A secular world is a sane world

How bad can the property slump go?

David McWilliams thinks bad...

When I read the silly valuations in the 'Irish Times' property section, particularly the "Take 5 at €400,000" section, I am reminded of the Japanese Imperial Palace delusion. Clearly a two up, two down in Rialto is not worth the same as a seven-bedroomed house in the Dordogne. Now that prices are falling rapidly, the idea that pokey Irish houses are worth more than French chateaux will look increasingly daft.

[snip]

Ireland is the most indebted nation in Europe. Outstanding residential mortgage debt now amounts to 192pc of our total GNP! This is truly shocking and depressing when you consider that in Germany, outstanding mortgage debt only amounts to 3pc of GNP.

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The Elitist Menace

link from onegoodmove

Books I've read recently, and what wot I thought

Originally I set out to try and write a short entry about any book I had just read but lately I just haven't had the time, so in an attempt to catch up here's a one line review of the most recent ones;

Why Europe and Asia raced ahead of everywhere else. Required reading for everyone.

Fantastic history of the Indian Mutiny and the battle of Delhi, full of first hand accounts of a savage conflict.











I learnt a few things about myself reading this Greta Christina's review tells you all you need to know









A very fine historical novel, compeletly hooked on the series right now, see also - Catalina's Riddle and Murder on the Appian Way










More Romans, this time the invasion of Britian, very enjoyable.

The E.U. Gravy Train

It's laughable that we should be asked to "trust" these fuckers! Transparency? Freedom of the Press? Democracy? Only words to sooth the gullible masses.



And please, no comments on how Lisbon would "fix" this kind of abuse. Lisbon is not required to stop blatant greed, and besides, if they don't fix them now they are not going to do it when they have more power.

tip to JohnnyK and ocaoimh for the link

Hurray For The Presenant of Poland

there are still a few democrats left, even more stinging as this guy supported the treaty;

Polish president Lech Kaczynski has said he will not sign the EU's Lisbon Treaty, saying it was pointless after Irish voters rejected it in a referendum last month.

"For the moment, the question of the treaty is pointless," Mr Kaczynski was quoted as saying in the online version of the daily Dziennik.

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