1922 på nytt

Med mindre en er i posisjon i Norge er det svært lite som ser ut til å gå bra for de sittende regjeringer rundt om kring. I Norge og i Storbritannia; for nå ser det endelig ut til at Gordon Brown faktisk får økt støtte etter å ha fått bank av de Konservative siden han tok over etter Blair. Så helt svart er det da ikke. I regjeringskontorene rundt St Stephens Green og i Kildare Street er det mindre harmonisk, som mine tiligere innlegg har konkludert med. Green begynner å telle på knappene om hvorvidt koalisjonen med Finna Fáil og Progressive Democrats er formålstjenelig, og hvem som i det heletatt holder PD sammen er for meg, og de fleste andre, et mysterium (PD gikk i oppløsning i starten av september).I dag kom det første partibarometeret etter Brian Cowens retrett på deler av kuttene i Helsetjenesten og skattejusteringene, og for å si det mildt: They're pretty focked.

Finna Fáil - - - - - - - - 26 % -10

Fine Gael- - - - - - - - - 33 % +5

Labour - - - - - - - - - - 15 % +6

Sinn Féin- - - - - - - - - 10 % +1

Green - - - - - - - - - - -6 % -1

PD - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 %

Independent - - - - - - - -8 %

Med andre ord, for første gang siden Eamon de Valera fikk FF inn i the Dáil er partiet MINDRE enn Fine Gael på en måling; for ordens skyld, FF ble valgt inn i 1928. Med litt lett hoderegning ser vi også at Labour og SF nå tilsammen er like store som FF, hvilket for mindre enn to måneder siden ville ha vært utenkelig, og dette presser frem en interesang situasjon i parlamentet: hvem vil bli de første til å samarbeide med SF? SF har vunnet mange gode saker det siste halve året, og har satset stort på å etablere seg som et parti for de under 30 (hvilket ikke er dumt nå f.eks FF dominerte byer som Galway har nesten hver 4. innbygger i den kategorien), nå kan vokse fram som en reell politisk maktfaktor. Samtidig går Green igjennom samme krise som SV hjemme har måtte gå igjennom. Dette er samtidig som PD trapper ned aktiviteten og de tre uavhengige TD'ene som støtter koalisjonen begynner å høres ut som Enda Kenny (opposisjonslederen), mens et intern opprør i FF truer med å implodere hele byggverket Bertie Ahern fikk bygd opp før han ble tatt for hestespill med offentlige middler.

Saken om hvem som skal ta over, og hva FG skal gjøre når de gjør så gjør det hele mer interessant. Forskjellen mellom alternativene er tilnærmet fraværende, eller mer presist: litt som å velge mellom Demokrater og Republikanere. Fine Gael har stått på barrikadene og kjempet mot innføringen av betalt høyere utdanning, mot kutt i helseordningene og skatteøkningen som ble foreslått. Problemet blir: hva skal de gjøre anderledes? Finne Gael er for at utdanning skal koste, det er ingen vesentlig forskjell på FF og FG der, både FG og Labour (av alle) vil ha et (enda) lavere skattenivå og FG vil heller subsidiere private sjukehus enn å gi gratis helsestell til hele befolkningen. Alternativet til koalisjonen FF-G-PD vil være FG-Lab-(G), eller FF kan bryte med alle prinsipper og gå sammen med SF, men aldri i livet om SF vil gå med på det. Enkelt forklart: forholdet FF-SF er helt likt det mellom AP og FrP, de slåss om de samme velgerne og er i all hovedsak også tuftet på like skillelinjer; FF og SF som motstandere av den Anglo-Irske avtalen, og Irsk rett til uavhengighet, mens AP-FrP er utslag av to tiders arbeiderklasser som begge oppstod i grupperinger som følte/føler seg oversett av en undertrykkende politisk kultur og behovet for å "skape en himmel efter sin egen skikk". Et tredje alternativ finnes ikke. Labour og Sinn Fein kan tilnød stemme sammen, men de to vil aldri, aldri, med mindre det avsløres at FF og FG i hemmelighet har inngått en avtale med Storbritannia om varig britisk styre i Nord, kanskje da vil SF klare å karre til seg nok stemmer til å klare seg alene, men noe som helst samarbeid virker bare for usanslynlig. Følgelig er det store spørsmålet: hva pokker gjør oppunionen om det blir en regjeringskrise og Cowen går, Kenny kommer og politikken fortsetter i all hovedsak slik som under Cowen.

Det er 1922 på nytt. Ikke i den forstand at det er på randen av borgerkrig, men det faktumet at det igjen er helt åpent hva som kan bli utfallet om det skulle oppstå en regjeringskrise i nærmeste framtid, eller i løpet av de 4-5 årene regjeringen har igjen å sitte. Denne gangen har derimot SF vinnen i ryggen, FF har ikke de Valera og Michael Collins kan ikke redde FG. Labour derimot står i Status Quo; de er fremdeles tredje størst, som da, og har ikke veldig mye å komme med, men at innflytelsen plutselig kan begynne å bety noe, noe mer utover det å sikre FG et lite flertall over FG, det kan skje og det kan bli gøyalt her.

Apoligies, Martin.

I want to apoligies to Dr. Martin Butler for blaming him for everything that is wrong with UCD. In fact, I did a quite embarrising mix-up with Dr. Hugh Brady. Dr Butler are the Vice-President for Students, and are THE most active leaders when it comes to communication with the student branch her, hence, he are often held respossible for what the rest of the University Presidency may come up with. However, Dr Hugh Brady...the man who gets a 19 % increase in his salary, bringing it up to €270.000 a year (the salary were €205K when I become president i 2004) due to what is told to be a result of "the changeing nature of the Presidency", and that do not include the free residence in the University Lodge in Greenfield. Dr Brady are the man behind the reorganizing of the University, and one of the hardest defenders of College Fees. There is something with the rhetoric that isn't right:

This is not a restructuring driven by the need for savings. It is
primarily driven by our academic needs and by our need to maximise our teaching and research potential. To do that we need to free up academic staff to participate in those types of activities and yes at the same time to provide the most efficient administrative infrastructure to support them, but it is primarily an academically-driven enterprise

If we can generate a 24/7 twelvemonths a year type of culture we will draw many people onto the campus who may not have been here for many years and who will, for the first time,appreciate what a beautiful campus we have.

UCD is a very strong brand nationally but less so internationally. As wemove into the more competitive international environment, we need to look at the name and consider whether it needs changing. As you know our officialname is University College Dublin, National University of Ireland, Dublin. That per se is not ideal. The word college in the North American context can suggest a purely undergraduate teaching institution. You mentioned Newman University and indeed I have heard many other names being brought forward.

"it’s interesting the same issues came up within each of the components of the dialogue process"

We’re talking about maximising the impact of €200 million of taxpayers’ money"

"It is primarily driven by our academic needs and by our need to maximise our teaching and research potential"

"to maximise our academic performance while at the same time obviously lobbying others to invest in us to a greater degree"

Sorry mate, you spent too long time in the US and Harvard. Your in Ireland now, get real, wake up or take your posession of enteprising and fock off. Too bad i'm not here to the spring, this is going to turn nasty.

Resymé av de siste dagers hendelser.

Da har man endelig litt tid til å skrive igjen, hvilket har vært en mangelvare den siste perioden, hovedsaklig på grunn av fatalt opplegg fra UCDs side (slik går det når en for en hver pris skal ha markedsorienterte universiteter, jeg er ingen enhet, ta den Dr. Butler(et navn som forresten forfølger meg)!), og helgetur til Galway. Sistnevnte noe en faktisk har sett framtil.

Kan i grunnen hoppe tilbake til Torsdag. Torsdagkveld kl 9.30 PM lokal tid, hvor jeg da plutselig fikk det innfallet at jeg skulle se på en av de nå åtte filmene jeg har kosta på meg her. Valget fallt da på Saoirse? som er irsk for "Frihet?". Veldig kort fortlat er Saoirse? no så uvanelig som en irskspråklig film, det vil si at introduksjonen lyder som så:

SAOIRSE? an dara scannán stairiúill a rinne Gael
Linn faoin gcaoi ar baineadh féinrialtas amach in Éirinn. Tosaíonn an scannán le bunú Dháil Éireann sa bhlaian 1919.

Legg merke til den konservative språkbruken da Dáil Eireann blir skrevet på en litt anderledes måte. Greit å huske i tilfelle en skulle komme i en gramatisk diskusjen en sein kveld på byen. Uansett. Filmen er et propaganda mesterverk fra 1961 som tar for seg den irske uavhengighetskrigen fra 1919 til 1921 og til borgerkrigens utbrudd i 1922. Filmen består utelukkende av filmklipp og avisoverskrifter fra den tida, og alt da tonesatt med alt fra the Soldiers Song til noen direkte sørgelige ballader, mens da kommentatoren varrierer med å lese patriotiske dikt og bruddstykker fra aviser, taler, partiprogram og dertil beslektede sjangere og utbryter ved et tilfelle at "For britene er det ikke forskjell på GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) og Sinn Féin, og løsner skudd mot tribunene på Croke Park som om de var en og samme". Uvant krasst. Og som vanelig ender jeg opp imponert av filmkvaliteten, for med tanke på at kamerabesetningen neppe var offisielle var det ganske imponerene å plutselig kjenne igjen steder i Dublin, Union Jack hang over GPO, at det kjørte britiske panservogner opp O'Connell Street, marskingeværstillinger ved Trinity College, Eamon de Valera inspiserte IRA brigaden i Kerry og det faktum at nedbrenningen av Cork og Trim var filma; Dublin var med et plutselig ikke så harmlaust. Noe festelig var det også, fordi et av filmklippene her i Saoirse? også ble brukt i Michael Collins (som Liam Neeson er skummelt lik) og at artiklen som omtaler at en politi inspiktør ble likvidert av IRA (Ridlet with bullets) som også blir referert til i Collins-filmen (Liam Neeson holder da på å banke opp mannen som likvederte inspektøren fordi han brukte mer enn et skudd siden kuler ikke vokser på trær). En får litt perspektiver av slikt, hvor fredelig det nå enn er her, så er det faktisk ikke mer enn 86 år side Four Courts ble skutt i filler av de som i dag er største opposisjonsparti her. Ga glatt filmen en 5er og gikk til sengs.

Dagen etter tok vi, ISS, bussen fra Belfield og tok vestover i et regnvær som ble med oss så og si hele dagen. Kan egentlig ikke gjengi så mye av de første 2 timene av turen av den enkle grunn at Undertegnede tok kvelden allerede før vi hadde forlatt Co. Dublin. Da jeg sperret øynene opp igjen var terrenget helt likt som da vi starta, bare at gresset var enda grønnere. Fantastisk grønnt. Dessuten var vi nære Athlone in Westmeath, hvor det forøverig var tilbud på julenisser og skinnsofaer. Jeg for mindel nøyde meg med å kapre den euroen som stod igjen i ei vogn og kjøpte meg en bagett sammen med to andre mens resten løp på McDonalds. Jeg får vel korrigere meg sjøl litt, vi var riktig nok i Athlone, men vi var bare ved motorveien, på et sted som var forbløffende likt Åsane, bare noe mindre kupperte og planlagt fra byutviklingsetatens side. Fra Athlone kasta vi oss ut på en vei som blei smale og smalere, det ble lengre og lengre mellom husa synkront med at mellomrommet mellom bussen og møtene busser ble mindre, så ble steinhjerdene og saua mange; og da var vi i Offley. Nærmere bestemt Clonmacnoise.

Clonmacnoise er DET gamle religiøse sentret i Irland, og da meiner jeg senter som i senter, for dette er omtrent så midt på øya som det er mulig å komme. Grunnlagt på St Patricks tid av en lokal helgen, hvis ku kunne redde folk fra helvete er stedet nesten som et bilde på Irlands historie. I sine glansdager hadde stedet rundt 7000 innbyggere og tre "katedraler" i tillegg til at det var her alle missjonærene Irland sendte til Europa ble utdannet, og fungerte som et maktsentrum for keltiske høvdinger i en mannsalder. Så kom vi. Stedet har blitt plyndret ikke mindre enn 14 ganger av vikinger, stategisk som det ligger til like ved Shannon. I tillegg var normanerne og britene innom 8 ganger, sist gang med det resultatet som dere ser på bildet, og til slutt har irene sjøl plyndra det en håndfull ganger, trolig noe som bygger på en misforståelse eller en BIFFO (Big Ignorant Fucker From Offley) som ikke helt hadde forstått hvordan dette medplyndringer fungerte. Tilbrakte da snaue to timer på stedet, hvor forøverig pave Johannes Paul II holdt preken i 79, stolen hans var forøverig usedvanelig ubehagelig og kald. Etter dette tok vi oss ut på veien igjen, dukket oppigjen i Roscommon og kostet gjennom det grønne, steinhjerde herjede landskapet. Tok igjen kvelden og våknet oppigjen i det vi svingte inn i Galway sentrum. Hostellet, som lå vis-a-vis det norske konsulatet, kan på det aller varmeste ambefales, sjøl om innehaveren er besatt av creps og er en pen blanding av bayer og australier. Delte rom med 4 tyskere og 1 amerikaner, og hadde det egentlig storarter. Riktig nok ble disse igjen da vi gikk ut, men begynner nå å få såpass mange bekjente over her at en ikke blir isolert om noen ikke blir med ut. Vi fikk fulltreff på første forsøk og ende opp på et sted hvor det var levende musikk, blant anna den flinkeste og peneste felespillern jeg har sett. Så, naturlig nok da jeg fikk sitteplass tre meter fra trioen (fele, banjo/gitar, tromme)og Guinnessen i hånda falt jeg fort til ro og erklærte stedet som naturlig habitat. Etter to pints trakk vi ut i den isende vestkyst kulda og trakk ned til McDonagh, som er Connaughts beste fish'n chips. Da en kommer inn henger det et bilde av innehavern som håndhilser på Gerry Adams. Her overrasker jeg meg sjøl. Det er ikke fordi det henger et bilde av Gerry (eller Jerry som de hadde prestert å skrive) Adams på veggen der jeg blir overrasket, men det faktum at mannen spiser Fish'n Chips. Trodde da det var sjølve symbolet på det britiske kjøkken, og at det ikke var i hardbarka irsk republikaneres interesse å bli avbildet mens de etter all sansynlighet hadde konsumert en posjon britisk kultur! Merkelig sak. Veit igjen ikke helt hva jeg spiste, men Hake smaker i alle fall godt, og husk inderlig på å bestille på 7 minutter. Kvelden etter der dabbet egentlig litt av. Gruppa gikk litt i oppløsning etter at vi hadde besøkt King's Head, grunnlagt 1649, som egentlig var fin, men litt vel Dublin-aktig tatt omgivelsene i betraktning. Dessuten var det to spanjoler som tok ledelsen i å avgjøre hvor gruppa ville, og da skjedde det igjen et interessant fenomen: det er faktisk mulig å gå en time i en irsk by uten om å finne en pub. Da det blåste stiv kuling og tempraturen sank ned mot 0 og en står i døra på en pub, men må snu fordi tre av åtte personer mener at det ikke er god nok musikk på sted, og bestemmer seg for å gå innigjen på pub nummer to, som i mellomtiden har blitt såpass fylt opp at det å flytte seg ikke lengre er en sjølfølge, kan få sjøl tolmodige sjeler til å få problemer med å moderere seg, og to av tyskerne på gruppa ble til slutt veldig ærlige når det gjalt å si hva de syntes om organiseringa.

Dag 2. Dagen gikk i sin helhet med til å forflytte seg med buss rundt om i County Clare, som gir gode assosiasjoner til filmen The Boys from County Clare, med Andrea Corr og Bernard Hill, men området kunne også minne veldig på noen av scenene i Trsitan og Islode. *Host* Gikk i det lengste rundt og håpa på at Isolde og/eller Sophia Myles skulle sitte på noen av klippene og stirre utover havet, hvilket jeg ville ha satt pris på, absolutt. Dessverre gjorde de ikke det da, og siden jeg i det hele har relativt store problemer med å gjengi hva jeg faktisk så, siden hele øya viser seg å væra bedre enn på film, og mye bedre enn det jeg hadde forventa, at jeg bare ber dere se litt på the Cliffs of Moher og så tenke dere en hel kyst som er litt lik det der, legg til ting som vil gjøra forestillinga deres til en parodi på Irland, gang med to, og dere kan tenke dere hvordan Co. Clare da er. ferdig med det. Vestkysten er også litt festlig av politiske grunner; som et av få steder i Irland er det faktisk her åpen motstand mot EU. Faktisk var et skilt med den vante propagandaen (veiprosjekt finansiert med så så mange prosent fra EU) tagget ned med et stort forbundt skilt over stjernene og påskrevet "IRISH ROADS, IRISH LAWS" Tilbake i Galway var oppskrifta ganske lik den fra i dagen før, bare at vi, det vil si ei gruppe bestående av to franskmenn, en østerriker, en japaner, to ukjente og tre tyskere inkludert meg løp innom en annen pub, som vistnok skulle væra god. Jeg satte meg igjen fast i baren, og erklærte stedet allerede under Ulieann pipe soloen for et naturlig habitat og forsvant litt i stemningen. Med unntak av en alt for stresset bartender var dette stedet faktisk enda bedre enn dagen før av den enkle årsak at det var større så en ikke stod oppi hverandre. Snittalderen var godt over 40, som en konservativ gjentning, men stemninga var det ikke noe å si på, og før jeg hadde fått med meg at kvartetten (Ulleann pipe, fele, fløyte banjo/gitar) hadde gitt seg hadde en ny, eldre type inntatt scena og stemte i "Go on Home British Soldiers go on Home", mens resten av puben sang med. Min teori om at det eneste som er feil med filmer fra Irland er at sanga i filmene er langt mer politisk korrekte er betydelig styrket etter dette. Dagen etter fortalte en annen jeg har blitt kjent med at de hadde kommet i prat med en lokal fra Galway, og han omtalte Dublinere som briter...hvilket aldri i livet kan væra noe positivt. Trur Senterpartiet muligens kunne ha tatt innpå AP om vi klarte å få en slik radikal holdning rundt om i Norge, og vi for en gang skyld kunne la Bergenserne være i fred og heller fokusere distriksdebatten på arrogante dansker i tigerstaden. Merker at det er en retorikk jeg kan like. Uansett var det nok den kvelden jeg for fullt opplevde ytterpunktene i irsk kultur; fra "Fields of Athenry" (hvilket vi må kjøre over for å komme til Galway) og Boys of the Old Brigade og hvor det ble stemt i for full hals på refrenget "Oh, Britain, why did you give us this Reign of Terror" på den puben jeg ikke husker navnet på til Hotell Spanish Arch hvor det gikk i Queen, Pink Floyd og filmmusikken til Top Gun, hvilket for en gang skyld (ang sistnevnte) var et kjærkommet innslag. Galway ambefales.

Dag 3. Egentlig en veldig fin dag hvor jeg starta dagen med en morgentur før de andre, noen fordeler med å pakke på kvelden må det da være, og titta litt på Galway, som jeg til da bare hadde sett på kvelden. Galway er som de aller fleste irske byer, ei hovedgate og flere små tilstøtende sidegater med et utall av butikker, trolig fordi en i stor grad har klart å styre unna fristelsen med å etablere kjøpesentre og på den måten sannere handelsnæringa i sentrum. Unntaket ligger i at byen er veldig godt bevart, og har i motsetning til byer som Cork of Dublin vært skånet for krigføring etter at Cromwell fjernet byen fra karte på midten av 1640-tallet, derfor er det så og si bare originale hus i sentrum, blant annet deler av bymuren fra 1500-tallet. Kærte faktisk at Christoffer Columbus var innom på en svipptur for å be en gang rundt de tider han gjorde det stort i Karibien. Avrunda besøket med å svi av €50 på en Aran genser, til store protester fra den tyske delen av gruppa som lurte på hvorfor jeg skulle kjøpe det de ville ha kalt for en Norwegische Jumper, og det trur jeg sannelig har vært den beste investeringa mi her; er så bikkjekaldt i Dublin at det er nesten på grensa til litt kvialt å gå ut om mårra'n, men så var det det å leve opp til det ryktet vi har over her da.

In present Time, at a Island not too far away.

*Star Wars Main Theme*

It is a hard time for the Republic: the Force, the Celtic Tiger, are weak. The Budget crisis continues and hauntes the Goverment buildings. The Finna Fàil-Progressive Democrats-Green coalition are crumbling. The Independent TDs are threathning to leave the Alliance and a several Backbenchers are at the brink of revolt ageinst their own Taoiseach and threathning Taoiseach Cowen to leave the the Party. In a embarrising retreat have Cowen canceled the cuts in the Medical Cards for those over 70, and the 1 % increase in tax levy from 33 % to 34% have been wrecked.

Tuesday it came to open engagement between Students and Imperial Gardai at Belfield as a lesser and lesser admired finance minister Brian Lenihan arrived at UCD to support the University Presidency in the introduction of College Fees. At the same time the Health minisiter and tree other TDs representing the Taoiseach were refused to speak to 1800 pensioners as they was told the be a shame and then out-sounded by "We Will Overcome" song by the mob.

The Rebells are mobelizing! Thursday 25.000 Students, Teachers, and Pensioners united their force and marched up O'Connell Street, met Sinn Fèin and Labour and rallied in front of Lenster House in the largest Irish demonstration in years. At the opposit side of the street were the Housing Minister cuting to the bone, leaving the Market to rule the rent on mortagues to Public housing waiting for the New arriving Northern Dublin.

In Paris are president Nicolas Sarkozy not sattisfied with the Lisbon Referendum and gather support among French MEP and their followers for an political Isoloation of the Republic untill a second referendum in best democratic tradition gives the Union the right result and a Yes to the new constitution. In addition he blames Taoisearch Cowen to increase the resent recession for bailing out the Irish Banks.

It is a dark time for the Empire....wait...they do not even practice souvereignity over their entire Isle...the other Army are more known then the national...and they are subjects to the European Central Bank...and the Parlament in Brussell...and do as they are told in foreign affairs..damn...eh..uhm

It is a dark age for the Free State... Republic...Ireland...whatever. It's recession!

About last weekend.

Appologies for my absence the resent week, but, I have had a rather hectical period, which contains a though farwell, a debate between Aristotle and John Stuart Mill, some dusty hours at the James Joyce Library and a Russian history essay who suddenly appeared infront of me. Finally I were quite lucky at Monday when I got the last remaining ticket to the ISS' tour to Galway. So'm leaving tomorrow morning. Since I wnat to tell ye about the weekend I spent with Lady Scaramouche I have decided that the only person who are able to describe the weekend best is here. Yes, for me it was a regular weekend, with that difference that she were there as well...which was absolutly brilliant, but non the less, a much greater experience for her, since she were in this city of Memories for the very first time. She's a hell of a writer! Visit her blogg and read her experience. I approve every word; a grand description from a even greater person.

A Farewell at Dublin Airport

As I sad farwell to Scaramouche, as she sett back to Norway after spending this weekend here in Dublin, and left the Departure hall at the Airport i finally felt the words, the content, of the Wolfe Tones song, Flight of the Earls. Heard it for my first time some four weeks ago nearly as a mistake, but now I realize the felling beyond the words as I put myself inside one of the local busses towards Dublin, and suddenlly realized that the autumn were upon us; walking down O'Connell Street waching the last leafes falling to the sidewalk, how grey and dark the buildings faceing the street had become and feeling the frezing winds and feel the icey rain. Perhaps a cliché, but as we did find out, IRELAND is huge a cliché, or rather a parody on its self...so that can't be wrong.

Dedicated to this morning.

I can hear the bells of Dublin in this lonely waiting room

And the paperboys are singin'in the rain

Not too long before they take us to the airport and the noise

To get on board a transatlantic plane

We've got nothin' left to stay for,

We had no more left to say

And there isn't any work for us to do

So farewell ye boys and girls;

Another bloody Flight of Earls

Our best asset is our best export, too....

It's not murder, fear or famine
that makes us leave this time

We're not going to join McAlpine's Fusileers

We've got brains, and we've got visions; we've got education, too!

But we just can't throw awaythese precious years

So we walk the streets of London,

And the streets of Baltimore

And we meet at night in several Boston bars

We're the leaders of the future

But we're far away from home

And we dream of you

beneath the Irish stars

As we look on Ellis Island,

and the Lady in the bay

And Manhattan turns to faceanother Sunday

We just wonder what you're doingto bring us all back home

As we look forward to another Monday

Because it's not the work that scares us

We don't mind an honest job

And we know things will get better

once again

So a thousand times adieu,

We've got Bono and U2

All we're missin'is the Guinness, and the rain

So switch off your new computers

cause the writing's on the wall

We're leaving as our fathers did before

Take a look at Dublin airport, or the boat that leaves North Wall

There'll be no Youth Unemployment any more

Because we're over here in Queensland,

And in parts of New South Wales

We're on the seas and airwaysand the trains

But if we see better days,

Those big airplanes go both ways

And we'll all be comin' back to you again!

O'Blainey who?

I do enjoy taking the Irish politics course, mostly, after being the only one to be able to explain the Irish voting system, our tutor from time to time find me a bit interesting in that way that a Norwegian goes Continental to study politics, and then ends up in Dublin, taking Irish politics. None the less, some embarrassing moments do occurs. I do, I guess, compared with other Norwegian, have a bit broader understanding of the Irish society and its politics, but I'm still a foreigner. And, importantly, I have been here for only 2 month. Therefore it is quite limited the depths in Irish politics I have managed to go into, so when it's coming to local elections in the early 80s, referendums in the 70s, the personalities to the TDs in general, local issues in county Wicklow..I find myself a bit...helpless, in the discussions. Furthermore I do not possess a broad knowledge in the Irish social thought. For example: We were discussing the fact that the right to free health care for they over 70 have been cut away from this years budget, and I get the question: what is your opinion about that? For the first, I think the entire population should have the right of free health care, therefore this cut, in my view, are a right winged policy who only gains them who have the most in the beginning, taken to account that the tax level here are ridiculous low. In another way, the whole idea with free health care for them over 70 are a quite new policy here, introduced back in 97, so in another perspective: Easy come, easy go, and easy come again. Hence, at least a positive development at that front until the recent set back. I just find it quite hard to start arguing internal Irish affairs. I have no idea who proposed what when. I do not know which kind of legitimacy the health system has after it was transferred from the Church to the public some years ago, hence would the people rather go back to the Church than paying the public; the Irish isn't that secular, yet. I have no ideas about the actual extend of the social security net here, if they over 70 have other good deals who may weigh up for the los of health care. It's just: If I'm going to have personal meanings about an issue, I also want to know the context. Bad enough for me the context way to often goes local, concerning primary schools in Mullingar and Kilmacanogue and TDs not elected to the Dàil.

As mentioned in the last amendment to this blog, Kjell Aukrus would love this place, and for those of ye who have read his works, mainly the Flaaklypa Telegraph, know how it from time to time refer to totally unknown people who get their names mentioned during late evenings in Slidre, unknown persons who never attend, invited or not so on and so on. This is a bit like the Irish politics tutorials I got. Today, wiles talking about the actual power of TDs representing a party versus the TDs who are independent and different situations were some of the last mentioned have a habit of declare their dissatisfaction at the floor of the Dàil. "I guess you all know the Independent and their speeches...and of course then O'Blainey" Ten people around me start laughing, and I keep smiling polite wondering who the Hell is that man?

O'Blainey did not attend the tutorial or any other activities organized by the National University of Ireland, Dublin -University College Dublin.

Radical Self Owners: the Irish Connection.

Due to requests from the department of Home Affairs, represented by former Midlands Correspondent, in Bergen, I have done some researches concerning the Radical Self Owners, which during the sixties and seventies were represented by Jostein Kroksleiven,the mink owner, in the…eh…"city" council in Vestre Slidre, Norway. I do in that case show to my last work, meeting Sinn Féin, that the present of Aukrust may be found also on this Emerald Isle, due to IRA’s quite optimistic attitude toward self-made mortar design, the ever returings of politicians who say and do stuff they never should turn to the public with and the general Irish need of searching towards higher terrains at late Saturday to Friday nites. Also, during my researches I did find a lady, who I might suspect to be a young Myrullbraaten’s lover, or girlfriend, just have a look in this article from Irish Independents: http://www.independent.ie/national-news/budget-2009/comment-reaction/the-problem-is-you-were-all-paid-too-much-says-105yearold-margaret-1498913.html as it seems that both are still stuck in the 30s, the 1930s.

Returning to the politics, one person does raise as a potential Radical Self Owner, and that’s the Boss himself, Éamon de Valera. Known for his personal involving in nearly everything that entered the Dàil from he created the entire parliament in 1919 to his death in 1975. Though, it should be mentioned that he wasn’t welcome all the time. As his “unknown” brother in Valdres he wasn’t afraid of telling neither the opposition nor his own people what he really thought about them, hence, he had no problems starting the civil war. If the man couldn’t fight Brits, he could fight other Irish. One year later he lost this war, but after some turbulent 20s, he returned with Finna Fáil in 1932, and was the biggest party, which they still are. But, the legend tells that the FF did arrive the Dáil armed, just so nobody should get the idea to block them. That’s a way to solve a gridlock. And therefore, I can imagine that guy, de Valera, as equal to Kleppvold (despite his membership in Labour), raise from his seat at the end of the table and demand his protest added as a note to the Council protocol after losing a vote.

Above a Radical Self Owner in the 1930s.

Then again. Look how that man are similar to a potential citizen not too far from Flåklypa Telegraph’s Main Office in Arbiensgate 2, Oslo? Try to memorize Leif Juster, give him some glasses and order to act as stiff upper lip-ish as possible. See?

Furthermore, the Radical Self Owner Movement in Ireland are characterized by their possession to own 32 counties, and have in radical ways tried to regain this for them self, without any further success. The movement had their days of glory in the 1930s, and was not afraid to pick a fight if the parliamentary framework were in the way for that. I ’32 they demonstrated their will to own by appointing a bacon manufacturer from Limerick as the British king’s representative at the Castle. His reputation as Governor-General however are limited to official parties in Phoenix Park and long holidays, and in more practical terms he did never sign any bill, treaties or documents like that, perhaps a equal of Sport Correspondent Melvin Snerken? Much spare time, quite a lot of consume and little written evidence of his presence? His successor didn’t even live in Dublin an Lár, he rented a private residence (payed by the State, consensus between the Self Owners and the Privateers?) and did not live in the official public residence (fradicalisation of the need to be Self Owner?) and the story ends with a classical Sindre Piltingsrud-Myrullsbraathen situation. At the same time Edward the 7^th abdicated in London as he refused to budge for the Prime minister, de Valera had a call to the Radicalized Self Owner outside Dublin, they were chronically in each others throats and did merely speak to each other at all, and tells him that Ireland for the first time in 800 years no longer have a foreign ruler with the poetic words “You are abolished”. The Governor-General, whose ears no longer co-operated should then have replied angry “and you are a even bigger one!”. The research will continue, but first after the upcoming weekend since my dear friend Scaramouche, please read her blog as well, are coming for a visit and help the Irish trade out of the recent recession.

Grey Hound Racing.

I did gamble for my very first time last Thursday. Dogs are cute and practical animals, and they run quite fast, and have quite fun with that creature that are supposed to be a rabbit who they’re trying to track down. That’s a craic for both parts, so I did really enjoy it.

The race took place at Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium in Ringsend in the eastern part of Dublin, close to the place the city itself were settled some 1200 years ago. A rather professional stadium, with a lot of tweed jackets, six pence/Irish caps, a well equipped bar and a huge number of bookmakers, both official and less official, but whos present just made it a bit more real. A guess there were some 500 spectators there when we arrived just before the 3^rd race, at 20 pm. Since I had no idea how to actually place my bets, I did the second best and four minutes later I was back at the track with a fresh pint with back stuff.

Suddenly captured by the feeling of the need to spend money got me to lower my own record in consuming a pint, due to the short time between the races, and for the first time in my life I have waited longer in the queue in the bar to get served then I spent on consuming the pint. Back by the bets I start investigating the competitors. Racing dogs have quite funny names, and the statistics’ presented by the program were rather...impossible to understand, who the hell should I know if

Oct 1’08 64 525r a5 t4 2.18 21111 st 5L Ld 2,ALd 28.77 Sand 5/1 spk Smooth Maldini 28.77*

Is a complement or if it’s means that the cute little greyhound should try to do something completely different with his life and go back to County Laois?

Any who, and unknown if the resent speed consuming of Irish brewery gods had something with my decision, I found a hound, Kilhedge Queen, a local from Dublin whose odds were fairly 4:1. Since I had no knowledge, and Queen associate me with something positive, I went over and bet, compared to the other from ISS (International Student Society red.am), the huge amount of €10. Then it was straight back to the track. Kilhedge Queen are number six, in stripes (black and white).

As you perhaps may see, I won.And in the time between I placed my bet and the race started the odds had gone from 4:1 and raised to 6,5:1, that’s €65, that’s a bit. And it was there, just after I had handed in the recite, and met the others, that I finally understood the amount I actually had won. €65 is, of course depending on the pub, but at Nealy’s in Grafton Street that’s 13 pints Guinness, or at the Student Pub at UCD 16-17 pints. Taken the last case and translated over to Norwegian prices, were I remember a Guinness cost about 60kr. This means that Kilhedge Queen brought me values for some 960kr, if we use the Guinness Index! That’s a good little dog.

I did play at some other dogs, who never had a chance to win, so some of the profit did go away, but still, I managed to go back home, including a pint at Nealy’s with some friends, with more capital then when I left. Try that in Norway! Have spent some night’s at Hector’s...and you have to either do stock exchange over the cell phone or bee a thief to managed the same in the bar there.

Conclusion; I have to go back, dogs are my best friends and Hound Racing is quite a craic.

Radikal turisme og revolusjonær hjemmefront.

Jeg ble i dag den første nordmannen som aktivt oppsøkte Sinn Féin for å gjøre ren turisthandling. Ja, akkurat, turisme og irsk republikanisme går faktisk ganske bra overens, tro det eller ei. La oss være enige om en ting: turisme er nasjonalisme, og Carrol Irish Gifts (suvenir kjede) er Irlands største agitator innen kulturpropaganda, på en hyggelig måte, dog slitsomt kapitalistisk. Åpent døgnet rundt og spiller de samme sangene opp igjen og opp igjen, så, når betjeningen går rundt å synger på sangene som spilles over høytalerne er det enten fordi de har blitt totalt hjernevaska, eller så har det begynt å rable for dem, stakkars. Jeg mener, høre ”Seven Drunken Nights in Dublin” på repeat konstant kan umulig være noe positivt for den psykiske helsa. Uansett. Sinn Féin.
Et godt bilde på meg er da den personen som nekter og la den hardt tiltjente kapital i lommeboka gå til de store kjeder, og heller går litt uortodoks til verks for å besørge levebrødet for de mindre aktører. Nå har det seg slikt, at om alt det Sinn Féin tar i er republikansk, betyr det følgelig at republikansk musikk, klær og symboler distribueres over hele Dublin, inkludert resten av Republikken, og all fortjenesten går følgelig til selskapene og de personene (les de næringsdrivene) som står i kø for å skjelle ut SF på offentlig TV med jevne mellomrom. Derfor, siden mye av det samme som disse herrer selger kan anskaffes fra Partiet for samme pris, oppsøkte jeg da Sinn Féin Bookshop i Kevin Barry Memorial Hall, Parnell Square, for å se hva som var der, dessuten vil jeg heller at pengene jeg evt legger igjen går med til å finansiere det Gerry Adams, Martin McGuinness og Mary Lou McDonald måtte foreta seg (les: Lisbon Treaty Referendum II).
Uansett. Jeg entret lokalet og kommer midt inn i en diskusjon hvor han bak disken diskuterer forslaget til privatiseringen av helseforsikringene og sjukehusene generelt med to eldre damer, og det er klart at ingen av dem er mer enn ytterst lunkende til hele forslaget. De hilser, jeg hilser tilbake før jeg begynner å gå igjennom stedets ytterst radikale ansamling av litteratur. Så fortsetter de diskusjonen:
”They (regjeringen red.am) claims that the privatization of the health system and the insurances is because of bad economy; It’s all about the taxation. Look to Sweden, Norway and Denmark! Those Scandinavians have heavy taxation, but; they got everything back in form of proper public services. The system up there is working.”
Det var egentlig ganske interessant å overhøre, for ikke pokker om de tok meg for å være norsk. Sjølsagt, kanskje skulle jeg ha sagt takk, men nå er det å forstå folk fra Nord-Dublin når de begynner å prate seg imellom. Hadde forresten en ganske interessant samtale med han som stod bok disken etter på, og han syntes at det var interessant at noen fra utlandet faktisk hadde lyst til å fordype seg i partiet. Jeg vil da her understreke at jeg vil ta for meg fredsprosessen og Sinn Féins overgang, eller inkludering, alt etter som hvilken sannhet som passer best, i det parlamentariske systemet. Lurer på om jeg kan skrive hele bacheloroppgava på engelsk? Høres litt bedre ut med ”From the armalite to the ballot paper: the new Sinn Féin after the Good Friday Agreement”. Uansett. Jeg kom over noe knakende festelig i bokhylla. Alle som har tråla en bokhandel i Storbritannia eller Irland har sett stativene i historieavdelingene med illustrerte pocket/hefter med tegninger av historiske slag, kriger, uniformer til forskjellige hærer og liknende. De har forresten ei bok om både vikinger og Weserübung der, og sist nevnte har et bilde fra Lillehammer på forsiden. Uansett, de har veldig mange forskjellige utgaver, men bare en om irske rebeller, det vil si Irish Volunteers 1913-1922, men, til noen sin fortvilelse ingen slik bok om IRA. Derfor har de lagt sin egne, men fine tegninger av uniformer brukt fra 1950 og opp til 1990. En ganske morbid dokumentar om patruljer i Tyrone og hvordan de organiserte seg for å ta britene i bakhold. Dessuten hvordan uniforms reglementet var, og hvordan de forskjellige battaljonene uniformerte seg. Uniformene fra 50-tallet var jo direkte stilige, er noe med mausere, nikkers, tweedjakker og six-pence luer,, dog, ”uniformene” fra 90-tallet var…la oss si det sånn, vi treffer slike daglig og heter sivilister. Hettegenser og finlandshette er ikke en regulær uniform, med mindre du heter George, bor i Washington og er redd for småunger med steiner. Men, nå kommer det festlige her. Jeg mistenker sterkt Kjell Aukrust for å ha kontakter i IRA! På sidene for våpen var det bilder fra noen treningsleire de hadde på 70-tallet, og der var det mye rart, blant annet en gjør-det-selv bombekaster. Denne bombekasteren var såpass finurlig i sin natur at det var vanskelig å se hva det faktisk var i utgangspunktet. Kaliberet var såpass overdimensjonert i forhold til støttebeina at om rekylen blei for sterk er jeg stygt redd for at hele konstruksjonen ville knele og på den måten faktisk være farligere for de som skyter opp noe enn de som blir siktet på. Det hele liknet mer på en litt grov grill som var stappa ned i et skrøpelig rør og støtta opp med noen brekte skistaver om bar vekta. Ytterst finurlig og klar for et eller annet tegnebrett oppe i Flåklypa. Kjøpte ”An Phoblacht”, en radikal utgave av Klassekampen, og lovte å stikke innom seinere, har sett ut et par festlige ”I hate Thatcher”-t-skjorter og noe musikk i tillegg til bøker til bacheloroppgave. Radikal vri får en si.
Dog, tilbake hjemme er ikke overraskelsene over, og nå vil dere, kjære lesere, kanskje forstå hvorfor det er en smule vanskelig ikke bli revet med av diverse irske nasjonalistiske undertoner. Familien jeg bor hos har en historie, og den er mildt sagt imponerende, i alle fall med mine øyne. Broren til hun jeg leier av er en kjent TV-vert, og på fritida medlem av Finna Fáil, så jeg lurte på om han hadde tenkt på en karriere der, men det hadde han ikke som hun sa, men familien har tradisjoner for å delta. Oldemora til min Landlord er en personlighet fra borgerkrigen. Oldefaren hennes var med på Påskeopprøret i 1916 sammen med to brødre, og var valgt inn i det 1. Dáilet i 1919. Vi prater om det Dáilet 124 Sinn Féinere etablerte etter å ha fornekta det britiske parlamentet, og dette er da det Dáilet hvor Michael Collins var minister for Home Affairs og Cathal Brugha president. Familien jeg bor hos har historisk sterke bånd til familien de Valera, og Judith har faktisk møtt denne giganten flere ganger som lita jente, mens han enda var president. Familien har 3 tidligere ministere, og den nåværende familieministeren. Jeg kommer uansett ikke over at de har tre revolusjonære familiemedlemmer som for 90 år siden løp sammen med James Connolly, Patrick Pearse, Thomas MacDonagh og Thomas Clerke og skapte helvete for britene. De tapte, ble skutt og la byen i ruiner, men uansett; DETTE ER HISTORIE SOM BLIR VELDIG NÆRT! For eksempel; på kjøkkenet står det en innramma versjon av uavhengighetserklæringa fra 1916, en veldig fin utgave sådan, som jeg hadde tenkt å spørre hvor hu hadde fått tak i så jeg kunne kjøpe faksimile og ta med hjemmat. Vel. For det første; det var en gave. For det andre; det er en orginal. Dvs, en av de kopiene som ble trøkt opp i all hast i april 1916. En original uavhengighetserklæring…på kjøkkenet. Jeg sier ikke mer. Jeg bare konstaterer at jeg er i ferd med å bli veldig fortapt i irsk politisk historie, og at jeg bor hos noen med en revolusjonær historie. Med tanke på at jeg reiste hit på grunn av at jeg så ”Michael Collins” for 4 år siden og på grunn av det jeg akkurat har nevnt…jeg har det fint jeg, mor.

Kan forresten legge til at Dublin på høsten er ganske fint å se på.

The Longest Day and its Aftermath

It’s 7.51 PM, and I’m just back from the College. First lecture at 9, last at 3 and despite that; hours after hours in the computer building strungling pretty much with the same as yesterday; the world is evil, the poor stays poor, thou it depends on which model you are using, and that the only reason for any improvement at all the resent 30 years is the fact that the world, globally, lives longer, locally it’s a bit different.

Thou, today I’m going to keep talking about a difference between Norway and Ireland I find quite amusing; the way of politics. First, just to point out some certain points about politics in Ireland, I start with the partys, since the function of the Taoiseach and the Dàil in practical terms differs nearly nothing from Stortinget; the major difference is that they have manage to keep the Upper House alive, which we after next election will abolish. But, then, back to parties: who’s who? Finna Fáil is a mixture between the Liberals some liberal parts of the Conservatives and right-wing Labour, but this is no general rule. Fine Gael is a strange hybrid, which have change ideology twice the last two decades, but are most similar to our own Center-Right government with the Christ-Democrats, Liberals and Center Party with some similarities to pragmatic parts of Labour and Conservatives, as I sad, confusing, and to be honest I’m struggling to see the differences. Then we got the Green Party, who, naturally, are most similar to Liberals and Socialistic Leftparty, minus the Socialism. Next one up is a dying party, quite literary; the party leader did change over to Finna Fáil some weeks ago, the other leaders lost their places during the last election (2007) and their politics have been highly a failure the last year; I’m talking about the Progressive Democrats. They are most equal to our own Progress Party, but you change the Foreign and Economy politics with Conservatives, add some years at a University (Michael Smurfit School of Economics), behavior and the fact that Church of Ireland runs pretty much of the welfare services our here already instead of the public and the fact that accept the fact that some times the driver causes the accident and not the road. There you go; Progressive Democrats. Next one up is Labours, aka the Workers Labour Party, Ireland oldest party. Compare to the Norwegian Labour Party this one have stayed to their Ideology, and kept themselves clear of any flirt with the Marked economy, most of the time. They’re a mixture of Socialistic Left and the left wing of Labour, perhaps the only party in Ireland who had manage to get any votes at all if they had run for election by us. Last party, Sinn Féin, and truly, they are alone for themselves. After their victory in the fight against the Lisbon Treaty they received an letter from Red (Rødt) with Torstein Dahle’s personal congratulations, and that’s perhaps the only party in Norway Sinn Féin have anything in common with. The only way you may hear anything at all from them are when they occupies the street in front of the GPO to protest against republican political prisoners in the North. Despite that: nothing. Since they got back in the Dáil after the Good Friday Agreement the other parties have promised not to invite them into any government, just like with the Progressives back home. The media doesn’t mention them at all, their politics, to quote one of the members of the European Parliament after their defeat; “A campaign driven by a party, who I don’t bother comment”. The politicians hate them, of course because of the relations with the IRA, but, then again, I have seen about how deep that hate is in less formal situations. The reason, simplified may be that they (the other parties in the Dáil) now that they got potential. Lat election, Finna Fáil, manage to get 16 votes for every party member, by Sinn Féin the number was 1:85; one party member = 85 voters, five times the gain for FF. They got 2.000 members, and are growing, count on it; if they (SF) starting to get safe representatives at the west coast, winning popular issues. Sound nearly like something…progressive.

Anyway. Back to the differences in the way of politics, and let me be straight forward: Norway are bloody disappointing. If not anything radical is happening here the Dáil will, against the votes of Sinn Féin, abolish the principle of free third level education. Income from taxation has dropped by more than 10 % in one year, the unemployment rate are getting dangerously close to 8 %, and 6 % of the GDP are now borrowed. That’s the cruel end of the Celtic Tiger, and then I turns to Norwegian press after a friend told me about a expansive budget, and the first that’s turns up is that the Police Union, after getting their new communication network it was a catastrophe they didn’t have, after getting the capacity to educate more recruits, which also was a catastrophe they didn’t got some half a year ago, and at least they got enough to get SOME new civil workers around the country. It wasn’t a lot of new civil workers, but since the holes in the line were that catastrophic as it seems from time to time at least a few was better than none new workers. Anyway, I can’t remember the head line precisely, but it wasn’t fare from “Budget a catastrophe for the Police”. That makes me think. You got two out of three things you wanted, and also a bit of the third, and still everything is wrong. I know that you can’t be satisfied, because you than runs the risk of getting less in the next budget, but still; it possible at least trying to give a bit impression that the development is positive, but that you expect it to continue. The impression: embarrassing.

And, in general, I haven’t been away for more than one month, and already I’m growing tired of reading about the “problems” Norway struggles with. I don’t say that everything is 100 % and paradise on earth, it’s just, we’re the second best country to live in the entire World, and Iceland, they are struggling. We got investments in the infrastructure, perhaps the opposition did propose this a year ago or two years ago, something like that. But, what should we do in this situation if we had done the same investment when the Marked were at the top? As far as I can remember it was nearly impossible to get construction workers to bellow hilarious high costs. Now the construction business is down with broken back; isn’t it now we really should employ these persons to lower prices in general and get the job done? Or is that to buy a victory in the 2009 election? I mean; would the Conservatives or Liberals done it any different? I guess it had been OK it they hadn’t, because as long you have a nice suite and diploma from BI or NHH you and says that “the economy are into a period where it is less reasonable to do major public investments” it’s a kind of unproblematic to act like our incumbent government.

Anyway, I ends up a bit depressed reading all the critiques, too much immigration, too little roads, too much poverty (as if the Conservatives and Progressives are they who really care about things like that), too hard to be old, too high taxes…so on and so and. Thou, one organizations got my respect for once; the teachers who says they admire the intentions, but it’s a bit disappointed. That’s a signal, at least. Because there’s a lot of positive things around this budget, the military get’s a bit more, we do finally reach 1 % of GDP in foreign Aid (we are the winners of the world, why not give the less fortunate some crumbs? Or, perhaps we rather should ease taxation of the new bourgeoisie; they are still living under the cruel taxation regime of the 2004 Bondevik II government) , the third level education and research sector have finally start getting money (not private capital). I’m no economist, but I know, this is much better than any other parties in the opposition had managed to come up with. And, to does who think anything will change with a new government; you know what you can choose, and I think we all remember the communal economy during Solberg, or the American arse kissing in the department of Defence and department of Foreign Affairs? The Private Schools; a failure. The privatization of the Energy market; can some tell me how we manage to have a new crisis every winter(rhetorical question) and still the Energy companies manage to go with higher and higher gains?

Now, were is Ireland up in all this. Well, quite easy; here they already have introduced most of the things our dear opposition complains about. And to be honest; things do work here, but still, I meet people who know two things about Norway; expencive, and welfare. And is it one thing you see after, well, at once you gets to Dublin, there’s a huge difference from what we are used to.

The relations to they who govern for example. At the same time the Progressives back home nearly lives in an illusion were socialists runs the ruins of the country (at the edge of civil war) at the brink of destruction, with a huge elderly class starving and stored in filled up hospitals just waiting to be thrown out into the streets were (criminal?) foreigners are luring, while the Labour Elites spends the unfair tax income on Opera buildings and other “culture”. Here people, even in the Dáil do ACCEPT that everything can be improved. Even Enda Kenny, Fine Gael leader, do to some extent accept that you have to take things in turns. The best of the week is a independent TD (Irish MP) who concluded the budget in following way at the radio this morning:

“Things turns back to normal here in Ireland, It is recession, emigration, stagnation, unemployment, public deflect, inflation, bankruptcy, so, when are we going to start winning the European Song Contest again?”

It’s all about attitude and expectations who’s footed in reality, from both they in power and they who elect them. Not taking things for granted. It’s better with less than nothing, than at least things at the right track. Right? Were Siv Jensen sees treason to the people of Norway, Enda Kenny sees a disappointing handling of a situation that FG could do better. Things like that at least do politics in Ireland a bit more civilized than back home. It’s a bit limited who long war types in the media and declarations of the faithlessness make an impression.

Tuesday, Bloody Tuesday.

En virkelig begredelig dag, fylt opp med forsøk på å lese 60-70 sider om Stalins næringspolitikk og utnevnelser av fabrikkdirektører under den første femårsplanen og skrive tre forskjellige essay, samtidig og tolke det djupere budskapet i et titalls artikler uten noen allmenninteresse av betydning. Slik blir en i dårlig humør av, i alle fall når en vet at en potensielt kan bli spurt og komme med en personlig oppfatning om innholdet i hvilken som helst del av de 5 artiklene vi har i pensum. For den interesserte kan jeg informere om at Kultur og Revolusjonsfaget står for 1:6 av poengene mine, men logisk nok står faget for bortimot 2-3:4 av det totale pensumet. Da en i tillegg etter tre tilnærmede resultatløse timer på datarom G3 får beskjed om å fjerne seg fordi noen høyere opp i systemet har bestemt at 15 stykker skal bruke 30 maskiner i et bygg som allerede er kraftig underkapasitet på den slags. Etter dette har jeg febrilsk forsøkt å forklare hvorfor Afrika ikke har det verre i 2004 enn i 1975, og etter timer med tråling av statistikker, uhåndterlige tekster hvor referanser og akronymer opptok brorparten av plassen; samt at filen fra UCD er ødelagt slik at annen hver side blir blank når en scroller nedover. Perfekt nå alt av konklusjoner og redegjørelser for argumentasjonen er på de sidene. Gjør virkelig at en får lyst til å prestere når en endelig begynner å få et sosialt nettverk må begynne å avlyse avtaler. Har måtte kansellere Salman Rushdie, Declan Ganley og Mary Lou McDonnell i løpet ei uke, og sånt er irriterende når en aller helst er her for det sosiale og IKKE bruke et utall timer på å konkludere at verden er vond, bistand er bortkastet, Stalin slem, alt som ikke er EU er Sovjetiske mikrostater for ikke å snakke om hvor håpløst alt er ellers. Jeg er ikke veldig glad i UCD i dag nei. Derfor har har jeg i hele dag gått rundt og helst sett etableringen av en lokal gulag hvor jeg kunne få internert den programansvarlige inntil han eller hun kom på litt bedre tanker, bare for få referert litt til Culture and Revolution. Nok om det.Trenger bare å få ned rundt 1.000 ord i morgen så er mye gjort på oppgava og jeg kan dra på hundeløp på torsdag.

Nå må jeg bare improvisere litt her. Går egentlig et jøtt festelig program på RTE; Bring Back Star Wars, og der følger man da en helfrelst brite som vil samle hele gjengen for å gjenoppføre ei bestemt scene fra en av filmene. For øyeblikket sitter nå denne mannen å diskuterer SW-komers med Ewoken…i et boblebad. Det etter å alliert seg med naboen som fikk smuglet TV-teamet over noen murer, og inn Ewokens bakdør. Og hele oppsamlinga kan i grunnen oppsummeres slik:

- Prinsesse Lea vil ha kroppen hans, og sakt at hun kommer, men meldte forfall på kvelden.

- R2D2 kommer, men bare om 3-CPO ligger langt unna.

- Bobba Fett ville stille opp.

- Darth Vader møter opp litt seint og skaper noen vibber in the Force.

- Lando Charisteas og Chewbacca var sjuke og ble med dem in spirit og hadde hologrammer på stolene under selve festen, koselig nok.

Derimot, Han Solo ville ikke ha kontakt og Luke fikk aldri $50.000 og ville derfor ikke en gang møte til intervjuet. En måte ganske fascinerende. Dog litt sørgelig, i alle fall slik Mark Hamill har endt opp, en bitter skygge av Harrison Ford. Uansett, veldig morsomt program med kraftige referanser til filmene i form av toalettpapir som løftes av Kraften og telefonselskap som tilbyr hologrammeldinger.

Budsjett.

Hadde egentlig tenkt å kommentere statsbudsjettet her, men, ser på klokka at det er seint, og Siv Jensen er det siste jeg vil tenke på før jeg sovner. Følgelig, er min kommentar etter og fulgt med den budsjettet Brian Lenihan jr har måtte legge frem har jeg følgende: alle budsjett som ikke har et bortfall på 12 % av skatteinntektene, krever kutt på noe rundt €10 milliarder og 6 % av budsjettet lånt fra utlandet, samtidig som den europeiske sentralbanken henger over en og er sint fordi en redda de nasjonale bankene, er et veldig godt budsjett. Hør på Sponheim, og la oss bringe Island tilbake en gang for alle.

Dublin, ut.

A Cafe Mocha for a Constitution!

One thing that I did discover quite fast was that the prices on this Emerald Isle are quite low compared to what I'm used to. Nearly 1:3 as a general rule, something 1:4 on alcohol and books and so on. But, today I really did experience the difference to its full brutal beauty. As a part of an essay on the Irish constitution I did buy the Constitution in the University Bookshop to use as a source for my text (always a idea to ready what you perhaps have to criticize as a part of a task). For this little book, some 230 page and in both Irish and English, I payed the huge amount of €2.54. Today, as a part of my continuous war against the flue, I went to the Quinn School of Business. Not that I have anything there to do, but they do, for one or an other reason, the best coffee shop at the campus. Strange that, who places who embraces economy always have much better facilities than others, which again perhaps explain the Arts more social democratic nature? Equal students, equal facilities. Anyway, I went up to the Insomnia store in first floor and ordered Café Mocha, and to gain my final victory over the flue I took a large one. For that I did pay €2.55. The coffee cost more than the Constitution! No I finally understand why the Irish rejected the Lisbon Treaty; they are skilled in the matter of Constitutional rights, and therefore saw the problems the European Constitution would give Ireland. It have to be one of the most clever ways of doing the people more included, or perhaps, more enlighten when it's comes to the way the country functions. Let the Constitution cost less than Café Mocha. I would love to see that happens back home; the 1814 Constitution to €4.30. I guess we are the most Constitutional conservative people in Europe, so why is it so little available? Every home should have the Constitution, and we should at least be able to understand some of the most crucial articles as well, so that’s my suggestion; Constitution and Mocha for 50 crowns at Narvesen. One thing to learn from the Irish.

Open bulletin to the Department of the Taoiseach and Departments who it may concern.

Mr. Cowen, and you other who it may concern; I will be straight forward, there’s a lot of thing I like about Ireland, and in fact I can accept a lot of things I don’t like as well, I don’t judge you at all. I find you way to conservative concerning the rights of the unborn child, and since the two previous changes at article 40.3.3 in the constitution, gives women possibilities for going legally abroad to finish it off, hence accepting a violation of the constitutional, by referring to the same article. I find that bloody strange, and can’t see why you still are holding back. Another thing I have quite a hard time accepting is the fact that it’s the Church of Ireland who run the schools, and till recently the hospitals. Quite odd that Irish politics are dominated by two parties who are that centrist orientated that it in practical terms is a question if it is the social-liberal or the liberals/Christian democrats who are going to gain power, with support from the socialist or republicans, or the progressive or greens. Still, you are letting your children with nearly no option than the church. Personally I’m of that opinion that religion is a thing between you and that you call God. I guess, by raising this question I’m doing the same Martin Luther did some 500 years ago, and that started the reformation, and as I know he didn’t do it too well over here compared to Saint Patrick; hence I already know the answer on that…But still, please the Church and State are separate, keep it that way. The social differences are also a concerning I have. I visited Kilkenny a week ago, and the first I that happens the first hour is that several Albanians approaches me in the streets to ask for money. Kilkenny have barely 23.000 inhabitants and are overwhelmingly ethical Irish and in the middle of no-were at the countryside. Still, they have beggars. I’m living in Donnybrook, Dublin 4, right down the street is the Estonian embassy, behind there is the Austrian, German, British and Romania, and I think I have seen the Belgian as well there (the Norwegian are located close to Lenster House an Lár). The Evening Herald and Irish Independent have both concluded that Dublin 4 are one of the most expensive places in a European capital, with some houses sold for more than similar places in Monte Carlo. Dublin South- East is the upper class, more than 60 per cent voted for the Lisbon Treaty, which make this the strongest “European” cconstituencies in the Republic, one kilometre from here towards Dundrum the houses are falling apart. 20 minutes with bus and you are at O’Connell Street, bend off one of the streets and the Dublin you faces are something quite different from what you have around Temple Bar. In general, the inequalities are, literally on every single corner. But, I know the Celtic Tiger, it’s a result of a policy who have brought you up from the stagnation and emigration. I don’t like what I see, but, I respect your decisions.

Thou, at least, listen to Sinn Féin and Labour when it gets to College Fees. Please. 80 % of the students at UCD come from the upper or middle class. Less than 20 % comes from the class who holds the shops open 7 days a week, from that class who were the yellow vests and make things work or keeps the streets clean, or make it possible for us to enjoy the benefits of the last decade of growth have brought this island. Yet, there’s nearly no, or just quite limited social mobility here. What benefits will it come by ending the principle of free education with a simple majority vote in the Dáil? A future medicine student will have to pay €30.000 (ca 250.00kr) per year of education, if he or she takes the entire program is that at least 5 year; that’s €150.000 (1.246.000kr) in addition to the €10.000 figures to the AIB (Alliance of Irish Banks) on life cost for a student in Dublin for one year. In other words, you want, at the same time as you enters the Dàil to pass a bill that gives six banks a €400 billion guarantee scheme, money from the same budget were 5.5 % have to be borrowed, that students, who’s economy is rather limited, shall start taking up huge loans (a medicine student something around €200.000 (ca 1.660.000kr)? You may argue that they may borrow from the University, but anyway, some place do the money have to come from. As we speak graduates from UCD have a unemployment rate around 1.5 %, but still, 22 year old, unemployed, more than €200.000 in debt and then start looking for a place to stay. Are you sure College fees will promote higher education? Who can afore to do that? If Finna Fáil are that worried for the rising poverty and social differences and the importance of education (that you clamed to be one of the reasons for the Celtic Tiger), why is it only Sinn Féin and Labour who will campaign against the fees? You hate Sinn Féin. You don’t speak to them, you don’t commentate them without referring to what’s happens in the North some twenty years ago. Be honest; they kick your arse during the Lisbon referendum. They are growing and getting stronger for each election, even if they lost one TD, they still got more voters then last election.

So, whatever you do, do not push the College fees any longer. If you want to earn money on rich foreigner who comes to Ireland to do the education, remember one thing; what about the Irish? You have to face a drastic reduction in people able to take third level education. Is a bit like back in the 1800s and the time when Trinity College were the only possibility for university education:

English heritage, merchant, protestant: please take seat, the lecture starts soon.

Irish, farmer, catholic; the potatoes are over there Paddy.

Just find this way of excluding the masses from take part in the social mobility and Americanize the education bloody unfair. Look at Australia, they re-introduced fees, now they regret. I’m against this, it isn’t really my business, I’m not involved in this, but if I’m going back to do my Master degree here; then it’s my business. But at the moment: this is your way of doing politics here, I respect that.

I’m also a bit concerned over the great amount of fire arms circulating in some neighbourhoods in Dublin North, that people who commits suicide get their names in the newspapers, that RTE have way to much commercial in prime time, even if they are a public broadcaster, and the anti-social behaviour like that one may expect to find over in England also occurs here, combined with a alcohol policy who’s a bit, perhaps, too liberal. But, I still like you guys! Trust me. I love Ireland, and when you love someone you also accept their mistakes.

But, one thing do I find harder to accept. And, this I address to all departments involved in the different enteprises, matters of heritage, justice, culture and brewery in the Republic. It’s one thing I can’t forgive you. It’s nasty. Blasphemy of worst kind, it's ugly; worse than the 1992 X-Case, worse than the Waterford defence during this year hurling final against Kerry (lost 1:13 – 3:30) and even more disgusting then the final scene in Cannibal Holocaust. In the name of the most Holy Trinity and Saint Patrick and Saint Brendan, I demand an answer from the responsible person on this treason against all Irish in particullar and all humanity in general! A cowardly attack on a institution, a sacral relic over the greatness of this Emerald Isle who have endured thro the ages:

WHO OF YOU ARE THAT BLOODY GOBSHITE OF A CUTE HOOR JACKEEN WHO GAVE TESCO PREMISSION TO SELL JAMESON WHISKEY WITH A FREE BOTTLE OF COKE (1.25l) INCLUDET IN THE BOX???

That will I, to quote reverend Ian Paisley, that unionist bastard, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, accept. There’s the limit and I want answers!

Regards,

(Sign)

An introdcution to a bit more than just political theory.

The introduction course to political theory has since we entered a new section, and shifted to a new lecturer, raised to become my second preferable course. The new lecturer, Graham Finley, have, compared to the previous, Iseult Honohan, whose name can’t be blamed, manage to create a certain interest for the subject. And today, teaching John Stuart Mill’s thoughts about the freedom of the individual and freedom of expression, he did a most valiant attempt to place his thoughts in a modern context. The problem is, he’s gets a kind of taken away...and suddenly, the theory and his dry English humour not that fare from each other. The first he concluded was that John Stuart Mill would have enjoyed the pornography debate, in the light of individual freedom, here at UCD. This much, as he pointed, because the Student Union, Aontas na mac Lèinn, never actually seems to get finish with the subject:
- I don’t know, every year they need to enlighten some new parts of the pornography, new...”stars”... who need to tell about their...work. And, yeah, make a lot of new posters who they don't use and doing researches at the late Friday nights and so on.

Further he had some comments about piercing, after showing a picture of something he thought were a lad, but, due to the enormous number of piercings was unable to get a exact gender.
- And I think that...he or she...whatever and John Stuart would have been good friends. Some individual’s taste may be...um...uncustomary, but that’s OK, that’s within the limits. I have no right of violet his way of expressing himself...But I assure you that I personally have no needs to penetrate my body with metal objects. I hate sharp things...can’t see what health benefits I would have by put needles into my skin...without vaccination of course. Vaccination is important, guys!

Then he followed with some points were the limits of the authority of the society over the individuals. He enjoyed himself, and so did we, so for the first time in this course it was a bit sad that the lecture were at the end. But, since I still had four essays to hand in the next two weeks it was also a kind of relaxing knowing that we would finish in time and give me some extra minutes to finish the first essay. As a grand final he, Mr Finlay, or Graham, whatever he prefer, have a list of cases where we should decide if it was a violation of the individual’s rights to forbidden them by law. The first were if it should be forbidden, in any cases, to practising cannibalism. The vote turned out as close to 50:50, tie and complete grind lock as possible.
- Everyone with their hands down(they who voted against the legalization of cannibalism)..block the doors. I’ll call the Garda. Look around you; we know who they shall arrest. Democracy is a beautiful thing, right?

This followed up with an rather hilarious description of another case, in which I quite simply will try to type down the entire monologue as far as I recall it.
- Ah...that’s one more thing...(writing on the power point) Trepanning. Anyone here who has any idea what that is? (Silent) Ah...good. Well, trepanning is a society who thinks they got some sort of health benefits by using a drill to make a hole in their head. Yeah. You folks should really look at the internet sometimes, a lot of lovely societies out there. Anyway. In trepanning they use this Black &Decker drill to make ha hole in their scull to...open up I guess, and release pressure and evil spirits sort of. And, yeah, they got a own page on internet, for they who survive the trepanning. And they are so satisfied and talking all about how great it is and...And there they are discussing...size of the drill, how wonderful it is... DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME. I will deny everything! I’m not setting you guys up for this... see you all on Tuesday.

I like that man.