When all else fails…

In case of boredom, click here.

Not that I’m one to encourage anyone similarly spending their days doing boring, unfulfilling and frankly insufficient levels of work (the fault of the employer rather than the employee might I clarify), it’s a great way to use up 12 minutes.

Why twelve? Here’s a tip: watch it on silent first, and play a game of ‘guess the soundtrack’ - this was necessitated on my part by having no speakers at work, which may or may not be a good thing. Watching it again with sound, it’s made twice as funny realising how right or wrong you were…

Enjoy, and god bless that man…

Yellow bellies all round..

News today that the government plans on finally doing something a bit more concrete about the ever-increasing drink driving problem in this country. It being this government, they of course only bring the measures half way…

Martin Cullen announced a plan for learner drivers to be subject to a zero tolerance of alcohol policy for the first three years they are driving. Why? Because “as it turns out” any alcohol at all can impair your driving. Who knew… (well, actually…)

Don’t get me wrong. I’m bloody delighted to see some moves being made towards really challenging the incredibly blasé attitude to drink-driving (and indeed drink in general) in this country. But for god’s sake, if you can come out and say that you know there’s a huge problem, why on earth can’t you take the next logical step?

I’ve always felt that the generation above mine have a much more casual attitude towards being ‘alright with a few pints’ and I’m somewhat afraid that today’s announcement will only further propagate this attitude. Which in itself will lead them to go on drinking, and go on killing people every weekend.

It’s just not good enough.

I know, I know “it’s a start”. But it’s officially too little too late.

I find it utterly ridiculous that they’re recognising the danger of booze (’for the first three years’), but then once you’re forgotten your lessons and developed bad habits, sure have a pint too? It’s extremely irresponsible and indicative of the cowardice of this government.

Here’s the thing. There have been two major improvements in the everyday life of Irish people in the last few years (and yes that is a gross and widesweeping generalisation). These are? The plastic bag levy, and smoking ban. Both proof that half-measures don’t work and all the bloody men in the Dáil need to grow at least one complete set of genitalia between them, and proceed to use them (and not in a propagation of the species kind of way!).

I can only imagine how people whose sons/daughters/parents have been killed by a drunk “just going down the road” feel about it.

It sickens me completely.