Another thing to add to my illiberal list of things to ban is Families on Trains (well on work days anyway).

Whilst most workers love half-term as the roads become empty, those of us who travel by train have a worse journey. All the parents in the home-counties, plus 2-4 children and a buggy each want to visit London for the day. And thus the train carriages fill pretty quickly.

Not only that, but instead of having the rather peaceful journey every day to and from work, in which I read, we now have 30-40 kids making a noise, and the one next to you can never sit still, and continues to kick you all the way home.

Now I know this only really lasts for a week, and that this half-term is the worst of the holidays, but if parents want to go to London, they should catch trains after 10am and return before 4pm.

Whilst this is old news, and I don’t normally like to name and shame, I saw this mini-cab office yesterday in Ruislip, and 6 kids, no older than 15 walked in and started playing on the machines.
From the look of the ladies face, behind the counter, it seemed that this happened all the time.

I’ve recently installed the Google Desktop Search software to my home computer, whilst I have only played about with it for a few minutes, it does look promising.
However I am waiting for support for PDF files and Mozilla web pages, which are the more tricky to find ones.
Stories in the media: BBC, Guardian*

This weekend I bought myself a new car.

Keeping in the tradition of buying cars from relatives, this one came from my Aunt.

However unlike the previous cars (Vauxhall Nova and Rover Metro), this one is in a good condition, and has air conditioning, leather seats and a cd multi-changer in the boot.

Mr Major, who set up the lottery, said money meant for traditionally under-funded areas like art, sport and heritage was being siphoned off.

“This is now being used as substituted government funding, that is not what it was intended for,” he told the BBC.

BBC

I think John Major is right here, and the problem I have with Tessa Jowells “citizens’ panels”, is that either items which should be paid for out of general taxation (eg Cancer Scanner), or items which already receive large charity donations (eg Dogs Homes) will get the money, whilst those underfunded never-gonna-get-a-penny-of-public-money causes will lose out.

“The council estimated that dealing with illegal fly-posting costs borough taxpayers £250,000 a year.

Earlier this month Luton Borough Council put ‘cancelled’ stickers over music promoters’ posters that had been placed on lampposts without permission.”

BBC

Whilst I can’t give Luton much credit for anything, the ‘cancelled’ stickers are brilliant.

This is the first of my Ireland theme posts.
As I informed you, I went to Ireland with my Dad. Those of you who know him (probably none of you), will know that he most enjoys sitting in either a Pub or a Betting Office. Now I tend to not be too keen, mainly because of the smoke. My eyes hurt, my hair and clothes smell and it’s pretty hard to breath.
Now Ireland have introduced a ban on Smoking in the Workplace, which covers everything which is enclosed, and therefore includes Pubs and Betting Offices. And WOW, it’s lovely. Where as before I was more pro choice, I’m now pro ban.
Whilst there have been claims of a drop in sales

Vintners’ Federation of Ireland President Seamus O’Donoghue conceded there was a “lifestyle element” in the move away from pubs but the smoking ban had more to do with it.
Much of the drop in pub sales had come between May and July after the ban came in, according to the CSO figures which showed the value of pub sales fell 2.4pc in that time and the volume by 4pc.

Irish Independent*

there are other factors, new laws introduced for motoring, now make it illegal to drink and drive and the Garda are really cracking down on this, so rural pubs are being affect by this.
However the effect it will have on non-smokers lives is much greater than a small, short-term fall in sales.

Whilst I’m here talking about Irish Pubs, a couple of other things that I noticed.
At first I was impressed by the choice the pubs offered, most had at least 6 drinks on tap, then I noticed that almost all of them had just Guinness, Heineken, Budweiser, Carlsberg, Smithwicks & Bulmers, so really not much choice between pubs.
All spirits were sold in 35.5ml measures.
Stout was cheaper than larger 🙂
That although people moaned that prices were expensive the average pint cost €3.40 (which is only £2.20)
That pubs closed at 11.30 on weekdays and at 12.30 on Fridays and Saturdays and 11.00 on a Sunday, and that you got 30 minutes drinking up time.

And finally that I somehow didn’t die, my weeks drink count was:
Guinness: 26
Heineken: 15 (bottles)
Smithwicks: 13
Baileys: 2

and that my Dad’s cousin Joan, can drink lots!

Unlike Tony Hawks (no not Tony Hawk), I will not be travelling Round Ireland with a Fridge, but instead with my Dad.
I shall be off this Saturday for a week, after getting 45p flights with RyanAir, and driving around in a car we hired from Budget Rent a Car.
I have no idea where we will be going, but we should be visiting the family.
I hope to post on my blog whilst I’m there, but I’m not sure if I’ll be able to get to a computer.
Have fun back here while I’m gone.

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