When we were considering primary schools, the gaelscoil was binned when we realised we'd struggle to help them with their homework.
As an aside, there seems to have been a really positive change in how it's taught and presented to kids. Our two seem to have a bit of a gra for it, yapping and singing away in it at home.
I used one my very rare vetos based on the parents of my kids future friends.
Always something a little intense/insecure or incredibly annoying about Dublin commuter belt gaelgoers. They are a definite type.
Will put in the extra hours with the kids or in the office to pay for grinds to make the chat at birthday parties for the next decade easier.
No matter what I change on the panels the heating doesn't come on, though water is hot. Also have an isolator switch outside the room and no idea of it should be on or off, not that it's making a difference. Have 3 or 4 panels about the place, and if i put the temp up on it, i see the main temperature slowly increase but nothings getting warmer.
Things are very much better, but still a lot of frustration involved, especially if you have to rely on public sector help.
My 2 kids are diagnosed autistic, although literally at opposite ends of things. My eldest was for all intents and purposes 'typical' and walked, talked, interacted as normal, but has the attention span of a gnat and can get hyper and disruptive but not out of malice of any sort. Very bright though, basically taught himself how to read before he started school, and has the memory of an elephant. In preschool they recognised he needed extra help and someone got assigned to him to help calm him and keep him constructively busy. He is in junior infants and this has carried on. Local health services guy though refused to countenance that there was anything he needed help with so wouldn't refer him on anywhere, so we had to get a private assessment which allows him to get the extra resources and time he needs in class now, otherwise he'd often be disruptive to others. With a bit of extra help to focus and channel his energy, he'll be fine, and I'd imagine will be substantially similar to other kids experiences. We can see the differences with the private occupational therapy sessions and extra help in school. He'd likely have coped, but with increasing difficulty as the years went by and would as you say have been ignored when we were kids.
My youngest has from about 14 months been far more obviously autistic in more severe ways. He has just turned 3 and doesn't speak, among other things. Thankfully locally there are decent private services we can avail of, and he is in a special ASD unit preschool, which from the day he turned 3 is fully covered by a grant as it doesn't come under the ECCE scheme. Again, we had to get him privately assessed, and private speech and language and occupational therapy. We have been assured that he is 'top of the list' for public speech and language for the last year, but it could be another year before anything like that actually becomes available to him. Thankfully (and with help from good cover under health insurance) we are able to fund these things privately for him. We'd still be waiting for a public assessment too if we weren't able to afford the private one (not cheap and not covered by health insurance).
Outcomes are much improved by early intervention and we are really hoping that'll be the case for him too. He's a sweet boy with an even temperament generally, but there are some frustrations with his lack of ability to communicate. He has (covered by the medical card he was granted after getting a specific government grant only made possible because he had a diagnosis we'd still be waiting for if relying on public route) a tablet to essentially allow him to communicate once he understands how to use it, but that will be a long and slow process to get to, and hopefully he will develop speech in the mean time, but if not, this will hopefully allow him to tell us things. He can make himself understood in a non-verbal way, but it is obviously limited. The point being that while the grants and supports are there, getting to them without resorting to private diagnoses and interventions is a very slow and laboured process. Things are better, but still a lot of room for improvement.
My wife works a pediatric ot and it sounds like your getting a decent service compared to a lot kids. Not a high bar or any solace I know.
She stated doing some private work a few years ago
and dropped down to 4 days so she had a day free.
Partly for cash but once all the cost were rolled in and she insists on paying tax so it’s negligible.
Mostly and the reason I encouraged it was to get back to doing actual therapy instead of just assessments.
Some of the stories she has are heartbreaking and even a selfish prick like me is fine with her not charging sometimes or just not chasing people we know are struggling.
When recruiters thinks it’s ok to leave money on the table it pretty bad and it’s time she doesn’t get to spend with our own kids.
System actually has enough therapists is the worst thing. Poor managers, no admins, shite systems and back covering past bad practices eat most if their time.
No matter what I change on the panels the heating doesn't come on, though water is hot. Also have an isolator switch outside the room and no idea of it should be on or off, not that it's making a difference. Have 3 or 4 panels about the place, and if i put the temp up on it, i see the main temperature slowly increase but nothings getting warmer.
Mine looks more run of the mill than yours. The flame means that the system is currently on anyway as attempting to heat up or maintain a certain temperature.
FWIW, my wife maintains that the system more often than not reads 1 degree lower than what we have it set at. Guy who services it mentioned similar anecdotal feedback from others in our estate.
I know there is an offset which we’ve often used on the boiler which increases/decreases the temperature of the radiators. Ours goes +/- 8 degree of whatever is the water temperature on the boiler. Again same guy suggested that would help increase the temperature in the radiators.
I’d say someone on boards would know more and will likely have the same set up
Roy Keane sniping from the literal sidelines in Qatar with easy no cost to him soundbites doesn’t make him Nelson Mandela , the fawning over him as some grizzled truth teller is a joke, he’s not even a truth teller in his football analysis, gave Ronaldo a free pass the past year.
he’s like a panto act.
at least all the pundits/players have stopped pretending they care about human rights now .
Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To...View Post
In the process of signing a book contract with a very reputable publisher. The contract is interesting - I was mentally expecting the royalties to be a fair bit less?
My understanding is that net receipts is the sales price minus any discounts offered to sellers, rather than some The Producers scam where they can deduct all manner of expenses. But will double-check.
Probably the absolute best case scenario is about €10k of royalties, so you wouldn't be doing it for the money anyway.
There was a nice flaw in one of the major publishing companies royalty system about 15 years ago.
I was somewhat responsible but the defence of 'we gave them exactly 100% what they asked for' was solid.
In essence royalties were paid at the point that a book-shop or college ordered from the publisher, but that doesn't guarantee an actual sale.
The industry operated on a returns system - shop orders 20 copies of boring science book in August - by October only 18 have been sold to the students so you can return the other two as they are clearly never selling. Shop just pays the publisher for 18.
But the royalties was clicking that as a sale of 20, as no-one ever asked for returns to be counted when the royalty payment routine was ran and the cheques sent out.
Minor stuff which was only costing a small loss in a high margin business, but one professor had clearly worked out the flaw and got too greedy.
A couple of book-shops had ordered unfeasible quantities of his ridiculously expensive book and returned them a few months later.
Got away with it the first year but the second year someone questioned why X, Y & Z shops were re-ordering books which had been returned en-masse previously.
All came to light then and afaik got settled without needing to go legal/criminal route.
The previously sheeplike (politically) Chinese seem to be waking up a bit.
There's endless protests in China every day of the week. They aren't 'sheeplike'. There's about 490 'mass protests' in China every day - 180,000 a year. There was also 1,095 labour strikes in the country last year. Even accounting for the massive population differences, we'd be hard-pressed to match the Chinese penchant for public protesting. If they are 'sheep', they are very angry sheep.
Hopefully though these particular protests do lift the nonsense on zero-covid.
Oops sorry Iona Paul. Had a few beers during and after the rugby so not the best phrasing.
Lol, don't worry at all! I didn't think you were talking about me anyhow (FWIW I don't consider myself a Dublin commuter belt person, gaeilgoir or not ), I'm more of a 'oh, that can't be me being criticised, sure I'm perfect in my humble opinion' type, aka selectively clueless
Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To...View Post
There's endless protests in China every day of the week. They aren't 'sheeplike'. There's about 490 'mass protests' in China every day - 180,000 a year. There was also 1,095 labour strikes in the country last year. Even accounting for the massive population differences, we'd be hard-pressed to match the Chinese penchant for public protesting. If they are 'sheep', they are very angry sheep.
Hopefully though these particular protests do lift the nonsense on zero-covid.
So you can protest away, as long as you don't look for inconvenient things like democracy, human rights or an end to crazy covid policies. Because if you do, we'll beat you to a bloody pulp.
Got it. Sounds great.
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
Lol, don't worry at all! I didn't think you were talking about me anyhow (FWIW I don't consider myself a Dublin commuter belt person, gaeilgoir or not ), I'm more of a 'oh, that can't be me being criticised, sure I'm perfect in my humble opinion' type, aka selectively clueless
Do you consider yourself a Dub though? (would be willing to be bet you don't and never will )
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
Loads of cans of nitrous oxide (big heavy yokes, I picked one up) scattered about in the park this morning. Is that a thing now?
Yeah, the kids call it balooning apparently
A balloon filled with nitrous oxide, or NOS (laughing gas). You can usually find balloon dealers outside parties, raves, music festivals or other such gatherings. As soon as people hear a dealer inflating a balloon they flock round them like sheep. Balloons are the second most popular drug in the UK (aside from weed). Also goes by the name of Hippy crack.
Dealer: You came to buy balloons bruv?
Client: Yea man (hands over cash)
Dealer: Calm G, this is 100% medical grade NOS. This shit'll make you trip. (Loudly inflates balloon)
“Blessed are the forgetful, for they get the better even of their blunders.”
They're quite different publications so wouldn't lump them together. They would still be regarded as the gold standard of journalism in the US though.
What are the inaccuracies?
I’d agree on not lumping them together but beyond finance I’d be with Denny on questioning WSJ.
They’ve been under fire for years now going back to coverage on Trump.
They’ve always been a conservative publication and while the NYT is a more liberal outfit -so bias both sides- the credibility of WSJ is definitely more under question.
I know they’re not technically American but US coverage by the likes of Reuters is probably the bar.
I’d agree on not lumping them together but beyond finance I’d be with Denny on questioning WSJ.
They’ve been under fire for years now going back to coverage on Trump.
They’ve always been a conservative publication and while the NYT is a more liberal outfit -so bias both sides- the credibility of WSJ is definitely more under question.
I know they’re not technically American but US coverage by the likes of Reuters is probably the bar.
I have a NYT sub online and find it pretty good. They clearly still have a budget that most papers don't; you get some great stuff off the main page from bits of the US you don't normally hear about as well as very good foreign coverage.
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
Do you consider yourself a Dub though? (would be willing to be bet you don't and never will )
You are correct, I am not a Dub, doesn't matter than I've now crossed the line of living here longer than I lived in Galway. My 4 year old lad is also, as of last week, kitted out in Connacht gear for when he's at his under-5 rugby 'training' (don't worry MysteryGuest, there is no tackling so he should be quite alright for the next few years!), so hopefully will avoid becoming a true blue Dub himself for a little while
You are correct, I am not a Dub, doesn't matter than I've now crossed the line of living here longer than I lived in Galway. My 4 year old lad is also, as of last week, kitted out in Connacht gear for when he's at his under-5 rugby 'training' (don't worry MysteryGuest, there is no tackling so he should be quite alright for the next few years!), so hopefully will avoid becoming a true blue Dub himself for a little while
You and Mrs D3 should arrange a weekly outing where you can speak Galwegian to each other. She was home at the weekend and is still saying stuff like 'arragh' and 'shhhtop'
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
I have a NYT sub online and find it pretty good. They clearly still have a budget that most papers don't; you get some great stuff off the main page from bits of the US you don't normally hear about as well as very good foreign coverage.
I'm not too sure. I don't think the typical SF voters are quite as loyal as Trumpists but they are definitely anti-establishment. I suspect they won't vote FF/FG in a month of Sundays, they'll either vote PBP maybe or not vote at all.
Ultimately they are just being led down a blind path and it's quite amazing how many people are following it. Friends of mine, some of whom are doing quite well for themselves, which i've alluded to before here i think, which amazes me. Some people just want to complain and want more without seeing the bigger picture. We are actually doing very OK as a country IMO - overall.
On the flip side, if/when SF do get in, it'll be interesting cause i don't really want them to do bad
As soon as SF become the establishment things are gonna be bad, the new 'anti-establishment' are waiting in the wings and they are a nasty bunch of cunts....East Wall is just the start of it.
People say I should be more humble I hope they understand, they don't listen when you mumble
Get a shiny metal Revolut card! And a free tenner! https://revolut.com/referral/jamesb8!G10D21
So you can protest away, as long as you don't look for inconvenient things like democracy, human rights or an end to crazy covid policies. Because if you do, we'll beat you to a bloody pulp.
Got it. Sounds great.
Not sure what your point is. I was simply saying that Chinese people are evidentally not 'sheeplike', the term you used. Thats a racial-driven Western stereotype that isn't reflective of how people there act.
I'm watching RTE here and the lady on match analysis with Kenny Cunningham and Peter Collins keeps calling Roberto Martinez "Robert Martinez" and cant pronounce well known players like Axel Witsel, Hakim Ziyech and Ivan Perisic's name. Like, nowhere near close. These are well known/ very famous players. She's clearly reading the names off a piece of paper/teleprompter and has never seen them play before at all. Anyone who watches match of the day or champions league highlights on Youtube knows those guys names. Looks completely out of her depth , and that's saying something when she's on with Peter Collins & Kenny Cunningham.
Before anyone says anything about being sexist, I don't care if they put 50 women on the panel once they actually know what's going on. Laura Woods, Alex Scott, Gabby Logan, Emma Byrne, Karen Carney & Joanne Cantwell are very good.
Its like gender equality on sports panels has become a box ticking exercise and the quality of the presenters knowledge is less important than what reproductive organs they have. Its absolute nonsense.
Joseph N'Do was great fun on his first stint as studio analyst on RTE this morning.
Not particularly insightful or anything, just different from every other pundit.
I have a NYT sub online and find it pretty good. They clearly still have a budget that most papers don't; you get some great stuff off the main page from bits of the US you don't normally hear about as well as very good foreign coverage.
I got an email to say my sub is renewed for 2023 at 1e PM, great value.
I’m letting my Economist sub lapse, I prefer FP & FA these days both of which are approx 100e for the year.
Like you, it’s the exposure to things you don’t get elsewhere plus I feel it’s worthwhile supporting because they produce good podcasts which are free.
Also, on podcasts, World Cup & media, I heard Allistair Campbell mention on his pod yesterday that Gary Lineker is actually their boss.
He owns the production company which has that and a couple of history pods including Al Murray’s.
A slight way around the BBC telling him to keep his political views to himself
Thinking about these protests a bit in China and Iran (not too deeply of course). Is there any autocratic country in the world, whether ruled by dictators, religious zealots or a machine like the CCP where in recent years (the last 40 or so even) where protests and uprising has led to an authoritarian regime being replaced by one that has made the lives of the people in that country better? Usually one dictator is replaced by another, albeit packaged differently perhaps. I was maybe thinking the fall of the iron curtain for citizens in the east of europe, the fall of Ceausesku, but they are probably mostly as a result of what happened in Russia. The fall of communism there has hardly resulted in untold freedoms for the people there either although I'm sure Comrade Hitch will fill me in on all the brilliant lives the peasants have there.
Thinking about these protests a bit in China and Iran (not too deeply of course). Is there any autocratic country in the world, whether ruled by dictators, religious zealots or a machine like the CCP where in recent years (the last 40 or so even) where protests and uprising has led to an authoritarian regime being replaced by one that has made the lives of the people in that country better? Usually one dictator is replaced by another, albeit packaged differently perhaps. I was maybe thinking the fall of the iron curtain for citizens in the east of europe, the fall of Ceausesku, but they are probably mostly as a result of what happened in Russia. The fall of communism there has hardly resulted in untold freedoms for the people there either although I'm sure Comrade Hitch will fill me in on all the brilliant lives the peasants have there.
Portugal probably fits your spec, although it's closer to 50 years since the revolution (1974)
Thinking about these protests a bit in China and Iran (not too deeply of course). Is there any autocratic country in the world, whether ruled by dictators, religious zealots or a machine like the CCP where in recent years (the last 40 or so even) where protests and uprising has led to an authoritarian regime being replaced by one that has made the lives of the people in that country better? Usually one dictator is replaced by another, albeit packaged differently perhaps. I was maybe thinking the fall of the iron curtain for citizens in the east of europe, the fall of Ceausesku, but they are probably mostly as a result of what happened in Russia. The fall of communism there has hardly resulted in untold freedoms for the people there either although I'm sure Comrade Hitch will fill me in on all the brilliant lives the peasants have there.
To pick a few:
East Germany, Romania, Poland, Hungary, Czechslovakia, Bulgaria?...all indisputably more free and better off.
South Africa? definitely more free and trending more equal
Argentina? now a democracy, albeit one with an excitingly erratic economy
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
I think though 6star, you are touching on something quite fundamental. You can't expect democracy to flourish automatically where previously there was no tradition of it. Hence why we frequently see a reversion to the mean of autocracy in countries where repressive regimes are overthrown.
The exception being of course those countries of Eastern Europe that got vast amounts of support from the EU to do so, and even then it was a decades-long exercise in building the institutions of democracy in those places.
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
I think though 6star, you are touching on something quite fundamental. You can't expect democracy to flourish automatically where previously there was no tradition of it. Hence why we frequently see a reversion to the mean of autocracy in countries where repressive regimes are overthrown.
The exception being of course those countries of Eastern Europe that got vast amounts of support from the EU to do so, and even then it was a decades-long exercise in building the institutions of democracy in those places.
There's far too much invested in China from the West for a regime change to be allowed imo
People say I should be more humble I hope they understand, they don't listen when you mumble
Get a shiny metal Revolut card! And a free tenner! https://revolut.com/referral/jamesb8!G10D21
I think though 6star, you are touching on something quite fundamental. You can't expect democracy to flourish automatically where previously there was no tradition of it. Hence why we frequently see a reversion to the mean of autocracy in countries where repressive regimes are overthrown.
The exception being of course those countries of Eastern Europe that got vast amounts of support from the EU to do so, and even then it was a decades-long exercise in building the institutions of democracy in those places.
Ya, with the exception of SA (to a decent degree at least) and maybe Argies, the rest were lucky enough to get free of the soviet influence which made it much more likely, in proximity to the rest of Europe that things would improve for many, if not all.
Is there any real chance of anything decent coming out if this in Iran or China? In China the best I'd expect is for the CCP to relent on some covid measures over a period of time.
I don't know what a good end point for any of those places for the people living there would be. I don't want to project western norms (which aren't without flaws either), but surely there has to be something better than oppression and religious zealotry? For much of the ME, given that religion for most of them is not going to taper off like it did here, hopefully in the next generation or two there will be a progression towards a more tolerant view of many things. Not necessarily one where gay marriage is celebrated and an every day part of life, but equally one where it doesn't mean oppression, execution and the likes. Who knows. I'm sure 50 years ago the Ireland of today would have been unthinkable to the people of the time.
If Putin somehow fell out of a window in the Kremlin (), I have zero doubt that the replacement regime would probably be equally as bad.
That's basically what I'm getting at. Power is far too valuable and gettable in many of these places, that when one goes, more shit often follows.
I've no idea what life is like in Cambodia these days, but presumably not as bad as Pol Pot days for lots of people. Perhaps I'm too pessimistic, and too swayed by the short lived joy of things like te Arab spring where dictators were overthrown to great initial hope but others just as bad in many ways swooped in.
I don't know what a good end point for any of those places for the people living there would be. I don't want to project western norms (which aren't without flaws either), but surely there has to be something better than oppression and religious zealotry? For much of the ME, given that religion for most of them is not going to taper off like it did here, hopefully in the next generation or two there will be a progression towards a more tolerant view of many things. Not necessarily one where gay marriage is celebrated and an every day part of life, but equally one where it doesn't mean oppression, execution and the likes. Who knows. I'm sure 50 years ago the Ireland of today would have been unthinkable to the people of the time.
At least Ireland moved forward over 50 years. The ME has generally been moving backwards over the last 50. Tehran, Baghdad and Beirut used to be rather cosmopolitan cities...
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
Can someone post the text of Rory article from the Sindo please.
His rival it seems, had broken his dreams,By stealing the girl of his fancy.Her name was Magill, and she called herself Lil,But everyone knew her as Nancy.
It's a web archive site around for a long time, so nothing to worry about.
Nice one
His rival it seems, had broken his dreams,By stealing the girl of his fancy.Her name was Magill, and she called herself Lil,But everyone knew her as Nancy.
As soon as SF become the establishment things are gonna be bad, the new 'anti-establishment' are waiting in the wings and they are a nasty bunch of cunts....East Wall is just the start of it.
Far be it from me to give SF/IRA credit for anything but despite the fact that its their core supporters and activists that are being targeted by the worst of the fringe elements they appear to be actively working to keep some sort of a lid on things.
Obviously it's politically expedient for them to desert their previous anti immigration position and key founding principals of 'We Ourselves' at least until they get through the next election.
I wouldn't expect them to be making space for their competitors on the far right once they get into power. More likely that with a majority in the Dail and back benches stuffed with 'Wheelie Bins' incapable of identifying with anyone who isn't a wrap the green flag round me 'up the ra' chanting imbecile they will show their true colours as an extreme right authoritarian party.
I got an email to say my sub is renewed for 2023 at 1e PM, great value.
I’m letting my Economist sub lapse, I prefer FP & FA these days both of which are approx 100e for the year.
Like you, it’s the exposure to things you don’t get elsewhere plus I feel it’s worthwhile supporting because they produce good podcasts which are free.
Also, on podcasts, World Cup & media, I heard Allistair Campbell mention on his pod yesterday that Gary Lineker is actually their boss.
He owns the production company which has that and a couple of history pods including Al Murray’s.
A slight way around the BBC telling him to keep his political views to himself
The New York Times podcasts (well the daily anyway) are almost unlistenable because of the affected way the presenters talk- maybe it’s a wider podcast thing but it’s ultra tilting
South Korea, Indonesia, and now welcoming Malaysia to the group, in terms of Asian countries making the transition to democracy successfully too. Its nearly inevitable that China will follow also. Probably why there is the rise of protests over time there, as people realise things don't have to be controlled.
The hope, of course, is that like South Korea, Indonesia (partially), and Malaysia, the transition will be peaceful. Essentially gradually introducing more and more democratic-like behaviour, before the big 'election' moment. Not sure the reappointment of Xi is all that great in that context, he doesn't seem to have many big ideas.
We process personal data about users of our site, through the use of cookies and other technologies, to deliver our services, personalize advertising, and to analyze site activity. We may share certain information about our users with our advertising and analytics partners. For additional details, refer to our Privacy Policy.
By clicking "I AGREE" below, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our personal data processing and cookie practices as described therein. You also acknowledge that this forum may be hosted outside your country and you consent to the collection, storage, and processing of your data in the country where this forum is hosted.
Also have an isolator switch outside the room and no idea of it should be on or off, not that it's making a difference. Have 3 or 4 panels about the place, and if i put the temp up on it, i see the main temperature slowly increase but nothings getting warmer.
), I'm more of a 'oh, that can't be me being criticised, sure I'm perfect in my humble opinion' type, aka selectively clueless 
Comment