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6 August 2009 Edition

The Mary Nelis Column

6 August 2009

IT WAS Padraic Pearse who warned of "the risen people" and nowhere has there been a more apt description of the events of August 1969 in Derry. It is 40 years since a community rose in revolt in what became known as 'The Battle of the Bogside', events which are surely unique in the annals of civil disturbance. Over three days, an entire community, young and old, male and female, united in opposition against the RUC, the armed wing of the Six-County state and fought with petrol bombs and stones a police force equipped with guns, riot gear, CS gas, water cannon, armoured cars and supported by the hatred and bigotry of Protestant civilians determine to teach the Bogsiders a lesson. Free article

THE RECESSION: From German Christian Democrats to American liberals and Chinese communists, they all grasp the fundamental fact: you can't cut or tax your way out of a recession, you can only grow our way out

6 August 2009

LET'S focus on the central aspect of economic debate: fiscal policy. Admittedly, deficits and borrowing and debt are pretty dry issues, but the political battle will be won or lost here. The reason why the Fianna Fáil/Green Party Government brought in the April budget was not to halt the recessionary slide or to stop unemployment climbing. It was to bring the deficit under control. 'An Bord Snip' was commissioned to propose cuts that would reduce the deficit. No doubt, the Commission on Taxation will be argued on this ground, too (though, given its mandate requires it to maintain the low-tax model, this will be interesting). Free article

'Too many women are jailed'

6 August 2009

THE criminal justice system is failing women, Sinn Féin's Martina Anderson MLA has told An Phoblacht. Martina, who represents the party on the Policing Board, was speaking after Sinn Féin published its response to a recent consultation document by the British Government for the management of women offenders. "The criminal justice system has been failing women for a very long time. A greater proportion of female offenders are jailed and many for lesser offences than their male counterparts. Free article

This news feature is funded by the European United Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL)

6 August 2009

How the EU Parliament works, Pléann De Brún tosaíochtaí uachtarántacht na Sualainne and De Brún slams new vote on old Lisbon Treaty Free article

THE JULIA CARNEY COLUMN

6 August 2009

IT DOMINATES the news cycle. Sky News updates are nigh on hourly. It screams from the stands in every newsagents I've checked. Yes, everyone has an opinion on the split between Jordan and Peter Andre. Short version, for those of you too busy poring over campaign documents: Jordan and Peter Andre, who met on a reality TV show, married and have recently broken up. They're kind of famous. That's about it really. It's simultaneously on the front page of Heat, Star, Reveal, OK and Now (glossy celebrity mags that aren't on many Shinner reading lists, I'd venture), all of them carrying the same story, even with some of the same headlines. There's regular and substantial coverage in the tabloids as Jordan and Peter fight a war of words through their publicists and paparazzi. Free article

Cúlchaint LE EOGHAN Mac CORMAIC

6 August 2009

Duine ar bith agaibh a chaith dhá uair a' chloig i do sheasamh ar an traein riamh ó Bhaile Átha Cliath go Gaillimh (nó ar a laghad chomh fad le Cúl an tSúdaire nó Ath Luain) tuigfidh sibh cuid den loighic, b'fhéidir, atá ag Michael O'Leary nuair a deir sé gur mhaith leis suíocháin 'seasta' a chur isteach ar chúl eitleáin Ryanair. Mar a tharlaíonn sé bhí mé ar eitiltí leis an chomhlacht droch-chlúiteach cúpla uair i mbliana cheana féin, ag taistil go hAlba do chruinnithe leis na Gaeil thall, nó tá Glór na nGael ag eagrú cruinniú de ghrúpaí Gaeilge i measc an diaspóra san fhómhair i mbliana agus bhí mé in Alba leis na colcheathaireacha Ceilteacha, ag réamhchruinniú. (Dála an scéil, chuirfeadh sé ionadh ar dhuine a chluinsint faoin líon mór daoine atá ag freastal ar ranganna Gaeilge leis an Chonradh thall, bunachar sonraí de 300 daltaí agus iar-dhaltaí, 150 dalta cláraithe do chúrsaí i mbliana - nach mór an trua mar sin go bhfuil an Bord Snip ag moladh giorrúcháin móra sa bhuiséad ar leith a chruthaíodh roinnt blianta ó shin a chuidíonn leis na hÉireannaigh thar lear le seirbhísí mar seo a chur ar fáil, ach sin scéal eile do lá eile). Free article

More than a game BY MATT TREACY

6 August 2009

Well I was right about one thing last week, not to be optimistic! But totally wrong about the game being fascinating, other than it having maybe the same fascination as for some deviants who enjoy watching cats torture mice. Anyway I had left at half time to go to see a film about talking guinea pigs but myself and Ciara even missed that although Ciara suggested that maybe the guinea pigs were in Croke Park wearing blue jerseys. They do seem to be smart guinea pigs however. Free article


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