Peerside

Despite being reasonably happy with UTVs Clicksilver service over the last year ( ok, if you ignore their flaky DNS and regular dropping of connections ) and or so I'm looking to escape their insane pricing and skip.

I signed up last year for Clicksilver and took advantage of their telephony package and enjoyed access to the fast lane. A few months later the price for that package dropped and since then has reduced to almost half the price I am currently being charged. Once my contract expired, last month, I promptly contacted UTV billing support and asked how I switched to the wonderfully low rates they were advertising but was informed that these are for new customers only ... at which I had to remind myself what year I was in .. didn't companies stop doing this sometime back in the stone age after banks etc. were named and shamed for such rediculous practises ?

The perfectly polite billing person agreed that it was unfair but she didn't have the authority to change the policy for me and didn't volunteer an alternative route. UTV must have got an A for in "Customer Service 101 - How to Annoy your Loyal Customers". I asked if there was anything I could do before I cancelled my subscription I was promised that my case would be escalated and I would hear by email .. yep, you guessed it .. my email is not jumping to the sound of UTV correspondance.

Ok, so sorry about that rant. Really what I'm looking for are recommendations for alternative Broadband and telephony providers. I live in Bettystown, Meath so it looks like it's DSL for me, Smart nor Imagine cover my area it looks like it's down to eircom, Digiweb or BT. The latest BT package looks promising - broadband and all local, national and UK calls ?

If anyone has had any experience with the BT package or similar or can suggest a painless way of migrating off UTV I'd love to hear more. I really don't want to end up disconnected while the transfers are happening.

Finally, I'm amazed at how UTV went from being really cool and consumer savy about two years ago to this :-(

Ok, maybe it's not as ironic as I think it is but this photo never ceases to remind me of the crazy situation we find ourselves in Ireland in 2006. Everyone seems to be racing for more property, more money, more wine, more style and yet I wonder if we just paused a while to consider how far this country has come in the last 10 years would we perhaps enjoy those achievements a little more.

So, if you're reading this - take a break and try and enjoy your life. Don't race all the way to the end only to find you're too exhausted to enjoy the break then.

Old and New Ireland in Contrast on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

technorati tags:ireland, celtic, tiger, speed, relax, advice

Ok, so the highlight of my trip to Killarney last weekend was my friends wedding and the luxury of having a few extra days off work but both were closely followed by my visit to Ice Cream Ireland on the main street and their heavenly affograto al caffe. I will spare you the drooling review that it deserves but suffice it to say that if you haven't tried this combination then you haven't yet lived.

If you're on the look to obtain, or offload, techie gear in Dublin and ebay isn't coming up with the goods then it might be worth checking out IECF, a site aiming to promote Irish Electronics and Computer Fairs and run by Shane Devane.

It looks like a relatively organised attempt to set up a regular computer fair/market where vendors can book a stall ( like a car boot sale ) and buyers pay to attend. The current venue seems to be Blooms hotel in Templebar so if you're in the area maybe check it out.

Whether it works out or not it's great to see people taking the initiative and developing oppertunities like this.

For more details, rules etc, and upcoming market dates check out: IECF - Irish Electronic & Computer Fairs

Like many who work 9-5 I try and keep an eye on what's happening out there with the hope that maybe one day I'll kick off my own venture. During a regular scan of new sites I spotted StartupNation.com, a new site with supporting radio/podcasts and a book on everything and anything around starting your own business. US focused but plenty of resources to get you on your way to world domination.

As the site itself describes itself ...

"StartupNation is the destination where you can learn the important nuts and bolts of small business, such as how to patent your idea, build a business plan, or increase sales. While you're seeking that helpful small business advice to start a business or grow an existing business, StartupNation is also an entrepreneurial resource for you to learn from peers, whether you’re connecting with them directly or listening to them share all on StartupNation Radio!"

About StartupNation - source for entrepreneurs for small business advice to help start a business

technorati tags:startup, innovation, ideas, entrepreneur, business, resource

Some crazy things happen during the Summer but this has got to be one of the coolest I've seen in a long time ! Considering te lack of surf on the Irish east coast I can only dream of stuff like this.

SF Gate: Multimedia (image)

"The Isar River runs through Munich. A finger of it is diverted into a man-made channel that disappears under the city and emerges into the sprawling and beautiful Englisher Garten through side-by-side arched tunnels under a busy boulevard, Prinzregentenstrasse. The stream is fast-moving and about 24 feet wide.

Long ago an urban designer placed three rows of rocks in the streambed to create some aesthetic roil, and, voila, Surf City.

There's room for only one rider at a time so you queue up on the bank, leap in, and if you're good enough, you carve the Eisbach for 10 to 20 seconds before making your inevitable ungraceful exit out the back door."

For the entire story check out the article on SFGate.com at Surfing in Munich 'Hanging zehn' risks an urban sprawl