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IT’S A DAY of rest, and you may be in the mood for a quiet corner and a comfy chair.
We’ve hand-picked the week’s best reads for you to savour.
1. A fake death in Romancelandia
A Facebook post in 2020 announced that romance novel author Susan Meachen had died. Only she hadn’t. Here, she explains her side of the story.
(The New York Times, approx 9 mins reading time)
Two weeks ago, to the shock of her online community, Ms. Meachen returned to her page to say she was back and now “in a good place,” and ready to resume writing under her own name. She playfully concluded: “Let the fun begin.” Other writers, seeing this, were not in the mood for fun. Describing deep feelings of betrayal, they have called for her to be prosecuted for fraud, alleging that she faked her death to sell books or solicit cash donations. They have reported her to the F.B.I. cybercrimes unit and the local sheriff and vowed to shun her and her work. Some have questioned whether she exists in real life.
A harrowing account of the experiences of those who worked, visited and served time in the notorious prison.
(Esquire, approx 24 mins reading time)
As the decades passed, this purported icon of penology became a forbidding place indeed. Detainees were thrown or jumped from the upper tiers to their deaths, so those floors had to be closed. Violence ruled. And over time, it became known by the jailed as the “House of Dead Men.” But the city stuck with Rikers as the place to leave the people society had deemed worthy of incarceration, the vast majority poor and of color. It was out of sight, hard for visitors to reach, closed, and foreboding.
3. The disturbing world of deepfakes
How one woman came across a photo of her face in an ad on an online Chinese marketplace.
(Wired, approx 12 mins reading time)
Eventually, after cropping the photo and plugging it back into reverse search tools and even a few catfishing sites, I found the source image: an Amazon ad for an outdoor camping tent. The original Amazon marketplace model slightly resembled me, but more like she was a cousin. (“We looked into this and have confirmed the photo on our site was taken in 2018, and the model in question is an Amazon employee,” said Betsy Harden, a spokesperson for Amazon.) The more the image was reposted, from site to site around the globe, however, the more it shifted and transformed to include elements of me and my likeness.
Scientists are discovering surprising insights into the history of humankind through our relationship with these humble mammals, who have changed the course of history.
(BBC, approx 8 mins reading time)
Donkeys were so highly valued that they even featured in important rituals. “In both Egypt and Mesopotamia, donkeys were considered important enough to be buried with humans, in some cases, even with kings or rulers,” says Recth. “There are also examples of donkeys buried in their own right.”
Adam Gollner writes about the Fargo-esque story of how a small-town Canadian couple became entangled with hapless hitmen, Mob moles and a murder plot.
(Vanity Fair, approx 38 mins reading time)
According to Italy’s anti-Mafia brigade, for decades Montreal has been “the key that turns the lock of America.” Since 1980 or so, the kingpins with the keys had been the Stitches, as the city’s Sicilian faction is known. Before then, going back to the era of Lucky Luciano and the so-called French Connection, Calabrians ran the books. But in the late 1970s, they’d been forced to hand things over after a blood feud with the Stitches. And wiping out Sollecito was part of a vendetta intended to reverse that defeat. As Sollecito’s murderer would later explain, “The goal of the Calabrians was to get rid of all the Sicilians, take the power, and prevent them from getting back on their feet.”
The critically acclaimed series sees a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombiefied humans infected by the Cordyceps fungus. But could this happen in real life? A doctor looks into it. (For those who haven’t seen the show, this article contains spoilers)
(Vulture, approx 8 mins reading time)
In The Last of Us video game, the Cordyceps infection spreads partially via spores that travel through the air, necessitating that uninfected characters wear gas masks. As explained by Penn State University’s Dr. David P. Hughes, a Cordyceps specialist who was a scientific advisor on the 2013 video game, the fungus attaches as a spore to a host ant’s body, tunnels inside over the course of a day, and then creates an interior network so that nearly 50 percent of the ant’s body is fungal. (New research Hughes has published since Planet Earth aired clarifies that the fungi doesn’t infect the brain, but preserves it while invading and controlling musculature.) In the TV show, though, spores are abandoned — probably so the cast didn’t have to hide behind masks the whole time — in favor of mouth-tendrils, and a bite from an infected person can turn someone in as few as five minutes.
…AND A CLASSIC FROM THE ARCHIVES…
A 2021 interview with the legendary US musician David Crosby, who died this week at the age of 81.
(The Guardian, approx 15 mins reading time)
Crosby does a passable impression of Old Father Time. His hair is white and wispy as a passing cloud, his face profoundly contoured, his arms a patchwork of pink and purple. “My skin is like tissue paper, man. It tears or bruises. It’s just part of being old,” he says. And yet his voice when he sings and talks remains as boyish as ever – high-pitched, honeyed, usually enthusiastic, often giggly, sometimes querulous and boastful. Look at him and he could be 100, listen to him and he could be on the brink of manhood. “The only peculiar thing about my relationship with James is he’s the resident adult and I’m the kid,” he says. “I just never grew up.”
Note: The Journal generally selects stories that are not paywalled, but some might not be accessible if you have exceeded your free article limit on the site in question.
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Maybe we should evict bank managers and take the banks over ourselves. See how they like it!!
I suppose we can’t ask which bank it is?
Great to see the sense of support they’re getting from the community and to see people helping each other.
It’s Bank of Scotland acc. to the Indo
Who Bank oF Scotland aka Halifax?
The guys who brought 100%, interest only, Ticking Time Bomb mortgages to the Irish market?
And then when they got greedy and screwed things up they had to get bailed out by the U.K. taxpayer.
So they shut shop in Ireland, sailed of into the sunset and subcontracted their dirty work to Certus.
All under the ”strict” control of our financial regulator(s).
”Now that’s customer care for you”
Fair play to you Seamus!!
Never give up!!
Knowing how these bankers think, they probably are victimising him and making an example of him because of his involvement in Life After Debt.
How can anyone give this comment a thumbs down?? Imbeciles!
It is “The Royal Bank of Scotland” The Independent was wrong.Get down to Seamus Sherlocks and support Seamus and his Family.Also join the “Anti-Eviction Taskforce” and our Facebook for updates and supportive actions.
The Royal Bank of Scotland operates as Ulster Bank/ First Active in Ireland.
They wouldn’t be trying to throw the blame elsewhere, now would they?
This is going to be unpopular and I’m not saying I agree with it but if you take out a loan and you use your farm or house or any other assets to secure it, and you fail to comply with the terms set down, what is wrong in taking what you offered in the first place?
It’s a mad, mad country we live in. Only 5 or 6 years ago I was receiving letters from banks on a weekly basis telling me I’d been approved for top up and personal loans that I’d never applied for! Now it’s nigh on impossible to get any sort of loan approved, and to top it all off, the banks are carrying on like this with people who can’t pay them back! I don’t know the ins and outs of this particular case, but surely there needs to be an institution set up that can examine each case on an individual basis! And if it can be established that a bank was reckless when it approved such loans, then some sort of penalty should be placed upon said bank. It has to be a two way street!
I understand what you’re asking – I think for many, the problem is that the unforseen economic downturn has made it difficult to meet the terms of their mortgage agreements, etc. And though the banks – whose bad lending and arrogant attitudes in years previous have gotten us all into the current situation – have been bailed out, the same hand is not dealt to Joe Bloggs, homeowner or small business owner.
It seems to me that the banks do not realise that the only reason they have not reneged on money is because of the ridiculous covering of their arrears by the taxpayer. And while I do think your opinion is rational under normal circumstances: “don’t take out what you can’t borrow” – I think that is kind of counter-acted by the old adage “people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.” I.e. If the banks have bailed out, why can they not extend the same courtesy to struggling business or home owners. It’s not as if Sherlock says he doesn’t want to pay his bills – he just needs more time or maybe a different kind of payment plan. But the banks are unflinching from agreements made in pre-recession era, even though they now expect bailouts themselves!
Basically the banks were offered escape clauses from their mistakes, but the public are not – even though we are the ones covering the banking errors. It borders on the ridiculous. Bank of Ireland sent me a letter informing me I’d been charged £15-ish for running below £0.00 for two days last month. My rent money had come out and I’d done shopping on the same day and my swipes came out all together, meaning I didn’t realise I’d gone into the red. When I checked online banking I transferred money from my savings to bring the account back into the black. Then days later, I get that letter informing me of the charges. This is a very small example, but it shows how the banks are only out for what they can get – coming after me for so-called “administrative charges.” What utter BS. The banks in no way try to help those who have little money, they’re out for everything they can get despite their own failings. And I can fully imagine how they could send this Sherlock man a 2-lined letter telling him to leave his home.
Basically – the banks treat the people callously even though it is their mistakes which have mostly contributed to the situation we’re all in. I’m not defending the actions of those individuals who fail to comply with agreements made – but I do think that banks should try and help people out more. No-one can afford to live the way they did in boom years, so maybe mortgage repayments etc should be alterable because of these unusual economic circumstances.
A bank can’t force you to take out a loan. It can make it very attractive fair enough. But at the end of the day you are the one who signs on the dotted line. We must all take responsibility for our own actions. But I know very little about this case either just a thought.
@ the Plath diaries. A quite rational view too. But banks are business. They are not you’re friend, no matter how cosy they were to you in the good times. I think the bank in question is not one of those bailed out by the tax payer but I stand to be corrected there. On signing his loan contract he submitted to fulfilling those terms. It appears he has been in trouble with this for a few years now too. This wasn’t in the contract, the bank are not obliged legally or some might say even morally to provide any more leeway(although I think they should). When you take out a loan and commit to repaying it you have to take into account that circumstances are subject to change.
Would love you to make that comment to President Roosevelt when he had to straighten the same mess out in the 30′s; and of course he did . . but the thing we have to remember is social responsibility has to be a two way street, and should take into consideration the reckless bubble the banks themselves inflated for their own gain. Of course the credit checks and experts in the bank gave the all -clear ; and many went a head on that basis. Having had the arse ripped out of the economy suit no one, not least the ordinary mortgage payer, but there comes a time when commonsense must overide. We need desperately need to do Roosevelt did, and Norway and Iceland did. Will be down on Sherlock’s farm that farm in 40 minutes as I was yesterday – And I hope his courageous stance bring commonsense to the table once again.
Good point Rodrigo, it was the same for most people I think. I got a form in the door from my bank back in the day (05/06) approving me for an unsought loan of 75,000. All I had to do was sign at the bottom, free post it back in, and the money would be transferred to my account for that ‘holiday of a lifetime and the car I’d always dreamed about.’ Talk about reckless and unchecked lending policies. The man on the street isn’t the shameful, reneging contract breaker he’s being made out to be. It is the banks’ lack of policy and their greed driven approach to lending that is at fault.
Look at the big picture. The people of Ireland are sick of bankers forcing people to honour what are in many cases unpayable loans and then claiming the collateral. The people then pressure their politicians to sort out the banks. The banks are trying to increase the amount of money they have available to honour their own obligations and they’re also trying to deal with their large portfolios of bad mortgage debts. In doing this, they then end up forcing people to honour what are in many case are unpayable loans and then claiming the collateral.
So you see, it’s a vicious circle. You can’t complain about bailing out banks and then complain about banks trying to run a business and collecting their debts in the same breath. You can have one or the other, but you can’t have both.
It’s a reasonable question – and you’re right to ask. But ask yourself this too – would this man be out of work, and out of funds if the bankers tax wasn’t being levied? What are our increased taxes – the very money being taken to fund the same banks – being used for, if not for unpaid loans?
And if they’re not paying for unpaid loans by the very people paying those taxes, what are we paying for with our crippled economy, and our dying nation? Because the answer is that it’s those unsecured loans (many not even belonging to Irish nationals) being paid first – the ones that were given to speculators and wealthy investors who had everything to gain and clearly nothing to lose.
This is why so many support Seamus’ actions. If I could afford the leave, I’d be there with him, and so I imagine would many other middle-to-lower class citizens.
@Kevin,
But that’s the point – the bank wants both. It wants to be bailed out by the people – the same people who weren’t responsible for the original debt being paid – then it wants the people to also keep up with their payments.
You can’t have both ways.
But in all fairness Kevin you can – as Roosevelt clearly showed it is possible and practical. Its a pity banks are not following the same retail legislation regarding products not fit for purpose . . . or product overselling, clearly the lessons of the past are not being taken with us and four plus years on we still haven’t started the recovery process.
It’s disgusting the way some of you guys give any credibility to these corrupt institutions.
5 of this mans friends committed suicide?
With all the debt related suicides in our area, I’d well believe it.
These so called ”banks” should be criminally investigated for what they have done to our country and people.
Where is our government?
”Now you knew what you were getting yourself into, when you signed on the dotted line”
became invalid when these so called banks became Mafia organisations.
Martin, Give me a break with FDR stuff… For the record the bubble you talked about fueled the huge increases in pay, social welfare, medical cards, pensions, tax reductions that we all so readliy accepted…
If i lend you money and you refuse to pay me back then i will ecact the value of that loan from your possesions….I make no apologies for that.
Taking into account the amounts of money and levels of corruption involved here, the majority of these so called bankers should be 4-5 years into their long jail sentence by now.
They deserve no credibility.
Declan, sadly a narrow and unnecessarily personalised comment to a far broader issue – thankfully don’t need to give you a break on anything. . . The article it’s more than just a can’t, or wont pay issue . . and my comments refer to tried and tested solutions to rescue the collapse of economies – element which are not practiced here and of element which should. Nor is it simply to provide more ammo to the narrow minded begrudger – so what is your opinion regarding third world debt issues – make the buggers pay because the same euro banks run riot there ? Make an interesting reply wouldn’t it . . .
It’s back to the famine times where evictions are concerned. The only difference is instead of English landlords, there’s bankers.
Good for the Sherlock family stick to your guns the banks won’t be happy till they have empty houses and property and Ireland’s homeless will double!
How is a stagnant penniless economy good for the banking industry?
Good question Damocles.You see, the banks will auction off these premises at rock bottom prices to the already rich who will then in turn rent them back, at a just barely affordable price, to the poor taxpayer they stole it from in the first place; there by keeping the bankers and top nobs’ bank balances nice and healthy and the ordinary joe soap struggling to survive. Sure, don’t you know we need to be kept in our place or else we might start to stand up for ourselves!
How does that make the banks any money M? Seems like they’d be far better off if we were all flush with cash and spending like there was no tomorrow… just like we did during the boom.
@ Kevin O’Brien Ah but you see the banks win no matter what. If we take out loans to spend mad, they make money. If we’re dirt poor and have to re-mortgage or restructure a loan, they make money. If we can’t pay our loans they take whatever was collateral and sell it, they make money. They c*ck up and the country goes bust, taxpayer is forced to bail them out, they get a bonus, they make money. Maybe I’m just bitter but give me one example of how the banks have suffered throughout this entire fiasco?
How much is rock bottom? Could I pick up a small farm for 50K?
Just the farm land then yes easily, when you start to add buildings and the house then probably no
Sweet as.
fair play to him, if I was I still in Ireland I’d be down there with him. not a mention of one td backing him up witch is to be expected when it comes down to the banks and money.
Witch?
Signing mortgage is like signing sort of a sentence. All countries all over the world have a law that works in favor of bankers, not average taxpayer, Ireland is not alone here. And reason being for that is simple, people at jurisdical powers and bankers are same blue collar mafia, it all works together to maximize benefits of the group at the steer. I dont trust one of those smiley faces in bank when they’re selling you their stuff. Surely they smile as they think another thickie bites the dust. Too bad some people dont have a choice.
Or those adverts they have, “have you got financial troubles? come to us! we are happy to talk to you and help you get back on your feet” etc. Yeah right. They will help you but end up in prison alright if you stumble and cannot repay for a while.
If you are really broke and need a loan or something there is no chance you’ll get one. You need to have plenty of money / income to avail of the mortgage or loan, how silly this is and against of the idea.
you mean White Collar Mafia
fairplay to him and his supporters its great to see people sticking together like that and taking on the banks we need more of this
What happens if everyone takes on the banks and no one pays on time or pays at all? Who then pays for the banks?
@Kevin
In most cases – in fact, all the cases I have seen where people cannot pay or are struggling to pay their mortgages – it is due to the pressure caused by refunding of bank finances.
Why are we refunding the banks, then the few who fall as a result being crucified for being unable to pay their debts in the manner the bank chooses? You will note of course that Mr. Sherlock made a reasonable offer to the bank – which they refused – yet the banks are happy to take our tax money to refund the failed speculators who took literally millions and billions unsecured. You can’t honestly think that this is ok??
Declan ur posts are as if written by a teenager now maybe u are and then I can appreciate ur simplistic views as u need much more experience for the real world
Eilish you make comments about Declan writing like a teenager and yet you use text speak throughout your posts? I think in fact it is you who has simplistic views judging by your comments so it is a bit rich to make the comment about Declan. *disclaimer: I have no afiliation with Declan and have never met him*
I don’t understand why this man is in this situation, he has a farm and had a business and apparently has money to pay a lump sum. What really is the story here? We all know people badly affected by the recession so his story is no different to many in that sense but why has he ended up in this scenario?? As someone said why not restructure your mortgage etc.? It seems unlikely that a bank is going to simply choose not to help him, after all it works better for them if they can keep him paying something no matter how little. Definitely more to this than meets the eye.
@ EMD
”Try restructuring your mortgage”???
”It seems unlikely that a bank is going to simply choose not to help him”???
You make the bankers sound like Florence Nightingale ???
In spite of all the ”farcical we are here to help” ads on the radio these days .
People get sacked in banks these days for helping out customers.
You really think that the likes of RBS or BOSI (who are losing a couple of billion a year in Ireland) want to stick around for the next 30-35 years to collect payments and provide customer service on loss making mortgages?
Especially when the U.K taxpayer (who now owns them) has to pick up the tab?
Did you ever consider that, it just may suit these banks for you to go into arrears, so that they can Repo your home, flog it, write off the debt and clear off.
He did mention he offered a lump sum to the bank ! Where we’re these funds when he was presumably missing his monthly payments ?
While I agree the banks, estate agents, builders, politicians etc were all adding to our woes Pre boom (only seeing the affects now) we also have to look at ourselves. We signed for loans , mortgages Crd cards etc so we need to take responsibility for our actions. Bankruptcy is not a viable option for most people therefore it is up to our elected officials to ensure that they look after our best interests. Question your local representatives.
My opinion even at the time was that Anglo should have been let go to the wall.
While not an expert Iceland seem to have done a much better than our lot in Leinster house.
Personal accountability must come into play, this man entered into a contract with a private organisation and used his home as collateral!
@ John
Even if the private organisation may have been operating illegally?
It is obvious that financial regulation in Ireland was non existent to date.
Harry, the financial institute is regulated. If he feels his rights have been negated by financial institution, he can take it up with regulator.
His stunt now is a PR exercise – and I’m not sure it should be allowed work. We all have commitments, we all have to stick with them. He has a responsibility, both to the institution and his family. It’s a lot of responsibility and it would appear he hasn’t kept his side of the bargain.
@Harry
What do you think the bank did illegally?
And since when was a bank that through its own recklessness had to be taken over by the government
a private organisation.
@ Mattoid
In HBOS’s (BOSI’s parent company) case
I would start with asking questions about
mortgage fraud,
the €47 billion (and counting) bill to the U.K taxpayer,
or almost bringing down the whole U.K financial system.
amongst other things.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HBOS
However we will probably never know as they will probably never be investigated.
Don’t know if ur business is likely to go or is gone assum u would have the foresight to try renegotiate with ur mortgage lender and he realised they wer nt going to work with him so until they do here we are
@Michael
”The financial institute is regulated”???
Regulation in this banana republic?
”Take it up with the Regulator”??
When?
After the regulator schedules a special appointment for him?
After bank takes his home?
”His stunt now is a PR exercise”???
No, our bust (taxpayer owned) banks and their media cronies do the (wasteful) PR stunts in this country.
”and I’m not sure it should be allowed work”???
Allowed Michael?
Do we live in a police state now Michael?
In spite of the banks printing these ”we are here to help” and ”come in and talk to us” Fairystories in our bought out media, from my personal experience they are still treating customers like dirt.
Take it up with the regulator Michael??
Rubbish!!
These filthy ”institutions” as you call them are ran by people who should be in jail, they do not deserve a voice in any of this.
They have bankrupted countries and sentenced generations to financial slavery.
Fair play of Seamus and his friend for standing up to these vultures because our spineless government certainly wont.
Harry,
Yes, the financial institutions are regulated. They are one of the most regulated, and most observed in our society, their level of regulation is up there with the level of regulation in bio-engineering. They cannot move an eyelid without someone knowing about it. Eviction is the last, last, last resort any bank will go to.
Seamus states that it took him a few moments to get over the “shock” of the notice. Rubbish. Eviction notices are not issued when the customer cooperates with the bank, even if all the customer does is says “sorry folks, I can give you 20 quid a week”.
The regulator has an office with staff, if a financial customer has an issue with the manner in which they are being dealt with, go to the regulator. They have an investigative process in place, their story will be heard, investigated and judged fairly.
There are many people in this country who are skimping by, just to make sure debt is being serviced. If Seamus is successful in this stunt, it sends out a very wrong message. And if you think things are bad now, wait until banks cannot reclaim collateral belonging to a couple of thousand mortgage accounts because of sit-ins. The breadline will be taken to a whole new meaning, and it will be a case of last one out, turn off the lights.
If you don’t talk to a bank, they will presume you have run off with their money. It’s loaned to customer, not bequeathed. If a customer becomes uncontactable by the bank, they’re going to presume that the customer has done a bunker. That customer is not the only customer in difficulty. Thousands and thousands are. The best thing you can do when thing get financially difficult: talk to your loan provider. Keep talking to them.
Harry, it’s very easy to take the populist line, but if every bank acted in accordance with that line, there would be more than one line leading to the Aer Lingus check-in desks, and more than one line to the light switch.
Everyone has financial responsibilities. Whether its rent, ESB, savings, pensions. It’s not up to the bank to make sure you have budgeted properly, its up to you. Seamus has children, it’s up to him to act accordingly to make sure he is not faced with the situation he finds himself in.
Yes it would be nice to think that we could revolt and rejoice and win against the financial institutions, but we’re not going to, and the sooner we make this realisation, the sooner we can stop hearing about sit-ins like this.
I’m sorry Michael.
Your statements may have some relevance in a country with non corrupt/non reckless banks where there is strict financial regulation that is enforced.
However I state the facts from my 1st hand experience with the majority of the banks who operate/operated in our country.
And I have seen from my dealings with them that it is very apparent that their game plan is to frustrate the situation and not cooperate with their decent, loyal paying customers.
Don’t get me wrong Michael Your comments sound good in theory.
But unfortunately that is not what is happening out here in practice.
It is vile what I have seen banks do to their customers on a continual basis.
Please keep in mind here that we are talking about institutions and officials that bankrupted our country and sentenced generations to financial slavery.
At the farm yesterday and they have restored my faith in the human race .absolutely wonderful family and the people supporting him is what we are all about in Ireland.he has offered a substantial sum of money to bank and repayment plan with no result from them . This cannot b happening .people deserve some kind of a break .Let’s support this guy and his family .
So what is he doing exactly to try and pay the money back?? Or do you believe he should not have to pay it back?? If you borrow 50 euro from me then i am going to want it back…
As mentioned above Eilish, if he has access to “a substantial sum of money” why did he let his mortgage get so far into arrears?
Genuine question.
I’d like to know the answer to that question also….
I’d like to hear the answer too. Something doesn’t add up here. On the one hand he says he is offering substantial sums of money to the bank, on the other hand he says he can’t pay his mortgage or electricity bill. Fishy!
Have we all forgotten we techically own our banks that means we should be calling the shots….give that man a chance to pay it back.
Since when did the Irish taxpayer have an interest in Bank of Scotland???
@ David – Lets get real here…the banks are the problem…they allowed what happened to happen but its not their fault it happened. You want “the people” to be allowed decide what the banks we “own” do….these are the very same people that decided to get mortgages on houses that were out of their price range realistically….instead of getting that sensible second hand ford mondeo, they got a loan for a new bmw 5 series…..instead of being happy with a few weeks holiday they had to “invest” in property abroad. A lot of people, dare I say the majority, were just as greedy as the banks during the celtic tiger boom. It really was a case of people living beyond their means. You make a choice, you should take responsibility for it.
I know I am going to get red thumbed to hell for saying this, but you know what, the truth hurts. All I know is my generation is going to be paying for the greed and idiocy of the past ones…thats if any of us bother staying here.
@ King Olaf
I know many families and individuals who are in the same (if not worse) as Seamus.
They bought the cheapest house in an average town and a second hand Fiesta.
These people are now squashed between corrupt banks and prehistoric insolvency legislation/an inept, lazy,government.
There are 250,000 mortgages in distress and another 250,000 heading there.
Tens of billions of Euros in negative equity nationwide.
850 builders in NAMA were lent €72 Billion by Irish banks alone.
I’d say there is a lot more to blame for the cause of this mess than your neighbor buying himself a new car or maxed out his credit card.
These banks threw around their cheap money recklessly like drug dealers.
They should be held accountable and they should be forced to work through things with people and clean up the mess that they have created.
R.I.P the people who have taken their lives.
Sorry typos
in the same (if not worse) boat as Seamus
maxing out his credit card.
If he has made an offer to pay it back then the bank should be made to take that offer once it is reasonable.
I would imagine that if it was a reasonable and realistic offer they would have taken it – banks are guaranteed to lose money every time they repossess and sell a property in a fire sale so they’re generally reluctant to do so unless all other realistic options have been exhausted and its the ‘least bad’ option from their point of view.
Fair play to this man but the same thing is happenin to sean quinn & his family & everyone is slatting him
We the taxpayer own the banks why arent we doing anything about it?
Are you suggesting this man has squirreled away loads of money, and is comfortable with lying in court?
Let’s all agree that we refuse to make any repayments on loans and mortgages to the Banks just to teach them a lesson in humility. That’s what you’re saying isn’t it.
And the consequences?
Grow up!
@Mick
So it’s ok that the bank takes our money for unsecured debt, then shafts us when the pressure of those refunding exercises break some of us?
But you ask a good question. “And the consequences?”. To that I can only point to one example – Iceland. Iceland let the banks fall when they couldn’t cope, and looked after it’s people. The consequence? Stable economy, less than 6% unemployment rates, booming export business… and the IMF now agrees that they did the right thing by NOT pandering to the banks demands: http://exposingthetruth.info/iceland-was-right-we-were-wrong-the-imf/
Let me ask you this: what’s the consequence of destroying an economy? Because this is what the banking sector is doing.
Spot on John
Iceland is well on the mend now.
But our lazy, spineless, bought out media and government say very little about that.
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/0dabbb86-eabe-11e1-984b-00144feab49a.html#axzz2474yc2SO
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2012/0820/1224322498419.html
Emd this is not about seamus Sherlock
Eilish, what is not about Seamus Sherlock? Your answer is addressed to me at the end of an entirely differently thread…. The piece is about Seamus Sherlock.
@EMD
The story is indeed about Seamus – but the problem is not. The problem we are all concerned about stems far deeper than the issues this unfortunate citizen is going through.
The problem is that banks are now behaving like they don’t owe anyone anything – when in fact they owe the public their very existence. Secondly, it is about right vs wrong: the behaviour we’re seeing is looking very much like Seamus is being targeted for ‘discipline’ rather than financial issues. He’s done the honourable thing: made an offer he can afford, asking for some time to get his finances corrected. In response, they want to evict.
How can you say this only about Seamus? It’s about all of us, and how the banks expect us to fall into line.
Absolutely disgusting the way his being treated! Isn’t it just a pity that tosser we see in the papers playing golf and living the High life isn’t treated the same ….
Denise your morally right but if the brought in this man and treated him like every body else he would start talking and this could get very messy for the political elite so they take the lesser of the two evils some democracy huh.
people you forget one thing.there should be all the TDs from his area there because guess what they are there to serve the people. unless we all have the balls to vote them all out the next time nothing will change. talking is no good at this stage its action we need and I tell you if you hit the local TDs hard enough something will give.remember politicians are there to serve the people not the other way around.
I’m going to be cynical, and guess there is more to this story than this article suggests.
Banks don’t just send out eviction notices – there is a long and protracted period of to and fro interaction, in which the bank would have stated that they will move to seize the collateral put forward to secure the loan.
Fine, the bank has responsibilities, so does the customer. The bank is regulated by the Financial Regulator, if they don’t adhere to the rules, they can be hauled up before a tribunal.
If the gent here has issues with the manner in which his bank is acting, get in contact with them.
But this doesn’t sound like the customer is entirely blameless.
It really is a sad time we are living in when people lose their homes. The country has gone through an awful lot of crap the last four years with the ordinary Joe at the top of the pile, evictions should not be allowed to happen.
Government giving billions and billions of Euro to financial institutions. Surely the government can come to agreements with banks not to evict people. He’s not refusing to pay, let him pay what he can for the time being and let him keep his home and review it every few months or so. It really is disgusting to just kick people out of their homes.
Fair play to everyone who’s helped him out.
I have a feeling there is way more to this story than the slanted report above. Way i see there is 3 sides to this story….The banks, Mr Sherlocks and then in the middle somewhere we will have the truth.
i know there are different views out there and all those people that are saying that if signed on de dotted line, its his problem. well yes he did sign a contract but those kids didnt and they are being made homeless. maybe all of you have good jobs and can afford to pay your mortgage but this mans business was obviously at his home and he is just like most of us middle class people. times fell hard and his business has suffered causing the situation he is in today. the banks Will lock up the house, land Will be over grown and hit Will eventually be sold off for a fraction of what he owes. so why not just let him rent de property or just pay the interest for time being until he is back on his feet and can pay extra, at the end of de day he Will end up on the dole, claiming rent allowance, and stuck at the bottom relying on social welfare, and the country Cant afford that either. thank god i have no loans or mortgage but my husband works we have 5 children also and i can only imagine how this family feel with knowing they can end up homeless. people need to look past de barricade of people and see the innocent children behind them!
Looks like he’s been having problems for a while. Where are the financial helpers who could get alongside him to put a solution in place? Why can’t small regular payments be made? Surely some money is better than none. The property won’t fetch much at sale, possibly.
Declan or is it Columbia what insight ! u can see a third angle . Want to know ? .well seamus Sherlock is a man who has helped other people face the courts and evictions and they recon if they make an example of him and he doesn’t succeed they will have everyone else where they want them so they can cut our wages cut the dole increase the price of fuel etcetc and reclaim our houses by demanding immediate repayments.they cannot win this one
Don’t give up, Seamus, we, the people are all behind you and you will win the battle against the banks. We own them now and can decide their future. We should have taken them all down ages ago, and let them sink, and left one bank standing, The Credit Union.
I’m going to Suppoort Seamus Sherlock at his home,its about time people in this Country stood up and be counted.Please join me all or talk away.
When u there jim we back there tomorrow
See you tomorrow Eilish.
People are taking their lives on a daily basis both directly and indirectly due to the reckless lending of corrupt banks.
These banks should be given no credibility.
These banks should be given no support.
We can all discuss Jim’s financial position leading up to this point but it is now irrelevant, at this stage he has made an offer and is trying to engage with the bank and to no avail.
But go back a few years and look how the banks engaged with the ordinary person on the street.
“Mr Byrne do you know you have been approved for a ?40,000 personal loan and I can have this approved in two days”
“Mr Byrne we have increased your credit card limit to ?12,000″.
Of course I never asked for any of this and the above figures are true.
The banks along with the government and the regulator at the time colluded to change the rules on lending, stop people saving and get them spending.
We where led to believe (as the L’oreal says) “CAUSE YOU ARE WORTH IT”, statements by FF “ALLOT DONE MORE TO DO”.
Yes we where coerced and some more than others. Jim like many other families in Ireland is a victim of failed government, failed banking and in some ways a failed disconnected society. Banks bailed out and no one jailed! Corrupt politicians and regulators and no one jailed and JOE SOAP shafted, like Jim.
@ Sean – Did you not ring up the bank and thanks but no thanks, I don’t require this loan / credit card limit? I know I did. I was 18 in 2005 when I got my first credit card, started out with a limit of €600…come the summer of 2006 my bank increased the limit to €3000. Yeah it doesn’t make sense…I was working part time in xtra vision on €7 an hour…making maybe €150 per week…so I rang them and said thank you but I don’t need the limit, I don’t want to end up in debt by that much. They brought it back down to €600. What is so hard with someone doing that instead of blaming the bank for coercing you into debt?? Even if I did keep the limit of €3k, only I would be spending it! So it would be my decision…my fault if I was in debt because of it.
How do all you people have the time to be writing essays on this…
Fair point David
I was offered those loans too, and didn’t take them. I wonder why?
Perhaps if he wasn’t travelling around the country and staying put farming his land he might be in a better poaition to pay his mortgage
Typical selfish narrow minded comment we have come to expect from you and your ilk.
How is it selfish? and narrow minded? how does he expect to earn money and pay his mortgage by leaving a farm idle while he swans around the country? If anything its him that is being selfish as thr bank will end up reposessing it, selling it off at a loss and ultimately end up charging the people that do pay their mortgage more to cover the shortfall.
You really are as clueless as your avatar.
What’s an “ilk”?
maybe she forgot the ‘m’ off the ilk censored?
Bad form Lauren. The farm was not lying idle. It was being worked by his family and friends while he was away campaigning. His travels around the country were an attempt to help people being crushed by un-payable debt. You make it sound like the idle jaunt of a playboy.
Fair play to Seamus, his family, his friends and neighbours for fighting the banking parasites. If more people were trying to help their neighbours instead of passing sanctimonious judgement on them, the country would be in a much better position.
Join and show your support..http://www.facebook.com/AntiEvictionTaskforce
Done.
So this is the Ireland of 2012 the big boy,s do not care about anything but there own little cosy crowd. We the little people have no voice in main stream T V OR NEWSPAPERS, life for us is to be quite say nothing and all will be fine. The P.Ds and Greens went F/F almost gone, and the Labour party look. like there in a bad state. So we the people what will become of us we must stand together no more splits tell our so called masters they can go to hell the time has come for all the people to make there voices heard loud and clear. Life is to short to be run by clowns.
Let me guess John…Sinn Fein will save the day….give me a break…
It’s amazing how some Irish people don’t seem to mind the criminal elites running of with billions and sentencing them to eternal financial slavery.
But if their neighbor buys a roof over his head, its hang , draw and quarter time.
You keep missing the point Harry, there are at least 3 groups in our society:
1. reckless bankers
2. reckless borrowers and gombeen business people
3. the majority – who are now being expected to pick up the bill for the antics of groups 1 and 2
Which category would you put the person who took out a mortgage to buy the cheapest house in an average town into Censored?
Now that his mortgage is in distress along with 100′s of thousands of others.
Number 3 obviously. However, they are not the ones in the headlines.
Well Declan your your way of the mark but that why Ireland in the mess it,s in all done by guess work pity you don,t have any ideas of you own.
Ireland fought a foreign oppressor to achieve independence. In less than 100 years we are now witnessing the State co-operating with the legal system to allow foreign Banks to continue oppressing us by
* evicting us from our homes,
* closing down our businesses and
* repossessing our properties.
Free State my arse.
Seriously? Build a bridge, move on. The ‘oppressors’ of our past is not not relevant, we need to take responsibility and start to face up to the mess we are in which we all played some part in by going along with the greed and materialism. No foreign oppression just the after effects of the come down from the euphoria of the Celtic Tiger
So EMD
It’s ”Lets be fair we all partied” again is it?
Save the take responsibility spiel for our corrupt government, senior civil service and banks.
Not everyone experienced the ”Euphoria” that you perceive.
Harry, I should be more bitter than most as I most certainly struggled through the Celtic Tiger with a husband in a low paid job while I stayed home with kids so I definitely wasn’t partying. But I do think as a nation all this constant blaming evryone else and taking no responsibility for our own choices during the so called good times is quite simply wrong. We do need to move on or nothing will ever change.
what would be the logistics of building a moat around the farm?
Link to facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/AntiEvictionTaskforce
Fair play Seamus. Stand firm and the very best of luck in your battle against the banking parasites.
It’s becoming clear that we need to remove the banking function from the hands of private enterprise completely. We’ve socialised the debts of the banks but still allow them to operate as autonomous institutions and people like Seamus are paying the price.
True nationalisation of the banking system is required to ensure it is harnessed for the benefit of the nation instead of undermining our economy as is the case presently. It’s the banking license that we grant to the banks that places them at the centre of the flow of money in society and allows them to siphon off some of the flow as profit. Instead we should retain the banking privilege for the good of the people.
Nationalisation would allow the state/people to collectively benefit from the relatively easy profits to be made from the banking function as well as enforcing proper regulation. The banking institutions could be run as separate entities and measured against each other to preserve competition and maintain efficiency but the controlling stake in each would be held by the state.
@king olaf I did indeed and you have a point. But only a point. Both the banks and the government at the time leading up to September 2008 crash where misleading the Irish people. A early as 2003 the revenue commissioner was warning the then government about a banking and economic melt down. If the Irish people where in the full facts about the looming crises and action was taken then it is quite possible alot of people like Jim would not be in this position.
So yes coercion, misinformation and reckless lending are the leading factors here.
@David O’Connor would you prefer silence David? Well your local TD’s support you and be at your side, God forbid you ever need them? It’s about time we all start talking and supporting each other for a better and fairer Ireland.
Unconfirmed reports appearing on facebook in the last hour of over 100 gardai arriving at Mr Sherlocks house to evict him and his 5 kids. This is the new ireland.
Every time someone posts a comment about a bank there is someone giving it a thumbs down…what’s going on guys have we got bankers on this site sticking up for themselves?
My bad, appears to have been someone getting excited, or just plain ole misinformation. Next time i’ll be tripple checking before posting!
Don’t worry Malachy.
RTE, the Indo and the rest of our bought out media, make a healthy living on misinformation.
the bigger picture
Debts that cant be paid – won’t.
Michael Hudson.com / Steve Keen / Bill Black are three of
the top analysts on this which is a Global Problem :
#DebtJubilee is their solution …
Check ‘em out ‘
RealEstate4Ransom ‘ http://bit.ly/GXMHKh
Steve Keen http://bit.ly/Q6e8Vt
I fully support mr sherlock and i feel what the banks are doing is a disgrace shame on yous
http://bit.ly/LnADPF was a newstalk interview done by Steve Keen . .
have your say