Saturday, September 4, 2010

Paddy Power odds on final recapitalising Anglo-Irish

Hello punters.

We asked our favourite bookies to give us odds on the how much money we're going to plough into our least favourite banks. Here's what they had to say:

Singles Only. Applies to the final cost of the recapitalisation of Anglo Irish Bank as confirmed in an official statement by the Department of Finance. PP decision final.
Under €22 billion 5/1
€22 - €23.999 billion 9/1
€24 - €25.999 billion 9/2
€26 - €27.999 billion 11/4
€28 - €29.999 billion 5/1
€30 - €31.999 billion 8/1
€32 - €33.999 billion 9/1
€34 billion or over    3/1   
 
Sneakily they've lumped all the €34b+ into one set of odds, thus preventing us from having a 5 to 1 shot on €40b, my favoured final cost. Still, this represents the only way we are likely to get any of our money back on Anglo, so be my guest....


BETSLIP Selections: 0 Help

BS_HELP

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Here we go again....

Let's look at another Green classic shall we?




You all know that we are about to receive a 5% hike in ESB charges this winter. The timing could not be worse, the reasons for this being self-explanatory. The main cause of the increase is the levy surcharged to support the burning at our peat-burning power stations, for which there are various legislation that insists we must operate. Typically, this is to ensure that we have an independent power source in case our importation of fuel sources are ever shut off.

This perspective is of course, so 1970's. The Russians are not going to turn off the gas, OPEC is not going to shut down oil supply and we are busy building inter-connectors to the UK and beyond for nuclear power amonst others.

So what do we know about electricity derived from burning peat?

Well, we know that it is the most expensive format we have in producing electricity.
We know that it is the worst polluter and CO2 transmitter of all our energy sources.
We know that the EU has legislation and is bringing in further restrictions to reduce and then stop the use of peat bogs for fuel purposes as per the various EU directives on the protection of habitats.

Eamon Ryan has been the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources for over three years now. He is perceived as the least incompetent Green TD, and certainly as an able minister compared to John Gormley.

And yet, one would think that the first thing a Green Minister of Energy would do is seek to repeal the archaic laws on peat burning stations. After all, it's too expensive, it's too polluting and it's environmentally unacceptable. So for three years the minister sits on his hands while his colleague, Mr Gormley, fully enforces EU laws on protecting habitats by making it unlawful for turf cutters to cut their turf on their own land.

This is a perfect synopsis of Green policy. They don't get the big, medium or small picture. They don't understand basic ideology and policy changes that deal with big issues and conveniently ignore small ones (like small time turf cutting and use of commercial vehicles).

They are the worst, hypocritical, Neanderthal, moronic policy makers in the history of this State, because unlike FF who enact policies to make FF look good whilst lining the pockets of themselves and their friends, they enact policies or make statements that they firmly believe in, without actually thinking them through.

Please ensure the extinction of this species at the next election.....

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Not buying the Sindo anymore


In the end it was an easy decision to make, helped in no small part by having access to the Sunday Business Post last weekend, the comparison was inevitable. We do love reading our Sunday newspapers and the kids are trained to tip-toe around us in the morning while we digest the news. Funnily enough, if you asked us on Monday what we actually read, it's unlikely we'd be able to tell you anything and any great detail.

The fact of the matter is the Sunday Independent (Sindo), is now only successful because it has a high readership. The page after page of adverts for multiples proves this, the money follows the readership figures, and that's all what it's about.

The sad demise of Alan Ruddock certainly doesn't help in terms of stories or content. The big beast is now confused, it knows it has to reflect the mass of readers who can't stand the government or its policies and therefore promotes the collective outrage, because it has to remain popular. And yet it still wants to remain truthful to its FF leanings, and therefore continues to use patriots like Larkin and O'Dea to push a friendly sanctuary all hoping for a return to favourable opinion polls, where it can then go back to its normal full-on support.

We don't need this as a country, in fact, the Sindo is a direct reflection of our country and its politics. Too big to fail? That's the Sindo. Lazy dogma and ideas thrown in with no great attention to detail or consequences? That's the Sindo. Relying on a rump of support in its rural strongholds? That's the Sindo. Like FF, the Sindo doesn't understand the necessity for statesmen rather than politicians, it is a rural backwater of gombeen relationships sprinkled with Benny-Hill moments to try and keep its readership numbers maximised.

Will people cop-on and consign this rag to the dustbin? Sadly, unlikely to happen in my time, no matter how long that might be. But even the longest journey has to start with the first step, and in this instance, I'm taking mine next Sunday.....