The incompetence of Biffo
I am sick to the back teeth [what’s left of ‘em] of hearing about Recession.
So things are a bit rocky on the economic front, but do they have to keep going on about it?
The meeja are having a field day, of course. They love bad news, and they are milking the current situation for all it’s worth. Thy are really getting their jollies trotting out the latest redundancy figure and shop closures, as it they were some kind of score to make us feel better.
The financial world is more delicately balanced than a Swiss watch. One word out of place, and shares can soar or plummet. One whisper can decimate a company’s share prices.
The one thing that can be done to help the current situation is to display a bit of optimism. I’m not saying we should pretend that nothing is happening, but this constant doom and gloom is not helping.
The worst offender is, of course Biffo. our Glorious Leader.
Singlehandedly, he kicked off the recession in Ireland with his tales of ‘things being worse that ever before’ and ‘we are billions in debt and things are going to be extremely tough’.
I have sniped at Haughey and Ahern in the past. Both were corrupt gangsters, but I have to grudgingly admit that they knew a little about running a country.
Biffo, on the other hand is worse than useless. He appears to be genetically incapable of making a logical decision. He is a rabbit that is caught in the headlights. Every decision he does finally make invariably exacerbates the situation. To say that he is out of his depth is like saying that Everest is a bit of a hill.
To make matters worse, not only is he grossly incompetent, but his arrogance knows no bounds. He is now stating that he will run the country ‘as he sees fit’ which as we have seen is a recipe for disaster.
This country is floundering and foundering for lack of leadership. There is no one at the helm.
Incidentally, for those of you abroad who wonder where the name Biffo originated –
Big Ignorant Fucker From Offaly.
Very appropriate.
Really? I always thought the first F was for Fellow. NOT!!!
Cowen needs to put his mandate where his mouth is. Call a general election and let us decide who we want to deal with this “money thing”, pick whatever label or soundbite you like.
For two lads who have been at pains to stress that us poor plebs don’t appreciate how bad things really are, Brian and mini-Brian have been awfully fucking slow about actually doing anything to tackle the situation.
Now is hardly the time for politcal tip-toeing about the place, putting the feelers out in an effort to figure what the public will find most pallatable. Decisive action is needed – we know the cuts are coming, we know the cuts will hurt our wallets so just fucking make them.
But make the ones that are right for the country – and not the ones that are right for FF, Sean Quinn, Sean Fitzpatrick or any other visitors to the Galway Races Tent.
What about a bloody coup? If nothing else it would distract a nation and maybe even create jobs.
JL – No. Fucker! I had heard it, but I researched it too. I think we have two viable alternatives – a National Government or a revolution. I vote for the latter.
TBA – Unfortunately, I don’t think they are capable of getting us out of this. Their track record is not bad – it’s non-existant. It has become a cliche, but we need an Obama.
Red – NOW you’re talking. I have one request though. I want to smash my fist into Biffo’s face before he is put against the wall?
The media exist to generate fear. It keeps us all complacent and free of any “funny” ideas that might not fit well with the status quo.
Don’t wait for leadership, if it’s not coming organise at a community level to fix the things you need fixing, there is no shortage of ways to do this. I’m not going to preach, do the research, choose a solution and get on with it.
Now, fair’s fair. I think we should let Mr. Cowen and his crew lead us to the edge of the abyss and laugh gaily as he pushes us over. Short term it will be an unprecedented disaster long term it will probably mean the end of Fianna Fail as a political force in Irish Politics. A little pain now for future gain?
yes of course, and you can shout “FIRE” too afterwards if you like.
Wasn’t it one of the English politicians the other day said that Ireland is heading the same way as Iceland?
Well I hope he was right because at least Iceland’s government just resigned and they will get a new one.
Nice top bollocks. Thanks. Anybody we know?
You guys think WAY too much of and I have no doubt are expecting WAY too much from this bozo we elected as our president.
Oh well, we have “Comrade The Messiah” and you have “Biffo”. I guess we’re both fucked!
We’re fucked because of 8 years of that cunt from Texas who fucked the whole world up.
It’s the same thing here in the states. Yesterday was the first day back at university, and every single one of my teachers kept harping on the fact that our economy sucks and how everything is going to hell in a hand basket.
It’s not a fantastic thing to have happen, but I agree with you Grandad, going on and on about it doesn’t change anything. Not to mention, it’s quite annoying.
The reality is that this recession is no worse than any before it, just the circumstances that caused it and I’m with tt. . .done in no small way by US sloppy lending policies which were emulated by Australia and Europe alike.
Journos love doom and gloom and frankly I wish they’d shut the fuck up. Markets are ‘efficient’ and will correct but the way finance works around the world will change forever. The only thing preventing market recovery is FEAR and until investors start buying back in, banks start cross-lending and governments get sensible with fiscal policy we remain in the status quo. In a way, this recession was the wake-up call the world needed. Traditionally, the market leads economic recovery so keep your eyes peeled. You could always emigrate! At least being homeless here is warm!
Baino. You are missing thepoint. Millions of people are losing their incomes and are terrified, that’s the grim reality. Not just an economic cycle.
I’me with tt, i think we all know where the “Axis of evil” really was.
Nup not missing it tt . . . just telling the story from a statistical point of view, cold and hard. I deal with investors, wealthy ones, who are buying gold and cash rather than re-entering the market. We need them and the institutions back in, not the ‘mums and dads’ who are struggling and we need good financial reform to ensure that the inter-bank lendingpractices of the past are secure and funded. Greedy people caused this debacle, helped along by greedy governments.
You’re right, there’s a lot of frightened people out there and with good reason. My heart goes out to the self funded retirees and those losing their jobs, we’re having massive job losses here too and we’re supposedly not in ‘recession’ yet. I lost mine in the last economic downturn so I know what it feels like! I understand the ‘fear’ we just don’t need the press labouring the point. (oops, sorry Grandad. . . I’ll get off ye old soap box now!)
Its not very often the entire world is dragged into one news story. I suppose you cant blame the press for harping on and on about it because nobody is talking about anything else.
How often in history has such a common link been forged between so many diverse peoples, cultures and societies? Whatever we may think about the ‘R’ word its going to hit everybody, on every continent and, unfortunately, that’s big news.
This country is a shambles, and what are they doing about it ? Absolutly nothing !
I think we should all pack up and leave !
Gotta agree with the about the origination of BIFFO
All my best friends are bankers. They’re going through an especially hard time now and I’m sorry to say there is little sympathy for them. But I remember when they were heros for giving people 110% mortages. I know people who went out of their way to bundle up packages of loans and sold them to the highest bidder. Of course they got good bonuses for their enterprise, but don’t we need people to take risk? Where would we have been without people prepared to stick out their necks and sell loans to their mates in other banks? There’s too much envy. What’s wrong with people doing a bit of creative accounting, out-sourcing the risk and inventing paper commodities? I can’t understand what my friends were doing, but I could certainly see how they were able to live well beyond their salary. One guy I knew was able to borrow over 100 million euros and he only had a salary of 1m euros. He must have been doing something right.
We have the Central Bank. We had a Regulator. We have a whole class of auditors. And we have bankers who’s job it was to loan money out and earn bonuses for so doing. What’s wrong with that? Surely it’s not their fault your friend Mr Cowan is floundering? Please stop complaining. You could have done something to influence things. You could have become a banker and changed the system from within. You could even have become a whistleblower, a revolutionary, one of those dangerous people who can’t be trusted to play the game.
Some of my best friends are facing bankrupcy now. They have land with zoning they’ve paid for, and no one offering a new tax incentive to build on it. I think that’s unfair. They’ve put in a lot to make our system work. Look at all the people who got to drive new cars and install second fridges, flat screen TVs and fourth homes. I bet you wish you could have had your own little pile. I agree with you that it’s time we all stopped talking the economy down and started recognising the courage it took to approve bonuses for bankers. I bet you wouldn’t have been brave enough to stand out against the crowd for complainers who’ve only lost their jobs and not had to give up on their dreams of becoming as wealthy as the Kennedys.
Omani – You had me going there for a moment. Like yourself, I had a couple of friends who were very high up in the banking business. They made fortunes initially, but their ‘live now, pay later’ philosophy caught up with them when suddenly ‘later’ arrived. I’ll miss them. I’ll visit them every so often though to pay my respects, up at the landfill.