Would You Raise Your Machetes Please In A Toast To The Bride And Groom?
July 29, 2007 (9 Responses)
WHEN YOU THINK of weddings and family celebrations the images which typically permeate your conciousness are probably along the lines of old aunts drinking a little too much sherry, old uncles grabbing the microphone and treating guests to various drunken renditions of Elvis classics, even perhaps kids sneaking the odd alcohol treat when no one is looking. All in all, you probably think of weddings as one of those events which brings the entire family together in celebration of starting a new branch of the family tree.
When you think of possible venues for such an event Tinakilly House Hotel - a four star victorian mansion set in the woods of County Wickow, Ireland – is one of those locations most people desire; secluded, steeped in history and elegant enough for the wedding event of your dreams.
Unfortunately, this is not the image which most people will be left with after the last wedding ‘event’ down in Tinakilly house. Rather than a wedding, it’s perhaps more accurate to describe the affair as a grudge match. Police were called to the scene when a brawl broke out between the two families gathered for a wedding last Friday. Not just any kind of disagreement however, this brawl involved the participants weilding machetes, pick axes, slash-hooks, knives, wheel braces and even a sawn off shotgun (no wedding pun intended!). Apparently up to 30 or 40 people were involved in the fight, which I’m sure must have looked like a scene from Apocalypse Now by the time the cops arrived.
You see this was a traveller wedding. Read more
Once Again, Japan Weirdness Leads The Way…
July 21, 2007 (3 Responses)
WHILE THE REST OF THE WORLD is going Harry Potter mad today (and judging by the empty shelves in my local bookshops I’m guessing it’s the same everywhere) I decided to intentionally ignore all the wizard related stories and instead had my attention grabbed by a muggle related item in my most favourite alien place on this spinning rock of ours. That’s Japan for anyone who wasn’t paying attention!
I’ve written previously about how weird and wonderful that country is and in fact have an entire category dedicated to my time over there if you’re interested. I can state categorically that it’s the most alien and unexpectedly magnetic (in the sense that I feel the need to go back) place I’ve ever had the pleasure to visit. It’s about a year since I was there and my intial shock and surprise at the seemingly endless list of differences and weirdness experienced while there has since receeded into a more palatable longing to return and give it another whirl. I’m sure it’s still as insane, as weird and as alien now as it ever has been, but I think I’d be better prepared next time; well I certainly hope so!
Anyway, what caught my attention today was a story over at Reuters about how lonely Japanese men are turning to sex dolls for solace. It seems that they regularly invest in more than one rubberised companion and spend money dressing them up, pampering them, watching TV with them and even just talking to them for company (rather than the obvious uses). The dolls themselves range from your basic plastic crappy blowup variety to expense life-like creations which actually have moving joints and silicon implants too. Trust the Japanese to take sex dolls to a new level!
Japanese men are seemingly feeling more and more disenfranchised and (strangely enough) alienated within the traditional Japanese culture. Rather than remain miserable and lonely, they turn to doll makers to help liven up things a bit, but is this the start of a fracture in the otherwise strict society? Read more
Yoga For Rednecks
July 17, 2007 (6 Responses)
Many thanks to TheAussie for sending on this gem.
Bye Bye Plane, Hello Security Hysteria
July 15, 2007 (10 Responses)
PICTURE THE SCENE…
A mother and her 19 month old son have finally settled into their seats on a Continental Expressjet flight bound from Houston to Atlanta after an 11 hour delay in Bush Intercontinental Airport. The kid is understandably tired and cranky, so the mother directs his attention out the window to the activity going on around the aircraft as it boards passangers and gets ready to taxi for takeoff. His attention is particularly drawn to another plane parked a ways off.
Eventually their plane has boarded all passangers and the flight attendants begin their pre-flight safety briefing. As the plane begins to move off the boy, looking out the window, notices they are moving away from the other vehicles and planes in his view. He starts to wave at the receeding plane in his window and says “Bye Bye, Plane“, over and over again as they taxi away.
And as a result both mother and son were kicked off the flight.
This is not some crazy joke or made up urban myth. Oh no. This is an example of how paranoia and hysteria has become the norm for air travel in the USA and the worst thing is that the airline doesn’t even feel the need to apologise for this hysterical response to a child waving goodbye out a window.
The mother and son in this case are Kate Penland and her son, Garren. The trouble started when a flight attendant – upon finishing her pre-flight security briefing – came over and instructed the Kate to shut her son up. In fact the flight attendant is quoted as saying “‘OK, it’s not funny anymore. You need to shut your baby up“. Penland responded by telling the flight attendant that she expected her son to fall asleep shortly… and that’s when it all spiraled out of control into the hysteria that seems to have become the norm for air travel these days… Read more
Maxines To Live By…
July 12, 2007 (3 Responses)
How To Dig An Irish Garden…
July 9, 2007 (4 Responses)
Old Sean lived alone in Northern Ireland. He wanted to spade his potato garden, but it was very hard work. His only son, Mick, who used to help him, was in an English prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament:
Dear Mick,
I am feeling a mite down because it looks like I won’t be able to plant me potato garden this year. I’m just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. If you were here, all my troubles would be over. I know you would dig the plot for me.Love, DadA few days later he received a letter from his son: Dear Father,
For CHRIST’S SAKE, don’t dig up the garden! That’s where I buried all them feckin’ BODIES!
Love, Mick
At 4 A. M. the next morning, a dozen agents from Scotland Yard and local police officers showed up and dug up the entire garden down to a depth of about six feet. That evening, not finding any bodies, they apologized to the old man and left.The next day the old man received another letter from his son:
Dear Father,
Go ahead and plant yer spuds now. It’s the best I could do under the circumstances.
Love, Mick
High Heels For An Irish Summer
July 6, 2007 (9 Responses)
IT’S BEEN RAINING here in Ireland for at least the last 40 days and nights, on and off every day seemingly without end.
Dull and black thunderous skies, cold chilling winds, horizantal rain, the odd bit of actual thunder and lightening… we’ve had it all in recent weeks.
In fact I think it’s even been longer than the 40 days and while I’m not usually given to biblical references I’d have to say at this point that I wouldn’t be that surprised if Noah and his sodding Ark came floating by any time now.
This is supposed to be summer after all, right?
Right? 
Still – I can’t see your average Irish colleen walking around Grafton street in these creations… although it would be fun watching them try wouldn’t it?
Many thanks to MaryMac for sending this little gem on to me and cheering up an otherwise dull and rainy Friday.
