My wife came out of the local pharmacy nearly in tears today. "What's wrong," I ask. "I never want to leave this place," she replies. Seems her new prescription of some injections was (as we were warned) expensive. The pharmacist, along with her entire crew were aghast at the cost. You see here, there's a plan anyone can sign up for that caps your monthly pharmacy costs at €144 per month. You just have to be a resident, not a citizen... unless you're on the dreaded Stamp 0. These meds came to €287. The pharmacist searched all over the country to see if she could find a lower cost, and when she couldn't, she sold it to us at HER cost, with much apology for not being able to do better than that....(Try that at your local CVS...)
Second story: Irish Times article regarding An Post, the Irish postal system. Like the USPS, they're running at a loss. Unlike the USPS, they're ADDING services to compete with private package delivery companies. USPS would love to stop Saturday delivery; An Post just announced they're adding Sat. package delivery and will attempt delivery THREE times before asking the recipient to come claim it at their depot. An Post also has informally delivered on Saturdays before Christmas in the past. And their union is chill, because this is one government body with great esprit de corps. Don't forget that much of this country has no street addresses, yet the recently instituted postal code system was dismissed by An Post as 'unnecessary'. I second my wife's opinion -- I never want to leave this place.
Second story: Irish Times article regarding An Post, the Irish postal system. Like the USPS, they're running at a loss. Unlike the USPS, they're ADDING services to compete with private package delivery companies. USPS would love to stop Saturday delivery; An Post just announced they're adding Sat. package delivery and will attempt delivery THREE times before asking the recipient to come claim it at their depot. An Post also has informally delivered on Saturdays before Christmas in the past. And their union is chill, because this is one government body with great esprit de corps. Don't forget that much of this country has no street addresses, yet the recently instituted postal code system was dismissed by An Post as 'unnecessary'. I second my wife's opinion -- I never want to leave this place.
