Political World Review of 2011 in Words and Pictures - please add your contribution

[C. Flower]

2011 has been a year of great change at home and abroad including the Arab spring, Irish elections, Irish enquiries, Eu implosion, US departure from Iraq and the international "Occupy" movement.

Would you add an event, a quotation, or an image from 2011, that caught your personal interest, and that's worth remembering ?

[Andrew49]

http://i.imgur.com/dXEF5.jpg
Taoiseach Enda Kenny's speech in the Dáil, in which he accused the Vatican of attempting to frustrate an Inquiry in a sovereign, democratic republic, of dysfunction, disconnection, elitism and narcissism, of downplaying the rape and torture of children to uphold the primacy of the institution, its power, standing and ‘reputation.

[Baron von Biffo]

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/multimedia/dynamic/00632/Irish_News_8-1_jpg_632632t.jpg

The year of living dangerously.

[C. Flower]

The defence of Tahrir Square, January 2011. A couple of thousand mainly young people defended tens of thousands of demonstrators who were occupying the Square, from police and thug attacks at the cost of over 200 lives.

http://english.aljazeera.net/mritems/Images/2011/2/3/201123132139690472_20.jpg

The defence succeeded, and millions of people joined them over the next few days until Mubarak was forced to leave.

[C. Flower]

bump - add any old event of 2011 that caught your fancy ;)

[fluffybiscuits]

http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/WORLD/europe/07/28/norway.attacks/t1larg.brevik.hi.afp.gi.jpg

Not the best picture but the face of insanity, psychopathy personified....

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

The Return of the Nazis (United States, 2011)

http://www.43rdstateblues.com/images/elderly-woman-pepper-sprayed-seattle.jpg

[TotalMayhem]

The essence of democracy (Russia 2011)

http://i.imgur.com/AhJdO.jpg

[Baron von Biffo]

http://gearpatrol.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/ikea-malung-swivel-chair.jpg

An Taoiseach.

[Andrew49]

http://i.minus.com/jRARoVyAI7gtZ.jpg
The floods in Dublin

[C. Flower]

And in March, the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan, killing many thousands and causing a nuclear disaster.

- factories burn at Sendai -

http://www.gazettenet.com/files/images/20110312-035206-pic-880459249.display.jpg

[Andrew49]

The Presidential Election Debates on TV - and some of the programmes I missed.
http://i.imgur.com/rNMxx.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/TBRsU.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/ZRfOb.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Zk6DR.jpg

Pic too large to post: http://imgur.com/RCzgu

[TotalMayhem]

The Year of the Rabbit (Hong Kong 2011)

http://i.imgur.com/DxjoU.jpg

[Baron von Biffo]

http://www.irishecho.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Irelands-Communications-Minister-Pat-Rabbitte.jpg

With any luck 2015 will be the last year of the Rabbitte in Ireland.

[fluffybiscuits]

http://i.minus.com/jRARoVyAI7gtZ.jpg
The floods in Dublin

Am I stating the obvious or is that a career washed away too? :D....

[C. Flower]

June - Brian Lenihan's funeral. Sheer doggedness that had to be respected.
In retrospect, when it is remembered that his Taoiseach was a drunken sot, Lenihan's evident belief that it was down to him to "save the nation" is in a way understandable.

Due to Cabinet confidentiality we may never know what he said about the Guarantee, and it seems clear that in negotiating with the EU/IMF he did his best (and failed) to separate the bank debt from domestic budgetary debt.

http://www.independent.ie/multimedia/archive/00908/1406_Brian-Funeral-_908450t.jpg

[C. Flower]

Please add an event of 2011 that you think should be remembered.

[Count Bobulescu]

19 year old student scores “most watched political video” of the year on oo-toob. 18 million views, almost double that of Obama in 2nd place.


http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2011/12/20/144010715/iowa-college-student-tops-youtubes-most-viewed-political-videos-of-2011

(http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2011/12/20/144010715/iowa-college-student-tops-youtubes-most-viewed-political-videos-of-2011)
Full list here.


http://youtube-trends.blogspot.com/2011/12/top-political-videos-of-2011.html

[Kev Bar]

"If you don't let us dream, we won't let you sleep."

A sign held on O'Connell St which turned out to be the English translation of a poster held by a Madrid Indignant.

[riposte]

All six Green deputies lose their seats. The only piece of good news in 2011.

http://www.politicalworld.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=134&stc=1&d=1324499161

[fluffybiscuits]

"If you don't let us dream, we won't let you sleep."

A sign held on O'Connell St which turned out to be the English translation of a poster held by a Madrid Indignant.

Love that phrase, great expression :)

[TotalMayhem]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tTqqOUsuSsQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Government Liars - YouTube

[C. Flower]

Listen to this, the Maids of New York.

It is actually for me, the moment of 2011.

&#39;Shame on you!&#39; maids yell at Strauss-Kahn - YouTube

[Count Bobulescu]

The top ten web search terms of 2011. Scary!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/whats-trending-top-2011-search-terms/2011/12/02/gIQA5UFBLO_gallery.html?hpid=z2#photo=1

[antiestablishmentarian]

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cW4kucEGIgI/TTgbKI8jwiI/AAAAAAAAMs4/ML9tlAlpk_s/s1600/departures.jpg

[antiestablishmentarian]

http://thebsreport.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/unemployment-ireland.gif

[Kev Bar]

The top ten web search terms of 2011. Scary!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/whats-trending-top-2011-search-terms/2011/12/02/gIQA5UFBLO_gallery.html?hpid=z2#photo=1

You should draw Linen/Coat's attention to this as it's a good reference point for his Glee thesis.

[C. Flower]

RTE News Review starting now

[C. Flower]

I can't believe no one has mentioned the electoral defeat of Fianna Fail.

[antiestablishmentarian]

I can't believe no one has mentioned the electoral defeat of Fianna Fail.

The pain is still too raw for many in RTE.

[riposte]

I can't believe no one has mentioned the electoral defeat of Fianna Fail.

Nobody can remember them CF.

[C. Flower]

Nobody can remember them CF.

I'm beginning to think the entire membership of the forum has attention deficit disorder and that I should get some ritalin piped out along the interweb.

This has surely been one of the most newsy years in living memory - general election, FF implosion, arab spring, tsunami, Greek default, end of democracy/the euro, the (for better or for worst) QE2's visit, Labour Sell Out, Occupy, all kinds. But nobody can remember what happened before last week. :D

[antiestablishmentarian]

I'm beginning to think the entire membership of the forum has attention deficit disorder and that I should get some ritalin piped out along the interweb.

This has surely been one of the most newsy years in living memory - general election, FF implosion, arab spring, tsunami, Greek default, end of democracy/the euro, the (for better or for worst) QE2's visit, Labour Sell Out, Occupy, all kinds. But nobody can remember what happened before last week. :D

That's because most of them are dosed on sherry to forget about all that newsiness :D

[C. Flower]

That's because most of them are dosed on sherry to forget about all that newsiness :D

If only it was only sherry :D

[Dr. FIVE]

I can't believe no one has mentioned the electoral defeat of Fianna Fail.

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/118/27408052.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/205/27408052.jpg/)


:D

[PaddyJoe]

I'm beginning to think the entire membership of the forum has attention deficit disorder and that I should get some ritalin piped out along the interweb.

This has surely been one of the most newsy years in living memory - general election, FF implosion, arab spring, tsunami, Greek default, end of democracy/the euro, the (for better or for worst) QE2's visit, Labour Sell Out, Occupy, all kinds. But nobody can remember what happened before last week. :D
It could be that forum members here tend to be a bit more reflective and analytical than in many other places and might be a bit slower to join the mad stampede to get 2011 done and dusted?:D

[Kev Bar]

The Master Musicians of Joujouka opening the Glastonbury festival with an Islamic blessing.

Against a backdrop of the Arab Spring, the blessing was a perfect act of stereotype subversion.

The blessing being the opening sound of one of the biggest rock festivals in the world.

Not many picked up on it.
But a few did.
The BBC Arab service pointed it out.

And not alone did I have the pleasure of being there, I had the privilege of helping make it happen.

[antiestablishmentarian]

The Master Musicians of Joujouka opening the Glastonbury festival with an Islamic blessing.

Against a backdrop of the Arab Spring, the blessing was a perfect act of stereotype subversion.

The blessing being the opening sound of one of the biggest rock festivals in the world.

Not many picked up on it.
But a few did.
The BBC Arab service pointed it out.

And not alone did I have the pleasure of being there, I had the privilege of helping make it happen.Nice one. Any pics or videos of it?

[Kev Bar]

Nice one. Any pics or videos of it?

The blessing is at the end of their opening performance.
It was pleasant to end up standing on the side of the Pyramid stage on the first morning of my first time at the festival.

http://brianjonesjoujoukafestival.blogspot.com/2011/07/master-musicians-of-joujouka-open.html

[antiestablishmentarian]

http://www.independent.ie/multimedia/archive/00999/worldreview_999252a.jpg

[antiestablishmentarian]

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/06N2eCW44DbxL/613x459.jpg?fit=scale&background=000000

[antiestablishmentarian]

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/03p31Lcfxy1Hf/613x459.jpg?fit=scale&background=000000

[antiestablishmentarian]

http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20110118&t=2&i=310097547&w=460&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&r=2011-01-18T222503Z_01_BTRE70H1Q9X00_RTROPTP_0_IRELAND-POLITICS

[antiestablishmentarian]

http://img.rasset.ie/0005257d-640.jpg

[antiestablishmentarian]

http://s2.jrnl.ie/media/2011/08/Anglo-Sign-390x285.jpg

[antiestablishmentarian]

http://www.tikihumor.com/wp-content/uploads/tiki-humor/2011/10/police-officer-hit-with-a-molotov-during-2011-greek-riots-500x332.jpg

[antiestablishmentarian]

http://www.thedetail.tv/system/photos/images/165/article/165.jpg?1301663358

[antiestablishmentarian]

http://politico.ie/images/politico/politics/FG%20five%20point%20plan.jpg

[antiestablishmentarian]

http://s1.jrnl.ie/media/2011/07/leanzacar-390x285.jpg

[antiestablishmentarian]

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/03/20/0320_tent_460x276.jpg

[antiestablishmentarian]

http://chivethebrigade.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/irish-riots-500-3.jpg?w=500&h=340

[antiestablishmentarian]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ac/Obama_and_Biden_await_updates_on_bin_Laden.jpg/800px-Obama_and_Biden_await_updates_on_bin_Laden.jpg

[antiestablishmentarian]

http://attendingtheworld.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/palestinians-bid.jpg

[C. Flower]

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/52269000/jpg/_52269154_011764197-1.jpg

The women of the Yemen, with and without veils, have stepped into the political world and into leadership roles as well as the mass protests.

The big issues in the Yemen are the same as everywhere else - government corruption, low wages and unemployment.

[C. Flower]

http://roarmag.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/48-hour-strike-Greece-crop-72.png

For me, an appalling, tragic and exasperating image. A few weeks ago, a general strike against the Greek austerity budget brought millions of Greeks onto the streets, in orderly mass protest.

The KKE who had called the protest took over Syntagma Square, in front of the Parliament building, and collaborated with the police to hold it by force, attacking anarchists and closing off the Square to the march. Police provocateurs as well as anarchists and KKE members were involved in starting fighting.

Within days, the Greek government was quietly subject to a bankers coup, via the EU/IMF.

http://roarmag.org/2011/10/anarchists-communists-strike-riots-violence-greece/

[C. Flower]

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSZh1eC35kvShPvH7v2ES6Kyyem73lic 8aqKrEiqRpl2ZdVzNrHEQ

The iphone, and Steve Jobs death - will 2011 be remembered as the end of a golden era of internet freedom?

[C. Flower]

Sounds too - a wonderful compilation in a three minute video of chants across the arab world, men, women and children. The one most frequently heard in every country - "the people want the regime to fall" Other chants "Leave! Mubarak" "Leave Saleh" "Freedom" "No More Fear." Not on this video, but popular with the thousands of football fans in Tahrir "Game Over, Mubarak"

http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/12/31/185593.html

[Donal Og]

Sounds too - a wonderful compilation in a three minute video of chants across the arab world, men, women and children. The one most frequently heard in every country - "the people want the regime to fall" Other chants "Leave! Mubarak" "Leave Saleh" "Freedom" "No More Fear." Not on this video, but popular with the thousands of football fans in Tahrir "Game Over, Mubarak"

http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/12/31/185593.html

I noticed how 'Degage' - 'get lost' - moved so quickly from Francophone Tunisia to Cairo and other cities in the North African and Arab world.Language barriers are not insuperable in some cultures.

[Griska]

The United States of America invaded a sovereign nation and assassinated an unarmed man, who had never been questioned, never mind tried or convicted of any crime.

A U.S crack team slipped into Pakistan, under cover of darkness, and eliminated the world's number one freedom hater, thus making us and our children safer.
God bless them.

[C. Flower]

It was an extraordinary year.

[Griska]

Charlie Brooker did a good roundup of the year last night on the Beeb.
If people can access it, it's worth a look.

[ang]

An old Lisbon image but still very appropriate:-

http://info-wars.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/lisbon-bullies-irish.jpg

The euro should be gone but "certain people" refuse to let it go and "life support" to keep it alive via the over burdened backs of the Greeks, Irish etc. continues :-

http://media.cleveland.com/business_impact/photo/ireland-europe-financial-crisis-762f60d718cf781a.jpg

[Dr. FIVE]

http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lnysf5bdvP1qfw98uo1_500.png