ShoZu
Enjoy the view
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Only 10k ill take them all
At only 10k a pop why not take a dozen
The dearer ones were not on display.
ShoZu
Enjoy the view
The dearer ones were not on display.
ShoZu
Enjoy the view
Berlin - what to do.
Well whilst junior slept the others went to Legoland Discovery near Potsdamer Platz and had a great time - they even saw Lego blocks being made and suffered the aftermath of a dragons sneeze.
Our room was late being ready so we had a round of drinks on the house - the boys love the apfelschorle (sparkling apple juice) and we like Berliner Pilsner !
Dinner was in Maredos a very tasty chain of steakhouses.
Berlin.
We went to Berlin today. Over an hour late due to an Aer Lingus technical failure which is probably shorthand for someone being late for work.
Arrived into Berlin Schönefeld and made our way to the station which has to be the most tourist unfriendly place ever with extemely poor signposting of platforms and no staff.
We bought the welcome card which works out grand if you've an entourage with you buy its a devil to find the book of vouchers as you need to go to a manned ticket office and they are few and far between even Potsdamer Platz doesn't seem to have one.
Weather is misty and gray as forecast and the Aer Lingus fry is as tasty as ever !
Arrived into Berlin Schönefeld and made our way to the station which has to be the most tourist unfriendly place ever with extemely poor signposting of platforms and no staff.
We bought the welcome card which works out grand if you've an entourage with you buy its a devil to find the book of vouchers as you need to go to a manned ticket office and they are few and far between even Potsdamer Platz doesn't seem to have one.
Weather is misty and gray as forecast and the Aer Lingus fry is as tasty as ever !
Saturday, October 27, 2007
the view from the jazz cruise
Due to the department of marine looking for 10K the jazz cruise stayed at its berth
Friday, October 26, 2007
Housing slump hypocrisy or just stupidity ?
Over the past few years newspapers and TV programmes have been talking up the poperty boom and encouraging folk to get deeper than their eyeballs into debt. All in the name of getting on the "property ladder".
Meanwhile back in the real world - from: Breaking News
"Cowen and RTÉ under attack over housing slump THE president of the Irish Auctioneers and Valuers Institute (IAVI) will today accuse Tánaiste Brian Cowen and RTÉ’s Prime Time programme of creating huge uncertainty in the housing market. In a speech to be delivered today, IAVI president Robert Ganly will take a broadside against the Tánaiste for not having the political bravery to reform stamp duty laws, a failure which has been partly blamed for the sharp drop in house sales this year. Mr Ganly is also expected to severely criticise RTÉ’s Prime Time for its documentary Future Shock The documentary, written and presented by business journalist Richard Curran, predicted that the bursting of the housing price bubble would have a deeper effect on the market than the “soft landing” predicted by Mr Cowen. Mr Ganly’s criticism will mean the programme is itself being blamed as a factor in the slump. The identification, in this fashion, of a single TV programme is surprising. However, the IAVI president is expected to criticise the programme makers for presenting a thesis, which he will claim was unsubstantiated, that in itself had a chilling effect on people. "Monday, October 22, 2007
Cork Airport - A Rant
It was raining in Cork this morning. Not unsurprising for a normal October day (other than this year).
I was flying up to Dublin with Aer Arann. Gate 1 in the Terminal and Stand 2 for the plane. For thos that don't know - to get to Stand 2 you leave the new terminal and turn left. You go past the bagage handling equipment. You go past Stand 6. You go past more equipment. You reach the "Old Terminal". You pass by the doors into the Old Terminal. You pass by the Departure Gates of the old terminal. You pass by the Control tower and there just at the far end of the Fire Station is Stand 2. A grand walk out in the open on a summers day but a right pain when it's raining. The Cork Airport Authority can't be bothered to have an old bus on duty to ferry passengers probably because their honchos get driven directly to a plane if they are travelling.
They must get chauffeur driven because they have never driven in around the Short-Term carpark. It has unclear road markings and unlike most other Multi-storey carparks it doesn't have roof level yellow signage to guide you. Add to the machine that is permanently out of order, the one that is permanently stuck on exact change and the one that doesn't give receipts and you can see that they really do take care of the place.
Kudos to Aer Arann for their policy of accomodating you on an earlier flight without charge and "Well Wear" on their shiny new ATR72 which is a breath of fresh air and also supposedly emits less CO2..
Friday, October 19, 2007
John West Seared Tuna Fillets
I bought these in Dunnes tonight. They were 3.49 before a 1 euro coupon.
They were rubbish. Pure rubbish and went into the bin. They tasted like tinned tuna that had been re-heated. Of course the instructions for these fillets was to reheat them.
I can't find an address for John West - they were bought out by Heinz but were then bought out by lehman brothers but nary a website can be found and strangely the packaging is devoid of any web or email addresses.
In short I recommend that folk AVOID the John West Seared Tuna Fillets range - you can indetify them by their small vacuum packed size..
All in all a waste of money - anyone who knows me will realise that I dump food with great reluctance...
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Amgen Gone - the week after they inaugurated the White Elephant traffic lights.
From http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/1003/jobs.html
Cork Amgen project put on hold
Wednesday, 3 October 2007 14:54
A plan to provide 1,100 jobs in Co Cork has been indefinitely postponed.
Biotechnology company Amgen was to have provided the jobs in a billion
dollar investment at a manufacturing facility in Carrigtwohill, Co Cork.
However, the company has decided to put off the project indefinitely.
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IDA Ireland has described the decision as disappointing.
It said decisions by the US Medicare authorities, concerning some of
Amgen's main drugs, have caused business difficulties for the company.
Amgen is reducing its staff globally by up to 14%, closing two plants in
the US, and reducing its planned capital expenditure.
IDA Ireland said the decision to halt the project did not reflect in any
way on the business environment in Ireland, and that further investments
could be expected over the coming months.
IDA Ireland said Amgen will retain the Cork site, so that changed
circumstances may lead to a recommencement of plans.
In a statement, Amgen said it will cease all current activities on the
site in co-operation with the Government and its agencies, community
groups and business participants.
'The decision will affect up to 79 staff, 65 of whom are based in Cork.
All staff will be notified regarding the likelihood of redundancy',
according to the statement.
Amgen said it would work with staff during the consultation period to
identify potential options elsewhere in the company. However, it is
likely that the majority of people will be offered redundancy packages.
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