Tag: homophilosophicus

They Trample the Head of the Poor

On By southwerkIn Capitalism

img071A Post from my Friend, Homophilosophicus

My friend discusses moving into the inner city of Dublin. He says, “Over a year ago I decided to move into Dublin’s inner city, to the Liberties; an area of town which has historically suffered the worst from the conditions of poverty and social exclusion. What I had thought to do was to test my own prejudices and those of ‘better-off’ Dublin concerning the lifestyle choices and attitudes of the people who live in those run-down houses between Cork Street and Thomas Street. Was it really the case that the houses were so decrepit because their inhabitants lacked any real care for their environment or any sense of social responsibility?”

Why don’t you read all of it and see what he discovered?

James Pilant

They Trample the Head of the Poor

(a one paragraph excerpt below)

On viewing the house all of the windows were open; airing the house, the beds were covered in new linens and a leather sofa was taking up most of the living room. Now that I had the keys, and could battle my way through the front door – which had evidently been ‘kicked in’ and repaired a number of times before my arrival – it was a completely different story. Nothing could have prepared me for the state of the house once the smoke and mirrors had been removed. With the windows closed over the lack of ventilation created a stench of mould and urine which was suffocating, the kitchen produced a wholly indescribable stench and the general condition of the air caught like a powder in the back of ones’ throat. Upstairs was where the real shock was waiting. The mattresses in both of the bedrooms were bare and both were sodden with human filth; the true extent of which would only transpire later in conversation with neighbours. It took one whole month before the house was fit for human habitation, and it was only then that I would allow Ambrose (the dog who lives with me) to move his things in. Everything in the house had to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. With the help of my longsuffering and dearly beloved friend the mattresses and the bed frames were removed from the house and destroyed. The insect infested wallpaper was removed and a fresh coat of paint was put on every wall. …

http://homophilosophicus.wordpress.com/2012/06/24/they-trample-the-head-of-the-poor/

From Around the Web.

From the web site, landlordrocknyc.

http://landlordrocknyc.wordpress.com/2012/12/06/celeb-eviction-chronicles-bianca-jagger-loses-park-avenue-rental-must-pay-708000-in-back-rent-legal-fees-and-fines/

From an earlier  Wall Street Journal, 2010….”. Jetsetter and social activist Bianca Jagger has lost her legal bid to keep her knock-down-price rental at 530 Park Avenue.

A New York state judge last week ordered Mick’s ex to pay $708,600 in back rent and other fines to her landlords. Ms. Jagger spent nearly 20 years in the two bedroom apartment—rent-stabilized at $4,600 a month. But then she complained about poor upkeep, The landlords in turn noted that Ms. Jagger, in the U.S. on a tourist visa, shouldn’t pay the lower rent since New York isn’t her “primary residence,” one of the criteria under rent control laws.

Ethics Roundup – July, 28th, 2011 The Heavy Hitters

On By southwerkIn business ethics1 Comment

CRISISJONES throws a spotlight on the Diablo Canyon Power Plant. I recommend you have a look at this one.

The invaluable Ethics Sage takes on the definition of reasonable and other aspects of our most lurid recent case. Big News – The Ethics Sage (Steven Mintz) is creating a brand new blog to go with his current. Go to his web site and read about it.

The “Debt Compromise” … Another Pass for the Rich and a Fleecing for Everyone Else. This is from Washington’s Blog.

Rogue Columnist burns up the paper with an acid commentary on American (Chinese) bridges. You should read this. This kind of passion harkens back to another age of American journalism.

Homophilosophicus posts on “Death by Misadventure.” This is some of the best web writing you are likely to see – the man is eloquent. My big complaint is that he has all this talent and I hardly ever see a new post on his blog. When God gives big, you are supposed to share.

 

 

 

Budget Day 2010 (via homophilosophicus)

On By southwerkIn Capitalism, ethics, Government Failure

Today, our friend is getting ready to go back out in the streets. There is a demonstration today against the government loan and the austerity measures that go with it. You can get hurt doing this kind of thing. I’ve never had the opportunity to march in the street in the face of well prepared police with horses and dogs. I’m not looking forward to having such an opportunity. I’m afraid of horses when they are just standing docile. I can only imagine what they can do in the wrong hands. As for dogs, well, I’ll let your imaginations work.

Say something appropriate to your deity, your universal force, your philosophical ideas, for today is a demonstration in the face of a hostile police.

James Pilant

Budget Day 2010 Dear diary, Readers please forgive the histrionics and the self-indulgent personal nature of this entry. Having begun what was intended to be an articulation of theology, this weblog has fast become the diary of the ruin of the New Ireland. Hitherto it has been the objective of these articles to avoid the irritating use of the first person singular, but tonight; well tonight is different. I am in a somber and confessional mood. Of consequence the … Read More

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A Spectre is Haunting Ireland – the Spectre of Fascism (via homophilosophicus) [8]

On By southwerkIn business ethics, Capitalism, Economic measurement, ethics, Government Failure

This is Homophilosophicus take on the Authoritarian in Irish History and the last in today’s series. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this as much as I have.

He has a thoughtful mind in a difficult place in a terrible time. The combination is painful but often results in very fine writing.

James Pilant

A Spectre is Haunting Ireland - the Spectre of Fascism One cannot help but be wryly amused by the accusation that the government and police authorities are fascists during this time of social discontent and upheaval. It sounds vaguely reminiscent of the language of the European student revolutionary movements of the 1970s à la John Sullivan’s Citizen Smith. No matter how often the term is used to describe the present régime it creates an involuntary smile across so many faces. No sensible person wish … Read More

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Revolutions are the Locomotives of History (via homophilosophicus) [7]

On By southwerkIn business ethics, Capitalism, ethics, Government Failure2 Comments

Homophilosophicus is angry. Big Time Rage. So, keep your computer away from combustibles and read.

James Pilant

Revolutions are the Locomotives of History Ireland has betrayed her children. No more can the republican rhetoric of the young state name the Saxon as the cause of all Irish woes; the current crisis was the cause of an wholly Irish government elected by the people of Ireland. The community of Ireland has been stripped and shamed by powerful and corrupt Irish men and women. However much this employment of famine economics may be reduced and subjected to a post-colonialist analysis, and a c … Read More

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Garda Special Branch Agents Provocateurs (via homophilosophicus) [6]

On By southwerkIn business ethics, Capitalism, ethics, Government Failure

We’re back discussing the demonstrations against the government. This is fascinating. Once again, I want to assure my good readers that I asked permission to publish all these blog posts. Single blog posts, sometimes I ask about, sometimes I don’t. But to use this many is in my mind a misuse of reblogging when done without permission.

James Pilant

Garda Special Branch Agents Provocateurs Earlier this afternoon, Friday 3rd December 2010, two uniformed members of An Garda Síochána from the Bridewell Garda Station, were observed and overheard whilst clothes shopping in Penney’s department store on O’Connell Street, Dublin. Both were male officers and were purchasing hooded sweatshirts and sweatpants, carelessly discussing their undercover work at the upcoming budget day protest (Tuesday 7th December) at Leinster House, the seat of D … Read More

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Living for Less in the City of Dublin (via homophilosophicus) [5]

On By southwerkIn business ethics, Capitalism, ethics, Government Failure

The long term social effects of the crisis on the individual are discussed here.

(I received direct permission to reblog all of these posts from the period of the crisis.)

James Pilant

Living for Less in the City of Dublin It is important now more than ever that we discover ways of living for less. Primarily due to the scarcity of money in Ireland at the moment, and secondarily because we must do everything in our power to pay less tax to a government which is stealing from us. As things stand at the present we are tied by law into a social contract which demands that we pay our taxes to the state; taxes which enable this government to overpay its members whilst en … Read More

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Solidarity is the Key to the Survival of this Community (via homophilosophicus) [4]

On By southwerkIn business ethics, Capitalism, ethics, Government Failure

This is Homophilosophicus’ theme to the crisis, his take on the moral of the story.

James Pilant

Solidarity is the Key to the Survival of this Community Already the signs of social destruction are visible and audible on the streets of Dublin, and no doubt the same throughout the country. Stress has taken its toll on the national psyche to the extent that the integrity of the fabric of our society has been seriously undermined. As the weather worsens, and people grow ever more impatient of the cold and snow which has compounded the dire economic conditions, the tension is beginning to show on face … Read More

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Irish Press Wages War on the Irish People (via homophilosophicus) [3]

On By southwerkIn business ethics, Capitalism, ethics, Government Failure

This entry is eye witness to one of the demonstrations. I particularly liked this one.

James Pilant

Irish Press Wages War on the Irish People The saying, attributed to Thomas Jefferson, that ‘the man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers,’ is as true a maxim today as it was in the eighteenth century. As the tensions on the ground in Dublin have reached fever pitch over the government’s austerity measures it has become clear that the wheels of the media are invariably driven by pro-government agendas. Various reports of demonstrations … Read More

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News in Brief: Such a Lot of Rogues in a Nation (via homophilosophicus) [2}

On By southwerkIn business ethics, Capitalism, ethics, Government Failure

The Irish Crisis. Homophilosophicus explains the unjust nature of the agreement saddling Ireland with debt for years to come. (I’ve reblogged this one before, but I want them all in order.)
It is very rare to see blogging on site in the middle of a crisis. This is good reading.

James Pilant

News in Brief: Such a Lot of Rogues in a Nation On Sunday 28th November 2010 the Fianna Fáil government of Ireland, which now governs without the mandate of the electorate, signed a contract with the International Monetary Fund which guarantees a crippling debt burden for the Irish taxpayer to bailout the financial institutions of this country. The government entered into such negotiations with the European Central Bank and the IMF in secret whilst denying the fact to the people of Ireland. Ev … Read More

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