No, we haven’t gone away – thanks Gray for the comment here – we’re busy gals here at TAR and have had way too many distractions of late, but we’ll be back on track soon. And let’s face it, blogging is one those cheap-as-chips activities that we all need now that recession has hit and we’re a hair’s breadth away from tipping into Dickens’ like society. Yes, it’s all economic misery and the only person who seems happy about it is George Lee: the man has never had so much air time on RTE. From Fanny Mae to Freddy Mac (I thought they were porn stars when their names were first mentioned) to massive US Treasury bailouts, it’s all gone very ration book and 1980’s Russia around here.
So there I was poking around the interweb when I discovered that Paddy Power are running a book called “We Predict A Riot”. Sadly this is nowt to do with speculation as to when the abysmal Kaiser Chiefs will split up, but something completely different. Yes kids, you can bet on the following:
What will be the first major City to riot due to economic factors/influences?
New York is the current favourite with 9-4 odds, with Dublin running a very respectable 7-1. Enterprising, wacky or poor taste? You decide.
Hmm, laugh as some people might, I find this kind of talk a little scary. Mainly because I’m a big chicken and scared of people who are fisty. I’d say NY could go first. There’s not enough billionaires in Ireland for it to cause a riot. But yeah, very poor taste by Paddy Power. And also, if Dublin is the first to go in the riot, how do you claim your winnings and whose definition of a riot is this decided upon? I always wondered about these sort of odds – can you actually go in and say ‘give us a tenner there on NY melting down love’?
p.s. May I also just apologise for our conspicuous absence from the blogosphere – Ruby is right, busy/tired girls we are but soon you’ll be sick of the sight of us.
Honoria, I’m with you, it’s very tacky.
Apparently the small print is as follows:
“Riots must be confirmed by that countries ruling government as being due to motivated by economic circumstances. Must happen by Jan 1st 2010.”
Call me an ol’ Marxist, but since when was there such a thing as a riot which wasn’t motivated by economic circumstance?
I hear ye Mary, although I’m thinking of religious riots and the one in Nigeria over Miss World being held there.
Mary – were those riots in Dublin over the Love Ulster parade a couple of years ago motivated by economic circumstances? Perhaps they were, as it was certainly the struggling end of Dublin society at the heart of them. But it seemed to have more to do with bigotry and fear.
That said, my money is on Dublin for the first riot. Us, or Paris – they love a good ruckus.
And ladies, it’s very nice to see some signs of life here again, it had gone desperately quiet.
Don’t forget about the shopping-lady-riots that hit whenever H&M opens a new branch. They’re the silliest riots in my opinion.
I’m with Andrew – recent history tells us that if it’s to be anywhere it’s going to be Paris, too. That or Los Angeles on a hot weekend. Glad to see my gentle poking has seen you poke your head above the parapet again ladies.
Paris. First place I thought of when I read this.
Welcome back!!!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7683442.stm