Raiméis

I see that Jeffrey Donaldson has returned from Colombia with news that the Colombian government will formally request the extradition of the ‘Colombian Three’. Jeffrey, old chum, this issue is between the Irish Government and the Colombian government, why don’t you fuck off and mind your own business. Indeed why don’t you put as much effort into solving some of the problems within your own community rather than gallivanting across the world sticking your nose into areas it’s not wanted.

Very sad to read the news that former Red Devil and Rep. Ireland captain
Noel Cantwell has died. Our Cork born Busby Babe was a double international, representing Ireland in both soccer and cricket. Sincerest condolances to his family.

There has been a number of postings on various blogs in the past few days about the 5 year old “loyalist” who was caught throwing stones at the PSNI during a recent riot.
Balrog is “shocked and appalled” to hear that Loyalists have been recruiting young children to take part in these riots; United Irelander calls it a “new low” for loyalists; Slugger also covered the story. Disgraceful that a child so young could be dragged into the action, I’m sure you’ll agree. But make no mistake, this problem is not confined to just one community. Wasn’t it within that past 2 weeks that there were reports [link needed] of a six year old nationalist child rioting also? How sick is that?

If ever there was a [yet another] wake up call to Northerners I believe this is it! What kind of sick society have they created that you have kids as young as 5 or 6 out on the streets rioting? They should all be absolutely ashamed of themselves!
My own child will have his 5th birthday this weekend and not only is he in bed by 8pm every evening but he knows well enough that if he throws a stone even in the general direction of another person he’d get more than a telling off. So I simply cannot understand how kids so young are on the streets during such trouble. What kind of worthless parents would allow their children to be dragged on to the streets of Belfast to hurl stones at Police? What kind of idiotic parents would allow their children get involved in such a dangerous and potentially life-threatening situation as a riot? There is simply no excuse for such gross irresponsibility!

Isn’t it about time politicians, those wankers the people of NI chose to represent them, came together and said enough is enough? Isn’t it about time the decent people of NI, who I’d like to believe are the vast majority, came together and said enough is enough? Isn’t it about time that people recognised that the children of NI are the best opportunity for building a lasting peace and a future together? They should be looking at ways of teaching their kids tolerance, respect and understanding. Instead children* are allowed to be recruited by the scum of NI society so we have yet another generation of mindless bigots.
There are enough good people in NI who would be well able to work out their differences, all it takes is a small bit of effort. What’s stopping half a million or more of the decent protestant & catholic people of Northern Ireland marching on Belfast city hall declaring that finally enough IS enough! I hate to use this clichéd phrase, but will someone please think of the children? They’re your best chance.

*a small number I am sure

p.s. if you resort to whataboutery or use the “glass houses” analogy in your response I’m going to assume you agree with the recruitment of children for the riots.

Listening to our boys online via RTÉ. C’mon lads!!!

Rep. Ireland 0 – 1 France (FT)

HT: 0-0 A tough first half with chances on both sides. 2 yellow cards for Ireland which means Roy Keane & Morrison miss the next game. It’s still all to play for but one goal from either side may just decide it.

FT: 0-1 A goal by Henry and the worst result for Ireland, we just couldn’t find the French net. Realistically that ends our chances of qualifying for the world cup. Bastards.
Reid picked up a yellow which puts him out of the next game … not that it really matters now. I suppose we always knew we’d rue the points dropped in both games against Israel.

Related games:

Faroe Islands 0 – 2 Israel (R)
Cyprus 1 – 3 Switzerland (R)
Predictable results for both Israel & Switzerland.

Group table today
1 Switzerland 8 – 16 (games – points)
2 France 8 – 16
3 Israel 9 – 15
4 Rep of Ireland 8 – 13
5 Cyprus 8 – 4
6 Faroe Islands 9 – 1

Final prediction
1 France 10 – 22 (games – points)
2 Israel 10 – 18
3 Switzerland 10 – 17
4 Rep of Ireland 10 – 17
5 Cyprus 10 – 4
6 Faroe Islands 10 – 1

Others of interest:

Norway 1 – 2 Scotland (R)
Northern Ireland 1 – 0 England (FT) !! What a famous victory for NI in Belfast! This was actually NI’s first goal against England for 25 years!
Poland 1 – 0 Wales (R)

Ok, the first of my games is out of the way. Finland (my current residence) knocked 5 past Macedonia with the help of a Forssell hat-trick … … ok, who cares, all eyes are on the Ireland (oops, Republic of-) tonight against France. Kick-off is in about half an hour, damn i’m excited about this one!

A nod to TCAL for the following.

Keith Olbermann on MSNBC lays into the Bush administration and their handling of the Katrina crisis.

The seeming definition of our time and our leaders had been their insistence on slashing federal budgets for projects that might’ve saved New Orleans. The seeming characterization of our government that it was on vacation when the city was lost, and could barely tear itself away from commemorating V.J. Day and watching Monty Python’s Flying Circus, to at least pretend to get back to work

Mr. Bush has now twice insisted that, “we are not satisfied,” with the response to the manifold tragedies along the Gulf Coast. I wonder which “we” he thinks he’s speaking for on this point. Perhaps it’s the administration, although we still don’t know where some of them are. Anybody seen the Vice President lately? The man whose message this time last year was, ‘I’ll Protect You, The Other Guy Will Let You Die’?

Watch the video or read the transcript in full, it’s excellent stuff. Good to see someone with the balls to lay the blame where it belongs.

The BBC thinks that perhaps the US media has gotten its spine back.

Related to Katrina, Barbara Bush has some astounding things to say on the subject when she visited hurricane relief centers in Houston:

“And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this–this (she chuckles slightly) is working very well for them.”

Yeah, i’m sure it’s working out just fine and dandy for those folks in the hell hole which is the Astrodome today, lost their homes, probably lost friends or family … just wonderful. Fuckin moron.

A while ago I was whinging about the cost of petrol here, i’ve even more reason to whinge now due to last weeks price spike. The Helsingin Sanomat were predicting a price rise of about €0.14-0.15 when prices changed Friday night last. In Helsinki the price for 95E unleaded (before the price rise) varied from around €1.27/l to $1.35/litre. In fact the cheapest petrol in the feckin country was $1.24 a litre for unleaded 95E. The petrol station beside me here now sells the petrol at €1.46/l, isn’t that a balls! I wonder how much money the government is raking in from petrol sales … cunts.

J.R.R Tolkien’s The Hobbitt is currently being translated into Irish and should be available before the end of the year. I don’t know about you but I think it’s great that such books (Tolkiens, JKRowlings etc) are being translated into Irish, they might encourage more interest in the language amongst our younger speakers/learners.

I think John O’Shea is spot on here when he called plans to send 30 Irish troops to help with the New Orleans aid effort as ‘ludicrous’.
I mean, they have massive resources available, they have about 14 navy ships in the Katrina task force with more than enough helicopters & personnel to deal with the crisis, which aren’t even been used to full capacity so to send a mere 30 troops to help out is plain nonsense.
Even our meagre 1 million Eur donation is pathetic, as if a mere 1 million will make any difference to a country whose defence budget is about 1 billion per day.
Cop on Irish government, send your condolences, maybe visit the US to show your support but enough of the pathetic little gestures.

I came across this quiz on
klog. Which religion is the right one for you? I’m probably going to hell, though at least I scored low on satanism.

You scored as agnosticism. You are an agnostic. Though it is generally taken that agnostics neither believe nor disbelieve in God, it is possible to be a theist or atheist in addition to an agnostic. Agnostics don’t believe it is possible to prove the existence of God (nor lack thereof). Agnosticism is a philosophy that God’s existence cannot be proven. Some say it is possible to be agnostic and follow a religion; however, one cannot be a devout believer if he or she does not truly believe.

agnosticism		71%
atheism		54%
Islam		54%
Buddhism		46%
Christianity		42%
Paganism		38%
Judaism		29%
Satanism		29%
Hinduism		21%

Bit odd that I scored so high on islam…