atoast2toast.com

impatient, obnoxious, petty, argumentative, and obsessed over meaningless details

Monthly Archives: July 2009

germany is …

Comments Off Posted by on July 31, 2009

deutschland_ist

Results from top to bottom for a google.de search for “Germany is”:

broke
not an immigration state
beautiful
an immigration state
at the end
the most loved country in the world
saturated
a right wing state, what does that mean
bigger than the bundesrepublik of Germany
not a state

For Ireland: Read more of this post

its the lottery

1 Comment Posted by on July 31, 2009

homer_lottery

When I was 16 the lottery had just been established in Ireland. I was in the post office with my mother and had gone there with the intention to take money out to buy some tickets. I decided against spending 1/30th of my life savings per ticket but saw some guy win 10000 right in front of my eyes. I was convinced that he had taken my place in the queue and by default my winnings! – I worked in a petrol station in the centre of a small Irish town and saw the guy who had bought a car with his winnings return to the shop where I worked, sometimes more than once a day and buy 10 or 20 tickets. He soon spent the whole lot but at least he had a green station wagon to show for it. It was a lesson of sorts for me to see.

A certain amount of peoples activities in Ireland can be explained by the idea of nouveau riche.

members of the nouveau riche, are often discriminated against by the “Old Money” sects of society since they “lack the proper pedigree.” These new comers to economic freedom are subject to even greater scrutiny from their lack of historical prestige as seen through Dye’s comments which reference new rich as “uncouth” and “uncultured.” The behavior of the nouveau riche is often satirized by American society by “implying that stereotyped, rather than real, behavior patterns are copied.” Many people have made claims to the inferiority of those of new money as compared to those with old money. Many have made claims that nouveaux riches “lack political and cultural sophistication” and others make comparisons saying that the old rich are “more sophisticated than the less cosmopolitan nouveau riche.”

it is said that poverty leads to insecurity about wealth.

The word “parvenu” typically describes a person who recently ascended the social ladder, especially a nouveau riche or “new money” individual. The famous Molly Brown, who survived the Titanic sinking in 1912, was considered a “new money” individual due to her impoverished, Irish immigrant roots and lack of social pedigree.

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dublin, rants, satire , , , ,

ba-nama-rama

Comments Off Posted by on July 31, 2009

I have mixed feelings about it all and it depends whether I think about the immediate future or about making a decision to spend the rest of my life in Ireland. I lived abroad for a few years and want to stay here now. There are some positives in that Ireland has diversity and options we never had; peoples attitudes have changed and we can move on with at least some of the elements that were missing in Ireland of the past. In the 90s it cost a few months wages to even leave the country, now at least other places are cheap to visit. It is fine when you are away but coming back to Ireland is just absurd.

Our competitiveness is shot to pieces. The IMF report says Ireland was performing until 2000 gaining 7% of world foreign direct investment. We allowed ourselves to be prices out of the market.

That people were getting gouged is one constant of my entire life in Ireland. With the good times there was still no balance. Everyone wanted a piece of the action, similar a rising tide lifts all boats. A small minority couldn’t get enough and wanted Helicopters, Italian villas and Maserati’s, as if we were part of a renaissance. When some peoples situation improved others decided that they were worth it too and ran amok. It was the property bubble and blatant rip off by anyone involved in fast moving commercial goods. Wealth transfer was achieved via corrupt insider deals. An American friend of mine said they don’t even do bribery well here. A brown envelope with 5000 euros conferred the right to break the rules. A 1500 euro dinner in a political fundraiser would get you the inside track. There was often no reason or disincentive to play fair with other peoples interests. Any fine handed out was tiny compared to the profits made.

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1, other

086-scammers

Comments Off Posted by on July 31, 2009

seems the times went with the story based on an o’brien interview where he looks to deflect blame with talk of barristers expensing toblerones – he was also under investigation as to whether his holding of many media companies constitutes a conflict of interest, he was cleared and his large stake in newspaper companies ensure they are not in any hurry to report the facts

The Moriarty tribunal has found that the state’s award of the second mobile-phone licence was illegal, and has made 60 negative findings against Denis O’Brien, the businessman who was a key figure in the successful bid by the Esat Digifone consortium.

The revelation of the findings has been made by O’Brien himself in an interview with The Sunday Times. He said preliminary findings by the tribunal effectively state that the Esat consortium was “illegally” issued with the state’s second mobile-phone licence because he had a “corrupt” relationship with Michael Lowry, the then Fine Gael minister for communications.

O’Brien has revealed that there were 60 “negative findings” among 79 issued to him by the tribunal last November. Although he would not comment on specific points, The Sunday Times understands the tribunal has found against O’Brien for making a political donation to Fine Gael, for concealing certain evidence, and for impropriety in Spanish and British property transactions in which he is allegedly linked to Lowry.

There are 29 findings outlining how the competition for the licence was improperly awarded to Esat by civil servants who, it is alleged, were “in thrall” to Lowry and facilitated the minister’s desire for O’Brien to win the licence.

The businessman, who has spent €12m on legal fees to date has vowed to fight the tribunal “street by street”, and said newspaper adverts he bought that mocked a tribunal lawyer who charged chocolates from a hotel mini-bar to the state were part of his plan.

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know your rights

Comments Off Posted by on July 30, 2009

garda_rossport

There was supposed to be a document on the Irish council for civil liberties site but they dont bother with it any more. An Indymedia article is written for the shell to sea campaigners. This is what they claim:

You can only be stopped or questioned by a Garda in accordance with law.

To be randomly stopped and/or questioned by a Garda is an abuse of privacy and deprivation of personal liberty. You are entitled to walk the street without question or prevention by a Garda, unless your actions or conduct are such that there is provision in law relevant to your behaviour to stop and question you.

YOU MUST ASK QUESTIONS BEFORE THEY ASK QUESTIONS.

If you are stopped or questioned, and this is very important, the first thing you should do is ask the Garda why you are being stopped or questioned. It’s so important to ask the Gardaí questions and to get answers to those questions. If a Garda cannot, will not, or refuses to use ‘the law’ by invoking a relevant act (such as Public Order Act or Road Traffic Act or whatever) then you do not have to engage or cooperate with him in any way. He must invoke the law to use the law … in accordance with the law! If he refuses, he is not acting in accordance with any law and you should invoke your rights to personal liberty and go about your business.

Furthermore, “Any person (note: including a Garda) who, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, wilfully prevents or interrupts the free passage of any person or vehicle in any public place is committing an offence under Section 9 of the CRIMINAL JUSTICE (PUBLIC ORDER) ACT, 1994”.

If a garda is insisting, then you must also insist on asking what provision of law he makes such a demand. If he continues to make up some rubbish under ‘colour of law’ refuse to co-operate and tell him he will be held personally liable at civil and criminal law for wrongful arrest and false imprisonment if he abuses his authority further.

There is nothing in the document that covers gardai throwing you over a barrier to allow a land rover to pass (2:00 in) Read more of this post

civil disorder, rants , , , , ,

swayze on spirituality

1 Comment Posted by on July 30, 2009

“A battle for toughest bouncer and best male mullet.”

Road_house

Thoroughly believable plot:

Road House (1989), Patrick Swayze stars in this modern-day Western as a tough guy who has poetic instincts and drives a Mercedes. Fresh from earning his doctorate in Eastern Philosophy from New York University, mettlesome loner Dalton (Swayze) finds work as a bouncer at an anarchic road house. Within weeks, Dalton has rid the bar of the ruffians ruining its business and has even struck up a romance with a sexy doctor (Kelly Lynch). Then Dalton bounces the wrong man, who turns out to be one of town crime boss Brad Wesley’s henchmen. Wesley first tries to buy Dalton off, but fails. When Wesley learns of Dalton’s new lover — who used to be Wesley’s significant other — Wesley vows bloody vengeance. But Dalton, with his unique mixture of brute force and Zen oneness, isn’t about to let his college money go to waste.

Then there is point break with Swayze as Bohdi and Keanu Reeves as Utah.

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civil disorder, satire , ,

boner, i mean bono

Comments Off Posted by on July 30, 2009

bono_in_africa

“More Crap” is episode 1109 (#162) of Comedy Central’s South Park. Originally telecast on October 10, 2007. it parodies The King of Kong, a documentary about an underdog who is attempting to beat Billy Mitchell’s infamous Donkey Kong record. Bono’s personality in the episode is much like the depiction of Mitchell in the documentary, including how he is allowed to play by different rules than other world score competitors.

The episode claims that Bono is the worlds biggest poo. In the picture above he is walking through africa shouting “yeah yeah yeah” at everyone.

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dublin, satire , ,

lampin out cars

2 Comments Posted by on July 30, 2009

maserati

Maserati, Gran Turismo, Price €149,500
Poltrona Frau leather upholstery. Walnut Brairwood interior trim. Wood/Leather steering wheel.

This car has 900 Miles on the clock and is a private sale on carzone. The owner wants to protect their privacy and the fact that they cannot afford to pay for their top of the range italian sports car. Who in their right mind would put a car like this on the roads of Ireland? It is pervese.

A garage in terenure is like a hall of shame to Ireland’s past indulgences. There is a 1 year old Porsche Cayman with 3000 miles on it reduced from 100k to 60k and an underpowered bright red 2.0Litre 07 L BMW X5. There are the latest and greatest Mercs from Kildare, Sligo and Cork. I might be wrong but they were probably the prized possessions of some people who had seen their fortunes change lately.

dublin , ,

car-nage

Comments Off Posted by on July 30, 2009

I only just thought about something that I saw driving in Cork last Friday. Just after I had arrived in the city I came around the corner on tivoli road to the docks. There was a motorbike garda standing there pointing his finger at the car next to me. The guy in the car just kept driving and it looked like he was going to be followed. It did’nt look like any regular move that anyone would do anywhere let alone a move from a law enforcement officer to tell someone that they are breaking the law. As I got further up the river the guy in the car was beeping at someone who was going nowhere at the lights. Then the motorbike went by.

Apparently they stop you if your car shows any bit of lean to the side. The fact that the guy was a bit chubby probably did’nt help stop his car leaning to the side. He was’nt even going that fast either. Maybe he should get better springs.

civil disorder, dublin, rants , , , ,

you don’t know what your shtartin

1 Comment Posted by on July 29, 2009

Thanks to feensham for this:

Prank call to the king of the pikeys…big shtyle!!! The King of the Pikeys gets wound up majorly…..smart talk…from a dumb man!

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civil disorder, rants , , ,

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