The following is an extract from a speech by Robert F. Kennedy, at the University of Kansas on March 18, 1968 (43 years ago).  A reminder to us all that, there is more to life than the accumulation of material things.

“The gross national product does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education, or the joy of their play. It does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages; the intelligence of our public debate or the integrity of our public officials. It measures neither our wit nor our courage; neither our wisdom nor our learning; neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country; it measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile ……”

To add a little more context the above quote the full paragraph from the speech is as follows

“And this is one of the great tasks of leadership for us, as individuals and citizens this year.  But even if we act to erase material poverty, there is another greater task, it is to confront the poverty of satisfaction – purpose and dignity – that afflicts us all.  Too much and for too long, we seemed to have surrendered personal excellence and community values in the mere accumulation of material things.  Our Gross National Product, now, is over $800 billion dollars a year, but that Gross National Product – if we judge the United States of America (Ireland) by that – that Gross National Product counts air pollution and cigarette advertising, and ambulances to clear our highways of carnage.  It counts special locks for our doors and the jails for the people who break them.  It counts the destruction of the redwood and the loss of our natural wonder in chaotic sprawl.  It counts napalm and counts nuclear warheads and armored cars for the police to fight the riots in our cities.  It counts Whitman’s rifle and Speck’s knife, and the television programs which glorify violence in order to sell toys to our children.  Yet the gross national product does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education or the joy of their play.  It does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages, the intelligence of our public debate or the integrity of our public officials.  It measures neither our wit nor our courage, neither our wisdom nor our learning, neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country, it measures everything in short, except that which makes life worthwhile.  And it can tell us everything about America (Ireland) except why we are proud that we are Americans (Irish).”

The above would not be too much off the mark if given today at any of our Irish universities, I added in the bracketed words for effect.

The full speech is available on the “JFK presidential Library and Museum web site” and is well worth a read.

I attended the Dublin Chamber of Commerce’s Green Economy Forum in Byrne Wallace Solicitors this morning at which there was two excellent presentations from Gabriel D’Arcy of Bord Na Mona and John Power from Engineers Ireland.

In both presentations there were examples of local vested interests objecting to infrastructure developments that would be of benefit to the whole country, 

From Gabriel,  “Draining the Shannon and sending the captured water to Dublin”. Two Birds with one stone; alleviate of the annual flooding along the Shannon and help solve the water shortage in the greater Dublin area.

From John,  “The North East Pylon Pressure (NEPP) group” demanding that High Powered Electric Cables be put underground, even though this is both technical and financial lunacy (my words not John’s)  

In answering my question as to how we could prevent minority pressure groups and other cranks holding up important infrastructure developments, just because they can, John also explained that the Shell Gas project in the west of Ireland will have a total delivery time of 18 years from start to finish, the norm anywhere else in the world would be 6 years. Why are the oil companies not queuing up to invest in Ireland??

There needs to be some change here, of course people need to be allowed voice their legitimate concerns and have them listened to and addressed but, if companies or organisations are operating within the rules set down in our planning laws, individuals or small groups of individuals should not be allowed to object and hold up the development, just because they can.

Gabriel D’Arcy made the very valid point that companies or organisations also need to be more professional when planning projects, identifying potential issues or areas of conflict and dealing with them in a sensible manner, before they become a problem. 

If we are to dig ourselves out of the hole we are currently in, we need to speed up the delivery of good infrastructure projects and our planning laws urgently need to be changed to allow this to happen.

We need solid guidelines that take account of local and national needs and once a project is planned and executed within those guidelines, individuals or minority groups should not be allowed object. 

There should certainly be financial consequences for any individual or group that holds up a project for spurious reasons.

Brendan Palmer, Problem solver.
Developer of successful business strategies for projects in Ireland and across borders and cultures

by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end.

He noted that first came her date of birth
And spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own;
The cars, the house, the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left,
That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real,
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger,
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect,
And more often wear a smile
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy’s being read
With your life’s actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

Linda Ellis’ personal site

I believe that the vast majority of members of both houses are genuine and honest in their attempts to fix the consequences of the Abbeylara  decision but, let’s have a look at another scenario, how would this amendment affect us if there was a more sinister person or organisation leading a large majority in one of the Houses. It is not so long ago that we had a party leader whose only ambition was to lead a single party majority in the Dáil and then run the place as his own little fiefdom.  (Not Bertie) Someone like that with this amendment in his arsenal could have a dictatorship organised in no time. 

The current members of the houses should remember that not all people do things for the benefit of the greater good and unfortunately, the ones who could benefit from this clause in our constitution are likely to be aggressively ambitious enough to get themselves into a position of power, from where they could use it.

We do need to allow the Dáil have some form of investigative powers but while this amendment may help fix the current issue, I think that the potential for abuse further down the line far outweighs any benefit of inserting it into the constitution in its current format. It confers far too wide ranging powers on the Houses of the Oireachtas including the Senate, which is not even elected by the general population. 

I believe we should vote no on this one and tell the Government to go back to the drawing board

At least then we would get an opportunity to vote on a good amendment to the constitution.  If we find out later that we made a mistake, the abuser would never let us have a referendum to change it.

The following are extracts from the websites or statements from the 7 candidates

Mary Davis
She is going to polish up our tarnished reputation. Perhaps it is a good job our reputation is tarnished, if it wasn’t what else would she do for seven years

Sean Gallagher
He also sees us as damaged and wants to help us create a new community minded, enterprise friendly and socially included Ireland.

Michael D Higgins
Has had people share their fears and challenges, their strengths hopes and ideas for the future and has been inspired by their strength of character, positivity and generosity the face of serious economic and social difficulties.

Martin McGuiness
If elected President he is committed to taking only the average wage, is that the average minimum wage, industrial wage, semi state workers wage, civil servants wage or politicians wage  and, he wants us all to speak Irish, he can’t speak it but, he’s learning

Gay Mitchel
Would put the welfare of our people at the heart of the Presidency and would like to continue much of the practice of President McAleese by quietly working, often below the radar, to make our country a better place

David Norris
Hopes to be at the head of our extraordinary comeback in order to guide us and help us empathise and understand people. Of course, we will all need to study Greek Philosophy to get to grips with his version of understanding people

Dana
Nothing from her own stable yet but this link has some useful info http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2011/0928/1224304855725.html

Wonderful English from Around the World:

In a Bangkok temple:
IT IS FORBIDDEN TO ENTER A WOMAN, EVEN A FOREIGNER, IF DRESSED AS A MAN.

Cocktail lounge , Norway :
LADIES ARE REQUESTED NOT TO HAVE CHILDREN IN THE BAR.

Doctors office, Rome :
SPECIALIST IN WOMEN AND OTHER DISEASES.

Dry cleaners, Bangkok :
DROP YOUR TROUSERS HERE FOR THE BEST RESULTS.

In a Nairobi restaurant:
CUSTOMERS WHO FIND OUR WAITRESSES RUDE OUGHT TO SEE THE MANAGER.

On the main road to Mombassa, leaving Nairobi :
TAKE NOTICE: WHEN THIS SIGN IS UNDER WATER, THIS ROAD IS IMPASSABLE.

On a poster at Kencom:
ARE YOU AN ADULT THAT CANNOT READ? IF SO WE CAN HELP.

In a City restaurant:
OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AND WEEKENDS.

In a cemetery:
PERSONS ARE PROHIBITED FROM PICKING FLOWERS FROM ANY BUT THEIR OWN GRAVES .

Tokyo hotel’s rules and regulations:
GUESTS ARE REQUESTED NOT TO SMOKE OR DO OTHER DISGUSTING BEHAVIOURS IN BED.

On the menu of a Swiss restaurant:
OUR WINES LEAVE YOU NOTHING TO HOPE FOR..

In a Tokyo bar:
SPECIAL COCKTAILS FOR THE LADIES WITH NUTS.

Hotel , Yugoslavia :
THE FLATTENING OF UNDERWEAR WITH PLEASURE IS THE JOB OF THE CHAMBERMAID.

Hotel , Japan :
YOU ARE INVITED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CHAMBERMAID.

In the lobby of a Moscow hotel across from a Russian Orthodox monastery:
YOU ARE WELCOME TO VISIT THE CEMETERY WHERE FAMOUS RUSSIAN AND SOVIET COMPOSERS, ARTISTS AND WRITERS ARE BURIED DAILY EXCEPT THURSDAY.

A sign posted in Germany ‘s Black Forest :
IT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN ON OUR BLACK FOREST CAMPING SITE THAT PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT SEX, FOR INSTANCE, MEN AND WOMEN, LIVE TOGETHER IN ONE TENT UNLESS THEY ARE MARRIED WITH EACH OTHER FOR THIS PURPOSE..

Hotel, Zurich :
BECAUSE OF THE IMPROPRIETY OF ENTERTAINING GUESTS OF THE OPPOSITE SEX IN THE BEDROOM, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE LOBBY BE USED FOR THIS PURPOSE.

Advertisement for donkey rides, Thailand :
WOULD YOU LIKE TO RIDE ON YOUR OWN ASS?

Airline ticket office, Copenhagen :
WE TAKE YOUR BAGS AND SEND THEM IN ALL DIRECTIONS.

A laundry in Rome :
LADIES, LEAVE YOUR CLOTHES HERE AND SPEND THE AFTERNOON HAVING A GOOD TIME..

And finally, a sign in in an Alabama Motel:
WIVES FIRST NAMES TO BE REGISTERED AT CHECK-IN, EVEN IF SOMEBODY ELSE’S WIFE…

 1. Thoroughly clean the toilet.

2. Add the required amount of shampoo to the toilet water and have
both the seat and lid lifted.

3. Obtain the cat and soothe him while you carry him toward the
bathroom.

4. In one smooth movement, put the cat in the toilet and close the
seat and lid. (You may need to stand on the lid so he cannot escape.)

CAUTION: DO NOT GET ANY PART OF YOUR BODY TOO CLOSE TO THE EDGE, AS HIS PAWS WILL BE REACHING OUT FOR ANY SURFACE THEY CAN FIND.

NOTE: THE CAT WILL SELF AGITATE AND MAKE AMPLE
SUDS. NEVER MIND THE NOISES THAT COME FROM THE TOILET, THE CAT IS ACTUALLY
ENJOYING THIS.

5. Flush the toilet three or four times. This provides a “power wash
and rinse” which I have found to be quite effective.

6. Have someone open the door to the outside and ensure that there
are no people between the toilet and the outside door.

7. Stand behind the toilet as far as you can. Quickly lift the seat and lid.

8. The now-clean cat will rocket out of the toilet, and run outside
where he will dry himself.

Just to keep the memories of the Queens visit going, her husband, Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, who has become renowned for his off the wall comments over the years, will be 90 years of age on June 10th  

The reality is everybody loves him because although his comments may not be helpful in diplomatic circles, like the bold faced four year old telling it as it is at the top of his voice, it affords us an opportunity to laugh while feigning shock horror

Here are some of the better ones…………

“In education, if in nothing else, the Scotsman knows what is best for him. Indeed, only a Scotsman can really survive a Scottish education.” Said when he was made Chancellor of Edinburgh University in November 1953.

“So you’re responsible for the kind of crap Channel Four produces!” Speaking to then chairman of the channel, Michael Bishop, in 1962.

“It looks like the kind of thing my daughter would bring back from her school art lessons” On being shown “primitive” Ethiopian art in 1965.

While on an official visit to China in 1986 he told a group of British exchange students staying in the city of Xian: “If you stay here much longer you’ll all be slitty-eyed.”

“You’re not wearing mink knickers, are you?” Philip charms fashion writer Serena French at a World Wildlife Fund gathering in 1993.

Speaking to a driving instructor in Oban, Scotland, in 1995 he asked: “How do you keep the natives off the booze long enough to get them through the test?”

He told a 1986 meeting of the World Wildlife Fund: “If it has got four legs and it is not a chair, if it has got two wings and it flies but is not an aeroplane, and if it swims and it is not a submarine, the Cantonese will eat it.”

During the 1981 recession he mused: “Everybody was saying we must have more leisure. Now they are complaining they are unemployed.”

Were you here in the bad old days? … That’s why you can’t read and write then!” To parents during a visit to Fir Vale Comprehensive School in Sheffield, which had suffered poor academic reputation.

When accepting a figurine from a woman during a visit to Kenya in 1984 he asked: “You are a woman aren’t you?”

The Duke asked a British student who had been trekking in Papua New Guinea in 1998: “You managed not to get eaten then?”

To a British tourist in Hungary in 1993 he quipped: “You can’t have been here that long — you haven’t got a pot belly.”

“Aren’t most of you descended from pirates?”, he asked an islander in the Cayman Islands in 1994.

Following the 1996 Dunblane massacre, he questioned the need for a firearms ban: “If a cricketer, for instance, suddenly decided to go into a school and batter a lot of people to death with a cricket bat, which he could do very easily, I mean, are you going to ban cricket bats?”

“Reichskanzler.” Prince Philip used Hitler’s title to address German chancellor Helmut Kohl during a speech in Hanover in 1997.

“What about Tom Jones? He’s made a million and he’s a bloody awful singer.” Response to a comment at a small-business lunch about how difficult it is in Britain to get rich.

In 1999 in Cardiff he told children from the British Deaf Association, who were standing by a Caribbean steel band: “If you’re near that music it’s no wonder you’re deaf”.

And what exotic part of the world do you come from?” Asked in 1999 of Tory politician Lord Taylor of Warwick, whose parents are Jamaican. He replied: “Birmingham.”

People think there’s a rigid class system here, but dukes have even been known to marry chorus girls. Some have even married Americans.” In 2000.

I wish he’d turn the microphone off!” The Prince expresses his opinion of Elton John’s performance at the 73rd Royal Variety Show, 2001.

“Do people trip over you?” Meeting a wheelchair-bound nursing-home resident in 2002

While touring a factory near Edinburgh in 2002 he said a fuse box was so crude it “looked as though it had been put in by an Indian”.

Do you know they have eating dogs for the anorexic now?” To a wheelchair-bound Susan Edwards, and her guide dog Natalie in 2002.

To Australian Aborigines during a visit to Australia in 2002 he asked: “Do you still throw spears at each other?”

There’s a lot of your family in tonight.” After glancing at business chief Atul Patel’s name badge during a 2009 Buckingham Palace reception for 400 influential British Indians to meet the Royal couple.

In 2010 on asking a female Sea Cadet what she did for a living, and being told that she worked in a nightclub (as a barmaid), the Duke asked “Is it a strip club?” Observing her surprise he dismissed the suggestion saying that it was “probably too cold for that anyway”.

That’s a nice tie… Do you have any knickers in that material?” Discussing the tartan designed for the Papal visit with then-Scottish Tory leader Annabel Goldie last year.

Just in case the plagiarism police are watching (scriptwriters for Enda take note)
Forwarded to me by my wife Trish at Rathfarnham School of motoring http://www.rathfarnhamsom.ie
Who got it from Grainne Byrne Communications http://www.gbc-pr.com

If you think this would work, please forward to everyone you know.
If not, please disregard.
Grumpies of the World Unite!
Refers to the UK but change the demographic numbers and everything else flies

Dear Mr. Cameron,

Please find below our suggestions for fixing England’s economy.

Instead of giving billions of pounds to banks that will squander the money on lavish parties and unearned bonuses, use the following plan. You can call it the Patriotic Retirement Plan:

There are about 10 million people over 50 in the work force.

Pay them £1 million each severance for early retirement with the following stipulations:
1) They MUST retire – ten million job openings – unemployment fixed
2) They MUST buy a new British car. Ten million cars ordered – car Industry fixed
3) They MUST either buy a house or pay off their mortgage – housing crisis fixed
4) They MUST send their kids/grandkids to school/college/university – Crime rate fixed
5) They MUST buy £100 WORTH of alcohol/tobacco a week…..and there’s your money back in duty/tax etc
6) Instead of stuffing around with the carbon emissions trading schemes that makes us pay for the major polluters, tell the greedy bastards to reduce their pollution emissions by 75% within 5 years or we shut them down.

It can’t get any easier than that!

And if more money is needed, have all members of parliament pay back their falsely claimed expenses and second home allowances

Other points you might consider:
Put the pensioners in jail and the criminals in a nursing home,
The pensioners would have access to showers, hobbies and walks.
They’d also receive unlimited free prescriptions, dental and medical treatment, wheel chairs etc.
They would have constant video monitoring so if assistance was needed they’d have immediate help.
Bedding would be washed twice a week, and all clothing would be washed and ironed as needed.
There would be a guard to check on them every 20 minutes and staff to bring their meals and snacks to their cell.
They would have family visits in a suite built for that purpose.
They would have access to a library, weight room, spiritual counselling, pool
and education.
Simple clothing, shoes, slippers, PJ’s and legal aid would be free, on request.
There would be private, secure rooms for all, with an exercise outdoor yard,
with gardens for anyone who felt the need to exercise.
Each senior could have a PC a TV radio and daily phone calls,
There would be a board of directors to hear complaints, and all guards would have a code of conduct that would have to be strictly adhered to.

The criminals would get cold food, be left all alone and unsupervised day and night. Lights off at 8pm, and showers once a week; live in a tiny room and pay £600.00 per week without any hope of ever getting out.

Looking forward to my €1m