Testing Iphone Slide

photo posted from my iPhone

I don't usually do politics but ……….

Ok, Im not a politician or even have half the knowledge to comment on political debate, but I do want to pose one Question………

There has been alot of whoha and debate on the radio of late about women in Northern Ireland having the right to abort in the early stage of pregnacy (which is currently legal on mainland UK, but illegal in Northern Ireland) Now Im not going to get into the debate of what is right or wrong, ill leave that in the hands of the qualified and Stephen Nolan of course (?????)

My bone of contention comes from the fact that the Parliment on England are trying to force this ammendment onto us, when all 4 churches and pretty much the whole Northern Ireland executive have said leave as is.

My question is that, If we have (and its taken a long time to get) our own Northern Ireland executive with representives seated in the main UK Parliment, then why are the English trying to get invloved in our business? and force an ammendment our govenernment do not want?

Scouting in Maghaberry – One scouts mission to get kids of the streets!

Maghaberry – A small village of about 3000 people, just outside Moira is famous for its prison and not a lot else really. The site where we all live now was a key air base during the world war!

But now it is the place I like to call home, the village has came on leaps and bounds in the last few years. But as usual when population of an area increases, the population of under 18s increase to! and there is quite simply nothing for kids around here to do!

So using my ‘Do my best’ scouting background, I decided that a good thing for the area would be to start a scout group! Indeed! and that is exactly what I am working on now.

Now you would think that an voluntary organisation, self funded, designed to get kids outdoors and active would have the support of the local council, well it did however that support comes at a premium, one myself, the movement or any voluntary organisation can afford!!

Allow me to explain what I am talking about……. A few years back the coucil decided to build a ‘Community Centre’ in the village, assigning the dead of the centre to the residents of the village for the benefit of the village. They covered the cost of the build and the land and even said that when it opens in september they would fund it for one year! FANTASTIC! or is it. NO as usual with government bodies instead of letting do gooders like myself use the hall for free or for a low cost, they would like to charge the movement £10 per hour for the use, £10 per hour, now that does not sound like a lot but let me tell you for a charity requiring 5 hours per week minimum this adds up to an unfordable amount!

So I had a meeting with the committee running the hall to voice my concerns. Not interested int he benefit scouting will bring to the village, the fact that scouts could maintain the hall and gardens or the grants and fund raising available to cross committee youth organisations, NO NO its £10 per hour or find another venue is the response i got.

I will find another venue! and I will bring scouting to the area, because it needs it, and when the community hall is struggling and needs help, will I sit back and laugh, No i wont, we will pitch in and help out because thats what scouts do, Im just sorry the government cant see it!

Belfast Westlink Project

So the underpass at the westlink in Belfast opened on Friday 13 whole months ahead of target, Amazing!! or is it?

Firstly who timed this project and costed it, obviously costing it 13 months over the time it actually took means the company saved a few million in wages and got a big bonus for completing early, so it makes sense to me for the contractors to cost it out and then add an extra year for good measure!!! eh?

Secondly how convenient to open it when the schools are off, and then flood the press with stories of how you can make it down to Belfast in just 5 minutes, you always good in the summer. It will be interesting to see how traffic will compare when the schools go back to before the building work, as most of us now are used to being stuck in Jams due to the work. This will be interesting to see.

On the plus point tho, I think the investment into the roads service and all the building work in Belfast is a fantastic thing… We now after 10 years of peace have the makings of a fantastic European city

What is Opencoffee?

Firstly let me chat about BNI, Business Networking International. A Franchise which has been here in Ireland for quite some time, the idea here is that one person from each industry meet once a week for breakfast and pass leads on to one another. Sounds good in theroe….. Now for the stitch up, you have to pay £500 membership per year and if you dont bring leads you get kicked out!

Rubbish!!!!

NOW! I read quite some time ago about this OpenCoffee Club that seems to be taking america by storm, a simple tag line on their website reads ‘for people who love start ups to meet and hang out’ – Sounds simple, no subscribing, no fees, no president, no getting kicked out…. Just buy your coffee and chat!

I then heard that there was a meeting in Belfast, I was so disappointed that I had missed Barcamp I had to make this meeting. Nerviously i went into a coffee shop mainly full of geeks (myself included) introduced myself and that was it. It was good, met some cool people and will def go again.

So now you know! – If you get a chance to go, then do!