I don’t know Dr. Gerry Burke.  Were he to walk past me on the street, I wouldn’t know him.  So, please, someone point him out.  I want to buy him a pint.  For Dr Burke has been going around getting himself disliked in certain circles.  He has made a complaint to the Competition Authority, [...]

You can pick your friends but not your friends’ friends. Out last night with some of the former who brought some of the latter and, of course, their conversation turned to the recession. And those of the latter were real Euro-jockeys, propounding such thoughtful gems as ‘trade unions are sapping our vitals’. [...]

The Yippie Show: How some media-savvy leftists inadvertently helped the right, and vice versa - Reason Magazine
"The right wing is the left wing's best ally.The party of anarchy thrived on repression. The party of law and order thrived on disorder." Article on the protests surrounding the Democratic Convention in Chicago 40 years ago.

Being the third and final part of a dérive through Dublin with a map of Paris.

Place Pigalle: Vibrant, albeit a little rundown, Pigalle tends to attract large groups of Americans, and, as a result, there is a great deal of anti-American feeling among the residents and artists. Much of the artwork was, frankly, disappointing: Most [...]

A Tiny Revolution: The market mindfuck
The scanner on Obama’s economic policy, the story of which of the Bobs managed to convince Clinton about economic policy in his first presidency: “Robert Rubin wanted the government to redirect income from taxpayers to bondholders. Therefore, he was in favor of “the market.” Robert Reich wanted the government to [...]

LENIN’S TOMB: The Nazi Army
Matthew Kennard on how the US Military is allowing members of the Far Right into its ranks despite their well known record for violence and racism. Stacks of evidence and a well-written article.

Dennis Perrin: Demver — Day Four
Dennis Perrin's Democrats conference highlights: "I did enjoy Biden's promise of expanded war in Afghanistan, possible action against Pakistan, and the requisite Russia bashing on behalf of plucky Georgia. The Iraq occupation will of course continue under Obama/Biden, only it will have a different name, and will be repainted in [...]

The Wisdom of Old Men Has Been Earned. Is Not Just Bloody Senility!
Although lovely Holy pissing Ireland has always shunned bigheads and know-it-alls and have always been suspicious of thinking, up the country you will still find a great deal of respect for the job of teacher, especially as a job for ugly spinster girls [...]

There are any number of issues that should be tackled in recession times. I won’t list them, you know them. But bashing EU regulations is not one of them, especially when you indulge in that great Tory, ‘Little Englander’ chicken-little past-time of fabricating regulations that don’t exist, just to have a bash.
And [...]

Journalists are too often criticised for being pessimistic, lacking balance and failing to take due recognition of good news. One Irish Independent writer referred to this alleged phenomenon as the “doom and gloom blackout of the Irish Times”.
Admittedly, few journalists are known for injecting humour into their work, without, that is, compromising the integrity of [...]