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As another of McSavage's alter ego's might say: "Ah, Jayzus"! 

Time to dust off my alternative Big Brother feature script, which replaces ordinary contestants with characters from the 2000AD Universe. Dredd, Anderson, Nemesis, Strontium Dog, Big Dave and Halo Jones all living  under the same roof. What could possibly go wrong with such a scenario? 

Ooops!

Misclicked on Emoji options. Should have been this one instead:   

I don't think the Guards are the absolute worst as police forces go, but I suspect that's just down to institutionalised laziness on their part. They have perfected the shoulder-shrugging privilege-protecting soft-target-focused close-ranks thing that their international brethren do so well, but with way less guns and slightly less energetic racism. What I'm saying is that I seldom fear them or dread our rare interactions*.

Especially if they demonstrate the kind of empathy shown in the clip below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VODUI787noc

Identify something that the lower orders buy a lot of and then tax the fuck out of it.  Economy saved.

There is an even better solution that I seem to recall being used in a Judge Dredd story some time ago: A Tax on the Air that Citizens Breathe.

Had it happened to me I would have told them they would never receive my custom again and walked out.

If my cash isn't good enough then fuck 'em.

Also, is it even legal for them to only accept payments by card? I would have thought that there would be some sort of proscription against refusing legal tender?

Might be something to check with the Consumers Association of Ireland?

Just a quick update on my Illness Benefit situation. Got my normal payment yesterday, so fingers crossed it will be business as normal next week as well. Can't say that I have any confidence in the Social Protection Minister given the track record to date of her department on this fiasco.

FIFTY-FIVE THOUSAND PEOPLE are the numbers that we are talking about here!

Vulnerable and sick individuals who have contributed tax and PRSI all their working lives, and who are only looking for what they are entitled to in their hour of need. 

The main thing now is to keep the public awareness of this scandal ongoing, to keep the political and social pressure on the powers-that-be and see some accountability for those responsible for this mess

Anyways, thanks once again for the support and kind comments. Much appreciated.

-Paddy


https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/unforgiving-it-system-blamed-for-latest-delays-in-illness-benefit-1.3684226

https://www.thejournal.ie/doherty-apologises-to-the-5000-people-who-are-still-waiting-on-illness-benefit-for-distress-caused-4319408-Nov2018/#comment-7629143

I think Carlos would have appreciated that drawing. Very good indeed and most apt for this sad time.

Thanks, Sharky. Tis much appreciated.

Just as an addendum, I should add that the frontline staff within the DSP and the Community Welfare Officers I have dealt with in relation to this issue have all been extremely understanding and courteous. My gripe is solely with the Minister for Social Protection and the other Senior Management who have presided over this fiasco. Every one of them should be fired with immediate effect.

As a result of decades long-stranding stress/anxiety/depression and other physical issues, in addition to an horrible experience of work-place bullying, which in itself lead to my ending up in utterly unsuitable and unsustainable work conditions and environment, I have been off sick from work and receiving Illness Benefit Payment from the laughably titled Department of Social Protection (DSP) here in the Emerald Isle for some time now.

After waiting for 17 months, I finally got to be seen for an appointment with a view to referral for suitable treatment, low-cost counselling etc. Problem is, as a result of an ongoing shambles within the DSP and between them and the GP's who sign off on the certs, along with IT problems in the DSP - have they not tried turning it off and then on? - my Illness Benefit Payments each week for the last month have either been short-funded or not paid at all. I was paid up including arrears earlier this week and thought that I was back on track, but again for this week, today there was no payment whatsoever.

With no sign of this issue being resolved any time soon, there is no point in my making any sort of appointment as - between chasing around between the Illness Benefit Section, Community Welfare Officers etc - I simply do not know what I am going to be doing from one day to the next or if I will even have the necessary funds to pay for counselling.

I am just one of hundreds of people reliant on this payment who are being dicked around by a bunch of complete incompetents. This has been ongoing for over two months and has received very little in the way of media coverage. The Journal.ie have been one of the honourable exceptions.

Just to stress I am not posting this for charity or anything like that. I just want  to raise people's awareness.

You can copy and paste the links below to read the impact this fiasco has had on some of the most vulnerable in our society. Please forward or share those links if you would like to.

Cheers and thanks! - Paddy 

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057901661&page=2

https://www.thejournal.ie/illness-benefit/news/

Sincerest condolences, Jimbo.

I'm too drokkin' speechless at just reading of this sad news. Sincere condolences to Carlos' family and friends and colleagues on their loss. RIP a truly great, inspirational artist. For what it's worth, I'm sending out a virtual hug to all my fellow Squaxx as well. It's a scunner of a day.

Given that cats are my favourite creatures on the planet, I can completely empathise with how you feel. My sympathies and all the best to you.

All the best to you, Carlos. Get well soon.

["Christian Horse for Sale."]

A Priest was walking past a pet shop one day when he noticed a sign in the window: "Christian Horse for Sale."

Being that the Priest owned a large farm, he was immediately interested, and went into the shop. The owner took the Priest out to the back, where he saw a beautiful Arabian stallion.

He agreed to allow the Priest to take a "test run."

The Priest grabbed the reins. "Giddyap!"

The horse ignored him.

"No, no," counseled the owner. This is a Christian horse. If you want him to move, you must say, "Praise the Lord!"

The Priest did as he was told, and the horse started off on a leisurely walk. However, he soon found that the horse would not stop.

"He won't answer to 'Whoa', said the owner. It's "Amen."

The Priest decided that he liked the horse, so he bought him and took him home to his farm in the country. He saddled the horse up again, said, "Praise the Lord," and went riding into the countryside.

Suddenly, the horse saw a snake crossing the path. Frightened, he reared and bolted straight for a cliff. The Priest cried "whoa!" but the horse only ran faster. In vain, he tried one word after another. Finally, he remembered the correct command and screamed "AMEN!!!!!" just as the horse approached the edge of the cliff.

The Priest was so thrilled that his life had been saved that he raised his hands to the sky and shouted, "PRAISE THE LORD!"