From the Irish Times:

“All that happened yesterday was the first stage of a process which has quite some distance to go yet’’

….Mr Gilmore insisted that the Department of Finance secretary general had been nominated because he fitted the requirements of the post. It was the most appropriate appointment, he said.

…Mr Gilmore said the civil service was independent and he respected it. He said he understood that there had, by and large, been a positive reaction to Mr Cardiff at the budgetary committee hearing.

 

Except for the fact that they rejected him.

Cardiff Still Government’s Nomination To European Court (Irish Times)

JK Rowling appearing at the Leveson Inquiry this afternoon.

Guardian Live blog here

Junior Cert Cycle review (Athlone.ie)

Many years ago the RTE Guide inadvertently placed a photo on its pages of Marty Whelan sporting what can only be described as a massive, spontaneous erection while posing on a Vespa.

Was it real or Photoshopped? Impressed readers of the family magazine have wondered ever since.

Now, in an interview with Katie Byrne of The Dubliner (with today’s Evening Herald) Marty literally spills the beans:

The Dubliner: “Please forgive me in advance but there is a very funny picture of you that appeared in the RTE Guide many moons ago.”

Marty: “I know what it is.”

The Dubliner: “I know you know what it is.”

Marty: “How do you know I know?”

The Dubliner: “I Know…”

Marty: “This sounds like something from Blackadder now…Am I on a scooter?”

The Dubliner: “Yes.”

Marty: “Aaaah, the scooter. There was no airbrushing on that picture. can I confirm, no airbrushing at all. That’s all me. What a bike!” [laughs uproariously]

The Dubliner: “So, can I use the headline ‘That Photo Was Not Airbrushed’?

Marty: “No airbrushing required.”

Courtesy of The Dubliner

When the IMF came to town last year he became – with his boss Ajai – as familiar to Dubliners as their Ma’s coddle. His lonely eyes and massive shoes signalled the arrival of a new kind of austerity to these shores.

Now economist Ashoka Mody, in a new study, blames the decision by Brian Lenihan and Brian Cowen (with a little help from one Kevin Cardiff) to nationalise Anglo irish Bank as the event that ‘triggered” the global financial crisis.

Oh yes.

In The Eurozone Crisis: How Banks and Sovereigns Came to be Joined at the Hip, Ashoka (with fellow IMF economist Sandri Damiano) writes:

And the cause?

The rest you know.

Decision To Nationalise Anglo Irish ‘Triggered Euro Crisis’ (Thomas Molloy, irish Independent)

…should you favour flimsy nether-garments and ‘sheer’ teddies worn with ‘killer’ heels and day-glo pastel or rabbit ear-shaped ‘fascinators’. Models (Rachel, Alyson and Eva with, bottom pic centre, designer Damaris Evan) at Brown Thomas last night to launch the Mimi Holliday range at the store’s Lingerie Room.

(Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland)

Dublin drag queen legend Miss Panti writes:

This message (above) was hand delivered to Pantibar [Capel Street, Dublin] yesterday [November 23]. It was handed to a member of staff in a brown envelope with scrawled handwriting on it. The staff member didn’t open it himself so the bloke who delivered it was gone before we read it. Also in the envelope was a note telling us to laminate the message and attach it to the front door.

(FYI, Pantibar was formerly known as “Gubu”, over four years ago)

While I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about and it’s probably the work of some harmless nutter, the inclusion of a specific date could definitely be construed as a (no doubt empty) threat, so we are bringing it to the attention of the Gardaí just in case.

So, come and join us for a perverted drink, an evil show  and some police protection on Friday. Yey! And if you’re lucky you might even get “defiled”!

And just to be absolutely clear, Pantibar is not closing! It’s just wishful thinking on the part of the nutters.

 

Ooh look! I’m Getting Purged Because I’m An Evil Perverted Homo (Pantiblog)!