Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in Hedgetrimmer_man's LiveJournal:

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Friday, November 27th, 2009
4:47 pm	Reaction to the Murphy Report I have been thinking a lot today about the report regarding the immeasurable pain inflicted by members of the Irish clergy on innocent children and the pure premeditated incarnate evil those deeds are steeped in, an evil perpetuated in denial and cover-up. My thoughts here are in no way intended to excuse anything that happened, for to even attempt any excuse would be to compound the evil. What happened was inexcusable, but it is natural to seek explanations. A lot of these priests back then were shoved into orders and the cloth straight after school, in an environment that did not discuss puberty or any issues relating to sex. This was endemic of the situation where the Church had far too much position and power in this country – to have a priest in the family was status and parents are guilty of valuing this status above the emotional, sexual and mental development of their children. In such a closed society, this was bound to create problems. The cover-up is also indicative of the unhealthy power the clergy had in this country. I think it is a sign that we have progressed that this is now in the open and a report has been published for everyone to see. I hope that this will never happen again, certainly not on this scale – it should be remembered that this 720 pg report is based on a *sample* of abuse cases. Even if it were to happen once, I hope that we are evolved as a society to ensure prosecution to the full extent of the law. Indeed, those cited should also face such prosecution. I also have a personal concern here. It transpires that those named, and those not named but where there is enough information to recognise them, were known to me and my siblings when we were children and we would have spent time with them. It chills my spine and wrenches my gut more that you could realise to think there maybe something buried in my mind of the mind of my siblings in this regard. I am not prepared to say more at this time. Either way, this evil will arrive on the doorstep of more people that the report may realise. It might be safe to surmise that there will be few families that this report does not effect of a very personal level. Current Mood: indescribable (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Friday, November 6th, 2009
3:35 pm	New novel concept I have a concept for a new novel about which I am very very excited indeed. However, I do need to finish my current novel before working on this one, but it has spurred me on to complete this. Not sure of the genre - kind of (very) dark thriller, I think. Working title - "Sins" :) Current Mood: creative (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, October 16th, 2009
2:05 pm	Breathe.. Sometimes it is easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of things going on in the world from wars to nucleur developments to space exploration to new variants on flu to murder to harnessing wave energy to melting gold to economic crisis to death and music and TV and the internet and history. Breathe. All one can do is tend to one's own garden. Be mindful of the sapce around on and look after it and the people around it. Be compassionate. Allow the flood of panic to rise and then let it flow over you and through you. Go into the panic. Be it. Feel it. The let it pass. You will remain conscious of it, but untouched by it. Being aware does not mean being responsible for the woes of the world. You are responsible for your own actions, your own life and your own wellbeing. Be responsible. If everyone was a bit more so, maybe there would be less to panic about! Current Mood: contemplative (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Monday, October 12th, 2009
4:46 pm	Gaelcon Accom booked. In a startling turnaround this con, I plan on *playing* games, even some RPGS! (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, October 9th, 2009
12:10 pm	On moon water, human expansion on mutation The potential for water on the moon raises an interesting question of whether a moonbase is now one step closer, without the necessity to ship water from Earth on a regular basis, the cost of which would be prohibitive. It also got me thinking about human expansion off world, as it were. We have already exceeded the capacity of this planet to feed and fuel us and our finite resources are just that: finite. We will turn on each other, become subject to some horrendous global disaster (man-made or "natural") or colonise outward – in essence we will either implode or expand. This, of course, raises it's own issues about moon ownership (despite an agreement signed by most nations that the moon and space belong s to humanity (with due apologise to any extra-terrestrials reading)) and the political structure of off-world colonies. There is another option, of course. The acceleration of technology in the twentieth century could possibly be explained by genetic mutation – if we consider genius to be an evolutionary mutation, it would stand to reason that the more people there are, the greater the chance for such a beneficial mutation to occur. Given that our brains are larger than our ancestors, but we also only use 33% of it on average, it also makes greater sense that further evolution will see an increase in cerebral activities to make the average person a genius by modem standards. In short, we may be able to think our way out of the difficulties of our expanding species in a finite and contained environment with limited resources. I believe we are in something of a "gap" period in history between evolutionary stages, but there are so many things going on in the fields of science, philosophy, politics and literature at the moment that it is often difficult to see a forward thinking trend on a holistic level, but maybe it will be the peaks and ripples that see us through, the ones that buck the trend, rather than the trend itself. It has put me in a musing mood. Current Mood: thoughtful (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, August 11th, 2009
12:39 pm	Top Fives - I like this idea! Stolen from nwhyte - Ask me my Top Five [Whatevers]. Any top fives. Doesn’t matter what, really! And I will answer them all in a new post. Possibly with pictures. If I can. (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, August 7th, 2009
9:59 am	John Huges RIP John Hughes, the producer, writer and director whose 1980s films such as "National Lampoon's Vacation" (1983), "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" (1986), "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" (1987) and "Home Alone" (1990) has died following a heart attack. He was 59. RIP (Comment on this)
Monday, July 20th, 2009
3:06 pm	Frank McCourt RIP Award-winning writer Frank McCourt has died at the age of 78. He was suffering from meningitis and had recently been treated for skin cancer. (Comment on this)
Thursday, July 16th, 2009
3:28 pm	Bord Snip Summary From the RTE Website OUTLINE OF PROPOSALS Social and Family Affairs * Cuts to all social welfare payments by 5% - €850m * Reduction and changes to child benefit - €513m * An end to receiving two welfare payments - €100m * An end to payments for Community Employment Schemes for those already on benefit - €100m * Cutting benefits for dental, optical and hearing services - €92m * Grading of jobseekers allowance by age - €70m * Cutting the Family Support Agency - €30m * Changing eligibility for Family Income Supplement - €20m * Taxing household benefits package - €11.6m Staff cuts - None Total cut €1.8bn Health and Children * Reduce the size of the Department by 10% a year over the next three years - €11m * Reduce HSE staff - €391.3m * Revise the income guidelines for the Medical Card to the basic rate of social welfare, the jobseekers allowance - €100m * Increase the threshold for the Drugs Payment Scheme from 4100 to €125 a month - €37m * Those previously receiving free prescriptions must now pay €5 for each prescription - €70m * Hold an open competition to provide services under the General Medical Services scheme - €370m * Increase Hospital Charges - €6m * Increase charges for private facilities in public hospitals by 20% - €50m * Hospitals and clinicians must provide generic medicines, off-patent drugs and value-for-money treatments - €30m * Changes to agencies and organisations in the disability and mental health area which receive State funding - €50m * Changes to the Fair Deal scheme with the individual to contribute more to nursing home care from their own residence - €50m * Means test for Homecare packages - €24m Staff cuts: 6168 Total cuts: €1.2bn Education and Science * Staff and pay cuts in primary and post primary schools - €150m * Staff cuts at third level - €140m * Cuts to number of special needs assistants and English language support teachers - €81m * Increased pupil teacher ratio at primary and post primary - €80m * Change to student support grant - €70m * Cuts to capitation grants for primary and post primary schools - €25m * Cuts to research and development - €27.5m * Cuts to grants for private schools - €25m * Merging of smaller primary schools - €25m * Cuts to school transport - €25m * Integration of senior travelling training - €25m * Cuts to third level structures - €23.7m Staff cuts 6,390 Total cut €746m Agriculture * Reduce expenditure on the Disadvantaged Area Compensatory Allowance Scheme by 30% - €66m * Terminate the Suckler Cow Scheme - €44m * Close REPS 4 and no rollover from REPS 2 and 3 into REPS 4 - €80m * Reduce Teagasc staff numbers, rationalise Teagasc and Dept offices - €37m Total cuts €305m Staff cuts 1,140 staff Enterprise, Trade and Employment * Merge the regional offices and shared services of Enterprise Ireland, IDA and FÁS - €87m * A single reduced funding stream for all science, technology and innovation activities across all departments - €53m * Streamline all support of Irish enterprises and marketing functions in Enterprise Ireland - €10m * Stop funding the FÁS Services to Business and Skillnets programmes - €27m * Cuts to training allowances for the unemployed - €24.5m Total cuts €237.7m Staff cuts 594 Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs * Cuts to Community Services Programmes - €64m * Cuts to Gaeltacht Schemes - €20.8m * Cuts to islands infrastructure - €20m Staff cuts 196 Total cut €151m Environment, Heritage and Local Government * Cuts to local government including an end to 12 county or town councils - €100m * Further efficiencies - €30m Staff cuts 30 Total cut €130m Transport * Efficiencies among CIE companies - €55m * Cuts to road maintenance - €20m * Cuts to regional air services - €15m * Axing the Rural Transport Scheme - €11m * Outsourcing of driver and vehicle testing - €10m * Cuts to the Road Saferty Authority - €4.2m * Merging the National Roads Authority and the Railway Procurement Agency - €3m * Merging the National Vehicle and Driver File into the Road Safety Authority - €2m Staff cuts 80 Total cut €127.1m Arts, Sports and Tourism * Cuts in allocation to tourism and marketing - €27m * Cut in grant to Sports Council - €17.7m * Cut allocation to Horse and Greyhound Fund - €16.4m Staff cuts 170 Total cut €104.8m Justice * Cuts to pay and allowances for justice sector staff - including gardai - €65m * Cuts to the courts service - €13.5m * Cuts in immigration staff - €10m * Transfer disability functions of department to Department of Health - €2.6m * Cuts to Youth Detention Centres - €2.5m Staff cuts 540 Total cut €136.4m Communications, Energy and Natural Resources * Cuts to energy efficiency schemes run by Sustainable Energy Ireland - €40m * Cuts to direct funding to TG4 - to be partially funded from licence fee - €10m Staff cuts 106 Total cuts €65.6m Defence * Measures including a reduction in Defence Forces personnel by more than 500 Total cuts €53m Staff cuts 520 Finance * Cuts to the Office of Public Works - reducing spare capacity and rental costs - €21m Staff cuts 660 Total cuts €82.8m Department of Foreign Affairs * Cuts to overseas missions - €15m * Cuts to overseas aid - €14.8m * Cuts to Support for Irish Emigrants - €1m Staff cuts 65 Total cut €41.7m Houses of the Oireachtas Commission * Changes to some operations - €6m * Cuts to Oireachtas Allowances and Benefits - €1.5m Total cuts €7.8m Staff cuts 42 National Treasury Management Agency * Reduce staff and other administrative costs - €5.3m * Changes at the State Claims Agency including payment schemes, legal fees and risk management services Total cuts €5.3m Staff cuts 40 Department of the Taoiseach * An end to the National Economic and Social Development Organisation - except for the National Economic and Social Council - €4m * Axing the Law Reform Commission - €2.8m * Cuts to the cost of Census 2011 - €2.2m Staff cuts 77 Total Cut €17.5m (8 Comments |Comment on this)
2:48 pm	Bord Snip Nua Report Makes for grim reading. There is going to be some reaction (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, June 4th, 2009
2:58 pm	Stats ( Who comments the most on this journal? ) (2 Comments |Comment on this)
9:36 am	Vote Otherwise, you hereby forfeit the right to moan about local council and European Parliament Decisions until the next election. (14 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009
3:04 pm	David Eddings RIP Fantasy author David Eddings has sadly passed away, aged 77, last night. May he RIP (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009
11:36 am	Toe dipping and potential It has been said of me before that I find an interest, hurtle head long into it and try to absorb everything about it, and then move on. I guess this is not without its truth. Take DJing; Poker; Gaming; the Gaming Industry for examples. I am still involved in all these, but to a lesser degree. I sometimes wonder how it would be if I made a serious foray into the Games Industry or took up DJing full time. But it just doesn't feel right. I feel now that all these things have and must take a firm back seat in favour of the one constant passion: writing. Maybe learning all i can about the above is part of that process. I tried to juggle all these previouly with the same level of involvement, but this is no longer sustainable. Writing must come first amongst my activities. So there. Current Mood: contemplative (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, May 26th, 2009
1:38 pm	An open letter to thoughtless car users at Tescos Granted, this may seem trivial given the current national and global events, but I feel such trivial things can often contribute to the wider level of anger and negative atitude in the world. All I ask is that you be mindful. Being a prick is not a disability. This does not allow you to use parking designated for those with special needs. The fact that there are several of these spots unoccupied when you park does not justify you parking there. I have previously seen elderly people struggling from further parking spots in clear discomfort due to your selfishness. Special Needs parking are there and in such a quantity for a reason. To those who abuse these spots, beware that Fate has an ironic sense of humour. To those who park on the yellow lines outside the store, so they don't have to walk a few metres, be aware that you cause crashes. That is an irrefutable fact. Not only that, but when you park close to a pedestrian crossing, you block access from more reasonable drivers trying to circumvent the obstacle you have provided. It is very difficult to see, for example, a pram with an infant from behind the obscuring screen you have selfishly arranged until the pram protudes from you prickmobile. While a careful driver might see the pusher of the pram, a pram is the exact dimensions to be blocked by your parking. Perhaps someday it will be your infant and another's selfishness, or perhaps you might be the driver who rends a family apart for the rest of their lives. These are small things which need not occur. Be aware. Be mindful. Try not to be a prick. (5 Comments |Comment on this)
1:31 pm	Long time no update No news since, I guess. Head down and writing, mostly, so I suppose it's a good thing. I really enjoyed the IGA scenarion writer's thing in Cork on Saturday...found it quite useful. Actually, it's made me consider writing for cons again, something which I had put in the "things I no longer do" pile of my life. Yeah... I should get back to that... Current Mood: happy (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Friday, March 20th, 2009
12:17 pm	Embroiderer wanted!! I am looking at you wyvernfriend and caturah! As you may know, my father is a Knight Commander of St. Gregory, a papal knighthood. However, when we read the original latin inscription, we missed the "Commander" bit. So, we need to promote him. My parents go to Rome & the Vatican every year and he has the full uniform and regalia. It's kinda cool - the Swiss guard snap to attention and he gets royal treatment in the Vatican. However, we need to amend his uniform to suit his newly discovered rank. I think he basically needs the silver bit around the crest shown here It'd be cool if someone could offer and my Dad could talk to them. This will not be a freebie and payment will be offered. Thanks! Current Mood: chipper (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, March 18th, 2009
10:03 am	I know where u live Actually, I don't. I need adresses of people with a view to firing out afters invites to the event on the year on 10th Sept (The Wedding of myself and J). We will be having a civil ceremony, followed by a small meal for family only and then a big knees up in the Dromhall Hotel, Killarney on the evening of the 10th, which is the main celebration. It is at time like this that you realise how few adresses you have. Please forward it to me and my work adress, the format of which is fistnamesurname@dast.gov.ie Thanks all! Current Mood: happy (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, March 16th, 2009
2:10 pm	Is the world still there? I feel like I have been cloistered for the last few months and been out of circulation. The writing is going great, but I have missed cons and been pretty much totally out of contact with everyone! I hope to be in Dub next week, maybe for a poetry reading again - dunno yet, but will post here when I do. If anyone is around, that'd be cool. Current Mood: busy (Comment on this)
Thursday, March 12th, 2009
12:25 pm	New mobile handset Got a new phone, same number. It's one of the touch-screen phones, so not quite used to it yet. Probably an impulse buy, but it was quite cheap with an upgrade and I require a good camera for various reasons, which is the main reason I upgraded. It looks pretty. The book is proceeding quite well, mostly sticking to my commitment of 1,000 per evening after work (aside from social events, visitors, etc) and am currently coasting comfortable at 23,000 words. It's going well and I am quite happy with it. The writing ranges in intesity, so i do come away some evenings tense, overwrought or simply exhausted. All part of the process, I guess. I am learning a lot about the process and my own relationship with my writing, which is useful and challenging. Current Mood: calm (8 Comments |Comment on this)