The latest on Left of the Year 2002 nominations

by Ray Fri Nov 22, 2002 14:10

So a bunch of SP members are sitting around in a pub one year and they decide to set up a 'Left of the Year' prize. And all of the judges are SP members. And all of the previous winners are SP members. And the first two names on your list are SP members.

Gee, I wonder who will win?

by Helpful Fri Nov 22, 2002 14:13

The Official List:
Clare Daly
Joe Higgins
Eoin Dubsky
Peter Hadden
Joe Carolan
Andrew Flood
Tim Hourigan
Dan Finn
Eamon McCann

The Rest:
Finghin
Nora Geraghty
Kevin Wingfield
Workers Hammer
Kevin Wingfield
Charlie McCreevy
Ruairi Quinn and Pat Rabbite
Cork Peace Alliance
Ray
Rose
Pat C
Matt Waine
Rory Hearne
Mary Harney
Feilim O'hAdhmail IPSC
Anthony McIntyre/The Blanket

Any others?

by Eamon Fri Nov 22, 2002 14:55

I nominate Brid Smith

by Jim Fri Nov 22, 2002 15:01

I thought it was going to be decided on an internet poll this year.

by Finghin - Socialist Party Fri Nov 22, 2002 15:08

I don't know why people think it's a SP/SY thing. I've never heard of this award, I doubt there's really a committee at all.

I can see some problem with having a massive list of people nominated if it to be put to an online poll. You will have someone winning it on a tiny vote! If there's to be a large list of nominees, I suggest a second round of voting where the top 5 or any with over a certain percentage of the vote get into. The person that gets most votes on 2nd round wins.

by Ray Fri Nov 22, 2002 15:13

I think that's pretty clear. But I think its also clear that (most of) the people behind this 'award' are members of the SP/SY. And I'm criticising it, not because I want to attack the SP/SY, but because I think it makes everyone involved look foolish. Its like some members of the Harry Potter fanclub making up a Book of the Century award, and then giving it to one of the Harry Potter books.

by pat c Fri Nov 22, 2002 16:06

i withdraw from the unofficial list in favour of anthony macintyre.

it should be obvious even to finghin thjat the awards are a sp operation. they originally refused to accept the mccann nomination because they felt hadden had been insulted in the posting!

talk about cult of the personality.

by Award Giver Fri Nov 22, 2002 16:35

The nominations are from left-wing people in general. The SP dont dominate the organising committee. I dont know if SP members nominated different people on the list. This is a non-party political award.

We are looking into putting the voting online. I think that it would be good to have 2 rounds of voting.

For valid nominations the following must be included:
i. the name of the nominated person,
ii. A valid reason why that person should be named "left of the year 2002"

Any nominations that are just used to attack others will not be accepted.

by Andrew Fri Nov 22, 2002 16:54

I had presumed this was going to be some sort of elaborate indymedia joke and have been waiting a few days for the punchline. It now seems that it's actually a serious proposal.

In that case please remove my name from the list. I'll only re-enter if you turn it into a proper send up of Miss World complete with a swim wear round and a 'think of the children' sound bite from each contestant. That I believe would set the proper tone for such an event/competition! I'd also suggest the audience be supplied with pies.

by raywatch Fri Nov 22, 2002 17:17

ray whay do you take everything so seriously? Obviously its some people (whatever party) having a little joke with their nominations and that and you go off on another polemic, please please please calm down just a little, you take yourself far too seriously.

by Ray Fri Nov 22, 2002 17:31

Its the fact that they seem to be taking this seriously that's got me worried.

by bysshe Fri Nov 22, 2002 17:36

and people wonder why the left in this country is small!
Left of the year -- for fucks sake.

by pat c Fri Nov 22, 2002 18:03

off topic

what happened at the shelley event in grafton street a while back?

by Paddy Power Fri Nov 22, 2002 18:14

Although nominations are not closed yet, it seems clear that it's a two-horse race. Clare Daly and Joe Higgins are the two main compeditors. Daly is picking up most bets. She's had a very good year- over 5500 votes, Airport disputes, bin tax non-payment, work as councillor etc. Joe has kept up his workload in the Dáil and is seen as the "real opposition" still.

However there are a few dark horses. Eamon McCann is likely to get support from the SWP. McCann has quite a profile throughout the country and will be battling it out with Hadden.

McCann does have a rival when it comes to SWP support. Joe Carolan has put in a good year and is well known due to his profile from the RTS event this May. Eoin Dubsky is also a good challenger and is likely to pick up anarchist support from his actions against US warplanes.

Here are the odds:

Clare Daly 3/2fav
Joe Higgins 2/1
Eoin Dubsky 10/1
Eamon McCann 15/1
Peter Hadden 20/1
Joe Carolan 20/1
Tim Hourigan 200/1
Dan Finn 250/1

by Blisset Fri Nov 22, 2002 19:29

Stick yr odds up your arse - and yr spamawards

by Des Fri Nov 22, 2002 20:35

Why is Tim Hourigan listed at odds of 200/1, it's a disgrace, after all the good work he put in re the US involvement at Shannon Warport. For all all WSM members (excluding Ray) Tim is not a member of the SP.

by B A S S B O M B E R - me fein Fri Nov 22, 2002 23:04

When Indymedia was first bandied about
I thought to myself, wow! This is really
whats needed in this country - an impartial,
informed and most importtantly, an alternative
voice to the reactionary mainstream media on
this Island... If we imagined our way into this
mess, then surely Indymedia was going to be instrumental in re-imagining the Ireland of the future. I've been a frequent contributor to
some of the lively debate, which IMC seemed to arose in people...
What has this become? The bitchin session that
ensued between SWP and the rest - bit me lip, fuck it Ireland never really did have the left/right thing (too busy blundering about with
the whole British/Irish thing etc. etc) required in every societies evolution. Having put me 20 quid (remember them?) towards the initial costs of
starting a web site, I sat back and watched the usual crew of media-whores clamber to get to the front of the queue (no names, the Ireland of the future will be devoid of bitching). It's on your CV now lads, so fuck off! Now this latest little project 'Left of the year' really, really, really
galls me. Is this the scene that celebrates itself?? Stop staring at your fuckin Guinness swill bellies and desist with this beauty pagent. Humbility, anonimity, heart and soul - not in Indymedia Ireland....
love and anarchy,
a very disgruntled B A S S B O M B E R.

by solida walsh Sat Nov 23, 2002 00:31

favourites for winning are;
(1)Johnny Adair LVF loving deposed vice warlord
(2)PSNI chief, Johnathan McIvor(bungling ex Met officer in charge of the investigation into the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence)now in charge of bungling investigation into neo nazi LVF murder of journalist Martin O Hagan.
( 3)Basil McIvor(notorius right wing hanging judge) now Governor of Lagan college in charge of administering more INJUSTICE to working class northern irish children and singlehandedly destroying the integrity/progressive reputation of Integrated education.
(4)Chief cuntstable Alan Mclard arse, responsible for broadcasting misleading misinformation to divert attention and heat from his LVF pals.
(5)Vicky Cahill human sacrifice/satan/nazi loving new age niece of touting extreme capitalist gangsta.
(6)Tony blur/Alan b'stard
(7)MI5/6/COMBAT 18/WHITE WOLVES HUN bastards from liverpool who settle in the village area belfast pretending to be loyalists.

by iºsªf = º ªs iF = ipsiphi23 = € = MR O´ as-if - oodles of organisations and disorganisations Sat Nov 23, 2002 10:39 us at our dot net official postal Codols23x Plaza George Orwell, Barcelona 08002 00447979324324/0034679708674

I nominate Tressa Tree.
Tressa Tree, fought initial accusations of "non-news" to widen a campaign which garnered support from all corners of "the shadowey and sinister cabal of interests" to "SAVE THE TREES".
Tressa Tree perhaps listened to the popular ditty "@ which tree shall we stop" and acted.
Tressa Tree gave us all a platform we could work on and succeed.
Tressa Tree saved the Trees of O´Connell street, uniting all sections of the left, the an taisce crew who had passed heritage tree papers when the treehugging anticar bunch were persuading the Guards to damn themselves on May bank holiday weekend.
Tressa Tree it´s not often that someone fights a campaign with such determination and array of tactics and strategy. Now remember how "the shadowey and sinister cabal of interests" works, "solidarity is a two-way thing".
There are many articles and comments on the Trees going back over the lenght of the campaign and beyond.
Tressa Tree I´d hug you.
love what you did and how you let us do our thing too.
Respect and Heart and Mind.
I look forward to supporting your future campaigns.
:-)

by raywatch Sat Nov 23, 2002 20:54

people taking this seriously please calm down its not: Now

my nominations are caoihme obviously for her work in palestine and ray for the worlds first libetarian policeman and censor.

by Des Sat Nov 23, 2002 22:54

This poll is deadly serious, of course all anarchists (including Ray) should not be nominated as they don't believe in polls in the first place. Also no foreign types should be nominated, it should be confined to Irish lefties only.

by pat c Mon Nov 25, 2002 12:25

a vengeful wraith (which closely resembled rays anti-imperialism) ambushed tots & trots (sp youth) in the backroom of the batchelor.

billy the barman said: "it was horrible, there was blood & skin & bones but not so many brains everywhere. i could still hear eerie whispers of remember kronstadt coming from the walls."

this reporter saw bloodstained copies of socialist voice & ballot papers (all of which had the boxes for clare dfaly, joe higgins & peter hadden marked) scattered around.

gardai say they are seeking the ghost of anarchism past.