changing your name repeatedly, posting on threads that have nothing to do with NAMA, posting the same comment on multiple threads. NAMA is slowly starting to eat away at your brain. Seek help.

All right it was about NAMA. Pretending otherwise would be:
1. As deranged as gambling that property has fallen by 50% and will fall no further. In fact from their supposed value of €47 Billion these loans are projected by the business plan to generate €74 Billion in interest and repayments.

2. It would be as deranged as believing Brian Lenihan is not working hand in glove with the banks.

Both of them believe that Irish property would have had a soft landing if it wasn’t for Lehman’s collapse. Why should he clear them out? He believes that the government, developers and bankers were all victims of outrageous foreign misfortune. Politicians are a key part of this triangle. FF/PDs are the political wing of the banker/developer complex. Lenihan is being wrongly depicted as the slave of the banks when really he is their partner and leader. Expect a token gesture to show he is in charge (which he always has been) in the near future.

Finally, remember the correct standard of proof for the NAMA lobby:
No assertion by the NAMA lobby should be believed unless it is in writing, legally binding, irrevocable and available for inspection.
No commitment by the NAMA lobby should be believed unless it is legislated for, implemented and is being policed by an independent expert of huge experience and unimpeachable integrity.

any particular reason you post a link about Greek banks on a thread titled “The World Cup and the Economy”. Or are you completly incapable of discussing any particular topic without bringing it back to NAMA? It’s getting boring. Its bordering on derangement.

Until we come to a shared understanding of the causes of our earlier success and the recent failure, we will never find a way forward because we will not have the political consensus to tackle our public finances.

The main story this morning on most tabloids is not the disastrous flooding in the south and west but the futile efforts to get a replay with France.

I despair if Irish people are waiting for football to get us out of the deep hole we have dug for ourselves.

A very good point about internationalising the GAA. They could start with making it more popular among Northern Protestants (of whom, for my sins, I am one). It has made some inroads since the peace process, but it could do more.

Regarding Thierry Henry’s handling skills, am I correct in thinking the score would have been disallowed in both rugby and gaelic football? It woud have been a knock-on in rugby and a square ball in gaelic football.

As for Michael Hennigan, I’m sure that, if Finfacts had a sports section, they’d be reporting that Henry headed the ball, and that claims to the contrary were Fianna Fail propaganda.

“In a letter to the institutions, the Athens-based central bank said Greek lenders as a whole had borrowed amounts that were proportionally greater than other countries in the 16- nation euro area, the Web site said, without saying where it got the information. Greek banks have borrowed a total of 42 billion euros ($63 billion) of the 570 billion euros the ECB has pumped into the system, according to Euro2day.

Granted this is unconfirmed. And Eoin will point to the statement below:

“The central bank hasn’t banned any bank from the operations and this recommendation isn’t linked to Greek government bonds that they hold or want to acquire, the bank said”.

But really, how likely is it that the ECB have devised a special Ireland only long-term funding deal because of our sheer loveability, and why does our charm not work on FIFA? I believe that if our economy is ruined they will keep us on life support. If it is merely stagnant we will get no special treatment. No assertion by the NAMA lobby should be believed, unless it is in writing and legally binding and irrevocable.

National income in 2010 will be higher.

What are the bets Soccer would have rocketed up by double-digits had Ireland scored a second goal in Paris? Irish people’s favourite sport is generally the one we’re best at at any given moment - I’m sure it’s true for lots of countries, but definitely for ours.

On the subject of Italia ‘90, I watched the movie version of The Van last night and it made me sad over the World Cup all over again

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=a4OK1qJLrwEQ

We have been lied to on everything. We should be twirling the pitchforks over this.

In regressions explaining international performance in football, it seems that one would have to include an effect for being an ex-Yugoslav country. Two of them in the World Cup and Bosnia not that far away. It’s the sporting graveyard of empires.

two advantages: first, we’re bound to win - boom - economic recovery.
second: henry can handle the ball all he wants and nobody will make a fuss.

Matt Cooper in the Examiner today cries foul:
FIFA is happy to have a con artist like Henry in finals

Feed the red meat to the angy fans!

Wonder what the Irish would think if England had been the unfortunate ones?

It’s interesting that as sport as become a huge money-making enterprise for not only a small number of players but a related industry, how people feel it necessary to present themselves as a “regular type of guy” as Tony Blair might put it.

So Mervyn King supports X club and in the recent press release from the Central Bank, we were told that the new Head of Regulation is a Leeds United fan - - as if it should matter!

Wait until January - when Russia turns off the gas, a a quid pro ???? ! That will show you how inept FIFA is!

The viewing figures released by RTE on Thursday evening for the match would suggest that egg chasing will remain of secondary or tertiary importance to vast swathes of the populace for some to come.

Although with obesity on the rise and a sedentary lifestyle affecting learning and concentration, the attraction of a sport where fatties lie on top of each other while the referee stands beside them reminding them of the rules every couple of seconds will surely increase.

Economists with conflicts of interest! There was chat about the Fed influence on economists and the economists generally pooh poohed the idea. I am not convinced!

E43Bn
I have said previously that the loss on Nama will be ~50,000,000,000 Euro. Quite a stimulus package for someone! What would be the commission on that? The taxpayer and her grandsons will be proud to pay it!

Meantime let us concentrate on the bread and circuses!

Does Colm McCathy agree that he overlooked the savings to be made from restricting FOI? Why not save more money and dispense with the trappings of democracy altogether?

Never mind the match. Lovely 2 Bed finished apartments in Newbridge down 66%. In the Dublin commuter belt where the oversupply is legendarily low (per NAMA backers)? This must be the national average for FINISHED property. If NAMA pays 50% of peak plus an LTEV - as its valuer intends - we will lose €43 Billion. NAMA will be trying to turn €31 Bn (less with development land) into €74 Bn. This proposal is insane.

Outrage, unbelievable, cheat! I wish we were like that when our leaders decided that they were going to blow 30bn in our collective names.

Give us a video ref in Irish public life. Once and you are sin binned three strikes and you are out! How many of the faces that populate the public arena would survive? We certainly would have a slimmed down dail.

@Frank Galton
You are right. I don’t know why FF are so angry as this is all just like NAMA. FIFA rigged things to benefit the richer & more important country. FF should be congratulating FIFA on the success of their NAMA.

But we can still turn this to our advantage. Cowen’s having a word with Sarkozy. Maybe Sarko will lobby for Maire G-Q to get a good portfolio if we agree to drop the matter quietly…

To answer Philip’s question an indepth study required - pub takings vs quality of meat (source: our local butcher has long observed a crash in demand for sunday roasts as the native county progresses through the GAA championship)

Not in the slightest. I have spoken to some very interesting economists in government who think that Irelands success in World Cup 90′ acted as a catalyst for Irelands economic recovery.

It’s interesting how these myths develop - - the digerati call it viral marketing.

No wonder the country is banjaxed!