Trouble is, I think they do

If we want a culture of death to continue to be imposed in Europe - back Tony Blair as EU president

You know, I used to respect Yoyo Ma

Perspective

I have got the go-ahead to attend part of the African bishops's synod this week, to try to get some interviews with the boys from down south on issues of concern.

Don't know exactly yet what I'm going to be talking to them about, but doing a bit of research, it strikes me that there are some things going on in the world that they have to deal with that make our troubles look like a walk in the park.

Child sacrifice and ritual murders rise in Uganda as famine looms

If it makes you feel any better,

the Irish referendum really wasn't going to make any difference anyway.

French Europe Minister vows to push on with EU integration, regardless of Irish vote

in an interview with French radio station LCI, Pierre Lellouche, French Minister for Europe, was asked what will happen if Ireland votes ‘No’. He said: “We are waiting very impatiently because the future of 500 million Europeans lays in the hands of 3 or 4 million Irish voters… it is a very uncertain campaign”. He continued: “Whatever happens, Europe will keep on going because we do not have a choice…there is a lot of work to do in the energy, immigration, industry and social fields, and we are not going to stop. So we will find solutions if ever we were faced with such a situation.”

Eurocrats gave up on voting quite a while ago.

Who would dare say no?

to Tony getting the top job at the EU?

Just the electorate, so really, who cares?

On his Coulisses de Bruxelles blog, Jean Quatremer looks at whether or not Tony Blair might be the first EU permanent President if the Lisbon Treaty is ratified, and quotes a high-level French diplomat saying "No-one dared to oppose Barroso. Who will dare say no to Tony Blair?" Quatremer adds that the Iraq war will not cause a problem for the former British PM, since, according to the same French diplomat, "only public opinion is concerned about this, not the 27 Heads of State and Government that will vote him in".

and

Who wants Tony Blair?

It means that the democratically elected prime ministers and presidents of each country are able to be EU President on a rotating basis. Nobody is pretending that this system is ideal. But it seems a damn sight fairer and more democratic than simply handing the post, complete with enormous new salary, perks, pension and prestige for two and a half years at a time to an ex-leader who has fallen from grace in his or her own country, as will be case under Lisbon.

Just the government. So it must be OK.

Right?

Way to GO Vaticanistas!

Right on the ball there, I see.

ON. THE. DAY. of the Lisbon vote, the Vatican puts out a statement.

Vatican issues Lisbon Treaty warning to Irish voters

European Union threatens the country's "identity, traditions and history".

Good work there boys.

Oh, oh, oh Ireland

Oh deary me.

What can be said?

Quite a lot, I expect, and I foresee posting quite a lot about it in the next little while.

This in first by email:

Re: the so-called re-run Referendum.

Can anyone please explain to me how a people who give their government and Taoiseach an approval rating of 20% or less one week, can turn round and in very contentious circumstances and with strong arguments made to further discredit the legitimacy of what they were saying, give them an approval rating of 60% the next week. An approval rating unheard of even in any general election.

Am I mad or is there something barmy going on?

...and on that cheery note...

I'll see y'all on Monday. Taking the long weekend off. I might go to Florence.

You can talk quietly amongst yourselves until the bell rings, but remember, I'm going to be right outside that door.

What do China, South Korea, Japan and the US have in common?

In that order, they are the world's largest consumers of pornograhpy.



Ah, the industrialised world. Ain't it grand?

Second best reason

I can think of for the Irish to vote No on Lisbon today and tomorrow,

Blair to be named EU President 'within weeks' if Irish ratify Lisbon Treaty

But it doesn't look good.

The latest survey on Sunday put support for the treaty at 55 percent, compared to 27 percent who said they were planning to vote against it.

Welcome to the New World Order, Ireland.