Author Archives: Aaron McAllorum

The Virgin Galactic Spaceship Two completed its first piloted space flight yesterday. Which means too-rich dingbats Bill Cullen and Tom Higgins, of Irish Psychics Live, are closer to their dream of becoming the first Irishmen in space. They are among 320 potential astronauts who have paid $200,000 (hand on luggage is extra) for the vanity jaunt.

No date has been set for the first commercial flight. But this short film of the test flight shows how Bill will be, ahem, ‘fired’ into the stratosphere. And to think he was once so poor he used to simulate space flight by putting lit bangers up his arse. Golden times.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDUVe3a496Y&feature=player_embedded

In the light of the lone cement truck protest, Henry McDonald, The Guardian‘s Irish correspondent, wonders why aren’t the Irish revolting.

His conclusion: We’re too busy calling Joe Duffy (above).

“A colleague of mine from the BBC who is leaving its Ireland operation for a job with the EU in Brussels and who comes from Dublin made the most telling remark about the day of the cement-mixer attack. Pointing to the lack of crowds baying for politicians’ and bankers’ blood outside the Dail she quipped that the Irish were “too busy whining about the politicians and the bankers on the Joe Duffy Show” to go out demonstrating.”

He adds: “The Republic’s debt-laden, still property-owning obsessed, conservative citizens are more terrified of having to hand over control of their economy to the IMF than the forthcoming budget of brutal cuts and increased taxes. The Greeks may riot in the street but the Irish prefer to ring up radio stations instead.”

Why Aren’t The Irish Revolting (Guardian Blog)