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“You can see Newton’s mind at work…”
To add to the open access treasure trove at the Royal Society, Cambridge University Library is putting online some of its collection of books, maps, manuscripts and journals. We have called the first phase of our work on the Cambridge Digital Library the Foundations Project, which runs from mid-2010 to mid-2013 and has been made possible [...] read our review » -
Douglas Murray – Bloody Sunday: Truth, Lies and the Saville Inquiry, Book Review
The aftermath of the Saville Inquiry into the events around Bloody Sunday has left me, and I suspect many others, with one enduring image: Prime Minister David Cameron’s apology in the House of Commons, where he says that the actions of the British Army were ‘unjustified and unjustifiable.’ But there’s a lot more to the [...] read our review » -
Ulsters Last Stand?: Can Unionism Move Beyond Insurance Policy Politics?
How has Ulster unionism arrived at where it is today – fractured and uncertain, yet dominated electorally by the DUP, a party that tells us it offers unionists sure footing in uncertain times? In his latest book, Ulster’s Last Stand? Reconstructing Unionism after the Peace Process (Irish Academic Press, 2010), Prof. James McAuley from the [...] read our review »
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Comment on Not everything you hear about Greece is true…
on 18 May 2012 at 10:11 am
There really is no need for the type of pompous moralizing about the Greek character which is so prevalent in the media, much as our touristic impressions are irrelevant to any serious discussion, as is Noonan’s scoffing quip about Feta cheese.
It personifies everything that the Irish establishment parties are terrified off – our own ‘reputation’ and being seen as backward bog trotters. Thanks for posting something positive and factual about Greece, Mick.
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Comment on Euro crisis: “Tis agoreuein bouletai?”
on 18 May 2012 at 9:58 am
SM
(4) Greece calls upon the Chinese (sure they’d be delighted to help), prompting Germany to have a speedy change of heart.
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Comment on #EUREF: Souveraineté ou survie du déluge?
on 18 May 2012 at 9:56 am
Mick – the treaty has seemingly benign financial consequences (because the commitment to economic program is already being adhered to) yet by its ratification there shall certainly be future political consequences for a whole host of economic decisions to be taken out of the hands of elected governments.
So the principle is a democratic one.
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Comment on Greece: “good luck for the next restructuring…”
on 16 May 2012 at 9:04 pm
OM
Of course there is an alternative to the extremity of ‘painful adjustment’ and Tsipras knows it – much as I hate to state the obvious – ‘cos he got democratic backing to demand it.
The Syriza party has risen from getting 5% of the vote to 17% and is now polling in the mid twenties. A reasonable chance therefore that next election can bring a government that rejects the austerity measures contained in the second memorandum.
Telling people what they want to hear – let’s leave that to lily gonaded Irish Labour party.
By contrast Tsipras is walking the walk.
If he forms government that rejects the memorandum, while refusing unilaterally to leave the euro – well then the EU has a big problem, not Greece.
‘EU: Good luck for the big fat haircut’
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Comment on #EUREF: “Voting No would rapidly expose how unimportant we now are”
on 16 May 2012 at 1:28 am
The principle of Mr. VB’s stance is absolutely political – now that we have ‘awakened to appreciate the enormity of this and the enormity of the permanent surrender of sovereignty’ – that is to say that while a No vote does not prevent us from living sensibly economically, a Yes vote takes a whole host of decisions about the economy out of the hand of elected governments. Sounds perfectly sane to me.
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Comment on Greece: “good luck for the next restructuring…”
on 16 May 2012 at 1:00 am
The Greek left’s refusal to negotiate with potential coalition partners, arguing against the terms of the EU-IMF austerity regime (lest it be forgotten in stark contrast to ‘Frankfurt’s way or Labor’s way’) – well at least Tsipras has the gonads to honor his election pledge to the Greek people.
The eurozone has bred this chaos with its own hand by half century of union by stealth.
Now let it reap the consequences of having decimated the legitimacy of the major parties in Greece.
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Comment on A drafting error in the Fiscal Compact?
on 8 May 2012 at 9:57 am
‘He has always been a low-rent europhile, so that’s just wishful thinking.’
You are kidding? It was the black stuff what thunk it – and you are of course correct, but given the unadulterated haemes FG have made so far….
Cormac Lucey:
‘’the Referendum Commission explains what the drafters of the Treaty appear to have intended. But this is at variance with what the text of the Treaty actually says….’’
SO much for impartiality of the Referendum Commission which has acted foremost as an interpreter of the text, not as factual analyst.
Also three cheers for the ‘stability’ of the treaty’s ‘rules’.
O ‘Cuiv should enjoy this. The bigger the union gets the more incompetent it becomes.
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Comment on A drafting error in the Fiscal Compact?
on 8 May 2012 at 12:38 am
Funny you should say that Mick – a conversation took place (admittedly it was late on Patrick’s night) on the question of why on earth did Enda & Co. agree to this ‘blackmail clause’ knowing a referendum may sink the treaty? It was suggested that maybe, just maybe, our bold Mayo symposiarch and his cohorts are executors of a canny game of pretense co-operation with the euro overlords, by signing a flawed treaty that the people will almost certainly reject – unconstitutional and untenable as it is ….
Or – just another bureaucratic balls up. My erroneous copy came through the door today.
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Comment on Greece: “Country in Limbo”
on 8 May 2012 at 12:08 am
Recall yon conversation on Greece from waayyy back last summer:
“and the red flags are still flying there”
Oh dear…
Fine, wee buns, but that is just one element of the problems facing the European Project.
And that’s why a narrow focus on that particular issue is mostly irrelevant in a wider consideration of the current existential crisis.
http://sluggerotoole.com/2011/07/19/euro-crisis-everything-those-leaders-have-done-after-large-amounts-of-dithering-has-ended-up-making-the-situation-worse/comment-page-1/#comment-859514
With the weekend that was in it – not so irrelevant now – huh Pete?
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Comment on Referendum and the Euro crisis: “Its unravelling, if it comes to that, will look very different.”
on 2 May 2012 at 1:27 pm
In terms of circumstances afoot being perfect for political or military backlash, this just came to my attention.
A requirement has arisen for the provision of Public Order Equipment – Visors – Anti-Riot. A quantity of 1,000 is required.
http://www.e-tenders.gov.ie/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=APR333217
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