Workers Rights and Walmart

http://www.redpepper.org.uk/a-black-...y-for-walmart/

Red Pepper this month is carrying a report on Walmart and touches upon its employee record. Some of their great achievements

-Union busting , they outsourced a lot of their butcher shops after one shop formed a union
-Breaking labour laws on the employment of children
-No breaks and working unpaid beyond rostered times.

The worst perhaps was this:

The zenith, or rather nadir, of the corporation’s disregard for its staff was exposed in its ‘Dead Peasants Insurance’; policies taken out on a number of low level workers in an attempt to profit from their deaths

Other criticisms from here, goes into some details:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Walmart

Public Sector Outsourcing

http://www.arthurcox.com/uploadedFil...uly%202013.pdf

Arthur Cox article with some views on outsourcing. Having gotten bogged down in the document and eventually reading some of it, the document is an account of sorts and where possible outsourcing might happen.


s per the Public Service Reform Plan,
in relation to outsourcing a series of
timelined steps are outlined, which relate
to overall identification of opportunities,
development of business plans and,
importantly, strengthening of public
service “commercial capability” in the area,
which should include the challenging
area of project structure and supplier
management. It is an essential feature
of outsourcing that a strong customer
commercial function is needed to manage
suppliers. This area of historical public
sector weakness is, we understand, under
review by DPER. Overall, the outsourcing
industry has taken up the challenge
of presenting suitably compelling
arguments for outsourcing in appropriate
circumstances and with reference to the
stipulations of the Croke Park Agreement 

One company that may have an interest in this is South Western Business Services, an Irish company . On their website it says :
http://www.southwestern.ie/

SouthWestern is a market leader in the provision of integrated front and back office services. Our key focus areas are Finance & Accounting, HR and Payroll, Customer Relationship Management and integrated front and back office services. Our sector focus is in our key markets of Public Sector, Financial Services, Travel, Media and Food and Drink. We provide business services to leading public and private sector clients in Ireland, the UK and Europe.

One of their directors is one Joe Walsh whom may be familiar as the once Irish minster for Agriculture .

When you look at outsourcing over all, cost effectively it does not really play out. Patricia King from SIPTU last year concluded that after a study that there is very little cost benefit from outsourcing of the Health Service and in the long term that this may even cost the state more.

KPMG's Paul Toner however takes a different attitude, getting all excited about the opportunities afforded by outsourcing
http://www.eolasmagazine.ie/outsourcing-irish-insights/

There are already many good examples of this:

• the HSE now has a legal outsourcing framework that governs the outsourcing of legal services that has improved the effectiveness of the service while driving down costs;

• a number of the financial services institutions have outsourced special servicing to third parties who bring more effective technology solutions and skills to support a more effective process offering increased performance at a lower cost;

• numerous utility and public service companies have outsourced selected customer servicing processes to third parties who have ‘best in class’ customer servicing platforms that would be prohibitive in terms of time and cost for those entities to put in place themselves.

Manup.ie - Sexist or fair?

http://www.manup.ie/

men protect and care for children. With MAN UP, men and women are proudly standing up and declaring zero tolerance on violence against women in Ireland.

To end violence against women we all need to be part of the solution.

We are looking for MAN UP heroes – people like you – to help us expose, challenge and change the face of violence against women.

Cant swing a cat on the Luas without hitting this poster. Man Up is a new initiative to eradicate voilence against women (an issue present all across the stratas of society) but this ad specifically targets men and those who hit women. Statistically the ad is correct, there is a hell of a lot more voilence against women than is the opposting situation by why did this campaign have to focus on just men?

Statistics from Amen (charity involved in fighting abuse against men)
http://www.amen.ie/reports.html

http://www.amen.ie/reports/research_...c_violence.doc


• 15% of women and 6% of men suffer severe domestic abuse
• 29% of women and 26% of men suffer domestic abuse when severe and
minor abuse are combined


In proposing an alternative there should be a campaign to eradicate all forms of domestic voilence that is targetted at all those whom are perpetrators. Shock tactics as used in the eradication of drink driving in Australia is one approach that could be taken. A video with various victims in various states after being beaten up could shock people into thinking. People could be forgiven with this manup campaign that somehow domestic violence was specifically a problem that only applies to male perpetrators who attack female victims....

Is the Belfast Telegraph using the Liam Adams case to attack Gerry Adams?

Like a banner headline screaming "Liam Adams guilty.... " and the headline underneath "Unfit for Office" . The subline goes into the "terrible abuse secret he knew for twenty years". It should come as no surprise that the perhaps the level of ennui in the offices must have been high to have come up with such a sensationalist headline. The paper is owned by Independent News and Media,who are not amicable towards Republicanism. Users here will know I have little time for Gerry Adams but it is very unfair to use his brothers conviction to paint him as being unfit for office, the two issues are completely seperate.

Update :

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/news-analysis/sinn-fein-leader-gerry-adams-failings-over-his-brother-leave-him-devoid-of-credibility-29791365.html

The funny side of being gay...A post for National Coming Out Day

The first thought that enters any mans head when they hear that someone is gay is the image of a skinny guy with designer gear and the infamous 'fag hags' hanging out of him and yes, this is an acceptable image as it is quite common place but for those of us who do not fit the stereotype where do we fit in?

Rewind twenty years ago, I was on holidays in France with two of my best friends camping, both typical lads and two of my best friends amongst others. The weather was roasting as we sat in the tent that evening as the sun had been blazing all day. After about two bottles of cheap wine (steak and onions were cooked in said wine..some for me, some for the pan you get the picture), a conversation moved towards being gay etc. Inadverdently I came out with it (being half cut was always something I did and but not so much now!) and told my friends I was bisexual, a phrase that gay men use as a bridging so as not to offend their masculine peers but just enough to soften the blow so they can come out as gay later on.

Cut back now about eleven or twleve years later. Those lads are still my best friends and now I am in a loving relationship with a man who I cannot speak more highly of, whom I love to bits and who treats me as an opposite equal. My parents have been fantastic about it all as have my family and my friends. My mother enquires as to the future of her 'son in law' messing and my father being a taxi driver, proudly tells people about me without a shadow of a doubt. The idea that their son is gay was a shock to them in the first place but its something that they got used to , I make it out to be like riding a bike, watching the football or drinking a beer with my aul lad or chatting to my mother. Its just an every day thing. My brother is brilliant about it (I think he thinks it might help him pick up women ;) )

National Coming Out Day marks for most people a day to celebrate being themselves and its handled wonderfully. Its an opportunity for those who may be struggling to come out and tell their loved ones yes I do like the same gender or I may want to change gender but I am the same person. This is in stark contrast to the whole flip side of the coin which I wanna mention.

Referring back to my earlier point in regards to the images of gay men. There is the usual 'twink' with their hair neartly combed, in skinny jeans and camper than a row of tents, some of whom would make Liberace look like Arnie in Predator. Men of a particular generation have this image emblazoned on their mind as a stereotype of these men. On the flip side are those that try to hard to be butch and something in my earlier years I did myself to distance myself from the stereotypes but then I reached a point where I discovered that this was in reality utter bollix, its nothing to do with how I act, its about being me. My range of interest goes from the extremely camp (Eurovision Song Contest, dance and pop music) to the very butch (football, heavy beer drinker, politics) with an array of various other interests in between that oft would be classed as camp or butch but all of these to me are just interests .

At the end of the day just do what makes you happy. Personally speaking (as we had argued before on here and was plastered all over blogs in Australia for some reason) things like Pride (which I loathe with a passion) and faux butchery (which I also loathe) impinge on a persons being, they dont give people a chance to be themselves. Dont listen to any of that crap, be yourself and just be what you are, a decent honest bloke or bird, one who will stand up for themselves and others and is most importantly happy in themselves.

To my readers and friends and family, Happy Coming Out Day.... :)

The Man who saved the world...

Vasili Arkhipov is not a name that people are familiar with. Arkhipov was a naval officer in the Russian submarine fleet and had a fairly illustrious career and in one particular incident which he became famous for.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasili_Alexandrovich_Arkhipov

On October 27, 1962, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, a group of eleven United States Navy destroyers and the aircraft carrier USS Randolph located the diesel-powered nuclear-armed Soviet Foxtrot-class submarine B-59 near Cuba. Despite being in international waters the Americans started dropping practice depth charges, explosives intended to force the submarine to come to the surface for identification. There had been no contact from Moscow for a number of days and, although the submarine's crew had earlier been picking up U.S. civilian radio broadcasts, once B-59 began attempting to hide from its U.S. Navy pursuers, it was too deep to monitor any radio traffic, so those on board did not know whether war had broken out.[5] The captain of the submarine, Valentin Grigorievitch Savitsky, believing that a war might already have started, wanted to launch a nuclear torpedo.[6]
Three officers on board the submarine – Savitsky, the political officer Ivan Semonovich Maslennikov, and the second-in-command Arkhipov – were authorized to launch the torpedo if agreeing unanimously in favor of doing so. An argument broke out among the three, in which only Arkhipov was against the launch.[7] Although Arkhipov was only second-in-command of submarine B-59, he was actually commander of the flotilla of submarines including B-4, B-36, and B-130, and of equal rank to Captain Savitsky. According to author Edward Wilson, the reputation Arkhipov gained from his courageous conduct in the previous year's K-19 incident also helped him prevail in the debate.[3] Arkhipov eventually persuaded Savitsky to surface the submarine and await orders from Moscow. This presumably averted the nuclear warfare which could possibly have ensued had the torpedo been fired.[8] The submarine's batteries had run very low and the air-conditioning had failed, so it was forced to surface amidst its U.S. pursuers and head home.[9] Washington's message that practice depth charges were being used to signal the submarines to surface never reached B-59, and Moscow claims it has no record of receiving it either.

 

Sitting in a tuna can a mile or two underwater and not having communication with the outside world can make a man go mad. Arkhipov had some power when it came to descisions having backed a previous captain in a mutiny that was happening on board a submarine a few years before that became the fim 'K-19 - The Widowmaker' with Liam Neeson a few years later. That must have been a feat of judgement to know that if the missile had been fired he would have been responsible for possibly triggering World War 3.

Removing religious influence from Irish Hospitals - The Current Situation,History and How to remove it

Straight out of the Cork Independent comes the following quote, anecdotal perhaps but it illustrates a point that is big news.
http://corkindependent.com/20130808/...at-S70357.html

Admitted under her gynaecologist in a very well regarded religious-ethos hospital, she was in a serious condition and needed an emergency termination. A member of medical staff pulled the husband aside and advised him, in an undertone, to seek a transfer to another hospital in another part of the country, immediately, because he could not guarantee that she’d be given the lifesaving treatment she needed in this hospital, because of its religious ethos. She was transferred to a hospital three hours away by ambulance, and, after being treated as required, made a full recovery.

   

The hospital is not mentioned but with the hulabaloo in media reports one does not have to delve deep into the web to place where this might be (although a number of inferrences could be drawn as to what hospital it could be ). Some of Irelands medical and healthcare establishments are in the clutches of a predator, one that is dying a slow and thankfully agonising death, the catholic church. Fr Kevin Doran ,a priest on the board of governors at the Mater hospital has indicated that the Mater will not perform any abortions as to do so may clash with the ethos of the hospital
http://www.broadsheet.ie/2013/08/07/...really-maters/
(Quote via Irish Times)

“The Mater can’t carry out abortions because it goes against its ethos. I would be very concerned that the Minister [for Health, James Reilly] sees fit to make it impossible for hospitals to have their own ethos.”

   

Illustrating how far their Ethos goes

The three members of the board of Dublin’s Mater Hospital were key to the decision to stop trials of the drug for lung cancer patients.
They objected because female patients who get could get pregnant would have to take contraceptives under the treatment.
The subcommittee of the board – including Fr Kevin Doran – were delegated the task of examining the conditions attached to testing the drug.

Dorans comments come in the wake of the death of Savita Hallenpalavar and others not afforded the treatment. Savita's husband, Praveen was allegedly told that an abortion could not be performed as Ireland was a catholic country. Ireland has a bit of a history though on the topic.

1951 and the Fine Gael lead government collapsed as Dr Noel Browne attempted to pass a bill allowing free maternity care much to the chargrin of John Charles Mc Quaid who subsequently kicked up a storm on the issue. Mc Quaids stance was that firstly the government could not interfere with how a family raised its children and secondly the bill would then lead to the legalisation of contraception and abortion, two positions vehemently opposed by a church who at the time were widely abusing children. Religious influence has since sought to fight against the X Case, euthanasia and stem cell research amongst numerous other topics. The churches position on maternal care is ironic given that some Catholic hospitals supported symphysiotomies until relatively recent years.

The church fought tooth and nail to establish an influence in medical schools over the course of the 20th century (http://www.medicalindependent.ie/142...tough_medicine) seeing a Protestant influence as being contrary to the wishes of the population and being a danger to their position as top dog in society threatening their stranglehold on Ireland.

The Catholic Church’s increasing influence on the administration of hospital care lasted well into the 20th Century and during the 1930s, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin Edward Byrne, demonstrated the extent of the Church’s power.

When he discovered that there were plans to merge Harcourt Street Hospital, which was under Protestant management, with St Ultan’s, a multi-denominational hospital for infants under one year, established by GP and political activist Kathleen Lynn in 1919, he “saw red”, according to Dr Margaret O’hOgartaigh, author of Kathleen Lynn: Irishwoman, Patriot, Doctor.

“He was convinced that they were up to something because they were not, for the most part, Catholic and he wanted a Catholic hospital,” she told MI.

The Archbishop informed John Charles McQuaid, who, at that time, was President of Blackrock College but would go on to become his successor, and together they led a campaign to sabotage the merger, paving the way for the establishment of a Catholic-run children’s hospital in Crumlin.

“They said that you couldn’t trust Dr Lynn, and that they [doctors in St Ultan’s] were in communication with doctors in Germany. They accused them of sterilisation, that kind of nonsense,” according to Dr O’hOgartaigh.

“And they also had powerful friends in the government, including people like Sean T O’Ceallaigh, who was Minister for Local Government and Public Health. In the 1930s and early 1940s it was one department and he was basically an ecclesiastical minister. He wanted Catholics in the top jobs and it was about getting your own people in to crucial places. So they got at people and it worked.”

   

In the 90's the church also fought tooth and nail against the needle exchange programmes for HIV positive drug addicts.

Gay Doctors Ireland are looking for a repeal of a section of the Employment Equality Act which allowed religious emmployers to discriminate legally (http://www.imt.ie/news/latest-news/2...ck-repeal.html) . it is expected that this will be repealed in the next while.

Information on the ethos of other hospitals is quite scant but the following article from the Indo offers some fair opinionhttp://www.independent.ie/opinion/an...-26250526.html

This might be acceptable if there were an alternative. But there are no secular hospitals in this country. There is no longer even an Anglican much less a multi-denominational ethos in any of our hospitals (except, of course, for the Rotunda). The liberal (Protestant) ethos of the Adelaide Hospital is supposed to have been preserved as part of the ethos of Tallaght Hospital, but many people, not least members of the Protestant churches, fear for its survival.

The selling off by the Sisters of Mercy of St Michael's Private Hospital in Dun Laoghaire and the Mater Private Clinic in Dublin, is indeed proof, as Mr Sheehan pointed out, that the Sisters are not in medicine for the good of their health: they need to make money. So the Catholic ethos is not necessarily one of high-minded and selfless charity.

Moving forward, there is no harm in being blunt, Irish hospitals are there to treat people and act on the basis of what is factual and not what is of a religious opinion. Ireland has nearly severed the chord of the monster of the catholic church, it needs to take a hammer and smash the head in to ensure its brain dead (although judging by church actions this has already been done). Reilly should remove funding from any hospital or establishment that refuses to treat people based on religious ethos or religious opinion, religious ideals are a personal opinion, not something to be inflicted on the sick and dying. Legislation should be robust to charge those that do not comply with the law and jail time for those who refuse to treat on the basis of religious superstition....

John Lennon and the IRA...

This post was prompted by an old bat in my office wearing sunglasses and it reminded me of John Lennon and his support for the IRA (dont ask....)

Lennons links with the IRA were confirmed by Gerry O Hare, press officer with the 'Belfast Brigade' (Provos). O Hare was sent by the IRA high command to New York to engage in a speaking tour and through contacts managed to meet up with Lennon. Lennon bear in mind was very sympathetic to the cause having had Irish parents and seen the aftermath of the Bloody Sunday murders . O Hare got the impression that Lennon though was confused by the cause not fully understanding what the conflict was about or why there was murders taking place. Lennons symapthy were epoused most clearly in his music having released songs such as 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' and 'Luck of the Irish'. David Shayler the former MI5 agent alleges that the MI5 kept files on Lennon as did the FBI because of his symapthies with the IRA. Sources inside the Workers Revolution Party allege that perhaps Lennon gave money to the IRA,a move which is revealed to be true could be said to be unsurprising.

Lennon was by nature a pacifist but perhaps the words from the last blog below give a fair idea of what he was thinking...

But, I think that this story really says something for our times. Pacifism is a wonderful philosophy but a simplistic one, and in practice, sometimes things necessarily get far messier than that. As Lennon's thoughts demonstrate, sometimes sticking up for the underdog involves sticking your neck out.

Read more: http://m.digitaljournal.com/article/...#ixzz2bxMe1Tqy
http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/d...land.musicnews

http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/f...d.martinbright

http://www.independent.ie/world-news...-26125005.html

http://m.digitaljournal.com/article/...ir=0&noredir=1

Elitism in Irish sport...

Snobbery still prevails in some areas of Irish sport and cliques still exist , kinda like a gentlemans club or a 'No Homer Club' if you watch the Simpsons. Rugby has always been the home of the elite within the upper strata of Dublin society. Posh schools and D4 heads have always held rugby as their preserve . At weekends Fiachra and Sorcha hope on the 'Dort' to attend the 'Leinster' games and afterwards have their few pints of 'Heino'. GAA clubs have become a haven of cliqueness with those in country using it as an opportunity to network but also a little fifedome. Some tales from the net
http://www.hoganstand.com/forum/Mess...?TopicID=36381

http://www.wexfordsupporters.com/boa...=1eebaa59bc563..
http://www.gaelport.com/nuacht?NewsItemID=6367

While the cliques are not as bad as I have made out, it still is an issue. Football on the other hand is representative of all classes and especially the working class. Friday night League of Ireland football attracts all sort of people from all sorts of demographics. Children of all nationalities can be seen and the same applies to clubs like Celtic etc.

Youth Defence and the Far Right

Was going to prepare a long thread on this but thankfully some other sources do it for me. Enter into the fray two notable names from the far right scene - Justin Barrett and Michael Quinn, both Irish nationalists and both leaning to the far right. Look Left contains a copy of the Magill article which exposed Justin Barrett
http://www.lookleftonline.org/2012/12/sinster-shadows/

Near the front of the hall, Justin Barrett, the diminutive Longford-based representative of the Youth Defence organisation, took his seat among the 30 or so “honoured guests”. Included in their number, according to the official NPD newspaper, were some of the leading lights of the extreme far- right in Europe ‹ neo-fascist icon Florentine Rost van Tonningen from the Netherlands, Udo Voigt, leader of the NPD, and Derek Holland of the International Third Position, listed as the second delegate representing Ireland.

   

Barrett would go on to claim that his poor language skills meant that he was unaware of what was being said. Barrett had attended a meeting of 'Nationaldemokratische Partei Deutschlands', a party that has deep roots in fascism. Poor Barrett inadvertently Im sure ended up at a meeting of Forza Nuova another far right Italian party. His language skills must have needed a lot of brushing up !

In the article a noted historian

According to historian Brian Hanley, Youth Defence can be placed in the context of right-wing movements on the fringes of Irish nationalism that have been evident for generations.

“There is a militant Catholic activist tradition stretching back to the 1920s,” he says. “Groups such as An Rioghacht (Catholic Action) and Maria Duce, which was particularly active in the 1950s, combined a fundamentalist approach to Catholic social teaching with often-violent street activity. In the 1930s they were particularly influenced by Salazar’s Portugal and fascist Italy. Later, Franco’s Spain was a source of inspiration.”

   

NPD youth member is quoted as saying

Sascha Rossmuller, leader of the NPD’s youth wing, told the same newspaper that he considered Youth Defence “an important part of our international network.”

    

Michael Quinn needs no further introduction having been covered extensively in the pages of PW and a great thread here by SgD which goes into a lot of detail on Quinn and his splits from other far right parties he had started
http://www.politicalworld.org/showth...otherhood-quot


How far is Quinns and Barrets involvement in YD?

In 2000, the Irish Indo reports that six members of YD had convictions overturned for obstructing gardai and breaching the peace under the Public Order Act. The convictions were over turned successfully but again the two names crop up...
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news...-26113478.html

Maurice Colgan, Justin Barrett, Christopher Palin, Ciara Ni Aodain, Esme Caulfield and Michael Quinn had appealed against convictions and sentences ranging from fines to orders to carry out community work.

http://www.wsm.ie/c/pro-life-mass-mu...ascist-belfast

Michael Quinn has attended marches in recent years

There was also controversy over Quinn's presence on last years anti-choice march in Dublin - in short there is no excuse for claiming not to know who and what he is. Quinn is certainly a nut, but after the Breivik massacre in which 76 people were killed, many of them teenagers, nuts cannot be simply dismissed as harmless. The fact that Quinn was not only tolerated but protected by stewards exposes the lie that is the entire 'Pro-Life' label. Those on the pro-choice counter rally were chanting "Pro Life, that's a lie, they don't care of women die" as the march passed. The continued toleration and protection of Quinn reveal that the fundamental truth of that slogan is much deeper than many of those chanting it probably realized. (Watch a copy of Quinn's post massacre youtube video)

   

Financial support for YD has been a bit of a mystery for years and for those of us with an interest in it, it may be far easier to ascertain as to who killed JFK rather than find any info on their financing. Some info has been covered here: http://geoffsshorts.blogspot.ie/2012...oney-shot.html . One name that stands out from the crowd is that of Scott Schittl , now president of Life House Ireland who are described as :

American, tax-exempt organization... [whose] purpose is to help make sure Ireland remains pro-life and abortion-free – and make it easier for Americans to support Ireland's pro-life success story."

Schittl wrote an article on abortion for none other than - the Ancient Order of Hibernia.
http://www.nyaoh.com/2012/06/06/irish-for-life/

AOH would make not very strange bedfellows when you look at their history. Schittl was successful in getting a donation:

So far, we have visited many AOH Divisions and Boards – where the men have shown great interest and support as demonstrated in the attached photo from Summit County St. Brendan’s Division 3. Following our presentation, the brothers of St. Brendan’s unanimously approved a $500 donation plus committed all their 50/50 proceeds from their St. Patrick’s day celebrations. We would like to visit as many more as possible, and are eager to travel to visit you.

   

Ancident Order of Hibernians are of course against letting "dem gays" march in the Paddys Day parade
http://www.mamanpoulet.com/another-identity-altogether/

.....

Prosecute Creditors for victims of suicide...

Research has shown that in both Ireland and Greece at present have a spike in suicide because of the current financial climate. Households where the financial burden is immense are under pressure and in particular where some breadwinners are male, this is attributable to the high rate of men amongst the victims of suicide. In terms of suicides per head of population, Greece has a population that is higher than that of Ireland yet the rate of suicide is a lot less (then again reporting of suicide may be low in Greece).

Finfacts points out as follows

In the period 2007-09, the countries facing the most severe financial reversals of fortune, such as Greece and Ireland, had greater rises in suicides (17% to 391 and 13% to 527, respectively) than did the other countries, and in Latvia suicides increased by more than 17% between 2007 and 2008.

   

Ireland when the demographics are taken into account, has a particular huge issue in and around Limerick. The national average is in and around approx 11 per 100,000 but in Limerick this is about 26 per 100,000, very much above what is par for the norm nationally and a trend that should worry us if it were to continue.

Which brings me roundedly to my point. India has a law where creditors who chase people for money or apply pressure and the victim commits suicide can be criminally held responsible for suicide of the victim. Its vicarious liablility in a way. Such similar laws exist currently in UK and to a certain degree here with employers have responsibility with employees. In India the BBC reports

In May, Sudipta Sen, a businessman who allegedly defrauded thousands of depositors in the eastern state of West Bengal, was charged with abetting the suicide of a "depressed" investor

   

Would such a law work here? Pay day loan companies, banks and other sharks would without any shread of doubt lobby against such actions. There is an onus to prove that the companies would have pushed victims over the edge but that may be possible. Would such a law work here do people think?


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-23140888

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/socia...ture-1.1413894

http://www.finfacts.ie/irishfinancen..._1022697.shtml

The fight against AIDS

Hilary Clinton has indicated she is more or less determined to erdaicate AIDS within one generation. Using a four - pronged attack which are

-Saving Lives
-Smart Investments
-Science and Research
-Shared Responsibility

Sub Saharan Africa is again seeing a rise in the number of people with HIV. Due to the lack of protection and poor safe sex education cases have crept up in recent years. This new approach could see the millions whom are suffering live a normal life and cut the rate and transmission down to 0% potentially in the the next fifty years. The document itself has not been released but is due to for release in the next few months. What will big pharma companies have to say?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/20...blueprint-aids

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datab...n-transmission

The Man who lived in the airport...

Mehran Karimi Nasseri was an Iranian national who spent a good part of life living in Charles De Gaulle Airport after his passport was revoked and he was expelled from Iran for protesting against the Shah. He did claim to have a British mother as his father worked for the Anglo-Persian Oil Company in Iran. During his time in Charles De Gaulle airport he spent his time writing a diary, learning economics and eventually moved to a shelter in the 12 arrondisement of Paris. His life story was told in a book that was later translated into a well known film 'The Terminal' with Tom Hanks...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehran_Karimi_Nasseri

Is Sinn Fein pro life?

Oh holy bearded one, what stance should we take on abortion? Adams is clear when he came out April to proclaim that Sinn Fein are not a pro abortion party. This was in response to mutterings by Brian Walsh (who??) a Fine Gael TD on the subject of the X Legislaiton.

http://www.thejournal.ie/gerry-adams...89619-Apr2013/

Today Fine Gael TD Brian Walsh, in a very mischievous way, misrepresented Sinn Féin’s position. Sinn Féin is not a pro-abortion party,”

   

McGuinness a few days before hand on an interview with Radio 1 had also maintained a similar position.

http://www.thejournal.ie/sinn-fein-a...68416-Apr2013/

We are not a pro-abortion party and to suggest that is to totally and absolutely misrepresent the position

   

We neednt beat around the bush here....Sinn Fein do support legislating for X but have stopped full short of supporting the full emancipation of women to do what they want with their bodies.

Did Pearse Doherty show flashes of being a pro lifer?

http://tomasoflatharta.com/2010/12/0...-fein-a-lifer/


Now lets look at the flip side of the coin ....the history of some Shinners....


http://www.independent.ie/irish-news...-28952185.html

Dessie Ellis has rubbished claims that he is linked to 50 or so called murders that the British establishment are claiming he may be linked to . Ellis was arrested for being in possession of electronic remote-controlled devices in Dublin in 1981.

http://www.irishcentral.com/news/IRA...196837271.html

The family of a man shot dead in front of his three-year-old son by the IRA has slammed a Sinn Fein award to the getaway driver in the bank raid in which he died.

Eamon Ryan was just 32 when he was murdered by the IRA during the 1979 robbery at a bank in Waterford.

Now his family have publicly criticised Sinn Fein’s decision to award driver Bill Hayes in recognition of his services to Irish freedom.

   

http://www.politics.co.uk/news/2013/...clouds-sinn-fe

Sinn Fein's by-election win in Mid-Ulster has been marred by acrimony, after the victor was accused of being a suspect in the murder of the runner-up's father.

Unionist parties had joined together to put up a single candidate, Nigel Lutton, who succeeded in increasing the unionist vote to 34% in yesterday's by-election.

But he refused to shake the hand of Francis Molloy - formerly deputy Speaker in the Northern Ireland Assembly - who is alleged to have been a member of the IRA unit which shot dead Lutton's father Frederick, a police officer, in 1979.

   

So with all this in mind....where does this pro life stance apply? Is it arbitary?

Are some mental illnesses really political ideaologies?...

http://www.alternet.org/personal-hea...nce?page=0%2C0


The site is a haven for alternative viewpoints (some bordering on conspiracy) however the article in the link gives some room for thought on mental illness and the rigidity in thinking of mental health care professionals. Adults and children all diagnosed with conditions like ADHD or other emotional distress disorders , a portion of them the article is claiming exhibit some degree of anarchistic tendencies. A lack of respect for authority, not willing to be goverened by societies rules and arguing with the establishment . For people whom do perhaps suffer from such mental illness are they unaware of a political ideaology which could be seen to be a mental illness or are they being diagnosed by professionals with no awareness what so ever of political ideals that are being mislabelled? Few other points that are made reinforce that point that there may be some basis to the question. Co-ercive behavious is outright rejected where a stringent regime of pharma drugs place the person whom is experiencing the condition would place co -erce them into behaving in a certain way. A lot of people experiencing emotional turmoil crave human interaction, a crux of forming any social group is the need to form social interactions which then lead to groups which can effect change.

I may be explaining things haphazardly but its intriguing thing to ponder all the same...

Did Anti Malarial Medication contribute to suicide in the Irish army?..........

An anti malarial drug - Lariam, according to an RTE documentary there may be a plausible link for a potential rise in suicide in the Irish armed forces. The pill is under investigation by the FDA in America and has been dropped by the US Military pending an assessment by the FDA to look at the neurological affects that it has.Shatter has come out to refute the allegations saying that experts have found little or no evidence but a quick scout of newsreports proves otherwise. An Irish student in Vietnam hung himself allegedly after taking the drug mixed with alcohol and it has been linked to changes in behaviours which may have resulted in some murders by US soldiers returning from duty. Links below:http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/20....lifeandhealth

http://www.thejournal.ie/horror-movi...24707-May2013/

http://www.thejournal.ie/shatter-lin...56381-Jun2013/

Scapegoating the English

Following on from the discussion on the rejuvination of the Irish language and the years of linguicide enforced upon us by the English we seem all to ready to scape goat them for the woes that have befallen Ireland in some recent years. Studies now have shown that the British may be to blame for the increasing levels of binge drinking amongst Irelands youth.

http://www.thejournal.ie/ireland-bri...56074-Jun2013/

THE IRISH MIGHT have a reputation for downing more booze than our international counterparts but a study has found it could all be because of the British.

Students from regions inside the historical boundaries of “The Pale” were more likely to binge drink than those who lived in more rural areas, according to the study

The UCD research also used cricket clubs as a measure of British culture and found students living in Irish towns with cricket clubs drank more than those who did not. 

   

Anecdotally the British are blamed as well for the Irish obsession with property. Penal laws oppressed us so much that we all feel a need to now own a property having been denied the rights to own it for so long. Next came a report blaming the English (rightly or wrongly) for genocide when the famine happened (the Irish did not know how to use copper sulphate to stop the blight)


Are we scapegoating the English and too afraid to face up to the fact that we are a nation of complete ***** ups?

Did a judge let his religious affiliation affect his sentencing?...

http://www.broadsheet.ie/2013/06/14/judge-of-the-day-8/

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news...-29343754.html

A judge has described as nasty and despicable a 20-year-old woman taking advantage of the charity shown to her by an elderly nun.

At Ennis District Court, Judge Patrick Durcan jailed Leanne Purcell of Seminary Court, Blackpool, Cork, and Ardcullen, Hollyhill, Cork, for four months for the robbery of €40 from the Sister of Mercy nun, Sr Anne O'Grady. Judge Durcan said: "This was a very nasty and despicable crime. It was activity of the vilest nature."

   

The thief was sentenced to 4 months prison for the theft of forty Euro fro the Sisters of Mercy.

On the website of the Holy Selpchure (http://www.holysepulchre.ie/) there is a picture showing Judge Durkan. Broadsheet reports that the OP over on the other site says the judge allegedly said:

“we had, in the past, in this country a society where we recognised the tremendous contribution in education, health and charity on the part of the Sisters of Mercy.”

   

Whaddya think?...

Reconciling Republican Left and Other Socialist Views

My opinion is that the NI issue is that of one of class oppression and without going into too much details I have posted on why I believe such an issue exists. On the other hand, my fellow PW Republican users are of the opinion that such an issue is down to tribalism and imperialism by the British state of which they have provided ample evidence to assert their claim . With the two issues having such commonalities is it therefore sensible that we reconcile both the Republican left and the Trotskyist, Stalinist and other traditions that exist within a new left wing framework? Im not for one moment suggesting that we merge Republican and other left wing ideaologies but we look for common ground and work together. There has already been some work on a local level from such groups as Eirigi and the ULA and as such there are some links there. Sinn Fein and ULA have a lot of policies which are similar and the major difference is the view of NI and how the issue is dealt with. Could commonalities be found that could bring the different traditions of the left together to work as one force to counter the effects of current status quo and that of any new right wing party that emerges?

Education system produces fodder for the Capitalist system...

In France philosophy is a cornerstone of the educations system,children learn about Plato right through to Sartre and everything in between, they learn to understand why people have an opinion, what shapes it and how it can be viewed. Look at the flip side of things and the Irish education system. Irish people learn via rote learning with teachers second guessing (but with good guess work) questions that will come up on the Leaving Cert and then encouraging the children to learn via rote learning so that it can all be regurgitated over two weeks in June. Traditional subjects that require some analysis and argument like English (interpret a poem) or History (qualify a particular view point with evidence) are now coming to encourage children to learn vast passages of interpretation, it does not allow them to freely think. The net result of all of this is children come into the university system or into the working world with no critical thinking and are unable to come to a viewpoint as to how they may ameliorate a situation or look at various angles as they have been indoctrinated. Am I alone in thinking this? Critical thinking would have stopped this social malaise of indifference that we are experiencing at the moment...

Left Wing Republicanism vs Right Wing Republicanism

Simple question really. Is there a division between a lot of them in terms of political ideaology and has there ever been an attempt to find common ground between them? Right wing republicanism held a lot of sway in that their views were shaped pretty much by their religious fevour from their catholicism and if I am right (or wrong I apologise if I am) there was a move to more left tendencies from the view that British occupation was imperialism. Is there still that gulf there ?

Irish Politicians Immunity from Arrest - Should it be scrapped? ...

Article 15.13 of Bunreacht na h-Eireann

"The members of each House of the Oireachtas shall, except in case of treason as defined in this Constitution, felony or breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest in going to and returning from, and while within the precincts of, either House, and shall not, in respect of any utterance in either House, be amenable to any court or any authority other than the House itself."

 

   

Does this really have a place when you look at Shattergate? The clause really has no standing and is from the De Valera era, a time really vastly different from now. The article favours those at the top of the food chain. So should it scrapped ?

Reaching out to Islam

Attacks in London against Muslims have increased ten fold over the last few days since the attack in Woolwich. A government hotline set up saw a spike in calls with something in the range of 140 calls logged in twenty four hours, a reflection in the shift in attitudes to Muslims in the UK, which was once something of a safe haven for them. The BNP and most notably the EDL have capitalised on the hysteria surrounding the attack and are using the attack as a stick to beat the Muslim community, using racially, xenophobic and islamaphoic language to drive a wedge between the communities in the UK. The Muslim community though is reaching out and has kept its nerve and has ended up in places like Yorkshire in inviting members of the EDL to tea and condemning the attacks as being not part of Islam at all. How do we reach out to Muslims to flow the stemming tide of Islamaphobia that is going to create massive rifts in British society? The Muslim community has reached out but I have not seen much from other communities to create anything that could be termed solidarity bar a few messages on twitter and facebook and other social media arenas.

When does one mans terrorist become another mans freedom fighter?...

The attack on the British soldier in London tonight brought to mind, when is there a line drawn between terrorist and freedom fighter? British and American forces have already invaded illegally Iraq and Afghanistan with a view to subduing the local population and carving territories up between themselves and for big business. Could the attack on the soldier tonight be seen as an expression of fight back against imperialism and invading forces? Michael Collins was viewed by the British as a terrorist but to us he is a hero
http://inserbia.info/news/2013/05/uk...ne-operations/

Michael Collins is both a patriot and a villain; how he is seen depends upon one's personal perspective. For an objective observer, however, one must certainly suspect that Collins would be viewed more as a patriot. After all, his use of violence was not unmatched by the British soldiers; if anything, he was outdone by their cruelty. The argument that the British possessed the right to enact authority upon the residents of Ireland crumbles in the face of the reality that the people there spoke a different language, possessed a different culture, clung to different myths and legends, and, most importantly, did not want them the British there.

   

Where is the line drawn on terrorism and freedom fighters?

How do the IRA fit into the set up?

Riots in Stockholm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22650267

An OECD report has shown that Sweden has one of the highest rates of economic inequality in the world. The motivating factor for a lot of these riots in Sweden has been put down to some people as being a high rate of unemployment with the highest rate being seen amongst those of second or third generation immigrant families. It echoes the riots of the London riots of recent times, is there a lot of similarities? ....

Does the Bible Permit Abortion?..

 

Hosea 9:11-16


Ephraim’s glory will fly away like a bird—
no birth, no pregnancy, no conception.
12 Even if they rear children,
I will bereave them of every one.
Woe to them
when I turn away from them!
13 I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre,
planted in a pleasant place.
But Ephraim will bring out
their children to the slayer.”
14 Give them, Lord—
what will you give them?
Give them wombs that miscarry
and breasts that are dry.


    Numbers 5:11-21

11 Then the Lord said to Moses, 12 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘If a man’s wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him 13 so that another man has sexual relations with her, and this is hidden from her husband and her impurity is undetected (since there is no witness against her and she has not been caught in the act), 14 and if feelings of jealousy come over her husband and he suspects his wife and she is impure—or if he is jealous and suspects her even though she is not impure— 15 then he is to take his wife to the priest. He must also take an offering of a tenth of an ephah[a] of barley flour on her behalf. He must not pour olive oil on it or put incense on it, because it is a grain offering for jealousy, a reminder-offering to draw attention to wrongdoing.

16 “‘The priest shall bring her and have her stand before the Lord. 17 Then he shall take some holy water in a clay jar and put some dust from the tabernacle floor into the water. 18 After the priest has had the woman stand before the Lord, he shall loosen her hair and place in her hands the reminder-offering, the grain offering for jealousy, while he himself holds the bitter water that brings a curse. 19 Then the priest shall put the woman under oath and say to her, “If no other man has had sexual relations with you and you have not gone astray and become impure while married to your husband, may this bitter water that brings a curse not harm you. 20 But if you have gone astray while married to your husband and you have made yourself impure by having sexual relations with a man other than your husband”— 21 here the priest is to put the woman under this curse—“may the Lord cause you to become a curse among your people when he makes your womb miscarry and your abdomen swell

 

 

Numbers 31:17-18

Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him.

18 But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.

 

   

Few more knocking about though surely those of religious convictions cannot turn on the carte blanche catholcism now and claim that they are against abortion for religious reasons? The bible allowed it (from my reading of it) so to disagree with it are you going against your religious belief? Discuss that little hand grenade amongst yourselves...

If women ruled the world, would there be war?...

I was reminded of an old joke on facebook

If women ruled the world, there would be no wars. Just a bunch of jealous countries not talking to each other

   

Funny as it may seem is there any truth to the issue? In World War 2, both the allies and the axis were ruled all by men. The US, UK, France, Canada et al on one side and the Axis of Germany, Italy etc on the other side. If women had run these countries would the outcome of World War 2 or any other war have been different? Before I get Tatcher and other female leaders thrown at he, a lot of leaders like Tatcher sold out their feminity to take on a male persona did they not as they were in a male dominated hierarchy? Male leadership tends to be aggressive and a display of strength, an alpha male complex dominates a lot of male lead governments. What of female leadership?

In Forbes magazine, an article discussed female leadership in the business world. A survey showed that female leadership may be a better approach as it tends to be more empathic and loyal in its dealings. Often a bond is built with others and there is that lack of aggression that carachterises male leadership (http://www.forbes.com/sites/doriecla...re-like-women/).

Cooking for Greece

A link to the shop for anyone looking to purchase it


 

http://www.people-in-need.com/welcom...0&sort=nameAsc
Excellent cook book with some great summer recipes :)

Project that members of Politicalworld.org chipped in on, would urge everyone to buy a copy, goes to a homeless shelter in Chania in Greece :)

US Diplomat arrested for spying in Russia....

Is the Cold War not over?

Diplomat arrested for allegedly trying to recruit Russian intelligence officer...

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world...aims-1.1392967
Russian security services have held a US diplomat they claim is a CIA agent after catching him trying to recruit a Russian agent.

The FSB agency said that Ryan Fogle, a third secretary at the US Embassy in Moscow, was carrying special technical equipment, disguises, written instructions and a large sum of money when he was detained overnight.

Irish Youth Unemployment Rises...

A new paper from the ERSI looks at how hard those under 45 have been hit by the recession.

Those under 45 are spending approx 20% less than they did five years ago.

What is most striking though is the statistics on youth unemployment around the country however...
http://www.irishtimes.com/business/e...inds-1.1392283

When does satire become libellous?

From watching the ongoing debate over various figures in Irish political ciricles issuing threats against others for potentially libellous material, when does satire cross the line and become libellous? Satire is the ridiculing of some sort of ridiculous behaviour by others through the use of humour and has been over the years been seen in the public eye from Punch magazine in the 19th Century to such recent programmes as Scratch Saturday or Bull Island to name but a few. Where is the line drawn though with regards to satire and libel laws? The current laws on libel (or defamation as it has now become) are so open ended that technically a lot of satire could be classed as injuring a persons reputation.

American Department of Justice raids offices of Associated Press

Over the course of the last few days, the Department of Justice in the US has raided the offices of Associated Press looking for phone records from the last two months of incoming and outgoing calls of about twenty lines that the agency used. There is no real reason apparent for the raid but it may be linked to a story in the last few weeks that AP reported on the governent foiling a bomb attack where an IED as to be used on a flight from Yemen. The president of AP has released a statement condemning the raid and has written to the Attorney General in the US to question if such a raid is legitimiate in that it may go above and beyond what legislation allows the government to do but also may infringe on constitutional rights in disseminating and gathering news.
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/0...-ap-91295.html

http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/...ds-163862.html

Cringeworthy Eurovision...

How is this for a little slice of campness..this embodies Eurovision! Lads name is Cezar and is representing Romania!...

Have a good weekend...

Im off to a wedding, so have a good weekend and chill out! Time to dig out the suit!!

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013

The New Maternity Bill 2013 makes no reference to what consitutes the mothers life being in danger...all open ambigious bollocks...


http://www.merrionstreet.ie/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Protection-of-Life-During-Pregnancy-Bill-PLP-30.04.13-10.30.pdf



the PDF link above, this is where there is a case of uncertainty and people will shift uncomfortably in their seats




there is a real and substantial risk of loss of the pregnant woman’s life other
than by way of self-destruction,


By way of another definition, this means to be clarified or it will risk the mothers life further. The lack of definition will result in doctors conferring when a mothers life is in danger, time is precious and if doctors differ patients will die. Lack of certainty over this will result in more doctors being worried in case they are brought before ethics committees or even worse before a court of law to answer for a decision they felt at the time they may have made in good faith. The contents in a way may lay out the terms for abortion but in a very ambigious and unclear way and its going to confuse a lot of medical practitioners. Its an Irish solution to an Irish problem...

Fudging on the X Case Legislation - Savitas Law

Im not going to beat around the bush but the evidence from the professionals for why Savita needed a termination and subsequent fudging on the legislation - quick pointers...

In a letter to the Irish Times, Peter Boylan, one of the countries top obstetricians said

http://www.irishtimes.com/debate/letters/savita-halappanavar-inquest-1.1379305

 I clearly stated that “on the balance of probabilities” Ms Halappanavar would still be alive today had her pregnancy been terminated on either the Monday or the Tuesday. It is indeed impossible for any doctor to predict any clinical outcome with absolute certainty.

Katherine Astbury, Savita's consultants reports the Irish Times...

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/savita-eventually-told-termination-was-only-option-consultant-obstetrician-says-1.1355316

The consultant obstetrician who treated Savita Halappanavar told her she could not have a termination due to the “legal position in Ireland”, but the following day said there was no option but to perform one, she has told the inquest.

On the psychiatrists and the whole pro life shite coming out.I'll just link to the broadsheet, explains it adequately...

http://www.broadsheet.ie/2013/04/26/straw-clutching-latest/

Rent Rising in Ireland - Faster rise in Dublin than rest of country..

http://businessetc.thejournal.ie/this-map-shows-you-why-rent-is-rising-in-dublin-more-than-anywhere-else-892458-May2013/

Rents are rising in Dublin according to a new report published by daft.ie . The rents in Dublin are up approx 5% in comparison to those outside Dublin which rose on average 0.2%. Economist Ronan Lyons has said this may be indicative of the lack of rental properties that are not as available as they once were. Table from thejournal.ie

Dublin: €1,131, up 5.9 per cent
Cork: €799, up 1.8 per cent
Galway: €784, up 2.8 per cent
Limerick: €638, down 0.7 per cent
Waterford: €593, down 3.0 per cent

Its not mentioned in the article but property tax must have had to have impacted on rent increases. The landlord is meant to cover it but they can up rents and say its for something else...

Treatment of Basque Prisoners

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/103585




"She has been sentenced to six years of prison for alleged membership of SEGI – the banned Basque pro-independence left youth organisation. According to the Spanish state, to be a member of SEGI is to be helping ETA, the armed Basque resistance group; however no “terrorist” action was proved against either Nahikari or her seven male co-sentenced, no possession of arms, no plans, maps – nothing like that. The evidence against them consisted of T-shirts, CDs and posters which indicated that they are pro-Basque independence and for socialism, in accordance with which they have been doing open political work for years. But according to the Spanish state, as in the infamous words of a previous harrier of pro-independence Basques, the 'liberal' judge Garzón: “everything is ETA”.




Nihakari was arrested in San Sebastien over alleged offences along with several others. Several people who she was arrested with have alleged that they were sexually assaulted by arresting authorities in which, if proven true, is evident of the contempt the Spanish establishment have for the Basque people. The link above gives a summary of what Nihakari has faced in her trial and that of others whom are fighting for a Basque homeland. Her supporters have fought a long campaign for justice along the way but have been met with maltreatment by the Basque police and the courts. Her husband is already in the South of France and cannot see his wife for fear of being arrested by the police. The use of intimidation, psychological torture and potentially sexual assault are indicative of how worried the Spanish state are of a Basque homeland.

Patriotism and the Flag

Patriotism attached to a flag is misguided, we attach so much to a piece of cloth that winds up dividing us. Whether it be Union Jack, Tricolour or Gay Pride or whatever it is, this symbolism underlines our insecurities in that as a people we need a sense of identity. The flag issue as raised on this thread is an undercurrent of a bigger issue with that of Northern Ireland and its major problem of how people identify with one and other but the flag issue exemplifies it very well. Consider the British Legion who considers the flag sacrosanct and does not want it politicised. The Union Jack is already politicised through it being hoisted via Britian's imperial and colonial conquests throughout the years, Ireland's tricolour through its use in 1916, the gay pride flag to represent all the gay spectrum. Week in week out we wave these pieces of cloth for some sporting event or political reason to show that we have pride in our country and as a badge of identity, somewhere we can all belong and become part of some larger social group. It feels good, how many times do we get a shive down our back when we watch Ireland beat someone in rugby event, the cheer goes up for the anthem and there are various flags around the stadium with "Jacks Bar in Ballygofukwittery on tour" or some cringeworthy phrase. Far from being positive, flags and other such things as anthems and other symbols which appeal to our tribalistic personalities seek to undermine any sort of effort to build one thing we have in common, we are all members of the human race, all one and others brothers and sister and part of society which we formed, created and which we can drive for the better. Culture, Society, Politics, Economics are all driven by tribalsim and their interactions influence norms and values throughout the society we live. Through these values and norms things like flags become a symbol for a victor or an oppressed people, for those on the margins of soceity or left out in the cold or a sign of supremacy. For what end? The world is divided enough without us all resorting to belong to some sort of tribe as our caveman instincts lead us to become some sort of society fractured by our beliefs of superiority where one piece of cloth takes precedence over other group of people. The anarchists have it right to a degree, we should all strive for this masterless borderless world devoid of pseudo sentimental clap trap like flags, anthems, badges and other overtly nationalistic imagery in its tone.

Why are FF making a comeback?

Once a vampire has a stake driven through its heart, it should die or so the old adage goes in folklore. Fianna Fail are like that vampire, the last election saw them completely slaughtered only for recent polls to show a remarkable comeback from the dead. The proverbial stake to the heart in the last elections did not completely kill of the "Publican party", they regrouped under the dark recesses of their rocks and came back together to come back stronger than ever. Two opinion polls confirmed that they are now the most popular party in Ireland 27%, followed by Fine Gael on 25% (Source:http://www.thejournal.ie/fianna-fail-back-in-top-in-new-opinion-poll-798735-Feb2013/). There is very little in terms of explanation as to why the party that contributed to the collapse of the country financially and socially has resurged in popularity. Irish people are glutton for punishment in these years and tend to vote along dynastical lines and those of their family whose opinions still appear to come from civil war era lines. Another factor may be that people do not see an alternative to the status quo in place at the moment. The ULA were a real alternative but beset by infighting aided a less than glorious fall from grace for the movement. Sinn Fein are gaining at the expense of the other parties but have hit a ceiling in terms of popularity, not everyone subscribes to their brand of populsit Republican politics. Fianna Fail are going to be massive at the next election but give them enough rope and they should hang themselves..

The Wonderful Nature of Randomness

Randomness contributes to life beautifully. Human beings in their very nature are scared of change, fearing that changes may upset the routines we have built little by little over life and which rule how we live our life. Every year or month we adjust things slightly to accommodate our life and we never really change anything drastically for fear of upsetting the ying and yang that exists in our perfect harmonious little lives, but why dont we change these things? In the last year that is how life changed for me, I added some major doses of randomness and met some new people and did some new courses and its resulted in life being more wholesome. Throw caution to the wind, let new worlds collide and live your life as its hurtling through.

Some thoughts for a sunny afternoon... :)

Maggie Meme II

The Sexual Repression of the Irish People...

"Lock them up and dont let them see the cold light of day" more than likely was a thought that ran through the head of the nuns as they threw single mothers back into their rooms after a long day at the laundry working tirelessley to make a quick bucks for the holy orders that ran such kips. Single mothers were placed in these institutions becasue they had a child outside of marriage, children were given up for adoption or sent into some industrial school and the mothers looked upon with disgrace, daring to have sex outside of marriage. Even at that, it was not only single mothers whom were sent but women whom may have been single but seen to have been too beautiful for how she may tempt man to "partake of her flesh". Women from society of all types were sent against their will to the laundries.The last of these institutions only closed in 1996, closing its doors never again to be opened thankfully. Ireland however has still held itself back all these years, the closing of the last Magdalene laundry marked a deliniation in the role of Irish society perhaps not frowing upon the sexual being that is inside all of us but to think it was a complete deliniation is far from the truth.

The Ryan report unmasked the level at which child abuse was prevalent all through the schools run by the Irish church and to what extent the abuse was perpetrated. Priests, most of whom were placed under an obligation to stay celibate, were shown to have been abusing children to satiate some sort of urge they had which can be attributed partially to the twisting of norms at the time at what was accepted and what was not. Sexually you only had sex to procreate and sex for any other reason was seen as a sin except in households where the wife was expected to grit her teeth, spread her legs and think of Ireland in what became a societal norm and not seen as it should have been, an abuse of womens rights , a violation of her own body.

Donal Fallons article recently on thejournal.ie on the rise to prominence of the Irish sex shop (http://www.thejournal.ie/readme/sex-...06612-Dec2012/) illustrates in paralells the acceptance gradually of the rise of the acceptance of some aspects of our sexuality and the decline in catholic faith as the 90's came and went so did more sex shops to the point they are now a feature very much of the Irish landscape. When Peter Stringfellow opened his strip club in the mid 2000's, the old dears of the Legion of Mary (LOM) sought to close down the establishment for lap dances (http://www.irishexaminerusa.com/mt/2...in_dublin.html)

Ireland however is still trapped in a mire of sexual repression. Speaking to a friend last night from Boston he told me he was amazed at a recent trip to a gay sauna where men would only 'play' with him in the dark room, they would not give him the time of day but in the dark anything was fair game, sex with the lights off common enough Im sure with Irish people ashamed at the thoughts of making love. Typically the Irish male is at complete odds with the Irish female in the bedroom, the woman likes to be held while the Irish man upholds the stereotype of being masculine and being afraid to cuddle, show me an Irish man who wears his heart on his sleeve and I will buy you a pint (perhaps). Where does this come from this cold heart? A mix of Catholic guilt, pressure to conform to male steretypes and a lack of emotion from parents perhaps all conspire to create this cold shameful sexual Irish being.

Abortion and homosexuality aside, issues discussed to death on the corridors of PW Ireland, lets face it, is sexually repressed. Our youth are only now being thought about contracception, years after Nell Mc Cafferty and others went on the pill train and young men could not buy condoms in the Virgin Megastore on Aston Quay. Online young men are afraid to come out to express their sexual preference as are young lesbians. Cast of your shackles Ireland, we are but a nation economically screwed, morale is low and we have no money to spend but we do have one and other Ireland.

Make love, not war!