Saturday, December 22, 2012
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Happy Christmas 2012
Raheny Shopping Centre, 2007
Just to shift a little this year from Santa and Rudolf and the Sleigh to the Gaffer Elf in Santa's workshop. It is clear that in this era of austerity, high-wage-cost elves have had to be let go and some lower cost locals, themselves in danger of extinction, have been drafted in. And worse, in view of the increase in austerity crime, elaborate alarm and protection systems have had to be installed at the North Pole atelier.
Nevertheless, Santa is expected to start out on his usual trip on Christmas Eve, though some children may have to wait till the New Year before he reaches them as the Reindeer herd has had to be downsized as an economy measure.
As Rudolf himself is getting on, and not up to pulling the loads of nether years, Santa may have to leave gift tokens rather than the actual requested items in a significant percentage of cases. In this, he has promised to have due regard to equitable burden-sharing and rewards based on performance during the year.
Saturday, December 08, 2012
Dear Santa
This is Santa in Supervalu Raheny. He not only looks benign, he is looking after his junior fans in the run up to Christmas.
He has installed his own postbox in the store, and children who write to him will get a reply all the way from his home at The Grotto, Santa's Secret Village, The North Pole.
Replies will be posted for collection on the special North Pole noticeboard in the store.
As we all know, all that sherry and Christmas pudding which is normally left out for Santa on Christmas eve has had him working out at the North Pole Gym right through the year to get into shape for the following year's journey. So, this year, Santa is simply asking for some carrots for Rudolf to keep him up to speed on his long journey right around the world.
The instore Santa Post has been a long tradition in this country. I got a letter from Santa myself as far back as 1950.
I noticed recently (on Twitter) that the Royal Mail in the UK are running such a service this year. However, not only do you have to put a stamp on the letter to Santa, which is reasonable enough, you have to enclose a stamped self-addressed envelope as well. Double revenue for the Royal Mail as I pointed out to them. But, of course, they would not deal with that matter beyond tweeting me that Santa needed a return address. Sly and evasive. You can follow the spat here.
It was then pointed out to me that An Post are running a similar service. I really wondered if they would have the nerve to try and rake in revenue from a second stamp.
Well rest assured, they are not as greedy or as unfeeling as the Royal Mail. A stamp is required on the outgoing letter only. Santa's reply is delivered for free. Well done.
Just noticed my recent tweeting of this post has appeared on the homepage of An Post (below). The site shows the latest tweet, either tweeted or retweeted, by An Post, so when they next tweet I'll be gone. Meanwhile I should thank them for an extra three hits on this post.
Saturday, December 01, 2012
Forty Footsie
swims against tide by
retaining ban on women
The above statement was a headline in this morning's Irish Times, which reported that the Sandycove Bathers’ Association, formed in about 1880, voted 24 to 17 not to allow women to join. That's a turnout of less than 20% of the membership, by the way.
The Forty Foot is a bathing place beside the Martello Tower which figures in the opening lines of James Joyce's Ulysses and in which he stayed for a brief few days.
The relatively secluded bathing place had traditionally been for men only and few, if any, wore togs. But then as women began to assert their rights to all sort of things, bathing became mixed and the only remaining relic of oul decency is the changing facilities owned by the club and available only to members.
So, as things stand, women, at least those who came by public transport, will have to change in the cold outdoors and risk having their gear nicked while they are in swimming.
The photo above is taken from the Battery (fort) which was an integral part of the Tower fortification. As they go, this battery was particularly large and, being situated on a small headland, its field of fire covered a very wide range, from Dún Laoghaire itself right round to Dalkey.
In the overlaid satellite image below, the yellow/green area is the Battery, the red area the Tower, and the blue area the bathing place. The orange area is the house built, and once owned, by the architect Michael Scott. One side of the house is curved in sympathy with the shape of the Tower.
The military plan below shows the layout of the fortification when in use. You can click on it for a larger image and then click on that larger image again to enlarge to full size, which is the minimum readable size.
And if you have an interest in these fortifications, don't forget to visit Martello Tower No. 7 on Killiney Hill Road, which fortification is unique in its situation and design, and which has been fully restored to its original state.
The club have now reversed their policy and voted to admit women as full members. The Irish Times this morning humorously put up on their Facebook page a photo taken in the past by one of their photographers, Paddy Whelan (RIP), and Facebook immediately took down the paper's page. When their Communities Editor, David Cochrane, produced a Times Togs Overlay, the page was restored. You can view the original photo here, but don't tell anyone.
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