Hey Senator Levin - Ireland is NOT a tax haven (IrishCentral)

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 07:49:15 PDT

When your daughter insists on going in the One Direction that creates the most stress (IrishCentral)

Sun, 26 May 2013 12:33:58 PDT

The stress of being a One Direction fan.

Saturday morning was a stomach-churningly tense time (for some) in our house. My wife tells it better than I could.

18 years ago I looked down at her little crying face and I promised myself that I would do anything for her.
She opened her new born eyes, stopped crying and I was hooked.........
I never expected that feeling to lead me to the morning of Saturday May 24th 2013.
The clocked ticked, the THREE computers and the phone were primed and ready.
My fingers were stretched and hovering above the keys.
Her little face was looking at me again - full of hope and anticipation.
The clock struck 10am and we were off.
Trembling fingers now, total concentration on our goal.
12 open tabs, 3 different browsers. How could we fail??
The phone was under the chin now, just in case she had to speak to a real person in order to achieve our desire.
Seconds turned into minutes. The unblinking focus on the screens.
The circle of dots going round and around, a short message informing us that the waiting time was 15 minutes. Then 13. 10. Then 12. 12? How could it go up? Then it started to go down again.
Stress levels rising.......
What was Twitter saying??
Out came the tablet.
Now we had a fourth electronic device on the go plus the old fashioned land line!!
All the while the inexorable ticking of the clock was in my head.
What if it did not happen??
What if that precious face crumpled up and cried like it had done 18 years ago????
Knots in MY stomach now!!! Would it happen? Would I be able to make it happen for her??
Minutes seemed like hours now.....
Then tab after tab started reporting failure.......
The quiet sobbing started to my left......
What could I do???? One last tab......one last possibility.........one last hope.
The sobs turned into a sharp intake of breath beside me.
Fingers trembled and shook almost uncontrollably. Numbers typed or maybe mistyped. Blurred vision now......Oh! Please let this work!!!!
The screen changed again.
All hope rested on this screen. No breathing, no blinking to my left!!!!!
Total stillness!!!!
Then at last.........SUCCESS!!
Tears came then. I looked at her little crying face. I knew that I would do anything for her.....including now being the proud - NO!!!- the super proud, stressed-out but amazingly (in my case!) "over the moon" owner of ........TWO General Admission tickets to see ONE DIRECTION in Croke Park......on May 25th 2014!!!!!!

Ireland as Britain's wind farm - weighing up the pros and cons of ugly and heavily subsized Irish windfarms (IrishCentral)

Thu, 09 May 2013 05:03:36 PDT

in Britain. It isn't right for the Irish government to rent a piece of Ireland to Britain to soothe the British government's climate conscience. It isn't right for the government to treat the concerns of those who have to live with these things with disdain.

Justin Bieber's perfectly judged comment on Anne Frank - "Hopefully she would have been a belieber" (IrishCentral)

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 04:18:14 PDT

The Irish property tax problem - everyone wants to own some and no one wants to be taxed on it (IrishCentral)

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 05:02:53 PDT

American fans right to ignore the World Baseball Classic (IrishCentral)

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 03:02:28 PDT

What Major League Baseball is learning is that you can't contrive to invent a new competition that's clearly inferior and expect the fans you ignore/neglect/disdain to pony up simply because you believe "If we build it they will come." Well you know what? We won't. And long may it be so.

Will Ireland's emigrants catch a break on property tax? (IrishCentral)

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 01:01:50 PST

I'd like to think that emigrants will catch a break here. I'd really like to believe the government would waive the property tax for those who have had to leave Ireland due to the dire economic conditions, but if there is one group the government doesn't really care about (ignore those crocodile tears) it is emigrants because they cannot vote. Thanks to that and thanks to the fact that most of them had to leave due to circumstances not of their making I hope they can avoid the property tax. It's the least they deserve.

Ireland and the debt deal - 24 hours of farce and high drama (IrishCentral)

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 04:01:23 PST

Irish-America - let's back our Scottish cousins in their bid to overturn the USDA's haggis ban (IrishCentral)

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 05:31:16 PST

by Robert Burns.}

New York Times paints a picture of a mythical 'green' Ireland (IrishCentral)

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 04:45:59 PST

The Ireland I live in is not the one Rosenthal wrote about. The one I live in is still bankrupt, still hemorrhaging young people, still awaiting further tax hikes, still governed by people sensible enough to know that the average Irish person is still unconcerned by 'climate change.' The Ireland she described is a mythical green land experiencing an environmental-policy-led economic turn-around. You can probably find the 'Little People' running Rosenthal's Ireland.

An American solution to Rory McIlroy's Olympics conundrum (IrishCentral)

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 06:00:49 PST

to Hollywood.' What a fairytale!

Irish people, shivering in their own homes, have only themselves to blame (IrishCentral)

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 01:01:38 PST

If the Irish are going to fawn over a foreign leader it should be China's Xi rather than Obama (IrishCentral)

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 01:01:21 PST

Next year Xi will be in Northern Ireland for the G8 summit. It would be a real coup to lure him south for more "getting to know you" time. More pictures of Xi in romantic Irish settings will do no harm for the exploding Chinese tourist trade. Barack Obama may have hold of Irish heartstrings and Angela Merkel Irish purse strings, but Xi controls both Chinese heartstrings and purse strings and that makes him the most attractive candidate for Irish pandering. Let's get to it.

The Mets are too dumb to win (IrishCentral)

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 12:31:13 PST

you saw. Your son, your daughter or even your niece or nephew might have a winnable lawsuit against you in twenty years time.

Irish citizens voting in American elections? Better if Irish Times focused on disenfranchised Irish emigrants (IrishCentral)

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 11:30:50 PST

The Irish Times needs to get real, stop fantasizing about Irish people voting in America's elections and campaign to change this real denial of Irish voting rights.

Following the election from New York no different than from Ireland (IrishCentral)

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 01:00:42 PDT

put up with it.

Coming soon to County Cork 'Dallas' - Oil industry could change Ireland forever (IrishCentral)

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 01:30:23 PDT

.

Mitt Romney should have gone after Barney not Big Bird because PBS is a dinosaur (IrishCentral)

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 01:32:58 PDT

It makes no sense whatever in today's day and age. You want to watch Swan Lake? Find it on YouTube if you can't find it on one of the hundreds of TV channels available today. There is no excuse for public funding for PBS. That model is as dated as a rotary telephone. It's a dinosaur and should be extinct.

Fourth anniversary of Ireland's bank guarantee, which guaranteed nothing but national misery (IrishCentral)

Thu, 04 Oct 2012 01:32:44 PDT

Irish government minister wants us to be mature enough to accept we're only children (IrishCentral)

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 01:32:33 PDT

By all means Shortall should encourage people to "drink responsibly" (a.k.a. less) and lead a campaign in schools aimed at teens to warn of the dangers of alcohol. They are, after all, children and can be handled as such. I am not nor are any of the other of the country's adults. Stop treating us as if we were.

The Irish Brigade at Antietam - passing on the stories of the Irish in America (IrishCentral)

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 01:32:21 PDT

The All Ireland Hurling Championship game finished in a tie and it was "the best result, really" (IrishCentral)

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 07:17:14 PDT

So all the fans will be at Croke Park again on the 30th to enjoy another great day, hopefully see another great game and all at a reduced cost. Awesome. It's the best result, really.

This weekend's Notre Dame game is all 'Official Ireland' wants from Irish-America (IrishCentral)

Thu, 06 Sep 2012 01:47:04 PDT

}

Other than David Feherty, CBS got the tone just right for Notre Dame vs Navy in Dublin (IrishCentral)

Sun, 02 Sep 2012 07:01:57 PDT

Tough job for Irish police with 35,000 Americans in Dublin for Notre Dame vs Navy (IrishCentral)

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 06:16:56 PDT

}

Navy war dead in Ireland need some attention from those traveling for Notre Dame game (IrishCentral)

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 06:16:55 PDT

Navy should be celebrating Irish links ahead of Saturday's game in Dublin vs Notre Dame (IrishCentral)

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 08:31:53 PDT

{Let me add, if the Navy is doing any of these things they're doing it with almost no publicity.}

Irish heritage sites have to make Irish people feel welcome (IrishCentral)

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 01:46:41 PDT

" they all start with should be directed at Irish people too.

Gold medal for Katie Taylor cost Irish taxpayer close to $400,000 (IrishCentral)

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 04:31:34 PDT

I'm not. I can endure, even enjoy, an Irish-medals-free Olympics.

"50 Shades of Grey" helping Irish mommies escape our long, grey summer (IrishCentral)

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 05:16:52 PDT

Dun Laoghaire Harbour - few now emigrate from this beauty spot in Dublin (IrishCentral)

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 01:30:48 PDT

My Irish wife thought Americans loved liberty too much to accept the health care mandate (IrishCentral)

Wed, 04 Jul 2012 01:00:38 PDT

My wife was sure Americans had more respect for individual liberty than that. "If people can be compelled to buy health insurance what can they not be compelled to do?" Indeed. Happy 4th of July.

Beautiful day for a walk up Dalkey Hill, one of Dublin's jewels - PHOTOS (IrishCentral)

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 10:15:33 PDT

Ulster Bank fuels Ireland's anger at the country's banks (IrishCentral)

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 05:30:32 PDT

Only our bankrupt, state-owned banks (Ulster Bank is, fortunately, owned by the British government) still have their superior attitude. Banks, uniquely it seems, can foul up and, time and again, not feel vulnerable while legitimate, profitable businesses, customers and taxpayers pay the price for their errors.

Sunburn warnings in Ireland - more amusing than useful (IrishCentral)

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 10:16:04 PDT

Summer can be delayed by weeks and then just erupt, as it seems to have done today. Even Met Eireann was caught off guard. They forgot to issue a sunburn warning last night.

You can help create jobs in Ireland and earn a tidy sum doing so (IrishCentral)

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 06:15:26 PDT

Eucharistic Congress has returned to Ireland and it's (almost) 1932 again (IrishCentral)

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 06:45:12 PDT

The crisis in Europe is thanks to Europe's "betters" (IrishCentral)

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 05:45:07 PDT

The Olympics torch relay – the greatest sales job on Earth (IrishCentral)

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 05:00:17 PDT

Mets manager Terry Collins - making all the right calls (IrishCentral)

Sat, 02 Jun 2012 08:30:30 PDT

Irish government promotes Guinness with President Obama, but wants to stop it sponsoring sporting events (IrishCentral)

Wed, 30 May 2012 06:15:07 PDT

When Irishwoman Katie Taylor goes for Olympic gold I won't be watching (IrishCentral)

Tue, 22 May 2012 05:45:07 PDT

Irish boxer Katie Taylor, favorite to win gold at the London Olympics.

Katie Taylor is Ireland's best hope for a gold medal at the Olympic Games, which take place in London two months from now. I hope she wins her gold medal, but I won't be tuning in to watch her. Taylor is a boxer and, although this possibly puts me at odds with 'modernity,' I will not watch women's boxing.
From everything I've picked up through the television, radio and newspapers Taylor is a fantastic boxer, extremely skilled in the "manly art of self defense" and is favorite to win gold. This past weekend she won the gold at the World Championships, a title she has held since 2006.

Ireland and the EU Fiscal Treaty - it cannot be 'No' this time (IrishCentral)

Wed, 16 May 2012 02:00:13 PDT

Ireland's "changeable" weather - colder now than during the winter (IrishCentral)

Thu, 10 May 2012 06:15:11 PDT

Censored – the Catholic Church's clunky attempt at keeping Fr Brian D'Arcy 'on message' (IrishCentral)

Tue, 01 May 2012 05:15:30 PDT

A story begging for Hollywood - surviving the mid-Atlantic plane crash (IrishCentral)

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 09:00:14 PDT

Until yesterday I'd never heard the story of Flying Tiger 923, a flight from New Jersey to Frankfurt, Germany that crashed in the Atlantic Ocean 500 miles off the Irish coast on September 23, 1962. What makes the story remarkable is that of the 76 people on board 48 survived.

Belfast's new Titanic center needs a little more 'Hollywood' (IrishCentral)

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 01:45:08 PDT

Belfast deserves no criticism for cashing in on its Titanic links (IrishCentral)

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 10:15:35 PDT

Irish homeowners are not "revolting" - they're treating their incompetent government with contempt (IrishCentral)

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 07:01:31 PDT

Ex-Irish Premier Bertie Ahern's spectacular fall mirrors Ireland's (IrishCentral)

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 10:15:08 PDT

ICBlog: The American In Ireland

Hey Senator Levin - Ireland is NOT a tax haven (IrishCentral)

When your daughter insists on going in the One Direction that creates the most stress (IrishCentral)

Ireland as Britain's wind farm - weighing up the pros and cons of ugly and heavily subsized Irish windfarms (IrishCentral)

Justin Bieber's perfectly judged comment on Anne Frank - "Hopefully she would have been a belieber" (IrishCentral)

The Irish property tax problem - everyone wants to own some and no one wants to be taxed on it (IrishCentral)

American fans right to ignore the World Baseball Classic (IrishCentral)

Will Ireland's emigrants catch a break on property tax? (IrishCentral)

Ireland and the debt deal - 24 hours of farce and high drama (IrishCentral)

Irish-America - let's back our Scottish cousins in their bid to overturn the USDA's haggis ban (IrishCentral)

New York Times paints a picture of a mythical 'green' Ireland (IrishCentral)

An American solution to Rory McIlroy's Olympics conundrum (IrishCentral)

Irish people, shivering in their own homes, have only themselves to blame (IrishCentral)

If the Irish are going to fawn over a foreign leader it should be China's Xi rather than Obama (IrishCentral)

The Mets are too dumb to win (IrishCentral)

Irish citizens voting in American elections? Better if Irish Times focused on disenfranchised Irish emigrants (IrishCentral)

Following the election from New York no different than from Ireland (IrishCentral)

Coming soon to County Cork 'Dallas' - Oil industry could change Ireland forever (IrishCentral)

Mitt Romney should have gone after Barney not Big Bird because PBS is a dinosaur (IrishCentral)

Fourth anniversary of Ireland's bank guarantee, which guaranteed nothing but national misery (IrishCentral)

Irish government minister wants us to be mature enough to accept we're only children (IrishCentral)

The Irish Brigade at Antietam - passing on the stories of the Irish in America (IrishCentral)

The All Ireland Hurling Championship game finished in a tie and it was "the best result, really" (IrishCentral)

This weekend's Notre Dame game is all 'Official Ireland' wants from Irish-America (IrishCentral)

Other than David Feherty, CBS got the tone just right for Notre Dame vs Navy in Dublin (IrishCentral)

Tough job for Irish police with 35,000 Americans in Dublin for Notre Dame vs Navy (IrishCentral)

Navy war dead in Ireland need some attention from those traveling for Notre Dame game (IrishCentral)

Navy should be celebrating Irish links ahead of Saturday's game in Dublin vs Notre Dame (IrishCentral)

Irish heritage sites have to make Irish people feel welcome (IrishCentral)

Gold medal for Katie Taylor cost Irish taxpayer close to $400,000 (IrishCentral)

"50 Shades of Grey" helping Irish mommies escape our long, grey summer (IrishCentral)

Dun Laoghaire Harbour - few now emigrate from this beauty spot in Dublin (IrishCentral)

My Irish wife thought Americans loved liberty too much to accept the health care mandate (IrishCentral)

Beautiful day for a walk up Dalkey Hill, one of Dublin's jewels - PHOTOS (IrishCentral)

Ulster Bank fuels Ireland's anger at the country's banks (IrishCentral)

Sunburn warnings in Ireland - more amusing than useful (IrishCentral)

You can help create jobs in Ireland and earn a tidy sum doing so (IrishCentral)

Eucharistic Congress has returned to Ireland and it's (almost) 1932 again (IrishCentral)

The crisis in Europe is thanks to Europe's "betters" (IrishCentral)

The Olympics torch relay – the greatest sales job on Earth (IrishCentral)

Mets manager Terry Collins - making all the right calls (IrishCentral)

Irish government promotes Guinness with President Obama, but wants to stop it sponsoring sporting events (IrishCentral)

When Irishwoman Katie Taylor goes for Olympic gold I won't be watching (IrishCentral)

Ireland and the EU Fiscal Treaty - it cannot be 'No' this time (IrishCentral)

Ireland's "changeable" weather - colder now than during the winter (IrishCentral)

Censored – the Catholic Church's clunky attempt at keeping Fr Brian D'Arcy 'on message' (IrishCentral)

A story begging for Hollywood - surviving the mid-Atlantic plane crash (IrishCentral)

Belfast's new Titanic center needs a little more 'Hollywood' (IrishCentral)

Belfast deserves no criticism for cashing in on its Titanic links (IrishCentral)

Irish homeowners are not "revolting" - they're treating their incompetent government with contempt (IrishCentral)

Ex-Irish Premier Bertie Ahern's spectacular fall mirrors Ireland's (IrishCentral)