October 21, 2012

Missing me?

Check it out here why I'm been so quiet lately...

August 31, 2012

Dublin Houses Shopping Centre

If there's anything more appealing to human beings appetite for consumption than a Shopping Centre, that's Dublin City' homes offers! Currently, at least! Or, at least, that's what the property market wants you to believe! And also this is what experts in property want you to believe. And all the opinion makers too! So... Everybody wants you to believe that the property market is back on track again. Even if dragging slowly, still ladder up...

That's horseshit, isn't it? Everybody knows they are desperate to sell! Prices are going down every month! Banks are closing their doors for mortgages an loans, the Budget will be tuff, more taxes are coming, unemployment is raising, Europe is screwed... but no, not Dublin's home market... no sir! They are doing well!

They say offers lacks. They say cash buyers are all around the corner, just waiting for the right house. This 2 statements may be true... are a lack of GOOD houses at REASONABLE process. There's lots of people who sold at high and now have some money to buy, but they are not the majority, for sure!

In a quick rule-of-tomb based on Go(d)ogle's opinion show that no property should cost more than €300 per square foot, or €3,200 per square meter. And you can find some offers around that price, no doubt, but "the market" wants you to believe that prices are coming up, houses are going faster, people are madly buying, so hurry up or you'll be left behind!

And you know what? This should work OK, thanks to the predisposition to consumption inherent in people... sadly!

March 16, 2012

Paddy, what have you done?

Tomorrow is Paddy day, the booziest day in Ireland, when people get deadly drunk in the streets, in pubs, at home... everywhere! Name the place and there will be people drinking to death!

Some people say they drink to death on Paddy's day to forget St. Patrick was born in Britain. Others say it's because the Pota Phadraig or Patrick's Pot, as it was St. Patrick himself who said that "everyone should have a drop of the "hard stuff" on his feast day." Then, not to contradict St. Patrick and make him even more satisfied, people drink not a drop, but a whole lot!

February 10, 2012

Now we're talking...

The Politburo of Little Green Island is proposing a ban on all alcohol sponsorship of sporting and large outdoor events. Finally something sensible on the nonsense battle of trying to reduce the number of death-drunken people in Ireland! A ban on all outdoor advertising of alcohol and an increase in the excise duties on some alcohol products are also in the list of actions.

They are also considering the introduction of a "social responsibility" levy on the drinks industry which could be used to help fund sporting events and a reduction in the weekly "safe" number of units of alcohol for women from 18 to 11, and for men from 21 units to 17.

These are all welcomed but the introduction of a minimum price per gram of alcohol, which is a totally mislead thinking which will ban only those who have no money to buy expensive drinks...

We are still missing some educational approach though...

January 05, 2012

Don't look back...

So, the government of the "Little Green Island" just announced that the inner city centre will be mainly for those on foot (also called pedestrians), cyclists and public transportation - no private vehicles anymore!

At first it sounds very "green" - and surely is if it was not nonsense! Not allowing cars into inner city centre of Dublin would demand a much - far, far, far much - better public transportation infrastructure than we have today! Areas like the north-west of Dublin are totally abandoned at their own fate, either in terms of buses or trains.

Dublin Bus is very well-known by the disservices they offer from long time, where buses have a no-show policy which Dublin Bus seems to not care at all! Drivers who skip stops at their wish, leaving people at the mercy of the weather! The Nitelink service which, in some routes, runs every 30 minutes Friday and Saturday, from 00:00 to 04:00 and costs ONLY €5!!! No services Monday to Thursday, so you have to get your bus by 11:30PM!

Trains towards the city HAVE to go through a unique hub - Connolly Station. They get there easy and quick... then they have to "wait their turn" (!) to serve the platform - yes, I know... it's hilarious!!! The timetable? For the west link, for instance, in the middle of the day you have to wait one hour to get into a train, not to mention they finish serving at 11PM and the first train on Sundays and bank holidays is 10AM! Buses as well!!!

"Oh, but it might be good for bikers", one may say. Not so fast, buddy! There are not enough corridors for bikes, and they are not that safe at all! Drivers don't really respect bikers, you'll quick learn that!

The government should care about the infrastructure first, and then come with these preposterous ideas...