Monday, September 22, 2008

EDITORIAL - EURO


Making the Most of Your Euro

With the challenging times posed by the current economic climate, it makes sense to ensure that you are getting value for your money, in both investing and spending what you have wisely. It can pay to sit down and take a look at what you are earning and spending and what your saving needs are, e.g. if you have two children who are hoping to go to college. It can seem that we are too busy or we don’t have the skills to plan our finances effectively, so it might be useful to call on the professionals.

Savings
Some €39bn of savers’ money is earning an average interest rate of just 1.48pc, which represents about half of the money households have on deposit. This is at a time when many banks are offering in excess of 5pc, even for demand deposit accounts.

Switch your mortgage
Your mortgage is probably your biggest monthly expense, yet many people are not aware whether they are getting value for money. If your mortgage is based on a standard variable rate you are probably paying much more than you could do. Lenders have been increasing rates on standard variables in excess of the European Central Bank (ECB) Rate. Switching your mortgage could have you thousands over the life of your mortgage.

Pension
At this time of year, you will hear many people extol the virtues of pensions, the main reason for their popularity is tax relief on contributions. You should also focus on the purpose of a pension, to replace your earned income on retirement, the tax relief is an added benefit. Choose a provider who you can rely on and who offers a wide range of investment options that suit your needs .

Claim your entitlements
Make sure there is no unclaimed money from the tax office, you could be entitled to a rebate on any money spent on medical or dental bills, bin charges, trade union subscriptions, employment and rental allowances, donations etc.
Ensure you are getting your full entitlement to mortgage interest tax relief. A married, first-time buyer couple can get €4,000 a year from the State in tax relief on their mortgage. For those couples with older mortgages, relief of up to €1,200 a year is possible. Getting expert advice is the key.

Professional Financial Services
Professional Financial Services in Buncrana offers a unique opportunity to review your existing financial status. They will assist you in finding the best provider for savings, mortgage and pension, and help you claim tax relief and other entitlements. They have a qualified accountant available to assess the information and access to 19 lenders on the market including all the major banks. They offer a friendly, confidential service and advice delivered in plain English.



Looking for Bargains
Discount shops like Borderland in Muff are at the cutting edge of money thriftiness as they stock good quality, brand name clothing that is well below the manufacturers retail prices. European supermarkets are also increasing in popularity as we tighten our belts and look for cheaper alternatives to our weekly products.

Another way to save is to only buy what you really need? Before you go shopping, make a list of necessities and stick to it.



Did You Know?

When you buy that bargain, endorphins are released which can become addictive.

If you are in debt, don’t ignore it. MABS (Money Advice and Budgeting Service) will help you take control of your finances.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Exciting New Cranberry Internote System

An observation of mine is that the animal likes to go outside. However, this is not always the case, for example, Animal will determine on his own if the temperature and weather conditions are suitable for his body and act accordingly. When not outside, a favorite activity of his is to look outside while not actually being there.

[Activity]

As you can see, Animal positions his body to be able to fit into places that may initially seem too small for him. Do not worry, the animal is having the most fun in the world.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

5 MINUTES WITH - TONY KEARNEY


Tony Kearney left Christchurch in New Zealand to travel the world and settled in London where he practiced law for 25 years. He moved from the hustle and bustle of city life two and a half years ago to settle in Malin, and now couldn't imagine living anywhere else. As well as being a consultant, trainer, facilitator, farmer and mediator, he also runs workshops, seminars and lectures on matters of personal, planetary and global change. He has just published his first book called Who Owns The Future?

Who Owns The Future has a fresh approach to many current issues and explores humanity's questions about topics including the environment, religion, gender relationships, politics, poverty and population. It asks how the human race can address the challenges facing it both now and into the future.

Tony is busy giving talks around the peninsula and further afield to promote the book and if you would like a preview, or to buy a copy then check out his website: http://www.whoownsthefuture.com/

What music do you like?

It depends what mood I am in. I like everything from Beethoven to Led Zeppelin. Amy McDonald, the singer songwriter from Scotland is very good. I also enjoy traditional and world music particularly the Gypsy Kings and a bit of Samba.

What would you never throw away?

I don't believe in throwing anything away if possible. Always recycle!

What book are you reading?

I have a couple of books on the go. The Origin of Wealth by Eric Beinhocker and The Growth Illusion by Richard Douthwaite. They both highlight the imbalance of economic growth

What was your favourite childhood game?

Treasure hunts. I enjoyed following a set of clues, it gave me a sense of discovery and adventure… I am still doing them in my adult life though possibly on a bigger scale!

Have you been to the cinema recently, what did you see and was it any good?

I went to see WALL.E. It is set in the distant future about a waste collecting robot. It's very well done and without preaching, examines what the world could look like if it was turned into a rubbish tip.

What section of the newspaper do you turn to first?

World events, cartoons or anything in- between. Like listening to music, it depends what mood I am in. I tend to open it at random and see what catches my attention.

What is your idea of a good night out?

Connecting with people who care and listening to their hopes and visions of the future. I am busy promoting the book at the moment and as I am doing talks around the county, it is a great opportunity to meet lots of people.

When are you most embarrassed?

When I realise that I have been insensitive to others. Sometimes I can get caught up with my own enthusiasm and not see other people's needs.

Have you a favourite TV programme?

I enjoy inspiring documentaries that give an insight into our reality and future possibilities. I love David Attenborough's passion as well.

How do you relax?

By doing what I love to do. I do facilitation and conflict resolution work and also tend to a lot of trees that we have planted on the farm. I find weeding around them particularly relaxing.

What job did you want to do when you were a child?

I didn't want one!…. I wanted to be free and live in a caravan. When I chose my career path I went for law, which seemed the least bad option at the time!

Where would you like to go for your holidays?

Although I love being at home in Malin, I do enjoy travelling. I get inspiration from different places and really enjoy meeting different people from different cultures and finding out what makes them tick.

What people would you invite around for dinner and why?

There are a lot of unsung heroes throughout history that are champions of what is right and natural and get no credit. I would invite them. The table will need to be massive to accommodate everyone…. the wood will need to come from a managed forest; mine should be ready in 50 years!

Favourite animal?

The otter. I love those guys! Remember Mij from Ring of Bright Water?

What couldn't you live without?

Hope.

Biggest fear?

Being governed by fear.

Biggest thrill?

Change. Personal growth leads to planetary growth and makes a positive difference.

The world's most irritating invention?

The clock. It highlights how our lives are conditioned by time. It's so linear. It would be great to live our lives without it and ignore the "Time is Money" attitude.

What is your idea of a good night in?

Reading and conversation.

Do you have a hobby?

I like to keep fit and also enjoy swimming and then there are the trees to look after.

Biggest disappointment?

I use my energy to focus on the positive. You can't change what you have done but you can change what you haven't done or what you will do….

Which period in history would you most like to have lived through?

I am passionate about history but my time to learn is in the here and now.

World's most useful invention?

Human Beings. It is amazing what we are capable of. To use an analogy, we are designed like a surgeon's knife and yet we often use ourselves like a sledgehammer!

What do you have for breakfast?

An orange, a coffee and a cereal energy bar type thingy.

What is the best/worst piece of advice you have been given?

Best: You become what you think about.

Worst: What's the point or why bother?…. That question can be so demoralising.


Personal philosophy?

You have one life and one opportunity. Why not be all you can be? Don't settle for anything less.

PRESS RELEASE

Who Owns the Future?

New Book Provides Compass for Humanity’s Journey into an Unknown Future

Freedom is the key to a better future I believe. We have the freedom of choice about which future we want. Let us use that choice wisely. The future demands nothing less.
– Tony Kearney, from Who Owns The Future?

“With the world being inundated with facts and statistics about everything from global warming and climate change to GM food to energy and resource crises to poverty and alienation it is easy to be swamped and overcome by the seeming uncertainty and apparent impossibility of it all,” writes Tony Kearney as he points the way forward in Who Owns The Future? (published by AuthorHouse).

A fascinating and epic appraisal of humanity, the Earth, the universe, God and more, Who Owns The Future? merges themes of environmentalism, philosophy, science, psychology, language, sociology, metaphysics, religion, gender relationships, politics, poverty, and population in its search for ways to address the awesome challenges confronting us.

“The problems we face today are largely of our own making due to our short-sightedness, selfishness and over-inflated sense of self-importance,” Kearney writes. “As a result we are forever having to deal with the side effects of these selfish attitudes and as a result we never really address the truly important issues of our existence because all our time is spent troubleshooting the problems we have created for ourselves and for every other life form on this planet.”

Who Owns The Future? pulls no punches about the peril of our current situation, but essentially offers an optimistic and realistic view of the future based on the premise that the human race can successfully change and adapt its behaviour in order to survive and flourish. The question Kearney proposes is: Will the human race make those changes? Will you?

About the author: Tony Kearney was born in New Zealand, practised law in London for nearly 25 years, and now lives in Ireland. He has lectured on many diverse subjects, from personal, planetary and global change, to children’s education, to gender relations. Who Owns The Future? is his first book. More information is available at www.WhoOwnsTheFuture.com and www.authortree.com/WhoOwnsTheFuture.

Sunday, September 7, 2008

5 MINUTES WITH - JOSEPH MURPHY


Fifteen year old Joseph Murphy lives in Moville and has just started 4th year at Moville Community College. He is a keen Scouter and recently took part in the Phoenix Challenge where he was hill walking in County Wicklow. He also waded through the mud at this years Jamboree celebrating 100 years of Scouting at Punchestown. He has two sisters, Karen and Heather.

What music do you like?
I like classic rock. Meatloaf’s Bat out of Hell is a classic, well the 6 minute version anyway. I also enjoy Bluegrass and went to the Omagh Bluegrass Festival this year.

What would you never throw away?
Old computer parts. I have a hiking rucksack full of old, out of date parts, which I will probably never use, but you never know….

What is your favourite book?
The Artemis Fowl books by Eoin Colfer are great. It’s a story about a twelve-year-old boy called Artemis Fowl, who is the most ingenious criminal mastermind in history.

What was your favourite childhood game?
Well, as I am still a child…. Judo. The fun part is to be also to throw people about with no hard feelings. I go to the Samurai class in the Community College in Moville. There is a quote from a book called the Pyjama Game, “Judo is a sport of balletic beauty and extraordinary violence” which just about sums it up.

What was the latest DVD you watched?
The Mighty Boosh series. It’s a great comedy series full of random stuff.

What section of the newspaper do you turn to first?

I used to go straight the Funday Times in the Sunday Times. They have stopped doing that now so I go to the In Gear section first, not because of the cars but to review all of the latest gadgets and read the articles about outdoor pursuits.

What is your idea of a good night out?
A good night in.

Most embarrassing moment of your life?
I haven’t had any yet…

Have you a favourite TV programme?
Again it has to be the Mighty Boosh. It’s on BBC three and unfortunately I can’t watch it through the iPlayer on the computer (you need a licence from the BBC). So I watch them on DVD. I do enjoy the naval criminal series NCIS as well.

How do you relax?
By working on the computer and meditating. I started meditating a year or two ago and all I need is about four minutes peace to charge me up again.

Have you been working over the summer holidays?
I have. I worked in the family building business. We have been building a house from scratch and also putting on a new roof on one of the coastguard houses in Greencastle. It’s interesting to see the irregular shaped slates and the hand forged nails (not forged as in counterfeit…) I spent a lot of time going up and down ladders.

What else did you do?
I went to Musicool in Derry. It was s singing and song writing course and we got to meet well-known people like Mickey Joe Hart and Francie Conway.

Where would you like to go for your holidays?
New York again and the Kandersteg International Scout Centre in Switzerland. It’s part of the World Organisation of the Scout Movement (WOSM) and began in 1923 with Lord Robert Baden-Powell, who, after the first World Scout Jamboree, had a dream about a place where all Scouts from all over the world could meet.

Your idea of heaven?
To be happy and healthy.

Your idea of hell?
Going somewhere that has permanent internet access failure.

Favourite animal?
Pterodactyl. Unfortunately you don’t see them in pet shops…

What couldn’t you live without?
A computer…it contains my soul… Well not really, but it does give me access to friends all around the world who I can do online gaming with. I enjoy playing Runescape and I have just found another good one, called Pirates of the Caribbean

Where would you least like to live?
I wouldn’t like to live in a country where it was illegal to be a scout. There are still some.

Biggest thrills?
Opening up a box with a brand new computer in it. I also get a thrill from seeing a successful rocket launch.

The world’s most irritating invention?
The alarm clock.

What is your idea of a good night in?
A good night out….

Do you have a hobby?
Rocket building with Ash McFadden, down at the Maritime Museum in Greencastle.

Biggest disappointment?
I don’t have any, to quote from The Life of Brian..”Always look on the bright side of life”

Which period in history would you most like to have lived through?
All of it. I would need to be a Time Lord.

World’s most useful invention?
A hammer - to get rid of the Least Useful Inventions.

What do you have for breakfast?
A crunchy muesli with yoghurt. I might mix a few Co-Co Pops in with it too.

What is the best/worst piece of advice you have been given?

I was rock climbing at about 50 metres and the instructor told me to put my foot on a ledge that gave way. Thankfully there was a safety rope. It’s the only time I have fallen because I didn’t listen to myself. The best advice is from the back of Ash McFadden’s safety jacket on rocket days…”If you see me running, try to keep up!”

Personal philosophy?

When things are at their worst they could be at their best….

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Artwork corner.

[Brozone]

(artist's notes: a little known fact: originally, before budget cuts, the folding chair was supposed to be a throne)