This is the second of a series of articles covering the financial and money markets from a critical perspective.

In 'Financial Weapons of Mass Destruction', Paul Bowman examined the derivatives market and promised that the succeeding article would cover the 'story of the historical development of successive regimes of global financial orders' and would explain the role of the Eurodollars market 'in undermining the Keynesian Bretton Woods system'.

However, in the interests of space and relevance, I will only tell the story of the historical development of the regime of global financial order under US hegemony. I will begin by examining how the centre of capital accumulation shifted from Europe to the US in the first half of the twentieth century, and how following World War II the global financial order became centred around the US through the Bretton Woods system.

I will then look at how the Bretton Woods System was undermined, concentrating as much on the role of workers’ militancy as on the role of the Eurodollars market. After considering the response to the crisis of Bretton Woods, I'll look at the Clinton boom bringing us up to the current situation of the US’s current heavy dependence on foreign borrowing.

Paula Walters of SIPTU takes some enquiries on the HSE

Brendan Drum of the HSE had earmarked the St Mary’s Orthopaedic Hospital in Cork as next in line for his cuts. But workers at the hospital are intent on fighting back and not accepting this. Kevin Doyle interviewed Paula Walters, SIPTU member, and a hospital attendant with over 30 years experience at the hospital.

Q:To begin with Paula, for those not familiar with Cork and its hospitals, what sort of place is the Orthopaedic?

A: The hospital’s main business is with bones and it specialises in hips and knee replacements, and broken legs. Mostly people who come up to us have something like that the matter with them. That’s what it specialises in. There are others area too like Plastics and Physio too. The Orthopaedic was one of the first of its kind in the south of Ireland. It opened 53 years ago. It’s on the North side of Cork, in Gurranbraher, the last hospital of any size in what is a huge area of Cork city. It has big grounds. It’s a homely hospital – it’s small and a lovely place to work in. A lot of people’s families worked there over generations. It’s a very calm hospital in a way.

Q: How many are working there now?

A: Roughly between staff and kitchen staff and so on, you would have about 200 people.

Q: People will be familiar with the cutback in the Mercy Hosptial and the ongoing refusal by the HSE to fund the opening of the new A & E there. What’s been happening at the Orthopaedic?

The interview continues after the jump...

Troublemakers Inc.

More than two years have passed since these two cases began. On Thursday last, Conor was at a special sitting of Ennis District Court for the finale.

Related Links: Civil Rights and Civil Wrongs in Shannon |

Remember this?

The Remembrance season is approaching. We will be called upon yet again to show maturity, to support reconciliation, to advance peace --- by participating in ceremonies which celebrate aggression, violence and war crimes!.

Mayo "Peace" Memorial

Four years ago a participant in one of the greatest war crimes in history was honoured in Mayo by a minister of the Irish government. Sergeant Major Cornelius Coughlan (Victoria Cross) of the Gordon Highlanders was praised by Defence Minister Michael Smith for his role in putting down the so-called Indian Mutiny of 1857, which Indians call their First War of Independence. Minister Smith praised Coughlan, along with sixty other brave Irishmen, as he put it, who were awarded the Victoria Cross during the military campaign that followed the Indian Mutiny.

Related Links:Coolacrease - The Hidden Interview
Hidden History or hidden agenda

Shell Plunder

This video represents the many people not given a voice in the mainstream media. They have been denied a voice mainly because of their dissenting views about the Corrib gas project in its current form. There are interviews with many people who have suffered both personally and financially for daring to oppose the oil and gas industry. This industry has been supported by the various intimidatory and violent methods used by the Garda. The mainstream media has consistently misrepresented the facts, and has failed to report human rights abuses taking place in Mayo. It has instead tried to demonise anybody who goes against their neo-liberal view-point on how Ireland should be organized and structured.

Most of the interviews were filmed over the last month. Thanks to all of the people who generously gave up their time and energy to make this no budget documentary.

This is the first part of an ongoing documentary about the Corrib Gas Project.

Related Links:
Spinwatch - monitoring PR and Spin
Art not Oil - For creativity, climate justice, and an end to the oil industry sponsorship of the arts.
Shell to Sea
Shell Ireland - Working with our neighbours