NationStates Jolt Archive

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4020523.stm

Ireland is the best place to live in the world, according to a "quality of life" assessment by Economist magazine.

Who'd have thunk it? And it seems that apart from Australia, all of the top 10 countries are European. America's 13th, France is 25th, Germany 26th, Britain 29th...and Zimbabwe 111th and bottom.

Normally I'd be the last person to diss The Economist...but there's more things to a good place to live than "health, freedom, unemployment, family life, climate, political stability and security, gender equality and family and community life".

That being said, I only hear good things about Ireland. It's the place to be right now.

doesn't surprise me that britain is the lowest in western europe

*wants to move*

This does not suprise me in the slightest. Ireland is awesome in it's purest and most refined state.

Normally I'd be the last person to diss The Economist...but there's more things to a good place to live than "health, freedom, unemployment, family life, climate, political stability and security, gender equality and family and community life".

That being said, I only hear good things about Ireland. It's the place to be right now.
I don't know, it seems to cover most bases...

doesn't surprise me that britain is the lowest in western europe

*wants to move*
No, it doesn't surprise me either. Shall we go to Ireland?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4020523.stm



Who'd have thunk it? And it seems that apart from Australia, all of the top 10 countries are European. America's 13th, France is 25th, Germany 26th, Britain 29th...and Zimbabwe 111th and bottom.

Where is Canada as they used to be rated top (probably about 8 years since I last checked)

No, it doesn't surprise me either. Shall we go to Ireland?

*moves over to make room

Where is Canada as they used to be rated top (probably about 8 years since I last checked)
Not got a clue. You need to be a subscriber to the Economist to be able to find anything on their website.

Why's Australia rated so low?

Did the judges get sunburn when they went there so they knocked it down 5 places? Or maybe they were jet-lagged on their visit.

Why's Australia rated so low?

Because it's mostly desert perhaps?

I don't know, it seems to cover most bases...


No, it doesn't surprise me either. Shall we go to Ireland?

*moves over to make room

lets gatecrash Cabra!! :D


in all seriousness, i'd like to move to australia, though i'm trying to see where the Netherlands comes in the list

Because it's mostly desert perhaps?
Horses for courses. Seems the judges prefer cold, wind and rain to warm sunny days ;)

Anyway - there's a hella more of Australia that is not desert than there is all of any of the countries that ranked higher.

It's probably those Tazmanians bringing us down...

Yea, Ireland's number one...

...in POTATO FAMINES!

TAKE THAT!

lets gatecrash Cabra!! :D



Just make sure not to get my cat angry :D
She no likey strangers...

Yea, Ireland's number one...

...in POTATO FAMINES!

TAKE THAT!

you people from kansas know nothing about europe.

lets gatecrash Cabra!! :D

I like the wording in that - we're not gatecrashing her house, or even her door; we're crashing -her-. Make way, we're comin in. :p

I like the wording in that - we're not gatecrashing her house, or even her door; we're crashing -her-. Make way, we're comin in. :p

http://www.newenglandreptile.com/forums/images/smilies/ndisbelief.gif

you people from kansas know nothing about europe.

Lighten up, Captain Buzzkill

yay....the UK beat Zimbabwe (they must not have come to Middlesbrough when they were judging :( )

Normally I'd be the last person to diss The Economist...but there's more things to a good place to live than "health, freedom, unemployment, family life, climate, political stability and security, gender equality and family and community life".Such as?

With that said, I'm not certain how Ireland has gender equality, seeing how only one gender has full reproductive rights, and neither gender has the right to marry a person of the same gender.

Such as?

With that said, I'm not certain how Ireland has gender equality, seeing how only one gender has full reproductive rights, and neither gender has the right to marry a person of the same gender.

Well, the first problem is easy to avoid, flights to England start at around 5-10 Euros (around 40 with taxes).
And as far as I know, the second problem is currently being challenged, too.

Horses for courses. Seems the judges prefer cold, wind and rain to warm sunny days ;)

Anyway - there's a hella more of Australia that is not desert than there is all of any of the countries that ranked higher.

It's probably those Tazmanians bringing us down...

Ah its probably the beautiful island state that helped make it on the top 10 in the first place... [/bias]

Ah its probably the beautiful island state that helped make it on the top 10 in the first place... [/bias]

Tazmania is on the internet these days? Maybe they're not as backward as I thought...:)

Oh my, Italy beats Denmark! It must be because of superior cooking... and still I sometimes think that moving to Denmark would be a good idea.

I like the wording in that - we're not gatecrashing her house, or even her door; we're crashing -her-. Make way, we're comin in. :p
i hope there's room for all of us http://www.hlj.me.uk/NS/eusa_shifty.gif :D :p

Just make sure not to get my cat angry :D
She no likey strangers...

aww i love cats (and they seem to like me)! she'll love me :fluffle: :fluffle: :)

If New Zealand wasn't 3rd World...
That bloody reply button being on the left is really pissing me off.

Yea, Ireland's number one...

...in POTATO FAMINES!

TAKE THAT!
Better than the US!

...at NOT KILLING ALL OF ITS NATIVE INHABITANTS!
...or NOT GETTING INVOLVED IN RIDICULOUS WARS!
...at DANCING!

TAKE THAT!

By the way - did you go to the same school as MTAE or something?

Why's Australia rated so low?

Did the judges get sunburn when they went there so they knocked it down 5 places? Or maybe they were jet-lagged on their visit.

At a guess -and I've only been here a month- I'd say it's one of two things.

Either it's that the government's lead by an evil gnome bent on the obliteration of common decency.

Or it's the god damn flies, man.

Why's Australia rated so low?

Did the judges get sunburn when they went there so they knocked it down 5 places? Or maybe they were jet-lagged on their visit.
It's because our great scores in the political stability category were achieved because we have a laughable opposition party.

Oh yeah, it could be because of our annoying and disagreeable neighbours. ;)

And I told you all, Switzerland does pwn. But yes, it is good to live here in Australia, I guess.

At a guess -and I've only been here a month- I'd say it's one of two things.

Or it's the god damn flies, man.

"Eat Shit. 50,000,000,000 Aussie Flies can't All Be Wrong" - Bumper Sticker in NT.

I live in Dublin and the streets at nighttimes are a no-go area. There is rampant street crime, drunks are everywhere, and the Garda (police) are totally ineffectual. Drugs are rife and in some areas the cocaine-trafficking gangs have completely taken over. The police can't do s__t, and the courts sometimes don't even send these guys to jail even when there is beyond reasonable evidence.

Education in Ireland is so bad that many people send their children over to the UK to be educated. It is difficult to arrange for exam/coursework resits, and degrees from Irish universities are simply laughed at in other European countries. The tax system is so complicated that many companies simply transfer most of their funds into personal donations in order to pay less tax, and fraud is rife.

Welfare here is ludicrous, with many people claiming "incapacity" allowances, so that they do not show up on the unemployment figures. Benefit fraud is now even more common as old-age and housing entitlement are means tested. People produce fake addresses and birth certificates in order to get on the welfare rolls.

I live in Dublin and the streets at nighttimes are a no-go area. There is rampant street crime, drunks are everywhere, and the Garda (police) are totally ineffectual. Drugs are rife and in some areas the cocaine-trafficking gangs have completely taken over. The police can't do s__t, and the courts sometimes don't even send these guys to jail even when there is beyond reasonable evidence.



Huh??!? Where do you live, Ballymun?
Seriously, there's way more crime in any small German town than there is in the whole of Dublin. And I've been walking around here at night plenty of times!
Drugs are a comparatively small problem compared to other countries/societies, the most obvious problem the city has is alcohol. And traffic management.

Huh??!? Where do you live, Ballymun?
Seriously, there's way more crime in any small German town than there is in the whole of Dublin. And I've been walking around here at night plenty of times!
Drugs are a comparatively small problem compared to other countries/societies, the most obvious problem the city has is alcohol. And traffic management.

Even the wealthy suburban areas are not safe at nighttime. About four times people have either robbed me or tried to rob me in the last two years. They were probably either homeless or trying to fund their drug habits. At the school I used to go to kids brought alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and even LSD into the classroom. There was also once an arson attack and on two occasions a person brought in a loaded gun and threatened the teachers and other pupils.

the most obvious problem the city has is alcohol. And traffic management.

Alcohol related violence is rife, and the number of people admitted to hospital with injuries after drunken fights dwarfs all other places apart from Baragwanath in Soweto, Johannesburg. Most of the freeways charge tolls at certain cash points. This disrupts the traffic and makes people wonder what they pay taxes for. In some areas of Dublin, road repairs are so infrequent that potholes are a common hazard for drivers.

It's a two year old article; isn't there a current listing?

Dublin must hide all the bad stuff well. I've always enjoyed my times there (including walking around drunk trying to find my hotel at silly o'clock in the morning. Maybe I just missed the trouble

It's a two year old article; isn't there a current listing?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Human_Development_Index

Here you go

Norways first

Okay, here's what I look for in a place to live:

1. Mountains. You gotta have mountains man. Dry mountains, wet mountains, people-eating mountains, I don't care: you just gotta have mountains.

2. English speaking. Please forgive me, but I have tried and tried and tried and cannot learn any other language. It's my brain chemistry. Were it up to me, we'd all be "speaking" with images so it wouldn't be a problem, but alas...

3. Decent education. If I ever have kids, they need to be educated. And it can't hurt for me to learn a bit or two.

4. Isolation without extreme distances. In other words, the ability to get away from people without having to take too much time getting to any services.

Does Ireland have these things?

Lighten up, Captain Buzzkill

let my simplify my post then: you're wrong.

Okay, here's what I look for in a place to live:

Does Ireland have these things?

1. Mountains. You gotta have mountains man. Dry mountains, wet mountains, people-eating mountains, I don't care: you just gotta have mountains.

Some, but entrance fees to the national parks in expensive, and people leave litter everywhere.

2. English speaking. Please forgive me, but I have tried and tried and tried and cannot learn any other language. It's my brain chemistry. Were it up to me, we'd all be "speaking" with images so it wouldn't be a problem, but alas...

Not good english. People drop many letters in speech and use a lot of slang words.

3. Decent education. If I ever have kids, they need to be educated. And it can't hurt for me to learn a bit or two.

Don't come here if you want good education.

4. Isolation without extreme distances. In other words, the ability to get away from people without having to take too much time getting to any services.

Although you will find many spots with reasnoble distances in geographic terms to the main towns and cities, the roads and traffic management are so bad that it takes forever to get anywhere.

Okay, here's what I look for in a place to live:

1. Mountains. You gotta have mountains man. Dry mountains, wet mountains, people-eating mountains, I don't care: you just gotta have mountains.
Yup. We got mountains. Not many, but they're definately mountains.

2. English speaking. Please forgive me, but I have tried and tried and tried and cannot learn any other language. It's my brain chemistry. Were it up to me, we'd all be "speaking" with images so it wouldn't be a problem, but alas...
Yup, we got that.

3. Decent education. If I ever have kids, they need to be educated. And it can't hurt for me to learn a bit or two.
Might not be the best in the world, but it's a lot closer to that than it is to the worst, IMO.
4. Isolation without extreme distances. In other words, the ability to get away from people without having to take too much time getting to any services.
Not a lot, most places would be too isolated or not isolated enough. But there's a few middle ground areas here and there.

Does Ireland have these things?

Woot woot.

Even the wealthy suburban areas are not safe at nighttime. About four times people have either robbed me or tried to rob me in the last two years. They were probably either homeless or trying to fund their drug habits. At the school I used to go to kids brought alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and even LSD into the classroom. There was also once an arson attack and on two occasions a person brought in a loaded gun and threatened the teachers and other pupils.

I've been living here for 4 years now, and defintely not in the better areas. I first lived in Smithfield, then in Phibsborough for a short while and then moved to Cabra. I've never ever felt unsafe in the streets, let alone being attacked by anyone.
A while ago, two people tried to break into our house, but simply yelling at them from upstairs sent them packing.


Alcohol related violence is rife, and the number of people admitted to hospital with injuries after drunken fights dwarfs all other places apart from Baragwanath in Soweto, Johannesburg. Most of the freeways charge tolls at certain cash points. This disrupts the traffic and makes people wonder what they pay taxes for. In some areas of Dublin, road repairs are so infrequent that potholes are a common hazard for drivers.

Some roads are a disgrace, that much is true. But I don't drive, so I could care less...

How many Irishmen are there in this forum

How many Irishmen are there in this forum
Mwahahaha
i

Where is Canada as they used to be rated top (probably about 8 years since I last checked)
You are thinking of the Human Development Reports (http://hdr.undp.org/hdr2006/statistics/indicators/1.html). Canada was number one for 6 years in a row, but for the past four or five years has ranked between 3 and 6.

Current HDI Rankings.

1 Norway 0.965
2 Iceland 0.960
3 Australia 0.957
4 Ireland 0.956
5 Sweden 0.951
6 Canada 0.950
7 Japan 0.949
8 United States 0.948
9 Switzerland 0.947
10 Netherlands 0.947
11 Finland 0.947
12 Luxembourg 0.945
13 Belgium 0.945
14 Austria 0.944
15 Denmark 0.943
16 France 0.942
17 United Kingdom 0.940
18 Italy 0.940
19 Spain 0.938
20 New Zealand 0.936
21 Germany 0.932
22 Hong Kong SAR, China 0.927
23 Israel 0.927
24 Greece 0.921
25 Singapore 0.916
26 South Korea 0.912
27 Slovenia 0.910
28 Portugal 0.904
29 Cyprus 0.903
30 Czech Republic 0.885
31 Barbados 0.879
32 Malta 0.87

Woohoo! We've been bumped up to 3! Take that leprechauns! :D

Mwahahaha
i


Agus mise = ii

Agus mise = ii

I meant i as in the square root of minus one.

I meant i as in the square root of minus one.


You college educated people make me puke....

How many Irishmen are there in this forum

-ish.

A Nordie who has the option of 'Mexican' citizenship, but haven't taken it up yet.

You college educated people make me puke....

I learned about i in 6th year......

Not to put a damper on the Ireland love-fest, because it really is an awesome place, and it's on my short list of places I'd like to live in for an extended period of time, but the article is a little over two years old. Why was it posted, it's not like it's in the news?

Why was it posted, it's not like it's news?

It is a reflection of the laidback Irish attitude to times and deadlines. Why the hurry?

It is a reflection of the laidback Irish attitude to times and deadlines. Why the hurry?

Yeah, it's not like we could get less awesome.

Yeah, it's not like we could get less awesome.

Yeah, cuz you can't really be negative awesome, can you? :p

thats super sweet! pretty good for a country that had the second largest famine in history. to put things in scale, russia had the biggest.

It is a reflection of the laidback Irish attitude to times and deadlines. Why the hurry?

Ah,but it was posted two years ago as well.

But, whilst I'm here, just to illustrate how close the top fifteen or twenty states are, here's the UN HDR. (http://hdr.undp.org/hdr2006/statistics/)

Ah,but it was posted two years ago as well.

But, whilst I'm here, just to illustrate how close the top fifteen or twenty states are, here's the UN HDR. (http://hdr.undp.org/hdr2006/statistics/)

You are a little late, i did that a long time ago in a galaxy far far away

Even the wealthy suburban areas are not safe at nighttime. About four times people have either robbed me or tried to rob me in the last two years. They were probably either homeless or trying to fund their drug habits. At the school I used to go to kids brought alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and even LSD into the classroom. There was also once an arson attack and on two occasions a person brought in a loaded gun and threatened the teachers and other pupils.

I call bullshit on that one.It would have been in the news here so fast it would make your head spin.And for the record I grew up in Limerick, O'Malley Park to be exact but moved to the countryside in my late teens.

Yeah, cuz you can't really be negative awesome, can you? :p

Pfft, go back to your Prude-land and not-first place. ;)

I
Education in Ireland is so bad that many people send their children over to the UK to be educated. It is difficult to arrange for exam/coursework resits, and degrees from Irish universities are simply laughed at in other European countries. The tax system is so complicated that many companies simply transfer most of their funds into personal donations in order to pay less tax, and fraud is rife.


i think you dont know much of our education system. it is regarded the 2nd best in the world. irish only go to england when they cant get the points for the course they need. but we do however need to build more collleges for medicine courses.

I call bullshit on that one.It would have been in the news here so fast it would make your head spin.And for the record I grew up in Limerick, O'Malley Park to be exact but moved to the countryside in my late teens.

that person you qouted sounds like they went to mount temple.
i think if they went to other countries they will find that different crimes are more rampent. fighty and robbery is very popular here. but shootings not so much. it is however on the rise.

Thank god the Irish are always drunk...... think of what they will do to England if they were sober

i think you dont know much of our education system. it is regarded the 2nd best in the world. irish only go to england when they cant get the points for the course they need. but we do however need to build more collleges for medicine courses.
True that, the points this year are something like 590. That equates to scoring about 95% at higher level in every subject.Not that I would like an thick doctor, but that is crazy.

Thank god the Irish are always drunk...... think of what they will do to England if they were sober

sober irish=cranky irish=boom boom.

Thank god the Irish are always drunk...... think of what they will do to England if they were sober

What? Build its almost entire system of transport and infrastructure? Again.

What? Build its almost entire system of transport and infrastructure? Again.
Nah the only reason we did that in the first place was that we needed the pay to get pissed.;)

What? Build its almost entire system of transport and infrastructure? Again.

i never got that. why the hell do we go over thier and build thier brilliant rodas, but our own roads are crap.

i never got that. why the hell do we go over thier and build thier brilliant rodas, but our own roads are crap.

To impede the rapid deployment of the occupying forces once they got over here?

i never got that. why the hell do we go over thier and build thier brilliant rodas, but our own roads are crap.

Irish Drunks?

i never got that. why the hell do we go over thier and build thier brilliant rodas, but our own roads are crap.

Get the Irish to do someting under the instruction of an English bloke and you get the job done well. Leave 'em to sort it out for themselves...

Just kidding.

Get the Irish to do someting under the instruction of an English bloke and you get the job done well. Leave 'em to sort it out for themselves...

Just kidding.
And it takes 700andsomething odd years........:D

i never got that. why the hell do we go over thier and build thier brilliant rodas, but our own roads are crap.

Because all the people who know how to build roads are still in England enjoying their well earned fortunes.

I learned about i in 6th year......

Stop oppressing me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4020523.stm



Who'd have thunk it? And it seems that apart from Australia, all of the top 10 countries are European. America's 13th, France is 25th, Germany 26th, Britain 29th...and Zimbabwe 111th and bottom.

Its all pretty and nice until....... SUPRISE!!!!!!



POTATO FAMINE!!!!


And everything is over just like that.

thats super sweet! pretty good for a country that had the second largest famine in history. to put things in scale, russia had the biggest.

European History. However the worst have occurred in China.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Famine

Its all pretty and nice until....... SUPRISE!!!!!!



POTATO FAMINE!!!!


And everything is over just like that.

is anything wrong with you?

Get the Irish to do someting under the instruction of an English bloke and you get the job done well. Leave 'em to sort it out for themselves...

Historically England, for the most part, turned to Scotland for its engineers and Ireland for its navvies. The English chaps just signed the cheques.

Historically England, for the most part, turned to Scotland for its engineers and Ireland for its navvies. The English chaps just signed the cheques.

Money makes the world go round, after all.

Money makes the world go round, after all.

Case in point the tradition continues: the legions of Irish construction workers are still known as McAlpine's Fusileers, after the engineer Robert McAlpine, born in Scotland.

...of course the real reason for the shocking state of Ireland's roads is that money was leached out of the country while it was a British possession, rather than being invested in development. The UK road system is not something that just happened over the last hundred years.

is anything wrong with you?


I eat a bag of paint chips, with some mercury dip, every day!

True that, the points this year are something like 590. That equates to scoring about 95% at higher level in every subject.Not that I would like an thick doctor, but that is crazy.

I live in Ireland and education nowadays is a joke. The syllabus for most subjects is a watered-down version of that taught about twenty years ago. When I recently visited my old school in Dublin, pupils were 'watching' lessons on a big TV screen. Apparently, the school couldn't hire teachers for some subjects and so the lessons were replaced with videoed lessons and 'supervisors'.

On average, nearly half of children who leave elementary school can't understand the three R's. Most school buildings look in a state of disrepair, and some lessons are taught outside in the yard while waiting for the buildings to be repaired. School textbooks are mostly old and tatty, with references in lessons given being moslty totally meaningless.

Money for schools doesn’t always go where it is meant to, with corrupt officials pilfering funds by creating false accounts for employees that don't exist. Irish universities are a sorry state, with most lecture rooms overcrowded, even needing extra chairs and planks of wood to be brought in so that students don't have to stand. The organisation of most courses is a bummer, with most printed notes (if there are any) being made up of extracts from 30-year old documents.

Case in point the tradition continues: the legions of Irish construction workers are still known as McAlpine's Fusileers, after the engineer Robert McAlpine, born in Scotland.

...of course the real reason for the shocking state of Ireland's roads is that money was leached out of the country while it was a British possession, rather than being invested in development. The UK road system is not something that just happened over the last hundred years.

Explains the famine

Thank you Ireland!
Your pain and death was worth it as our new smooth roads now give the english less bumpy rides!

I live in Ireland and education nowadays is a joke. The syllabus for most subjects is a watered-down version of that taught about twenty years ago. When I recently visited my old school in Dublin, pupils were 'watching' lessons on a big TV screen. Apparently, the school couldn't hire teachers for some subjects and so the lessons were replaced with videoed lessons and 'supervisors'.

On average, nearly half of children who leave elementary school can't understand the three R's. Most school buildings look in a state of disrepair, and some lessons are taught outside in the yard while waiting for the buildings to be repaired. School textbooks are mostly old and tatty, with references in lessons given being moslty totally meaningless.

Money for schools doesn’t always go where it is meant to, with corrupt officials pilfering funds by creating false accounts for employees that don't exist. Irish universities are a sorry state, with most lecture rooms overcrowded, even needing extra chairs and planks of wood to be brought in so that students don't have to stand. The organisation of most courses is a bummer, with most printed notes (if there are any) being made up of extracts from 30-year old documents.
Agreed!! I was lucky to have been in the system when it was at its height.Acording to some of the texts still in use Mandela is still on Robin Island and (i shit you not) the Olympics will be held on the moon in this centuary.

I eat a bag of paint chips, with a some mercury dip, every day!

That explains the smug, American, right wing brand of "christianity" but still leaves us somewhat in the dark about that last comment re the Famine....

That explains the smug, American, right wing brand of "christianity" but still leaves us somewhat in the dark about that last comment re the Famine....

Are you referring to me as a fundie?!?! :eek: When has this come about?

...of course the real reason for the shocking state of Ireland's roads is that money was leached out of the country while it was a British possession, rather than being invested in development. The UK road system is not something that just happened over the last hundred years.

So they paid Irish workers to build the English roads and then leached the money straight back into the English coffers...

Genius!

Any surprise they ran the largest empire in human history!

doesn't surprise me that britain is the lowest in western europe

*wants to move*
Be content in that you're not alone. France and Germany suck just as much. :) It seems the bigger the nation, the worse it fares.

Are you referring to me as a fundie?!?! :eek: When has this come about?

If you're going to put me in your sig, at least spell the name correctly.

I eat a bag of paint chips, with a some mercury dip, every day!

In front of the TV set?

Oh that reminds me. TV in Ireland is also crap.

Almost all the media is corporate owned by multi-national companies with no allegiance to anything Irish, or public-spirited. The programming mix is pitched to the lowest common entertainment denominator. All TV is ‘info-tainment’ with a pervasive comedial editorial slant. Routine news broadcasts on the radio are more interested in celebrity and sports-hero gossip than in real issues that affect ordinary people.

Every morsel of information is sanitized, and filtered for mass consumption. Instead of real news the people get crashes, fires, homicides and high-profile police investigations, political bickering, and embarrassments as a substitute for real news. Instead of proper documentaries, opinion-biased comedy-style celebrity-presented TV shows are broadcasted, only paying brief visits to what goes on in the real world, treating it as more like a cartoon or action-movie than a serious issue.

Ireland sounds pathetic

Man Ireland can do fuck its self :upyours:

Ireland sounds pathetic

Oh it's not that bad.

I've lived there all my life and there are some very good aspects. Irish architectural heritage is among the best preserved in the world. We have some of the most interesting and historically-significant castles, churches, iron-age huts and monuments in the world.

Also, there are some good news sites, some good newspapers and some good entertainment. You just have to know where to find it. Irish theatre can be good if you go to the right place, although entrance to the performances is usually very expensive. Irish diced lamb and lean ribs are among the world's best, and can be brought at the right butchers and are served at some restaurants.

Man Ireland can do fuck its self :upyours:

Oh and no bad language please. This is supposed to be a polite discussion.

The emerald Isle seems to shine in a dull brown colour

Man Ireland can do fuck its self :upyours:

It can "do" fuck itself?

That's an impressive trick for a landmass. I'd like to see that.

We have some of the most interesting and historically-significant castles, churches, iron-age huts and monuments in the world.

As well as the oldest roofed building in the world, of course.

As well as the oldest roofed building in the world, of course.

damn irish and their 'roofs'

Multicultural societies like the US and South Africa are better than duo-cultural class-stratified all-white societies like Ireland and most of Europe.

Multicultural societies like the US and South Africa are better than duo-cultural class-stratified all-white societies like Ireland and most of Europe.

Obviously you missed the 30,000 plus Chinese etc....

Money for schools doesn’t always go where it is meant to, with corrupt officials pilfering funds by creating false accounts for employees that don't exist..


Do you have an example of this?

Multicultural societies like the US and South Africa are better than duo-cultural class-stratified all-white societies like Ireland and most of Europe.

Oh noes, the population of ireland is mostly white. Because I have no brain, I will deduce from that statement that Ireland is worse. :rolleyes:

Also, Europe has a lot of blends of interesting cultures you dolt.

Godammit why do I always join these things late. Harumph.

*waves miniature flag*

I sadly don't have the time at the moment to take some points apart- but I would love to see Nodinia and Cabra go to town on some of them. :D

If you're going to put me in your sig, at least spell the name correctly.

Naw, you don't deserve that :)

Naw, you don't deserve that :)

Yep, its that smug thing again. I see I left out "arrogant" ..not because its not appropriate-more because I just made an oversight. Ahh well....

snip.

thats some chip you have on your shoulder.

still waiting for you to back up the story about education officials setting up false accounts for themselves.

dublin is no more or less safe than any other city of 1.5m

On average, nearly half of children who leave elementary school can't understand the three R's. Most school buildings look in a state of disrepair, and some lessons are taught outside in the yard while waiting for the buildings to be repaired. School textbooks are mostly old and tatty, with references in lessons given being moslty totally meaningless.


Hmmmm....."not fucking likely" would cover that. Even when the place was piss poor we had a fairly decent education system. "Most school buildings"....nope.. "some lessons taught outside" as a widespread practice? Again, I'd like examples. "school textbooks are mostly old and tatty"? Those aren't usually provided by the school for starters, but are bought by the parents/students.. The most common complaint is they keep updating the poxy syllabus so you cant get them secondhand.

Yep, its that smug thing again. I see I left out "arrogant" ..not because its not appropriate-more because I just made an oversight. Ahh well....


Hey, you are the one that came out of no where calling me smug for nothing. So if you are going to accuse me of something falsely, i might as well act like it, towards you at least.

thats some chip you have on your shoulder.

Speaking of chips, I was appalled that they used rancid oil when I bought some chips from a fish & chips shop in Dublin. Shows that food hygiene standards are barely enforced in this country. Besides, I wouldn't feel safe going to a fish & chips shop anyway, especially after dark. Gangs of delinquent youths hang around smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol.

Irish culture is damned. Churchgoing is on the decline and we have the highest rate of binge drinking in the world. Respectable people don't go out after 6.00 pm anymore. Oh and make sure that you have private health insurance in this country. Government hospitals are filthy and rat-infested, the wards are so crowded that people sleep on the floor, and doctors regularly illegally smuggle in organs from abroad.

Respectable people don't go out after 6.00 pm anymore. Oh and make sure that you have private health insurance in this country. Government hospitals are filthy and rat-infested, the wards are so crowded that people sleep on the floor, and doctors regularly illegally smuggle in organs from abroad.

The RP forums are next door.

Speaking (..unoriginal trolling crap....)from abroad.

O fuck off then...

O fuck off then...

Hush, Hush, my child...

calm down the fowl language

what did your mother teach you about good manners?

Government hospitals are filthy and rat-infested, the wards are so crowded that people sleep on the floor, and doctors regularly illegally smuggle in organs from abroad.

proof that this is a wind up.

the irish healthcare system is failing in many ways but the above is utter crap. you are lying.

Can a mod check NP's IP address to see is he even in ireland?

proof that this is a wind up.

the irish healthcare system is failing in many ways but the above is utter crap. you are lying.

Can a mod check NP's IP address to see is he even in ireland?

Proof that what I am saying is true, about binge drinking (http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/inthenews/itn061007).

I'm shocked. Did they take health care system into account? Or cost of living? Naturally, I wouldn't want to leave this country... but that's only because I'm too lazy to go anywhere else.

Proof that what I am saying is true, about binge drinking (http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/inthenews/itn061007).

i quoted the bit about irish doctors harvesting organs and people sleeping on the floors of rat infested hospitals.

and you have ignored the posts asking you to back up your education corruption claims.

total bullshit.

Proof that what I am saying is true, about binge drinking (http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/inthenews/itn061007).

"...classed as a heavy drinker, bingeing on four or more units in one session at least once a fortnight."

You do of course realise that anybody who has two pints of beer of an evening is classed as a binge drinker by this criterion, don't you?

"...classed as a heavy drinker, bingeing on four or more units in one session at least once a fortnight."

You do of course realise that anybody who has two pints of beer of an evening is classed as a binge drinker by this criterion, don't you?

God knows, for me to say this is thowing stones in a glass house, but you're not seriously contending that the Irish don't like to get hammered, are you?

God knows, for me to say this is thowing stones in a glass house, but you're not seriously contending that the Irish don't like to get hammered, are you?

No: I'm merely noting that the working definition of 'binge drinking' is laughably low. Just so long as people don't operate heavy machinery or go tight-rope walking after their two pints there should be no appreciable health risks.

Multicultural societies like the US and South Africa are better than duo-cultural class-stratified all-white societies like Ireland and most of Europe.What on earth are you talking about? The majority of the population of China would consist of… Chinese people. Why? Because how many people from other countries would elect to live there? Ireland was the same. We were a colony milked for everything we were worth. Who would’ve wanted to live in old Ireland? Up until the last 15 years many people wanted to get out of Ireland. Now, and only now, people want to come to Ireland because of its prosperity. In 20 years, we’ll be as multicultural as they get. Why did people go to America? Because it was the land of the free, where the streets were paved with gold. That’s why it’s so multicultural. Doesn’t make it more civilised than other countries. Also America had slaves. The Irish were essentially slaves, so we didn’t get in slaves from other countries. That’s why we’re so ‘white’. My apologies that the age-old Irish skin-colour is ‘white’… Evidently we should’ve elected to have been born another colour. Green perhaps?

I live in Ireland and education nowadays is a joke. The syllabus for most subjects is a watered-down version of that taught about twenty years ago. When I recently visited my old school in Dublin, pupils were 'watching' lessons on a big TV screen. Apparently, the school couldn't hire teachers for some subjects and so the lessons were replaced with videoed lessons and 'supervisors'.

On average, nearly half of children who leave elementary school can't understand the three R's. Most school buildings look in a state of disrepair, and some lessons are taught outside in the yard while waiting for the buildings to be repaired. School textbooks are mostly old and tatty, with references in lessons given being moslty totally meaningless.

Money for schools doesn’t always go where it is meant to, with corrupt officials pilfering funds by creating false accounts for employees that don't exist. Irish universities are a sorry state, with most lecture rooms overcrowded, even needing extra chairs and planks of wood to be brought in so that students don't have to stand. The organisation of most courses is a bummer, with most printed notes (if there are any) being made up of extracts from 30-year old documents.
What a load of rubbish. Lessons taught by video? Tatty schoolbooks? Lessons being taught in the yard? This must be an exceptional school, because this certainly isn’t the norm. Sometimes teachers will use videos to illustrate a point. Or sometimes because it’s the last lesson they might be nice and show something fun. Schoolbooks are usually tatty because the students abuse them. Also the fact that you’ve got to haul them into and out of your bag 5 days a week, for 9 months of the year it might actually take its toll on them. New editions of books come out at least every 5 years, which isn’t necessarily a good thing, but you certainly don’t get 3rd generation books. It’s against government policy to teach lessons in a schoolyard. There must be a building. With, of course, the exception of Physical Education or sports, which might require you to go outside.

I’ll agree with you on the state of the buildings. The 19th century ‘old’ school building in my old school, was in better shape than the 1970s piece of junk of a ‘new’ school. But there are more pressing matters. My Dad works in the healthcare system and the building in which he works is in much more of a need for an overhaul.

I’m in an Irish University and there’s no such thing as using planks in lecture halls. There are restricted number of places in each course, and while the maximum number of students might be accepted, there are rarely too many people in a lecture hall.

Normally I'd be the last person to diss The Economist...but there's more things to a good place to live than "health, freedom, unemployment, family life, climate, political stability and security, gender equality and family and community life"...

Such as?

No: I'm merely noting that the working definition of 'binge drinking' is laughably low. Just so long as people don't operate heavy machinery or go tight-rope walking after their two pints there should be no appreciable health risks.

But binge drinking is unhealthy, damages the soberity of the mind, and harms the purity of the soul and character. Alcohol is responsible for ailments such as cirrhosis of the liver and dropsy. Also there are many road accidents that result from excessive consumption of alcohol. Binge drinking is therefore immoral.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4020523.stm



Who'd have thunk it? And it seems that apart from Australia, all of the top 10 countries are European. America's 13th, France is 25th, Germany 26th, Britain 29th...and Zimbabwe 111th and bottom.


Doesn't the UN say Norway is the best place to life?

But binge drinking is unhealthy, damages the soberity of the mind, and harms the purity of the soul and character. Alcohol is responsible for ailments such as cirrhosis of the liver and dropsy. Also there are many road accidents that result from excessive consumption of alcohol. Binge drinking is therefore immoral.

And Trolling for attention is just boring.....

Normally I'd be the last person to diss The Economist...but there's more things to a good place to live than "health, freedom, unemployment, family life, climate, political stability and security, gender equality and family and community life".
Like what?

Ireland is a good place to live, but has many problems.

But binge drinking is unhealthy, damages the soberity of the mind, and harms the purity of the soul and character. Alcohol is responsible for ailments such as cirrhosis of the liver and dropsy. Also there are many road accidents that result from excessive consumption of alcohol. Binge drinking is therefore immoral.

Dropsy? I've never actually heard that word used in real life before. Try oedema or congestive heart failure instead.

I'll leave the rest to others who will better take it apart

Binge drinking is therefore immoral.

so is making things up like calling doctors and teachers corrupt :rolleyes:

Well something must have gone wrong there in that assessment. I read an article today in the times that there has been a significant increase in childhood depression in tandem with the rise of the celtic tiger. What about the ridiculously high suicide rates and cases of depression in Ireland?

I'm assuming the North is included there.

We're never included in things.
:(

Well something must have gone wrong there in that assessment. I read an article today in the times that there has been a significant increase in childhood depression in tandem with the rise of the celtic tiger. What about the ridiculously high suicide rates and cases of depression in Ireland?

Check it out (http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/frontpage/2005/0426/318795292HM1SUICIDE.html)

I'm assuming the North is included there.

We're never included in things.
:(

Is the fact that we're included in the Union not problematic enough?

Like what?
Things not accurately covered by statistics. It depends on every individual.

For example, Australia is quite high on that list. My family hasn't had all that great experiences though when we moved here.

And besides, even the statistics could be covered better with a list of the most livable cities rather than countries. Ironically, Australia (Melbourne to be exact) is usually at the top of the list, together with Vancouver, Canada.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4306936.stm

I'm assuming the North is included there.

We're never included in things.
:(

Yea, but we get most of the best of the two nations, with only some of the drawbacks. So we win.

Things not accurately covered by statistics. It depends on every individual.

For example, Australia is quite high on that list. My family hasn't had all that great experiences though when we moved here.

And besides, even the statistics could be covered better with a list of the most livable cities rather than countries. Ironically, Australia (Melbourne to be exact) is usually at the top of the list, together with Vancouver, Canada.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4306936.stm

What is your defination of "Great experience"

What is your defination of "Great experience"
Be welcomed by the community, have friendly neighbours, not be left out of neighbourhood meetings and parties, actually be given a job...

Little things like that, really.

For the people who didn't get that the "potato famine" comments were obviously a silly joke, wow...

*shakes head*

Be welcomed by the community, have friendly neighbours, not be left out of neighbourhood meetings and parties, actually be given a job...

Little things like that, really.

then never live in my country,Singapore, we are as open as a door bolted down by god.

actually be given a job...

This is alreadly factored in as unemployment rate

Woot Australia rox.

then never live in my country,Singapore, we are as open as a door bolted down by god.
I wouldn't, simply because the government are a bunch of control-freaks. :D

This is alreadly factored in as unemployment rate
Sorta.

My dad was well-qualified as an IT Manager. Expecting he could get a similar job to what he had in Germany, he went to companies here. Those companies told him he didn't have enough "Australian working experience" to get into that position.

'Fair enough,' he says 'I'll get a lower position and get that experience.'

So he goes around, trying to get lower jobs. What do they tell him? "Overqualified!"

And he ends up as a taxi driver, among other things.

That sorta shit is not captured in the unemployment rate, I'm afraid.

I'm really not all that supprised. It's a nice place to live having been there a few times, though in my opinion "being american" the states should be on that list wheather the economist thinks so or not.

I wouldn't, simply because the government are a bunch of control-freaks. :D

My country is run by the "Lee Dynasty"

Our first Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, that we had for 30 odd years, is now the country's minster mentor. His son is the current Prime Minster, Lee Hsieng Long. The school system is unbearable.....WE HAVE 3 DAMN SON OF A BITCH NATIONAL EXAMS!!!!!!!! I hate my country, goverment andrecently, laws against having oral and anal sex are lifted, but only for hertosexual. Gays are being sentence to imprisonment for having sex because its "an act that is disturbing the society " The weather sucks, its either hot,humid or wet. I wanna move to New Zealand

In front of the TV set?

Oh that reminds me. TV in Ireland is also crap.

Almost all the media is corporate owned by multi-national companies with no allegiance to anything Irish, or public-spirited. The programming mix is pitched to the lowest common entertainment denominator. All TV is ‘info-tainment’ with a pervasive comedial editorial slant. Routine news broadcasts on the radio are more interested in celebrity and sports-hero gossip than in real issues that affect ordinary people.

Every morsel of information is sanitized, and filtered for mass consumption. Instead of real news the people get crashes, fires, homicides and high-profile police investigations, political bickering, and embarrassments as a substitute for real news. Instead of proper documentaries, opinion-biased comedy-style celebrity-presented TV shows are broadcasted, only paying brief visits to what goes on in the real world, treating it as more like a cartoon or action-movie than a serious issue.

ah not a big country. not alot tv channels for us then.
we do have some fantastic shows. ever watch the pannel? best show ever.

But binge drinking is unhealthy, damages the soberity of the mind, and harms the purity of the soul and character. Alcohol is responsible for ailments such as cirrhosis of the liver and dropsy. Also there are many road accidents that result from excessive consumption of alcohol. Binge drinking is therefore immoral.

build a boat. then put a church on it. then fuck of soemwhere else and make your own society.
ireland and binge drinking rocks.

Ireland and binge drinking is a joke. Night times in the cities are horrible; riddled with idiotic drunks. I fail to see how Irish people are genuinely happy. They live for the weekend; get drunk, have hangovers, and start their humdrum weeks again. What kind of a life is that?

Ireland and binge drinking is a joke. Night times in the cities are horrible; riddled with idiotic drunks. I fail to see how Irish people are genuinely happy. They live for the weekend; get drunk, have hangovers, and start their humdrum weeks again. What kind of a life is that?

And that doesnt happen everywhere else?

The place was actually a lot better 10-15 years ago, when there was money, but people hadn't become the more career cash orientated bastards that exist in every other capital city in the West.

Yes, it happens elsewhere. But not to the same degree. People are more inclined to drink at home in more civilised surroundings than binge drink in public. In other countries it seems to be people of a certain class, background, and personality who tend to drink more. In Ireland it seems to transcend all barriers; what differs is just the places where it's done. Over half the population do it.

You're right that people are more and more materialistic. A number of people I knew in secondary school had a life dream of buying a mansion in LA. They fed on MTV's 'Cribs'. One particularly rich guy in my year got a car when he was 17. Nobody batted an eye lid at him before, but suddenly he was highly popular. His car, (don't ask me its make; I wouldn't have a clue) with the customisations made to it on a monthly basis, must've cost in excess of €40,000. What a waste of money. And he's now got another car, so that one's probably used even less now. The Celtic Tiger has turned this nation into a pack of ravenous hyenas feeding on materialism. 40 years ago people were just getting buy. Once we've had a taste of it there's no going back. It's sad.

Yes, it happens elsewhere. But not to the same degree. People are more inclined to drink at home in more civilised surroundings than binge drink in public. In other countries it seems to be people of a certain class, background, and personality who tend to drink more. In Ireland it seems to transcend all barriers; what differs is just the places where it's done. Over half the population do it.

You're right that people are more and more materialistic. A number of people I knew in secondary school had a life dream of buying a mansion in LA. They fed on MTV's 'Cribs'. One particularly rich guy in my year got a car when he was 17. Nobody batted an eye lid at him before, but suddenly he was highly popular. His car, (don't ask me its make; I wouldn't have a clue) with the customisations made to it on a monthly basis, must've cost in excess of €40,000. What a waste of money. And he's now got another car, so that one's probably used even less now. The Celtic Tiger has turned this nation into a pack of ravenous hyenas feeding on materialism. 40 years ago people were just getting buy. Once we've had a taste of it there's no going back. It's sad.

Once you bite into money pie, you greedy and materialistic and stuck for life

Yes, it happens elsewhere. But not to the same degree. People are more inclined to drink at home in more civilised surroundings than binge drink in public. In other countries it seems to be people of a certain class, background, and personality who tend to drink more. In Ireland it seems to transcend all barriers; what differs is just the places where it's done. Over half the population do it..

Well the drinking down the lane thing seems to have died off a good bit. When I was in my teens most boozing was done with a flagon of cider in a park or darkened alleyway, usually with an escape route lest we be visited by the gardai. Used to be headlines about "cider crazed youth" (which I still think would be an excellent t-shirt btw). Of course now the media yaps on with its "binge drinking" buzzword with ne'er a mention of this, as that might mean there was less hysteria. You could swear nobody had a few scoops too many before 2001, betimes.


You're right that people are more and more materialistic. A number of people I knew in secondary school had a life dream of buying a mansion in LA. They fed on MTV's 'Cribs'. One particularly rich guy in my year got a car when he was 17. Nobody batted an eye lid at him before, but suddenly he was highly popular. His car, (don't ask me its make; I wouldn't have a clue) with the customisations made to it on a monthly basis, must've cost in excess of €40,000. What a waste of money. And he's now got another car, so that one's probably used even less now. The Celtic Tiger has turned this nation into a pack of ravenous hyenas feeding on materialism. 40 years ago people were just getting buy. Once we've had a taste of it there's no going back. It's sad.

Yep....Time was when a car was not a common thing for the under 30's. And I'm 37, not 67, so its not that long ago. The car wasn't usually the problem, it was the insurance that cut the knackers offof you.

Basketball hoops on the sides of houses/front of garages - thats a fucking classic "crib"/American thing. Its GAA, soccer and Rugby here for most schools fer fucks sake. I doubt the majority even get used.

I'm not much for these ranking things.
Wouldn't it just be simpler to just categorize countries into:
a. livable.
b. kinda livable.
c. not livable at all.

eh? eh? Get my drift?

Ireland and binge drinking is a joke. Night times in the cities are horrible; riddled with idiotic drunks. I fail to see how Irish people are genuinely happy. They live for the weekend; get drunk, have hangovers, and start their humdrum weeks again. What kind of a life is that?

you sound like a boring person. in my perfect world your kind will be dead.

you guys are still missing the point that a potato famine would wipe out half their population again.

you guys are still missing the point that a potato famine would wipe out half their population again.

hardly. we have replaced potatos with curry for our diet.

hardly. we have replaced potatos with curry for our diet.

You're indian now?

You're indian now?

we love indian food. new irish(ish) dish. curry, rice and chips. its called a 3in1.

we love indian food. new irish(ish) dish. curry, rice and chips. its called a 3in1.

I love Naan. My girl on the side (shhh, dont tell the GF) is Indian, she made me some Chicken Koorma the other day. Soooooo freaking good.

Speaking of chips, I was appalled that they used rancid oil when I bought some chips from a fish & chips shop in Dublin. Shows that food hygiene standards are barely enforced in this country. Besides, I wouldn't feel safe going to a fish & chips shop anyway, especially after dark. Gangs of delinquent youths hang around smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol.

Irish culture is damned. Churchgoing is on the decline and we have the highest rate of binge drinking in the world. Respectable people don't go out after 6.00 pm anymore. Oh and make sure that you have private health insurance in this country. Government hospitals are filthy and rat-infested, the wards are so crowded that people sleep on the floor, and doctors regularly illegally smuggle in organs from abroad.

Ok, either you're one of the least imaginative trolls I've seen here in a long time, or else we're talking to a 68 year old granny.
So you bought the chips in a fish and chips shop, but you would never dare go near one because of those horrible youths hanging out there who - gasp! - smoke and drink, just like youths all over the planet in every town and village?

If respectable people don't dare go out after 6 pm any more, how the hell do they get home from work?
Also, that must mean that the majority of the Irish population and immigrants are not the least bit respectable, because they have this strange tendency to go out and pack the Dublin City Center almost every evening... especially now before christmas.

So they don't go to church any more, so what? Good for them!

hardly. we have replaced potatos with curry for our diet.

Curry Chips, to be precise :D


;)

you guys are still missing the point that a potato famine would wipe out half their population again.

Considering we could just import more potatoes, or pretty much anything else we wanted, no. no it wouldn't.

Considering we could just import more potatoes, or pretty much anything else we wanted, no. no it wouldn't.

Psh, we'd interpret your request for more potatoes as simple greed and then give you the finger and walk away from the table.

Mmmm. Potatoes.

Psh, we'd interpret your request for more potatoes as simple greed and then give you the finger and walk away from the table.

Why would they want to import from the US anyway? Europe's got a potatoe surplus, they'd be happy to ship them to a member country.

Why would they want to import from the US anyway? Europe's got a potatoe surplus, they'd be happy to ship them to a member country.

NO! The Irish are lying! They're just fatties stealing precious surpluses that could be going to Africa!!!

We still don't have any form of same sex partnerships though...

We still don't have any form of same sex partnerships though...

The high court still hasn't decided if it's going to recognise the marraige of two Canadian women who moved here. :(

The high court still hasn't decided if it's going to recognise the marraige of two Canadian women who moved here. :(

I'm thinking the longer this decision takes, the more likely it will be that they might approve. I'm kind of hoping that even if they don't see the moral necessity themselves, they might feel the pressure to follow other EU examples.

Curry Chips, to be precise :D


;)

That actually sounds rather good.

Nah, good ole curry chicken is the best

I'm thinking the longer this decision takes, the more likely it will be that they might approve. I'm kind of hoping that even if they don't see the moral necessity themselves, they might feel the pressure to follow other EU examples.
I think the women in question have the constitution on their side too.
That actually sounds rather good.

It tastes rather good too.

The high court still hasn't decided if it's going to recognise the marraige of two Canadian women who moved here. :(

governments dont have to recognise any marraige they dont want to, be it same sex or opposite. in some states in america, they allow some under 18s to be married, but over here we dont, so we shouldnt recognise them either.
just to avoid confusion, i'm against same sex marraige in my country. other countries marraige laws dont concern me. other european countries kind of.

governments dont have to recognise any marraige they dont want to, be it same sex or opposite. in some states in america, they allow some under 18s to be married, but over here we dont, so we shouldnt recognise them either.
just to avoid confusion, i'm against same sex marraige in my country. other countries marraige laws dont concern me. other european countries kind of.

Governments have to adhere to the country's constitution first and foremost. They don't have to recognise anything not specified there, but when asked they'll have to decide.
And I for one hope they decide in favour of same sex marriages.

governments dont have to recognise any marraige they dont want to, be it same sex or opposite. in some states in america, they allow some under 18s to be married, but over here we dont, so we shouldnt recognise them either.
just to avoid confusion, i'm against same sex marraige in my country. other countries marraige laws dont concern me. other european countries kind of.

Actually the Irish constitution specifically states that the institution of marriage is to be protected.
1° The State pledges itself to guard with special care the institution of marriage, on which the family is founded, and to protect it against attack.

Governments have to adhere to the country's constitution first and foremost. They don't have to recognise anything not specified there, but when asked they'll have to decide.
And I for one hope they decide in favour of same sex marriages.

what part of the consitution says "yeah sure the gays can get married". i doubt the consitution allows it, being that we only legalised homosexuallity about 12 years ago.

what part of the consitution says "yeah sure the gays can get married". i doubt the consitution allows it, being that we only legalised homosexuallity about 12 years ago.

Read my whole post, and then reply again please.

Actually the Irish constitution specifically states that the institution of marriage is to be protected.

my interpretation of this is that it only recognises people-producing families. which gays do not.

my interpretation of this is that it only recognises people-producing families. which gays do not.

That's a pretty poor interpretation. And being gay doesn't magically make you infertile. You just wouldn't be attracted to someone who could get you pregnant/who you could get pregnant.

That's a pretty poor interpretation. And being gay doesn't magically make you infertile. You just wouldn't be attracted to someone who could get you pregnant/who you could get pregnant.

i'm not proposing forcing gays to have sex with the opposite sex. i just ment, gay couples cant produce children between tham, thus thier "marrraige" isnt valid enough to be recognised by the gov. if they want to join a religion where thier church recognises thier marraige then they can fire ahead, i dont care. but the gov shouldnt have to recognise everyone who is in love, in eyes of the gov, marraige is for producing children. and yes i know that some opposite sex marraiges dont have children, but i'm also of the opinion of making our marraige laws even stricter.

i'm not proposing forcing gays to have sex with the opposite sex. i just ment, gay couples cant produce children between tham, thus thier "marrraige" isnt valid enough to be recognised by the gov. if they want to join a religion where thier church recognises thier marraige then they can fire ahead, i dont care. but the gov shouldnt have to recognise everyone who is in love, in eyes of the gov, marraige is for producing children. and yes i know that some opposite sex marraiges dont have children, but i'm also of the opinion of making our marraige laws even stricter.

Thats your interpretation only. The government decides on which interpretation to back.

By the way there is a difference between the legal and religious sense of marriage

Thats your interpretation only. The government decides on which interpretation to back.

By the way there is a difference between the legal and religious sense of marriage

yes i know thats what i was saying. i only care about legal marraige. religions recognising same sex marraige doesnt effect me.
my interpretation is simular to the govs. we both dont see the point of recognising it.

my interpretation is simular to the govs. we both dont see the point of recognising it.


There hasn't been a decision yet as to whether they will recognise the marriage of the Canadian women. That could change a hell of a lot

hardly. we have replaced potatos with curry for our diet.


You'll find that the Chinese, along with the batter-burger, is the more popular choice.


We still don't have any form of same sex partnerships though...
.

Legislation is pending, according to the minister for Just-us.

You'll find that the Chinese, along with the batter-burger, is the more popular choice.



Legislation is pending, according to the minister for Just-us.

whats a batter-burger?

whats a batter-burger?

A burger covered in batter. Also available are batter sausages and batter mars bars(supposedly delicious)

A burger covered in batter. Also available are batter sausages and batter mars bars(supposedly delicious)

Battered cream eggs are the most horrible thing i've ever had

You'll find that the Chinese, along with the batter-burger, is the more popular choice.



Legislation is pending, according to the minister for Just-us.

in the chipper near me they have, (this is amazing); potato, rice, onion and curry in batter. its basically a battered gue ball.

the legislation isnt going to be same as normal marraige, hust a form of civil marraige. that not bad depending on what it allows them to do.

A burger covered in batter. Also available are batter sausages and batter mars bars(supposedly delicious)

I flinched upon reading that....

Battered cream eggs are the most horrible thing i've ever had

Yeah, but cream eggs are perfect, they should not be messed with.

I flinched upon reading that....

You've never had a deep fried battered Candy Bar?! It's orgasmic

Yeah, but cream eggs are perfect, they should not be messed with.


i'm pretty sure that goes against god, nature and irish consitution. article 53.9 i believe.
subsection 2.-Dont bleedin' mess with my cream egg.

i'm pretty sure that goes against god, nature and irish consitution. article 53.9 i believe.
subsection 2.-Dont bleedin' mess with my cream egg.

If it doesn't then it should. I want a cream egg sooooo badly now.

whats a batter-burger?


The quintessential post-pub Dublin 'snack', best asked for in as strong a Dublin accent as possible.

You've never had a deep fried battered Candy Bar?! It's orgasmic

I eat a lot of things, I particulary like eating Goose Livers and Sea Cucumbers. But never will i have my mouth touch the surface of a deep fried Candy Bar?

I mean, ITS A DEEP FRIED CANDY BAR!! Did some leprechaun working overtime at Mcdonals drop a bar into the oil batter and serve it to a customer?

The quintessential post-pub Dublin 'snack', best asked for in as strong a Dublin accent as possible.

Kinda like "ba-ah boorgar"

Kinda like "ba-ah boorgar"

Indeed, or "Ba-tuur boorgar" followed by a sniff and a quick spit on the floor.

I eat a lot of things, I particulary like eating Goose Livers and Sea Cucumbers. But never will i have my mouth touch the surface of a deep fried Candy Bar?

I mean, ITS A DEEP FRIED CANDY BAR!! Did some leprechaun working overtime at Mcdonals drop a bar into the oil batter and serve it to a customer?

No, they put a stick into a Snickers, Milky Way or Three Musketeers bar (don't know what any of those are called over in the Isles) and put the batter they put on Corn Dogs/Pronto Pups on it and deep fry it and then roll it in powdered sugar. It's 1200 calories of saturated fat goodness.

the legislation isnt going to be same as normal marraige, hust a form of civil marraige. that not bad depending on what it allows them to do.

What other form of marriage could a government possibly offer? Religious ones?

No, they put a stick into a Snickers, Milky Way or Three Musketeers bar (don't know what any of those are called over in the Isles) and put the batter they put on Corn Dogs/Pronto Pups on it and deep fry it and then roll it in powdered sugar. It's 1200 calories of saturated fat goodness.

I just flinched again

I just flinched again

And with good reason. I've tried one once - once! - and I still get sick only thinking of it.
But in defence of Ireland it has to be said that this abomination originated in a Scottish chipper

And with good reason. I've tried one once - once! - and I still get sick only thinking of it.
But in defence of Ireland it has to be said that this abomination originated in a Scottish chipper

Yeah i'm always amazed that I have to ask specifically for things not to be battered here

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4020523.stm



Who'd have thunk it? And it seems that apart from Australia, all of the top 10 countries are European. America's 13th, France is 25th, Germany 26th, Britain 29th...and Zimbabwe 111th and bottom.

eat your heart out NZ we number 6

If respectable people don't dare go out after 6 pm any more, how the hell do they get home from work?
Also, that must mean that the majority of the Irish population and immigrants are not the least bit respectable, because they have this strange tendency to go out and pack the Dublin City Center almost every evening... especially now before christmas.

I wonder why they could even be bothered to travel to the city centre for an evening out nowadays. Even if you aren't a crime victim, the public transport system is such a catastrophic scandal that even the rats and cockroaches tend to avoid crawling onto the busses and trains.

Getting onto a bus is hard enough and civilised orderly queues are unheard of. The drivers and bus conductors are as ill-mannered as goats, shout like drunks in order to make their voices heard, and rudely push people around in order to make best use of the space on the riotous and overcrowded buses.

If you are lucky and manage to get on to the bus your journey will be like that of a zoo-transport truck crammed full of noisy and aggressive parrots and baboons. The noise of drunks shouting and teenagers arguing is deafening to the point that your eardrums feel like they are being crushed. The engine is as loud as a squeaking carpenter's sawmill, and moves as slowly as a laden tortoise.

Graffiti, cigarette buts, and litter are everywhere. The windows look like they've been used as riot-police shields, and the no-smoking signs are either totally worn away, or have being torn off. The seats all look like they've been bomb-shelled, and broken glass fills the floor, meaning that you have to be very careful to avoid slipping.

If you thought that the busses are bad, then you haven't seen anything yet. The trains are as crowded as an aviary-transport van, and people are crammed on top of each other sardine style. Air-conditioning is poor, and the stench of rancid food leftovers and urine from drunks smells like month-old decomposing corpses from a wartime body dumping yard.

White-gloved "handymen" wait at most busy stations. They then block off the doors after everybody is on board and push the crowd in order to make more room so that more people can be packed onto the train. Train conductors are unable to conduct ticked-checks on overcrowded trains and so more than half of people "free-ride", not paying any fares.

Public safety on trains and at stations is a joke, so make sure you know where and when the vigilantes will be around. Homeless vagrants and youth gangs freeride at most times and signs about "close circuit television is in use for your safety and security" are a bluff and a farce. You are see warnings about cameras everywhere but in reality they are as scarce as a hens teeth.

I wonder why they could even be bothered to travel to the city centre for an evening out nowadays. Even if you aren't a crime victim, the public transport system is such a catastrophic scandal that even the rats and cockroaches tend to avoid crawling onto the busses and trains.

Getting onto a bus is hard enough and civilised orderly queues are unheard of. The drivers and bus conductors are as ill-mannered as goats, shout like drunks in order to make their voices heard, and rudely push people around in order to make best use of the space on the riotous and overcrowded buses.

If you are lucky and manage to get on to the bus your journey will be like that of a zoo-transport truck crammed full of noisy and aggressive parrots and baboons. The noise of drunks shouting and teenagers arguing is deafening to the point that your eardrums feel like they are being crushed. The engine is as loud as a squeaking carpenter's sawmill, and moves as slowly as a laden tortoise.

Graffiti, cigarette buts, and litter are everywhere. The windows look like they've been used as riot-police shields, and the no-smoking signs are either totally worn away, or have being torn off. The seats all look like they've been bomb-shelled, and broken glass fills the floor, meaning that you have to be very careful to avoid slipping.

If you thought that the busses are bad, then you haven't seen anything yet. The trains are as crowded as an aviary-transport van, and people are crammed on top of each other sardine style. Air-conditioning is poor, and the stench of rancid food leftovers and urine from drunks smells like month-old decomposing corpses from a wartime body dumping yard.

White-gloved "handymen" wait at most busy stations. They then block off the doors after everybody is on board and push the crowd in order to make more room so that more people can be packed onto the train. Train conductors are unable to conduct ticked-checks on overcrowded trains and so more than half of people "free-ride", not paying any fares.

Public safety on trains and at stations is a joke, so make sure you know where and when the vigilantes will be around. Homeless vagrants and youth gangs freeride at most times and signs about "close circuit television is in use for your safety and security" are a bluff and a farce. You are see warnings about cameras everywhere but in reality they are as scarce as a hens teeth.


I uses the busses daily, and the trains on a regular basis (as my boyfriend lives in Cork), so all I can say about the above description is : WTF??? When or where did you see that???

The only complaint I have about the busses is that they could be more regular, that's about it. They're a comfortable, affordable way to get around town.

I uses the busses daily, and the trains on a regular basis (as my boyfriend lives in Cork), so all I can say about the above description is : WTF??? When or where did you see that???

The only complaint I have about the busses is that they could be more regular, that's about it. They're a comfortable, affordable way to get around town.

I agree, though the trains are a ridiculously expensive. I have friends in Cobh who complain about having to pay 5.50(an adult fare, as opposed to half that for a child) to get to Cork city. But the Cork-Cobh line is subsidised and the ticket fare would normally be over 10 euro.

Where is Canada as they used to be rated top (probably about 8 years since I last checked)
You're thinking of the U.N. Ratings,not ''The Economist''.

I agree, though the trains are a ridiculously expensive. I have friends in Cobh who complain about having to pay 5.50(an adult fare, as opposed to half that for a child) to get to Cork city. But the Cork-Cobh line is subsidised and the ticket fare would normally be over 10 euro.

Well, I was in Mallow this weekend. The train cost me 51 Euros for a return ticket, the journey was 2.5 hours.
For that same distance I pay 96 Euro for a return ticket in Germany (Frankfurt-Bamberg), so I really won't complain there.

Well, I was in Mallow this weekend. The train cost me 51 Euros for a return ticket, the journey was 2.5 hours.
For that same distance I pay 96 Euro for a return ticket in Germany (Frankfurt-Bamberg), so I really won't complain there.

when i work that out to Aust Money thats not cheap

when i work that out to Aust Money thats not cheap

Which on? The German fare or the Irish one?

Which on? The German fare or the Irish one?

both

both and its base on the last time i check what you get both ways in money

I tried to make sense of that post, but.... :confused:

Well, I was in Mallow this weekend. The train cost me 51 Euros for a return ticket, the journey was 2.5 hours.
For that same distance I pay 96 Euro for a return ticket in Germany (Frankfurt-Bamberg), so I really won't complain there.

Doesn't seem so bad now.....yay!

I (..have no life....).

Yep. You've never been here, have you?

Doesn't seem so bad now.....yay!

Especially keeping in mind that the average income in Germany is considerably lower than in Ireland ;)

I tried to make sense of that post, but.... :confused:

its late i think ,we just got Day Light Saving and i have no Idea what the Time is
i guess its time to hit the hay

Indeed, or "Ba-tuur boorgar" followed by a sniff and a quick spit on the floor.

is that a jest at my northside central bretheren?

doesn't surprise me that britain is the lowest in western europe

*wants to move*

That doesn't surprise me at all.

Yep. You've never been here, have you?

i get two buses and two darts daily. i have seen what hes talking about. never seen an animal on either. sure theres beer cans and bottles everywhere, but fuck it. we're the best country in thE world, we can do what the fuck we like.

is that a jest at my northside central bretheren?

No, its done on the southside too. Just not by everybody on the southside.....

my interpretation of this is that it only recognises people-producing families. which gays do not.

So a straight couple who got married arent really married unless they have children???????

So a straight couple who got married arent really married unless they have children???????

read what i said earlier. i hate repeating myself. i think the gov should only regonise marraiges with people that have children. religious marraiges i care not.

i think the gov should only regonise marraiges with people that have children.

What about the tax break?

What about the tax break?

for the reason of the tax break.

for the reason of the tax break.

But you get a tax break if you get married, regardless of the children. I don't understand, are you saying you're against that?

But you get a tax break if you get married, regardless of the children. I don't understand, are you saying you're against that?

i dont see why a couple without children needs them. if we took them away the gay "rights" activists would quiet down for the time being.

i dont see why a couple without children needs them.
You don't understand why people would need a tax break!? Wow. Wait till you have to buy a house, get a job and live in general.

if we took them away the gay "rights" activists would quiet down for the time being.

Uuummm, right. I don't think the homosexual community call for equal rights for tax reasons. I think it may just have something to do with, you know, equality?

You don't understand why people would need a tax break!? Wow. Wait till you have to buy a house, get a job and live in general.



Uuummm, right. I don't think the homosexual community call for equal rights for tax reasons. I think it may just have something to do with, you know, equality?

1-economies of scale.

2-dam equality.

read what i said earlier. i hate repeating myself. i think the gov should only regonise marraiges with people that have children. religious marraiges i care not.


This makes no sense, as it needlessly discriminates against "gays" and infertile people, as well as those who just dont want children.

read what i said earlier. i hate repeating myself. i think the gov should only regonise marraiges with people that have children. religious marraiges i care not.

In that case, I assume that you would recognise a same sex couple adopting and raising children as married?

In that case, I assume that you would recognise a same sex couple adopting and raising children as married?

thats not allowed here. and i dont see it happening for a long time. gay marraige is more likely to come in before gay adoption.

thats not allowed here. and i dont see it happening for a long time. gay marraige is more likely to come in before gay adoption.

I don't see why we shouldn't have either.

thats not allowed here. and i dont see it happening for a long time. gay marraige is more likely to come in before gay adoption.

But if it were allowed would that override your concerns about the government supporting gay marriage?

This makes no sense, as it needlessly discriminates against "gays" and infertile people, as well as those who just dont want children.

two people in love each other living together, is the same as two friends living together. i dont care how they feel about each other, but if they have a kid, then i start to care.

thats not allowed here. and i dont see it happening for a long time. gay marraige is more likely to come in before gay adoption.

Not allowed? The Adoption Board (http://www.adoptionboard.ie/domestic/index.php) doesn't point that out anywhere.
Besides, I know of two same sex couples living here and raising children together, one raising a niece and nephew of one of the partners, the other one raising the child of one of the partner.
Seeing as they live together like married couples AND are raising children, surely they'd be eligible to be married by your standards?

But if it were allowed would that override your concerns about the government supporting gay marriage?

only gay marraige if they adopt. but allowing gays to adopt is not a good idea at the moment. alot of irish people are still homophobic. any kid with gay parents would spend there life being bullied and beaten up. there has been studies done that says statistically, kids with gay parents are more likely more likely to cause crime and suffer from drug abuse.
when the irish mentality allows for gays to adopt then i would promote it. we need more parents for adoption. but until then i dont think its right to experiment with a childes mental state.

eww...puh-lease.

only gay marraige if they adopt. but allowing gays to adopt is not a good idea at the moment. alot of irish people are still homophobic. any kid with gay parents would spend there life being bullied and beaten up. there has been studies done that says statistically, kids with gay parents are more likely more likely to cause crime and suffer from drug abuse.
when the irish mentality allows for gays to adopt then i would promote it. we need more parents for adoption. but until then i dont think its right to experiment with a childes mental state.

Having gay parents who love the child is better than having no parents at all.
Of course the child will have to face prejudice, but what child doesn't? Compare your statistics on children with gay parents to statistics of children raised in homes, and then tell me again it's better that gays don't adopt.

Not allowed? The Adoption Board (http://www.adoptionboard.ie/domestic/index.php) doesn't point that out anywhere.
Besides, I know of two same sex couples living here and raising children together, one raising a niece and nephew of one of the partners, the other one raising the child of one of the partner.
Seeing as they live together like married couples AND are raising children, surely they'd be eligible to be married by your standards?

i am aware there are situations were a indivual gay person is able to adopt. family members can apoint them as legal gardians. but a couple cant adopt one together.

i am aware there are situations were a indivual gay person is able to adopt. family members can apoint them as legal gardians. but a couple cant adopt one together.

It's a vicious circle... they can't adopt, because they can't marry. And you won;t let them marry unless they adopt.... :rolleyes:

Having gay parents who love the child is better than having no parents at all.
Of course the child will have to face prejudice, but what child doesn't? Compare your statistics on children with gay parents to statistics of children raised in homes, and then tell me again it's better that gays don't adopt.

i have, i'm not searching the internet for them again.

i have, i'm not searching the internet for them again.

So kids raised in homes are less liable to face prejudice, and to turn to crime and drugs? And you seriously ask me to take your word for that?

It's a vicious circle... they can't adopt, because they can't marry. And you won;t let them marry unless they adopt.... :rolleyes:

last time saying it. irish culture wont except it. but when it does, i will allow it.

last time saying it. irish culture wont except it. but it does, i will allow it.

Irish culture is changing. Open your eyes.

So kids raised in homes are less liable to face prejudice, and to turn to crime and drugs? And you seriously ask me to take your word for that?

raised by gays, yes. a few years ago there was an issue if gays could adopt or not. the newspapers were full of statistics and info. again, i say, i believe its too risky.

Irish culture is changing. Open your eyes.

yes it is. eventually it will change to the point were it is acceptable for gays to adopt. then i will allow it.

last time saying it. irish culture wont except it. but when it does, i will allow it.

Irish culture, as such, was eliminated sometime in the 16th-17th century, and the few vestiges of it have slowly slid away until now we've fuck all left except a few swear words they don't use elsewhere. What you're talking about is more to do with an imported Roman Catholic conservative view, which has caused far more trouble than ever it was worth.

raised by gays, yes. a few years ago there was an issue if gays could adopt or not. the newspapers were full of statistics and info. again, i say, i believe its too risky.

Thats not the question Cabra put to you

Irish culture, as such, was eliminated sometime in the 16th-17th century, and the few vestiges of it have slowly slid away until now we've fuck all left except a few swear words they don't use elsewhere. What you're talking about is more to do with an imported Roman Catholic conservative view, which has caused far more trouble than ever it was worth.

your right there is no irish culture, ireland doesnt exist. the irish died out with the dinosaurs. nobody practices our old traditions anymore. especially not a large group of people in the world.
/sarcasim.

Thats not the question Cabra put to you

her question ambiguous. she should rephrase it. homes to me are a place you live in. does she mean orphanages?

her question ambiguous. she should rephrase it. homes to me are a place you live in. does she mean orphanages?

Basically you said that children raised by gay parents were more likely to commit crime and abuse drugs. Cabra asked (and she can correct me if i'm wrong here) if that is not the case with kids raised in orphanages and if it is the case then compare which situation is worse for the kid i.e. raised in an orphanage or by gay parents

Basically you said that children raised by gay parents were more likely to commit crime and abuse drugs. Cabra asked (and she can correct me if i'm wrong here) if that is not the case with kids raised in orphanages and if it is the case then compare which situation is worse for the kid i.e. raised in an orphanage or by gay parents

i think the advantages of raising kids via orphanages to the fulla capacity. think if the government raised all those unwanted to the full potential, using our available resources and available pychological information, we could potentially raise masses of young diciplined adults. basically what i'm saying, i would like to military run orphanages. raised to be like machines. but alas its a dream, and no listens to me.

i think the advantages of raising kids via orphanages to the fulla capacity. think if the government raised all those unwanted to the full potential, using our available resources and available pychological information, we could potentially raise masses of young diciplined adults. basically what i'm saying, i would like to military run orphanages. raised to be like machines. but alas its a dream, and no listens to me.

I'm not talking about what ifs, I'm talking about facts. Are you honestly trying to claim that children raised by gay parents are more liable to lead a life od drugs and crime than children raised in orphanages? And I'm not talking about your brave new world version of orphanages, but of orphanages today.

your right there is no irish culture, ireland doesnt exist. the irish died out with the dinosaurs. nobody practices our old traditions anymore. especially not a large group of people in the world.
/sarcasim.

What language are we typing in?

We had trial marriage and divorce in the 1500s. Not now though.....

What language are we typing in?

We had trial marriage and divorce in the 1500s. Not now though.....

we have divorce now. last time fine gael were in the brought in a referendum about it. i can assure you there irish people still alive today, i'm one of them. so still have an irish culture.