Waterford Today | Waterford's free weekly newspaper

Strong response to Oxigen Environmental's arrival in Waterford 

Oxigen Environmental, the provider selected by Waterford City Council to manage waste and recycling bin collection services in the city, has experienced a strong public response since their arrival in the city was announced late last month.

Customers of the service previously provided by Waterford City Council have received written details of the Oxigen service which ensures no change and maintains the local authority's pricing and collection schedules.

Along with householders welcoming the certainty and continuity that Oxigen bring to the local residential waste market, the company has also experienced huge interest in the new jobs it is creating in Waterford. Initially, seven direct jobs will be created by Oxigen's entry to the Waterford market.

Noel Boyle, Group Managing Director, Oxigen Environmental said:

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With Karen Frampton, Career Coach, Frampton Career Solutions

Karen Frampton is an experienced recruiter and career coach. Living locally with her family, Karen helps job seekers from all walks of life progress in today's job market with a range of affordable solutions which aim to position and brand you in today's job market.

For further information contact Karen on 051 844546 or 085 7230369 or you can email Karenatframptoncareersolutions.ie, find us on Facebook or LinkedIn.

Since I began this column some months ago, I am amazed by the amount of job-seekers who are being called for interview and what's more, do not prepare. As the old saying goes, Fail to prepare, prepare to fail and that is exactly the case in the current market. With a scarcity of jobs in certain sectors and competition at its strongest, never before has it become

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The General Election campaign is now well underway throughout the country. Nominations to the Waterford constituency close today (Wednesday) and at the time of going to press there have been no surprise nominations.

The bookies have already laid out the odds on the declared candidates in Waterford and the bookies seldom get the forecast wrong, but it has been known to happen occasionally. The only correct forecast so far is the fact that Fianna Fail running with only one candidate in Brendan Kenneally are conceding the loss of the second seat they previously held with Martin Cullen who has retired from politics on health grounds. The odds quoted on Brendan seems to be somewhat generous and accepting that Fianna Fail will suffer a drop in their vote, it is a banker that Brendan Kenneally, FF will hold his seat. Also in

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Walking in Waterford

Botanists sometimes carry a tin box known as a vasculum to gather plants for later study and determination. Lloyd Praeger was one such person and he visited such places as the Kilbarry Bog in Waterford City. He wrote the following in his book 'The Way that I went' after one of his collecting trips in the 1930's.

"I remember going into a roadside public house near Waterford on a hot day to get some cider. The only other customer was a broad man with a face like a cow. I didn't fancy him. Like a certain Cabinet Minister in one of P. G. Woodhouse's stories, he looked as if he had been poured into his clothes and had forgotten to say "When!"; nor did I like the bovine stare which

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Waterford schools invited to track the movement of Spring across Ireland

Waterford schools have been invited to take part in this year's Greenwave project after 8 schools took part in the project last year. The participating schools in 2010 included Glor Na Mara National School, Tramore; Knockanore National School, Tallow; Scoil Náisiúnta Na Toirbhirte, Waterford City; Newtown National School, Kilmacthomas; Ballymacarbry National School, Ballymacarbry; Scoil Naisiunta Gharbhain, Dungarbhan; Scoil Náisiúnta Na Croise Naofa, Kilmacthomas and Whitechurch National School, Cappagh.

Greenwave 2011, a mass science project for primary school students to track the progress of spring across Ireland, was launched today by Discover Science and Engineering (DSE). Participating students will log sightings of the six species that are indicators of spring, such as frogspawn and horse chestnuts, and log the data on www.Greenwave.ie . Schools will also measure temperature on a

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Get Loved Up at Waterford Toastmasters

Want to become well-versed in the language of love? Come along to our next meeting on Monday February 14th, Valentine's night, at the Tower Hotel. You'll hear speeches on the theme of love and be encouraged to use romantic words. You can join in some lively discussions about what love really means. Toastmasters helps you enhance your communication and public speaking skills and meetings run from 8pm to 10pm.

Waterford learning initiative makes Awards shortlist

'Waterford Life - Now and Then' an intergenerational learning initiative which sees younger people helping older people to remember and document stories of past times in Waterford, has made the shortlist for the AONTAS STAR Awards.  The STAR Awards recognise teamwork and quality within adult and community education.  'Now and Then' is one of

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Child Benefit For Multiple Births

Question:I have four children. The last two are twins and I am confused about what Child Benefit payment I will get for them following the Budget. Are they both treated as the third child or are they treated separately?

Answer:The Budget reduced Child Benefit payments by €10 for all children and reduced the payment for the third child in a family by another €10.

In 2011 Child Benefit is paid at the monthly rate of €140 for the first and second child, €167 for the third child and €177 for the fourth and subsequent children.

Child Benefit for twins is one and a half times the normal monthly rate for each child. This means that the rate for twins can vary depending on their position in the family.

In your case since you have two children already,

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By Bill Sones and Rich Sones, PhD 

Q. What's so uniquely human about the way we pucker up to plant a kiss?

A. Our lips are said to be "everted," or pursed outward, says Sheril Kirshenbaum in "The Science of Kissing: What Our Lips Are Telling Us," reported in "Discover" magazine. Though we're the only everters, we're not the only mammals to engage in kissing-like behavior: Great apes too press lips together to express excitement, affection or reconciliation.

Why we humans do this is unclear, though it may have echoes of our early feeding experiences; through nursing and receiving pre-chewed food from a parent's mouth, infants may learn to associate lip pressure with loving attention. Or it may be that over time, brushing of the lips became an accompaniment to smelling a loved one's cheeks, which has long served as a means

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with John D Owens M.V.B. veterinary surgeon.Riverstown Business Park, Tramore Ph 051 393630 Email: anipetsvetclinicatgmail.com

Leptospirosis - a potentially deadly disease of dogs

What is Leptospirosis? How do dogs get it? Is it the same as Weil's Disease in humans?

Leptospirosis is a very serious disease that is an important zoonosis, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans. It is caused by infection with microscopic organisms called leptospires, which are spread in the urine of infected animals such as rats, mice and dogs. Dogs can lick the urine of an infected rodent off the grass or soil, drink from or swim in contaminated streams or ponds or come in contact through hunting rodents.

The infection goes into the body through the mucosal lining of the mouth, eye or throat, or

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Waterford news 1936 from harvey's directory 1876, recorded in waterford news 1936 

Continued from last week Waterford's "Climbing Boys"

The description of Waterford's own institutions is reserved for the back pages. The historical sketch commences on page 118 and is given nine pages, being mainly a condensation of Ryland's history. There is then a list of Corporation and other officials. One society has the arresting name of "Society for superseding the necessity for Climbing Boys" - this was a pathetic plea on behalf of the cruel system of employing children to sweep chimneys. The public is advised to use instead, "sweeping machines". We are told that in Waterford "the names of the men who work the machines for the same charge as the boys are Patrick Molloy, Keyzer's Lane and Patrick Byrne, High Street.

Schools ancient and modern

Bishop Foy's Schools are described as

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To make an appointment for a personal reading at The Athanaeum House Hotel, Christendom, FerrybankTel: 085 - 7355683 or log onto stanatreadingsforlife.com for an online reading.

Aries: March 21 – April 20

Given that we are in the middle of a general election and the world is filled with posters, unwanted canvassers are knocking at our doors, and wall-to-wall coverage on television, it seems odd that your life is going remarkably calmly. Don't allow anything to disturb your equilibrium - go with your flow, for what you seek lies easy along your path. All that is required is patience, and maybe finding time to look after yourself, for a change.

Taurus: April 21 – May 21

You seem to be in great demand this week, and you will probably feel as if you need to be in several places at the same time.

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If food be the music of love, Ardkeen Quality Food Store plays on!

Carmel Carroll, Ardkeen's resident wine buyer felt there was no alternative to champagne for such a romantic occasion. According to Carmel, "Champagne is described as having 'Heart' and Valentine's Day is all about the heart!"

"We've all heard of a Magnum but a Jeroboam is the next size up, holding 3 litres of Champagne - more than enough to celebrate in style."

Dutch Master Florist Lamber de Bie who is well known for his bespoke wedding arrangements is providing his signature exquisite hand tied Valentines Bouquet – guaranteed to help love blossom this Valentines Day!

Finally, included in this love struck Valentine's package is a nine-tiered 100 cupcake "Cupid's Tower", designed and produced by Cupcake Heaven. The cake will be supplied for any special occasion, but according to proprietor Fiona Lonergan

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Margaret Denmead is a Clinical Hypnotherapist, Life Coach, N.L.P Master Practitioner and Cognitive Behavioural Therapist. She has a private practice in Cahir, Co. Tipperary for the last five years and is now available for appointments on Wednesdays at the Waterford Health Park Pharmacy. 

Here are some of her tips on how to beat recession depression.

1. Stop worrying

I hear so many people worry and stress about losing their jobs. Yet worrying about it is a waste of time and energy that could be put too much better use. Instead of putting your time and energy into something that hasn't happened, focus on enjoying work and working efficiently while you still can.

If you are really worried about losing your job, consider applying for other careers, and do think outside the box. Don't limit yourself because maybe this is a good time

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The downside of drinking too much Sharing romantic drinks with the one you love might be high on your Valentine's wish list, but too much booze could have a negative effect on your relationship. 

While cozy nights in or a romantic meal out with a bottle of wine may not seem like big drinking occasions, the reality could be quite different. Two bottles of wine (14%ABV) is equal to sixteen standard drinks, that exceeds the low risk weekly drinking limits for a woman and is a large percentage of a man's low risk weekly limits.

Speaking ahead of Valentine's Day, Fionnuala Sheehan, drinkaware.ie Chief Executive encouraged people to think about their drinking and whether it could be affecting their relationship. "Many of us don't really think if our drinking may

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By process of elimination

The bowels, the lungs, the skin and the kidneys are the main channels of elimination in our bodies. These organs help to eliminate toxic build-up and prevent disease occurring.

The bowels can be the most toxin-laden of all the organs. Some describe the bowels as our second brain. When the bowels function healthily, then the mind is clearer. If the bowel area is toxic and underactive, however, catarrh may build up and overflow into other organs like the skin (eg resulting a skin rash), the lungs (eg a chesty cough), or the kidneys (eg a urinary tract infection). Ideally, the bowels need to move at least once daily. To encourage better elimination through all organs, we need to drink at least 8 glasses of water daily, have 6 portions of vegetables and 2 of fruit each day,

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