Thinking of this as a daily thread. It is intended for a quick scoping of what is in the news and quick reactions to it. It also might come in handy for future On This Day threads in years to come.

Posts on newspapers, radio or tv stories are all on topic.

Just to get started, I only have the IT and Radio today. The front page is mainly given to Trappatoni's launch by the FAI - a love fest with the press corps by the sound of it.

The big story though is rapidly rising unemployment and growth figures revised down. The headline is that 42,000 more people signed on over the past 12 months. Unemployment has reached 5.6% of the workforce, the highest in 10 years and up 0.1% since last month.

Other news- possible SDLP merger with FG, Labour or FF
Estate agents not to lie any more about house prices
Cork medical records found in dump

International news - Obama struggling over Jeremiah Wright connection.
Rioting in Hamburg - 250 arrests as left battles with neo nazis.

On the radio - Labour has done badly in the local elections and Livingstone is looking shaky in mayoral election count.

Woman raising two children on €220 a week just got out of Mountjoy where she was sent for not paying off a fine for having a satellite dish on her house. RTE news.

I hope this isn't too out of place here: Iron Man out in cinemas today in Ireland!
EMPIRE REVIEW



New Scientist has an article reminding us of their discussions previously on the tech in Iron Man - exoskeletons, language translators etc. and a robot with emotions! Can't wait!
NEW SCIENTIST

This is a good idea for a thread series but should we put it in Media?

cactus flower wrote:

The big story though is rapidly rising unemployment and growth figures revised down. The headline is that 42,000 more people signed on over the past 12 months. Unemployment has reached 5.6% of the workforce, the highest in 10 years and up 0.1% since last month.

Now, now. I can't let you away with that. The unemployment rate as measured by the Live Register is static at 5.5% with the overall number down 200 on March. Pretty good and a smack in the face for the Pinsters.

Quote :

On the radio - Labour has done badly in the local elections and Livingstone is looking shaky in mayoral election count.

I was watching the first few results coming in after "Question Time" last night. Every result showed Labour bleeding red across the country. Blue Tide, thy name is Cameron!

300 local seats lost by Labour so far - worst results in 35 years. New Labour has lost both its new, and its old friends.

400 seats as at 5.35 p.m.

cactus flower wrote:

300 local seats lost by Labour so far - worst results in 35 years. New Labour has lost both its new, and its old friends.

400 seats as at 5.35 p.m.

And with the COnservatives up by about 300 seats, cruising to victory in the Mayoral elections and at a general election-winning 40%+ margin. David Cameron will be PM within 2 years.

Auditor #9 wrote:

This is a good idea for a thread series but should we put it in Media?

I don't mind at all. Glad you like it.

It's a very good idea - suits the way I look at things anyway - scrapbook style. You can always flick back over quickly to see what happened on that day...

I'm thinking that it could be in Media or "News and Media"? It could have some rules: if a dialogue develops from any news piece then split it to Politics and Current Affairs (or whichever) and make it a thread of its own?

Every ten (?) years we could archive threads to the History forum

Iron Man was great by the way! Actually Gwyneth Paltrow was greater!

Auditor #9 wrote:

It's a very good idea - suits the way I look at things anyway - scrapbook style. You can always flick back over quickly to see what happened on that day...

I'm thinking that it could be in Media or "News and Media"? It could have some rules: if a dialogue develops from any news piece then split it to Politics and Current Affairs (or whichever) and make it a thread of its own?

Every ten (?) years we could archive threads to the History forum

Iron Man was great by the way! Actually Gwyneth Paltrow was greater!

Sounds fun. I watched "Downfall" (last days of Reich) which was really good - I hadn't intended to watch but got sucked in. Bit too serious for a Friday night though and then capped with the London election. Poor old Ken.

I agree the splitting of the chat is a good idea, especially if it goes on more than a post or two.

I saw a bit of Untergang once - it was like The Last Days of Pat Kenny.