility just remember to bring CASH! No credit card or debit card facility nor is there access to WIFI. In 2012 what modern facility does not afford customers these basic facilities.

Irish History - Fianna Fail

from De Valera (Economic War - 1930s) to Bertie Ahern (Economic Meltdown 2000s)

St. Bertie needs St. Judes

In desperate situations who do you turn to? 
Choose one of the following:

A.

B.

C.

D.

B.

Bertie Bowl

Mahon Report

As if we didn't know!

This dog knew all about it and so did his pals.

Liberty Hall - Dublin

Surely there are a sufficient number of vacant and suitable office blocks / building in Dublin city, within a stones throw, that can accommodate the requirements of the current residents of Liberty Hall without the necessity of building something new.


An example being:

 

Irish Civil Service Office Furniture Auction

Almost new office furniture auction  - ex-Irish Civil Service.
Thousands of items - rarely used - as good as new.


Apply: Enda Kenny, FG-LAB & Associates
Date: Viewing from 1st March 2012
Location: Dublin and countrywide.
Catalogue: Available with PPS No. only [Foreign bidders welcome especially from China]
Reserve: (Lot)3 billion euro

Wheelbarrow Recliners!

A friend sent me this amazing photo. 
I can only think of all those years using the wheelbarrow for the wrong reasons!

How comfortable is that after a long days work on the roads or in the garden. How many of you thought of this - The Wheelbarrow Recliner

Ireland and (in) China

Enda Kenny (red tie) in appropriate attire for China.

Enda Kenny has, it has been revealed, negotiated in this past weekend a small space in China for the Irish population. With only 4.5 million (approx.) population and approx. 70,000 km squared Ireland will easily fit into China (and we won't be noticed in some corner). China's population of 1.4 billion (approx.) and an area of 9.6 million km squared (approx.) will cope with it's Western cousins without even knowing that we are there. 

We might even manage to sell this island to the Germans, to pay off the loans, and they can use it as a holiday and recreation destination. Really they can do as they wish with it.

Chinese language(s) classes are to be taken by all school going children in Ireland immediately in preparation for the big move in 2016. Adult classes will commence after the move.

Some graves of a select number (6) of Irish patriots will be exhumed and the remains will be brought with us to our new land. Years: 1014 to 1922 only.

Strict baggage restrictions will be in place for those on the move as Ryanair will be providing the air transport. The hold of each aircraft will be crammed with agricultural tools only. Those who wish to travel overland will get a six month head start.

All communications with the Western world will cease in the second quarter of 2015. Internet access and all telecommunications will be slowed and eventually halted except for those with a dial up connection. Mobile phone masts will be taken down and melted into useful agricultural tools.

More on this later........

All that remains to finalise the move is to choose a place where we, the Irish, can be accommodated in China

There will be more on this story later as of now negotiations are at a tender and early stage and really we are not supposed to know about it!

Irish Embassy and the Vatican

We can't afford one! Get over it.
There are probably a few other embassies that we can't afford either.

Irish-Vatican Embassy building in Rome.

With the huge disconnect that exists among Irish people and the Roman Catholic Church today, why do we need an embassy there (in Rome) anyway? 

[I could think of one reason which might be worthwhile - negotiate the return of funding which the Irish people have been giving to the Vatican for centuries!]

Broadband Ireland - SLOW, SLOWER and SLOWEST!

Who was the not so ‘smart’ genius who proposed the sale of one of Ireland’s most important infrastructural assets – broadband and internet system? Now that we are so in need of this infrastructure to push forward economic growth  and a smart economy- what are we left with – a third rate infrastructure which is incapable of providing us with a satisfactory service.

Figures and statistics show us that Ireland’s broadband speeds are wholly inadequate, and download speeds compared with our EU competitor countries have actually fallen sharply.

Towards the end of 2011 Ireland was 72nd in the world for upload speeds and 24th out of 27 in the EU. Ireland is 45th in the world for download speeds and 23rd out of the 27 in the EU.

The country is 34th in the world for broadband quality and 18 out of 25 in the EU, while the country is 52nd in the world for delivery on ‘promised’ speeds and 23rd out of the EU-27.

The fastest speeds in Ireland are in Dungarvan, County Waterford where the local cable ISP, Casey Cablevision, now deliver average speeds of 24.3Mbps,” Wallace said.

In second place nationally is Swords, Co. Dublin on 16.35Mbps and Athlone dropped to third on 14.58Mbps.

To add insult to injury across Ireland it is very noticeable that the East is doing far better for Download speeds that elsewhere. Just look at the table below and see where the likes of Tralee and Killarney are on the list.

Sources: siliconrepublic.com and netindex.com

Government of Ireland - Lead by Example!

How much money would be saved by cutting all allowances paid to politicians, at all levels, by 50%?

Politicians must lead by example and prove just how serious they are about cutting the deficit. 

Furthermore, those serving on State Bodies / State Boards should not be paid (other than legitimate, vouched expenses incurred) for the privilege of serving on these State Bodies / Boards.

The argument that you won't get quality people to serve on these State Bodies / Boards if they are not paid is rubbished by the facts and the evidence that for the past 15 years many of those who did serve on State Bodies / Boards did a lot to land us in the economic mire that we are in today. 

Derrytresk violence - GAA too lenient

The GAA has once again failed to convince me that they are serious about stemming violence on and off the pitch. The fine imposed on Derrytresk is too lenient, the Club should have been fined €1000 per player involved in the violent behaviour. Such a fine should also be imposed on the Dromid Club where any of its player were involved. Not only should the Derrytresk Club be banned from participating / representing its county / province for the next 5 years, it should have been thrown out of the competition this year.

It is high time the GAA got serious and make it known that such violent activities will be punished severely and immediately.

While I am on this subject, GAA referees are not being afforded the respect and dignity that their counterparts get on the rugby field. Should the GAA not awaken from its slumber, in these matters soon, it may well find that it may not have a decent referee panel (s) to choose from for the big occasions or any occasion.

Caherslee News

February 2012 Edition of Caherlee News in the local shops this weekend.
If you don't happen to get a copy, email: caherleenews@gmail.com and we'll send you a copy.
Your news always welcome - let us know.
Editor

Kerry - Dublin Irish Motorway Services - taking the p...!

Brendan Griffin TD Fine Gael Kerry South is right in his assertion and appeal to Minister Varadkar that the distance for p... (not pit) stops for motorists using the M7 is too great. Personally, I have identified a number of  safe off-road places along the M7 where, if I need to 'spend a penny', it will be safe to do so. However, for any of you females out there I'm afraid you will not be comfortable with these locations. It's just not good enough that services have not been provided on these roads in the 21st Century.

'The Stations of Roger Casement' - Exhibition

On Saturday next, 11th February, 2012, in Listowel at 8pm in St. John's Theatre,  the renowned and well published only Irish Courtartist Mike O'Donnell (Tralee) will exhibit his most recent work, a unique view of the final chapter in the life of Roger Casement in the form of 2 scrolls in pen and ink.
This will be the first public exhibition of this work. Later in the year these scrolls will be unveiled in Dublin and then in London at the request of eminent legal practicioners in Ireland and Britain.
Mr. Jimmy Deenihan TD and Minister will unveil the scrolls in Listowel on Saturday. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Colm O'Doherty.
see: www.courtsketcher.com

Tralee and GPCE

Nah previous post re. GPCE should have had a lead balloon rather than a hot air balloon sorry, about that but seriously the raising of the hopes of so many people and then disappearing so easily without any thought for the hopes of these people is not good enough. Someone needs to be held to account for this debacle or in the very least someone should be made to explain the current situation and where it is now. In the very least public representatives who helped to promoted the idea must come forward and explain their current position in this regard.

Septic Tank and Ireland

Why are so many people against this charge for regulating septic tanks in Ireland?
Is it that some of them already know that the tanks that they have are causing problems which they would prefer to ignore or is it that there may be some 'other' planning issue on their property which has not been notified to the appropriate authorities?

Irish Government not Serious about Fraud

When is the Irish Government going to become serious about taking on the fraudsters who blatantly abuse the system. This is especially the case with some people who abuse the Social Welfare system and drain the resources and in doing so deprive genuine people who deserve all and more of the help they are already receiving.

Either introduce a national ID card system or require that all people carry on their person their own Passport especially when engaging with State bodies.

The civil liberties crowd are scare mongering in this regard - but I submit that if you are law abiding and sincere and honest then you having absolutely nothing to fear.

Ireland is way behind in this matter as most other European countries already have a national ID system in place for many years.

Irish Government 'skimming' off Fuel Prices

In July 2008, as you may well remember, the price of a barrel of oil reached an unprecedented price (see table) and we were all shocked. Up to that time we had been paying at least 35c or even 40c less per litre at the pumps than we are today. When the crisis hit in July of 2008 the price at the pumps shot up over-night to c. 1.36 euro and that's 14c or 15c less per litre than you are paying now.
Today, with VAT, Excise Duty and the Carbon Tax (or GPT - Green Party Tax, as I like to call it!) for every 1.50 euro per litre the Irish Government is 'skimming-off' 1.00 euro. (c.66%)
Such a charge (tax) is been borne, I suggest, most unfairly by rural dwellers [42% of the population of this country, according to official OECD statistics] who have little or no choice of different transport modes other than to use a private motor vehicle.
Inevitably fewer and fewer people, especially in rural Ireland, will be in a position to afford their own private motoring and there is the spin-off effect of commodity price increases as transport cost soar.
Indeed we might be fortunate not to be living in other European countries as we are not the dearest - but that does not make it right - when so many of us depend solely on our own mode of transport for social and work purposes. Neither is it feasible for us to move to Venezuala where the price of fuel is c. 0.12 dollars per US gallon (!).
The price of fuel and the cost of road tax should be linked to the Horse Power of a particular vehicle. Delivery and other essential vehicles should be dealt with differently - i.e. a standard rate.
In many areas, the latest technology that is available is not being used effectively in this or other areas of government whether it be in taxation or indeed i the delivery of services.

IDA not in Business in Kerry

Recent figures show that IDA Ireland have not been doing the business in Co. Kerry. If fact IDA Ireland grants to Co. Kerry were the second lowest after Co. Laois. This is something which many of us have suspected for quite some time now. Are our public representatives fully aware of this situation and what if anything are they doing about it? Co. Kerry has been crying out for inward foreign investment for many years yet there has not been a willingness to address the issue.

While I'm on the theme of jobs and industry or rather lack of, has anyone heard anything about

in recent times. We were all suppose to get really excited about this project but alas this excitement has vanished just like all the banners and posters around the town which purported to laud it's imminent arrival, ..........but that was months maybe.......years ago!

There's probably less hot air in this balloon. But then again I remain to be convinced as I have not measured the air volume of the balloon yet.

NCT 'FARE' INCREASE

NCT Increases Fee

From 1st February 2012 the NCT fee will be €55. No increase in re-testing fee apparently. In 2011 this company who operates the NCT tested over 985,000 vehicles and  earned €50 million on first test alone nationally. Plus c. €12 million on re-tests in 2011. Now they have increased the fee by €5 per vehicle.

It comes as no surprise that the front suspension of vehicles was the main failure item given the number of potholes one has to negotiate.

The NCT do not give a breakdown (excuse the pun) of failures per county as this would be too revealing!

County Councils beware if they do this any time soon!

Roger Casement Exhibition

Roger Casement

The Crown Prosecutor, F.E. Smith who, in noting the cooperation of Kerry witnesses for the prosecution, lauded the people of Kerry for their 'loyalty to the Crown'.

A Major exhibition, by local Court Artist Mike O’Donnell, re-tracing the final journey of Casement—comprises 14 images in pen and ink on a 20 foot scroll of calico - in two separate lengths of 10 feet each–in Listowel on 11th February—will be officially opened by The Minister for Arts, Mr. Jimmy Deenihan, T.D.

Future of Tralee Tourism

Map of Tralee Bay Area

Courtesy: Ordnance Survey Ireland

An improvement in the tourism potential of Tralee into the future can only come about if a marketing package is designed and delivered which includes the whole of the Tralee Bay area. There is so much potential out there which cannot be ignored.

Home Security

Home Security

In this and future editions we will be including articles on Home Security issues. Many of you will be aware of the need to be more conscious in this regard. These are merely some good tips collated from a wide series of articles on the subject.

Burglary victims often wonder why the burglar picked on their house. To find out you need to consider:

"How does a burglar's mind work?"

Burglary, on the whole, is an opportunist crime. A burglar will select his target because it offers him the best opportunity to carry out his crime undetected and with the fewest number of obstacles in his way. A building that presents itself as unoccupied and insecure is far more likely to be targeted than one which is properly secured:

• · side gates open
• · accessible windows open
• · ladders left out, allowing access to otherwise inaccessible windows
• · garden tools available to force entry
• · untrimmed hedges or high fences preventing natural surveillance

Each of these makes access to the building far simpler and is an indication to the prospective burglar that it's worth a second look.

The question is, are the occupants in?

• · milk bottles or parcels on the doorstep
• · newspapers and mail in the letter box
• · unlit houses after dark
• · all windows shut in very hot weather

These are signs telling the burglar that he is unlikely to be disturbed in the course of his work. Naturally, circumstances may arise when such situations may be unavoidable. If we can take measures that tell the burglar that this building is too difficult or too risky a target, he will hopefully move on.

Are you leaving a thief the key to your house?

· never leave a spare key concealed anywhere near the front door - burglars know all the hiding places

· prevent letterbox burglaries by storing keys away from the front door

• do not label your house keys in case you lose them and they fall into the wrong hands.
• Remove temptation—where possible, try to keep valuables out of sight from windows.

Make it look as though your house is occupied

· install timers which switch lights or radios on and off automatically.

· have a neighbour or friend pop round to clear your letter box or doorstep.

· encourage a neighbour to park on your drive.

• if going out after dark, draw the curtains, leave some lights on and a radio playing.

If you are away for extended periods.

• · cancel the delivery of milk and newspapers
• · disconnect the telephone answering machine, or re-word your greeting message to give the impression that you are only temporarily unable to answer.
• · enlist the help of a neighbour, friend or relative to keep a regular eye on your property and keep the front door clear of deliveries.
• · if you are prepared to leave a key with a willing neighbour/relative, ask for curtains to be drawn and lights to be put on at night. If snow is on the ground a few footprints will make the house appear inhabited.
• · check your insurance policy. Some insurance policies for contents don't cover you if you are away for more than 30 days.
• · set your burglar alarm.
• · if you do not have an alarm, consider investing a few pounds in a dummy alarm box. It may well deter the opportunist thief.

Remember: 

Remove the Opportunity - Prevent the Burglary

Parking in Cycle Lanes

It is not only illegal to park motor vehicles in cycle lanes, it is particularly dangerous for cyclists. Some people need to be far more responsible for their actions in this regard. Very short term parking in a cycle lane, may be necessary, but not acceptable. Long term parking in cycle lanes is totally unacceptable and extremely irresponsible. The provision of cycling lanes is necessary to (a) provide a safe lane for cyclists, (b) give cyclists their own space and therefore encourage proper lane discipline, (c) prevent, as far as possible, serious accidents, etc. There is blatant and irresponsible disregard for this in many areas.
Penalty Points System - Parking a Vehicle in a Dangerous Position = Mandatory Court Appearance + 5 Points on License + a Court Fine.

Management of the Public Service

The Irish Public Services would be far more efficient if managers were appointed because of their skills, experience and competencies rather than being appointed to positions because of political patronage.

Caherslee Road and Footpaths

While we welcome the new surface on the Caherslee road, it was long, long overdue. There are still parts of the footpath along the route that need attention urgently. This is especially so since so many people walk the route and because of the many school children who use the route to and from schools in the area.
It is a wonder that while completing the works on the footpaths that there was no attempt to install the 'tactile' paving in places where one needs to stop or step off paths.