40 thoughts on “Monday’s Papers

      1. SOQ

        I think you are giving Ms Walls way to much credit there. As for the ‘violence’- a staged police scuffle at the end of a very large peaceful protest may make for good headlines- but sure that was its only purpose.

        1. SOQ

          Oh and one other thing- you do realise that Piers Corbyn is hard left? He no more represents the majorative than the far right equivalent.

  1. f_lawless

    Just back from the pub. Apologies for the self-indulgence, but I’m going to try and repost the reply I made to the below comment directed at me a few hours back. (my reply disappeared the first time round)

    “1-2-1-2
    December 19, 2021 at 6:00 pm
    Have you ever been right about a single thing on here? Your ignorance is unreal”

    <———
    Sorry to blow my own trumpet, but myself and a few others here have been way ahead of the curve in the Covid era. As early as March 2020 I was already sharing an article by Italian philosopher, Giorgio Agamben who warned that governments bypassing democracy and ruling by a "state of exception" was being normalised:
    https://www.broadsheet.ie/2020/03/23/tuesdays-papers-25/#comment-2181345

    ‘A society that lives in a perennial state of emergency cannot be a free society. We in fact live in a society that has sacrificed freedom to so-called “reasons of security” and has therefore condemned itself to live in a perennial state of fear and insecurity.’
    __________
    By June 2020 I was sharing Agamben’s writings on the concept of the ‘biosecurity state’.
    (quote from article on the strategic culture dot org website: )

    ‘Already ín a bóók publíshed seven years agó (Tempêtes mícróbíennes, Gallímard 2013)—óne that nów meríts an attentíve rereadíng—Patríck Zylberman descríbed a prócess by whích medícal securíty, prevíóusly relegated tó the margíns óf pólítícal calculatíóns, was becómíng an essentíal element óf natíónal and ínternatíónal pólítícal strategíes. Thís ínvólved nóthíng less than the creatíón óf a sórt óf “medícal terrór,” as an ínstrument óf góvernance tó deal wíth a “wórst case scenaríó.” Even back ín 2005, ín líne wíth thís kínd óf “wórst case” lógíc, the Wórld Health Organízatíón warned that “avían ínfluenza wóuld kíll 2 tó 150 míllíón peóple,” pushíng fór pólítícal respónses that natíóns were nót yet prepared tó accept at that tíme.

    Zylberman descríbed the pólítícal recómmendatíóns as havíng three basíc characterístícs: 1) measures were fórmulated based ón póssíble rísk ín a hypóthetícal scenaríó, wíth data presented tó prómóte behavíór permíttíng management óf an extreme sítuatíón; 2) “wórst case” lógíc was adópted as a key element óf pólítícal ratíónalíty; 3) a systematíc órganízatíón óf the entíre bódy óf cítízens was requíred tó reínfórce adhesíón tó the ínstítutíóns óf góvernment as much as póssíble. The íntended result was a sórt óf super cívíc spírít, wíth ímpósed óblígatíóns presented as demónstratíóns óf altruísm. Under such cóntról, cítízens nó lónger have a ríght tó health safety; ínstead, health ís ímpósed ón them as a legal óblígatíón (bíósecuríty).‘
    _________
    Here’s a Sept 2020 comment of mine, making a prediction of what was to come:
    https://www.broadsheet.ie/2020/09/10/fridays-papers-50/#comment-2238561

    ‘– the amount of daily testing will continue to rise and with it the daily case counts
    – the issue of false positive cases will continue without being addressed properly, if at all ..
    – the threat of further restrictions will continue with no end in sight;
    – the Irish media will continue to amplify public fear by presenting things in an alarmist way
    – restrictions will get lifted only to be reimposed as cases rise, leaving everybody even more bewildered and dispirited
    the case for “digital health passports” coupled with on the spot mass testing will start to be touted as the only realistic route out of the ongoing nightmare and to get society functioning normally again
    – all entertainment venues, sports venues, etc will start to require these digital health passports, workplaces too
    – after a period of becoming normalised, they will become mandatory
    – as envisaged by western global policy makers, the building blocks will now be in place tin order to implement a social credit system of governance similar to how the Chinese population is managed’

    A commenter responded mockingly: “Whoa there horsey. You forgot to add the bits about mandatory vaccinations..” as if the notion were outlandish. Look where we are today.

    I could go on..
    ——————>

    1. paddy apathy

      “Myself and a few others have been way ahead of the curve in the Covid era” … no you most definitely are not.
      Granted you spend a lot of time and energy reading and posting. But that’s all you’ve done really!
      What, other than irking some at the other end of the Covid awareness rainbow, have you actually accomplished?
      Your source material is entirely within your echo chamber and you repost other people’s thoughts and research as your own, adding your own insult and invective.
      Go back to the pub.
      Enjoy it while you can.
      And maybe think about toning down the personal abuse in the New Year and possibly more people will read and think about what you’re saying. Or is that what you want at all, are you trying to inform and influence? Or is all this just to point out to strangers on the internet how clever you are to be ahead of the curve.

    2. 1-2-1-2

      Thanks f_lawless
      Really enjoyed the Agamben links
      Love reading philosophical ideas on that scale

      Unfortunately less enamoured with your own bleakly absurdist weltanschaaung. Can’t really get my head around how nihilistic you are.

      You seem to put 2 and 2 together and get 99. Thanks for engaging in this discussion none the less.

      1. f_lawless

        Just getting back to this now to see if there was any response.. No surprise to see the ususal ad hominem.

        Paddy Apathy tries to go on the attack as if Broadsheet’s own editorial leaning weren’t “at the other end of the Covid awareness rainbow” to his own. If you don’t want to be irked by these kinds of opinions, you don’t have to visit the site.

        “you repost other people’s thoughts and research as your own”. You seem to have the wrong person. I make an effort to provide links to source material where I can.

        And definitely veering into psychological projection territory here: “maybe think about toning down the personal abuse in the New Year and possibly more people will read and think about what you’re saying”.

        For me, Broadsheet is a welcome independent source of information and in the comment sections I find it worthwhile reading the perspectives of those I view as the more thoughtful commenters, or the links to material they might provide. I like putting in my own two cents just like everyone else who comments on here with honest intent and I appreciate that Broadsheet allows us the opportunity to do so.

    1. Micko

      Cool. If we round up all the unvax’d and put them in “ Covid concentration camps”, will the vaccines work better then?

      Ah of course I’m joking. Not to worry. It’s all made up.

      This bill has been on the table since 2015 (potential Ebola outbreak) and still hasn’t passed.

      I suppose anyone can be a victim of misinformation eh?

      Even yourself 1212 :p

        1. Micko

          Spreading misinformation is no joke. Under any circumstances.

          17 social credit points deducted from your account comrade.

  2. GiggidyGoo

    Ah hahahaha. https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/fianna-fail-abandons-controversial-500000-charity-lottery-and-refunds-raffle-tickets-sold-so-far-41165769.html
    So the FF ‘Charity’ poos itself as there’s a legal challenge to its legality.
    John Brown sure made a name for himself.

    “ The court challenge is being taken by the whistleblower who revealed Tánaiste Leo Varadkar’s GP contract scandal. The judicial review was lodged in the High Court on Friday by businessman Chay Bowes against the granting of the licence by the district court. Mr Bowes is understood to be challenging Fianna Fáil being granted the status of a charity or philanthropic cause.

    Mr Bowes came to prominence when he revealed Mr Varadkar leaked a confidential GP contract in 2019 while he was Taoiseach. The leaking of the document to a friend of Mr Varadkar is still being investigated by gardaí.“

    How’s the Criminal Investigation into Leaky Leo going?

      1. Bitnboxy

        +1 “Businessman” and Putinista Chay Boweski. ROFL. Might Paddy be throwing a few bob to Chay for the challenge? Shur – it gives him something to do. Isn’t cuddly Chay suing over this Grift Media article? https://gript.ie/gay-sex-russia-and-sinn-fein-the-secret-obsessions-of-varadkar-whistleblower-chay-bowes/ – let’s see where this goes (spoiler- nowhere).

        Much-a-do about SFA. Chay is another one of those “men” whose main issue is that nobody recognises his genius. Not even Cosgrave I’d wager.

        1. Bitnboxy

          Ah haha haha. What a compliment mad auld lad GiggidyGums! What does go on in that pasty gummy noggin of yours?! So good you said it twice but with a twist. Gosh, I am humbled.

          Too easy! You clocking on later for the night shift? Any aul bonus for Xmas (some of which I hope your ex gets)

          :-p

          PS. You promised me you would scan your code for me. What has changed?

          Sheesh. Mad auld lads – very unreliable.

          1. Bitnboxy

            Lol. We are expected to believe that everyone has an alias bar mad auld lad GiggidyGums???Leaving aside the fact that he was busted for using the moniker “Mick McCabe” himself, one must wonder at the madness that an aging man’s main concern in life is anonymous commenters on an anonymous comment forum! Nobody cares. Nobody.

          2. GiggidyGoo

            Nope. Boxy has 99, and you’re one. Like love and marriage. You can’t have one without the other. Sad yoke. You’ve been outed once again. There there there. Scan the nice coloured code. Ha haaaa. The kiddles klub klosed for a few months now.

          3. 1-2-1-2

            I know you’ll love to think otherwise Giggigy, you’re so mad out of it generally. It is still the same though. Bit boxy is a different person and I don’t think you want to imagine that you’re equally despised by both of us

  3. Johnny

    ….ain’t that the truth Siobhain.

    ‘The chief executive of the National Asset Management Agency (Nama) has admitted to “deficiencies in the process” of selling a portfolio of loans that resulted in a €10m loss in 2012.

    In an appearance before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) yesterday, Nama CEO Brendan McDonagh said “we fully accept and regret that there was a miscalculation on the part of Nama… as certain loans were misclassified” as part of the sales process.

    The transaction, known as Project Nantes, involved a package of loans connected to Avestus, the property partnership formed by developer Derek Quinlan.‘

    https://www.independent.ie/business/irish/nama-admits-deficiencies-in-sale-process-that-led-to-10m-loss-39603423.html

    Congrats to x Arthur Cox partner (counsel to NAMA ) on da SPASH in business post yesterday,

    https://www.businesspost.ie/business/siobhan-quinlan-planning-almost-700-build-to-let-apartments-in-dublin-suburbs-a6669c65

    1. Fergalito

      Read that – mad, didn’t even know he lived in Kerry.

      Some set of piipes on him, no-one else can bring the same sense of foreboding and menace like ML.

      I’ve his autobiography on its way to me, looking forward to reading it.
      Description of it brought “Wonderland Avenue” by Danny Sugarman to mind – had forgotten of its existence entirely until Lanegan summoned it unintentionally. I know being in the throes of addiction and/or on a death spiral isn’t humorous really but jaysis, some of the capers in Wonderland Avenue were off the chain.

      Like the time they decided to get doughnuts when high as weather balloons….. !!

      1. Otis Blue

        He won’t die wondering that’s for sure. I’d like to think that he’s supping and throwing’ arrows in Danny Healy-Rae’s. That’d make for quite the concept album.

        As for how he came to be in Kerry…

        “Shortly after the publication of his 2020 memoir Sing Backwards and Weep, a raw, harrowing saga of addiction, destitution and grief, Lanegan and his wife Shelley Brien moved from California to Co Kerry, a place they’d first encountered when they appeared on Other Voices in 2004. “A friend of mine had a house here,” Lanegan explains. “When I became reacquainted with the physical beauty of the place and made some really good friends right off the bat, the warmth of those people made it an easy place to stay. Sometimes I have trouble with the high voice accent, but I’m learning…” Lanegan thrived in lockdown, entering a prolific period of writing lyrics, poetry and music, until the morning he awoke completely deaf and unable to stand or draw oxygen. He lost his balance, suffered a bad fall and was admitted to ICU, where he was diagnosed with a life-threatening case of Coronavirus.”

        https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/mark-lanegan-on-life-in-kerry-sometimes-i-have-trouble-with-the-accent-but-i-m-learning-1.4748136

  4. Johnny

    …..no,no it’s modern Ireland,init.

    ‘Don’t Be Surprised When You Get Omicron,” admonished a new headline in the Atlantic. Ok, I thought, I won’t. Shuffling forward a few places in line, I began to tick off the last few days of media partying in my head and wondered if my migraine was more than the usual mid-week hangover. Monday was a movie premiere at MoMA with an after-party at the Polo Bar. Tuesday, the Irish Consulate on Park Avenue. And still to come: Midtown Christmas lunches and magazine parties and whatever else I’d blindly RSVP’d to.

    But of course I’ve had to cancel all that. I had COVID, too.‘

    Super event at consulate in NY last week,the ginge in IT has piece on it…..do you still believe in Santa ginger,cause this is just unbelievable.

    https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/irish-diplomat-party-in-new-york-spoiled-by-covid-19-case-1.4759417?mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fhealth%2Firish-diplomat-party-in-new-york-spoiled-by-covid-19-case-1.4759417

    Hack attends Irish consulate ……PARTY.

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