Permanent link to this article: http://www.eamonnblaney.com/wordpress/blog/2010/01/27/helping-haiti/
Dec 15
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The ‘Associated Loans’ are the amount of money that was lent to borrowers which was secured against the anticipated increase in the value of the underlying asset! The formula used to calculate the anticipated increase in value must be the same as used to calculate the length of a piece of string….
Permanent link to this article: http://www.eamonnblaney.com/wordpress/blog/2009/12/15/the-elephant-in-the-nama-room/
Dec 08
Why the public outcry over what will be the ‘most draconian’ budget in the history of the State ? The reason I ask is assuming that it does make it through the Dail vote all that it will have achieved is getting an additional €4 Billion into our public piggy bank. ‘ €4 billion, that’s an enormous amount of additional revenue” ? I hear you cry. It is enormous but it is not nearly enough. Unfortunately, since I pointed out in a previous posting (economic-civil-war-revisited ) the actual amount of our debt has increased by a further €8 Billion, simply because the Government did not act back in February when they knew the scale of the problem. If that’s not bad enough, next years spending will increase by an additional €5 Billion compared to this year !
Permanent link to this article: http://www.eamonnblaney.com/wordpress/blog/2009/12/08/budget-how-are-ya/
Nov 27
Bless me Father, for I have sinned. It has been a week since my last confession.
During the week I lost my temper on at least two occasions. The first time, one of the pupils was playacting during breakfast and I felt the need to discipline him. I picked him up by the ear and slapped him across the face twice, just after I let go of his ear. When I walked back up the dining room I noticed that his nose was bleeding into his breakfast cereal, so I asked him to go to his room. The second occasion was somewhat more serious….
Permanent link to this article: http://www.eamonnblaney.com/wordpress/blog/2009/11/27/bless-me-father-for-i-have-sinned/
Nov 24
In just the last two weeks, four restaurants and a bookshop have closed in my area. Having spoken with some of the owners, who have been through previous recessions, it became very clear that this recession is unlike any other and far deeper in its reach. Instead of concentrating on the present headlines regarding bank remuneration or private versus public service workers, I have decided to take much more of a “helicopter” view of our present situation and how we all contributed to it more importantly. How we can all do something constructive to get out of it. As much as I do not wish to be a bearer of bad news, unfortunately our economy is going to get a lot worse. I will not go into the reasons why it will get worse now, but by April of next year we will truly understand the meaning of a recession.
Permanent link to this article: http://www.eamonnblaney.com/wordpress/blog/2009/11/24/mr-cowen-will-you-just-go-now/
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Jan 27
Helping Haiti & The Reasons Why?
January 27, 2010
To read the full article, please click on the Headline above.
Over the last week or so we have all witnessed the death, destruction and incomprehensible suffering of the people of Haiti. Our response to this has varied from collectively admitting that, as bad as things are here in Ireland, they don’t even begin to compare with what is happening in Haiti to indifference.
Thankfully many of us have been sufficiently moved to make financial contributions to the non-governmental organisations which are operating on the ground there. In most cases we feel that this is the very least we can do and also wish we could do more. Personally, I think we can and it only takes a little bit of effort. Let me explain.
While observing the latest updates regarding the international effort to assist people in Haiti, a rather bizarre thought entered my head. I say rather bizarre because on the face of it it seems to be neither empathetic or justified but if you bear with me, you will hopefully see that the way in which we respond to human suffering appears to be determined by how detached we are from it.
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