Banana Republic

As many of you will know, I refer to my home country of Ireland as "The Glorious Republic" from time to time. This is part piss-take, part nostalgia for the old country. The current Irish government, along with a long line of its predecessors, frankly couldn't find their own arse with a compass, two hands, an a judicial enquiry costing hundreds of millions.

Recently, a guerrilla artist hung a number of nude portraits of our current Glorious Leader, Brian Cowen, in a number of art galleries in Ireland. RTE, the "national broadcaster", dutifully reported on this. Someone in the current... regime didn't like this, and the next day RTE issued a swift apology.

Ten minutes of economic turmoil, and we're back to the 70s - strikes, public funding cuts, crumbling infrastructure, and infallible taoiseachs. The "celtic tiger" has been for nothing. We're right back where we started.

Sorry Brian, at least Haughey was a charmer.

Edit: Fellow ILUG blogger Donncha has put it better than I ever could.

Oh Canada

It's all happening. Relocation people coming to apartment next week to get an idea of how much stuff I have to move. Went to the Canadian Consulate at 6am yesterday and was successful in getting my hands on a work permit. Work continues apace. Been hunting on craigslist for a furnished apartment, shouldn't be too hard. Looking forward to getting home in July.

The Galley, Santa Monica

Dear Galley,


When I book a table for 7pm, I expect a table in or around 7pm. I don't expect to spent 40 minutes (and counting) standing in the corner getting my toes stepped on repeatedly.


The Galley has been my Friday night steak place for a year now, but you've pissed me off sufficiently that I'm going to go try somewhere else. That's a good 300usd a month going towards someone else's bottom line. Not to mention finding anyone else in this economy that still tips 20% :)


Yours in steak,



Ewan