30th May, 2002
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Another Letter from New York

Hi there Michael,
How are things across the pond, as people would say over here? Just thought that I would send on another letter. I might be sending it in a bit late but maybe you might be able to squeeze it in somewhere. The big news out here at the moment is that New York hurling team are playing Antrim in the Ulster Hurling semi-final over here. Antrim are arriving into town tomorrow to prepare for the match and going by the bookies back home, they are clear favourites. By the looks of things I will be playing mid field and I’m really looking forward to it. First senior inter-county hurling championship match that I have played or anybody from Douglas for that matter I think. For those of you who like to dabble with the bookies in the
Village, I think it might be a good bet to put a few quid on New York to beat Antrim. No guarantees though. If you are in watching TV on Friday night around 7-7.30 breaking ball on RTE, are doing a build up to the game and there are a few clips and interviews of the NY team and training session mentioned. Might see my big head running around the field. As Der Keane would say "It would be hard to miss".
Took a trip down to Chinatown the other day and it is something to be seen. The have stalls and markets out on the streets. You can get anything there from fresh fish, meats to snails, live frogs a few other things you don't want to know about. Being down there I wanted to have a Chinese meal. After all you couldn't go to Chinatown and not have some Chinese. Myself and my flat mate Martin Finn put the head down and went for it. Stuck to what I knew - chicken. Back home in normal Chinese you get chicken in black bean sauce but in the place you could get snails/shrimp/frog in black bean sauce. Different strokes for different folks.
Last night I went for an evening stroll down through the great Central Park. "UNBELIEVABLE" is the only word that comes to mind. It’s about 8 miles in length and 3 miles wide and ever piece of it is kept immaculate. No rubbish and the great thing about it was that there were loads of space to do whatever you wanted. Roller blade, jog, cycle, relaxing walks or maybe even court a beautiful young damsel.
Tonight six of us went for Japanese food. It was an experience. You went in and they cooked whatever food you wanted right there in front of you. If you ordered steak you could take a taste and say if you wanted it done a bit more or not or more seasoning. I went for a chicken and lobster with fried rice. I have always wanted to try lobster and don't think I will be trying it again. Just not my thing. Weather is getting nice and warm now and it should be getting nice and warm for the weekend.
Anyway. That's me done for another while. Just like to say Happy Birthday to my brother Tony (27th of
May and getting old) and Hi to all the lads. You know who you are Joe's and George. Hi Mum and Dad. Looking forward to your cooking sometime soon.
Last person I have to say hello to is my girlfriend Ciara (Cookie). Looking forward to seeing you soon. Can everybody do me a favour. When you see her don't say hello Ciara, say hello Cookie, so that way she will know you read this letter. Thanks for reading and if you want to send me mail the address is pjb_tec@hotmail.com.
Rock On
Patrick Joseph Bartholomew Barry (Bobzy)


Promises Promises

Now that the election is over will we see any difference to how the Douglas area benefits ! Will gridlock, amenities, conditions of roads, and housing issues be addressed, or will our elected representatives disappear like the posters on the poles and walls around the village, not to be seen until next time when the come calling as you are just about to sit down to watch coronation street! I am writing this as I am sitting in my car in a traffic jam going down to Douglas! lovely!
Tax Payer
(Name and address with editor).

Road Tax
Dear Michael,
It was only when it was raining last week that I saw how bad the roads of Douglas really are, between Dailys Corner and Grange Cross there is a trench in the road opening up where cable was laid a couple of years ago, and its getting worse with each rainfall, drainage seems to be non existent, I hit a pot hole that was full of rainwater in my car, luckily I was not on a bike or I would have been killed. All I want to know is where is all the road tax money going, Dublin perhaps, or is it lining pockets somewhere.
Road Tax Payer
(Name and address with Editor)

Help for Senior Citizens
Dear Sir,
We are a national charity representing a large number of older people throughout the country including your region .
Over the past few years we have applied for large numbers of small security devices and social alarms. Such devices have been the cause of the saving of a large number of lives.
These were supplied through a grant scheme funded by the Dept of Social Community and Family Affairs. These have provided a large measure of reassurance for these older people empowering them to continue living in their own homes in safety and security surrounded by their own familiar things and their neighbours and friends.
The attached statistics bear this out without contradiction.
However we are concerned that there are still those out there who still prey on the fears of older people and in conjunction with the Reach Out Campaign ( another voluntary umbrella group of which we are a member) and with your co-operation we would once again ask your readers to be aware of your older neighbour..
Report any suspicious vehicles and people calling to the doors of such older people. Many older people are too proud to ask for help and are fearful that if accepted that they may not be able to pay for it. We would ask all communities to try to put in place a support network for their older and in some cases vulnerable neighbour.
Assist them by :
Attending to overgrown shrubbery / lawns, Repairing or assessing the cost of repairing locks etc, Assessing their need for outdoor lighting, Ensuring that they have a lift to collect their pension or other messages, Ensuring that their smoke alarm is functioning properly. Helping to do an audit of their homes in order to minimise the incidents of falls in the home.(such a fall can have a major and in some cases detrimental impact on the lives of older people .)
Conduct an audit in your area to assess their needs for small security devices and social alarms. Keep an eye on their property whilst they attend hospital or visit a relative.
Should you require it we can arrange for a speaker to speak with your local older community in relation to some or all of the above matters.
There is no charge for our services as we are a totally voluntary organisation.
Thanking you in anticipation of your co-operation. Jack Keaveney
You may contact us by telephone 01 / 8783833 or fax. 01 / 8783835

Incinerator
The Energy Minister, Mr. Brian Wilson, in England, on Thursday last, announced that he had turned down an application to extend an existing incinerator at Edmonton, North London. He stressed that waste should be minimised, recycled and composted before incineration is considered, and that no incineration proposal would be permitted which would pre-empt recycling or reduce the option for recycling for the future.
A decision on the incinerator in Ringaskiddy was to be made on 28 May 2002 but has now been postponed until 30 September 2002. Will our government now take a look at other countries and study the successful examples that are out there? Incinerators are bad for both the health of the Irish population and for the environment.
Ann Kirwan

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