The all new and only slightly recycled off topic thread (read post 1)

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

Teferi wrote: »

Cannabis won't be regulated until clean shaven chaps in suits start making positive noises. Ming looks like an aged hippy and the types of people that turn up to legalise cannabis marches are those anti-authority types that you can't take seriously.

Agreed. I can see it being federally decriminalised in the states within the next ten years. And once that happens I think it'll only be a matter of time

It has already been a massive success in Colorado

sydthebeat

Playing over 35s soccer for the summer. ... if i can get through it injury free would i be mental to try to play J3/4 rugby in the winter? I'll be 38 in December. ....

Buer

molloyjh wrote: »

The whole political system in this country is a farce, and it's all because of the electorate. We want national level politicians dealing with local issues.

A massive issue with that, molloy, is people simply do not understand how our government works. They don't realise that TDs are elected locally to represent on national issues and don't understand the concept of local government.

It should be taught in depth in secondary school. I know we used touch on it when we were in school but only at a high level and to distinguish between the Senate and the Dáil, really.

Local TDs hold clinics in their constituencies regularly and people drop in on them. I don't believe any of these people are concerned with querying their thoughts on the budget or the economic state of the country. They're there to vent about the pothole outside their house or the need for traffic lights.

If people actually understood how the system works, educated themselves on the issues at hand, did some research and voted accordingly, we'd be in a much stronger position. As you say, the electorate have a massive responsibility with regards to the elected officials we have and, as voters, have been doing a half assed job for a long time.

Kiwi_knock

We have the strange situation in Ireland, in that if we have a local issue we go to our TD or MEP rather than the local councillor. Instead of the TD and MEP passing the issue onto the local council they deal with it themselves, making local councils practically obsolete.

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

Anyone here going to Life Fest?

thomond2006

eyeball kid wrote: »

The free roaming is a bit of a mess but the missions and survivor mode can be good. Just need play with the right people.

Yeah I have the same problem. Once I'm in I don't know what to do and as soon as I cross a street some other user arrives with a tank and makes bits of me!

.ak

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience wrote: »

Anyone here going to Life Fest?

Not this year. Just going to do the city festivals, cheaper.. Forbidden Fruit and Longitude.

Will try and do body & soul as well.

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

.ak wrote: »

Not this year. Just going to do the city festivals, cheaper.. Forbidden Fruit and Longitude.

Will try and do body & soul as well.

have you been to life before? Any good?

.ak

Did a bit of work at it before but didn't stay. Last couple of years were supposedly amazing, especially Laurent Garnier's set.

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

.ak wrote: »

Did a bit of work at it before but didn't stay. Last couple of years were supposedly amazing, especially Laurent Garnier's set.

I can only get up on Saturday night so missing Four Tet and Nina Kravitz. Not sure If I'd be able to endure a whole weekend of it anyway so might be for the best!

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

Rory McIlroy is a bit of a dick isn't he? I've always tried to give him the benefit of the doubt but surely if you get engaged to someone and subsequently get cold feet you just end it and keep it quiet, you don't write a press release detailing why you didn't want to marry someone

.ak

sydthebeat wrote: »

Playing over 35s soccer for the summer. ... if i can get through it injury free would i be mental to try to play J3/4 rugby in the winter? I'll be 38 in December. ....

Age is just a number. You can play rugby at any level, but its your fitness that will determine what level you play at. J3 might be a bit of a stretch if you've been out of it for a while, but any social side will have you.

We had a fella who joined up with us last season, turned out a bit too harsh for him but he ended up as one of the coaches, so there's always the element of being involved at some level or other.

I'm 28 and some of the older lads are twice as fit as me!

BBDBB

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience wrote: »

Rory McIlroy is a bit of a dick isn't he? I've always tried to give him the benefit of the doubt but surely if you get engaged to someone and subsequently get cold feet you just end it and keep it quiet, you don't write a press release detailing why you didn't want to marry someone

Perhaps, but then he may be trying to pre-empt the inevitable media scrum that can go on for days or even weeks whilst the press repeat the 'are they/aren't they' "story" splashing them over the media for no good reason. Sadly the press thinks they have a right to hound celebrity couples for salacious details of their personal lives. Its not something Id enjoy and would seek to avoid it anyway I could

irishbucsfan

sydthebeat wrote: »

Playing over 35s soccer for the summer. ... if i can get through it injury free would i be mental to try to play J3/4 rugby in the winter? I'll be 38 in December. ....

There's no reason you wouldn't be able for it I'm sure. Get in the gym and get running as much as possible first!

When I was younger playing u21s we used to play the J3s when we were both free and we had some absolutely awesome matches. I'd guess half that team were 35+. (There were rolling subs which they relied on heavilly, to explain how they kept up!).

As .ak said, fitness is the first bottleneck to overcome. In my experience, most of the people who think they aren't able for rugby when they try it out are just unfit!

molloyjh

Buer wrote: »

A massive issue with that, molloy, is people simply do not understand how our government works. They don't realise that TDs are elected locally to represent on national issues and don't understand the concept of local government.

It should be taught in depth in secondary school. I know we used touch on it when we were in school but only at a high level and to distinguish between the Senate and the Dáil, really.

Local TDs hold clinics in their constituencies regularly and people drop in on them. I don't believe any of these people are concerned with querying their thoughts on the budget or the economic state of the country. They're there to vent about the pothole outside their house or the need for traffic lights.

If people actually understood how the system works, educated themselves on the issues at hand, did some research and voted accordingly, we'd be in a much stronger position. As you say, the electorate have a massive responsibility with regards to the elected officials we have and, as voters, have been doing a half assed job for a long time.

I absolutely agree re the education bit. Although in fairness I don't think people have much of a leg to stand on there once they reach adulthood. After a couple of years as an eligible voter then surely someone couldn't miss that there are local, national and European elections. And then surely anyone with an ounce of wit would realise that they are different things with different remits.

Kiwi_knock wrote: »

We have the strange situation in Ireland, in that if we have a local issue we go to our TD or MEP rather than the local councillor. Instead of the TD and MEP passing the issue onto the local council they deal with it themselves, making local councils practically obsolete.

Local councils are possibly some of the most corrupt bodies in the country, but because nobody pays them much/any attention they tend not to be held accountable for things. Some of the stories of local councils are mad, like approving planning permission for companies that a load of them then go to work for. So few people care about that level of government that a lot of that stuff goes unnoticed.

Buer

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience wrote: »

Rory McIlroy is a bit of a dick isn't he? I've always tried to give him the benefit of the doubt but surely if you get engaged to someone and subsequently get cold feet you just end it and keep it quiet, you don't write a press release detailing why you didn't want to marry someone

I'd say a chunk of the relationship was governed by their management and PR people. Hard to say what the rationale behind the release was. I suppose it's better than letting the tabloids speculate and make false claims about faithfulness or some such in the coming weeks. Everthing nipped in the bud, slate cleaned, please leave us alone.

Best of luck to both of them; I can only imagine it's a low time for the pair of them.

sydthebeat

yeah im hoping the soccer will get my fitness up through the summer... im starting from a low base

fecking achilles Tendinopathy causes problems with running on harder ground... so im trying to find softer level courses to run on as well. thank lads!!

Buer

molloyjh wrote: »

I absolutely agree re the education bit. Although in fairness I don't think people have much of a leg to stand on there once they reach adulthood. After a couple of years as an eligible voter then surely someone couldn't miss that there are local, national and European elections. And then surely anyone with an ounce of wit would realise that they are different things with different remits.

To paraphrase Churchill, the best case against democracy is a 5 minute conversation with the average voter. People might not have a leg to stand on but that won't stop them failing to educate themselves and the pontificating about what's wrong with the country. I would say there are a large number of people that don't realise there are local elections, to be honest.

Local councils are possibly some of the most corrupt bodies in the country, but because nobody pays them much/any attention they tend not to be held accountable for things.

Not to harp on but if we take the Healy-Rae clan again, one of the family businesses is a plant hire firm. They've been awarded a huge amount of county council contracts. It has been going on for years and not stopped. Earlier this year, it was reported that, again, this company was the highest recipient of council contracts in 2013. Nobody stops it. Everyone turns a blind eye. A councillor is awarding contracts to his own company and it's considered fine.

awec

Buer wrote: »

I'd say a chunk of the relationship was governed by their management and PR people. Hard to say what the rationale behind the release was. I suppose it's better than letting the tabloids speculate and make false claims about faithfulness or some such in the coming weeks. Everthing nipped in the bud, slate cleaned, please leave us alone.

Best of luck to both of them; I can only imagine it's a low time for the pair of them.

Holly Sweeney was hotter than Caroline too.

LostArt

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience wrote: »

Anyone here going to Life Fest?

Have gone the last few years and it's been great. Tore my groin last week so can't go this year, raging!

OldRio

Churchill wasn't exactly the greatest supporter of democracy was he?
Women and Johhny foreigner. Not to mention the working classes.

Buer

OldRio wrote: »

Churchill wasn't exactly the greatest supporter of democracy was he?
Women and Johhny foreigner. Not to mention the working classes.

Think you're reading a tad too much into a soundbite!

.ak

Oh Jesus, I'm only after discovering the coffee with Rala series on youtube. Hahah, I'm in stitches. Gas man.

The Pheasant2

Swiwi. wrote: »

I have a simpler method. Did they put a flier through my letterbox despite the "no junk mail" sign? If so, clearly they are illiterate. Which shouldn't make for a good representative if they can't read. So that whittles it down by 1. At the moment, I think no-one is Dublin 14 is getting my vote...

D14? Ah Swiwi there's a chance I delivered one of those! One of my mates got me a job delivering those during the exams - now the thing is they tell ya it's classed as "political literature" and therefore exempt from "No junk mail"... if ya wanna get around that, what you should do is have a sign saying " Posted letters only" then you're covered for everything

awec

Rental prices really have gone nuts in Dublin and it's starting to really fcuk me off.

Our neighbours got told they've a 300 euro a month increase coming so I guess we'll have the same. :mad:

Just looking around at places we were looking at least year and you are talking a couple of hundred extra now after 1 year!

When's the arse going to fall out of this?

mfceiling

awec wrote: »

Rental prices really have gone nuts in Dublin and it's starting to really fcuk me off.

Our neighbours got told they've a 300 euro a month increase coming so I guess we'll have the same. :mad:

Just looking around at places we were looking at least year and you are talking a couple of hundred extra now after 1 year!

When's the arse going to fall out of this?

It's beyond a joke...people in this country must be stupid or have colective amnesia.

How many times will it have to bite them on their arse?

awec

There really needs to be more done to keep rental prices sane.

1500 euro a month for a 2 bed apartment seems to be the average now.

Couldn't believe it when I looked on daft. And there are some real sh!t holes for that price too.

CatFromHue

Supply and demand I suppose.

So many people want to live in Dublin but there's just not enough places.

The real victims here are the people from Dublin if you ask me, we're being driven out by country blow ins :P

1500 is alot. Just did a search for a 1-3 bed place in Dublin for between 800-1350 a month and it came up with 848 places.

awec

CatFromHue wrote: »

Supply and demand I suppose.

So many people want to live in Dublin but there's just not enough places.

The real victims here are the people from Dublin if you ask me, we're being driven out by country blow ins :P

1500 is alot. Just did a search for a 1-3 bed place in Dublin for between 800-1350 a month and it came up with 848 places.

Yea but then it depends on the area. No point living on one side of Dublin and working on the other.

dregin

Myhome.ie > daft

Kilmainham > *

awec

Kilmainham no use to me!

I'd need something in D16 / D18 / Blackrock type area if I were to move.

CatFromHue

awec wrote: »

Yea but then it depends on the area. No point living on one side of Dublin and working on the other.

Lol I used to live in Dun Laoghaire and work in Howth.

I'm from Dublin but have pretty much accepted I won't be living there now.

It's been known since right at the start of the recession, as in 2007/8, that Dublin has a large and will have a growing larger housing shortage. When new apartment blocks and housing estates start getting thrown up in Leitrim or Cavan then we'll be back in the ****e again. As it is I think it's just supply and demand. Alot of people want to live in certain parts of Dublin, me included, but there just isn't enough places.

awec

I know when I moved in here I was viewing with loads of other people and basically had to say during the viewing that I would take the place. Full on nuts.

The whole collapse in 2008 would scare the life out of ye - I'll be a nervous wreck if I ever buy anything.

Grimebox

Dublin needs to start constructing high rise accommodation regardless of the "skyline"

OldRio

Buer wrote: »

Think you're reading a tad too much into a soundbite!

No. Not at all. Enjoy reading history.

Podge_irl

Grimebox wrote: »

Dublin needs to start constructing high rise accommodation regardless of the "skyline"

Ha, skyline.

You're right though. It just needs to be done in the correct locations. The centre needs to be kept as is but there is plenty of scope around Heuston and the docklands for some actual high rise. That was actually the plan before the crash (along with a couple nonsensical towers in Ballsbridge etc).

An Bord Pleanála have been going nuts killing anything of use lately.

dregin

Don't see much harm in throwing a load of high rises up around the dock lands and down by the point. Was a piece on the wireless earlier in the week about people moving to Ireland to work for the big IT internationals wanting decent sized apartments near the city centre instead of houses and there being none built, let alone available.

We'll be in the market to buy in the next year. It's looking like north county Dublin or south Louth for us. I don't want to live in a box for the rest of my days. Somewhere I can keep a dog and run a small brewery from would be ideal!

Buer

The bubble was completely in evidence about 18 months ago when I was looking at houses. All it takes is a couple of interested buyers, a decent area and a house with potential. Houses were going for miles above their asking price. Now, the asking prices have caught up.

Disappointingly, I refused to bid a little higher on one house in particular which was a really nice property but, out of principle, I felt that I was being bullied into paying more than I wanted. That house would go for €100k more now. It sounds mad but, in certain areas of Dublin, the prices have jumped that much in 18 months.

Rent has climbed accordingly. With the slight improvement in the economy, people are now panicking and all racing one another to get the property of choice whether they're buying or renting. They want in before it goes back to 2007. However, it's all cyclical. They panic and want in before prices rise and therefore force prices to rise which causes people to panic and want in etc.

mfceiling

Aaaaaaaand BOD came to my girls school today!!

Was up on stage talking to the school...told them he has a sore head and he can't hear properly out of one ear!! Little one got her pic taken beside him and reckons it will be on the school website soon (that's one wedding picture going into the bin with a ready made replacement).

They asked him to sing and dance - he said he couldn't sing but was an amazing dancer - he then proceeded to bust some moves!!

Apparently he has 2 nieces there so he just decided to pop over...great man.

awec

Buer wrote: »

The bubble was completely in evidence about 18 months ago when I was looking at houses. All it takes is a couple of interested buyers, a decent area and a house with potential. Houses were going for miles above their asking price. Now, the asking prices have caught up.

Disappointingly, I refused to bid a little higher on one house in particular which was a really nice property but, out of principle, I felt that I was being bullied into paying more than I wanted. That house would go for €100k more now. It sounds mad but, in certain areas of Dublin, the prices have jumped that much in 18 months.

Rent has climbed accordingly. With the slight improvement in the economy, people are now panicking and all racing one another to get the property of choice whether they're buying or renting. They want in before it goes back to 2007. However, it's all cyclical. They panic and want in before prices rise and therefore force prices to rise which causes people to panic and want in etc.

Yea. Surely the arse has to fall out of these rocketing rents too at some point?

If anyone has an apartment or house they are letting out in south dublin and fancies a new tenant give awec a shout. :pac: :pac:

.ak

awec wrote: »

Yea. Surely the arse has to fall out of these rocketing rents too at some point?

If anyone has an apartment or house they are letting out in south dublin and fancies a new tenant give awec a shout. :pac: :pac:

If you're looking for apartments in d4 you'll always pay silly money.

durkadurka

So last year Madigan accidentally broke the arm of a girl in my kids school when he kicked the ball out of play and hit her.

Of course he was all apologetic and turned up at her house to see how she was and gave her signed shirts and all the rest of it.

Next thing my son is begging for me to get Madigan to break HIS arm so he can get a signed shirt.

awec

.ak wrote: »

If you're looking for apartments in d4 you'll always pay silly money.

Not D4 - I live in D18!

Will most likely just stay put though and accept any increase through gritted teeth!

Buer

awec wrote: »

Not D4 - I live in D18!

Ah, cool, Foxrock, yeah that's a dump.

In all seriousness though, surely there are a glut of apartments around Sandyford?

awec

Buer wrote: »

Ah, cool, Foxrock, yeah that's a dump.

In all seriousness though, surely there are a glut of apartments around Sandyford?

Yea there are, and the prices of them are going through the roof. I probably won't move because it won't be worth it, any savings would be minimal and then there's the whole hassle of actually moving.

We moved last year and I swore that I wouldn't move again for at least a few years.

dregin

Start driving and move to Bray or Greystones?

It's not like Sandyford isn't already well out of town and you'd still have the DART.

Buer

Do you work in Sandyford, awec? If so, what about one of the places further down the Luas?

awec

Ah I think I have come across wrong. I can afford the increase and we're very unlikely to move - I was more just moaning about how crazy rent prices are becoming. Between us signing a lease last year and this year it seems that the rental value has increased by 300 euro.

That's a lot and hopefully not a trend that will last too long.

And yea Buer, I work (and live) in the Sandyford area.

dregin

Re: LUAS beyond sandyford - a fine collection of ghost stops they have down there!

awec

dregin wrote: »

Re: LUAS beyond sandyford - a fine collection of ghost stops they have down there!

Yep, some random ones alright!