Following the successful factory occupation of Republic Windows and Doors in Chicago, the workers of Waterford Glass now show the way to fight redundancies and lay offs. In a year where it is estimated that up to 50 million workers are due to lose their jobs, and banks continue to be propped up with billions of dollars and euro, we need to demand that companies are nationalised and jobs defended.

The Direct Action by the Waterford Workers now puts it up to the Irish government- who is more important, workers and their families or the tiny financial elite of the banks?

Nationalise the Glass, and let the workers run the factory. They'd do a better job of it.

Solidarity,
Joe Carolan (Socialist Aotearoa)

Signs are already that the chemical castration of the Irish Unions from long-term immersion in the toxic environment of the Social Partnership has been completed. Reports are that they are preparing to slink away from IBEC and Fianna Fail without so much as a whimper about bailouts and other blindingly obvious transfers of enormous wealth from the poor to the rich at a time when the flow should be going in the other direction.

The French are having none of it - a million of them have shut France down today in protest at bailouts and job cuts:

Rank and file union members in Ireland NEED to get angry about what is being done. Their leaderships are virtually useless. Even the INTO, despite over 100K marching in recent weeks against education cuts, ruled out strikes from the very outset! What sort of a union is that? New leadership is urgently needed if people are to be protecting from the icy blast of the neo-conservative policies that are being railroaded through as 'emergency measures'.

Various Ongoing Analyses Of 'Their Crisis' In Ireland
The Recession Diaries
The Property Pin
Cedar Lounge Revolution

On Sunday 25 January 2009, what is probably a US Navy C-9B Skytrain logistics aircraft was photographed at Shannon airport in neutral Ireland, at about 11 am. Even though it had no obvious military markings, it was being guarded by an Irish army security patrol. The registration number it is obliged to display was incomplete. The only number it displayed was 0050. As far as we can establish its full aircraft registration number is 160050.

Recent News:
• Obama orders Guantánamo Gulag to be Shut read more
• ShannonWatch.org suffered a mysterious DDoS Attack
• Ed Horgan asks President Barack Obama to Respect Irish Neutrality

We are urgently seeking more information on this aircraft, and wish to thank those who have provided research so far.

This plane is probably part of VR-52 (Naval Reserve Fleet Logistics Support) at Willow Grove Naval Air Station, Pennsylvania. It's US Navy C-9B "Skytrain", due to be phased out in the near future.

It has come to our attention over the past year that old aircraft, some of questionable air-worthiness have been transiting through Shannon airport, both with the US military and civilian airlines contracted to ferry troops and munitions through Shannon to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The civilian aircraft that have experienced mechanical trouble on these trans-atlantic flights include, OMNI Air, Kalita Air, and Murray Air. Old C130 Hercules military aircraft have also experienced mechanical trouble while making the US to Middle East trip via Shannon "neutral" airport.

The Irish government has called in as financial adviser Henrietta Baldock of the remarkable loss making machine that is Merrill Lynch

The Irish Times has reported that the government has taken on two outside advisers, Pádraig Ó Ríordáin of Arthur Cox solicitors and Henrietta Baldock of Merrill Lynch. Arthur Cox are one of Ireland’s premier firms of corporate lawyers. Merrill Lynch, formerly one of the big five Wall Street investment banks, is a much bigger fish. In 2008, however, they became a global laughing stock due to their regular quarterly announcements of billions of euros in loses.

Related Links:
US Finance and Global Capitalism
Financial Weapons of Mass Destruction
What's Behind The Global Finance Crisis?

This is an opinion piece about the Supevalu 'Kids in Action" voucher scheme that gives "free" sports equipment to schools; this equipment is anything but free, and Supervalu, in their Terms and Conditions, admit that the vouchers are worthless.

If you liked this, you might like these:
Campaign for Commercial-Free Education lash out at these "token gestures".
Indymedia.ie Feature Artilce "Against Commercialism in Education".
Opposing Tesco's "Computers for Schools" scheme.
Global Week of Action against the commercialisation of education (including fees).
Contact.ie - Contact someone who can effect change in these matters.

Supervalu has admitted that its vouchers for the Kids in Action programme are worthless.

The recently launched Supervalu 'Kids in Action' voucher scheme claims to provide schools with free sports equipment. This is a fallacy. Simple maths will explain: in order for a school to claim a 'free' gymnastics mat that retails at about €280, customers will have to spend €32,840 in Supervalu (i.e. 3,240 vouchers at €10 each); in order for a school to claim a 'free' basketball (that you could buy for around €10) customers will be asked to add €1,570 to Supervalu's bank account, and so on. (Source: 2009 Supervalu's 'Kids in Action' Catalogue, available at supervalukidsinaction.com)