I’ve always enjoyed political posters. They tend to cover the full spectrum from inspiring design all the way to eejit with MS Publisher. And that’s before you even look at the message. It’s early days yet, but Cóir were first out of the gates and are my clear favorite for the maddest messages. Sure, one of them may be quoting McCreevy, but that only makes it madder in my eyes.

The first few I’ve seen today have been FF and Ireland for Europe (Pat Cox’s merry bunch). The general idea seems to be not too dissimilar from Cóir – VOTE X OR WE’RE FUCKED – albeit for very different reasons.

With delightfully vague sentiments such as “I’m safer in Europe” (safer from what?! NAMA?) I’m already finding it hard to take Ireland for Europe and the other Yes campaigns I’ve seen seriously. Which is odd, because I recently listened to Pat Cox speak at the Humbert Summer School and he was very convincing. Certainly much convincing than the three “Concerned Citizens” who turned up ranting about conscription, abortions and all that jazz.

Now that the no side are “sans-ganley” it’ll be interesting to see how much money gets ploughed into any kind of nationally organised No campaign. I guess all we can do is wait and see.

One things for sure anyway, if you’re into Irish Politics, the next few weeks will make for interesting viewing.

Anyway, I’ve been moved to post by the sheer stupidity and ignorance of Heinz. They recently started a new campaign in the UK (never saw it here, but what with Sky, i’d imagine it would have hit my screen), this campaign was for a new type of deli sauce or something, the product itself is largely irrelevant.

Now call me crazy, but I see it as a pretty standard ad, with an unexpected twist which is pretty amusing.

It would appear that Heinz & some members of the public disagree here and here.

That’s so bloody stupid it’s unreal.

Mum sends stripper to teenage son’s school

By Lester Haines

Published Thursday 8th November 2007 15:32 GMT

A Nottinghamshire lad had a “birthday to remember” after a stripper turned up at his school, burst into his drama class and proceeded to flaunt herself like a two-buck hussy as shocked teacher and students looked on.

According to the Telegraph, the clothes-shedding strumpet was dispatched to Nottingham’s Arnold Hill School and Technology College at the behest of the boy’s mum, who also asked his teacher to film the event.

The stripper entered the classroom halfway through the lesson, and then, as a fellow pupil recounted to the Daily Mail: “She asked the lad to stand up, which he did, and told him he had been a very naughty boy because he hadn’t been doing his homework. Then she put on some Britney Spears music and got out a collar and lead from her bag and told him to put them on.

“No one could believe it. Next she ordered him to get on all fours, led him around the classroom and hit him 16 times – once for each year – on the bottom with her whip. Then she took off some clothes until she was down to her bra and pants, pulled out some cream, put it on her buttocks and told him to rub it in.

“To be fair to the teacher, you could tell she was just stunned – and when the cream came out she told the stripper ‘That’s it. That’s enough’.”

It apparently was enough for the honoured guest of this show, since he “ran out of the classroom while the stripper calmly packed her bag and left”.

A spokeswoman for Nottinghamshire County Council said no one had been suspended and the police were not involved. She added: “We and the school are investigating into the situation.”

And in case you’re wondering what kind of parent would subject their offspring to this kind of humiliation, the mother in question told the school she’d actually ordered a gorilla “through an agency”, but got the cream-loving dog-handler instead. ®

Engadget is plugging this as an actual product, but it doesn’t really explain the bizarre video.

As TUAW are saying “it goes from Love Actually to CSI”

He’s been getting some serious coverage for it, in everything from the Sunday Tribune (including a photo from one of my posts) to 2FM, the Star and beyond.

So, fair play Niall and I’d encourage you to check it out..

It will come as no surprise then to find that Fianna Fáil are stark raving mad.

Seriously, a member of the cabinet, a Minister of State with a spattering of Fianna Fáil TDs & Councillors urging the Government to intervene in the whole Shannon debacle. Have these folk taken a look at whereabouts in the Dáil chamber they sit? THEY ARE THE GOVERNMENT! All they need to do is call a vote and bang, it’s done. No calls, no letters. Just a vote. Dáil Éireann instructs the Minister for Transport (or whoever), to vote against any planned abandonment of the Shannon – Heathrow route. Between the Government,the Pilots & Ryanair, they have around 75% of the shares. And they all have said publicly they oppose the plan. Well, Bertie hasn’t, but he’s too busy on holiday to, I don’t know, run the country.

I mean really,  those gobsheens in FF give me enough reasons to rant, but this one takes the doozy. I’m not even sure what is going on in their heads?

After all, Michael O’Leary isn’t paid to ensure the interests of the Shannon Region, the Government is. So why did it take Ryanair to call an EGM? Seriously WHY!?!?!?!?

From today’s Irish Times – “The North’s First Minister, the Rev Ian Paisley, said he is prepared to engage in worldwide lobbying to prove Northern Ireland’s meat products are safe amid concern that Northern meat is being linked to the foot-and-mouth outbreak in England.”

So seriously, now, when it’s convenient, he wants to not be associated with the British Brand?

Cake? Eat it?

I’ll leave you to read OFTR’s thoughts, as well as the website is question, because my only thought is seriously, what the fuck is this guy smoking?