Still the best place to live

Jim2007

Well the 2010 figures are in on the "Human Development Index" and how did we fair? No. 5! Rather interesting for a country that according to many is dead!!!

The UK by the way came in at 28!!!

So let the negative analysis begin.....

mono627

Jim2007 wrote: »

Well the 2010 figures are in on the "Human Development Index" and how did we fair? No. 5! Rather interesting for a country that according to many is dead!!!

The UK by the way came in at 28!!!

So let the negative analysis begin.....

Didn't get around to reading the paper today, so are you referring to Ireland or Switzerland?

I'm guessing it was Ireland and if it was they must have used some false data :-)

Jim2007

mono627 wrote: »

Didn't get around to reading the paper today, so are you referring to Ireland or Switzerland?

I'm guessing it was Ireland and if it was they must have used some false data :-)

Ireland of course - this is an Irish board, last time I looked! Sorry I forgot to post the link, just click here.

I've also read two institutional research papers recently recommending Ireland on the basis that despite everything it still has great potential: it's capability to generate high value added products is till there, in European terms productivity is still very high and of course it still has a young highly educated work force.

Interestingly enough Ireland is also seen as one of the very few countries that is serious about sorting it's mess out. And the Irish government bonds offer a great investment opportunity... the idea being keep talking it down to squeeze the rates, while at the same time buying it up :mad:

Myself and a couple of other expats have just returned from a trip to Dublin and we were shocked, not at the economic situation, but at people's attitude! People don't seem to realize that we have been in the middle of one of the worst worldwide economic recessions ever and that in fact Ireland is actually not doing to bad all things considered.

Jim









PS - Switzerland was at 13

mono627

Jim2007 wrote: »

Ireland of course - this is an Irish board, last time I looked! Sorry I forgot to post the link, just click here.

I've also read two institutional research papers recently recommending Ireland on the basis that despite everything it still has great potential: it's capability to generate high value added products is till there, in European terms productivity is still very high and of course it still has a young highly educated work force.

Interestingly enough Ireland is also seen as one of the very few countries that is serious about sorting it's mess out. And the Irish government bonds offer a great investment opportunity... the idea being keep talking it down to squeeze the rates, while at the same time buying it up :mad:

Myself and a couple of other expats have just returned from a trip to Dublin and we were shocked, not at the economic situation, but at people's attitude! People don't seem to realize that we have been in the middle of one of the worst worldwide economic recessions ever and that in fact Ireland is actually not doing to bad all things considered.

Jim









PS - Switzerland was at 13

With regard to the young educated workforce, I'm not sure how long they're going to hang around if there's no decent job opportunities. A lot of my friends (recent graduates) are planning to head off in the next few months if nothing better comes along.

I'll agree that there almost seems to be an air of ignorance among the general population in regard to the economic state of the country. People know that the economy hasn't been doing well but I don't think they realize just how bad things really are. I think people just assumed that a V-shaped recovery would come along and everything would go back to the way they were.

I don't know if I share your optimism about the government given that the amount of wealth that was destoryed in this country over the last couple of years would take another government a number of years of war to destroy (maybe I've listening to pesimistic economists too long).

Jim2007

mono627 wrote: »

With regard to the young educated workforce, I'm not sure how long they're going to hang around if there's no decent job opportunities. A lot of my friends (recent graduates) are planning to head off in the next few months if nothing better comes along.

The point being made is that your ability to grow is restricted by the availability of a strong workforce, the fact is that in most of the EU countries it is aging rapidly...

mono627 wrote: »

I don't know if I share your optimism about the government given that the amount of wealth that was destoryed in this country over the last couple of years would take another government a number of years of war to destroy (maybe I've listening to pesimistic economists too long).

It is not a question of optimism of the government, from an institutional point of view Irish government bonds are still seem as a very good option, especially if as the buyer you can talk down the price

Jim.

mono627

Jim2007 wrote: »

The point being made is that your ability to grow is restricted by the availability of a strong workforce, the fact is that in most of the EU countries it is aging rapidly...



It is not a question of optimism of the government, from an institutional point of view Irish government bonds are still seem as a very good option, especially if as the buyer you can talk down the price

Jim.

Definitely agree with you about the bonds.

pog it

Ireland has developed into a rag of a country. We have Irish pubs closing down and in their stead Polish and other foreigners coming in and redeveloping them into coffee shops. Good for them yes, but since when did bland and unoriginal generic coffee shops ever contribute anything positive to a country? Our culture is in tatters. Our traditional music is diluted, our national language is surviving, just, and people are becoming more and more despondent with this joke of a government. Yes, mostly the same people who supported this political party as long as they had a job. I don't know how many times Jim I told people about the fast rate of development, I wrote letters to the paper about it as it was all unfolding, and I was told this was the 'price of progress'. Well, guess what, those same people are really learning the 'price of progress' now. I remember a developer I did some work for asked me was I interested in buying one of their properties. I told him- with a straight face- that I was going to be buying a site of my dreams in years to come, and building a straw bale house on it. I was laughed at in my face. Yep, who got the last laugh? Not that I want it, I do and did feel sorry that he didn't know any better.

This country at no.5 is another load of impossible crap. And I'm not bitter, just looking at things objectively as always. It's not going to get any better either here no matter what spin goes out. The good has been taken out of the country and it's going to take a long long time to truly get it back, if we ever do.

mickman

pog it wrote: »

Ireland has developed into a rag of a country. We have Irish pubs closing down and in their stead Polish and other foreigners coming in and redeveloping them into coffee shops. Good for them yes, but since when did bland and unoriginal generic coffee shops ever contribute anything positive to a country? Our culture is in tatters. Our traditional music is diluted, our national language is surviving, just, and people are becoming more and more despondent with this joke of a government. Yes, mostly the same people who supported this political party as long as they had a job. I don't know how many times Jim I told people about the fast rate of development, I wrote letters to the paper about it as it was all unfolding, and I was told this was the 'price of progress'. Well, guess what, those same people are really learning the 'price of progress' now. I remember a developer I did some work for asked me was I interested in buying one of their properties. I told him- with a straight face- that I was going to be buying a site of my dreams in years to come, and building a straw bale house on it. I was laughed at in my face. Yep, who got the last laugh? Not that I want it, I do and did feel sorry that he didn't know any better.

This country at no.5 is another load of impossible crap. And I'm not bitter, just looking at things objectively as always. It's not going to get any better either here no matter what spin goes out. The good has been taken out of the country and it's going to take a long long time to truly get it back, if we ever do.

i for one much prefer a cafe culture than the disgusting alcohol culture that has existed in this country for so many years

with regards to the irish language dying out - i couldnt give a fiddlers about it, its a worthless language and a complete waste of time in schools.

same goes for irish music