The WTF thread

[Leinster Exile]

The Germans are loving all this. Total domination of the Eurozone. Their puppet Governments installed in Greece and Italy already, and their overwhelming influence on other Governments to bend to their will. We are slowly but surely seeing the death of nation state democracy to become part of a Franco-German Federal superstate.

But this Brits are always the bad boys......................eh no wait. I was always pro europe but the way its going is quite worrying

[Leinster Exile]

Am I supposed to feel sorry for these people ?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15197860

She spends £10,000 every couple of years to buy a new car and likes to go on two or three package holidays a year.

"If you want your kids to go to private school you can't do that on £40,000," says Hall. "If you have to have everything in your house that is current, you can't do that on £40,000, so people need to set priorities."

[sheepshagger]

ipad covers for £695

http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/167297

Who pays that - more than the device itself !!

[johng]

ipad covers for £695

http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/167297

Who pays that - more than the device itself !!

I've seen manys a rapper with wheels on their car worth more than the car. Gold on the neck worth way more that the voice inside.

Also seen manys an aul wan with clothing that was worth way more than the arse it covered.

Manys a young wan with a handbag worth a zillion times more than the contents.

It's all about how you look at it.

[RavenhillRaider]

Uganda enters the space race!

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/ar ... 41c276.561

[Leinster Exile]

J3sus, Mary and Joseph

Budget 2012
The car tax scale based on emissions will go up, incl €104 to €160 and €156 to €225. This should bring in around €50m

[TerenureJim]

J3sus, Mary and Joseph

Budget 2012
The car tax scale based on emissions will go up, incl €104 to €160 and €156 to €225. This should bring in around €50m

Biggest joke of a carbon tax ever, if you want to go for a carbon tax based upon emissions then put the tax on the petrol & diesel at the pumps which will tax users. I generally cycle but have a high(ish) performance motor that might get a run at the weekend, generally I'd probably have less emisions than someone with a prius based on usage yet I pay some hefty feckin tax on the car. Seriously annoys me.

[sid]

They should have at least doubled those numbers, or scrapped the emission based system. The people who can afford to buy an 08+ 520d can obviously afford to pay more tax than someone who drives an 01 Fiesta. Absolutely ludicrous that people with those cars pay so little - particularly when the 07 model is the exact same car and is in the €600 bracket.

[ronk]

J3sus, Mary and Joseph

Budget 2012
The car tax scale based on emissions will go up, incl €104 to €160 and €156 to €225. This should bring in around €50m

Biggest joke of a carbon tax ever, if you want to go for a carbon tax based upon emissions then put the tax on the petrol & diesel at the pumps which will tax users. I generally cycle but have a high(ish) performance motor that might get a run at the weekend, generally I'd probably have less emisions than someone with a prius based on usage yet I pay some hefty feckin tax on the car. Seriously annoys me.

They do already, but there's a diminishing return because of the risk of fuel smuggling.

[fourthirtythree]

It's only started: we have already taken on the private debts of people who took those risky debts for profit. Derelict lenders have been bailed out by the Irish state (i.e. taxpayer) and we have to pay the people back who we borrowed that money (as a state and therefore it actually is our responsibility). Tax hikes and service cuts all round and an economy which will continue to shrink as it spirals down the toilet.

If this is news to you it's because you swallowed the bait over the last four years and were discussing the wrong things when you were talking about economics.

Most of you swallowed the bait.

[TerenureJim]

In today's Irish Times:

Women avoid jail for posing as gardaí

Two women who posed as gardaí in an attempt to enter the home of two elderly bachelors and steal money avoided prison at Limerick Circuit Court yesterday.

Kate O’Brien (21), Shoulders Lane, Mallow, and Louise Galvin (24), Richmond Green, Buttevant, both Cork, were arrested on July 20th, 2009, as part of an investigation in Limerick. Judge Carroll Moran imposed a two-year jail term on each of the women, which he suspended for two and three years respectively.

So let me get this straight you can impersonate Gardaí to rob pensioners in their homes in this country and not get sent to jail for it? In most other countries you'd get 10 years without appeal for this. Can we get rid of the current judiciary and hire this guy now please?

[honeyec]

As well as the judge who recently suspended the sentence of a guy who drank 8 pints, drove the wrong way down the N7 and crashed into & killed another motorist because he "didn't think alcohol was a factor".

[sheepshagger]

As well as the judge who recently suspended the sentence of a guy who drank 8 pints, drove the wrong way down the N7 and crashed into & killed another motorist because he "didn't think alcohol was a factor".

Judge should be sacked for such a stupid statement.

[Hornet]

Justice in this Country is a joke, period!

[TerenureJim]

Justice in this Country is a joke, period!

Yeah but great DJ set I think they're playing the Marquee in Cork in the Summer

[Hornet]

Justice in this Country is a joke, period!

Yeah but great DJ set I think they're playing the Marquee in Cork in the Summer

I thought they were a bunch of Comedians!

[sheepshagger]

'Irish broadband worse than Vietnam'

Ireland's broadband performance is worse than Vietnam, Moldova and Mongolia with this country slipping to 53rd place in the world with an average download speed of 7.86 Mbps, according to consumer pressure group, IrelandOffLine.

Ireland has plunged a catastrophic eight places in the download world rankings in this quarter alone, it said, citing statistics from global independent compiler, Ookla Netindex.

Ireland is the fifth worst in Europe for under-performance against service promise and the third most expensive in Europe in the service cost per Megabit per second.

In Quarter 4 2011 Ireland was 53rd in the World for Download Speeds and 24th out of 27 in the EU. It was 71st in the World for Upload Speed and 24th out of 27 in the EU. Ireland is 23rd in the World up for Quality and 18th of 25 in the EU and was 53rd in the World for Promise and 23 out of 27 in the EU. Ireland rates 43rd in the World in cost per Mbps and 25 out of 27 in the EU.

"IrelandOffline notes that since our new Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte assumed office in late Q1 2011 the improvements to Ireland's Broadband Performance rapidly levelled off and our performance has now gone into full reverse with a drop of eight places in download speeds during the past quarter. We feel that Minister Rabbitte has had quite long enough, nine months in fact, to learn his Departmental 'Excuse Book' off by heart and now the necessity for strong action is required to stem our inevitable slide," the group said.

"The Urban Rural divide as implied by the gap between UPC and eircom continues to grow. The average UPC customer enjoyed three times the speed of the average eircom customer in Q4 2010 and the performance gap in Q4 2011 now shows UPC is on average over four times faster than eircom.. This improvement in cable broadband speeds kept Ireland largely static in the international tables over much of the year but can no longer deliver a sufficient performance to keep us static in international comparison tables," IrelandOffLine said.

http://www.fxcentre.com/news.asp?2841797

[sheepshagger]

Bus, rail, Luas fare increases approved

Friday, 9th December 2011 12.30pm

The National Transport Authority has today (9th December 2011) approved fares increases across all public transport operators - Dublin Bus, Iarnrod Eireann, Bus Eireann and Luas.

These increases will come into effect in January, 2012 and follow from the reduction in funds available to subsidise public transport announced in the Dail on Monday (December 5). All transport operators suffered deficits in 2011 and will incur deficits in 2012.

The new Leap Card (a smartcard card which will operate across all public transport providers) will give commuters and travellers an option to pay lower fares. The Leap card will be launched for sale next week.

The Authority has approved cash fares increases for Dublin Bus with associated discounts for use of the Leap Card. Leap Card fares will be available at 5pc above current cash fares while cash fares will increase by an average of 15pc, all from January 2012. Use of the new Leap Card will be 9pc cheaper than cash. Dublin Bus had sought average fare increases of between 25pc and 36pc.

In relation to Bus Eireann, increases of 5.4pc on city and stage coach services have been approved. An increase of 5.1pc has been approved for weekly 10 journey rates on Provincial City, Commuter and Local Service. A 3pc increase for the annual tax saver tickets on Provincial City, Commuter and Local Services has been approved. In general the increases sought by Bus Eireann have been approved given that their fares had not been increased since 2009. The Leap Card will be extended to include Greater Dublin Area Bus Eireann services and some private operator services in 2012.

The Authority has approved increases for Iarnrod Eireann averaging 6pc on DART and 6.7pc on Inner Commuter services. As with Dublin Bus and Luas services, a significant discount on cash fares will continue to be available for customers using the new Leap Card. This discount ranges between 16pc and 19pc for single fares. Fares increases on pre-paid and tax-saver tickets have been approved at an average of 6pc. Iarnrod Eireann had sought an average increase of 8.5pc on DART and Inner and Outer Commuter Services.

Fares for Inter City rail services are under review in order to address anomalies in charging. The standard fare varies significantly by route, and when journeys use more than one route significant anomalies can occur (e.g .the fare is greater than the sum of the parts). Iarnrod Eireann will present fares proposals for Inter City services to the Authority, for its decision, later in December. Details of these fares will be made available after that date.

In relation to the Railway Procurement Agency, the Authority has approved their fares request such that the average results in a 6.3pc increase on Luas services. Adult cash fares will increase by an average of 5.5pc increase and child cash fares by an average of 12.5pc (note that child fares have not been increased since the launch of Luas in 2004 while the CPI increased by 13.2pc over the same period). Use of the Leap Card will offer customers (adults and children) very significant discounts on the single cash fares with up to a 17pc discount on certain single tickets. Smartcard fares have been increased to moderate the large differential that had opened up with cash fares as Smartcard fares had only increased once since 2005.

Dublin Bus seeking an increase of 25-36% - pity the service hasn't improved accordingly

[TerenureJim]

Dublin Bus seeking an increase of 25-36% - pity the service hasn't improved accordingly

Ditch the bus and get on a bike, honestly you will save a fortune and unless you're coming in from some of the further flug parts of Rathfarnham around three rock and Blessington/Brittas then there's no cycle distance in/out of the city not handled in about an easy 40 mins max

[Hornet]

The Authority has approved cash fares increases for Dublin Bus with associated discounts for use of the Leap Card. Leap Card fares will be available at 5pc above current cash fares while cash fares will increase by an average of 15pc, all from January 2012. Use of the new Leap Card will be 9pc cheaper than cash. Dublin Bus had sought average fare increases of between 25pc and 36pc.



Dublin Bus seeking an increase of 25-36% - pity the service hasn't improved accordingly

9%! Whoopie f**king doo! And we have waited over ten years for this? Check the equivelent London Oystercard reduction on cash fares :-
http://sti-india-uttoolkit.adb.org/mod3/se3/006_2.html

What service improvements? I suppose less buses and fewer routes are an improvement with our 18th century (lack of) Public Transport system in the eyes of the DB Management, (another bunch of clowns who earn a living under false pretences). Pathetic.