The Hurler On The Ditch

Rip Off

A 'special offer' from Marks & Spencer, Liffey Valley, Dublin. £6 converts to €7.

Nuf said.

posted by Hurler @ 7:38 pm 2 Comments

NAMA- an explanation

A lot has been written about NAMA. Karl Whelan has a clear and concise exposition.

posted by Hurler @ 7:32 pm 0 Comments

Millions and Billions

We hear a lot now about billions not millions. It is hard to grasp the relative size of these two amounts. A letter in the Irish Times is helpful.

"...one method of grasping the increase from a million to a billion: a million seconds is under 12 days, while a billion seconds is over 31 years."

And we in Ireland are pouring mega billions of euros into the banks. Privatise profits and socialise losses

posted by Hurler @ 9:41 pm 0 Comments

At last

A breakthrough national project showing how Ireland can become energy independent

"Step 1 promises Energy Independence for Ireland within 5 Years with a €10 billion stimulus to the economy. Step 2 will see energy exports from Ireland in years 6, 7 and 8 of €3 billion to €5 billion per year or up to €50 billion over the following 10 years. Both phases will seek to help secure Ireland’s financial future."

Spirit of Ireland

posted by Hurler @ 12:01 pm 0 Comments

The wooden spoon

The banks and us, Bloomberg report

"The IMF said “stabilization costs” by the end of 2009 would account for 13.4 percent of Britain’s 1.3 trillion-pound a year gross domestic product. Only Ireland is spending more per capita on its banks, about 13.9 percent of GDP, according to the IMF. The U.S. was next out of 19 countries at 12.1 percent."

HELP! the lunatics are running the asylum.

posted by Hurler @ 9:04 pm 2 Comments

Poetry in hard times

From 'The Magpie' in todays Irish Times

THE FOLLOWING untitled poem, which Magpie has decided shall henceforth be known as Ode to Biffo, was doing the rounds among certain Fine Gaelers on Budget Day:

“Cowen is my shepherd, I shall not work.
He leadeth me beside still factories.
He restoreth my faith in the Fine Gael.
He guideth me to the path of unemployment.
Yea, though I wait for my dole,
I own the bank that refuses me.
Cowen has anointed my income with taxes,
My expenses runneth over my income,
Surely, poverty and hard living will follow me all the
Days of his term.
From henceforth we will live all the days
Of our lives in a rented home with an overseas landlord.
I am glad I am Irish,
I am glad that I am free.
But I wish I was a dog
And Cowen was a tree.”

posted by Hurler @ 7:02 pm 0 Comments

Radio rage

A mobile phone ringing tone followed by a message received tone. You are driving on the M50 motorway. Nothing for it but to leave the motorway at the next junction and see who is calling. When you pull off and find a place to stop you discover that you have no missed calls or messages. The penny drops.

You had the radio on to RTE1 tuned to the Mooney show. This has an ad for their own show which has mobile phone ring tones in the background. In all, by the time you rejoin the motorway you have wasted 15 minutes. Thanks RTE.

posted by Hurler @ 9:50 pm 1 Comments