10.24.07
To write
Alright so, if:
a) I’m sick of politics and you all think I’m wrong anyway
b) Being angry about inequality just makes me even more angry and achieves nothing
c) The free market capitalists will win and I should just join up now
d) The soccer team is more important than poor people and lying politicians
THEN, what should I write about this week?
The vibrator?
Suggestions please. A bag of Tayto Cheese and Onion to the best one.
Godiva said,
October 24, 2007 at 11:21 am
How about writing about Coolacrease and tying it in with modern Ireland. Parish politics, the rumour mill, power brokering, neighbours, proximity…… lots of scope there. Have Irish communities changed so much that it could never happen now (ok, not the shooting but singling out a family and pushing them out).
Smoky Bacon please.
Justin Mason said,
October 24, 2007 at 11:39 am
please don’t write about the vibrator.
The worst column I read recently was Kathryn Flett in the Observer Women’s mag, writing luridly about some sex toy. She revealed in the last paragraph that the entire column was basically a plug for one of her mates, who’s written a novel about vibrators or something. truly grim, low-grade tat.
Uncle Junior said,
October 24, 2007 at 11:46 am
Whoo-hoo, yes please, a series of posts devoid of “Stan/Mahon Tribunal/How FF are from Mars and FG are from Venus” references would be greatly appreciated! It could be interesting to hear your thoughts on Ireland’s vexed relationship with America, especially since your recent visit there. We love criticising the country and all things American yet we really enjoy holidaying or settling there. We have bought into their 24/7 consumerist mentality and our own politicians can teach the Congress a thing or two about ignoring the electorate, pork barrelling and love-ins with lobbyists but yet we still think we’re better than them! Like, I mean, we even sooo talk like them, LOL. Rather than big-ticket analysis it would be interesting to have an observational approach to America, our fifth province. For instance, surely Americans are far more friendly and socially welcoming than us, notwithstanding Lonely Planet’s recent ranking list? You can know an Irish person for years and never see the inside of their house whereas an American will invite you for dinner, beers or BBQ by the second conversation. Don’t get me started on customer service: free refills there versus charging for extra hot water here!!
Or you could just do a long post on depilatory products – there are far too many hairy men and women about nowadays.
Tomaltach said,
October 24, 2007 at 12:41 pm
Justin,
I noticed a pun in your post which made me think of how words and concepts flood around in our brains, bouncing across the synapses after the immediate initial, concious thought has passed. You wrote about the vibrator and the discussion about it by a woman in the Observer, then you said this must be “a plug for one of her mates”. I’m sure it is! Though you consciously refused to discuss the vibrator, the mechanics of its use briefly flashed across your mind (and mine, blush). While your keys danced along the keyboard, in a hidden chamber of your subconscious some primal, alligator instinct was indulging in an imagined pornography, and in a flash your fingers typed ‘plug’. Amazing. Now back to balls, and soccer, ooops
brian t said,
October 24, 2007 at 12:46 pm
It’s been a while since you mentioned Religion… (ducks).
e.g. do you have any feedback from or involvement with Secular or Humanist groups in Ireland? Or you could lurk on the atheist.ie forum, where one thread is on “Define God”, and the question of abortion keeps coming up. The idea that there are non-Catholic people in Ireland still seems a bit of a novelty to the mainstream press, and they’ve been spoiled by the way most immigration is from Catholic(-ish) countries in Eastern Europe, but you still have the likes of David Quinn painting atheists as “inhuman” (in the Mahon Tribunal) e.g. http://www.independent.ie/opinion/letters/so-are-atheists-subhuman-then-1088173.html
Johnny K said,
October 24, 2007 at 1:41 pm
I thought it was a back massager?
Sarah said,
October 24, 2007 at 2:03 pm
lol. Ah yes, when I am cranky and despairing and full of self doubt and inadequacy my commenters come to the rescue! America good. What’s Coolacrease? Gotta check that out.
I was thinking about religion alright. A month ago I spotted a Buddha in a local shop for €85. I thought about buying it and decided against – did I have to start being spiritual by spending money? Yesterday I said feck it and bought it. I’d moved him around the house cos I like him catching my eye when I walk into a room and I remember to half smile and be mindful instead of arguing with people in my head (which i do far too much). Anyway, I like him so much I think I need more.
Anyway I think a column on religion would have to address if we need organised religion to spread values and promote spiritualism in a society. We need something.
I think we need organisation, but not necessarily the religion.
Religious belief is irrational BUT Buddhism is wonderful without requiring belief in the supernatural. And actually, most things Jesus said were positive and rational too. As Stephen Neill pointed out before here, it just all the other stuff that got added on that was a bit mad.
Also I was checking out Grandad’s site.
But his tag line made me smile
“Grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway, the good fortune to run into the ones I do,and the eyesight to tell the difference.”
http://www.headrambles.com/
P O'Neill said,
October 24, 2007 at 2:17 pm
It’s probably dated already but there’s always something along the lines of — who cares about the outcome of the rugger, but isn’t that Percy Montgomery dude such a looker? Though that column has probably already been written 10 times in your British competitor papers.
Godiva said,
October 24, 2007 at 2:30 pm
Where’d you buy your Buddha? I’d love a nice Buddha.
Observer women’s mag is awful rubbish.
“Or you could just do a long post on depilatory products – there are far too many hairy men and women about nowadays.”
Hell no, nothing wrong with hair. We don’t want to become so American that men start waxing their chests. A crime. And as for the Brazilian, men who like that fad are deeply suspicious in my book.
The Lonely Planet thing about Irish being friendliest people depressed me. Does that mean that our perception of Thai’s, for instance, as friendly is equally a crock?
I’m sorry I didn’t read Brendan McWilliams now. The Irish Times is one of the last newspapers I get a sense of goodness and integrity from. Although now that they’re employing ex-Dunne Stores HR hatchet heads, no doubt that’s all changing – decency about to go out the window in favour of the bottom line. I love Michael Harding on Fridays.
Coolacrease… 1921 ‘execution’ by the IRA of two Protestant farmers in Co Offaly. Although I think you should run with the American thing.
Sarah said,
October 24, 2007 at 3:27 pm
It was in a shop called Wild Things in Enfield, but I think the only had one.
Oh yes, the Offaly thing – saw a bit of it last night on the telly (but was watching the Tudors – great stuff isn’t it? Catherine Of Aragon was cool – well as portrayed by Maria Doyle Kennedy…)
NOW its ok! After due consultation with The Esteemed Editor we have selected a subject. All will be revealed Sunday!!
HOWEVER I like the American suggestions best here. There MUST be a column in that. Address please for the Taytos
Johnny K said,
October 24, 2007 at 3:33 pm
What about something on the demise of the Irish quiz show? Anyone for a bit of Murphy’s Micro Quiz-m, or Quicksliver.
Crocodile said,
October 24, 2007 at 4:28 pm
At a dinner party on Sunday night, the following 3 anecdotes:
A hospital manager is begging one of her physios – as a personal favour – to stay until Christmas. If she leaves now (for Australia) the embargo will prevent her advertising for a replacement and, even if she could, there would probably be little response – they all want to be in private practice.
A neighbour’s daughter has just lost her sixth class teacher. The job, in a good suburban school, was advertised twice – drawing a total of zero applicants.
A third guest had offered to help as an interviewer at her daughter’s careers evening (she’s a senior civil servant). Sorry, she was told, not a single student, out of over 100, had expressed an interest in working in the public service.
Yet the Sunday papers had been bulging with columns – yours got a mention – depicting life in the public service as a paradise of job security, flexitime and extravagant pensions. Why has this gravy train so few prospective passengers? Could it be that the pro-business agenda of the papers had dictated a barrage of public-service-bashing to coincide with the benchmarking negotiations? We didn’t know, and if any columnist has addressed this mystery, none of us had noticed it. But then, columnists are by definition biased towards the private sector ….or are they?
Sarah said,
October 24, 2007 at 5:44 pm
hmmm EXCELLENT points.
I suppose public sector jobs have a bad name.
a) traditionally they had lower pay
b) people seem to be quite unhappy in them. Anyone I know who does work in the civil/public sector is driven demented by bureaucracy, sheer waste of money, inability to make an impact etc
But your point about public sector bashing in the papers is good – public servants aren’t writing columns. The role models presented are the entrepreneurs whereas the public sector is synonomous with failure and inefficiency. On the other hand the public sector gets their voices heard at the social partnership talks and through the government….
Hmmm Brendan Drumm is constantly bashed – Michael O’Leary is a hero..hmmmmmm yes yes yes Column material there definitely.
em, so was I quoted as typical example of public sector bashing bitch journalist or rock of sense?
Godiva said,
October 24, 2007 at 6:16 pm
I was torn between Coolacrease and Brat Camp. Hate that, you end up jumping between both. It’s like trying to go to two parties in one night, doesn’t work. Brat Camp was rubbish – reality job, crying, hugs and Liz Bonnin. Hadn’t seen her for a while. She looked more glam on Off the Rails. RTE must have a better makeup team than C4.
And later The View, not a great panel. Richard Delevan was so-so, Polish girl shoulda stayed at home while Hugh Linehan was great – articulate and cute to boot. Seems there’s an exhibition of Polish artists worth seeing in National Gallery.
Crocodile said,
October 24, 2007 at 6:53 pm
‘em, so was I quoted as typical example of public sector bashing bitch journalist or rock of sense?’
A bit of each, to be honest. The primary school principal I mentioned, who is maybe the cleverest and hardest-working person I know, is married to a farmer. She was praising a column you wrote recently ( I missed it) about urban attitudes to rural life, in which, apparently, you debunked the knee-jerk ‘they’re all whinging spongers, selling sites and shooting tresspassers’ kind of attitude, beloved of newspaper commentators. She went on, though, to compare your reasoned, let’s-look-at-the-facts defence of rural life unfavourably with last Sunday’s column. The last sentence of that ( it isn’t up on your site yet) was something like: ‘Please, give me a job in the public service’. My neighbour’s rather bitter comment was: ‘She can teach my sixth class. Nobody else wants to.’ The point was that columnists don’t have to find out how things actually are in the classroom or the hospital – it’s easier and more popular to pander to readers’ prejudices.
My own view is that there is a large constituency of middle-class people out there, working in the public sector, often as professionals – nurses, physios, teachers. They’re in their thirties and forties, they went to college, but they can’t afford to live where they grew up and people no cleverer or more hard working who they knew at college, but who went into business and service industries, now earn far more than they do. The one thing they do have as compensation – a defined benefit pension – is under threat. They are mostly women. They vote. They buy newspapers. They read blogs. Everyone depends on them. Nobody speaks for them, in print.
Paige B Harrison said,
October 24, 2007 at 7:46 pm
Sarah, why not take something you believe not to be true and write a convincing case for that proposition. It is great fun, I’ve been doing it for the last year.
How about …
James Watson isn’t racist, only senile
Social networking sites are the future
Keelin Shanley is a tart
John Delaney is the future of irish hairdressing
Salt n vinegar, since you asked.
Paige
Sarah said,
October 24, 2007 at 8:44 pm
Crocodile..
hmmmmmmm well you see you had me until the end…
Benchmarking gave people in the public sector pay rises to match their counterparts in the private sector.
Then there was a downturn 3 or 4 years ago and the private sector crowd were made redundant and while they got new jobs they were at lower salaries. So now there are many public sector jobs which pay far more than their private sector equivalents. (applies to certain sectors I know) Throw in the extra holidays and the pension, and the public sector do have it better. Technically.
But no one wants to teach sixth class because teaching is seen as a dull boring profession involving dealing with obese brats. Also, at the outset, to someone in their twenties, teaching seems like a job with limited earning potential. Better to make millions in something fascinating! Course then life happens and 15 years later teaching suddenly seems nice and secure.
Btw I often considered primary school teaching and even looked seriously once into going for training. Know what put me off?? The bloody honours Irish. Don’t have it.
But still, doing the Dip IS seen as an admission of failure in some quarters..those who can do, those who can’t teach etc.
One more thing – a friend who is a sister in a big A&E wants to give up and get a job in a private practice. Why? Not the work, not the conditions, not the pay – its the abuse from the patients relations. They all appear shocked when they see what way the hospitals are run. To which she asks – WHAT did you THiNK was going on?
Anyway, the point is em….oh yes, working conditions in public sector jobs probably stink. Which is why no one wants them. But the fools the fools! Think about the pensions!!!!
Crocodile said,
October 24, 2007 at 9:09 pm
Any use pointing out – not for the first time – that the last round of benchmarking did take into account public sector pensions: it says so quite clearly in the report?
Of course, public sector pensions haven’t improved over the last ten years, it’s just that private companies have been moving the pension goalposts in favour of shareholders and against the interests of employees. I just find it fascinating – and I don’t have a defined benefit pension – that so many people think the logical outcome is to bring public pensions down instead of protecting or improving private ones. Reminds me of my 3-year-old neice: she and her brother got bikes for Christmas, but hers got run over by her dad’s car. The solution seemed logical to her – dad should drive the car over her brother’s bike too.
Elizabeth said,
October 24, 2007 at 10:21 pm
There is a lot of misplaced snobbery about the civil service. I worked briefly in a Department, before embracing the world of self employment. I confess I initially saw the job as a grim means to an end. However, I was amazed by the range of interesting and influential jobs that were available. Within months, I found myself attending international meetings, representing “Irlande” on my ownsome. While there was, admittedly, an amount of dead wood, I was genuinely impressed by the calibre and dedication of many of the people working at senior levels. I didn’t stay because I had planned another path, but I felt a great deal of regret in leaving.
I am disturbed by the latest twist in the Aer Lingus saga. I could not believe my ears when I heard Noel Dempsey publicly denouncing an assistant secretary on Morning Ireland. Ministers never say – “Actually, I had no hand, act or part in this piece of legislation/policy initiative/job creation/whatever – all the credit should go to my officials”. The downside of taking all the credit, is that you have to take ultimate responsibility when things go wrong and not publicly hang officials out to dry. The man in question has no right of reply and cannot ring Morning Ireland or Joe Duffy to give his side of the story. If civil servants make culpable mistakes, it should be a matter of internal discipline.
I am aware that this whole side show is a red herring to distract attention from the real issues; however, a man’s professional reputation hangs in the balance. It was particularly poor form, even for a Fianna Fail minister.
Tomaltach said,
October 25, 2007 at 9:11 am
The public service suffers from a major image problem. Saray you are right – they don’t write columns. You were saying that on the other hand they have their voices heard through partnership and through government. But government don’t speak for the public service. In fact, curiously they are often their enemies. Mary Harney spends most of her time in conflict with public servants. Same for other departments. This is just the nature of things. About partnership, well yes, the public sector unions have a brilliant process for securing their conditions, but this in itself does nothing for their image – the public just see any gains as a waste of money. And this is back to the image problem.
Sarah, you mentioned the entrepreneurs as role models. I think this is a huge part of the problem. Today young people are after something cool or exciting and they are presented with stereotypes to which they are invited to aspire – the high dealing of business, the glitz of entertainment, the frenzy of finance. The cult of personality is today’s religion: who would be a scientist if you think you can be Bono? Or who wants to be a priest when you can be a Rogue Trader?
It is true, as Crocodile says, that a certain amount of people make bigger income in business – in finance or certain services. But it is lost on the average 18 year old that the world of business is often mundane and brain dead too. Mismanagement and waste are not the preserve of the civil service. Private entreprise is not the nirvana of open management, opportunity, flexibility, and free thinking that we are led to believe. Many of the people I know in private industry work in horrid, repetitive, stifling environments,hate their jobs and have no respect for managers who far from enabling the best in people, cause people to close down and just tip along.
Furthermore, there is the perception that the managers in business are sharp, innovative and brilliant strategists. And that integrity and accountability would shame the public service. I heard a comentator on a radio program recently say about the budget problems in the HSE that if this happened in private business, those responsible would be fired. Here the image is of a ruthlessly efficient business world where any shortfall brings the ultimate workplace punishment – the sack. But this is horseshit. Private companies miss their targets, piss off their customers (ever ring NTL?), and make blunders all the time. Occasionally a head rolls but this is not the norm. We’ve seen shareholder meetings again and again where brazen directors fail to hold management to account and the small shareholders get ignored.
This is not to mention the cronyism in the small, incestusous world of Irish business, where directors are on a million different boards and hop from one company or sector to the other like musical chairs, all the while playing golf with the same buddies from the management class they are supposed to police.
It is true that elements of the public service are crying out for modernisation and the trenchant unions do nothing to help. But the image of an enormous divide between a glitzy, efficient, progressive and open private sector and a lethargic, dull public sector masks the truth. Both have the good and the bad. But all media are private and pro-business and beating the public servants for wasting tax payers money is always such fun.
other half of andrew black's beard said,
October 25, 2007 at 5:45 pm
Why don’t you write about what you always write about – yourself.
Sarah said,
October 25, 2007 at 6:55 pm
Would you believe, Frank, the ST ed suggested the very same thing?
irishflirtysomething said,
October 29, 2007 at 12:45 pm
Could be worse, you could be blogging about being single !
Arthur O'Grady said,
October 29, 2007 at 4:22 pm
Why are there no photos on your blog? Why don’t you get a camera and take a few shots? Are you just not a very visual person?
Also, and I may be wrong here, but is there a well of misery and anxiety under your oh-so-efficient, bright-eyed exterior? Why don’t you reveal your real fears and despair? Might be cathartic?
Ciaran Buckley said,
October 30, 2007 at 9:10 am
Emmanuel Kehoe did a great piece on the Coolacrease documentary in the Sunday Business Post. He blew large holes in the thesis of the documentary that it was clear-cut ethnic cleansing and land-grabbing. This family were taking potshots at the IRA. Then they were amazed when the IRA came along and executed two of them. Justified? That’s up to your own morality. Suprising? Um, no. Land-grabbing/ethnic cleansing? Possibly partially, but nothing clear-cut about it. Let’s face it, Eoghan Harris has a drum to beat and is prepared to do it with a very small stick.
Sarah said,
October 30, 2007 at 2:26 pm
You know I tried the photo thing and got bogged down. I really need a tech tutorial.
I thought the anxiety was overt?
Crocodile said,
November 19, 2007 at 11:19 pm
‘Could it be that the pro-business agenda of the papers had dictated a barrage of public-service-bashing to coincide with the benchmarking negotiations?’
I wrote on Oct 24th. See Stephen Collins in IT on Saturday, Alan Ruddock in Sindo on Sunday…. and then today Halifax publishes its report saying that nurses, guards, teachers can’t afford to get on the property ladder. The question remains: if public service careers are a cushy gravy train, why are so few interested in getting on it?