Ieren

AMSTERDAM - De Ieren zijn het rijkste volk van Europa. Dat zegt de Ierse centrale bank in een maandag verschenen rapport. Naar schatting waren er in 2006 onder de 4,2 miljoen Ieren 33.000 miljonairs, en dat is 10 procent meer dan in 2005. Het gemiddeld persoonlijk bezit in Ierland steeg liefst 19 procent, tot 196.000 euro.

De particuliere schulden in Ierland stegen weliswaar met 20 procent (tot 161 miljard euro), maar dit werd ruimschoots gecompenseerd doordat de Ieren 15 procent meer spaarden, het aantal aandelen in privébezit met 26 procent toenam en de pensioenen 11 procent meer waard werden. Verreweg de belangrijkste factor in de toenemende rijkdom in Ierland is de stijging van de huizenprijzen. Gemiddeld bestond 72 procent van het privébezit in 2006 uit onroerend goed.

The feeling when you're nearly there

I felt like Ajax losing the Dutch soccer championships by a single goal when I got out of the gym last night. I had a lovely workout and did really notice that it was actually worked out really well. It's the feeling when you're looking at the stats; 688 cals burned. That's just one cal short to set a new record. Annoying? A little... but hey, if I got there easy enough last night, I should be able to break it next time.

Rest works

I can't believe it, but last Wednesday's beauty sleep did the job.

New record.
30 mins stepper, 679
25 mins bike, 269

No big plans for the weekend, except the celebration of our national holiday Koninginnedag ('Queensday'). It's basically three hours of free drinking in the home of Dutch lager, the Heineken brewery here in Cork.

Leve de Koningin!

Musical cat!

A quick nap after work

When getting home after work we were supposed to have a quick lie down; we were fairly tired, so it was a good idea jut to have a little rest before heading to the gym. Well, that didn't really work out as planned.... We woke up again by 21.15... hmmmm, we were probably tired....

So no gym tonight obviously; let's see if I can beat the 645 cals I did yesterday. With the rest we've got I should be able to.

Claim to fame!

It's great that you can go shopping after office hours in this country. There is no need to get into the crush on Saturday morning to get your groceries for the week. Just go after work, after the cinema, whatever time. The majority of large supermarkets are open until midnight during the week and Tesco's is even op 24/7 in some places. Brilliant!

So, as the freezer was getting fairly empty and we had to have something on the table for dinner tonight we decided to get some grub in Dunnes Stores in Douglas. Even though the upcoming National Elections have not been set yet, a date is to be expected very shortly, who is already campaigning to get re-elected? Yes, indeed, the Minister for Justice himself.



And of course the campaign workers asked whether I wanted to speak to the dearest man. "No, thank you" was my reply but then I thought, let's ask the ladies if they can help me to get voting rights for the National Election. As a EU citizen I have voting rights for the local and European elections, but not for the national government. That's not really helping when I'm paying my taxes here and have zero influence on the day to day running of the country. As if you would when you could vote, but at least it gives you a feeling of democratic influence and importance.

It took them three party members before somebody knew what the situation was. "If you want, you can run in by the Minister?". I didn't bother, the poor man is busy enough trying to get the votes from the people that can vote. The best was yet to come. "Would you be interested in joining the party, you look like a man who knows what he wants". Exactly, I want my voting rights, but not under the current legislation and I definetely do no want to give my vote to the PDs. Still, it was a good sales pitch, if you don't ask you don't get.

Oh, and the gym? That's for tomorrow.

New record!

I am a happy egg!

30 mins stepper, 649
25 mins bike, 237

Starting at level 10, increasing to 11, 12 and 13... yes!

Looks like the diesel engine has started to accelerate!