Turner paintings closed

If you are a Traveler or a gangster you will insist on a horse drawn hearse for your funeral.


This is a close up of one of the doors of the Kings Inns where barristers are trained.


Well I did the tourist thing today and went into the National Gallery to see the Turner watercolors before they are put away for another year. They can only be put on view during the month of January.
In the restaurant I asked the girl where she was from.
"Brazil"
You know Dublin is a great place to go to,the whole world is here now.
Only a few years ago the Irish were the ones leaving.
When JF Kenneddy came to Ireland in the 60he asked DeVelera our presadent what he could do to help Ireland?
Dev said that he would love to see the Irish staying at home.
JFK put a quota and other restrictions on the Irish coming to America.
Which made the problem much worse.

I think the new Eurpoeans are great coming here now and getting on with their lives.
I only wish for them that the Irish employers were more generous.

These people are very well educated and capable of great things, I am so impressed by them when I speak with them in the taxi.

For an example of whats going on,a few days ago a new ship was taken into Dublin port by Irish Shipping. Someone found out that the crew were only being paid e3 per hour,well below the minimum wage.
The crew were being paid by a company in Latvia (or someplace else) therefore the shipping line "Could not comment on their conditions"
The workers are afraid to speak to the press because they would be "punished".
The Irish dockers union "Impounded" at least 3 ships last year until the crews were paid. I know one ship had to be sold as the shipping company dug in their heels.

This is how the employers at hospitals and other places sidestep their duty of care towards the workers.

I often think I should have studied labor history.
A few years ago I spent some time talking to a union official who would do nothing to help a hotel worker from Shri Lanka.
Her conditions were really bad.
Living in a house owned by a 4 star hotel with 30 others(10 to a room),her rent was high too.
The girl I spoke to in the union HQ said that as the girl was not a union member she would do nothing.
I asked was that "Cant" or "Wont".
"Look I will ring the Star newspaper" (I had written down her name). Wow the reaction instant,it didn't help the girl in question but the unions have named and shamed some hotels.
Unions when they are run by driven people are great.
The solution is to promote the shop stewart.

But you know the song
"The working class can kiss my arse
Ive got the foremans job at last"

I see the annual "Blog awards" have arrived again.
Looking through it I found a Polish and a Lithuanian woman
Theres loads of good stuff there.

No Dublin taxi though.

Now I know what it must be not to make the Oscars.
I notice Roys Irish blog has made it, best of luck Roy

Italians are arriving into the city for a Rugby weekend!
This should pack out the wallets of the Irish taxi driver.

Most of the Fish and Chip shops are run by Italians, they came here in the 60's, then they set up their cousins in another shop, who in turn brought over others.
They all come from a small town close to Monte Casino.
If you go there in the summer you can hear Irish accents all over the place!
Mad or what, seeing that Italians do not eat chips!
They are moving on to fancy restaurants now.
I admire their courage ,coming over here without English.
They worked hard and they have done really well.
Bravo.

Before I go the Chinese are going to take over the city for a week.
Its the Chinese NEW YEAR
The year of the Rat
Dragons will be dancing and A Chinese market in Smithfield.

In New York a mother was trying to soothe her little child to sleep.
The fireworks were going off.
"Whats all the noise Mummy?"
"Don't be afraid dear its only gunfire"