Surviving Dublin a city with more taxis than New York. Dublin is a passengers paradise and a taxi drivers hell
Sunday, December 30, 2007
New years eve
Ryans of Sandymount where I once met the man who "sprung" George Blake.Blake is still going strong.I forget the guys name,he was a character IRA man and a guy who lived life full on to the end. Come on. Who was he? He died in a caravan in Kilkee Co Clare, Reckon it was the special forces of the crown,who knows.
Here are Pavarotti's hand prints on the footpath outside the Gaitey theater.
I did tell you that his career started in Dublin..no kidding.
If you want to see shop windows go here.He writes a good blog too.
"Driver why did you not have your light on?"
At night you keep your light off and take a good look at you passengers before stopping.
Here is the beautiful girl I picked up on Christmas eve coming home again.
Wow did she have a good time?
Now do you get the picture?
Kicked off the night with a girl from Mauritius going to the Beaumont house,
I am interested in all people and we spoke about the Creole French which is spoken in Mauritius. The people were brought to the island as slaves she told me,speaking only an Indian language the pronunciation was hard for them which is were the Patoa comes in.
I did get in the story about the "Slave factories" which are making clothes which Kate Moss models and are sold in Top Shop. Paradise and Hell in the same place.
God you get to see a lot in you job.
The Airport was busy but the dispatchers were not calling up the cars.
Got a couple from China who are studying Accountancy and English.
They flew from Shanghai to Amsterdam to Dublin.
"We have been traveling for 60 hours."
Perhaps the world is not so small after all.
Bits and bobs and back to the port where heaps of people were looking for taxis.
Again the dispatchers were not calling up the cars.
Got a run to Rush e30. Very nice retired lady,had sold her house in Clontarf and moved out 10 years ago, the beach is just down the road,a train into town,easy to heat clean and maintain,sounded like a good choice.
When you get older you must trade down at the right time, nothing worse than seeing a big house decaying because the owner is not able to keep it up.
A few yards and this very drunk guy stopped me. Pointed me to his house. How much?
e4.10 4 is fine. Fuck that he thundered take a tenner.
Then we had a 5 minute shaking of hands and a Happy New Year to you as well.
Then he wanted to take me back to the pub again to buy me a drink.
Back to the Airport which was like Blackpool on a Wednesday in February.. deserted.
Cars were waiting so I went in and saw that there was nothing due.I had held a gap so that I could drive into the final holding pen or drive away if I had to,but not big enough that others could squeeze in past me.Nothing cooking so I drove away.
Perhaps a laptop connected to the internet where I could check arrivals would be good.(I know that my phone will do it but life is complicated enough.)
So I headed into town where "Ghost town" would describe the situation.
Over to Baggott St. where the Burger King was emptying out.
As I walked from the car the staff came out.
"Do any of you want a taxi?"
Happy days Santry, right back across the city with a girl from Latvia,been here 2 months she is studying cooking in Latvia.
I hope 2008 will find her a job in a good kitchen where she will learn good skills after all we do all have to eat.Haircutting is another thing which will always be needed..
Its new years eve, the Scots are the big ones to ring in the new year,hard to believe that it will be 7 full years since the millennium.
Computers would crash,your electric iron would not work.
The world as we knew it would end.
When babysitters wanted 200 quid and restaurants and cruise ships doubled and trebled their prices.
What happened?
We stayed in and everything was OK in the morning.
Best thing to do is to celebrate the New Year with our Chinese friends 8th of February. Thats when we will all be broke and the restaurants will not be busy.
I wish you all the very best for 2008.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Last post
Ballyfermott display.
He had to turn of the lights early as it was causing crashes,
On St Stephens day they hold a festival in Sandymount.
The Ren boys,I always miss it.
Well Christmas is over as the song goes.
For the non Christian amongst us, you know I don't mean it in a bad way,I hate all of you equally.
And the Sales have begun.
How was it for you?
It is a time for kids, thats for sure.
One last rip of the fairytale.
Guy selling t shirts at the bottom of Grafton St. Jeysus you would never believe that that Kirsty MacCall is dead and Shane McGowan is still going strong.
I'll tell you I had a great night at the concert thats all thats left of 500 T shirts I printed.
Strange thing is that if Shane McGowan was sober on stage no one would go and join in!
Now we can draw a line under it and get on with 2008.
When you go on holiday and you spend loads of time at the airport?
Why not buy a private jet and arrive in style.
Well unlike the rest of you lucky people I have been back at work. One guy from Madrid flew into Dublin to work Friday then back to Madrid to celebrate new year with his folks again. How small the world has become.
Another girl from Barcelona arrived and had to be in Starbucks in an hour,heads down we are away into the new year.
Every taxi driver will come across this, guy seems sober.Then you see him getting in.
He is not drunk he moves and talks like a zombie.
Wait me mate is coming,they are stoned on Cocaine and booze...so intoxicated that though there are 2 of them in the back seat.
I can see a hooded man with a scythe sitting between them.
Where are you going? Crumlin OK....Where will we go and the venue changes 10 times. I have to go to my gaff t get me charger..me fones flat...Then where will we go?(death sitting in the middle of the back seat is getting very excited).At last WE all pull up at the house and his mother comes out with the look on her face like a duck seeing a fox killing her offspring, helpless to stop it he walks back out past her into the taxi.
So we pick up his phone charger and the brother of one of the guys gets in as well.
Dolphins Barn and thank God the brother was going into town.
They get out,
"I'll pay.
I know what your thinking!
I don't drink or do drugs, there's that fucker of a brother killing himself.
Where did you pick them up"?
I told him.
They have been out since 9pm, at least thats what they said.
We ran into heavy traffic at Foster Place and he jumped out.
Take the e20 you deserve it.
I had gone 20 yards when there was a knock on the window.An attractive girl jumped in.
Can you get us to the passport office quickly.
Her story is that her boyfriends family are building an apartment in Venezuela and they were going to see how the building was going on. She was going too until she saw her passport was torn.
Young people have to carry their passports to gain admission to pubs and clubs so they get dog eared.
Big mistake.
So she needed a new one now today at 2.30 as she was leaving tomorrow.
There is a tear in my birth cert will they accept that?
Molesworth St. she would have walked it in 1/2 the time, but someone told her that cars could not drive down there.
Kids today.
Day before Christmas eve. Traffic report hold up on the N3 near Navan.
Christmas eve a traffic report traffic heading towards Dublin on the N3, look out for a high speed convoy heading for Dublin....a transplant team.
One passing on another gets hope.
Carry a doner card.
I had to edit a piece but here is an example of danger on the road.
There is a roadblock up ahead and the truckers all want to avoid it.
No work tomorrow.
Still have more folks to see.
Seeing as there was very little magic on this Christmas I thought you would like to see David Blane again
Here is another one
Happy 2008
Sunday, December 23, 2007
All Calm
Still Brown Thomas Windows in Grafton St.,
Well on Friday the trains planes and automobiles were were packed to the roofs as our visitors headed home to Mama for Christmas.
There will be joy in many homes all over the world.
Thank God that for now things have changed.
Reminds me of the times we Irish had to leave home in search of work,for many of them the Irish were not welcomed.
America is a good example where we made our mark.
It was there that the Irish learned that education enabled them to beat injustice.
Those changes which were made back then improved our lives in many ways.
The next few days will be quiet with so many people out of the country and out of the city it will be like Paris on an Easter Sunday. Absolutely deserted.
Dustin the turkey is nowhere to be seen.
I wish you all a very happy Christmas,
May all your Gods be with you at this time.
I wish you all good health and safe travels until we meet again in 2008.
May all your dreams come true.
Greetings
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Man walks out of hospital
It was as if fate was telling me that something else was going to happen.
A few weeks ago in Northern Ireland a father took petrol and doused the downstairs part of the house before setting the house on fire,killing his family and himself. One of his daughters was on the phone to the emergency services pleading for help.
Then the other day a young guy was stabbed to death by a man who had big mental problems.
(I killed the devil, he told police)
He stabbed the other man 80 times.
The guy had gone to hospital to get help 3 times, twice to the same hospital, he was turned away. Why? We will never know.
Last year a woman presented to a hospital for help before killing herself and her 2 kids.
We were then told that this would never happen again
Seems like the health service is sicker than many of its patients.
Come on lads carry those cards from the Samaritans.
I guess it is the time of the year when we rush around too much, perhaps we could look out for the less fortunate among us.
Seems like when the pressure comes on those maintenance jobs you were putting off catch up with you. Last week a new clutch this week new brake pads. e105
The Luas crashed into a car at Connelly station and for some strange reason they are on now on strike, happy time for taxis.
The desperate situation that the punters find themselves in at the weekend is no laughing matter.
People pleading to be brought home at 4 am.
Why the clubs do not have a rotational closing time.?
Why I will never know.
In Amsterdam you can go on to another place to drink and there is no mad rush in the end.
Perhaps if we had that here no one would go home at all.
Drink is a big problem.(Notice how the advertising is multi lingual.
They even have advertisements telling us about it.
A Judge has asked that the Polish people be made more aware of their drinking problems as well, he is tired of dealing with fatal road crashes and stabbing incidents involving foreign nationals.
The Irish in London Australia and America were the same in the past.
As the old song went
"well it's lonesome away from your kindred and all,
by the campfire at night where the wild dingos call"
The pubs got no beer is probably not the best example.
Still the world is smaller now and most of us can phone home every week.
Say what you like about Ryianair the punters all complain about the airline, but they queue up to fly with them again.
Ryainair has done more to unite Europe than anyone else.
Its founder Dr.Tony Ryan died this year.
A clever man I hope there will be race horses and golf courses in his heaven.
Look I am supposed to be cleaning the house for Christmas.
I hope to do one last posting before Christmas.
In case I don't have time have a really good one.
Hope 2008 is a really lucky year for you all.
Drive safely.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
New statue
Brown Thomas window Grafton St,few other shops have put in a special window display.
Well the city fathers have decided to build.
Not
A night shelter for homeless people.
A treatment center for heroin addicts with 80 beds.
A detention center for juvenile delinquents catering for 500.
A refuge for battered wives,kids with 80 family rooms.
An outreach center for destatute people with 60 outreach staff.
An animal welfare pound.
Not even a hospice for dying people with 260 beds.
NO
WE ARE GETTING ANOTHER SUPER STATUE !
151 ft tall (46m)1/2 the height of the spire.
Work is well under way in the Liffey beside the new Sean O’Casey bridge,also under construction.
It is designed by artist Antony Gormley, best known for the Angel Of The North in Gateshead, north-east England.
There was a guy once who worked on a building site.
When his mobile rang he always said
"Is that you?"
His nickname became A STATUE.
A memorial for the city fathers should read.
"We didn't sent out the rescue craft.
But we built a fine memorial for the dead."
Quite good that,even though I say so myself.
I have a photo of another other new one beside Store St. Garda station. Would the nickname be the shard by the Guards.
I have photos but after Christmas.
I will not write restaurant reviews but I had occasion to bring a client to lunch in Howth. The King Sitric is well known, expensive at night,but a good lunch menu and strange to say the best value of 5 places we tried.
I don't know about you but deep fried sea bass is not good karma.
So all the others were passed by.
The King Sitric has loads of space with sea views,good food and excellent service.
There are dividing doors so the place can expand when they are busy.
It is a seafood restaurant so there is very little meat on the menu.
Though I had Mallard duck.
Good service and as I said the best value in Howth,though perhaps there might be someplace we missed.Like Beshoffs fish and chips. a 1'N'1.
Some people are an awful ungrateful lot. So glad to be picked up out of the cold.
"Mister you saved my life" e9.60. Thanks very much as they take the 40c change.
Some do,others don't.The old ladies going to East wall and Crumlin are happy with the lift into the house with the messages and drop 2 or 3 euro with a smile.
Perhaps I am putting in too many hours, when you do that things get a bit out of preportion.
.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Coming closer
The lights are up in Cabra.
This is the statue of CuCullan a warrior from the legends of the Fiana.
He was wounded so the tied himself to a tree stump,no warrior would approach until a raven landed on his sholder. The Christmas are reflected in the window.
Its in the GPO (post office)well worth a look.
Last Saturday night I had one of those classic mad moments.
Man and woman at Christchurch well drunk.
Hello driver My name is Mary and this is Frank.
Say hello Frank.
Say hello to John.
You don't have to introduce yourself wherever you go, you know.
Frank Why are you are always trying to bully me and tell me what to do ?.
No not at all Mary, Driver to the bank machene at the MRCB over there.
He gets out so she starts on me.
He is a homosexual you know,you would know by the way he talks and defenately by the way he walks, Look at him
I would just wish he would admit it and stop this act.
He came back.
Mary starts to sing Why can't you admit it, or words to that effect.
Shut up !
Do you not like my voice Frank?
Yes I do,but you're annoying the driver, He has a name Look its John.
Say hello to John.
Hello Frank OK Mary where to.
I want to go to the bank link for the Bank of Ireland.
Theres one over by Guinnesss.
When she gets out he engages me in the deep meaningful conversation.
I hate that fucking place,my father worked there for 35 years and dropped dead at work. He will be 10 years dead next Thursday.
He worked like a slave and he and all his workmates died from drink.
The curse of the Irish.
Mary was back.
Straight on driver and turn right.
His name is JOHN pipes in Mary going back to song.
Would you shut up,,,,you used to say I had a lovely voice Frank.
John where are you going I told you to turn RIGHT. There is no right turn....Where are we going anyhow? Yes Frank this is not the same was that we came the last time...
Look with the one way streets you can't go back the same way..
On the way Frank stopped off for bread , milk, vodka and wine.
Leaving me with Mary again.
I must be mad to be going on a date with a queer man and him not working or anything.
I should be at home looking after my kids (there big kids)not here with this Fairy who can't admit he is gay.
OK John up to the North Circular Rd.
I want to pay for this because you have no money Frank.
You don't have a job....Thats right tell the world why don't you.
Well give him a good tip then, its Christmas.
Journeys end..Frank gets out. John, whats my name? Mary, Whats his name? Frank.
Remember where you dropped us off.
Remember this in case I turn up dead.
There was no tip but the intensity of the whole trip took its toll on me.
How could someone go off with a guy she thought was dangerous.?
Then to go home to his flat pissed as a parrot.?
Life is like a box of chocolates,,,some are nutty.
Years ago when I worked for Metro cabs I brought home The General (Martin Cahill)
He said the same thing to me and he got out and he was killed by a hit man a short while later,he knew his number was up.
You know when things go wrong you might resort to fisticuffs, but then if you did that you would know that the solicitors would win, now you don't have to be a fortune teller to see how this will work out.
Perhaps this will give you a smile. Well it won't if you are a fan of David Blaines.
I think this about hits the mark.
While we are at here is a magic show from Korea
While we are at it look at Cyril form Korea, David Copperfield mind your act.
Sunday, December 09, 2007
The Barge
The Barge pub always makes an effort.
Santa climbs a rope in the Omni center in Santry.
Marriott hotel in Gold street please.
You have me there,but I think I know it.
If its not the right one I will stop the meter.
I turned into Golden Lane to the Raddisson SAS hotel."Thats the one"
(Far from the Marriott which is in Ashbourne)
He was a Texan and she was from Paris.....Oh the French food,a feast for the eyes and a treat for the mouth. I love the peasant food of France.
When I take some time off I will study French cooking.
Last week I had lunch at La Mere Zou 22 St. Stephens Green.
Good food, good choice. Not cramped,friendly staff.
It did not make this years Dubliner 100 best restaurants.
Guides are not really reliable,I use it as an out when people ask me where to eat.
Well if the guide is wrong it will not be my fault.
The story I herd a few weeks ago about an Italian restaurant owner who when he was told that the guy from the Micthelin guide was outside he threw him out of his restaurant telling him he wanted nothing to do with them. The judge was going to award him 3 stars(very rare). But the chef shouted that his customers and no one else would be his judge.
Parties are in full swing and the funeral of 2 of the recent cocaine deaths took place today. The TV were doing a big expose about it tonight, probably showing us what every taxi driver sees all the time.They took swabs from work surfaces in 100 night clubs and bars 97% had traces of the coke.
The Polish and near flung visitors are making plans to fly home for Christmas.
The Chinese and Auzzies are digging in for the duration of the festival.
When I was young there would be tales of loads of characters around Dublin.
Johnny 40 coats,
Damn the weather.
And Bang Bang who used to jump onto the buses and shoot the people with his pointed finger. There will be no jumping on and off of buses now with the automatic doors.
Here is an obituary for one who recently died.
Trinity remembers eternal student 'Matt the Jap'
GardaĆ are liaising with Interpol and the Japanese embassy to contact relatives of Matteo (Masahiso) Matubara, one of central Dublin's most familiar characters, following his death last month.
Paul Cullen reports.
Matubara (73), known affectionately to generations of Trinity College students as "Matt the Jap", died of natural causes in his home off Mount Street almost two weeks ago. GardaĆ broke into the flat after food which had been left at his door remained untouched for days.
His body remains in the morgue while efforts continue to make contact with his brother, who is believed to live in Tokyo. College friends are planning to hold a gathering in his honour next Thursday.
His passing was marked in the classified section of yesterday's Irish Times with this tribute from the college's Central Societies Committee: "Known to generations of Trinity College graduates and students as a 'college character', Matteo was a seemingly constant and eternal fixture at student events and meetings, and his passing conjures up a sentiment of not-quite-the-sameness."
Raised in Tokyo, he studied in Norway and Paris before coming to Ireland in the early 1980s. In Trinity, with financial assistance from Saudi Arabia, he wrote a thesis on Islamic journeys in the Middle Ages. After receiving an M Litt in 1987, he stayed on in Ireland, and appeared to live on very little.
He was extremely deaf and communicated with people by sign language or, more often, by exchange of written notes. He could write in English, Irish, Japanese, Norwegian, German, French, Russian and, it is reputed, several other languages.
He was an inveterate correspondent; Prince Charles, Prince Michael of Kent and Prince Albert of Monaco were among those who replied to his letters.
He was on the Christmas card lists of President Mary McAleese and Jacques Chirac.
"He knew half the crowned heads of Europe," recalls Joseph O'Gorman, assistant junior dean in Trinity. "There was even a photo of him with Tito.
"Matteo was the last of a number of eccentrics who pottered about college over the years and whose only real link to the place is the most important: they were known by generations of students for whom, in many ways, they formed a nostalgic link with their time in college. People who can't remember what they read for the whole of second year have a clear memory of Matteo."
Mystery surrounded his background, much of it encouraged by Matubara himself. He claimed not to have any family in Japan, until friends discovered he was sending cards to a brother in Tokyo. His library card was removed as he was found to have written on old textbooks, though friends claimed he was correcting typos.
© 2007 The Irish Times
Well I saw him around and I thought he was a professor of some kind.
If you know anyone who went to Trinity college tell them about the passing of Matt the Jap
Sometimes you make a mistake and then you leave a bad impression behind you.Sh**happens.
Yes and here is another foot in mouth.
Here is a guy who is such a good fighter he should be employed as a taxi driver to deal with the runners at Christmas, yes its at least 4 on one.
Friday, December 07, 2007
Deja Vous
Christmas at the airport. I may re take these photos with my camera,this is the phone.
What a night,wind and rain and gusting cyclonic twisters all night long,over in Portmarnock
and Malahide the roads have deep puddles.
Its Christmas so time for a bad pun.
"I'ts raining cats and dogs.I nearly walked into a poodle"
The insurance federation dinner tonight,loss adjusters meet actuaries. "What a claim I had" Some of the things are incredible. Like the guy who filled up his central heating tank, the tank leaked under the foundations of the house. They had to dig out all the ground floors of his house to 4 feet.then they had to excavate the outside garden and all the "spoil" had to be brought to a secure landfill at e100 per tonne.
There are over 1,200 at this dinner so there was plenty of work.
Lifts to Greystones,Bray, Castleknock and all over the place.
I am a very choosy guy and I pick my passengers carefully.I would be happy to pass 1,000 people than to pick up one slobbering homisidal maniac.
So if I brought you home.
Top marks.
I thought I was caught out tonight.
A Kiwi stopped me when I was going into the Spar on Baggott St.
"Right mate name your price! I have to go to Parnell St. Then to the airport"
I felt sorry for him as he couldn't get a taxi. I'll do it on the meter, OK?
So off we went and he told me of how pissed off he was about net being able to get a taxi."You are a life saver"
We were in Westmorland St. when I noticed that I had forgotten to hit the meter.
(Boys and girls do hit that meter every time)
Look a tenner to Parnell St. and twenty to the airport OK?
Sounds right to me.
We arrive at his apartment complex,"I will be out in a minute".
I waited.
I heard the news.
Johnny Cash,
Willie Nelson,
Shania Twain.
www.perfectstation.com
Damn I've been had!
The clever runner always has a great story ready.
"I have to bring in this kidney for a transplant,as soon as I wash my hands I'll be back to pay you,Don't go away."
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFK I turned the key and started the engine,
"why did I not ask him for e20 to hold while waiting?"
As I engage the car in gear and turn on the indicators- Out he comes.
Fair dinkim, or words to that effect and its show time.
So we arrive at the airport.He gives me e40 and my faith in human nature is restored.
You have to take the "Hits" in this game and the resentment when things go wrong can destroy you.
There was a story going round it could be an "Urban Myth" I hope it is.
Dere i was headin off to Ballier when yer wan shouts Stop Im ganna be sk.
So i slaps on da ankers. and ske pukes and gets a bit down the side of the door.
Right that ill cost you e125.
She say fuck off.
So down to the Garda station and the bollox on duty says
"Sort it out among yourselves".
So when I brought them home they called me a stupid thick cunt.
I watched them walk through their front door.
Right says I.
I went home and into my garden shed and got a tin of paint stripper.
I went back to the road and walked to the house and poured the paint stripper over the 3 cars in the drive.
" They'll think twice before they fuck up a taxi driver again"
No argument would convince him that this is exactly how all taxi drivers get tarred with the same brush. They would have a tough job proving it was me.
So for every bad passenger there is an even worse taxi driver.
Or should that be the other way around?
Sad about that young 24 year old model who died, seemed that she had taken cocaine.
There but for the grace of God go our kids
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Party time
The first of the Christmas trees!
O'Connell St,not a great photo
Well the party animals are out in style,staggering out of their "party"venues doing the same stupid things that they did last year.
1 Getting sick.
2 Getting drunk and fondling the boss on the way home.
3 Telling all who will listen about what a great guy you are.
4 Taking masses of Cocaine and going berserk!
(We have 3 people going through a life changing experience at present.1 dead 2 critical)
5 "Well you can come in for one cup of coffee."
enough said.
6 Take me home,what day is it? What do you mean Tuesday!
You could add 10 more to the list,as they say in Dublin.
"I've heard it all before Joe"
Tis the season for amature drinkers,let them at it.
Taxi drivers know that the restaurants are empty in January and cheap holidays are available then too. So work hard ,then off to Spain for 3 /4 weeks.
But don't go out in the sun....You would never get any tips with a tan in Feb..
For me Christmas is a stressful time,I would be happy to live in a Muslim country with my teddy bear called Jesus and let it all pass by.
Still I have to watch people rush to buy things for people they don't like.
They buy things they don't need. The receiver has to serve the ball back!
Its mad.
I would be just as happy to let it pass by.
Just a thought, you know how service is so bad in the bank over here?
Well on Wednesday they they don't open until 10.30, instead of 10.00.
Perhaps they should take more time to train the staff.1/2 hour is not enough.
Come to think of it.
Why are they trained on MY time?
Think of it a Polish girl, worked for the Irish tourist board,changed job.
She then gets a job with the Malaysian tourist board,she is off to Malaysia for Christmas,without her husband.
"Its work I could not bring him,unlike what your government ministers do"
One thing I did ask her.
Do many Polish people ask you for holidays in Malaysia?
"Never"
Very funny.
The budget has come and gone..
A few bob on the ciggies, changes in stamp duty(a tax on property sales)
If you are taking odds there WILL be another budget.
What do you think of the story of the day.
A guy called Darwyn goes missing....
5 years later he presents himself to the police.
"I may be a missing person"
Indeed he was, and the life insurance company has paid out to his "Widow".
Holy Gamolie!!!
A photo is found of himself and his wife in Panama a year earlier!
There can be only one logical explanation.
The Martians have landed!
I saw Santa on Talbot St. yesterday, he reognized me as being one of the good boys!.
Do you remember the Santa from Arnotts ? He was the best ever.
Or the Irish traveller who had a claim for injuries received when the van in which she was a passenger crashed.
She claimed that her husband was driving at the time.
He was eating chips in town when it happened.
She had had a row with him and she was driving herself home at the time.
Then the van got burned before it could be examined.
the claim would have cost the insurance company in the region of e250,000
Why do we bother with the soaps...real life is much better.
Look boys and girls take it easy
One thing I saw was an ad for Home Breath test kits.
I bought one, great 1 pint OK 2 pints after 1 hour OK.
A friend asked me if I would sell it to him.
Which I did.
Then the problem arose ,if my son rang me at 2 am and I had had a few pints,
now he could not get a taxi.So I bought another tester.
It told me that after 6 pints of beer I was safe to drive.
I rang the company.
It would depend on how much you had to eat and how long it was until you tested yourself.......STOP.
ARE YOU DEAF OR STUPID?
AFTER 6 PINTS YOUR TESTER SAYS ITS SAFE TO DRIVE.
"If you wanted an accurate tester you would have to buy the other breahalizer costing e400".
Hold on a minute!
On the box it says it is accurate to within 1/2%
This has ISO and all sorts of official figures on the box.
Well they replaced it.
The replacement read 0.00 no matter how much I had taken.
They offered to replace that one as well..
But I got all my money back/You should hold on to your money too.
Just an update on the previous posting.
Top model Katy French dies in Navan hospital
Model Katy French has died five days after collapsing at a party in Co Meath.
French had just celebrated her 24th birthday
French had just celebrated her 24th birthday Ms French (24) was taken to Our Lady's Hospital in Navan after she became ill at a friend's house in Ashbourne in the early hours of Sunday morning last.
Family and friends had been keeping a vigil at her bedside.
But a statement issued this evening by her family said she had passed away peacefully in the arms of her sister Jill and alongside her parents earlier today.
The family said they had been overwhelmed by the letters, blessings, gifts and prayers from people all over the country during Katy's time in hospital.
"It gave us strength and helped Katy so much. Although we did not get our yearned for miracle, all the expressions of love you sent her were powerfully healing in different ways," the statement said.
French celebrated her 24th birthday, along with a host of celebrity and media friends, only last Thursday in Dublin's Krystle nightspot.
Well-known for her outspoken views on issues such as abortion and cocaine use, she also came to prominence after taking part in RTĆ's recent Celebrities Go Wild programme.
Born in Switzerland, French's family moved to Ireland when she was a young girl and settled in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow.
After her Leaving Certificate she had plans to study psychology but chose a career in modelling instead.
While she has been on the catwalk for years she only came to prominence after the media attention which surrounded the public break-up with her fiance, restaurateur Marcus Sweeney.
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Stormy weather
Well its all about a baby and a stable.The Crib on O'Connell St
The tree a gift from the people of Norway,I wonder what we give them in return.
The weather was bad over the weekend and the forecast is not much better..
Gale warning: in operation
Small craft warning: in operation
Meteorological situation at 2100: A strong, unstable northwest airflow covers Ireland with a low center over Britain moving away eastwards. A weak ridge will move eastwards over Ireland during Monday afternoon with a warm front following later.
Forecast for coasts from Roches Point to Loop Head to Malin Head
Wind: West to northwest force 6 or 7 and gusty but occasionally gale 8 south of Loop Head for a time tonight. Decreasing force 4 or 5 for a time Monday afternoon, later backing southerly and increasing force 5 or 6.
Weather: Occasional heavy showers becoming more scattered during Monday but rain later.
Visibility: Moderate to poor in rain or showers otherwise good
Forecast for coasts from Malin Head to Howth head to Roches Point and the Irish Sea.
Wind: Northwest force 6 or 7 and gusty, decreasing westerly force 4 to 6 for a time tomorrow evening.
Weather: Scattered showers
Visibility: Moderate locally poor in showers but mostly good
Warning of heavy swell: on all Atlantic coasts
Outlook for a further 24 hours until 2400 Tuesday 04 December 2007: Winds becoming south to southwest increasing gale or strong gale force scattered outbreaks of rain and drizzle spreading east, heavier rain later.
Next update before 0700 Monday 03 December 2007
Most of the ferry sailings are off.
All the islands are cut off for sure.
Makes you feel lucky you don't have to go far from base no matter how stormy it gets and you can go home and try your luck another day.
Christmas has kicked off with large groups coming out of venues and demanding their annual taxi ride! Yes they only need you once a year and cannot understand why there is a shortage.
A NOTE TO TAXI DRIVERS, northsiders only. They are having functions in Croke Park so if you divert through Joneses Rd on the way back into town late, you might score.
I had a goo fare from the airport to Dalkey via the toll bridge and the tunnell. Wait for 1/2 hour at the yacht club and then bring the last guy home to Dartry.
Got loads of grief from the last guy who was Russian,
"In Moscow we do not trust taxis,we stop a car and negotiate a price,if we like it we go with them.
Fuck the taxis"
I told him about vetting procedures, fixed charges,clear identification of drivers, complaints procedures to no avail.
He was not paying himself and he would have waited for an hour for another taxi,if I had thrown him out.
He is studying to be come a psychologist,he has a long way to go.
He knows nothing about people or human nature.
I was refreshed to see the Ferrarri in the drive.
Rich people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.
I brought 2 groups to the airport who were leaving Ireland for good.
Mixed feelings about the experience over here.
We have thousands of non Irish here Poland, Estonia,Latvia,Lithuania,Check, Solovak,
Hungarian,Romanian and Russian.Most of them work hard at jobs which are well below their skill levels. I met a Russian guy who worked in the space programme, he was cleaning toilets when he came here,from outer space to basic plumbing.
C'est la vie.
Sad to leave but glad to be going home and never to return.
got an awful smack in the arse.
"Did ya not see the wall?"
Well I did but I just wanted to see how much damage it could do to my car. Feck.
WEll I am sure Christmas might improve things.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
New clutch.
Perhaps the life in the open air
Something where you have fresh air and a view would be nice!
Window cleaners at work.
Well the slipping clutch will slip no more,Went to the garage.
Done in one day.
6 months warranty e507.50 Then again, I can always get payday loans.
I wonder how much it would have cost somewhere else?
Come on lets pool our knowledge here.
There was a guy,he was not much cheaper,but. "No I don't do receipts"
So I can't put it into my tax returns either.
Well I had the choice of going on a bit longer and finding myself stuck at the side of the road in the middle of the night.
Well that would have been no fun.
Met a taxi driver his second day on the job,he told me he picked up a guy on his first day and the guy said "Have you been driving a taxi long?"I said its my first day. "I thought so said the guy, get into the bus lane!"
Over here taxis can use the bus lanes.
The taxi is his brothers, he is second driver,part time.
He will have a lot to learn before Santa has got all his money.
Mike the native American indian who has a blog writes that this is the time when we should line up your blessings. Take stock of your year, your friends,your health and your life.
Not a bad idea at all.
I have almost stopped watching TV this year, theres nothing on.
If you want reality TV try driving a taxi.
I will save TV for my twilight years.
A few things have happened,one thing of worth.
I was asked by my wife to pick up some school books, just chanced to be beside a school bookshop in Blanchardstown.
So I pulled into the car park and there was a "clamped" car there. So I put 50c into the meter and put the ticket on the dashboard.
10 seconds in the shop, "no I don't have that book"
When I came back out there was a woman at the car.
"I only left the car to get some change for the meter,I put 60c into the macheine and it would not print,then a man came and pressed the eject button and took my change,
the woman in the shop had no change, so I had to go to another shop.
What can I do I have to collect my son from school?"
"Look I will bring you up to collect your son and take you back here,ring to tell the clamper guy you will be back in 20 mins or he will charge you extra for not being there"
So she had no credit and my phone was used, she was from Algeria.
Well clamping and the law is something I know about. They cannot hide behind the wall and pounce,but that is what they do.
The attendant had no note book telling what time he first spotted the car. When I pressed him to see his note book(as he had said he unclamped another car after he saw her leave the car park) he became quite agressive and questioned our right to interfere in his work.
"Look said the lady, you have been very good take 50" handing me a e100, the fare was only e10.30..No not at all. "Well look I will take 40 if you insist"
I handed her back e60.
"What are you doing man I gave you e100"
No No, she wanted me to round up the e10.30 fare and take e10.50 for the help I had been.
I will be a long time making up my e567.50!
I really have to laugh at my stupidity!!!!!!!!!
From next week I will only be posting photos of Christmas in Dublin. Other bloggers
often put the photos up, I always mean to do it but I never get around to it.
So now I have told you I will not be able to let you down.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Tis the season
Looking south towards Dalkey through a porthole window in Clontarf.
This is the Dublin corperation offices built on the site of a Viking "find".
My car Christmas tree is up!
6th year and still working.
Every time I say it,I have to say it again........................
Quote
Man charged with gun possession and INLA membership
24/11/2007 - 16:22:34
A Dublin man was charged at a special sitting of the Special Criminal Court today with having a Kalashnikov assault rifle and ammunition in the city on Thursday and with membership of the INLA.
Denis Dwyer (aged 22) a plumber, of Drumcarra Avenue, Jobstown, Tallaght was charged with the unlawful possession of a Kalashnikov-style assault rifle and 21 rounds of .223 inch ammunition at Camden St on Thursday.
He was also charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish National Liberation Army, otherwise the INLA, on the same date.
Garda Terence Gleeson, Harcourt Terrace, gave evidence of arresting Dwyer at 1.50pm today on suspicion of possession of a firearm and INLA membership.
Garda Gleeson said that it was his belief at the time that Dwyer had committed scheduled offences.
The court remanded Dwyer in custody until Wednesday, when a bail application is expected to be heard.
"Well I have heard it all now"
And the next time I will be even more surprised.
Well I have been over and back all night and now on Sunday morning I am winding down,
Good night Joe public is out partying and I have 4 visitors over here at present,I hope I will meet them all.
Last time it was all Southside this week it was 50/50 But I hit on the same housing estate in Blanchartstown 3 times.
There was a bit of police action there tonight,I counted 5 police cars in the one cul de sac(What's that is in French?)
"Shere there all mad dere."
One of the guys I brought there was really crazy drunk, I had to stop the car and talk to him, he knew that he would get a smack if he carried on the way he was going.
This cowed him a little,but the need for a shop gave me a break to the situation.
While they were out of the car one of the guys said that "He's OK really, he just got a bang on the head when he was younger and he goes a bit funny "
When we arrived at his street he took off like a jackrabbit roaring!
"Jaysus mister I Don't know how you can do this job man!"
That makes 2 of us.
The rush from 2am to 4am is crazy.
Boys and girls don't stand at the ranks in the city center.
Taxi drivers in the know would NEVER go to the rank.
BECAUSE you must pick up the homicidal slobbering idiot who is standing there.
If you are a bright driver you learn you lesson the second time.
If you are really stupid you will get smacked around the head until you understand that you only pick up the WALKING dead!
SO Walk towards your home facing the incoming traffic.
let your girlfriend walk ahead alone as bait for the randy taximan!
If 4 people are going the same way split up it increases your chances,then you can regroup for the trip.
Don't smoke or have a big bag of Kebabs in your hand.
Another tip is
Try going home early to your local area pub to finish off the night.
Don't stand with your arms around, or lean against a pole, unless you are dancing!
Go to Joys in Baggott St,it closes around 5.20 and there should be a few cabs around when you come out.
Don't ever go to a casino when you are under the influence, its a REAL waste of money.
Well I told you I would go racing in a racing car.
Sorry boys and girls not working this Friday, you can waddle home like lost ducks without me (No thats too cruel). Minus 2 tonight winter is here, but in Ireland we do not get extremes of weather, we have the gulf stream bringing warmer water to our coast to protect us.
Remember Mary the hooker? I bought a coat in a thrift shop for e10, it fitted her.
At least she can't inject that.
I have added a new name to my "blogroll" Mike seems like a good guy!
Yesterday was one of the days where if you were alive you would remember what happened in Dallas Texas,This year a young catcher baseball star named Joe Kennedy dropped dead,Today Lee Harvey Oswald the suspect for shooting JF Kennedy was shot.
It is like 9/11 a moment frozen in time!
Whatever else happens I must say that we should dance more
It's the trailer Sally Potter shot to launch her beautiful movie "The Tango Lesson" (1997). The notes of one of Astor Piazzolla's masterpieces, Libertango, The chello is played by Yo-yo Ma, who also appears in the clip.
I love the music of Astor Piazzolla I bought around 6 cd's of his on cdwow.
I like other music too, but he is really good.
Just one more tango from my favorate tango dancer.But we should not forget the taxi tango driver.
Yes he is a real taxi driver who directs these shows,and runs a dancing school...His details are in a blog.
I didn't know how popular dancing with puppets was, but it is. was until now.
You tube is great fun.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Thanksgiving
Pakistani embassy a hard one to find if you don't know Ailsbury Rd Crosses over the Merrion Rd.
Cartlans thatched pub Kingscourt Co.Cavan.
Well to all you song writers I hope you said a special prayer to St.Cecelia her feast day is around now.
Happy thanksgiving to all my American readers.
Americans can't believe that this is just a normal weekend for us,while we wonder what all the whoo haa is about.
I was in the shops today,shopping is a thing I hate,its the looking.
I buy loads on line,my poor postman.
(I have just remembered when the postman was constant and like the bin men and the milk man,they all got a Christmas presents.)
Well the Dubliner 100 best restaurants 2008 is out now. A must for every taxi driver.
One of my best loved restaurants is La Cave in Sth. Anne St beside Vards the furriers.Its hard enough to get a table so I am glad its not in the guide,I want it for myself. I bet you that you would be hard put by to know where half of the places are.
So buy it for yourself and study up after Christmas.
I Just hand the book back when I am asked where to eat.
Magnum have a big coffee table book out e140! well worth a look.
Fantastic photographs.But you must remember that these guys take 1,000 rolls of film a month,still its a great great book.
The other one I bought was "Old Moores Almanack"This is an old crazey thing where he predicts the future,the advertisers sell lucky charms and claim to remove curses.
Full of Magic and if you believe any of it you would hide under your bed for the coming year.My dad used to get it at that time it and fairs and was more like a mini encylopedia
One lady today got in frantic. I am supposed to be in the Dail (parlament) at 9 it was then 10 past. I was just about to share a great joke I herd when her phone rang.
Just as well as she might have been alligned to the butt of the joke, which goes.
Pavarotti's will was read out today.
Suprisingly an Irish lady was mentioned in the will.
Yes Mary Harney was left all his clothes.
She is a lot bigger in real life.
A guy from Morocco who steered me his favorate route to Blanchardstown.
I had you before my friend and I am once again impressed by your shortcuts.
I was in Morocco 40 years ago.He said its changed so much.
He is right I should go back.
The other guy who had a strange job. He bought advertising space in Magazines and then sold it on to his clients.
Or the guy who bought and sold FUTURES. " don't buy shares in Banks or Property."
There was a guy called Terry Ramsden who made millions doing that and gave it back to the bookies, he was horse trainer,think he is still going.
Or the German guy who looks after the printing machenes in the mint.
Been around the world, would love to hear him talk about all the countries he has been in.
He knew well about the time that Germany tried to kill the British economy by forging millions of banknotes. Iraq printed very very good $100 bills as well.
Wow I hardly have need to watch TV.
When this guy got shunted he did not even get her number,try telling that to the insurance company.
YES I did buy the wrong sat nav.
Good night take care.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Thanks a lot Bill.
The new entrance to St.Annes park clontarf once the home of the Guinness family.
Ulster bank in College Green known as "church"in security circles as many of the churches lodged their cash there.If you click on the photo to enlarge it you can see the Red Hand of Ulster over the arch.
It was on Friday that the traffic came to a stop.
I had a family from Crumlin on board.
Young couple with a cheeky baby,and the mothers brother, the baby was giving loads of "guff" she was giving out yards the baby was perhaps little more than a year old.
I do believe that some people have been here before.
This one was a real comedian. Every second word began with fkn, a born again Maureen Potter a laugh a minute.
Then I noticed that the traffic had stopped.
After 5 minutes I noticed that no traffic was coming the other way either.
I am a patient man, I will wait for a blind man or an old person to cross the road, but to sit and wait is not my thing.
"Look there's nothing moving, I don't know whats going on ,but theres no traffic coming the other way either. I want to turn around and cut down to the Quays past Blooms hotel, is that OK?"
When we got down there and cut back up on to Thomas St there was not a car to be seen.
"I don't know whats going on, must have been a crash"
Young family enjoying a days shopping in town.
Traffic in knots.
I went home after that.
What was the problem?
Bill Clinton was the problem.
They shut off all the streets without notice.
I like Bill but.
Don't treat the people like this.
He was going to host a fund raiser dinner for Hillary.
Even a dinner at only e1600 a plate can be a public relations disaster when you spoil the travel plans of thousands of people.
Travel low key Bill, you know my number,you are safe with me.
It is not his fault alone.
The EU parliament was in Dublin a few years ago and all the roads were closed while our "leaders" were brought in under escort to the city center.
Who do these people think they are?
Or more to the point why do our leaders not respect the people?
Still we elected them so we get what we deserve.
Loads of things happened, but I got the days of the week mixed up and thought Friday was Thursday. I had lost a day,but Friday was not a great night from what I heard.
The moneyed Irish ie. wives of taxi other drivers are in New York to do their Christmas shopping. While the husbands flock to the RDS to buy ART(I use the word loosely)
In times of financial doubt people choose Gold,Silver,Diamonds,Art.....And the last Ace in the pack.............Drugs.
There was a story about some high figure in the court system (hope this is vague enough)being caught with e300,000 worth of drugs. Well she had a problem and she needed loads of drugs to keep up her habit.
Mary who works (prostitute) off Baggott St. was frozen on Saturday night, she really was cold, she always says hello when she comes into the Spar."Im bleeden freezin I am,feel me hands" I felt her hand and the last time I touched a hand so cold it had been dead a day.
She is a bright girl,doing what she can to live her life with her habit, or her boyfrends habit,you don't ask.
Later on in the night I pulled over to a police car (Mary to them is a criminal so they pull them over and cause them grief)" theres a guy unconscious on the corner of Fitzwilliam and Leeson St., on the corner."corner of Fitzwilliam Sq?".
No, turn right,then left and he is on the footpath at the corner". "Whats your number anyhow" No reply,then he put his hand over his number.
Says a lot when they hassle a junkie prostitute while a guy is dying for all we know around the corner on the footpath and they show little interest,he had been there for around 3/4 of an hour at that time.
I don't get involved but there should be a number to ring when you find a person out cold.Soon it will be cold enough for them to die of exposure.
I feel that its their choice to get so drunk,so why should I care.
But there should be a number to report a "man down".
Saturday night worked out for me,interesting people, nothing dangerous,no sick people.
Wow you are so lucky working at your job, where people don't attack you,or get sick down the back of your shirt.
Not to mention the other dangers like robbery or blackmail!
Wow all human life is there for the taxi driver.
Blackrock, Foxrock, Cabinteeley seemed to be my lot that night. The fare I had on Friday to Crumlin gave me a bigger tip than 5 of those posh people combined gave.
Them living in mansions worth millions.
Suppose thats how they have it.
I decided to head for town and passing through Blackrock with my roof light on one of the "boy racers"passed me out and stopped for 2 girls who had hailed me. They walked right past him and got into my car.
Not before a quick exchange.
"I saw you first!"
"Not driving like that. Muppett"
Nice one.Couldn't have said it better myself.
Where's the bottle opener?
Look its a great day when you get a new car,but be careful that you hold on to the keys.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Judge Roy
Oil Wiper blades/Fitted. Go to Bond St. He won't be beaten for service or price.
He is a good guy too.
Sunlight Chambers home of Sunlight soap the only way to clean your house for decades.
Judge Roy Pearson sued a dry cleaners for the loss of the pants for his suit.
Yes he sued the dry cleaners for $54 million and lost.
Then the selection board who were about to renew his contract,when they got hold of the story and they decided that they did not need him as a judge in the Washington area.
So now he has no pants and no job.
"Well anyone can make a mistake"
As the shortsighted hedgehog said as he dismounted the scrubbing brush.
Another Big drugs find the other day ,Customs found a container of contraband cigarettes and then a container of spirits went missing from the docks.
Its not a thing you could stick under your coat.
Yet there it was GONE.
This is why you have checkpoints all over the place, looking for usual suspects.
Its great to have the Mad DC cabby posting again. He has written one of the funniest Blogs,long may he continue.
Still at odds with the sat nav. It will say turn left when the map on the screen says turn right. But like a new lodger in the house we will get used to each others ways in time.
Things in the housing front are getting tighter.
A journalist with the Sunday Tribune lost his job for reporting that Ken McDonald of Hooke McDonald estate agents was unable to sell his own house. Well you see a lot of space is taken up with property advertising and no one wants to say anything to upset the market which is now in free fall.
Its a bit like the Hans Christian Anderson story of the Kings new clothes,everyone knows but no one will say.
We also have 4 solicitors under investigation, one has"borrowed" as much as e100 million while others have been investing clients money on the side.
One trick that has been used by the speculators was to pay the deposit on a property and then when the house was completed they sold it on at a higher price without fully paying for it in the first place. Now there are no buyers and the builder wants his money,the speculator is a bit stuck cash.
I have no tears for them they have been driving up the prices of houses for decades.
On the jobs front places are closing down as multinational companies close non core businesses and asset strip them for profit, its tough to be out in the cold after 20 or 30 years, even though your company is making money the parent company wants to sell the land and dam the workers.
"Don't all start driving taxis"
Had a super lift tonight 2 people from Holland. "Mespil Hotel, through the port tunnel and over the east link" Its 2 tolls e6 and e1.55 but you are there in a flash.
A while ago for contrast,I picked up an English woman at the airport.
"Driver I have a meeting in the IFSC in 15 minutes, Will we make it?"
I said the ONLY way she would make it was through the tunnel and the toll was e12.
"Thats a bit dear"
So we went on the surface 40 mins. She was very upset missing her meeting.
But when she tried to put the blame on me I exploded,"this was your choice to not go through the tunnel. Anyhow it probably saved you from saying something stupid at the meeting".
Off she went,no tip either.
One thing about driving is that sometimes people are not pay attention and the moment seems to last forever.
Perhaps I will bring Wallhi and his pet to my party he seems to liven things up,that party animal.
I had loads to say so I will save it until the next time.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Sat nav.
Howth Castle Dublin
New Standard taxi for Christmas..
Well I relented and bought a "Sat Nav".
Thing is that over here we have housing estates which were designed by the Greeks.
Their streets were designed so that an invader could not advance at any speed.
They are mazes.
The punter says Left, second left, third right ,straight on ,left here and left again.
They pay you and get out.
Good night.
You spend 20 mins finding your way back out, if you are lucky.
With Sat nav.
Press "Home" and this baby brings you out!
Roll on Christmas.
But really unless when you are far from the the locality.
Example, at the Westbury hotel. I press "home".
"Go into Grafton st. turn right,on to the Green etc"
Grafton St has been a pedestrian street for more time than I care to remember.
The rest of the route took me through the Luas line.
It tells me to turn right down one way streets and would lead you a merry dance.
It is an aid,not a God!
There was a story of a punter "congratulating" a driver because he brought him the correct route.
According to his sat nav.
I bought a Garmin nuvi 610.
I knew it I bought the wrong one!
WE almost had BUS STRIKE...But it only effected 2 bus routes. Every taxi in the city was out.
But it had little effect.Perhaps an all out strike would be the thing.
Things are so different now loads of jobs are "Farmed" out on"Contract"(Its not our problem any more)."So you walk out I got more guys to do your work".
Then there is the chance that baggage handlers will go on strike, they have been told to tell their employers in writing.
IF they are going on strike or NOT.
This is to call the workers bluff.
All from guys earning 20 times their pay.
GO TO WORK YOU SICKOS OR WE WILL GET SOMEONE FROM ALBANIA OR HUNGARY TO DO YOUR WORK NEXT FRIDAY.
And you dear travelers,wonder why your bags are wrecked or missing.
On the other hand and nearer to my wallet!
Damn the clutch its slipping, and if its not replaced soon it will get worse until I can't get it fixed until after the holiday.
Or it lets me down mid shift.
I remember the old days when you rented your taxi by the week.
She needs a new clutch drop her down to the garage and collect her at 2.pm.
It was as quick as that, it was a big contract for the garage.
Oil change and check up 20 min.
Puncture? New wheel waiting.
"I remember Dublin city in the rare auild times"(Its a song)
I have been looking at the Stat Counter which tells me that at least 6 people a week look at this site!.
USA,Canada, GB, France,Italy Australia and someone BANG on the Equator off the coast of Nigeria.
Who are you and whats your story?.
Up to the front of the class.
The comment box is not so hard to work.
Just follow the steps and type in the sjhg!
One week I had 8 readers ,but I think one of them logged in twice.
But seriously has anyone seen BAZZZZ
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Another day Another dollar.
Guess its time to mow the car
A metal cow in the park in Jervis St
I have had such a good week that I need never work again in my whole life.
I have enough money to last me for the rest of my life.
Can you imagine that?
That is unless I need to buy something!
"Jackie Mason"
It has been a good week and all thanks to you my traveling public.
The 2 Polish girls going to meet their mother coming in from America,one so happy
"My boyfriend is from India and he has the most beautiful eyes,like a calf, so full of kindness and goodness, on the day I met him I knew we would be married.
My mother has never met him.
He is at home cooking the dinner and he is so nervous you cannot believe!"
Her sister was younger and had no English.
It was wonderful to meet someone so full of the joys of life.
She will go far.
You would often like to complete the journey and be a fly on the wall to see how the evening went.
Tonight the volunteers from the Niall Mellon trip came home and I brought 2 of them home from the airport.
Its a great thing to have done lads.
You have changed the lives of hundreds of people and the trip will have changed your lives for the better.
You dear reader can plan to go now click on the link,it will not be too hot when you go,one of my volunteers was a nurse the other worked in a bank.
So give it a whack collect a few bob and house a family!.
My son built a house in Brazil a few years ago, all in all its just about a months wages, including his fair but when you think of the change in those peoples lives you have a warm glow inside.
Loads of crashes on the road tonight a light mist and the boy racers come skidding to a thumping stop.
Great moment on Dorset street with cops holding down a "Suspect" on the road 10 cars with flashing lights at least.....Then later on they seemed to be taking off the cuffs and saying "sorry it was someone else"
Drunks are such a pain in the ass.
Went to the Taxi rank and a guy asked me for Malahide. "About e15" Listen mate if you only have e15 your getting off in Clare Hall.
He gets in and falls asleep with the "chainsaw" of dreams(Snoring like mad) purring away in the back I head off to Malahide.
As we were got into the village I pulled over to ask a guy where was the estate where the guy lived. The guy looked confused and said say it again. He mispronunced it twice.
"Sorry I didn't know you were foreign"
"I am not foreign. I am deaf"
I turned on the light and in seconds he told me I had just passed the turn by 20 yards.
Its great when you click that the problem was he could not read my lips,but with the light on the job was A OK.
The asshole in the back after shaking him told me where he lived.
He took a long time to take out his money, so I got out to "Help" him.
"You are a really fucking nervous guy."
Look I don't want you to fall.
He paid in full over e30.
I held him, then he fell forwards line Karl Lewis doing a 100 meter dash,but did not fall.
I'm OK!
And so he was,
And so was I.
Why do I do it?
Later I went to the airport an picked up a guy and as it happened he worked for for one of my heroes Chuck Feeney I met him a few years ago and I nominated him as best passenger ever!
He offered me a job but I could not take him up on his offer.
I did not know who he was at the time, but he has become one of role models in life.
Perhaps some other day we will meet again.
He is a real down to earth guy, no bullshit and funny too.
Ok Ok so I didn't write about you!
One problem about taxi driving is that a guy takes a taxi once in 6 months and he thinks taxi driver must remember him forever, I have to do 30 fares a night.
People in America have easy access to guns. This video was produced to let people see what damage a bullet can do. U tube have taken it down. But it goes directly to the point.
I gasped when I saw it.
You didn't think that I would show you.....
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Parish notes
Sometimes people become famous for catching a ball and scoring a point ,a try or a goal.
They are held high and are known to many for a moment.
Other times the "ball" catches them and they run with it.
Most people do not hear of the fantastic goal that they scored.
But the lives of many are changed as a result.
God has called home on Nov 8 the Rev. Chad Varrah who passed over aged 95.
A good innings and well done.
Click here
Perhaps if you are a taxi driver you could make an effort to carry the Samaritans card which your union will supply. Perhaps even a sticker for the inside of your taxi.
They are held high and are known to many for a moment.
Other times the "ball" catches them and they run with it.
Most people do not hear of the fantastic goal that they scored.
But the lives of many are changed as a result.
God has called home on Nov 8 the Rev. Chad Varrah who passed over aged 95.
A good innings and well done.
Click here
Perhaps if you are a taxi driver you could make an effort to carry the Samaritans card which your union will supply. Perhaps even a sticker for the inside of your taxi.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
All clear
Chimney pots on Baggott St.
The late night post box at the GPO.
On Wednesday I very nearly made the classic mistake.
I met an Asian girl who works in our local supermarket.
We met as I was coming up the stairs of a college, she was coming down.
She knew me instantly and the problem was that she was now(coming down the steps)taller than me and for a second I did not recognise her.
Then I nearly said "I didn't know you with your clothes on"
She is always dressed in a white shop coat.
What really threw me was that I never saw her hair before,it was always under a net and hat as she works in the Deli section of our supermarket..
She had just been in to do her computer exam and had an attack of nerves and had to leave early, I suppose the exam had become very important to her to pass, then the old nerves went.
I hope it worked out for her.
We had a little rain, which helps to lift business plus the fact that big boxes of toys are being brought home for Santa, he sends out his scouts to look for toys earlier every year.
I herd that of a guy who got into a taxi at the central bank and asked to go somewhere and the driver said "you show me the way,I don't know where that is, I have only been in Ireland for 3 weeks"
The guy was a Garda and gave him directions to the Garda station where he arrested him, driving without insurance, driving licence etc.
Some of the other stories going around are wild.
A taxi driver told me he was fined e60 and got 2 penalty points because he had one brake light not working. Another taxi driver in the court got fined and penalty points for doing a u turn.
While at the same court a youth caught driving a stolen car which he used to ram the Garda car causing thousands of euro in damage got a 3 month prison sentence suspended.
IE he walked out of the court laughing.
I suppose the Law and Justice are two different animals.
On Dawson St on Tuesday I saw a taxi at the rank with 4 bald tyres! Just the slightest trace of thread on the inside of each tyre.
I got such a shock that I did not note his number.
Startled is the word I am looking for.
I had a Garda from the drugs squad in the car the next day and told her what I had seen, she said that he should have been arrested on the spot and his car impounded. If that car was in a crash he would go to prison and loose his licence.
The insurance company would not pay out on his claim either.
There is no excuse for that kind of endangerment to the public.
I have been "resting" (as the actors say) for a while, but I have had all kinds of blood checks and a stress test on the heart and have had the all clear.
Soon it will be time to put the boot down and meet Christmas head on!
Here is a piece I picked up the other day.
Well if I was to wish for anything I would wish for a hot place for this guy.
Anyone who can exploit children like this deserves the worst kind of hell.
Man is remanded in child-trafficking case
07/11/2007 - 20:08:33
A West African man wanted in the Netherlands for allegedly trafficking children from Africa to Europe where they are used as prostitutes was further remanded in custody for three weeks when he appeared in the High Court today.
Peter Kwame Sarfo aka Jackson Smith (aged 38), is wanted by the Dutch authorities who claim he is involved in the movement of children from Nigeria into a number of different Western Europe nations.
It is alleged that the children were initially brought into the Netherlands and then sent on to other countries including Italy and Spain to work as prostitutes.
At an earlier remand hearing the court was told that after the charges contained in the warrant seeking his extradition were put to him he replied: "I know nothing about this. That is not what I am wanted for".
Counsel for Sarfo, Mr Patrick Reynolds told the court yesterday that the case had received significant publicity concerning multi-territorial alleged offences and he sought a three week adjournment.
Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy adjourned the case to Wednesday, November 28 and further remanded Sarfo in custody until that date.
Well this is like manna to my soul.
How anyone can abuse children like this is the worst thing that can happen.
May he rot in hell.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Do I know you?
Smithsonian Institute to the native Americans
(click on the boxes if the photo in not there)
Who would go to New York and take so few photos?.
I would.
But I will share them with you.
You never really know who you could meet in this game a pop star perhaps?
He will be surly, almost refusing to tell you where he is going in case you engage him in conversation,then even when you carry his bags into the lobby at journeys end he might try to leave you short, all because He is a star.
No TIPS it shows a lack of rearing thats all
Or a shop girl from Dunnes Stores. The shop girl will be funny, clever and witty.
She will be inclusive in her conversation.
She will also show a good depth of knowledge in many aspects of life and will tip well.
Then thank you.
"You are a life saver,have a great day"
One gets out and the next one gets in.
The next thing you are at the Airport.
They must have a big magnet there which draws taxi drivers to it.
I have had more bad jobs from the airport than good ones.
So there I was after going through the queue standing at number 3 in the rank.
A guy walks up to the cars in front of me,they nod no.
Then back to me and says.
"Will you accept American dollars?"
Luckiest day for me "Yes"
"How much to the K club?"
This is a big run, off the taxi meter area so it worked out at e80=$100.
He counted it out into my hand and off we went.
We were OK together, he had 2 kids and a lady who did not join into any of the banter as we went through the Irish countryside in the darkness.
I hit lucky with a radio station which played good rock music and the kids sang along to the music.
"Do I know you, your face is familiar?"
"Everyone says that to me" was his reply.
We spoke of this and that and then I spoke about a DVD which I had bought on the recommendation of a customer, "Traffic" A big discussion on drugs followed.
I gave his kids the story given to me by a reformed heroin addict.
"Heroin was great It was. It was like being in love with the most beautiful girl in the world, you would do anything for her.
Then your eyes are opened and you see that you are with the most hideous hag you ever saw"!
His story was moving and frightening at the same time, he never dreamed that his world would turn in such a direction.
I am clean now and I work with addicts but this city is falling down with drugs.
He took out a note book! "Are you a reporter?"
He said that he is a busy guy and he constantly keeps notes, so then he does not have to rely on his memory so much.
I have to say that he drew more from the conversation than he added to it.
Then we started to talk about the movie in detail and he knew he knew his stuff.
We spoke about locations, photography and lighting. Then I said that the plot seemed to have a piece missing near the end.
"I didn't notice that, I will look at it again,though my copy is a studio one".
We spoke about how important music is to a movie,"almost as important as the script" he added.
I mentioned Magic and the Magic Castle in Hollywood."Franklin Ave?"
The note book came out and the names of a few good guys were written down Bill Malone Billy McComb etc.
Next topic was golf, would it rain? the weather forecast was 50/50. The Ryder cup was to be played at the K club later that year.
Sorry I don't play golf.
Work is what people do who can't play golf.
What kind of a place was it?
Luxury in a word,its the place where the Smurfits live and there are some other wealthy people living there.
They say that Bill Clinton has a house there.
"So its not for the like of me and you".
The architect who designed it has a car which once belonged to Prince Charles,an Aston Martin."What color is it?" "Racing Green" "Thats right it is".
A beautiful car."I have one too and they are a dream to drive"
When we arrived and I pulled out the bags and carried them into the lobby.
Your face is so familiar,look, let me shake hands with you because I will be kicking myself when I later recognize you. Sure,OK and thanks for the trip.
Off I went and the day was fine so I suppose he got his game of golf.
When I later found out who he was I wondered why the limo was not waiting to pick him up.I can tell you that he is a real gent. Very sharp mind.
The next day on TV The Late Late show was on.
Pat Kenny said, we have a very special guest tonight Mr**** ******. In he walks.
He turns to the camera
"Before I start I would like to speak to someone.
John if your watching thanks for bringing us to our hotel last night,it was a great trip and I really enjoyed it"
Well if I was him I suppose I would not say who I was either.
The whole conversation would change.
Its nice to have a normal conversation.
We will leave the last word to Miss South Carolina
Or the very last word to her parents
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