A New Low for Ireland

From today’s Irish Times:

DAIL SKETCH: “I’M OFF!” Two words from the Minister for Transport summed up his Government’s attitude yesterday to discussing the economic crisis in the national parliament.

They didn’t want to do it. And what’s more, they were highly affronted at the very idea that they might be expected to supply some clarity on the issue. How dare an opposition come into the House and seek to question a government’s performance during a time of national crisis?

Call it arrogance. Call it ignorance. Call it avoidance. Whatever it was, from Brian Cowen down, they were a disgrace.

Jesus, that is shocking.

Come to Britain?

Controlled immigration was the topic on Beyond Westminster on Radio Four yesterday and the usual voices with the usual lines were on it: Britain is the most densely populated nation in there’s a big Europe; difference between refugees and economic migrants; 70 million the magic population figure; the populations bulge; permanent vs temporary migrants; the jobs market and it’s fluctuations; what impact the recession; whether to use a points system to choose or to put a blanket cap on it; immigrants coming, working for less and taking the jobs of the local population; illegal immigrants; the benefits of their arrival set against the problems.  Damnit, they even had the BNP on. It was reasonably well researched and quite balanced, and ultimately, a pretty thorough programme.  Yet, as always in these debates / discussions, they missed one of the chief points on the matter.

Resolutions to be implemented in Middle East

Resolutions on the situation in Israel and Palestine for Shimon Peres to consider

Can Corporations Help Save The Planet, and other thoughts

An interesting topic raised on foot.ie brought this to the fore in my mind.  The question came up about the likelihood of Corporations – among the most powerful entities on the face of the planet – to resolve some of the problems on the planet, several of which they themselves had a hand in.  The two things that stood out in my mind, were (1)  Can the governments of the world do anything to encourage (with prejudice if need be) the Corporations to help tackle the problems facing the planet, and (2), will these Corporations manage to do it off their own bat?  I got to answering it, but before I knew it I had written a short essay on the matter, and I thought that it would bore many of those on the forum, but perhaps interest some of you who have been known to read this.

Bluebeard’s Latest Predictions for the US Primaries

So. Iowa and New Hampshire done (and Wyoming too, if you’re a die-hard Republican), the primary season is really in flow now, and with the prospect of one or two a week for the rest of the month, this will be dominating many politically attuned minds. Like virtually everyone else, I fancy a go at proving myself to be inept at spotting trends, and here is my take on what next in the primaries.

Unpaid work?!

So, I have signed up for one of these. My chance to tell the world what I think of things.