The Irish Boiler Problem
When I think of Scotland being independent, I’m always reminded of a problem, that was ongoing at a hotel we stayed in, in Dublin.
The boiler for the central heating had failed and the poor plumber was trying to get it going again. The boiler had been made in England a few years before and it wasn’t a cheap one. But it turned out that as it was rather a special, the spare that the plumber wanted wasn’t held in Ireland. And as it was about six on a Friday evening, the factory in I think Birmingham had closed for the night.
So the hotel had to wait a few days for heating. At least they had an immersion heater for hot water.
The plumber told me, how this was often happening as with expensive plumbing and its spares, was generally not kept in Ireland as it was only a small country and it was usually ordered overnight from England.
One of the things that might be a problem with Scottish independence, is that companies don’t keep stock north of the border and it becomes much more difficult to get something urgently. You might also have more paperwork and different currencies and VAT rates.
Prices in Scotland might rise! Or they might fall. Who knows?
The Irish Are Invading
One of the things I noticed at The Allergy Show was the number of new companies that I’d never heard of before. Several of these exhibitors were from Ireland and I stopped at one called Pure Bred from Donegal. I had a taste of their gingerbread and it was seriously good for a commercial product, that didn’t have a touch of the dry about it.
As I needed a loaf and buying Genius, where I live, means shopping other than my convenient Waitrose, I bought one of their sliced wrapped farmhouse loaves.
Bread to me must do three main jobs; make good toast, edible sandwiches when I travel and also make a good crust for some of the recipes I use like this fish from Mary Berry.
When I got home, I made some toast.
The bread certainly made seriously good toast.
One question that must be asked, is all this Irish gluten-free activity, a sign that the Irish economy is on the way to a full recovery?
There’s Gold In Them There Bogs!
When he appeared on BBC radio this morning, one of those in charge of this project to mine gold in Ireland, said he’d lost count of the jokes about lucky Irish and leprechauns.
I suppose it will be a good area for the many Irish comedians to mine too!
Irish Correctness!
I saw this newspaper on a bus this morning, as I came home from shopping and having lunch at Canary Wharf.
Irish Correctness!
If you can’t read it, by the side of the headline of Keano 3 Latvia 0, someone has written + Martin in green ink.
Nationalism And The England Football Team
I went to the England match against Ireland last night at Wembley and although it wasn’t the best of matches, a thought about the England team struck me, as I listened to the phone-in on Radio 5 about English Nationalism.
It is surprising how many of the England team, could have been eligible to play for other countries. For example, Wayne Rooney and Gary Cahill have an Irish heritage and Phil Jagielka has a Polish father and a Scottish mother.
On the other hand, I think at least one of the black players, was born in England to parents, who were also born here.
So nothing is ever what it seems!
I myself, have two strong immigrant lines in my genes; Jew and Huguenot, so when it comes for me to define what is Englishness, I can get rather lost.
Perhaps being of mixed genes is a requirement to being a true Englishman or Englishwoman. After all Churchill had an American mother, Brunel had a French father and Alan Blumlein had a German father, to name but three.
I often define myself as a London Mongrel and when asked to fill in forms about my race, if I think I can get away with it, I do.
Could it all be down to hybrid vigour? It’s proper scientific name is heterosis.
I also like this quote on nationalism by Albert Einstein.
Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of mankind.
He is right!
A Very Good Marketing Idea
The Guardian describes them in this article as a St. Patrick’s day novelty, but surely shamrock-flavoured crisps are a superb marketing idea.
I wish Tom Keogh the best of luck with the crisps. But I suspect he won’t need it, as nothing succeeds like an idea that tickles everybody’s fancy.
I can’t find out if the crisps are suitable for coeliacs.
The BBC’s Top Story Today
This story about Irish ‘nuns’ caught drinking illegally in Ireland is the most read on the BBC’s web site today.
I suppose the behaviour could be explained as they were Sisters of Charity and the local priest gave his blessing.
Italy Goes To Ireland
Next year, the Giro d’Italia will start on the island of Ireland with three stages. It’s all here on the BBC.
Knowing the Irish as I do, I think that they’ll have a good party.
Is This A Serious Or Crazy Idea?
There has been a story today about large numbers of very large wind turbines being built in the Irish midlands and the power generated being exported to the UK. Ireland would get quite a few jobs.
I think it could be one of those schemes, that may be al right in theory and budget, but doesn’t perform as it should, when it is built. In the article on the BBC web site, there are these closing paragraphs.
Richard Tol, professor of economics at University of Sussex, said he felt that the whole scheme was “crazy” and would not work in the long term .
“From an Irish perspective this is not selling the family silver; this is giving it away. There is no money staying in Ireland that I can see.
“But from the British perspective it is a good deal,” he said.
It would appear it’s being very much imposed on the Irish people and the Irish are not stupid.
So I would be very surprised if the scheme is ever fully implemented. But then I don’t like blots on the landscape, whether I can see them or not!
If we are going to have large wind farms, in my view the best place for them is offshore.
Fatal Blow For John Lewis Store At Sprucefield
This is the headline over a report on the BBC web site. It concerns the political arguments about John Lewis opening a department store in Northern Ireland.
Personally, I think they would be very brave to do it, given the stupid fuss being created by so-called Loyalists about the flying of flags.
The article does suggest John Lewis might open in the Republic. Now that would probably be a sounder business decision, as the only organised violence there generally happens at places like Croke Park and the Aviva Stadium.
The Anonymous Widower 