I'm glad I work from home

Every time I go out on the roads I play Russian Roulette. Why is it that huge container trucks keep pace with me on the national routes at 100km/h? Aren’t they supposed to be speed limited to 80km/h? Why is it that on the 50km/h stretch of road into Blackpool I’m routinely overtaken by motorists and lorries doing 60km/h and more? Why was I overtaken on a dangerous bend yesterday by someone who crossed an unbroken white line into the “fast” line and swerved into my lane right in front of me again when he was blocked by a slower driver? Where’s the social stigma of speeding?
Fear of penalty points has worn away. Maybe motorists should be locked up overnight for bad driving.
Raiméis comments on the death tole on Irish roads so far this year. 50 dead and it’s only the start of February. That’s an awful carnage.
United Irelander also has several links to other bloggers talking about this terrible waste of life, and links to statistics from the Gardai going back to the year 2000.
Who can you complain to? Try Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen TD at minister@transport.ie

Irish Blog Awards – You can start voting now!

Damien announced this evening that voting is now open for the Irish Blog Awards. I’m nominated in 3 sections:

  • Best Personal Blog (this blog)
  • Best Contribution to the Irish Bloggersphere (for WordPress)
  • Best Photo Blog (for In Photos)

If you’re familiar with the Irish B(l)oggersphere you’ll know a lot of the names, but if you’re not, follow the links to at least a few of the blogs and have a good read. Then decide who’ll get your vote. Vote for me if you think I deserve it!

Thank you to those who nominated me, I’m going to have a peek at the other entries now!

My Name Is Yu Ming

What language would you learn if you were coming to a little country called Ireland? My Name Is Yu Ming is a film about a Chinese student who learns Irish so he can start a new life in Ireland. Unfortunately most Irish people don’t speak Irish..
Even if you don’t speak Irish you’ll get a kick out of this great little film as it’s subtitled. Go watch it! (Thanks Donal!)

The TVArk – television museum

Ryan found the TVArk! Ryan has linked directly to a few ads such as the old Kia Ora one from 1984 and remember the Trebor Soft Mints one set in a strange and soft world? That’s from 1987!
Lots more on the TVArk site itself, Yes Ryan, I’ll have to have a good look around this site tonight!

Jack and Jill Mobile Phone Appeal

This morning on Ian Dempsey’s show a representative from the Jack and Jill Childrens Foundation was on asking for mobile phones to be sent to them.
This is a really good cause, the Foundation helps “babies born with severe developmental delay. Usually that means that they can not function at birth and require 24 hour care.”

You shouldn’t send SIM cards or battery chargers, just the phone. Details of where to send the phones are available but if you have an old mobile phone, pop it into an envelope and send it to “The Jack & Jill Inkjet Appeal, Freepost.” That’s all! If you’re in a large organisation, there’s a lo-call number to ring to arrange a larger collection!
Haven’t got an old mobile phone? Why not give them your old printer cartridges instead!