Newsweek ranks Brian Cowen among world's best leaders

PeterIanStaker

Einhard wrote: »

You're perfectly entitled to criticise them as often as you long, and you certainly do, but I'm equally entitled to hold a contrary view and assert that. Every day I read the Indo, or the Sindo, there are articles criticsing the government, or detailing blunder or incident that FF would rather kept covered up. So I don't really understand how they can be portrayed as political stooges.

As for Eoghan Harris' appointment to the Seanad, I think it was a mistake to accept it, and quite often I read his articles with incredulity, but again they make me think and question my own point of view. I don't really see the point of buying a paper just to have your own opinions laid out for you in print. It's why I read david McWilliams and Gene Kerrigan too, and Robert Fisk in the Indo, even though I rarely agree with what they have to say. I'd also point out that Harris is as entitled to his opinion as you, and that they were formed in good faith, and not on the pretext of getting a a Seanad seat.

I think that a lot of the criticism of the Sindo/Indo comes down to nothing more than media snobbery. I'm not saying that's the case with you or Dudess, but several times friends have dismissed both papers, and when I ask why they're of that opinion, they can give no more than the most vague reasons, usually involving Kevin Myers, who, I seem to remember, was once a columnist for the Irish Times.

Anyhoo, probably getting a bit off topic here so I'll leave it at that (which generally means the opposite!!)

I agree with reading Harris's articles with incredulity. Sometimes I genuinely think the man is ill, and thats not being the least bit facetious. His Seanad seat was akin to Caligula making his horse a consul.

As for Myers yes I'm well aware he used to write for the Indo, but he to me is a fantsist longing for the glory days of Empire where a few gallant chaps exterminated the natives (who were conveniently armed with nothing more dangerous than sharp sticks) in some far-flung corner of the globe.
I'm not a media snob and I've little time for snobbery, hence I think Myers is a bollox.

McWilliams - I dont know enough to form an opinion but seeing as you mentioned him I'll read his next piece, although I know little of finance or economics.

Finally, like you, the material I read also makes me question my own point of view. It also deepens my cynicism, which I will be the first to admit is a character flaw of mine, but on the other hand I find it so hard to believe anything I read without wondering about the (for all I know nonexistent) motive behind it.

bytey

LookingFor wrote: »

This will go down well locally, I'm sure...

He's placed in their top 10 'head of the class' world leaders, labelling him 'The Fiscal Taskmaster'.

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/08/16/go-to-the-head-of-the-class/the-fiscal-taskmaster-brian-cowen.html



l

I guess its not bad for a Fat Talentless C.unt

Erica<3

In the words of many,

ARE YA FCUKIN MESSIN'?

sesna

I would not lump the Indo and Sindo together as you attempt to, Einhard. Criticism of the Sindo is nothing to do with media snobbery. Just simply some people dont like reading the embedded in-house FF newspaper of Fanning, Harris, O'Connor,Drennan,JP McCarthy, Delaney,O'Dea and Celia Larkin.

Also dont forget Jody Corcoran was in the dressing room with Cowen in RTE before his Late Late show appearance. Some paper, with Aengus Fanning doing soft interviews with Cowen, O Dea and all other FFers. I suppose all this dictation is coming from Sir Anthony O Reilly whom Cowen and Bertie met just before the last election. Wonder if anyone will take another of his payback time editorials serious.

And of course slobberer John Drennan tries to ride two horses. Only token Gene Kerrigan there has any cred.

Sea Sharp

This article is a good thing. If potential investors are under the illusion that we have our house in order they might create jobs here.

SuperInfinity

Nobody either buys or takes Newsweek seriously anymore.

When is the last time you bought Newsweek? Nobody else ever does either.

They lost all the tiniest little bit of credibility they might have left with that cover "we are all socialist now" when Obama was elected.

They are like The Daily Mail without the entertaining stories. They're a joke.

sligopark

yep you're rigt but it does represent a view - personally Brian Cowen - Fat Ugly Cünt from Offaly

FUC OFF

AckwelFoley

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0818/cowenb.html

Taoiseach Brian Cowen has been listed as one of the top ten leaders in the world by Newsweek magazine.

In its piece 'Go to the top of the class', the magazine says Mr Cowen is 'The Fiscal Taskmaster'.

The magazine says that despite Ireland's 'once roaring economy' being 'staggered by the banking crisis'; unemployment at 13%; rising emigration; and the money markets ranking the Irish economy 'not far behind Greece on the list of Europe's big-time losers', Mr Cowen and 'his able finance minister Brian Lenihan are prescribing harsh medicine'.

They article, by reporter Christopher Dickey, says that the Government has 'pushed through austerity packages drastic enough to win the admiration of the international community, raised taxes, and slashed some public salaries by more than 10%.

However, according to the report 'the Irish aren't showing much gratitude' as Mr Cowen's popularity rating has 'plunged to a mere 18%'.

Despite this, the report says, 'there's some hope that his [Mr Cowen] government's unpopular measures will be rewarded in the long run' as surveys suggest that Irish consumer confidence is on the rise again, and 'the economy notched up modest growth in the first quarter of 2010.'

Other world leaders included on the top ten list are the UK's David Cameron, France's Nicolas Sarkozy, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and Liberia's Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Merged

darkman2

RTE are very slow are'nt they?;) (slower then the OP anyway)

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0818/cowenb.html

Nodin

Glasses, great man for the eyesight....

_feedback_

Oops Snyper! It was only 5 threads down too!

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056001912

Mr. Presentable

This thread ran yesterday.......

He is only highly thought of in certain circles because he has handed the keys to Ireland to the banks bondholders. Newsweek is just propagandistic rubbish.

darkman2

OP is even slower then RTE and even more remarkably slower then the original OP.

Kazuma

...you're ****ting me, I was hoping that one day I could escape this kind of stupidity by leaving Ireland...apparently not

DrumSteve

Kazuma wrote: »

...you're ****ting me, I was hoping that one day I could escape this kind of stupidity by leaving Ireland...apparently not

No way... 2 threads bout the same thing? You cannot escape the internet!

ejmaztec

A day late for the vomit-fest, I'm all sicked out.

r3nu4l

Didn't see it yesterday, glad I saw it now. Gas stuff altogether, I take it this issue was a reprint of the April Fools edition?

Wolfe Tone

Well done Biffo

geeky

Newsweek is a publication that's sliding deeper and deeper into debt, doesn't have a plan to get out, and won't face up to entrenched interests within the business. They feel a great affinity for Cowen. Funny that.

geeky

Newsweek is a publication that's sliding deeper and deeper into debt, doesn't have a plan to get out, and won't face up to entrenched interests within the business. They feel a great affinity for Cowen. Funny that.

aidan24326

banquo wrote: »

Not a FF voter myself by any means, but if you genuinely believe that FF caused the recession then you're an idiot.

I don't believe anyone ever said they 'caused' it all by themselves. A recession is too complex to have only one cause. They weren't the only guilty party by any means, but our current predicament certainly has their fingerprints all over it. They were deeply embedded in the property bubble that lies at the heart of our problems. They hobnobbed with the developers to mutual gain, gave them tasty tax breaks, zoning and planning permission all over the place, and turned a blind eye to the shenanigans in the banks, all of which led to the disastrous property and lending orgy that has us in the sh1t now. If there was a league table of people to blame, they'd be right up near the top of it.

darkman2

Just listening to RTE presenter make a fraudulent slip on radio - Brian "Clowen" - I laughed.:)

mal1

darkman2 wrote: »

Just listening to RTE presenter make a fraudulent slip on radio - Brian "Clowen" - I laughed.:)

I came onto boards as soon as i heard it. I laughed out loud in the office.Brilliant! I think it's Sean O'Rourke. He laughed himself after he said it.

As good as the time when Michael Woods TD called Pat Rabbitte 'Pat the Rabbit' during a discussion on Morning Ireland.

ejmaztec

darkman2 wrote: »

Just listening to RTE presenter make a fraudulent slip on radio - Brian "Clowen" - I laughed.:)

I think it was more Freudian than fraudulent.:P

Lemegeton

seems the magazine completely skipped over the fact that cowen and fellow fianna fail scum created the mess in the first place :mad::mad::mad::mad:

starlit

LookingFor wrote: »

This will go down well locally, I'm sure...

He's placed in their top 10 'head of the class' world leaders, labelling him 'The Fiscal Taskmaster'.

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/08/16/go-to-the-head-of-the-class/the-fiscal-taskmaster-brian-cowen.html



Elsewhere, they rank Ireland as the 17th best place in the world to live.

http://www.newsweek.com/feature/2010/the-world-s-best-countries.html

You must be joking??? They must be Fooking Wrong Yaw!

tmcw

I smell a conspiricy. Is Cowen a Freemason?

Killer Pigeon

So, erm ... apparently Brian Cowen has been been listed as one of the world's best and most respected leaders (ranked 5th) according to newsweek today.:rolleyes:

Taoiseach Brian Cowen has been listed as one of the top ten leaders in the world by Newsweek magazine.
In its piece 'Go to the top of the class' the magazine says Mr Cowen is 'The Fiscal Taskmaster'.

It says that despite Ireland's 'once roaring economy' being 'staggered by the banking crisis'; unemployment at 13%; rising emigration; and the money markets ranking the Irish economy 'not far behind Greece on the list of Europe's big-time losers', Mr Cowen and 'his able finance minister Brian Lenihan are prescribing harsh medicine'.


...

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0818/cowenb.html

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/08/16/go-to-the-head-of-the-class.all.html

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