Monthly Archives: March 2012


Last month, blind Brazilian surfer Derek Rabelo surfed Hawaii’s notorious Banzai Pipeline on Oahu’s North Shore in the company of gobsmacked local Makua Rothman.

Dude’s an inspiration.

Warning: contains outrageous surfer-speak.

GrindTV
Meanwhile, at Mullaghmore, Co Sligo, yesterday:

Pics by Peter Clyne at Surfworld and Surf Coach (Facebook)

Thanks Annie West

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuxKb5mxM8g

PBS’s Animated GIFs: The Birth of a Medium, a nice if terribly serious history of the GIF (Graphics Interchange Format), now 25 years old, featuring some of the hipstery people you’re likely to ever see in your life. Includes a debate on whether GIF has a soft or hard g. Hard surely?

Thanks Neil.

GIF?

They also had an unused third kit in 1991-92 (above), which will be familiar to fans of a certain Glasgow club. “It has been long rumoured that this kit was nixed by two senior professionals at the club, Ray Wilkins and Alan McDonald,” says [reader] Jon Waite. “Wilkins was still revered at Rangers from his time as a player there and McDonald was an east Belfast boy, long time Rangers fan and Northern Ireland captain. Both allegedly refused to wear the shirt for fear of upsetting friends in high places.”

 

Which Soccer kits Have Never Seen The Light Of Day? (The Knowledge, Guardian)

That proposed delay on the €3.1 billion cash payment due on March 31?

Not looking good.

More than six months after Dublin first raised the matter with the ECB, the Frankfurt-based institution is pushing back heavily against persistent Irish demands for a concession to ease the cost of rescuing the former Anglo Irish Bank.
Within the ECB, the view remains that alternative avenues are open to the Government to improve its finances, among them reductions in public sector pay and welfare entitlements.

The argument is made that average public pay and welfare levels in Ireland are higher than the average in some of the other euro zone countries that are supporting Ireland’s bailout, among them Spain, Slovenia and Slovakia.

Push to get debt burden reduced hits strong ECB resistance (Irish Times)

Meanwhile in other ‘Good Luck With That’ news:

Mario Draghi confident of Irish ‘Yes’ vote (RTE News)

pic

“D’ writes:

This is my wife’s blog on her personal experience of post-natal depression and the lack of resources and support for women in Ireland for International Woman’s Day

Here is what I do know.

Services and support for people suffering from depression in Ireland are under sourced and under valued. There is also not enough knowledge nor help available for mothers who are pregnant and suffering from depression. Nor for post natal depression. I am speaking from experience and from reading of other mothers’ experiences. I began a course of anti-depressants three years ago. I then found out I was pregnant with my third child. My doctor’s advice was to stop the medication, cheer up and take iron.

When my third child was six months old. I knew I had post natal Depression. I was breastfeeding her. Two GPs recommended I wean my daughter immediately and start medication. I did not want to wean her. I spent hours online resourcing medications that were safe to take when breastfeeding. Thanks to that research and some support from a woman and doctor who I contacted via The Breastway.com I found out what medication was suitable. Took them for almost 10 months and got through it, it was a blip and I fixed it with the help of the medication and from the support of my husband. Had this happened [to] me six years ago when I had my first daughter, when I was not as internet savvy, the outcome could have been different. I should not have had to research what medication I could take. I am not a Doctor.

More Here: Depression- Be Swept Under The Carpet No More (TheClothesLine.ie)

(Drawing: Tavik Simon)

Pearse Street [Dublin]  Garda station earlier. Occupy Dame Street residents went to the station to retrieve their belongings taken during the raid on the camp on Wednesday morning. The protest, supported by some residents on the street (3rd pic), disbanded by 9pm.

‘Occupy’ Supporters Hold Protest Over Camp Removal (Pamela Duncan and Elaine Edwards, Irish Times)

(Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland)