Digest – March 14 2010

These be the links ‘ere, brah…

– HOME

This says a lot. Sigrún Davíðsdóttir, London Corr with the Icelandic state broadcaster, on corporate governance in banking…

Why is Lehman being scrutinised so thoroughly and not banks that governments in various countries have recapitalised? The UK Treasury had to intervene with Northern Rock, Bradford & Bingley, Lloyds Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland, banks that would have followed Lehman into bankruptcy if the Treasury hadn’t saved them. But as far as is known, the accounts of these banks haven’t been picked over like Lehman’s.

Recently, there were fleeting news that the Treasury had contemplated the idea in connection with Lloyds but then given up on it. It was thought, at the time, that there was no time to do it – but as a major shareholder the Treasury has all the time in the world to go into the banks’ universe and start reading. The same goes for Ireland: AIB, Bank of Ireland and Anglo have been recapitalised, they are still reporting huge losses – and their management in the months up to autumn 2008 hasn’t been scrutinised.

P O’Neill, ‘that kid needs help’. The HSE angle on the Jihad Jane arrest.

Cian Murphy warns of the dangers of piecemeal constitutional reform.

IrelandAfterNama; are there any reasons we shouldn’t be cynical?

John McHale on IrishEconomy writes about the Innovation document thingy. Innovation Baybay! Woot! Here comes the recovery! …Wait, wait, wait, haven’t the powers-that-be been closing universities’ access to journal libraries, been generally anti-intellectual and, in broad terms, remained in position despite their monumental fuck-ups of late? Oh yeah. Anyway, this latest document undoubtedly changes all that. Or something. Definitely. Yeah.

Election observers, wanted up durr.

– WORLD

The Blogger’s fallacy

Charlie Beckett of journalism think-tank POLIS on networked journalism

So what then happens when that editorial production process is disrupted, in Schumpeter’s phrase, by the destructively creative forces of new technologies?

If you accept the case I make in SuperMedia, that journalism is moving towards new forms of production then this begs the question of what we mean by ‘quality’ in that reconstructed media environment. I raise the issue in the book, but now that networked journalism is becoming the norm rather than the exception, I think it’s a good moment to attempt a further exploration of the implications for the idea of quality.

Matt Yglesias drew attention to this great graph earlier in the week.

Left Foot Forward argues the UK needs a compulsory register for lobbyists. Too right.

James Fallows; good news about flying, in four parts. Check out the personal jet pack.

– OTHER

Take some time to view this lovely short film-reel about Dublin broadcast in the ’60s in cinemas; ‘See you at the pillar‘. Won’t embed for me but worth clicking through to watch.

Lastly, below Jimmy Bullard celebrates Wash & Go’s 21st birthday. Craic. Gotta love that man. Nice marketing move from the Wash & Go peeps as well.