Given it is just days away from the election and a new government, most likely to be led by Fine Gael, many are probably wondering what exactly is the current state of Ireland and what are the prospects for recovery. In short, things are bad and a recovery is very unlikely. There are also wider and bigger global issues and we are unprepared and should be doing something about it now.

Related Links: Committee of Public Accounts on Bank Bailout | Additional document list | IEA acknowledges Peak Oil

The only hope is that we have is that there is a public awakening to try and understand what has happened, where we are and the future we are hurtling towards. Only then, is there any possibility of some kind of social revolution to enable us to have any chance of coping with the challenges and by our actions, hopefully we may even trigger an European wide social transformation. But frankly the prospects of this positive development happening are zilch.

When the global credit boom came to a halt and hit Ireland on that fateful day in Sept 2008, Brian Lenihan, at the behest of the bankers made a fatal mistake with the bank guarantee that ensured no (large) debtor would be left behind. It might have seemed like a good idea at the time, but it would only have worked if the global economy bounced back and it was clear it was not going to unless like many mainstream economists who propagate the dominant capitalist ideology of our time, they assumed it was just going to be another small recession in the usual business cycle. But anyone who had been following events without their ideological blinkers on, would have realized this was going to be of seismic proportions.

Today members and supporters of Dublin Shell to Sea gathered the top of Grafton Street to distribute €540 billion ‘commemorative bank notes’ to members of the public, symbolising the cost to the exchequer of the extraordinary giveaway of Ireland’s oil and gas reserves. This was part of a national Shell to Sea day that saw leafletting in 8 other towns and cities around Ireland as well as Dublin.

Related Links:
Questions for Politicians | Non Violent Direct Action Training 5-6th March | shell granted planning permission in mayo | shell To sea Solidarity Action Ghent ( Belgium). | Review of the Corrib Gas Project Oral Hearing | Joe higgins interviewed on RT. By contrast, Vincent brown sneers at him and screws shell to sea | Budget Day drama on Kildare Street | People's Alliance march in Tullamore | Four years since baton charge on peaceful protestors

Shell to Sea - Official Website
Rossport Solidarity Camp - Official Website

Student nurses are fighting the worst of cuts a total pay cut in their training forcing them to work for free for the health service.

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A nationwide demonstration is being built for Wednesday 16th February in Dublin. The student nurses want and need your support.

Egypt's on Fire: The winds for democratic change are strongly blowing in that country to dislodge US/Israeli backed traitor Hosni Mubarak and his Obama picked replacement, Omar Suleiman (also, "Israel's favourite Egyptian", Robert Fisk). Yesterday afternoon in Dublin, Egyptians, Arabs, internationals and Irish people of conscience assembled outside the Egyptian Embassy in Clyde Road, Ballsbridge to give the ambassador and all who care to listen a strong message that Mubarak and Suleiman will no longer be endured or tolerated and both have to go and be replaced with true democracy. Judging from the shuttered and closed blinds of the Embassy windows, denial held sway and the blind eye and deaf ear was being turned to the trumpeting elephant inside.?

Live Coverage: Latest audio from Democracy Now | Feb 11th blog Al-Jazeera | Egyptian Blog Aggregation: http://www.omraneya.net/ | Crowd sourcing coverage | Global Voice Online: Egypt protests 2011 | Asmaa Mahfouz & the YouTube Video that Helped Spark the Egyptian Uprising
Solidarity Demos: Dublin Demo 3:30pm in Solidarity with the Egyptian People | Demo in Galway tomorrow 2pm (11th Feb) in solidarity with the Egyptian uprising Background & Analysis & Commentary: Omar Suleiman—longtime collaborator with Israel and US | Strikes and demonstrations spread across Egypt | The Egyptian working class moves to the forefront | The Arab world is on fire: dialogue with a Syrian anarchist| Arabic version | Johh Pilger: The Egyptian Revolt is Coming Home | US Cables: FBI Trained Egypt’s State Security ‘Torturers’ | Sibel Edmonds: US Material Support to Dictators Who Inflict Terror | CIA Watch | Environment factors: How Banks and Investors are Starving The Third World -food prices was one trigger | From The OilDrum website: What's Behind Egypt's Problems?
Other revolutions in history: Spanish Revolution 1936 | Russian Revolution | The Nasser Revolution | The Gains of Past Revolutions | Revolution in Portugal and here and here

Speaking in advance of an April visit to Ireland, Nobel Peace Laureate and exiled Tibetan
Leader the Dalai Lama has today delivered a message to the people of Ireland in which he calls for people to demonstrate courage and hope.

“Our world is in turmoil but this also provides an opportunity for true transformation towards peace, justice and happiness if we show courage and hope.” he said in the message which can be viewed in full on the new website http://www.possibilities.ie

Messages from the Organisers:

"We can not think of anyone more suited to provide leadership, hope and inspiration at a time when the world and in particular Ireland needs it most." - Richard Moore, founder Children in Crossfire

"We hope his visit will be a source of support for refugees in Ireland and generate a more enlightened, generous and welcoming approach to refugees and asylum seekers here. We welcome him as a Nobel Peace Laureate, the first to be recognised for his concern for the global environment." - Joe Murray, coordinator AFRI - Aid from Ireland

"The Dalai Lama is one of the greatest messengers for peace and inner revolution alive. He echoes Gandhi’s ‘be the change you want to see’ mantra and is an all too rare figure of integrity and courage." - Ruairi McKiernan, Founder Spunout.ie

"The people will extend a warm Céad Mile Fáilte to the Dalai Lama. He is renowned worldwide as a spiritual leader and a man of peace and we eagerly await his message of peace and compassion." - Rita Minihan csb, Soals Bhride Center

"His Holiness is respected all over the world as a truly inspirational spiritual teacher whose energy, compassion and wisdom touch everyone he meets." Prof. Don Barry, UL President