Misc
Time to Remember
Jean Claude Juncker has cited previous refugee crises in proposing the settlement of Syrian and other refugees in the EU. He needed to look no further back in time than to 1945, and to look at Europe itself.In preparation for administering Nazi-dominated Europe, the Allies estimated that 11.469 million people were “refugees” in Europe, with 7.738 million of them being in Germany itself. (Many were slave labourers in the Reich). The European nationalities were represented in the following proportions: 2.3 […]
Austerity
There are many varieties of austerity. There is the modest hope of Padraic Colum’s “Old woman of the roads” , thinking of the possible house she would be content to own: “I could be quiet there at night Beside the fire and by myself, Sure of a bed and loth to leave The ticking clock and the shining delph!” And then, there is the austerity and integrity of Fran Halsall in her book, “From Shore to Summit”. You get two things […]
National Digital Research Centre: Brewster’s Millions with public money?
The National Digital Research Centre (NDRC) is the successor to the now departed MediaLab Europe in Dublin’s Digital Hub. Like all good corporate entities, it has a mission statement. “NDRC’s mission is to create market capital by accelerating ideas to income in a sustainable, ongoing and enduring way.” “Accelerating ideas to income” is what we might otherwise call helping to start a successful company. The company is a joint venture between Irish Universities and is funded, almost entirely, by a […]
More on NAMA
Readers of this blog may recall a Freedom of Information request to the Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance for details of the discussion between the Government and the EU Commission relating to the price at which Irish bank assets would transfer into NAMA. That information was never furnished. It is no surprise, therefore that NAMA has claimed exemption from complying with any Freedom of Information requests. There is a possibility for some information leakage, however. J K Galbraith records, […]
Kaczynski Crash
f they had been Irish, probably they would have owned their residence in joint names (in joint tenancy). The effect of this form of ownership is to vest full ownership in the survivor. Significantly, the property never becomes part of the estate of the first partner to die. However, commorientes defeats this process. Which died first?
Bad Language again
The reason is, he does not know the meaning of the word “refute”.
A Marriage Settlement
Shakespeare had been a lodger in the Mountjoy household in 1604. Belott was the Mountjoy apprentice. How he found time to act as matchmaker is a mystery; perhaps his involvement consisted of a conversation over an evening meal after his return from the theatre.
Hand of Henry
Ireland was punching above its weight in the game with France. When you are punching above your weight you better know it and you better aim for a knock out blow to win. A win on points will not be vouchsafed to you.