tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16412245249080778412011-07-07T18:15:42.251-07:00Not Necessarily Amusing MusingsPavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.comBlogger351100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-87543827682113385952009-08-27T23:45:00.000-07:002009-08-27T23:49:45.286-07:00

I originally wrote this as a comment about 'stimulus' on the ever excellent Cedar Lounge Revolution, but thought it deserved a smaller audience.CM: Ah Mr Shopkeeper, back again already? How can I help you?SK: Well Mr CreditMarkets, I’d like to, eh, borrow a little bit more please.CM: So soon? Didn’t we lend you two billion last month?SK: You did, you did. And thank you very much. But we’ve spent

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-74371293443228834992009-07-29T15:48:00.000-07:002009-07-29T15:57:06.676-07:00

I seem to have upset the lads at DublinOpinion and now my comments appear to be being 'moderated' away. Below is what I have been trying to put as a comment. Maybe they'll up it up, maybe they won't. Ho hum.-------------------------------------------I guess it depends on why you write a blog. If it is to persuade people of your views through discussion or bring about an exchange that might tease

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-55466311024193306712007-09-03T15:18:00.000-07:002007-09-04T01:44:32.618-07:00

I kind of figured Tommy Broughan was not going to be standing for leadership of the Labour party when he phoned my mother on Wednesday night about a pretty minor local matter she had raised with his office. This was not exactly the mark of a man forming a kitchen cabinet and preparing to launch a campaign for the hearts and minds of Labour members.Tommy is a hard working constituency politician,

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-21977537994220741432007-08-15T14:27:00.000-07:002007-08-15T14:37:28.106-07:00

Succinctness would be considerably more treasured. Mrs PT has the laptop for the night so I decided to try out web browser on my Wii. Very impressive for reading and browsing, hellish for writing. every letter has to be pointed to on a virtual keyboard on screen. it has taken ten minutes to input this!

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-69260684003932878182007-07-25T01:13:00.000-07:002008-12-10T22:58:02.778-08:00

Why? Because of an increasingly pointless and dull discussion here. I know, I know - I should know better.On a brighter note, I found out I passed my exams yesterday. Extreme relief all round. Roll on the next level. Update! Comments on the article have been closed and removed, "due to trolling". It could be the first occasion someone has cut off debate because of their own trolling but I'm

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-56758401084101188202007-05-30T10:17:00.000-07:002007-05-30T10:22:11.731-07:00

Election (n): That event that occurs every five years where the Irish people exercise their right to vote in a new Opposition.

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-62104425458921628732007-05-16T09:46:00.000-07:002007-05-16T10:00:44.556-07:00

... and what's worse for Labour, it's because of our adoption of the dreaded Anglo Saxon model of capitalism.I've been dealing with a French company at work extensively for the past few months. I have to send replies to emails from them with large cc: lists. The game is to try and see what is the most number of I'm-out-of-the-office autoreplies you can get with one email. Sending on a Monday is

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-59462552278009432722007-05-12T15:06:00.000-07:002007-05-12T15:08:37.449-07:00

The weather improved, the baby started crawling, work suddenly got busy and I've got exams in a few weeks.Back in five mins (or so).

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-53170725086231085322007-03-31T17:35:00.000-07:002007-04-01T05:27:13.305-07:00

The ESRI released a report last week on participation levels in sport amongst different classes in Ireland and the resulting policy implications. It found that people with low income or low educational attainment had much lower participation in sport.Regarding income, more people who play sport come from the top 25 per cent of earners than from the bottom 50 per cent. Regarding education, 43 per

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-77735687799096338492007-03-31T15:01:00.000-07:002007-03-31T15:12:08.312-07:00

... to the party but I have seen just (or rather, heard) the point of Josh Ritter. Lets face it, being an international artist with a hugely disproportionate following in Ireland is not always the mark of quality (c.f. David Gray, Chris Rea) but his song "Thin Blue Flame" from the 2006 album "The Animal Years" is the best thing I have heard this year. And it's available as a free and legal

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-88645658644040422142007-02-26T01:19:00.000-08:002007-02-26T01:53:38.139-08:00

Meanwhile in Kerry, an embittered old man polishes his father's medals and stares into the middle distance, while a nation celebrates. The only sound, other than singing, during God Save The Queen was of a large portion of the Irish media muttering "Ah crap, there goes my pre-written story". Their attempts to whip up some controversy last week over the matter were despicable and pathetic. We

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-29630142005314667372007-02-14T02:08:00.000-08:002007-02-14T02:11:37.986-08:00

Maybe Bertie communes with CJH using Ray Burke as a medium.Maybe Enda has trouble fighting off a cold let alone knife wielding muggers.Maybe Michael wears a leather overcoat and peaked cap in the privacy of his own home.Maybe Pat keeps a €20 note printing press in the back of his wardrobe.Maybe Trevor dreams of hunting endangered species in an SUV with no catalytic converter.Maybe, maybe,

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-42133501034279783982007-02-14T01:46:00.000-08:002007-02-14T01:49:01.132-08:00

Labour promises to keep changing policies until they discover one votes like lower tax rates. The PDs promise to buy votes increase social welfare spending on pensions. Fianna Fail warns everyone not to get carried away and talks about fiscal responsibility.Who has been spiking the drinking water at Leinster House?

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-56069048468501817732007-01-25T01:00:00.000-08:002007-01-25T03:08:15.295-08:00

There is nothing like a bit of global comparison to get a sense of proportion in your life. Here are two sites to help with that.The Global Rich List is a site where you enter your annual income and see what percentile of the world's population you are in.Those in search of more specific comparisons should go to WorldMapper. This was developed by University of Sheffield’s Social and Spatial

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-45036203783023971252007-01-23T07:30:00.000-08:002007-01-25T03:06:49.098-08:00

I have been arguing that people wanting to support the Irish Language should speak it if they know it, learn it if they don't (as distinct from just paying lip service to the language).I wondered how would a working adult, who had forgotten most of their school Irish, go about (re)acquainting themselves with it? The rather obvious answer is to take some classes. So I had look on http://

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-80461614001634429312007-01-15T14:57:00.000-08:002007-02-26T02:09:19.698-08:00

Manchan Magan's sojourn around the island speaking only Irish confirmed what most of us already knew - as a country we either can't or won't speak Our Official Language. Seeing him appear on RTE's The Panel last week did make me wonder if someone a little less floppy haired and fey (say a random Seoige sister) would have had more success. Or at least encountered less hostility.His experience does

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-31086299134253277162007-01-15T06:08:00.000-08:002007-01-15T14:01:56.959-08:00

There is an interesting discussion over on the Cedar Lounge Revolution about the editorial movement to the right/centre/take-your-pick of the Irish Times. Apparently there are only three or so left-wing commentators remaining now that Eddie Holt has been axed. Personally I have my doubts about that but it does raise a really interesting question - how do we measure the 'slant' of a writer or

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-86283356157375693882007-01-15T01:12:00.000-08:002007-01-15T14:14:29.142-08:00

US Military Flights For Knock?You have got to be kidding. Haven't the poor bastard soldiers suffered enough?

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-6306481219328827952006-12-19T08:50:00.000-08:002007-01-25T03:08:51.184-08:00

"Do we want to have a culture of Podge and Rodge, or one of decency and respect?" asked Catholic Primate of All-Ireland, Archbishop Seán Brady.This is a marvellous question and the potential basis of a very entertaining game. There are not enough spurious comparisons and choices to be made between entirely unrelated items. There should be more questions like it such as "Do we want a culture of

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-75126811130222342722006-12-19T08:29:00.000-08:002006-12-20T02:37:28.377-08:00

When did all this 'neo' prefixing start?'Neo-liberal'. 'Neo-conservative'. 'Neo-Darwinian'.Was it the Matrix?OK so a 'neo-con' (being former lefties converted to, eh, righties with an invasive attitude) is actually distinct from a traditional conservative and the neo- prefix is at least linguistically justified. But neo-liberal? Who or what are they?Is it too obvious to say that users of these

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-35271209138540965082006-12-19T08:27:00.000-08:002006-12-20T06:36:20.295-08:00

There was a piece in the Irish Times by academic Joe Clery on Saturday about Fairytale of New York, the Pogues classic, it concludes:"And when our home-grown neoliberals summon up the sorry ghost of the 1980s to remind us we have never had it so good, MacColl's and MacGowan's duet can be a reminder that not all back then was misery and despair; there was also resilience and resistance." The fact

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-53292606413997407432006-12-17T15:14:00.000-08:002006-12-17T15:27:28.240-08:00

Late one New Year's Eve night, five or so years ago in Edinburgh, my then girlfriend and I were going back to the apartment we were staying in. We had been going out for over a year at that stage. Leading up to that Christmas, all the signs were that we had come to the usual relationship juncture. I say 'usual' as I had been in a similar situation with previous girlfriends and had always,

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-19472787218417787052006-12-15T09:02:00.000-08:002006-12-15T09:04:59.969-08:00

Ah! The ever entertaining Irish Times Letters Page ...MURDER ON THE STREETS "I would have thought that our bustling financial centre would be a safe haven from the criminals." [perhaps the letter writer thought there is some sort of fellow professional criminal courtesy code?] FF'S EUROPEAN PARTNERS "This week it was confirmed that MEPs from the extreme right-wing "League of Polish Families" and

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-59663811089015214592006-12-14T06:37:00.000-08:002006-12-14T06:38:51.562-08:00

They've no scrum worthy of the name. They've no kicker now that Felipe is out until the end of the month. But they keep winning games.Are Leinster the best Rugby League team in Europe?

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-53133653089173742082006-12-08T09:39:00.000-08:002006-12-08T09:41:32.636-08:00

Contact Lenses 6-months extended wear contact lensesSpecsavers.co.uk: £83.50 or €124,Specsavers.ie: €155 Price Difference between UK and Ireland: 25% Baby Toys Baby Sit N Step - BubblesMamas&Papas.co.uk £99 or €146.26 + £5 deliveryMamas & Papas Irish store/catalog €160 Price difference between UK and Ireland: 9% Books Amazon to the UK: Free Delivery for orders over £19/€28Amazon to Ireland: £5

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-71093746051853532832006-12-07T07:02:00.000-08:002006-12-07T09:35:08.086-08:00

The rather splendid headline "Irish Language Pantomime Apt Metaphor For Modern Ireland" comes courtesy of the Galway Independent, (thanks to Blogorrah for the tip).Mamo Gé (Mother Goose) is "a light-hearted exploration of the original [Golden Goose] story" for children while also being "an apt metaphor for the Ireland we now live in". The story revolves around Mamo Ge, who "the Celtic Tiger has

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-70317964401497647432006-12-06T03:35:00.000-08:002006-12-20T07:53:30.053-08:00

It's the end of the year, time to look back, take stock and most importantly boast about and pontificate on the books you've read this year. As Sigla points out, this is not an uncommon phenomena. The end of the year also reminds me of that I am forgetting more stuff (the more-to-remember-less-neurons-to-do-it-with syndrome), so my recent discovery of LibraryThing has been a boon. It allows you

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-44367342516665506072006-12-04T04:49:00.000-08:002006-12-05T02:33:16.299-08:00

The death of the traditional desktop application and its local files is nigh. I am writing this with Google Docs. It's all saved up on the Net, no local files to store and hence to lose.And all I can say, after spending a nervy three hours last night painstakingly copying docs via DOS from a dying laptop hard drive to an IPod is, praise be.

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-71404427785051501862006-12-04T04:35:00.000-08:002006-12-11T08:19:53.667-08:00

Last night's "The Week In Politics" program was very interesting and a little depressing. Frank Luntz, an American pollster, carries out the type of exercises he has previously conducted for the Republican party in the States and The Conservative party in the UK. A group of 25-30 people, previously identified as undecided or floating voters were selected. They seemed to be a reasonable cross

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-14520089941604675692006-11-30T04:44:00.000-08:002006-12-07T08:28:32.054-08:00

When I chose the name Pavement Trauma for this blog, I never thought I would actually be writing about pavements but, well, it's a slow news day. Bear with me, there is a point.When the housing estate I live in was built in the 1970s, the Corpo thought that cars didn't need to be parked beside the houses, communal car parks every few houses would do. The front gardens would be left as gardens,

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-77966309577880877192006-11-27T09:50:00.001-08:002006-11-28T01:31:38.087-08:00

I wrote previously that I happened to be in the Veritas shop in Abbey Street last week and that I would explain what a straight-to-hell, card carrying, Richard Dawkins quoting, atheist like me found himself doing there. I was buying a baptism candle for my daughter's christening. There I've said it, and I am only a little bit ashamed. We had the demons cast out of our defenceless baby girl. We

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-12055540891323566152006-11-27T01:58:00.000-08:002006-11-27T02:03:22.813-08:00

I call on the English RFU to give Andy Robinson their full backing, at least until after the World Cup 2007. He is an honest, plain speaking, hard working man, deserving of every opportunity to keep England in their rightful place at 7th or below in the rugby world rankings.

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-37515733013916543522006-11-24T07:26:00.000-08:002006-11-24T07:40:23.963-08:00

I suppose it was inevitable that someone would apply the 4-D in-utero ultrasound scan to animals, but dammit it never occurred to me.The results are some fantastic pictures, available from the National Geographic site, of animals in the womb, including this rather wonderful 18 inch elephant. More available in the, ahem, Daily Mail too.

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-27858781000163248782006-11-24T05:21:00.000-08:002007-01-15T14:10:57.457-08:00

I posted previously about a leaflet for the Cracking Cults seminars. I picked it up in the Veritas shop on Abbey St. It's not one of my usual haunts I grant you but I was there for reasons I will go into some other time. The seminars are organised by Dialogue Ireland. Dialogue Ireland describes itself as "inspired by Christian values [DI] is an independent Trust that seeks to promote people’s

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641224524908077841.post-64991802467181104842006-11-23T06:45:00.000-08:002006-12-05T01:40:45.661-08:00

I picked up a leaflet on Dialogue Ireland's "Cracking Cults" series of seminars yesterday. 'Cracking Cults' is a little ambigious as a title but it turns out the series is not actually about the best, most fun cults to join. On the contrary, the leaflet doesn't appear to take a very benevolent view of them at all, beginning:-The 1978 'Jonestown' massacre began a series of cult explosions which

Pavement Traumahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014492809673735003noreply@blogger.com0