Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Mystery of Murtagh’s millionsBoth the Irish Times and Irish Independent report this morning on Brendan Murtagh's sale of a significant chunk of his Kingspan stake. However the papers differ significantly on just how much cash the company co-founder generated from the sale. According to the Times (sub. req.):
Brendan Murtagh, co-founder and director of building materials group Kingspan, has sold one third of his holding in the group for close to €50 million.The Independent meanwhile has this to say:
Kingspan co-founder and director Brendan Murtagh fetched almost €90m by selling 2.4m shares, or a 1.4pc stake, in the group.So why the €40 million difference? As both papers note, a formal announcement is expected to be given to the stock exchange within days, which should confirm the details. However, the basic facts of the deal are reported by both, namely that Murtagh sold 2.4 million shares at €20.05. That yields €48.12, which means it looks like it was the Indo in this case that got its sums wrong.
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posted by Dick O'Brien at 1:48 PM | link |
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Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Footballing quote of the week"Ronaldo, Ronaldo, wherefore art thou Ronaldo?"
George Hamilton, as Cristiano Ronaldo steps up to take a free kick against AC Milan on Tuesday night. "Missing in action" was probably the most accurate response.
It's a pity that George wasn't commentating on Barcelona's recent game against Getafe when Messi scored a goal incredibly similiar to Maradona's 1986 goal against England. He'd have been reaching for the sonnets.
posted by Paul at 1:17 PM | link |
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Sunday, January 28, 2007
Long live death!
Credit: US National Archives
Even though he's long dead, Francisco Franco is still the mayor of Salamanca. As Spanish daily El Pais reports, the dictator was declared honorary mayor in perpetuity by the town in 1964. A recent motion to strip the Caudillo of the title was defeated, when Partido Popular councillors voted it down. Not surprisingly, PP declined to debate the matter or give any reason for voting against it. Socialist councillor Fernando Pablos said all PP had to do was abstain from the vote, as had happened recently in the towns of Girona and Granollers, but clearly Salamanca PP members thought there was something worth holding on to.
This is the second time Pablos & Co have failed in removing some unsavoury items from the town's books. Back in December, PP also voted against the removal of a 1936 'motion of destitution' against philosopher and writer Miguel de Unamuno, who at the time was rector of the University of Salamanca. Unamuno's damnation dates from a famous incident during the Civil War, when he clashed with Francoist general Millán Astray at a dinner celebrating the discovery of America.
Astray was the founder of the Spanish Legion, which was modelled after its French equivalent. A borderline psychotic, Astray's was responsible for the legion's nickname of Novios de la Muerte (bridegrooms of death) and its battle cry, Viva la muerte (long live death).
Taking umbrage at Astray's repeated chanting of the aforementioned battle cry during speeches, Unamuno dared to point out its nonsensical nature, prompting Astray to begin shouting 'death to intelligence'. By some accounts, it took the intervention of Franco's wife Carmen, who was also at the dinner, to prevent Unamuno from being lynched. Afterwards, Unamuno was removed from his position at the university and died under house arrest later that year.
Categories: Spain, Politics, Franco
posted by Dick O'Brien at 12:51 PM | link |
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Thursday, January 11, 2007
Sac of woe
Credit: Team Cofidis
You really have to feel sorry for Cofidis rider Tristan Valentin. The Frenchman was slapped with a six month ban after failing a drugs test. However, in making its ruling, the disciplinary committee acknowledged that the cyclist failed the test because his doctor had accidentally prescribed him with a medication containing a substance on the banned list. Now either people are going to think of him as a drug cheat or, if they are aware of the circumstances, they'll know all about his, err, scrotal problems.
Categories: Sport, Cycling
posted by Dick O'Brien at 8:32 PM | link |
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Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Sex: the breakfast of champions
Why not start the day with a nice cup of Hornimans tea?
Then butter up some toast made from Bimbo bread.
Or if that doesn't suit your tastes, how about a freshly brewed pot of Bonka coffee? Ooh err Missus.
All available at a Spanish supermarket near you.
Categories: Spain, Food, Photos
posted by Dick O'Brien at 7:17 PM | link |
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Tuesday, January 09, 2007
The last refuge of scoundrels1.“ETA expresses its solidarity with the collateral damage caused by the Government’s repressive politics and with the humiliation suffered by the nationalist left” in their first statement since the attack at Barajas airport 10 days ago, according to El País.
2."Of course, no lover of democracy can fail to rejoice in the serious blow received by the “war process” to the Constitution and the democratic state, as he will be saddened by the sad fate of the victims, caused by those who had been so favoured by the government, who consequently shares their responsibility.” Pío Moa, Franco’s hagiographist and expert in democracy, celebrates ETA’s attack his way, like Frank Sinatra.
Via Escolar.
3. “Remember, Ecuadorian ladies and gentlemen, that the Autonomous Communities where you reside [Valencia, Murcia and Madrid] are governed by PP. So think it over before you get involved in a certain mess.” Federico Jiménez Losantos warns the Ecuadorian community in Spain –Joe Pesci style– not to attend a demonstration protesting the attack in Madrid’s airport [where two Ecuadorian citizens lost their lives], organised by the Spanish Association of Ecuadorians and the two majority trade unions, that PP is considering boycotting. For a full whack of Federico's apoplexy, click here (in Spanish).
Via NetoRatón 2.0.
posted by Diana Perez Garcia at 11:12 PM | link |
Quote of the day
"I mean, it was 11 to 1! You'd think he'd be violating every virgin within 100 miles. How does he even get on his bicycle?" - World Anti-Doping Agency chairman Dick Pound on Floyd Landis's Tour de France testosterone ratio.
Categories: Sport, Cycling, Tour de France
posted by Dick O'Brien at 1:22 PM |
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Monday, December 11, 2006
Fist of ironyPoetic justice of this calibre is hard to come by: Augusto Pinochet died on the 10th of December, a date marked by the UN as International Human Rights Day.
posted by Diana Perez Garcia at 11:54 AM | link |
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