In my line of work the importance of appropriate signage is always stressed. However in these times of an increased blame and sue society companies, local authorities etc. have moved warning signage to a new level. Even for such obvious things like nuts. 

On Sandymount Strand there are a number of warning signs. However the passage of time has caused the information to fade. Anyone familiar with this area of Dublin will know how far the tide goes out and may also know reports of people becoming trapped by the incoming tide. Nevertheless I was surprised to see this sign being left in such a condition.

Maybe Dublin City Council have increased their exposure to litigation. Then again maybe we can all just be a bit more careful and take a bit more responsibility for our own actions. 

I was walking into town recently and when I passed Bewley's hotel in Ballsbridge I noticed the 6 pointed star window. I assumed that there must have been a Jewish connection and made a note to look it up. An online search showed that the building was actually The Masonic Female Orphan School of Ireland which was open from 1792 to 1970. The Bewley's website has a link to further information on Masonic history. The website has some very interesting information and nice photographs of the building. However the symbolic meaning of the star, and its association with Freemaonry puzzled me. A wider search of the web showed that the star (or hexagram), as well as being used by Abrahamic religions, also represents many things from being in a perfect meditative state in the Hindu culture to a brewers symbol in southern Germany. In Freemasonry the hexagram represents the square and compass.