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Associated Press

Catalan leaders want voters to "give the finger" to Spain

But Spain says it would hurt their economy.

SPANISH LEADERS RAISED pressure on Catalonia over its independence drive, warning it would put pensions and bank deposits at risk, as insults and threats heated up campaigning for the region’s crucial election.

Nationalist leaders in Catalonia have vowed to declare independence within a year and a half if they win a majority of seats in the regional assembly on Sunday.

Two days after Catalonia’s president Artur Mas urged Catalans to “give the finger” to their opponents and vote for independence, the central government hit back with grim warnings of what would happen to the wealthy northeastern region if it broke away.

“Some say that Catalan independence is the panacea that cures all ills, that it will generate jobs. All of that is not true,” Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said during an interview with radio Onda Cero.

It would leave the EU. What would happen with pensions? There are many more pensioners than contributors. What would happen with financial institutions, what would happen with bank deposits, to the currency?

He also said he “did not know” if Catalans would be able to hold on to their Spanish citizenship if Catalonia became independent.

Independence camp tops polls

PastedImage-99952

Two opinion polls released on Monday show separatist parties could win a majority in the 135-seat Catalan regional parliament.

The prime minister ruled out dialogue with the Catalan government as some business leaders and opposition parties have urged.

He said any push by Catalan nationalists to break away from Spain after the regional elections “would have no legal value; we would obviously go to the Constitutional Court.”

Catalonia, a region of 7.5 million people which accounts for a fifth of Spain’s economic output, has its own language which was suppressed during General Francisco Franco 1939-75 dictatorship.

The region’s independence drive has intensified over the recent years of economic crisis. Catalans complain about how much of their tax money is redistributed to the rest of Spain.

- © AFP 2015

Read: WATCH: More than one million people hit the streets to demand Catalan independence

Read: Catalonia has a plan to leave Spain within 2 years

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    Mute The Green Monkey
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    Mar 11th 2015, 10:45 PM

    Would you like to dance ?

    No.

    Sorry I think you misheard me I said your arse looks fat in that dress……….

    984
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    Mute Sammy AnMadra
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    Mar 11th 2015, 10:52 PM

    Irish women know that most Irish men are lacking somewhat when it comes to pleasing them so they have to be more picky.

    132
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    Mute Will Derbylight
    Favourite Will Derbylight
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    Mar 11th 2015, 10:58 PM

    From the man’s point – its the female’s apparent hatred of hygiene. Wearing purple and pink – and thinking that Bono is cool.

    And saying – I have to be up for mass tomorrow……

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    Mute potty o shea
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    Mar 11th 2015, 11:04 PM

    @Will. I’m not inclined to believe anybody that especially the hygiene bit…

    65
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    Mute alan irwin
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    Mar 11th 2015, 11:13 PM

    Hi show us your tits.

    292
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    Mute potty o shea
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    Mar 11th 2015, 11:16 PM

    Any of…

    9
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    Mute ohaimhirghin
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    Mar 11th 2015, 11:41 PM

    You are such a troll

    40
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    Mute Thomas Maher
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    Mar 11th 2015, 11:13 PM

    Had a woman tell me one night, in coppers no less ” get away outta that there’s a smell of bengy off ye” that was about 15 years ago and I still have no idea what bengy is… It was Lynx Africa I told her!!

    395
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    Mute Mark Malone
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    Mar 12th 2015, 1:43 AM

    Benjy was a character in The Riordans, they were farmers, just in case you are serious.

    223
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    Mute Dublin Living
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    Mar 12th 2015, 9:00 AM

    This was a Zig and Zag joke for years. It’s a reference to Benjy from the Riordans many years ago.

    37
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    Mute Ben Redline
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    Mar 11th 2015, 10:58 PM

    GET IN THE VAN NOW! usually works

    298
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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Mar 12th 2015, 3:26 AM

    I’m Jimmy Saville works as good as that?

    19
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    Mute Charles J. Ahern
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    Mar 11th 2015, 10:55 PM

    Can’t beat the chase of the Irish girls … the rejection. Great craic!

    242
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    Mute Dan Higgins
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    Mar 11th 2015, 10:40 PM

    There are lines other than “will ya meet me mate over there?”?? huh…

    236
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    Mute The Guru
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    Mar 12th 2015, 3:09 AM

    I’ve lived in a few countries and Dublin women are definitely the most obnoxious and stuck up. I’ve seen a lot of my mates (no they weren’t hammered) get laughed at/told to p off by groups of very average looking women when they could have had a bit of banter or politely decline.

    Thankfully I’ve never suffered it myself as I’m deadly looking but Dublin girls really need to up their game. Poland and Czech Republic have the hottest and least up themselves women. Great combo.

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    Mute Badger Keogh
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    Mar 12th 2015, 5:36 AM

    I love Irish men, once I get chatting to them that is, but in a nightclub Irish men can be aggressive messes (drunk, leering and just grab you) and at this point you just want to get away!
    Honestly some nights the only thing you want to do is chat to your mates, have a few drinks and dance without anyone bothering you.
    Also no one has brought this up but groping? How many women have been groped simply as a come on as they move through a night club or the dance floor? Not so much in Dublin but down the country! New Years Eve in Carlow was traumatic.

    229
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    Mute ohaimhirghin
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    Mar 11th 2015, 10:42 PM

    Headed out sat night, need to find my stick. I’ll be beating them off all night

    210
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    Mute Cora Murphy
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    Mar 11th 2015, 11:00 PM

    They will probably have their own sticks……and dogs :)

    202
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    Mute Ross McCann
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    Mar 11th 2015, 11:11 PM

    My favourite chat-up line is Jimmy Carr’s “can you hold my pint while I go for a sh!t” or “here, does this rag smell like Rohypnol?”

    204
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    Mute Denis McCarthy
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    Mar 11th 2015, 10:50 PM

    Do you grass?
    No!
    Your the first cow I met that doesn’t

    192
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    Mute Siobhán Oliver
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    Mar 12th 2015, 2:35 AM

    No woman likes a man who is hammered off his face. …. and they tend to be just that on a night out. Most chat up lines are either immensely cheesy, which is a pukefest, or immenseley vulgar… same outcome! If a guy stayed half sober I imagine he’d get a lot further :)

    178
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    Mute Siobhán Oliver
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    Mar 12th 2015, 2:37 AM

    That may just be the ones I have come across, of course :)

    71
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    Mute Mrs Shalakalananaka
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    Mar 11th 2015, 11:27 PM

    Two simple steps to make sure you are never ever rejected by Mrs Shalakalananaka-

    1. Ask the DJ to put on YMCA
    2. Stand in front of her and dance to the whole song

    Alternatively, be Benedict Cumberbatch, but my 2 step programme works as well too.

    176
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    Mute Will Derbylight
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    Mar 11th 2015, 10:38 PM

    Will ya have a dance?

    WHA?

    171
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    Mute Al Beebak
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    Mar 11th 2015, 10:58 PM

    Sorry, I think you misheard. I said you look fat in those pants.

    246
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    Mute The Green Monkey
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    Mar 11th 2015, 11:05 PM

    Al, beat you too it ;)

    97
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    Mute james
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    Mar 11th 2015, 10:42 PM

    You remind me of a movie star…..Mickey Rooney

    163
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    Mute wyer2wyer
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    Mar 11th 2015, 10:48 PM

    Ask me sister I’m sweatin

    118
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    Mute fergal sweeney
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    Mar 11th 2015, 11:08 PM

    You hav to do the Carlton from fresh prince, approach them like.. haaaaayyy..!! Then do the shuffle..

    129
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    Mute Maggie
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    Mar 11th 2015, 11:13 PM

    Jerseys and bad breath,no thanks

    93
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    Mute Liam Long
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    Mar 12th 2015, 6:49 AM

    And that’s just the women…

    131
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    Mute Will Derbylight
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    Mar 11th 2015, 10:49 PM

    Would you like to marry me?

    I’d rather have a frontal lobotomy, a week in Cork – and three of my arms severed by a werewolf from Balinrobe….,…

    74
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    Mute potty o shea
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    Mar 11th 2015, 10:53 PM

    Nothing has changed since the 60′s so!

    81
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    Mute An Lámh Láidir
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    Mar 12th 2015, 7:03 AM

    Any women who spend the first 17-18 years of their lives in a convent are bound to hold certain prejudices. But because it’s so common in Ireland it’s often overlooked.

    67
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    Mute Paul Roche
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    Mar 12th 2015, 8:11 AM

    That’s a very 20th century point of view.

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    Mute Emma Butler
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    Mar 12th 2015, 10:34 AM

    I’d always be up for a bit of banter because some guys can be very funny with their chat up lines. There was an awkward moment where a guy sidled up and attempted flirtation while the husband was standing beside me. We all had a laugh about it and chatted throughout the night. If a guy chances his arm and keeps it respectful, don’t tell him to F off, take it as a compliment and if you’re not interested don’t be a cow about it. I don’t like when a guy gets aggressive or messy and then threatening and abusive when you decline his sweaty, groping advances.

    67
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    Mute Brian Lawlor
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    Mar 12th 2015, 7:34 AM

    Your eyes are like spanners love, every time I look into them they tighten my nuts…..

    65
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    Mute Jason Maguire
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    Mar 12th 2015, 12:00 AM

    Does this rag smell like chloroform to you?

    56
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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Mar 12th 2015, 3:25 AM

    Rohypnol you mean?

    19
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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Mar 12th 2015, 1:40 PM

    This site seems to really hate any form humour??? But they seem to back the clowns in government without knowing “taylor rules” within the E.U. structure for here?

    6
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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Mar 12th 2015, 3:28 AM

    Does this skirt make me look fat, no dear it is just the fat?

    56
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    Mute Barry Walsh
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    Mar 12th 2015, 10:21 AM

    In ireland its always the pub,if you see a woman you like on wednesday at the petrol pumps ask her out,women arent always in the pub to meet men,they go out sometimes to just dance and dont want a man

    48
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    Mute D. Moran
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    Mar 12th 2015, 4:17 AM

    “Me friend wants to know will you go with me” ah the innocence!

    42
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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Mar 12th 2015, 3:25 AM

    Because they are rotten with drink or have small wallets lol.

    27
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    Mute Denis McCarthy
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    Mar 11th 2015, 10:54 PM

    Eat grass

    27
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