Susannah Breslin spent a decade reporting on the sex industry and
discovered much about male desire in the process – as she’s revealed
in a series of extraordinary blogs. She talks to Nisha Lilia Diu
Nisha Lilia Diu
7:30AM BST 08 Apr 2012
It’s tempting, on seeing the name of Susannah Breslin’s new blog, to
think you already know what it contains: Letters from Men Who Go to
Strip Clubs.
George Washington has been named as the greatest foe ever faced by the British.
By Jasper Copping
7:02PM BST 14 Apr 2012
The American was voted the winner in a contest run by the National
Army Museum to identify the country’s most outstanding military
opponent.
He was one of a shortlist of five leaders who topped a public poll and
on Saturday was selected as the ultimate winner by an audience of
around 70 guests at a special event at the museum, in Chelsea, west
London.
In second place was Michael Collins, the Irish leader, ahead of
Napoleon Bonaparte, Erwin Rommel and Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
Dear Editor
Juxtaposition of the ‘Deep South’ and Ireland may have resonance as
far as Travellers are concerned. Your readers may like to know that
some councillors in Dublin are not caught under the ‘votes at all
costs’ umbrella. Michael Clifford lets the facts in the Kilkenny arson
attack speak for themselves and allows the public representatives
reflect, by their own words and actions, what they see as the
electoral reality of deep prejudice in their society.
Read more
Area Area 4 – North West
Application Number 2181/12
Application Type Permission
Decision REFUSE PERMISSION
Decision Date 05-Apr-2012
Applicant Baron’s Childcare
Location 82, Northway Estate, Finglas, Dublin 11
Proposal The development will consist of :
(a) change of use of existing domestic house and garden to childcare use;
(b) part single storey, part two storey extension to the rear, also
for childcare use;
(c) porch at front entrance;
(d) attic conversion for storage purposes with new rooflights to rear and
(e) external insulation to external facades; all finishes to match existing.
Cavan pick up second Ulster U21 crown
Wednesday, April 11, 2012 – 10:18 PM
There may be rumblings of discontent within their senior camp, but the
future fot football in the Breffni county looks bright, after they
picked up their second successive Ulster U21 crown, and only their
fourth in all. Read more
Zimbabwean tyrant ‘close to death’
He is believed to be suffering from prostate cancer
Close family members are at his bedside
Mugabe has already greed to hand over power to Defence Minister
Emmerson Mnangagwa
By Daily Mail Reporter
Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe was said to be close to death tonight.
The 88-year-old, who is believed to be suffering from prostate cancer,
flew to Singapore by private jet on Saturday for treatment.
His wife, Grace, and close family members are reported to be at his bedside.
Vigil: Robert Mugabe’s family are with him as the Zimbabwean leader,
who is said to be close to death, battles cancer in a Singapore
hospital
Vigil: Robert Mugabe’s family are with him as the Zimbabwean leader,
who is said to be close to death, battles cancer in a Singapore
hospital
The tyrant has undergone several bouts of therapy in Asia in recent years.
But his condition has now deteriorated and there were claims tonight
that he has agreed to hand over power to his feared henchman and
defence minister, Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Rumours over Mugabe’s health have been rife in recent weeks because of
his frail appearance. There was heightened speculation today when the
Zimbabwe government postponed a cabinet meeting at the last minute.
The Zimbabwe Mail, quoting a senior official of Mugabe’s ZANU-PF
party, said the leader, who has ruled the country since its
independence from Britain in 1980, was undergoing intensive treatment
in Asia.
Mugabe was supposedly in Singapore to oversee his daughter Bona’s
enrolment at university.
But registration does not start until September and opponents said it
was unlikely he would travel abroad to deal with such a matter in
person.
Sources in Iran, which has a warm relationship with Zimbabwe, said
Mugabe had agreed on his successor.
The Tehran Times said the tyrant had entered into a ‘gentleman’s
agreement’ to hand over power to 65-year-old Mnangagwa, who helped
orchestrate the violent opposition to Britain in the 1970s.
The former Zimbabwe intelligence chief was also widely blamed for the
brutality following the 2008 presidential election after Mugabe’s
rival, Morgan Tsvangirai, took an early lead in the voting.
He is also thought to have played a major role in the crackdown of the
opposition Zapu party in the 1980s that left thousands of civilians
dead.
There was no comment on Mugabe’s health tonight from either his family
or from the Zimbabwe government.Mugabe’s aides have denied there is a
medical emergency, claiming he is enjoying an Easter break in Asia
with his family.
But Zimbabwe’s vice president, Joice Mujuru, has reportedly cut short
her trip to Asia to return home and prepare for the possibility of
Mugabe’s death.
The tyrant is understood to have travelled to Singapore eight times
last year for medical treatment. A diplomatic cable released last year
by Wikileaks said Mugabe was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2008
and given five years to live because it had spread.
He is said to have defied pleas from his own doctors to step down.
Taking over? It’s been reported that Mugabe entered into a
‘gentleman’s agreement’ to hand over power to Emmerson Mnangagwa
Taking over? It’s been reported that Mugabe entered into a
‘gentleman’s agreement’ to hand over power to Emmerson Mnangagwa
His ailing health has been cited as the main reason that a hard line
faction of his ZANU-PF party has pushed to rush through new elections.
The Zimbabwe Mail quoted a British-based Zimbabwe analyst, who wished
to remain anonymous, as saying: ‘Mugabe’s health impacts entirely on
Zimbabwe’s political landscape. Everything revolves around his health
and his age.’
In February, Mugabe declared himself ‘fit as a fiddle’. Last month he
celebrated his 88th birthday with a lavish party in the capital,
Harare, reputed to have cost £650,000.
The leader was said to have feasted on a cake in the shape of a crocodile.
Mugabe was hailed as a hero by many Africans when he came to power 32
years ago with Zimbabwe looked on as a model for a successful
transition from white rule.
But the nation’s fortunes have plunged together with Mugabe’s reputation.
He is now regarded as one of the world’s worst human rights abusers.
He has been accused of murdering thousands of his own citizens and
brutally crushing all opposition to his rule. Read more
April 9, 2012 by namawinelake
To the regular audience on here, I hope you’ll indulge a spill-over of
the weekend political slot into Monday, but it is a Bank Holiday
Monday after all. Last Thursday there was an event to examine the
forthcoming Fiscal Compact referendum; the event was organised by the
National Forum, which presumably is still Marc Coleman’s lot. The
event was held in the Davenport Hotel just down the road from Leinster
House and there were four keynote speakers – Declan Ganley of
Libertas, Brian Hayes the Minister of State at the Department of
Finance, Michael McDowell, former Attorney General and leader of the
defunct Progressive Democrats and lastly Fianna Fail grandee and until
recently, deputy party leader, Eamon O’Cuiv, Deputy O’Cuiv having
“resigned” after adopting a nuanced position towards the referendum
which was at odds with the majority of the Fianna Fail parliamentary
party.
Read more
April 10, 2012 by namawinelake
Back in antebellum America, it was common for negro slaves to avoid
marrying a spouse from the same plantation for a very poignant reason
– no man or woman wants to see their beloved raped, humiliated, beaten
or whipped before their very eyes, it’s more than can be borne, and
for that reason slaves often married slaves from neighbouring or
distant plantations to avoid the reality of their powerlessness in
protecting their beloved. And on Sundays, a day of rest in slave-era
America, when husband and wife might meet up, the scars or tears would
be acknowledged but ignored. Such was the life of a slave as described
by a former slave Frederick Douglas – there’s a free online book of
his life here. Read more
Last night Senator Averill Power of FF was on the show. Her Senate Bill to ban discriminatioin against non-heterosexual in school teacher appointments in denominational schools is something I support. People
with long memories will remember the Eileen Flynn case in Wexford where a teacher (EF) was fired from a Catholic school for living in sin. Read more
Great move by Limerick City Council. THis man is an Irish colossus.
He, alongside BOD should be made ambassador at large by the government
when he retires.