Comments on: Gaping hole in my gob http://robertsweetnam.ie/2007/10/29/gaping-hole-in-my-gob/ It's hard to think of a tagline - All the good ones are taken.. Tue, 13 Sep 2011 13:29:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Me Blog! » Blog Archive » Through the wringer http://robertsweetnam.ie/2007/10/29/gaping-hole-in-my-gob/comment-page-1/#comment-806 Me Blog! » Blog Archive » Through the wringer Tue, 04 Dec 2007 00:40:56 +0000 http://blog.sweetnam.eu/2007/10/29/gaping-hole-in-my-gob/#comment-806 [...] the abcess I had under my tooth after my filling fell out? Well It’s back and probably infected by the same bacteria responsible for my chest [...] [...] the abcess I had under my tooth after my filling fell out? Well It’s back and probably infected by the same bacteria responsible for my chest [...]

]]> By: Me Blog! » Blog Archive » The trifecta is complete http://robertsweetnam.ie/2007/10/29/gaping-hole-in-my-gob/comment-page-1/#comment-530 Me Blog! » Blog Archive » The trifecta is complete Fri, 02 Nov 2007 20:14:55 +0000 http://blog.sweetnam.eu/2007/10/29/gaping-hole-in-my-gob/#comment-530 [...] a filling fell out of one of my teeth. Then I broke the fridge. I was wondering what the third (and hopefully final) [...] [...] a filling fell out of one of my teeth. Then I broke the fridge. I was wondering what the third (and hopefully final) [...]

]]> By: Me Blog! » Blog Archive » I’ve killed the fridge http://robertsweetnam.ie/2007/10/29/gaping-hole-in-my-gob/comment-page-1/#comment-518 Me Blog! » Blog Archive » I’ve killed the fridge Thu, 01 Nov 2007 12:00:36 +0000 http://blog.sweetnam.eu/2007/10/29/gaping-hole-in-my-gob/#comment-518 [...] a good week so far. I’ve lost a filling and now the fridge is dead. These things usually come in threes so I dread to think of what will [...] [...] a good week so far. I’ve lost a filling and now the fridge is dead. These things usually come in threes so I dread to think of what will [...]

]]> By: Robert http://robertsweetnam.ie/2007/10/29/gaping-hole-in-my-gob/comment-page-1/#comment-516 Robert Thu, 01 Nov 2007 02:08:21 +0000 http://blog.sweetnam.eu/2007/10/29/gaping-hole-in-my-gob/#comment-516 You're right there Gaye about governments but I'm glad you like it here :) I like it here so much so that I turned down a move to Austria! If anyone here complains about income tax then I just dare them to think about moving to Austria and then they will see how good we have it here! I know that we all complain about the government no matter what country we live in. To be honest that is only natural. But if we don't complain nothing will be done :( No country is perfect but some are more attractive than others. I know that I am extremely proud of where Ireland is now compared to just 10 years ago. If someone told me 10 years ago that there would be almost a quarter to half a million Polish alone working in Ireland I would have thought that person to be insane. But this is what happened and I'm very proud that people from other countries now see Ireland as somewhere where they can come and make a (hopefully) happy and productive life. Sometimes I just can't believe that we have come so far so soon that Ireland is no longer just a place for holidays but is a place where people can come and make a realistic future for themselves. I just hope it continues and that we all get to benefit from the opportunites that are there for us. And that they are not squandered. There is a saying here that goes "No matter who you vote for, the government always gets in." That can be applied to every country on the face of the earth ;) You’re right there Gaye about governments but I’m glad you like it here :)

I like it here so much so that I turned down a move to Austria! If anyone here complains about income tax then I just dare them to think about moving to Austria and then they will see how good we have it here!

I know that we all complain about the government no matter what country we live in. To be honest that is only natural. But if we don’t complain nothing will be done :(

No country is perfect but some are more attractive than others. I know that I am extremely proud of where Ireland is now compared to just 10 years ago. If someone told me 10 years ago that there would be almost a quarter to half a million Polish alone working in Ireland I would have thought that person to be insane.

But this is what happened and I’m very proud that people from other countries now see Ireland as somewhere where they can come and make a (hopefully) happy and productive life. Sometimes I just can’t believe that we have come so far so soon that Ireland is no longer just a place for holidays but is a place where people can come and make a realistic future for themselves.

I just hope it continues and that we all get to benefit from the opportunites that are there for us. And that they are not squandered.

There is a saying here that goes “No matter who you vote for, the government always gets in.”

That can be applied to every country on the face of the earth ;)

]]> By: gaye http://robertsweetnam.ie/2007/10/29/gaping-hole-in-my-gob/comment-page-1/#comment-513 gaye Wed, 31 Oct 2007 19:03:47 +0000 http://blog.sweetnam.eu/2007/10/29/gaping-hole-in-my-gob/#comment-513 That's a lot of information there. I could probably go on and on about any government service lacking the service component in Turkey... BUt that would be the subject of a blog entirely on its own. *sigh* I really like Ireland and I am glad I am here. Ireland has a huge potential in terms of building efficient services and transforming old practices into new ones that actually serve the citizens. Hopefully, this will happen, regardless of the pace it will. That’s a lot of information there. I could probably go on and on about any government service lacking the service component in Turkey… BUt that would be the subject of a blog entirely on its own. *sigh*
I really like Ireland and I am glad I am here. Ireland has a huge potential in terms of building efficient services and transforming old practices into new ones that actually serve the citizens. Hopefully, this will happen, regardless of the pace it will.

]]> By: Robert http://robertsweetnam.ie/2007/10/29/gaping-hole-in-my-gob/comment-page-1/#comment-509 Robert Wed, 31 Oct 2007 12:05:57 +0000 http://blog.sweetnam.eu/2007/10/29/gaping-hole-in-my-gob/#comment-509 Thanks for that link John, definitely worth my while checking them out. It's not nice being hit hard in the pocket for something that we should be entitled to. Thanks for that link John, definitely worth my while checking them out.

It’s not nice being hit hard in the pocket for something that we should be entitled to.

]]> By: John http://robertsweetnam.ie/2007/10/29/gaping-hole-in-my-gob/comment-page-1/#comment-508 John Wed, 31 Oct 2007 11:54:50 +0000 http://blog.sweetnam.eu/2007/10/29/gaping-hole-in-my-gob/#comment-508 I'm in a similar boat - a trip back to third level 4 years after leaving college meant I never got enough PRSI paid and any work since then has been contracting. It'd be nice to get free eye tests, but I'm sold on online spectacles - my last few pairs were EUR18 each from www.goggles4u.com, Unfortunately you can't get dental work done over the internet yet. I’m in a similar boat – a trip back to third level 4 years after leaving college meant I never got enough PRSI paid and any work since then has been contracting.

It’d be nice to get free eye tests, but I’m sold on online spectacles – my last few pairs were EUR18 each from http://www.goggles4u.com, Unfortunately you can’t get dental work done over the internet yet.

]]> By: Donncha’s Tuesday Links at Holy Shmoly! http://robertsweetnam.ie/2007/10/29/gaping-hole-in-my-gob/comment-page-1/#comment-492 Donncha’s Tuesday Links at Holy Shmoly! Tue, 30 Oct 2007 09:33:48 +0000 http://blog.sweetnam.eu/2007/10/29/gaping-hole-in-my-gob/#comment-492 [...] had to go to the dentist. I’ve had problems with PRSI in the past too and I’m self employed now so even a [...] [...] had to go to the dentist. I’ve had problems with PRSI in the past too and I’m self employed now so even a [...]

]]> By: Robert http://robertsweetnam.ie/2007/10/29/gaping-hole-in-my-gob/comment-page-1/#comment-486 Robert Mon, 29 Oct 2007 23:36:21 +0000 http://blog.sweetnam.eu/2007/10/29/gaping-hole-in-my-gob/#comment-486 Sorry I made a mistake in my last comment. It should have read: "Oh! And don’t forget, we have the distinction of having a grotesquely obese and disgusting Minister of Health who is nothing more than a gigantic piece of filth who's failures as minister of health are only in comparison to her own size." I have a joke about her on her honeymoon night and it's class but I'm not sure if I should mention it here! It's a bit like her: Distasteful. Sorry I made a mistake in my last comment. It should have read:

“Oh! And don’t forget, we have the distinction of having a grotesquely obese and disgusting Minister of Health who is nothing more than a gigantic piece of filth who’s failures as minister of health are only in comparison to her own size.”

I have a joke about her on her honeymoon night and it’s class but I’m not sure if I should mention it here! It’s a bit like her: Distasteful.

]]> By: Robert http://robertsweetnam.ie/2007/10/29/gaping-hole-in-my-gob/comment-page-1/#comment-485 Robert Mon, 29 Oct 2007 23:29:57 +0000 http://blog.sweetnam.eu/2007/10/29/gaping-hole-in-my-gob/#comment-485 That's happening here too Gaye :( You might have noticed recently how the government turfed Bupa out of the market. They reckoned that Bupa had too many younger customers compared to their competitor (VHI). Because of that the government decided that Bupa had to pay the VHI because Bupa had cheaper packages with better cover and was making a profit. VHI were losing customers and money. It is something that really couldn't be made up! Of course the fact that the government partly own the VHI has nothing to do with it. So much for competition! The irony is that as a non-national (I mean that is the sense that you are not Irish!)you only have to be here two years to get full benefits. Social welfare, PRSI etc if you are working. Herself has full whack because she has been here for over two years which is just as well because I've been here all my life and am entitled to fsck all! The reason every country seems to have health care issues is because in most normal countries it is the single biggest expenditure that a government has. The only exception in the western world is the U.S. where the Military has that accolade. Here in Ireland our health service has the distinction of having more managers than nurses. The health service have a hiring freeze on new staff yet last week the director of the health services (HSE) got a massive pay rise equal to most peoples annual salary! Oh! And don't forget, we have the distinction of having a grotesquely obese and disgusting Minister of Health. Other than that it's a great country to live in ;) That’s happening here too Gaye :(

You might have noticed recently how the government turfed Bupa out of the market. They reckoned that Bupa had too many younger customers compared to their competitor (VHI). Because of that the government decided that Bupa had to pay the VHI because Bupa had cheaper packages with better cover and was making a profit. VHI were losing customers and money. It is something that really couldn’t be made up!

Of course the fact that the government partly own the VHI has nothing to do with it. So much for competition!

The irony is that as a non-national (I mean that is the sense that you are not Irish!)you only have to be here two years to get full benefits. Social welfare, PRSI etc if you are working.

Herself has full whack because she has been here for over two years which is just as well because I’ve been here all my life and am entitled to fsck all!

The reason every country seems to have health care issues is because in most normal countries it is the single biggest expenditure that a government has. The only exception in the western world is the U.S. where the Military has that accolade.

Here in Ireland our health service has the distinction of having more managers than nurses. The health service have a hiring freeze on new staff yet last week the director of the health services (HSE) got a massive pay rise equal to most peoples annual salary!

Oh! And don’t forget, we have the distinction of having a grotesquely obese and disgusting Minister of Health.

Other than that it’s a great country to live in ;)

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