Ireland Story

Shauna tried to post this here, but LiveJournal wouldn't allow it.  I'll try:

http://www.irishabroad.com/news/irish-voice/news/Articles/king-ireland100708.aspx
Hi Steven- this is a story from Irish Abroad and is right up your  alley. Enjoy! Shauna

Me, I wonder if the stone at Tara roared for him.

Temple Bar: An Observation

Temple Bar is a district in Dublin ("bar" as in "sand bar," not "pub").  It's near the spot where the Vikings first landed in Dublin around 800 CE, and it's one of the oldest sections of Dublin.  As a city, Dublin dates back to the Bronze Age, possibly to the Stone Age, so that's saying a lot.  In recent history, Temple Bar fell into disrepute.  It turned poor, then it turned crappy, then it turned dangerous.  Then artists and craftspeople started moving in because the rent was cheap.  A bit of gentrification started up.  Craft shops and art galleries opened like shy flowers.  Tourists started to wander in.  In the 70s, the government, in the wisdom of governments everywhere, decided to demolish the recovering Temple Bar district and replace it with a central bus station and other government buildings.

A hue and cry went up.  People protested mightily, the government looked a little closer, and saw that actual big money was to be had. 

( Read more... )

Cookie!

My cousin Dave sent me this link:

http://www.comedy.com/blog/2008/07/10/cookie-monster-on-colbert/

Only Cookie Monster could manage to get the last word on Stephen Colbert!