GUBU

GUBU
An Irish woman's social, political and domestic commentary

Sunday, December 21, 2003

Denis O'Brien and tax

Ok so I like Denis BUT how come everyone's picking on him? JP McManus, Magnier, Smurift....they're ALL non-residents and no one minded. Not only that but think of the thousands of people who avoid tax and stay in the country. All those holiday homes are bought by rich people who won't pay any tax because the cost of the home is written off. Vincent Browne points out in the SBP today that of the top 400 earners in Ireland, just over half paid 5% tax or lower, and most of the rest paid between 5 and 20%! I paid 42!! Its totally unfair and always has been. Let's get morally outraged about the whole thing and not just DOB. At least he created piles of jobs. What did JP McManus ever do except make pots out of the devalued Irish pound?

posted by Sarah | 15:28 0 comments

Paedophiles, Underage Sex and all that

Breda O'Brien in today's (20th Dec) IT had the very same thoughts I did during the week when she saw Benetton's windows. They have huge posters of a naked toddler girl. My immediate reaction was feeling very uncomfortable and thinking that it wasn't very wise when its clear that paedophilia is so widespread. But isn't that a shame that that's our first thought? The naked child is now seen as something sexual. Breda said that the innocence of parents as well as children has been stolen. A nice way to put it I thought.

But that also linked into the main weekend story in the IT, which analysed Ian Huntley's track record. He had about 11 complaints against him of sex with underage girls but nothing was done about it. Everyone is getting very confused about sexuality in children. I've always been appalled at the way some parents dress their children up like Spice Girls (the little boys are still dressed conservatively, but the girls are in leopard skin belly tops). One of the experts quoted says that's not really an issue because paedophiles find children sexually attractive no matter what they wear and anyway, older people always think the latest fashions are provocative..fair point but personally I disagree. Some of the clothes are outrageous.

But that's just the children. Young teenage girls are worse with immature bosoms falling out of cheap tops. They are deliberately being sexy but are totally unprepared to handle sexualisation....hello Date Rape. Of course the music industry actively encourages all of this. From the Spice Girls to Kylie to ohmygod Christina Aguilera..their market is 10-14 year old girls and they are teaching them how to be sexy! Sex sells..even to girls that young. OK, some of them are too young to realise what's happening. But then I've always felt sorry for girls...have you heard adults complimenting them? Its always, oh you're so pretty...your dress is lovely...are they new shoes? How about..you're so clever, well behaved, great runner or whatever. So its not quite fair to lay all the blame on MTV when adults compliment you primarily on how you look and what you wear when you're 4!!

Bottom line on this babble...I'm tired of sex..its everywhere....telly, lingerie ads, music, clothes. Are we any freer, happier? What's life like as an unrepressed woman in 2003? Well for a lot (as the IT pointed out) its infertile, because chlamydia, the symptomless STD, is rampant. Which brings me onto the great irony of all this sex..we're still anti-children. How many 30-something women are still putting off having children because they're worried about their career? Girls, here's a fact..you can work when you're 50 but you can't have kids, so get reproducing!

posted by Sarah | 15:23 0 comments

Tuesday, December 16, 2003

Ian Bailey again

Today's evidence...two separate people he confessed to. He's got the Jonathan Aiken/Jeffrey Archer disease. Can't wait to see what happens this plonker.

posted by Sarah | 22:35 0 comments

Letters to the Times and Saddam

But hey, there are always the cranks on the letters page of the IT to cheer one up. Loved the ones on Saddam today:

Madam, - So, Saddam has been found ... big deal. We always knew that he existed ! Maybe for your next trick Mr Bush, you and your pal Tony Blair can show me and everyone else the dreaded weapons of mass destruction you told us he had, or did you miss them when you searched his bunker? - Yours, etc.,

DICK WHITE, Cassagh, New Ross , Co Wexford.

Madam, - No doubt Tom Parlon had a hand in his capture, Yours, etc. -

ITA MCCORMACK, Rail Park, Maynooth, Co Kildare.

A chara - Will An Taoiseach come clean and tells us of his part in the capture of Saddam? - Yours, etc.

JOE KELLY, Montpelier Gardens, Dublin 7.

posted by Sarah | 22:31 0 comments

Dummies and soothers

So I cracked and started reading one of those bloody "how to rear a perfect child" books. Should have known this would be trouble when the author claimed that dummies, i.e. soothers, were so called because they silence the child and turn them into dummies. I always thought that dummy was for dummy tit i.e. fake tit; which sounds far more logical to me. So if even the name is controversial, I don't see how anyone is ever going to agree on their use.

Sigh.

posted by Sarah | 22:29 0 comments

Monday, December 15, 2003

Ian Bailey defames himself

This is hilarious. Remember Sophie Toscan de Plantier. She was murdered in Cork years ago and the hubby is still complaining that the cops botched the investigation so no one was ever done for it. Locals in Cork and those all-knowing dogs in the street did apparently finger someone for it but there was never enough evidence.
Anyway, this Ian Bailey character is suing several newspapers for identifying him as the murderer.
Now, I'd never heard his name until the defamation trial began but wow! he's managing to make it totally obvious that he did murder her. His alibi is being supported by a partner who admits that he has beaten the shit out of her, his own diaries confess to violent episodes and dodgy sexual preferences. He even told one of the journalists that he killed her! Apparently that was a joke! I think this could be a case for the judgement of Albert Reynolds i.e. find for Mr Bailey but award him a cent in damages.
What an idiot.

posted by Sarah | 18:05 0 comments

What's the story with ER?

So the last episode of the last series was entirely set in the Congo and showed the devastation that is going on. The second episode of the new series went back. I wonder what the story is with the production team? Its fantastic because it does expose that tragedy and Carter is given 'right-on' lines like "No one cares because there's no oil here'. Must make some enquiries.
Also, they decided to save Kovac's life, send him back to Chicago and Carter stays in the Congo where presumably he will perish if the ratings manage to pick up in his absence.

posted by Sarah | 18:00 0 comments

Damn Saddam

Pathetically I have to confess that when news reached me in my king size bed that he'd been captured I thought "damn". I had been enjoying the failure of the yanks to get him. Dreading the triumphalism I avoided the news but hubby braved the boudoir to relate Bremner's opening statement "We got 'em". I rolled over, put the quilt over my head and couldn't face the news still tea-time.
Still......I can at least observe closely how they treat him. Based on America's rather loose interpretations of international law it will be interesting to see what they do with him. Will they redeem themselves or simply confirm their lawlessness? In the meantime, I'd settle for ONE weapon of mass destruction.
How about that fake turkey on thanksgiving?

posted by Sarah | 17:56 0 comments

Tuesday, December 09, 2003

Town centres my eye

Evil places like Liffey Valley and Blanchardstown shopping centre were built in order to provide new town centres. Developers bragged of employment and amenities - new high streets for these areas. But did you know that as they are privately owned they ban any kind of leafleting or political activity?
During the last abortion referendum I went out to Liffey Valley and stood in one of the rotundas, handing out leaflets. Not speaking or anything just holding the leaflets( pro-choice of course). I was kicked out so I stood in the car park - on a bitterly cold windy day and I was kicked out of there too! I checked it out afterwards and all the shopping centres were the same. No campaigning on anything!
So, not only do we get the recolonisation of Ireland by British stores, not only do we encourage our citizens to spend their leisure time in shopping centres instead of engaging in cultural or sporting pursuits - we make damn sure that the only campaign they will be exposed to is an advertising one.
Shouldn't the planners demand that shopping centres are as free as the village main street especially if there are being touted as benefitting the community?

posted by Sarah | 22:39 0 comments

Carefree days?

You know those ads on telly for panty liners to wear alldays always. If a woman needs a sanitary towel every single day, shouldn't she see a doctor instead of buying a dynamically designed knicker pad in a fancy pack?

posted by Sarah | 22:32 0 comments