Thomil's Random Ramblings

Cities change. That’s no great secret to anyone who has more than a hand full of working brain cells. With that change also comes the fact that buildings, shops, or other places you may have come accustomed to simply fade away, relocating, closing due to old age or other reasons, and that new businesses move in. This is normal, change and evolution are the two most fundamental driving forces in life. Resisting these forces is impossible over any extended period of time, and those that try will get crushed in the attempt sooner or later. That doesn‘t stop many from trying though. The latest threat to the "Irish way of life"? Here in Cork, a frequent target of this ire has been something seemingly innocent: cafés. Yes, you read that right, and no, I didn‘t sprinkle any LSD into your coffee! And no, we‘re not just talking about the big chains like Costa, Caffe Nero, or Starbucks here, but independent cafés as well. It seems that for some, the very concept of a coffee hou...

Okay, before I get started just a little word of advice. I’m livid, absolutely raging, so be aware that this post will contain quite a decent helping of colourful language, likely accompanied by liberal doses of four-letter words. You have been warned! Over recent years, I’ve become pretty desensitised when it comes to news stories. Ever since both the Brexit referendum and the election of Donald Trump over in the US, humanity seems to have started regressing ever more rapidly. Still, there are some institutions whose work is so universal that you’d think that they’re above the increasingly roiling sea of racist, sectarian, and partisan turmoil and acrimony. Well, on Monday morning I learned differently. It turns out that the Daily Heil, sorry, I mean the Daily Fail, oh damnit, I mean the Daily Mail (insert ten minute break here as I had to wipe up the bile forced up by even typing the name of that „paper“), that bastion of racism and xenophobia, ran a story on Sunday that outli...