Trevor Laffan

 

Christy Kinahan, Fat Freddie Thompson, Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch are names most of us will be familiar with. These are the toe rags that have been making huge sums of money peddling death and destruction on our streets for years. They have accrued vast sums of money on the back of the misery of others and they have proven that they, and the likes of them, have no regard for human life.

Neither have they any regard for law and order, democracy or now, it seems, the free press. The recent threats on the lives of two journalists have proven this. The general public, the gardai and the media should expect to be able to go about their daily lives without having to worry about coming face to face with these scumbags and their henchmen.

It’s at times like this that we look for leadership. We expect our Government to be outraged and to strike back. We expect some fighting talk and we stand shoulder to shoulder ready to provide whatever support we can.

So let’s hear some awe inspiring statement from our Taoiseach, Enda Kenny. He said he hoped there would be no further bloodshed. He also stated that the gardai knew what to do to crack down on gang crime and that they have the resources and the capacity to deal with it.

That’s not exactly going to knock Martin Luther Kings ‘I had a dream’ speech into second place.

It’s blatantly obvious that An Garda Siochana lacks resources and the Garda Commissioner has a responsibility to speak out on this. Politicians are quick to point out that the responsibility for policing and the management of resources is an issue for the Commissioner. If the fickle finger of fate conspires against her at some future point it might be comforting for her to be able to say that at least she fought a good fight.

 

 

Saint Valentines’ Day is upon us and it is one of the most dangerous days of the year. It has the potential to be as dangerous as trying to drive blindfolded in the overtaking lane of a German autobahn. You can get into as much trouble for doing the wrong thing as you can for doing nothing. Banana skins everywhere.

It’s a day when sales of flowers, cards and chocolates go through the roof. It is a time when love poems are written and undying love is declared. Proposals of marriage are made and are often expected. It’s a time for cute little teddy bears, pink hearts and little bows and arrows wielded by Cupid.

The origins of St. Valentine’s Day are a little cloudy but it appears to have its roots in the old Roman Empire. It seems that two characters named Valentine were executed by Claudius on the same date, the fourteenth of February, but in different years. Then at some later stage these guys were martyred and the date became immortalised in their memory.

One story concerns a priest named Valentine who offended Claudius and was duly dispatched. Claudius suspected that single men performed better as soldiers so he decided to ban marriage. Valentine decided that this was ridiculous so he continued to carry on performing secret marriages. That is until good old Claudius got wind of it.

There is also another story of Valentine, whether it’s the same person or not is also vague. In any event he was jailed and fell in love with the daughter of his jailer. Before he was executed he wrote a love note to her expressing his undying love, which was a bit rich given where he was headed.

St. Valentine’s Day hasn’t always been associated with chocolates and flowers. Gang warfare ruled the streets of Chicago during the 1920’s and one incident took place in a garage on the city’s North Side on February 14^th 1929. Seven men associated with the Irish gangster, Bugs Moran, one of Al Capone’s long-time enemies, were shot dead by several men dressed as policemen. It has become known as the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre.

Capone was never convicted of any charge related to the incident but it was generally believed that he was the one behind it. Capone, who was not the most romantic of characters, ran a vicious organisation and had no difficulty killing his competitors. It is believed that he was responsible for sixty four murders in 1929 alone. Bugs Moran operated out of a garage and on that fateful day on February 14^th seven members of his gang were lined up against the wall and shot. It is believed that over ninety bullets were fired and some of the victims were literally cut in two

That’s the official version of The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre and I mention it because as far as I am concerned there is an alternative version. And this is not generally well known. You see it’s no coincidence that this took place on February 14^th. Neither is it a coincidence that the victims were all men. Even though Al Capone was blamed for it, he was nowhere to be seen and had a rock solid alibi.

So if you look at all the evidence you’ll find that it all leads to a different scenario. You see, I believe that the whole saga was organised by a bunch of disgruntled women whose husbands obviously forgot to buy them something on Valentine’s Day. So let that serve as a warning to all of you, for God sake don’t forget the flowers!!

If you’re like me then you’re heart sinks at the sight of politicians and canvassers making their way up your driveway. You know that the next few miniutes of your life will be time that you will never get back. And they always manage to arrive right a crucial point in the match. Or they land just when you’re at the point of fixing something that you’ve been cursing for the previous two hours.

You can hide behind the couch, turn off all the lights and pretend to be in Spain but they know. They have a second sense these canvassers and they know the tricks so they stand their ground and intimidate you into opening the door.

So now it looks as if we’re heading into another election. This means that canvassers armed to the teeth with leaflets, pamphlets and enough facts, figures and statistics to bamboozle Vincent Browne, will be heading our way.

I’ve been considering some defensive measures that I might use. I had thought of somehow connecting the bell to the main electricity supply and electrocute anyone pressing it. But if I wasn’t fully alert and one of my neighbours called round then that could get a bit messy.

I thought about digging a huge pit inside the gate and lining it with pointed sticks but I had to quash that idea because it would cause me problems getting my car in and out of the driveway. Dropping pots of boiling tar or large boulders from the roof was another option but then I’d probably ruin the carpet on the stairs getting that stuff up to the attic.

You’re probably wondering what the big deal is about talking to a few canvassers. Well the answer is that I just don’t get anything out of it. I find it tedious listening to insincere waffle. The guys in power will tell you about all their wonderful achievements and how lucky we will be should they return to power. Ask them about what they didn’t do and they will tell you that they didn’t realise how bad things were until they got into power and saw the books. But now they are in a better position to fix everything in the next term.

Then the opposition guys will tell you that everything the government did was completely wrong and if they were to get their hands on the power they would solve everything. You could point out at this stage that everything they did the last time they were in power was just as bad, but then they’ll say that they made mistakes then but they’re a different party now and they’re much wiser.

The independent people then will tell you whatever you want to hear and they can dance to any tune. While the single issue guys are primarily interested in whatever their gripe is, water, pylons, pot-holes, badgers or cruelty to rats and they can’t understand why you don’t get as excited about these things as they do.

But whatever you are told on the doorstep will all be forgotten once the election is over and that’s why I don’t want to waste my time listening to any of it. I don’t believe them and if that’s how I feel then how are they hoping to engage with the youth of the country?

There was a suggestion at some stage that there would be some reform to Ireland’s electoral system, including online voter registration and automatic registration for young people as soon as they turn eighteen. But getting them to register is one thing, getting them to turn out on polling day is a different issue. The National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) have said that a survey found 30% of those aged 18-25 were not registered to vote in the last local and European elections.

It’s interesting to note that over half the young people who didn’t vote said their reason for not voting was not lack of interest but they blamed work commitments or else they simply just forgot. It’s not only the young people in Ireland who don’t turn out to vote, European politics has a similar problem.

The Washington Post pointed out that the marriage equality referendum in Ireland produced an exceptionally high level of turnout at 60.5 percent, when the average turnout at referenda here is just over 50 percent. On polling day, Facebook and Twitter reported in real time as tens of thousands took to the site to record their participation and their vote choice. Increased participation by young voters was one of the most notable aspects of the referendum.

It would seem that social media has a huge role to play in politics. The marriage equality referendum was a single issue that the majority of young people understood and had an opinion on one way or the other. It is generally accepted that most young people don’t buy newspapers or watch the news or current affairs on television and they are far more likely to be informed through social media.

So I have a suggestion that may suit everyone. It’s time to mobilise the youth and get them interested in politics. Let the politicians get their act together and start engaging with our young people through Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and whatever else is out there. As for me, don’t bother calling to my front door, just send me an email or a text. Think of all the leaflets, energy and shoe leather that would save. And I wouldn’t have to live in constant fear in the lead up to the election.

Martin Shkreli, a pharmaceutical executive appeared before the U.S. Congress last week. The senate is investigating the exorbitant pricing by pharmaceutical companies of life saving drugs. His company, Turing Pharmaceuticals, bought a drug called Daraprim, which is used to treat a disease that can be fatal to H.I.V. patients. After buying the drug, Turing raised its price from less than thirteen dollars per tablet to seven hundred and fifty dollars. There were many involved in the industry who called the increase unjustifiable.

In a previous interview Shkreli showed little patience for anyone who failed to understand why higher prices and higher profits could be good for the industry and for patients. He has stated that he didn’t go far enough when he hiked the price of Daraprim by more than 5,000% overnight. If he had to do it over again he said he would have raised the prices even more. He has said that his job isn’t about making patients better, it’s about making money.

As CEO of a company, there is no doubt that he has a responsibility to make a profit. But at what cost? Surely the health and wellbeing of patients should enter the equation or maybe that’s just too simplistic. My issue with this guy is the attitude that he displayed during his appearance on Capitol Hill.

He took the Fifth Amendment and refused to answer questions on the grounds that he might incriminate himself. Fair enough, he was taking the advice of his council and he’s entitled to do that. But his smug, over confident attitude was hard to stomach. He sat there with a silly smirk on his face like a school child who was pretending that he wasn’t embarrassed. He presented himself as an arrogant, greedy, smart ass.

He’s 32 years old so he’s no longer a kid and hopefully, someday this muppet will grow up. Maybe he’s just a slow starter.

I’ve never had a dog. Never really had any interest in having one. Taking it for walks, cleaning up after it or trying to find a home for it while I went on holidays wasn’t my cup of tea. But lots of people do and I can understand that. But there are two types of dog owner. There’s the one who looks after the dog responsibly and then there’s the other type.

I could never understand why someone would want to have a pet and then let it run wild around the neighbourhood. I live in a small estate and there are quite a few dogs both large and small roaming freely. They are released early in the morning by their owners and allowed to run riot until they are locked up again for the night.

There are a couple of small yokes living near me who leave their house at about 7.30am most mornings. They park themselves outside my gate for most of the day and bark constantly, mostly at nothing. After a while the constant yapping starts to grate on the nerves. They are often visited by other mutts who don’t understand what the small things are barking at but decide to join in anyway.

There are other dogs, large by the sound of them, not too far away who also like to have a barkfest at all hours of the day and night. And barking is not all that they do. They don’t seem to be the least bit embarrassed about fouling any garden they can get in to or the common green areas. During the summer time I cut some of the grass in these areas so I have regularly seen the evidence for myself. This is not only happening in my back yard, it seems to be a national issue.

So what’s the story with these irresponsible dog owners? They are plainly flouting the law for one. The law states that dogs are not to be out in public without a leash. It also states that it is an offence for the owner not to clean up after their dog. But whatever about the law, they obviously have no regard for their neighbours or for the public generally. They are completely thoughtless about the impact their darling pets are having on their community. In short, they are selfish and inconsiderate.

I remember as a youngster watching people toilet training their dogs. They used to shove the dogs nose into the mess and then give them a smack. Apparently this made the dogs realise that they should go to the toilet somewhere else other than the kitchen floor. Maybe we should start using that technique on these carefree owners.

As an alternative, there is also the legal route because there is a serious side to this dog fouling business. It can be especially dangerous for anyone with small children.

According to Cork City Council, under Section 22 (of the Litter Pollution Act, 1997) , it is not an offence to allow a dog under your control to foul in a public place, however it is an offence to let your dog foul and fail to remove and dispose of the foul subsequently. This means that you or the person in charge of your dog is required under this law to remove dog faeces and dispose of it in a suitable and sanitary way.

An on-the-spot fine of €150 can be imposed on the owner of a dog who fails to remove dog faeces from a public place, with the maximum fine for this offence being €3,000.

Failure to clean up after your dog can result in humans, particularly children, becoming infected by a dog parasite that can cause blindness.  The parasite is a worm called Toxocara canis that passes its eggs in the dogs’ stools. Toxocara is a roundworm which infects dogs in Ireland.  It is rare for a dog, especially a young pup, not to be troubled by worms at some stage.  Even in dogs that are regularly wormed can still carry some of these worms. The worm lives in the dog’s intestine and its eggs are passed in the dog’s stools.

Toxocariasis is an infection which humans can pick up as a result of coming into contact with the eggs contained in the dog’s stools. Although usually a mild infection in humans, Toxocariasis can have potentially serious health effects such as blindness. This is rare BUT it can and does happen.

The Toxocarra eggs have to be ingested (i.e. taken into the mouth and swallowed) before someone can catch the infection. This could happen if a person handles soil, sand or any other material that is contaminated with dog stools and subsequently has direct contact with the mouth before hand-washing. Gardens, play areas and public parks are likely sites for contamination with dog stools.

So there is a genuine cause for concern apart from the fact that it is particularly unpleasant to look at. The Control of Dogs Act 1986 requires owners to be over the age of sixteen years, they must licence the animal every year, keep them under control in public places, accompany their dogs at all times and prevent the nuisance of excessive barking.

So in short we seem to have lots of rules and regulations governing the control of dogs in public places. Rules about pooping, barking, cleaning poop and not being allowed to run wild in public. On the other hand we have an abundance of dogs roaming freely all across the land, pooping and barking at will. Maybe it’s time to start asking a few questions.

I had a few miniute to spare this morning when my grandson, Cooper, went to bed so I decided it was an opportunity to renew my car insurance. So I went to the car and took out the disc to get the details, got my credit card ready and off we go.

The name of the insurance company was Aviva. It said so on the disc. So the next move was to Google Aviva and get a phone number. I dialled the number and after selecting twenty different options I eventually got to speak to a human person type. A nice, friendly lady.

I told her my insurance was due for renewal and gave her my policy number. She then told me I wasn’t insured with them and that I had gone through a broker. I assured her that I had an insurance disc in my hand that had Aviva written on it and I was pretty certain that I hadn’t used a broker for over forty years.

She advised me that I was insured with One Direct who had apparently taken over some of the Aviva business. Ok, but while I was on the phone with this lady I thought it would be worthwhile to get a quote. But there was a problem. Even though I had been a customer of this company for many years they couldn’t quote me for a renewal but they could quote for a new policy.

Right I said, lets go for it. The nice lady asked all the usual questions but the computer was crashing on her because it kept sending her back to the old Trevor instead of the new Trevor that old Trevor had to become in order to get a new quote. We eventually arrived at a figure of 590 Euro and then she advised me that I could get it cheaper if I did it online. I thanked the nice lady and hung up.

Next stop was One Direct. I went through the same ritual with another nice lady and eventually arrived at another price of 490 Euro. I thought that this was a bit excessive and she informed me that all the premiums had increased thanks to our nice Government people. I told her that it was too dear and that I was going to try elsewhere and the price immediately reduced to 460 Euro. I paid that because I had spent enough time on the phone and I was losing the will to live.

After a short rest I decided to pay the Road Tax. I got on to the website and entered my Pin. Went through the various pages of data and got to the point where I entered my credit card details and suddenly all these red letters appeared on my screen. They were telling me that I had entered some incorrect information so I tried again. Then the machine told me that they were cancelling my effort and that I would have to wait to try again because I had exhausted my time.

Well they were right about that. I had exhausted myself and apparently the machinery as well. So I just closed the lid of the lap top and put it away gently with the intention of trying again next week. I’m actually quite proud of myself because those nice people in the insurance companies and the motor tax office have no idea how close I was to putting the lap top into the car and sending the car into the river.

I was delighted to launch a weekly column in the Cork Evening Echo this week. It will be published on Mondays and hopefully it will be entertaining. Thanks to everyone for the positive comments.

http://www.eveningecho.ie/life/a-running-commentary-that-could-save-lives-on-our-roads/1696495/

 

I was listening to Pat Kenny today on Newstalk interviewing Alan Shatter, former Minister for Justice. Alan did well up to a point. He was talking about the reduction in garda numbers and how the Troika wanted the number reduced to twelve thousand. Alan said he was not prepared to go below thirteen thousand and that he and Brendan Howlin had “exchanges” in relation to the number. This would suggest that Brendan wanted a greater reduction than Alan. Maybe Brendan might disagree.

Listening to Alan, it was difficult not to agree with what he was saying. He was under pressure to make an impact on the finances by reducing the number of garda stations. Retirements and the embargo on recruitment had an effect on the strength of the force. There were many gardai tied up in clerical work who could be better employed providing the frontline service they were trained for. He was anxious to change the structure of An Garda Siochana and to implement the recommendations of the Garda Inspectorate.

This was all very reasonable and he was telling it like it was until he fell off the wagon. He went on to suggest that by closing the garda stations in rural areas, the service provided to the general public was not diluted. Speaking about Stepaside Garda Station in Dublin, which is one of the closed stations, he stated that the number of burglaries per capita there was the same as Dundrum which had a garda station. The implication being that the existence of a garda station in a particular area was not as important as having a patrol car available to attend to calls.

However Alan wants to spin it, closing a garda station in a rural area and moving those few members to a larger centre is simply not going to improve the service provided to those residents. Transferring gardai to an already understaffed busy centre will not impact positively on that rural area. Everybody knows that but still the authorities refuse to admit it.

Politicians and garda management lose credibility when they start using spin and statistics to defend what is really indefensible. There may have been a time when the ordinary Joe soap could be fobbed off with waffle but I suspect that those days are long gone. They would gain a lot more by telling it as it is and by not treating people as complete idiots.

 

 

 

 

Back in the early eighties I was living in Blackrock in Dublin. I lived in lodgings with an elderly couple who took in lodgers probably more for the company than the money. They were living in Dublin a long time but were originally from Kilkenny and were really country people at heart. They were Jack and Molly Trait.

Once every couple of weeks and old friend of theirs from Kilkenny would come to Dublin on the train and get the bus out to visit Jack and Molly. Pat was his name and he was as old as they were, I would imagine they were somewhere close to eighty at the time.

They would sit in the dining room which was down in the basement next to the kitchen. There they would sit beside the open fire and chat for the afternoon.

During one of these visits I was having my lunch while the two lads chatted away beside me. What I heard caused me to choke on some food and brought tears to my eyes.

Pat: “Did you hear that (so and so) died recently”?

Jack: “Oh dear God, I didn’t hear. What did he die of”?

At this point, Pat was deep in thought for a moment and then looked up at Jack;

“He died of a Thursday”.

It still makes me smile thirty five years later.

They say a picture paints a thousand words, well in this case that’s so true. Particularly, when you know the background. It was one of those occasions when a guy with a camera was in the right place at the right time and clicked at the perfect moment.

This guy is a Serbian military officer, his name is Milos Kolundzic and he was a military liaison officer stationed at Camp General Stefanic in Famagusta, Cyprus. His English was excellent and he was very proud of it. He was always looking to extend his vocabulary and every day he would come to me with a new word he was after learning. The longer the word and the more complicated it was, the more he liked it.

He would regularly come up to me and ask me if it was ok to say this or if his pronunciation was right or if he was using the word in the right context. He always wanted to improve.

The day this photo was taken we were on an operation in the Buffer Zone. This is an area separating the southern side of Cyprus and the mostly Turkish populated area of northern Cyprus. It is a neutral area that runs from the east of the island to the west and is controlled by military and police components under the auspices of the United Nations.

At some point during the day Milos approached a group of us and he made a statement in English and asked me if it was ok. It was total gibberish so I corrected him and advised how to say it properly. He decided that I was wrong because he had read it in a book and he was convinced that he was right. Some of the other guys were telling him to listen to the native speaker and take the advice offered. It was all good humoured slagging.

Milos was so certain of himself that he sent his driver to get his text book and to bring it to him. When the driver returned he called me with a triumphant air while he thumbed through the pages to find the particular phrase he was looking for. He started to read out loud and then he went quiet. All I heard was “Shit”.

The photograph was taken by the driver at the exact moment he realised that he was wrong. There were others standing around that are not in the photograph and everyone was in hysterics. For me this photograph just makes me laugh every time I see it. I’m not sure if this will mean anything to anyone else and maybe it’s one of those things that you just had to be there to appreciate. But I love it.