(If you missed Freefall, you can catch it on RTÉ Player.)
Freefall aired on RTE One at 9.35 this evening and led to the build up of the bank crisis in Ireland. The crisis was an impending and dooming collapse almost as far back as 25 years ago when financial deregulation was introduced. When economic activity is deregulated, greed perpetuated the cycle of lending to an unsustainable level. Unregulated banking methods led to implosion of Lehman Brothers, America’s fourth largest bank. A mere 14 days later the Irish government introduced a bank guarantee for Irish financial institutions.
Anglo Irish Bank is the cheap pin-up girl of the Irish financial industry. According to Freefall, Anglo had to lend 60 million euro a day when it realised sources of finance were quickly drying up. It grew faster than the Irish economy, up to 30% growth year on year in the mid-noughties but 80% of it’s loans was focused on property.
Prior to the bank guarantee, it’s revealed that Anglo Irish Bank was insolvent and Séan Fitzpatrick and his CEO approached Bank of Ireland and Allied Irish Bank pleading them to take Anglo off of his hands. Anglo would have collapsed the following day if the bank guarantee wasn’t promised by the Irish State.
Many commentators from around the world were wondering how the Irish, lucky as they may be, would pull themselves of a crisis. When the bank guarantee was announced, these commentators around the world were concerned as citizens would invest guaranteed Irish banks overseas. Interesting to see the reaction from Alistar Darling, British Fiance Minister, about the guarantee and how it would influence British citizens to invest in Irish banks.
There was a distinct sense of ‘passing the buck’ mentality. It’s true Lehman Brothers collapsing speeded up Ireland’s impending crisis but of course politicians couldn’t have foresight or at least partly admit responsibility. Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern popped up like a jack-in-the-box as a teaser for next week’s episode.
The real question is for banks and politicians is were they liars or were they fools?
Memorable moments from Freefall was Brian Lenihane chuckling at reminiscing a phone call from ECB when he was at the races. Also the night before the bank guarantee, Brian Cowen allegedly slammed the table, ‘We’re not fucking nationalising Anglo.’
On the search for #freefall, below is one of the best tweets from @shanehegarty referring to zombie banks.
Can’t wait to see Vincent Browne’s rection to the Freefall documentary!
When Katy Perry released her debut album, the self-titled Katy Hudson (her real name) way back in 2001, who would have squared her the measure of her California pop potential beside that gospel-rock record?
Nine years and a handful of record companies later with a Top 10 album under her belt, Perry returns with heavy expectations from the record industry and new release Teenage Dreams.
Even before you press play, Perry promises coquettish fancy wrapped in a candy-coloured cloud on the cover. Less than fifty minutes later, expectations fall more than a little flat. Instead of seductive tunes, we’re firmly in sub-par Stefani territory, with none of the subversion that Perry aches so very hard to extoll. Exhibit A - Peacock.
Are you brave enough to let me see your peacock?
Don’t be a chicken boy, stop acting like a beeotch
I’ma peace out if you don’t give me the pay off
Come on baby let me see
What you’re hiding underneath
I wanna see your peacock, cock, cock
Your peacock, cock
Your peacock, cock, cock
Your peacock
I wanna see your peacock, cock, cock
Great pop songs never fail to sound fresh. Now, I can imagine an army of just-there teenage girls rejoicing in the 99% wit-free lyrics with aplomb, but give the song five, ten and fifteen years and then measure its effect. In an effort to out-schlock I Kissed a Girl, Perry firmly misjudges.
Even with the criticism leveled, there are bright spots like Firework produced by the Norwegian production pair Stargate that demonstrates the ballsy singer Perry is turning into. It’s playfully foreshadows where Katy should do next. The remaining songs flit between middling Britney fillers and incidental music from The Hills which is shame. This hasn’t done a bit of damage on the initial commercial response with Teenage Dream jumping to number 1 in the UK, US, Canada, Ireland and Australia. Let’s see what happens long-term!
Verdict: The overall effect is patchy, with Perry shining in unexpected ways. Let’s hope the next album is more fully-fleshed out.
Looky looky! They’ve passed the Regionals, next is the Nationals in New York. Gleek fans of the musically talented kiddies will be very happy to check out the teaser trailer for season two, due to start airing in America on September 21st.
Lenore The Cute Little Dead Girl is a self-explanatory title.
A ten year old girl called Lenore has been dead for some time. Lenore shows us that innocence is a dangerous thing, especially when you’re undead and have no moral compass. The world is yours for the taking. Accompanied by Ragamuffin who’s a stuffed doll with a vampire soul, an ardent lover with button eyes called Mr. Gosh and Taxidermy is, well, difficult to explain…
Anyway, this rag-tag entourage in the animated series keep Lenore company on various adventures or perhaps I should say misadventures. The animated series of Lenore and company is based on selected stories from the comics created by Roman Dirge. I don’t want to say too much more, hope you enjoy!
There’s 26 short episodes of the Lenore animated series but if you have a sensivity to gore, horror and general deviousness then do not watch Lenore. She’ll warp your mind. But if you do choose to take up this challenge, then you will find two episodes of the animated series below.
