Topics

Anyone who had cabletel - NTL now Virgin media and who gets the TVXL package is now entitled to free Setanta one and two.
Class as I was going too get it in soon myself and pay for it.

[Wardens 'park illegally' on yellow lines]

Wardens 'park illegally' on yellow lines 

Wardens are parking on double yellow lines
Some traffic wardens have been parking their cars on double yellow lines in Belfast but not receiving parking tickets.
An investigation by the BBC's Nolan Show found that the wardens were illegally parking, yet not being penalised.

It keep watch on a city centre street over a period of time.

Presenter Stephen Nolan said: "We have been watching this street for a while.


"In this street, there are double yellow lines and there are single yellow lines. You can park on them and you don't get a ticket.

"Guess who it is parking on the double yellow lines - it's the traffic wardens.

"The traffic wardens are parking in Belfast city centre on double yellow lines and they are not booking themselves."



'Period of time'



James Pritchard, the communications director for NCP, said those people charged with enforcing the rules "shouldn't be seen to be flouting the rules themselves".

"If they are doing what you say they are doing, then they are breaking our rules and if we catch the people involved then they wouldn't be working for NCP services in Northern Ireland for very much longer - in fact, they wouldn't be working for NCP services at all.

"It is against the rules to do this.

"What I think has happened here is that sometimes, from time to time, you get changes on the on-street rules, you get maintenance of lines and signs.

"For a period of time, because of that, the regulations are not enforceable."

However, over a period of two days, a BBC journalist reported traffic wardens parking their cars on double yellow lines in the street and failing to issue tickets.


Considering their so quick to ticket the rest of us, then this is a disgrace!! 

Thinking of heading down Leeside next week, Tuesday to Friday, any recommendations on what to do, where to go and places to stay in the city?
Also what is the Ambassador Hotel like?

NI minimum wage 'may be reduced' 

Mr Brown is believed to be considering reducing the minimum wage in NI
Prime Minister Gordon Brown is considering plans which could see the minimum wage reduced in Northern Ireland, it is believed.
The minimum wage is set at £5.35 across the UK, however, if the plans go ahead it will be reduced in NI, Scotland, Wales and the north east of England.

Employment Minister Sir Reg Empey said he was disappointed with the idea.

"We have difficulty in getting people to leave benefit and go to work, this would make matters worse," he said.

"I think for that reason we have got to remember that the people who are receiving the minimum wage tend to be those people who are doing very basic jobs and I honestly don't think penalising them will improve our economic prosperity."

A government spokesperson would not comment on the issue.



Jezez, talk about putting the boot into the worst off in society, wonder will the crime rates jump up again if this idiots policy gets passed..! 

[Whats the stupidest thing you have ever done??]

Obviously not the brightest bulb in the shop!

Whats the stupidest thing you have ever done??


Man flies to wedding a year early 

The wedding is due to take place in July 2008, not 2007
A teacher flew home to Wales from Toronto in Canada for a wedding, only to discover he was one year early.
Dave Barclay, 34, mistakenly thought Dave Best was marrying on 6 July 2007 after he e-mailed him at the start of the year and started making plans.

It was only when he arrived back at his mother's in Wenvoe near Cardiff he realised he had travelled 4,000 miles for a wedding 12 months away.

"I am a year early - yeah, my mates are loving it, aren't they," he said.

Mr Barclay, who has been teaching in Toronto for three years, admitted he had assumed the big day was this July when he received his friend's e-mail.

"I occasionally come home for weddings and my mate, Dave Best, e-mailed me at the start of the year to say he's having a wedding - July 6," he told BBC Radio Wales.

  Well, at least it's assured me a mention in the speech next year, I reckon.

Dave Barclay

"So I booked my ticket, paid £500 to fly into Cardiff, got the old suit cleaned, the goatee trimmed, the head shaved - I was going to be the belle of the ball."

The teacher added: "I called his mum to find his number and then I called him up and I said, 'When and where is this wedding? It's in a couple of days and I'd just like to know where I'm going.'

"He said to me, 'Mate it's not this year, it's next year - 2008 not 2007."'

Once he realised his mistake, Mr Barclay said a handful of other oddities began to make sense, like the fact that his friend's mother never mentioned the wedding when he called her.

He said he had deleted the original e-mail sent by his friend.

Asking the time

"He just said July the 6th and I assumed it was this year because if you tell the guy July 6th, they're going to think it's this year.

Instead, he blamed his girlfriend who he said "usually takes care of that kind of things".

His friends back in Wales are now ribbing him asking him the time and showing him newspapers.

But Mr Barclay admitted he had not been able to tell his friend the total truth about what happened.

"He said to me you didn't come home specially for the wedding did you and I lied and said no. And he said "Thank God for that, I thought you were going to charge me for the cost of the (plane) ticket and the present then."

"Well, at least it's assured me a mention in the speech next year, I reckon."



Who on the board is brave enough to let us know the stupidiest thing that they have done!!!

IRA figurine banned from eBay 

By Kelly Bonner
BBC Northern Ireland 



"Whatever it is ...you can get it on eBay," so says the advertisement for the world's best-known auction website.

Not, it seems, if you fall foul of eBay's "prohibited item" policy - as happened to an American historical figurine company.


The figurine of an IRA volunteer from 1921 was banned from eBay

Valiant Enterprises were told their model soldier of an IRA volunteer from 1921 had been removed from the eBay site because the figure "violated its hateful or discriminatory policy".


The eBay policy states: "Sellers may not list items that promote or glorify hatred, violence, racial or religious intolerance, or items that promote organisations with such views."

Other banned models include figures depicting Adolf Hitler, Heinrich Himmler and Joseph Goebbels.

Tim Neckermann of Valiant Enterprises said he did not agree with eBay's decision to ban the figurine from its site.

'Revolutionary figures'

"During this period, the Irish were fighting British oppression," he said.

"I would hope that eBay will not remove any of our American Revolutionary figures for the same reason, we were fighting for our freedom."

Sinn Fein's Alex Maskey said the decision to ban the item was unjustified.

He said: "To ban important historical facts like the Irish War of Independence is just bizarre. Especially when that time is history has been recognised and commemorated by the Irish government".

Mr Maskey also said that he found it offensive that the material was described by eBay as "hateful".

"The IRA during that period in Irish history are held in high regard by the Irish government and the Irish people," he added.




Surely another a case of political correctness gone mad!

Whos going to get the 100,000 post?

Anyone want to guess what the post will be about?

Yes I'm bored today - slow work day! 

Any of you good Mayo people know anything about the Breaffy House Hotel outside Castlebar?

Have already Googled it and read the splurg, but local knowledge is always more valuable!!

Have two tickets available for the Who - Any of you lovely lads or ladies interested?

The concert is now sold out.

2 seating tickets for the who live at the marquee sat 30th june


venue - live at the marquee cork city
tickets are the most expensive so will be good seats

Hard fought win by Donegal today, makes for an interesting final against Mayo.

Didn't get to the match as was way down country, but was Cassidys sending off deserved, I listened to the first half on the radio and his yellow was a soft/silly one to give away! But at that stage it looked more likely that Roper would be the man getting an early shower!!

Need to affiliate myself with a club here in the big smoke that is Belfast, does anyone have any opinion on the Ard Eoin Kickhams or Naimh Eanna???

They would be the two local clubs in the area (well the biggest anyways), I have supped a jar or three in both and enjoyed them, just interested to hear any other experiences, before I make the jump.

Can the mighty men from Hills make it 6 out of 6???

After the debacle that was the McKenna cup final, can Donegal raises themselves for this crunch match, a win I believe will almost guarantee Donegal a place in semi's with the "easier" games to come!!
I think that the lads will learn alot of leasons from sunday and will hopefully be practising their free taking and shooting for the rest of the week.
Home advantage should show through and Donegal to win by 3 points.

As was mentioned on another thread, lots of english teams have their own dedicated threads, so here's one for the Bhoys.
Any of you Hoops supporters out there feel free to contribute.

"Departing Real Madrid midfielder David Beckham could be in direct opposition to Celtic in the USA this summer.
Celtic have been confirmed as the opposition in the 2007 MLS All-Stars Game in Colorado this on 19 July.

And, by then, former England international Beckham could have made his move to LA Galaxy.

Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell told his club website: "We are absolutely delighted to be travelling to America again this pre-season."

Gordon Strachan's side will face the top players of Major League Soccer in the prestigious game at the Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado.

"Celtic has a world-wide audience, with thousands of fans in the United States, and I am sure this passionate support will be looking forward to welcoming the team back," said Lawwell.

MLS commissioner Don Garber extended a warm welcome to the Scottish Premier League leaders.

"We are thrilled to welcome Celtic, one of the world's most popular teams, for a quality match against the best of MLS at our newest soccer cathedral, Dick's Sporting Goods Park," he said.

"We look forward to an exciting evening in this tremendous new soccer-specific venue."


COME ON THE HOOPS!!!

Thought you boyos might be interested in this one.

http://www.tg4.ie/Bearla/Spor/cuil/sq2.asp 

Have just posted this on the Non GAA section but just in case some of you don't venture into that strange domain  I thought that I'd chance my arm here as well. Sorry for the duplication! 

Need to get my hands on a couple of DVD about Down football team, a christmas present (not for me mind)!!!
Anything to do with the 5 Sams or the history of the county team, would have to be available in Belfast though.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.