The say anything, what's on your mind thread

[osarusan]

When you call somebody on a landline and get their answering machine for a spilt second before hanging up in disgust, do you get charged for that?

[SkStu]

How Western?

Van was sold to me so highly when I was there in 2012 after the Euros. Sooooooooo disappointing.

west of, and including, Manitoba.

Lets put it this way, Swiss Chalet opening in Regina was a depressingly big deal. The vast and variable number of franchises/chains are one thing but there is a serious lack of GOOD independent places all across western Canada which bothers me more.

So you didn't like Van? Its supposed to be one of the big culinary hotspots in Canada so that is surprising to me...

[gastric]

west of, and including, Manitoba.

Lets put it this way, Swiss Chalet opening in Regina was a depressingly big deal. The vast and variable number of franchises/chains are one thing but there is a serious lack of GOOD independent places all across western Canada which bothers me more.


So you didn't like Van? Its supposed to be one of the big culinary hotspots in Canada so that is surprising to me...

You should know by now that Bonnie is an opinionated, fussy sh#t!

[John83]

When you call somebody on a landline and get their answering machine for a spilt second before hanging up in disgust, do you get charged for that?
Yes, I think so. But not very much.

[Real ale Madrid]

I'd love a Snickers right now.

[Eminence Grise]

Interview this morning for a job that I would kill to get, and launching a book tonight. Double dose of nerves!!

[Real ale Madrid]

I'm actually thinking of writing a book ( kind of a book of historical stats ) - any advice?

[Eminence Grise]

Just sent you a PM, RaM.

[Mr A]

I'm actually thinking of writing a book ( kind of a book of historical stats ) - any advice?
Sure:
*Double spacing gets you there way quicker.
*Swearing: it's big and funny.
*Footnotes should always lead to other footnotes to a depth of no less than 3 deep.

[BonnieShels]

west of, and including, Manitoba.

Lets put it this way, Swiss Chalet opening in Regina was a depressingly big deal. The vast and variable number of franchises/chains are one thing but there is a serious lack of GOOD independent places all across western Canada which bothers me more.

So you didn't like Van? Its supposed to be one of the big culinary hotspots in Canada so that is surprising to me...

It's okay. But it it is incredibly over priced and oversold. Everyone is so gushing that it's hard to live up to its reputation. I thought it was meh.


You should know by now that Bonnie is an opinionated, fussy sh#t!

Tell me what you really think?

[peadar1987]

Sure:
*Double spacing gets you there way quicker.
*Swearing: it's big and funny.
*Footnotes should always lead to other footnotes to a depth of no less than 3 deep.

I refuse to read anything unless it has footnotes that lead me around the pages like a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book.

[Eminence Grise]

Aw man! I really want a CYOA book now!!!

[BonnieShels]

Ottawa time.

Whoooooop!

[gastric]

Ottawa time.

Whoooooop!

So how is Ottawa going Bonnie? Have you got work organised or are you looking now? Anyhow the vert best of luck with the move.

[nigel-harps1954]

This thread is getting a bit too quiet.

[BonnieShels]

Sort it out so buck.

[The Fly]

The absence of George Best and Joey Dunlop from the Top 10 Irish Sport Persons board on that Second Captains show on RTE is a disgrace.

[BonnieShels]

So how is Ottawa going Bonnie? Have you got work organised or are you looking now? Anyhow the vert best of luck with the move.

Still in holiday mode. Gonna start doing all the real life stuff tomorrow. Grr.


The absence of George Best and Joey Dunlop from the Top 10 Irish Sport Persons board on that Second Captains show on RTE is a disgrace.

Is it really? George was a talent but his flawed nature surely lends him some romantic notions. I wouldn't have him in the Top-10. I'd have Alex Higgins in before him.

Dunlop's omission is no doubt due to the lack of love for motorbikes amongst those picking the panel. I'm guessing. Why not send a mail to RTE or Second Captains about it?

[bennocelt]

Who was in that top ten?

[The Fly]

Is it really? George was a talent but his flawed nature surely lends him some romantic notions. I wouldn't have him in the Top-10. I'd have Alex Higgins in before him.

Dunlop's omission is no doubt due to the lack of love for motorbikes amongst those picking the panel. I'm guessing. Why not send a mail to RTE or Second Captains about it?

George Best was more than just a talent. No other player from these islands has enchanted and beguiled fans of the game as much as he did. Some proof of which can be found in the reaction to his death. Leaving aside his global, or at least continental, standing in the game, and placing it solely in an Irish context, he remains the greatest talent produced on this island by a country mile. No one else is in, nor near, his class. Despite all of this he remains absent from this feature, something which you agree with. If Ronaldinho came from this island would you leave him out as well?

I actually tweeted Ken Early about it and he said it was discussed in the previous series and that there was no good reason for it - merely that none of the panelists/guests had put him on it. I suspect therefore, that the real reason is that the 'ROI' centric panel do not regard Best as being truly Irish, which is both sad and revealing.

[Charlie Darwin]

I suspect therefore, that the real reason is that the 'ROI' centric panel do not regard Best as being truly Irish, which is both sad and revealing.
Except, as Ken pointed out to you, the panel don't choose what goes on the wall. They had Neil Lennon on last week, a footballer from NI, and he didn't choose to put the footballer from NI up there.

[The Fly]

Except, as Ken pointed out to you, the panel don't choose what goes on the wall. They had Neil Lennon on last week, a footballer from NI, and he didn't choose to put the footballer from NI up there.

Has anyone else from the North appeared on it?

I was under the impression that the panel made an initial list which was added to, and altered, by guests of the show. Is this incorrect?

[Charlie Darwin]

Has anyone else from the North appeared on it?
I think they had Oisín McConville in series one? But they've only done like six shows - they haven't had that many guests. Lennon chose to put Barry McGuigan on the wall, for the record, citing how important a figure he was for both sides of the community in Northern Ireland. On another day, he could easily have chosen Best for similar reasons.

[The Fly]

I think they had Oisín McConville in series one? But they've only done like six shows - they haven't had that many guests. Lennon chose to put Barry McGuigan on the wall, for the record, citing how important a figure he was for both sides of the community in Northern Ireland. On another day, he could easily have chosen Best for similar reasons.

I saw that episode and of course Lennon is entitled to his choice, but I still hold to my criticism given the truly bizarre nature of his absence. I should've referred to the 'ROI centric' nature of the show instead.

Perhaps a non-nationalist Northerner could rectify the situation and allow some common sense to prevail.

[Charlie Darwin]

It's hardly surprising that an Irish TV show would focus more on the 75% in ROI than the 25% in NI. And there are only 10 sportspeople on the wall at any given time. It's hardly bizarre that one person wouldn't make it for a few weeks. Anybody who's going to introduce him is probably going to be a footballer and there aren't many of those who'd be going on the show, so you have a pretty explicable absence.

[The Fly]

It's hardly surprising that an Irish TV show would focus more on the 75% in ROI than the 25% in NI.

I don't find that surprising. What I do find surprising is the absence of the greatest footballing talent produced on this island; the only Irish player to have won the Ballon D'or, and the only Irish player to have had a legitimate claim to the mantle of best player in the world for a time. As I said - truly bizarre!...whether the show is ROI centric or not.

[Charlie Darwin]

I don't find that surprising. What I do find surprising is the absence of the greatest footballing talent produced on this island; the only Irish player to have won the Ballon D'or, and the only Irish player to have had a legitimate claim to the mantle of best player in the world for a time. As I said - truly bizarre!...whether the show is ROI centric or not.
This could more easily be explained by the guests not being soccer-centric rather than being ROI-centric.

You can see the process for how they chose the original top ten here: http://secondcaptains.tumblr.com/post/62091495368/the-good-wall-all-the-picks

You could point out that the original top ten only has one NI sportsperson on it, or you could point out the more glaring fact that it has three boxers and two middle-distance runners on it, compared to two GAA players and two footballers. Some people would argue that our best sportspeople have been boxers and middle-distance runners, while others would argue those are minority sports.

I think you have to be very careful about suggesting national/regional bias when there are more simple explanations to be heard.

[The Fly]

This could more easily be explained by the guests not being soccer-centric rather than being ROI-centric.

You can see the process for how they chose the original top ten here: http://secondcaptains.tumblr.com/post/62091495368/the-good-wall-all-the-picks

You could point out that the original top ten only has one NI sportsperson on it, or you could point out the more glaring fact that it has three boxers and two middle-distance runners on it, compared to two GAA players and two footballers. Some people would argue that our best sportspeople have been boxers and middle-distance runners, while others would argue those are minority sports.

I think you have to be very careful about suggesting national/regional bias when there are more simple explanations to be heard.

Thanks for the link. I still hold to my view though, unless the only other explanation is a lack of common sense.

[Charlie Darwin]

Thanks for the link. I still hold to my view though, unless the only other explanation is a lack of common sense.
Well then you're persisting in your view in spite of clear contradictory evidence. Another observation based on looking at the lists - they lean heavily on sportspeople who were successful around the late 80s/early 90s, the prime formative years of most current and recently-retired sportsmen. George Best, for most sportspeople in Ireland, is somebody they never saw live and whose achievements they never contemporarily shared in. Maybe the panellists should show more historical knowledge, but that's another matter, but to conclude they're ROI-centric without a lick of evidence to support it is just plain daft and, I think, a bit insulting to the people who chose the wall.

[The Fly]

Well then you're persisting in your view in spite of clear contradictory evidence. Another observation based on looking at the lists - they lean heavily on sportspeople who were successful around the late 80s/early 90s, the prime formative years of most current and recently-retired sportsmen. George Best, for most sportspeople in Ireland, is somebody they never saw live and whose achievements they never contemporarily shared in. Maybe the panellists should show more historical knowledge, but that's another matter, but to conclude they're ROI-centric without a lick of evidence to support it is just plain daft and, I think, a bit insulting to the people who chose the wall.

We'll just have to agree to disagree then.

I'd have little doubt that if he came from Dublin, for example, he'd be on it.

[Charlie Darwin]

We'll just have to agree to disagree then.

I'd have little doubt that if he came from Dublin, for example, he'd be on it.
Like all the other pre-1980s sportspeople on the wall from ROI? You can carry on banging the drum for Best's exclusion being down to ROI-centricism (I haven't seen you offer an explanation for Wayne McCullogh's inclusion) but the evidence doesn't back you up one jot, and I've provided you with a much more robust and logical theory as to why, which you've dismissed without evidence for reasons you haven't attempted to explain.

[The Fly]

Like all the other pre-1980s sportspeople on the wall from ROI? You can carry on banging the drum for Best's exclusion being down to ROI-centricism (I haven't seen you offer an explanation for Wayne McCullogh's inclusion) but the evidence doesn't back you up one jot, and I've provided you with a much more robust and logical theory as to why, which you've dismissed without evidence for reasons you haven't attempted to explain.

I agree with your point about the relevant formative era playing a significant part in the various selections. There are certain sportspeople however who transcend eras, and also, to some degree, their own sport. Best is one of those.

McCullough, crucially, competed for Ireland in the Olympics and won a silver medal.

[bennocelt]

I'd put Best and Higgins in a top ten, but wouldnt worry to much about this, they are sports people not journos, ie soft analysis at best

[nigel-harps1954]

Can we all just agree, Gerry Armstrong should be put on the list?

[Charlie Darwin]

Can we all just agree, Gerry Armstrong should be put on the list?
Gerry is on the Elite Good Wall (EGN).

[BonnieShels]

I just bought tickets to a gig in North Carolina in April. WTF!

[The Fly]

El Clasico finished 4-3 to Barcelona. The best football match I've seen in years.

[Charlie Darwin]

It was a brilliant antidote than some of the sterile Mourinho-Guardiola battles we've had to put up with, but the best match in years? Was some outstanding skill levels on show from both teams though. Barcelona badly need a real centre half to replace Mascherano.

[The Fly]

It was a brilliant antidote than some of the sterile Mourinho-Guardiola battles we've had to put up with, but the best match in years? Was some outstanding skill levels on show from both teams though.

It's certainly up there. The first half was especially exhilarating.


Barcelona badly need a real centre half to replace Mascherano.

They need two new centre backs, preferably world class ones. Although those are in short supply these days.

I think it's a disgrace that the club have allowed their defensive frailties to get to the stage that they have. Truly amazing!

[Charlie Darwin]

It's certainly up there. The first half was especially exhilarating.
Di Maria was unreal first half. He had Dani Alves for breakfast. I was really worried when he went down after the first goal that we had another Fabrice Muamba on our hands, but then two minutes later he was creating another goal! Mounrinho had to show a lot of patience with him and, funnily enough, Ancelotti is getting all the benefit.


They need two new centre backs, preferably world class ones. Although those are in short supply these days.

I think it's a disgrace that the club have allowed their defensive frailties to get to the stage that they have. Truly amazing!
I think the logic is that there are so few centre halves who can play the Barca way that you basically need to train a midfielder to defend. Anybody who plays centre half for Barca is always going to be more of a ball player than a defender in my view. Even Hummels, who they've been strongly linked to for years, is fond of the odd clanger.

[thischarmingman]

Anyone ever applied for a de facto Irish visa, by any chance?

Also, what's the job situation like in Dublin at the moment? Are there signs it's getting better?

[pineapple stu]

Employers are being fairly picky is the main problem. If your CV doesn't match their requirements exactly, you probably won't get called. Can make it hard to change career tack.

Also, are you tied down to Dublin? The property market is utterly dysfunctional (more so than the rest of the country). Might be worthwhile looking in other areas of the country if possible; might have to settle for a lower wage, but could quite conceivably offset that with lower accommodation costs.

An Irish visa is green. That's literally all I know there. :)

[thischarmingman]

Employers are being fairly picky is the main problem. If your CV doesn't match their requirements exactly, you probably won't get called. Can make it hard to change career tack.

Also, are you tied down to Dublin? The property market is utterly dysfunctional (more so than the rest of the country). Might be worthwhile looking in other areas of the country if possible; might have to settle for a lower wage, but could quite conceivably offset that with lower accommodation costs.


Cheers PS, we're not tied down to Dublin. But the reason we're considering Ireland is because London is too tricky to get into at the moment, thanks to the UK's incredibly difficult to meet visa requirements - we'd basically have to separate for 6+ months and I'd have to leave my line of work. So we'd prefer a big city, and I know (and love) Dublin pretty well.

Also, as much as I like the place, it's going to be awfully hard to persuade her to swap Sydney for Sligo.

[nigel-harps1954]

Cheers PS, we're not tied down to Dublin. But the reason we're considering Ireland is because London is too tricky to get into at the moment, thanks to the UK's incredibly difficult to meet visa requirements - we'd basically have to separate for 6+ months and I'd have to leave my line of work. So we'd prefer a big city, and I know (and love) Dublin pretty well.

Also, as much as I like the place, it's going to be awfully hard to persuade her to swap Sydney for Sligo.

Galway. Much better option, much cheaper, much nicer, much more opportunities.

[Dodge]

De facto Immigration rules/info


http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/De%20Facto%20Relationships

[Mr A]

Galway. Much better option, much cheaper, much nicer, much more opportunities.

Not sure it has better opportunities, not in my line of work (I.T.) anyway and salaries are way short of in Dublin. Galway is cheaper than Dublin- but dear compared to a lot of places.

The place is a bit over rated to be honest.

[nigel-harps1954]

Funny, I've heard nothing but good things from a few friends who moved there in the past two years. One friend works from home for Apple in Galway, and another works in some sort of computer company somewhere in the city. Both of them love it there, and the slight decrease in wage that could be achieved in Dublin is made up for through cheaper cost of living than Dublin.
The girlfriend moved up from Galway to Letterkenny two and a half years ago and I still constantly hear about how great Galway is, despite Donegal being one of the cheapest counties to live in at the minute.

[BonnieShels]

Not sure it has better opportunities, not in my line of work (I.T.) anyway and salaries are way short of in Dublin. Galway is cheaper than Dublin- but dear compared to a lot of places.

The place is a bit over rated to be honest.

Always has been my thought on the place. And I always get gasps when I say it.

[BonnieShels]

Today I discovered a place called Bumpass (VA) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bumpass,_Virginia). It's in Louisa County (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisa_County,_Virginia), which is right beside Goochland County (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goochland_County,_Virginia). Or Kerry as it should be renamed... :O

Oh yeah.

[SkStu]

Galways brilliant. It has soul.