The Irish Times - Opinion http://www.irishtimes.com Articles from The Irish Times - Opinion en-ie Copyright 2008, irishtimes.com. The Irish Times 2008-11-21T00:00:00 irishtimes.com http://www.irishtimes.com/ http://www.irishtimes.com/feeds/rss/rss_logo.gif Search The Irish Times Search for articles on irishtimes.com keywords http://www.irishtimes.com/search/index.html?rm=listresults Open for business but gloom persists http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2008/1121/1227137522446.html THE GOVERNMENT has produced a Finance Bill designed to reassure the public that it can successfully manage the economic downturn and sustain its budgetary arithmetic while, at the same time, buying off protesting farmers. It is an unconvincing proposition. Text Opinion TopStories 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137522446 Arts Council delay http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2008/1121/1227137522482.html WHY HAS the Arts Council been left without a chair and a full complement of members for almost four months? Understandably, the global and local economic crisis has been of sufficient magnitude to keep almost all else off the agenda. Text Opinion TopStories 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137522482 States do little to prevent female genital mutilation http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2008/1121/1227137522395.html The European Court is to rule on the case of an Irish-based African mother who fears her children will be subjected to female genital mutilation if she is forced back to Nigeria. Such treatment is classified by the UN as torture - but there's no agreement on how to counter it, writes CAROL COULTER. Text Opinion Opinion 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137522395 Targeting of rich seeks to regain public support lost after Budget http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2008/1121/1227137523836.html Given plunging taxation revenues, the Finance Bill has put those who are super-wealthy more firmly in the cross-hairs, writes STEPHEN COLLINS. Text Opinion Opinion 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137523836 End of a gilded age as shabby suddenly becomes chic http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2008/1121/1227137522388.html The age of conspicuous consumption is over and there's a shift away from glitz and glam, writes ORNA MULCAHY. Text Opinion Opinion 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137522388 It might be wise to heed Ganley's aspirations http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2008/1121/1227137523813.html There is no charisma in the Lisbon Treaty, nothing that tells us what the EU is all about, writes JOHN WATERS. Text Opinion Opinion 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137523813 Patrol provides a glimpse at scale of Chad's suffering http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2008/1121/1227137522408.html Chad has the open rolling countryside I pictured. Large hills dotted around and high mountain ridges stretch towards the border, writes LIEUT SEÁN BYRNE. Text Opinion Opinion 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137522408 Tough times call for desperate measures: yellow underpants http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2008/1121/1227137523827.html IN THESE recessionary times, one must deploy all means legal to get through the gloom. For some, that may mean the "interest-only" mortgage option; for others, it means cancelling the annual skiing holiday, writes THE MAGPIE. Text Opinion Opinion 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137523827 Reconstruction of a city destroyed by its 1755 earthquake http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2008/1121/1227137522404.html BOOK OF THE DAY: FIONA McCANNreviews Wrath of God: The Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755by Edward Paice Text Opinion Opinion 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137522404 An Irishman's Diary http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2008/1121/1227137522459.html APOLOGIES for returning yet again to odd names, but it seems some people just belong together. I'm indebted to several readers who have drawn my attention to a Belfast printing company called "Reid Wright". When management consultants talk about achieving "synergies", it must be partnerships like that they have in mind, writes Frank McNally. Text Opinion An Irishmans Diary 2008-11-21T00:00:00 1227137522459