G'Day From Downunder

Time to murder the old kettle again for a cup of tea.

Now be careful when reading this article because if you feel like making any derogatory comments to the guy or girl next to you about my literary genius I might just be standing behind you.

Yes I'm a bit like that, always curious to know what you're saying behind my back.

So if you are going to say anything, say nice things and I might even buy you a pint.

Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you I will be pounding the streets of New York (followed by a load of kolas) looking for stories as I did last year.

And, of course, I will be up late at night again scouring your garbage bins for any bit of slander that I might find in there.

Now, if you never got on the cover of Rolling Stone and you would like to remedy that take the opportunity to meet me in Eamonn's Bar and Grill at 9 East 45th Street and if you've got any bit of gossip at all I will have you on the front page of The Irish Examiner, this wonderfully informative newspaper, in no time at all.

It's the only paper ever to give Rolling Stone a run for its money.

Otherwise make sure you padlock your garbage bins unless you want their contents to be the subject of gossip in every bar in Manhattan and beyond.

Please don't blame me for doing my job, but you've have had fair warning. So do be careful when that pint glass is not on your lips.

Those lips may be blabbering out gossip and I may be on hand to soak it all up like blotting paper, only to revamp it into a life and death story taken completely out of context.

On a more serious side, I am open to listening to anyone who may have a real life story that they would like aired.

Before I reach your shores; I will have spent two weeks in Japan and I will give you an Irishman's view of the Land of the Rising Sun in my next article.

While in New York I will be catching up for a good old chin wag with both the St. Patrick's Day Grand Marshal himself, Tommy Smyth with a Y and the tireless John Dunleavy who never seems to age.

Over the last two years visiting New York I have been the Hotel Fitzpatrick's number one ambassador promoting them as having the best beds in the world and I don't expect anything different this time round.

I should emphasise that this is totally unsolicited comment for which I receive no benefit.

I am just stating a fact based on my experience. I also believe it is the best 'home away from home' hotel I have visited in my many years of travel - bar none.

I suppose it's only fair to mention that another reason I'm in New York is to do a little match-making for some acquaintances.

I know from rumours that reached all the way down here to Australia that I was looking for another Victoria Beckham for our editor Grahame Curtis.

Let me categorically deny that rumour. However, I will admit that I have posted a picture of him in a very prominent place in Melbourne and to date there is no mail in the Post Office Box.

I'm informed by my colleagues that I do have a good future in match-making when my retirement comes about and my eyesight begins to fail.

There was a story going around at one point, even though it was third-hand, that two very drunk characters in a pub in North Cork were so impressed with my introduction that they were doing regular Novenas' for my mother to marry my father. Gee how nice some people are!

How times change! This time last year the Aussie dollar was $0.81 cents to the US dollar now it's 0.93 cents to US$.

Australia now has a new Government and Prime Minister who seem to be planning to be a Republic.

The US will soon have a new President, maybe the first female or African American.

The winds of change have are blowing both in the US and in Australia. Some winds are good and others are sadly not so good; for example home mortgage borrowers.

As a financial adviser in my real life I can only too well understand the latter's desperation for I have seen it all before and sadly nothing has changed.

I blame corporate greed and as always it's the little guy or gal who gets crushed in the name of profits for share holders.

There's always someone to blame... it's about time that big business was brought to heel and made accountable for its mistakes.

Business miscreants should be heavily fined and/or jailed as examples must be made of such people.

They should not be allowed to continue as they have been for years.

From my own experience I have seen supposed corporate gurus, who I wouldn't trust to wash my car, fumble their way through big business because they were appointed to their positions by mates.

As I said some of them aren't fit to wash my car and yet they are the guys who could possibly be responsible for investing your pension funds.

God help us if we don't start to make those people responsible!

I'll bite my lip for the moment and deal with this subject in more detail in a future article.

There is a new trend here in Oz. Over the last six years or so our housing has become much more energy-saving and generally more environmentally responsible.

I did touch on this subject about eighteen months ago when I was moving into my new family home.

The trend is to build more of the new estates in and around manmade lakes with lots and lots of native animals, including snakes.

I live in a wonderful environmental set up with an abundance of Pelicans, Swans, Ducks, Water Fowl, Magpie Geese, Ibis, Red Robins and Blue Wrens etc., etc.

The homes on the estates must be five-star energy-rated before occupancy is granted.

This means maximum light, solar assisted energy, rain water tanks, insulated walls and the houses must be contemporary style and colour coordinated.

All electrical distribution cabling is underground.

Price wise in comparison to Ireland it is relatively cheap. You wouldn't get a dogs box in Dublin for the price of a mansion in Melbourne and the weather here is much warmer at no extra cost.

The estates are fairly spread out with no front fences.

Cats are not allowed on the estate and dogs are only allowed on a lead to prevent them from attacking the wild life.

I have included some photos to give you a better idea of the estates and surrounding area.

Until I talk to you again be good to those who love you!

Slante from Downunder