Upcoming Events

no events match your query!

New Events

no events posted in last week

Blog Feeds

The Saker
A bird's eye view of the vineyard

offsite link Alternative Copy of thesaker.is site is available Thu May 25, 2023 14:38 | Ice-Saker-V6bKu3nz
Alternative site: https://thesaker.si/saker-a... Site was created using the downloads provided Regards Herb

offsite link The Saker blog is now frozen Tue Feb 28, 2023 23:55 | The Saker
Dear friends As I have previously announced, we are now “freezing” the blog.? We are also making archives of the blog available for free download in various formats (see below).?

offsite link What do you make of the Russia and China Partnership? Tue Feb 28, 2023 16:26 | The Saker
by Mr. Allen for the Saker blog Over the last few years, we hear leaders from both Russia and China pronouncing that they have formed a relationship where there are

offsite link Moveable Feast Cafe 2023/02/27 ? Open Thread Mon Feb 27, 2023 19:00 | cafe-uploader
2023/02/27 19:00:02Welcome to the ‘Moveable Feast Cafe’. The ‘Moveable Feast’ is an open thread where readers can post wide ranging observations, articles, rants, off topic and have animate discussions of

offsite link The stage is set for Hybrid World War III Mon Feb 27, 2023 15:50 | The Saker
Pepe Escobar for the Saker blog A powerful feeling rhythms your skin and drums up your soul as you?re immersed in a long walk under persistent snow flurries, pinpointed by

The Saker >>

Public Inquiry
Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005

offsite link RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail?supporter? Anthony

offsite link Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony

offsite link Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony

offsite link RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony

offsite link Waiting for SIPO Anthony

Public Inquiry >>

Human Rights in Ireland
Promoting Human Rights in Ireland

Human Rights in Ireland >>

Lockdown Skeptics

The Daily Sceptic

offsite link News Round-Up Fri Jan 24, 2025 01:20 | Will Jones
A summary of the most interesting stories in the past 24 hours that challenge the prevailing orthodoxy about the ?climate emergency?, public health ?crises? and the supposed moral defects of Western civilisation.
The post News Round-Up appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link One in 12 in London is an Illegal Migrant Thu Jan 23, 2025 19:30 | Will Jones
London is home to as many as 585,000 illegal migrants, equivalent to one in 12 of the city?s population, according to a previously confidential report.
The post One in 12 in London is an Illegal Migrant appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link Illegal Afghan Migrant Kills Two and Wounds Three in Latest Knife Violence to Afflict Open-Borders G... Thu Jan 23, 2025 17:55 | Eugyppius
An illegal Afghan migrant has killed two and wounded three in the latest knife violence to afflict open-borders Germany. In response, Leftist organisations will light candles to demonstrate "solidarity and cohesion".
The post Illegal Afghan Migrant Kills Two and Wounds Three in Latest Knife Violence to Afflict Open-Borders Germany appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link Should Oxford Be Trusted to Assess the Safety of its Own Vaccine? Thu Jan 23, 2025 15:50 | Mark Walker
The Covid Inquiry was reassured by a scientist from Oxford University that the Covid vaccines were safe. But should Oxford, which received ?143m in royalties from its Covid vaccine, be trusted on this, asks Mark Walker.
The post Should Oxford Be Trusted to Assess the Safety of its Own Vaccine? appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link Does Starmer Know What He?s Talking About on AI? Thu Jan 23, 2025 13:28 | James Alexander
Why was Keir Starmer's recent speech on AI written like a Mr Men book? Prof James Alexander wonders if the Prime Minister knows what he's talking about. Is AI really "the ultimate force for national renewal"?
The post Does Starmer Know What He’s Talking About on AI? appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

Lockdown Skeptics >>

national / miscellaneous Monday March 13, 2006 10:22 by Gambler Anonymous

The end of casinos and card rooms in Ireland?

featured image
Blurry eyed from the adrenalin...

About four years ago I got a job working for security in a large Vegas-style casino in Auckland, New Zealand. On my first morning I was introduced to the manager and other people I would be working with, handed a swipe pass, and given a list of my daily duties. The casino and adjoining conference centre and hotel were open 24 hours, all year round, and employed roughly 2,000 people in total. The majority of these were food/drink and cleaning staff on three rotating eight hour shifts. I had started on a Monday morning at 8am, and after being shown the ropes in the control room, my team leader asked me if I'd like to go on a tour of the gaming floor. Why not, I replied.

So off we went down to the enormous gaming floor. Bear in mind this was before 9am on a Monday, so I expected the place to be near empty, maybe a few cleaners hoovering the deep green carpets or polishing the roulette wheels in anticipation of a few people drifting in later on in the afternoon. Not a bit of it. Tables were full, cards being dealt, lights flashing and buzzers sounding, chips being stacked and counted. The "one armed bandit" areas were the worst. Red-eyed, gaunt, pasty, slouching, with their change bucket in one hand and the other eternally poised over the button, these people looked like they'd been there all night, all week, all their lives.

This was in huge contrast to the other "casinos" I'd previously been in - namely the Merrion, and the Jackpot (now closed, as far as I know) on Montague Street. These were card rooms, with no more than 60 people playing in a knockout Texas Hold'em tournament. There was no alcohol, they certainly werent open 24 hours, and the atmosphere was intimate and reasonably relaxed. They were operating in a legal grey area, and even though I'd been playing poker for a good while with friends in private house games, very few people seemed aware of their existence. In the last four years though, there's been a huge upsurge in people playing poker, and the casinos have multiplied in Dublin, and beyond.

This page can be viewed in
English Gaeilge

Fri 24 Jan, 05:28

browse text browse image browse video browse audio

textTrio Echnaton at The Pepper Canister 12:29 Mon 13 Mar by Sean Crudden 0 comments

textPeople before Profit - meeting on women's issues 12:18 Mon 13 Mar by Cathy Swift 39 comments

textStardust website and petition launched 10:55 Mon 13 Mar by Malachy Steenson 5 comments

0.jpg imagenew campaign & website launched 04:32 Mon 13 Mar by shane ocurry 16 comments

graf_03_06_01.jpg imageThe Graffiti is on the Wall 02:22 Mon 13 Mar by Noise Hacker 10 comments

textBéarla Mar 13 by Godot 0 comments

IMC network

© 2001-2025 Independent Media Centre Ireland. Unless otherwise stated by the author, all content is free for non-commercial reuse, reprint, and rebroadcast, on the net and elsewhere. Opinions are those of the contributors and are not necessarily endorsed by Independent Media Centre Ireland. Disclaimer | Privacy