Collective stupidity is another, less popular, term. There's a lot of it about.
[QUOTE=dahamsta;968326]and collective conciousness, certainly, [I]
adam
I love that phrase the collective conciousness - very esotheric!
Collective stupidity is another, less popular, term. There's a lot of it about.
The register has just seen it's biggest annual increase since records began, and currently stands at 207k+. We're well and truly in a trough, not a dip, and it's going to get worse, much worse, before it gets better. The government seem unwilling and unable to do anything about it. 600 jobs gone yesterday at Hibernian, coupled with the traditional slack summer period, won't do anything to improve the situation.Originally Posted by Angus
Should be merged with the Unemployment thread, imo.
LOL
http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthr...546#post654546
Originally Posted by cole from aam
Does any one else think that Cowan/Lenihan are out of their depth in resource to worsening economic conditions?
Lenihan in particular looks like he doesn't know what to do. He is consistently shaky in his responses to questions. I have seen the opposition have a cut off Ahern & Cowan over the years but rarely troubled them. Saw Richard Bruton verbally "molest" Lenihan on Prime Time last night as he couldn't answer the most basic questions. I suspect he is just doing what the senior civil servants tell him & doesn't really understand.
Perhaps a bit early to say on Lenihan definitively, but he didn't take him long to not look like a future leader. Even the specifics they outlined, which was sod all, didn't add up. Cowan was out of his depth handling the boom, so nothing to suggest he'll be able to handle a recession when real choices have to be made. Laughably, Cowan was claiming on one news clip I heard that they've moved quickly as they only got the figures last week
Mind you, Bruton is an economist and always comes across well when talking about the economy. He ran rings around Cowan before the election - it's just people don't listen during booms. Time for Kenny to fall on his sword and pass on to Bruton for the next election if we are in a long term recession. There's elements of their proposal from last week that I didn't agree with, but at least they had real proposal which could kick start the economy not just generalised nonsense about making savings.
If you attack me with stupidity, I'll be forced to defend myself with sarcasm.
That's unfair on Kenny in my opinion. He made great grounds for Fine Gael in last year's election and would have won if he wasn't up against Bertie 'Man of the People' Ahern. Bruton is a far better option to manage this than Cowen or Lenihan but a Kenny/Bruton partnership would work with Kenny as Fine Gael leader and Taoiseach just as much as Bruton/? would work. The real sad part of all this is that the Irish public once again proved last year that they are unable to look past the next 3 months in their lives. Once again can we have a round of applause for all those who voted Fianna Fail back into power
Wouldn't necessarily totally disagree, just think Bruton has a wider appeal outside FG voters. Kenny will live or die on the local election results - it'll be tough for him to repeat the last time as FG did so well.
Totally agree with the last two sentences though.
If you attack me with stupidity, I'll be forced to defend myself with sarcasm.
Bruton at least puts himself forward frequently for debate on the news programmes but lost a lot of credibility with me for his blantant refusal to answer the question ala Paxman/Howard on the Last Word regarding the increase in TD's/ministers pay whether he would refuse it.
Edna Kenny has as much charisma/personality as a wet fish - make that a dead wet fish. Pat Kenny has a better chance of running the country.
Name me one charismatic politician Fianna Fail have now Bertie has stepped down? I'm not disagreeing with you on Kenny's charisma by the way (on his personality I think that he comes across as a decent sort, I'd trust him more than the criminals in Fianna Fail for instance, who always look like the kid in the shop robbing sweets when the owner has their back turned)
Wille O Dea is a character ( but not leadership material at all )who I think got the highest personal vote in the last General election.
Fianna Fail would be robbing sweets as the shop owner stared at them - they havent any shame.
However they cottoned on like Thatcher did that all you have to do is keep a certain percentage of the population happy say 30% and the rest can whistle in the wind as they dont matter.
Arent they the most successfull political party in Western Europe ?
Thats more to do with his on the ground work in Limerick throughout the years than anything to do with Fianna Fail. He's always come across as a politican that actually cares about people at local level and would get high percentage wins if he were independent, Fianna Fail or Fine Gael (maybe not if he were PD though ). As you say though he isn't leadership material as he is error prone, and wouldn't be able to get his personality across in a national election. Could only imagine what the biased media would make of another Limerickman going for Taoiseach as well
Never stopped Des O'Malley somehow.Originally Posted by jebus
Yes but that was in the days before Harney and Captain Death (McDowell) sat with the current adminstration. Now the PDs may as well **** off back to the hole they crawled from, they're finished in Irish politics as a party and are kept around to be Fianna Fail's shield to public criticism. The Green Party will be in the same shape once the Failures are done with them
Massive difference between getting elected as TD & running as Taoiseach. The antics that appeal to 10-20k people in one area of the country won't work for the country.
For a while I thought charisma would not matter if the opposition produced a credible alternative but I think Kenny has gone as far as he can. Bruton would keep FG an edge in the Dublin & urban vote. Bruton seemed to well as the attack dog last night & if he could combine with viable solutions to improve the economy will pick up votes. Lenihan is a sitting duck now. The opposition also just need to keep asking Cowan how he can accept credit for boom but not the bust.
I think the fact that only thing the government can think to do is try to reduce the deficit is an admission they have no ideas.
Right, what do you want first, the good news or the bad news??
Good news first:
http://news.smh.com.au/business/oil-...0717-3gj5.html
So what's Bord Gais response??
Bad news
Any joy from Aer Lingus??
No
Not as bad as I would have thought. Up 6% in 2007 & down 9.5% in 2008 Probably means it is back to the level of 2005 or 2006.Employment in the construction sector fell by 26,800, or 9.5%, compared with a year earlier. This contrasts with a growth rate of more than 6% at the same time last year.
No consolation.
In 2005 and 2006, pay deals were in place, there was significant growth in the economy, and there wasn't 20k people signing on per month.
According to O'Dea on Morning Ireland the Government are taking things seriously, and have been for ages. Well since July anyway.
If you attack me with stupidity, I'll be forced to defend myself with sarcasm.
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