It's taking quite awhile for improvements to come in the materials but quite recently a company in Mayo claimed to have made very significant improvements in efficiency. I wasn't having a go at your idea, I think working on harnessing such an obvious source of energy should be equally as obvious! I was just asking the questions out of curiosity and to kick around what barriers there are to more widespread adoption. There are a couple of other energy options that I'm aware of that don't seem to get as much coverage as they could do e.g. wind power and wave power both of which would be very suitable for a lot of Western European countries (who are among the highest energy consumers). Of course, harking back to my physics days I'd quite like to see nuclear fusion reach a viable state :)
Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't there a couple of issues with solar power: - High upfront cost can make their usage prohibitive. - Conversion efficiency isn't as good as one might hope - The manufacturing process involves quite toxic chemicals
I believe solar power has its place but only as one part of a sustainable energy economy. Several options need to be brought along all the time.
I'm assuming that it's pretty well dried on at this stage? I've heard of vinegar being used but apparently new and improved grouting cures harder and quicker so that might not work and you end up having to go to stronger acids (Google mentions sulfamic acid). What sort of tiles are they? (is there a glaze you need to worry about?)
Absolutely spot on. Thanks! The average workers have no influence on the big scale, they're too busy keeping the hour by hour, day to day workload moving. Process and procedure needs to be resolved so that people can actually spend their time more productively. Let people make full use of their abilities in their jobs and we're all the better for it.
I think having the earpiece in the whole time is daft but I can see their value (no, I haven't started using one!) if you have to do a longer call. I know I find the phone gets a bit sweaty after a bit (TMI?)
I do understand where you're coming from and that's why I've tried to make it plain where I believe paycuts should be targeted. As I've said in previous threads I have no desire to make life any harder than it already is for rank and file civil servants. However I still stand by my belief that there are problems in the way this country is run, both through the government and the policy makers in the civil service, that need to be fixed if we're to find a way out of this and end up with the country that we deserve.
I said I agree with targeted paycuts, you yourself complained about TDs and people from Principal Officer grades up getting pay increases so I don't see a conflict here. I take issue with those who formulated and directed financial policy and management over the past decade and don't see why they should be rewarded and not bear the brunt of the consequences of their short-sighted and ignorant thinking.
You haven't discussed similar topics with me before, you took a strop and ignored my actual points when I last pointed out that there are problems with the civil service which need to be fixed. That doesn't equate to a sweeping dislike of civil/public servants.
I think there is some sense in pay cuts, certainly not across the board though it will need to be targeted. I think there can be no argument with pay freezes in the public sector while public borrowings and spending are so far out of whack. I'd be cautious about encouraging public spending too much as the last thing that needs to happen is that inflation increases.
The banking system needs massive overhaul with far more stringent controls and finance bills directing the way in which domestic business is conducted. The culture of premature bonuses and payouts based on churning needs to be stamped out. This can only be done by enforcing existing financial fraud legislation along with new legislation to tackle undesirable practices like shorting and many hedging practices along with other artificial financial instruments all of which simply don't have a sound financial basis. Given that taxpayers are now carrying the weight of stops for the banks there also needs to be a social aspect to the overhaul - family dwellings with mortgages need to be taken out of risk from repossession. However, I'd say leave the developers to handle the consequences of their greed - lessons need to be learned.
Despite the lack of money available there still needs to be capital investment as the current monoculture that considers only the Pale needs to be addressed with decentralisation across the board. That means developing businesses preferentially beyond the pale and ensuring that the necessary physical and technical infrastructure is brought up to standard.
Wow, I'm an opinionated so and so, better leave it there :)
Unfortunately there are quite a few reports highlighting issues with Champix and depression - apparently it's been enough to make Pfizer change the labeling to warn people.
Being back in Galway and cycling again has cut my smoking right back - it had gone up a lot while I was overseas ...
Interesting posts Vulpine. I'm back in Ireland just over a year (I lived in Singapore for 7 years or so) so I'm at a different place than you. I came back for primarily personal reasons and being home in Ireland has done so much for me at that level. I wouldn't disagree with your posts on the way that the country has been run - it's an unmitigated disaster what this government has visited upon us. However, there are some people doing amazing things here working around the appalling system. Based on his job of graphic design I would think Cork would be the ideal place for him as it has the balance of a larger town (so his girlfriend would have opportunities to pursue her career in osteopathy) with a spirit and culture that I think would appeal to his creative side (I'm making a lot of assumptions about his personality here, so forgive me). There are some fantastic people with a great entrepreneurial spirit there in the IT sector (I've been lucky enough to get to know some of them through various social networking sites and in person) who are really inspirational. My advice would be that they come for a visit and maybe go to the some of the events like the Cork Open Coffee Club events to have a chat and get a feel for place and the people as well as hopefully some encouraging ideas and viewpoints.
There are times when the travel does get tiring, especially when it gets in the way of trying to meet someone. However, I have been fortunate to get to work with great people while I'm away - it helps that they have similar personalities and you don't feel like you have to apologise for the things you find interesting.
Well, I get back to Galway on Saturday evening which I'm looking forward to - rain or no rain :) Aside from that, no idea - grocery shopping? Ooh the excitement
Stick with your original - O'Connell should be the captain. BOD may have experience but not the character of a captain. I can't see how he's going to be colossal - what's his motivation?
Sounds like one of the variations on Do not Stand at My Grave and Weep, have a look at this page where it's discussed along with its history and discussions on origin. Some variants 'feel' similar to what you've quote:
So, it's not ok to complain about threads being hijacked but it's ok to complain about old threads being brought up (it's the wrong kind of having fun/not-being-serious)? I do get confused, maybe I'll get things figured one of these days.
Never thought much of the H A L T advice when I heard people talking about it, but it did come to mind later and is a great little checklist for your own wellbeing.
I work in IT and also do a fair bit of travel, but I'm based out of Galway (couldn't live in Dublin again) - there are jobs here (IBM/Cisco/Oracle/SAP e.g. and smaller IT companies) so I would suggest he doesn't get fixated on Dublin as the be all and end of all of the employment world. Depends on whether he prefers city life and what that brings (good & bad) or likes easier access to the countryside and a different life balance.
Given all the ill feeling over the past few days and how people speaking out in the open hasn't cleared the air, isn't it better to let things slide and bite ones tongue for awhile. Too many of the threads still have barbs being added to them despite all the talk of moving on, etc.
ciotog Forum Posts (530)
RE: Ireland -- What would you do???
It's taking quite awhile for improvements to come in the materials but quite recently a company in Mayo claimed to have made very significant improvements in efficiency. I wasn't having a go at your idea, I think working on harnessing such an obvious source of energy should be equally as obvious! I was just asking the questions out of curiosity and to kick around what barriers there are to more widespread adoption. There are a couple of other energy options that I'm aware of that don't seem to get as much coverage as they could do e.g. wind power and wave power both of which would be very suitable for a lot of Western European countries (who are among the highest energy consumers). Of course, harking back to my physics days I'd quite like to see nuclear fusion reach a viable state :)