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Eir Resolve 12 Hour Internet Outage

Eir offices at No. 6  Thurles Shopping Centre, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Eir Group plc., trading as Eir and which provide an internet service nationally; this morning claim that they have now resolved their embarrassing internet outage that hit its service for over 12 hours yesterday.

Customers right across Ireland were affected by the issue from 2.30pm yesterday (Saturday), afternoon.

Eir has this morning apologised to customers for the inconvenience caused, confirming that the service they provide has now been restored to their customers, however in efforts to make contact with the Eir website, same continues to show a “timed out”  message, indicating their server at www.eir is taking to long to respond.

We understand that this outage was caused by a problem with an Eir Domain Name System (DNS) server.

While I cannot comment on internet service Eir; it is interesting to note that internet provider Virgin Media continues to charge customers for periods of outages, and consumers will only get their monthly bills reduced, by contacting Virgin’s loyalty department directly on Tel: 061-272190. Usually, however, they claim that unless their down time is more than 24 hours, they will not make any deductions from your account.

Perhaps the new Minister for Communications, Mr Richard Bruton, might take a look at this issue, which is similar to a consumer asking their local grocer for a loaf of bread, to be told he has none. The grocer then charges the consumer for that loaf of bread.

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Protect Children From Questionable Online Content

For those of our readers, parents, who have young children; latter who are beginning for the first time to access ‘Personal Computers’ (PC’s) or ‘Laptops’, you may wish to take note regarding the following.

In an effort to halt the viewing, by young minds, of shall we say certain questionable content online, there is an alternative; its name is KidRex.org; a Google powered, kid friendly, search engine and an alternative to the more widely used Mozilla Firefox.

This most certainly should become an alternative, particularly for students in schools which rightly encourage young people on how to correctly make use of the internet. Here they can learn how to locate online information, without the unremitting worry by teachers and parents, regarding what young minds may accidentally stumble upon.

KidRex combines Google’s Safe Search with their own database of questionable sites, locking everything into child appropriate searches, while maintaining its own database of inappropriate websites.

You are advised to check regularly to insure that KidRex remains up and running, thus ensuring that your children have the best web surfing experience possible.

Important Note: To ensure that the young people in your care are protected, it will be necessary to make KidRex.org your ‘default browser’ on all your PC’s and Laptops which you allow them to access. To do this, please follow the these 3 simple instructions:-

(1) Open your ‘Menu’ (See Image above  –  Find three parallel flat lines positioned top right of your Google search panel, shown here above in a red box), by clicking left with your Mouse.

(2) Find an icon marked ‘Options’ (Dead Centre) and activate same, also by left clicking with mouse.

(3) The page which now opens will be headlined ‘General’, (Again see image above). Next copy and paste the following link http://www.kidrex.org/ into the second text panel, clearly marked Home Page, thus removing link http://www.google.ie/.

Do nothing else; simply close the page and your default search engine should now remain KidRex.org on that particular appliance.  To change it back, simply reverse this simple procedure at any time.

Happy, Safe Surfing everyone.

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Did You Loose An iPad On A Thurles Train?

iPad

An iPad was found on the Dublin to Cork train on Tuesday June 1st last. The finder is almost certain that the owner got off the train in Thurles. They have contacted Irish Rail’s ‘Llost and Found’ department, but alas, there have been no inquiries so far.

The finder would really like to unite this iPad with its owner and has asked Thurles.Info to send out an appeal on this website, which we are happy to do.

It may be the case that the person who has lost this equipment, may also have lost their faith in human nature, believing that no one would be honest enough to seek out the true owner.

Well folks they have and I will be happy to introduce the finder, Ms J. Griffin, to you; the person who lost this iPad, so ‘Private Message’ me on facebook, if you can identify the property you lost.

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Free Urban Centre Broadband For Thurles

Following an agreement reached by the European Parliament, the EU Commission and the EU Council of Ministers; wireless broadband will be rolled out in Irish cities and towns over the next three years.

This new initiative will see almost 8,000 urban centres, across the European Union, benefit through EU-funding accessed through Irish local authorities.

This plan, when initiated, is seen as being a huge boost for rural provincial towns, where currently broadband coverage is deemed as being somewhat feeble. Same could also see an inflow from rural businesses, with weak broadband access, to open offices in close by urban centres; thus opening greater access to markets.

Local authorities in Ireland will shortly be invited to access grants to set up wi-fi in towns right across Ireland, so that no matter where you are in an Irish town, you should be able to get online for free.

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Renew Passports Online From Tomorrow

Irish people who are resident both here in Ireland and across the world, will be able to renew their passports online from tomorrow Thursday, March 30th, 2017.

This new online ‘Passport Application Service’ facility, which is currently under construction, will be available shortly on the Department of Foreign Affairs website.

The service, when up and running, is expected to be more convenient, faster and fully secure; offering a more predictable turnaround time for delivery dates to customers, while allowing same to apply using their PCs, Laptops, Tablets and Mobile Phones.

However, please be informed; this new service is only for the renewal of adult applications. First time applicants and children will have to remain using our current, more antiquated system.

The new initiative is part of a reform programme which is expected to modernise Ireland’s overall passport systems and controls.

I wonder if that endangered species known as the “Rural Post Office” would agree! Were not Post Offices delivering you your new passport in 15 working days, for an extra charge of €9.50, plus your passport fee?

Perhaps it is now time to check if rural Ireland could qualify for protection for Post Offices under EU Environmental legislation. Same could be considered as being an unusual, threatened and sporadic species, totally at risk of becoming extinct through habitat destruction brought about by decision makers who believe that passport delivery times could be an hour or two faster.

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