Art, media, opinion and ideas
Today's Irish Times featured a column by Breda O'Brien headed "Internet Attacks on Church belie need for open secularity online". As I was recently involved in an Internet campaign to have the Papal Nuncio expelled, during which I debated Ms O'Brien, the topic caught my attention. My response to her column, which exceeds the 3000 character limit set by the Irish Times for comments, follows.
You know how it is. You get up every morning, wanting to make a difference. You slog through day after day, scanning the horizon for any sign- any clue- that your work is having an effect.
Smithfield: Buildings, but no people, originally uploaded by Editor_Tupp. Smithfield is a failed space. The property developer is in trouble.
Where is the Society of Chartered Surveyors 2009 report setting the rebuild costs on which insurance companies base their premiums? Apparently they don't even have an estimated date for delivery. Instead, we're all paying our insurance companies based on values in the May 2008 report.
It is said that the mark of a gentleman is that when proved wrong he will acknowledge his error, but when proved right will never point it out. I am no gentleman. This week, Anglo-Irish Bank- the financing wing of the Fianna Fail/ Property Developer axis which has actually run the country for its own benefit for the last 15 years- finally keeled over dead.
I am not much of a socialiser. While others may be found on many's the evening dancing upon the tables of happening establishments too cool to have a name, I am more likely to be sitting on my couch mulling over the wisdom of a third digestive biscuit. Nonetheless, last week saw me in an uncharacteristically adventurous mode- making my way one evening up Thomas St towards the Guinness Storehouse.
The day before Thursday's vote on the Lisbon Treaty there is a moratorium on reporting to let the electorate consider their position. So, as I'm a voter, I'm going to have a bit of a consider. I've leaned from Yes to No to Yes again over the course of the campaign.
Cash Money. I received an email today from Joe Costello telling me about a competition they're running to promote the Lisbon Treaty. In exchange for a well crafted one minute video, they're offering a prize of €1000, spendable in shops, into your hot little hands.
If politics is a battle for power, Bertie Ahern was never beaten. If politics is a clash of ideas, he leaves us with a nil-all draw.
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