Videos: Procul Harum- Homburg 1967 and live in concert Naples 2007

Original Version 1967

Homburg Procul Harum in concert Naples (2007)

Homburg was Procol Harum's follow-up single to 1967 hit A Whiter Shade of Pale. It was released in 1967. It was witten by pianist Gary Brooker and lyricist Keith Reid. Amazingly the concert version was performed by the band 40 years later and Gary Brooker can still hit the high notes.

Irish Times /TNS mrbi poll shows FF support has returned to General Election levels as FF benefits from Cowen honeymoon

The adjusted figures for party support, compared to the last Irish Times poll in January, are:

• Fianna Fáil, 42 per cent (up eight points);
• Fine Gael, 26 per cent (down five points);
• Labour, 15 per cent (up three points);
• Sinn Féin, 6 per cent (down two points);
• Green Party, 4 per cent (down two points);
• PDs, 1 per cent (down two points
• Independents/others, 6 per cent (no change).

Undecided voters stood at 15% .

The results of this poll are distorted by the avalanche of positive publicity received by Brian Cowen since his election as FF leader. In fact there was saturation coverage. It was inevitable that FF would rise sharply from the 34% in the last poll. FF support is now at the same level as that obtained at the 2007 General Election. One expected that a photograph might appear showing Brian Cowen piloting an aeroplane. The adulation reached levels that are unsustainable in the long term.
FG support is at 26% just 1% below that obtained in the 2007 General Election. This is within the margin of error. In contrast to Cowen, Enda Kenny has been subjected to an ugly campaign of vilification by some elements in the media. Nevertheless he must become much more forceful on economic matters.

Both FF and FG are broadly speaking on the same level of support as obtained by both parties in the 2007 General Election.

Since this poll was taken last Monday, much gloomy economic news has seeped out in relation to building and construction, gas and electricity prices. In addition further serious problems have appeared in the health sector.

The ESRI report has a positive spin. Nevertheless when analysed there is little certitude in relation to the Irish economy. The report was a case of live horse until you get grass. Independent newspapers and the Irish Times emphasized the positive elements in the report as did RTE.
Soft publicity will not insulate the Government when public expenditure cuts bite sharply. An electorate spoilt by the unsustainable rise in government expenditure-13% in 2007- will inevitably feel withdrawal symptoms.

Labour is up 4% on its General Election returns -probably at the expense of the Greens and Sinn Fein.

It is time to wind up the PDs.

Latest Sunday Business Post/Red C poll shows FF down 4% on 2007 General Election.

Since the March Poll another was taken in early April in the immediate aftermath of the resignation of Bertie Ahern. The latest figures must be judged against the poll taken in the first week of April.
The following is the outcome of the latest poll taken from Monday 21st April-Wednesday 23rd April. In brackets are the percentage changes since the early April poll.

• FF 38% (-2%)


• FG 29% (+1%)


• Labour 10% (NC)


• Greens 8% (NC)


• Sinn Fein 7% (-2%)


• PD 2% (+1%)

FF support is down 4% on the 07 General Election. Meanwhile the Government is faced with 5% inflation, a 30,000 rise in unemployment in the last three months, a shambolic health service, a likely deficit of €5/6 billion and an increasingly disaffected rural electorate disenchanted with the WTO. Harsh decisions will undoubtedly erode Government support further.

FG at 29% is up 2% on the 2007 General Election. With economic storm clouds gathering FG must aim to drive its support up to 35% to ensure that it will participate in the next Government.

Labour has remained static having secured 10.1% in the 07 General Election. Sinn Fein has undoubtedly eaten into the potential Labour support base.

The Greens at 8% are up 3.3% on their General Election result and are in all probability a temporary abode for dissatisfied FF voters. If we add 3.3% to the FF poll result of 38% we are quite close to the FF General Election outcome of 41.6%

Sinn Fein is static having secured 6.9% of the vote in 2007 General Election.
Sinn Fein appears in recent years to be a refuge for disaffected FF voters who return home in a General Election situation. In previous Sunday Business Post/Red C polls Sinn Fein trended higher when FF dipped to the mid 30’s.

The PDs at 2% are down 0.7% on their 07 election result.

Ireland-Red C poll for March shows FF down 6.6% on the last General Election

This Red C poll taken for the Sunday Business Post shows relatively minor changes since the last poll taken in February. The changes are within the statistical margin of error.

% Support for each Party:

FF 35 (-2 )

FG 30 ( -1 )

LAB 11 (+1)

SF 9 (+1)

GN 8 (+1)

PD 1 (-1)

OTH 7 (+1)

However FF is down 6.6% on its 2007 General Election showing. There are several causative factors. Bad publicity emanating from the Mahon Tribunal has damaged Bertie Ahern and FF. However major difficulties in the health service, rising unemployment and high inflation have sapped FFs popularity. Much of this loss in support is probably temporary and will undoubtedly return in any General Election situation.


FG is up 2.7% on its General Election showing. However it needs to consolidate this gain and attempt to push its support towards the 35% mark. It must attempt to wrest more conservative support from FF.

Labour support is up 1.9% on its General Election showing. However it faces stiff opposition from Sinn Fein for left wing votes.

Sinn Fein is up 2.1% on its General Election showing. It is probably a temporary abode for some unhappy FF voters.

Similarly the Green Party is up 3.3% on its General Election outcome. It is probably a temporary resting place for disaffected FF voters.

The PDs are down from 2.7% in the General Election to 1%. They appear to have no future. Sensible PD public representatives will now join FG or FF.

Others at 7% are up 1%. This group includes Independents and the Socialist Party. Votes cast for Others represented 6.9% of the total votes cast in the 2007 General Election.

RTE report exposes timber trade between Burma and China

RTÉ News carried a special report Foreign Editor Margaret Ward on the timber trade between China and Burma. Ostensibly China banned imports of timbers from Burma. However Margaret Ward’s report proves conclusively that the trade between Burma and China continues unabated.

Ward posed as a purchaser and found that there was no difficulty in sourcing timber at the right price. The Burmese junta benefits enormously from this trade. According to the report Burmese timber is also finding its way to Korea, Japan and Europe. Kudos to Ward and the RTE team for such a penetrating report which is just one of many coming from China.

Unfortunately China consistently refuses to play by the rules in Burma, Tibet and Sudan. China has provided support for the Butchers of Rangoon on a consistent basis. This enabled the junta to crush the 2007 uprising using tactics perfected by China.

The Ward Diaries are a fountain of information on China.

On his first visit to China, British foreign secretary David Miliband rejected calls for an Olympic boycott. The Beijing Olympics provided an excellent opportunity to leverage concession from China but unfortunately the international community is prepared to overlook human rights violations by China in the interests of trade.