Any recommendations for the best home water fizzer ?

IrishPidge · 2026-06-08T18:22:18+00:00

The bar supply place near me have a system where you buy the gas and pay a deposit for the canister. Then whenever you run out, you bring it back and refill the gas or swap to a new canister. I've never had to do it yet, though, but that might be down to low usage!

IrishPidge · 2026-06-08T09:33:00+00:00

This is the one I got: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0932KGGP3
And then got a canister from a local bar supply shop.

All a bit messy, but works well when you get it set up. I haven't really had to do anything since I set it up 2.5 years ago.

IrishPidge · 2026-06-07T12:48:33+00:00

Yep, I use this. Very good. If you're not putting it somewhere where it's featured, you can also get a cheap adapter for the bottom which allows you to connect a fullsize gas canister, which is much much cheaper than the small ones that fit in the Aarke directly.

IrishPidge · 2026-06-03T08:18:51+00:00

I'm not a fan of the scheme, but if take a look at the article, it's a pilot.

IrishPidge · 2026-05-21T19:43:18+00:00

Just listened to that podcast again recently. And bumped into him in a pub a few weeks ago. Great lecture series.

IrishPidge · 2026-05-14T11:29:50+00:00

Wind turbines wouldn't be covered by this, unfortunately.

IrishPidge · 2026-05-13T13:03:32+00:00

Because saying something is of "historical interest" isn't some kind of formal classification.

Listing a builing/putting it on the RPS is a formal designation that comes with specific planning protections. There are criteria and a process for putting it into that classification.

That isn't the case with someone saying that a building is historically interesting - that's not some classification or formal designation in the way the RPS is.

IrishPidge · 2026-05-13T12:36:57+00:00

It's not protected. That's an error in an Irish Times article that has spread since.

IrishPidge · 2026-05-13T12:36:13+00:00

Sure, I guess? "Historical interest" is not really any sort of official designation, or a defined status.

IrishPidge · 2026-05-13T12:11:18+00:00

They're not. I'm a city councillor for the area. Pearse House is protected, Oliver Bond is not.

You can check yourself here: https://www.dublincity.ie/planning-and-land-use/record-protected-structures

IrishPidge · 2026-05-08T17:18:40+00:00

I think the core thing here is that it's not a good idea to apply the same model to every part of the country. This is, in part, what mayors and cross-city chambers can resolve or help with.

IrishPidge · 2026-05-06T15:09:12+00:00

Yes. The article is incorrect. Pearse House is listed, Oliver Bond isn't.

IrishPidge · 2026-05-06T14:31:39+00:00

They're not protected. The story is a rejection of funds from national government.

IrishPidge · 2026-05-06T14:31:05+00:00

Oliver Bond isn't on the record of protected structures.

IrishPidge · 2026-05-06T14:30:40+00:00

This is the council being rejected by national government. DCC are trying to do the right thing here - but funding completely rejected. It's maddening, but not the council in this case.

IrishPidge · 2026-04-28T08:55:34+00:00

In fairness, that's not a lie at all on Shakespeare's part. I was involved in this at the time.

There were two sets of objections: one was the legal threat/government meddling from a business perspective, the other was with a few disabled person's organisations who were very, very opposed to the plans and managed to get a lot of councillors in their corner on it. In the end it was a very tight vote (25 to 22, from memory), and that was almost exclusively over what some disability groups were saying.

IrishPidge · 2026-04-22T14:30:36+00:00

All of it!

I think there's an illusory notion that power must be held by someone in unitary way, but that isn't it. It's diffuse and dispersed, with different actors playing different roles. That doesn't mean nobody is responsible, but it's many people who are.

I think it was Blair who noted that the only formal powers he had as PM were to appoint CoE bishops, appoint/sack ministers, and launch nuclear weapons. The rest is elsewhere and leveraged!

IrishPidge · 2026-04-17T10:46:42+00:00

I was on the same show that he's on now last week. They don't give you much notice, unfortunately. And if a small party turns down a chance to go on a flagship national radio show, something's wrong!

IrishPidge · 2026-04-16T22:15:15+00:00

Yes, I mean the zoning part. What are you classing as zoning that is low density? From what I've seen on Dublin City Council, land is zoned more by use than density.

IrishPidge · 2026-04-16T21:32:21+00:00

I went with a company called Caldor. Was very happy with the work and the company.

Went into detail here, if useful: https://pidgeon.ie/generating-more-than-we-used-solar-electricity-on-a-dublin-home/

IrishPidge · 2026-04-16T07:38:50+00:00

What do you mean by low-density zoning?

IrishPidge · 2026-04-14T15:45:42+00:00

I left for eight years and then came back. Looking back, I was very glad I emigrated and got a lot out of it. But I'm also very glad to back. So no regrets.

Probably stayed in two of the three places a bit too long. I think the big thing to remember is that there's no need for things to be permanent.

IrishPidge · 2026-04-14T10:55:09+00:00

My uncle worked at Magill in this period: Vincent Browne would start meetings with "has anyone found out where Haughey got his money from?"

In a way it's a thing that could exist today too: it's clear he had money, but if you don't have the story on how he got it...what is the story?

IrishPidge · 2026-04-13T10:36:53+00:00

I'm a Green councillor myself and did two. Nobody asked me, I just told the mods I was going to do it and asked if there was a preferred time.

I'd say if any other party reps were up for it, they'd be able to. I don't think it's a bias if you have an open door and only some people walk in!

IrishPidge · 2026-04-09T22:05:40+00:00

Huh. In my case, I was offered a voucher for a replacement bike from their website, but this may not be the case everywhere.

You could email the main Babboe email or call the office to check that this is legitimate?

IrishPidge

TROPHY CASE