Willie O' Dea at Dell HQ in Texas

Willie O' Dea, snapped in Texas while trying to persuade Michael Dell to keep Dell jobs in Limerick.

Christmas Grinch Refuses Tickets for Late, Late Toy Show

Budget Reaction

Zeig Heil Motherfuckers!!

"Clap for Trap"

So, Ireland are playing Cyprus at home tonight in what's an eagerly anticipated clash. I noticed that the FAI have initiated a campaign for supporters to get behind the new manager.

"The Football Association of Ireland today (Sunday) announced that EA Sports will give out 33,000 inflatable giant hands to Irish fans at Wednesday evening’s World Cup qualifier in Croke Park (7.45om). The hands call on fans to ‘Clap for Trap’ and will be distributed before the game.
Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni said: “The game against Cyprus is our first World Cup qualifier at home. It will be very important for all of our fans to get behind us on Wednesday night. Irish fans really will be our twelfth man and I hope everyone makes their voice heard on Wednesday night”. Tickets for the World Cup qualifier match are still available through www.ticketmaster.ie and from ticket booths at Dalymount Park (opening hours Mon & Tue 12.00 – 20.00, Wed 10.00 – 17.00)."

I personally wouldn't wish "The Clap" on my worst enemy.

Government Guaranteeing Irish Deposits

Imagine a man walks into a VHI health insurance office. The man looks pale. almost sickly you'd say. His back is bent and he walks to the desk with a stoop. He then tells the clerk at the desk, he'd like to sign up for some health insurance and with that, he lets out a loud, rattling cough. The clerk at the desk asks him, "Ok, before we approve you, we need to know if you have any prior health conditions". The sickly looking man tells the clerk everything is fine, infact things couldn't be better. The clerk then happily rubber-stamps the application form and the man is now covered.

It sounds ridiculous, but this is exactly what the Irish government has done by acting as insurer for the Irish banks. Without even looking at the loan books of the banks, we have given an assurance that we will cover any potential liabilities that may arise from them.

Cork City Dole Queue

Defrauding the Passport System is Easy

After losing my passport a few months, I finally got around to getting the documentation together to make my new application.

So, off I head into the local Garda station, form, birth cert and photos in my sweaty little hands. After sitting next to a bare-footed hobo, half doused in pant, I was finally summoned to the desk. The conversation goes a little something like this . .

Me - "I'd like to get my passport and photos signed please"
Garda - "Ok, have you got your form, passport and photos?"
Me - (passes documents) "Yes, here they are"
Garda - "Ok, have you got a photo ID?"
Me - (frantically searching) "Umm, all I have on me is an old college ID"
Garda - "I'm sorry, I'll need to see a valid picture ID. Have you got your old passport, national age card or driving licence?"
Me - "I don't have an age card, I don't drive and as it says on the form, I've lost my old passport"
Garda - (passing a form) "You can apply for the national age card then"
Me - "Right, what do I need to apply for that?"
Garda - "Birth certificate, passport photograph and picture ID"
Me - "Oh, like a college ID?"
Garda - "Yes"
Me - "So what you're say is, my college ID isn't good enough to get a passport but it is good enough to get a national age card which in turn can get me a passport?"
Garda (a little confused) - "I'm sorry, but we're really clamping down at the moment"

I was then explaining this to a colleague at work. He thought it was pretty strange that I even needed to produce a form of ID, he offers to drive me to another Garda station where he got his application done without the need for photo id. We go, I walk in . . .

Me - "I'd like to get my passport and photos signed please"
Garda - (sitting at a computer on what looked like Bebo) "Wait a minute"
Garda - (a few minutes later, comes over, signs everything and without a word sits back down)
Me - (leaving, amazed) "Umm, cheers Garda"

I honestly thought that the days of the gombeen Garda were finished; evidently, they're not. I'm also amazed that in a world where identity fraud is so prevalent, that there doesn't seem to be any standards or defined process in obtaining a passport. Even with the first Garda, there was absolutely nothing to stop me from producing any sort of mickey mouse id to obtain a national age card fraudulantly. Is it any wonder the public has lost respect for the Gardai when they're so careless and negligent?