I love the Irish sense of humour. The disgraced Northern Ireland politicians Peter and Iris Robinson have, it seems, been christened the "Swish Family Robinson" by the good denizens of the province they serve. Unsurprising really when you realise that, not only did Mr & Mrs Robinson employ every member of their immediate family (sons, daughter and daughter-in-law) in various capacities, in a breathtaking act of nepotism but that, between them, they managed to rake in close to £560k in 2007-2008 alone, enjoying three homes in Belfast, London and Florida in the process.
What is surprising is that Iris Robinson couldn't just dip into her own pocket for the requisite £50k or so she procured from business contacts to hand over to her toyboy lover, pocketing a neat £5k for herself in the process. What is it about money and power that skews the thinking of apparently right-minded people? That's a genuine question, by the way, because I really, really don't get it (never having had much of either :) It's one thing to live your life to stunning double standards (viz Tiger Woods, family man) but it's quite another to imagine that the truth will never out. It seems to me that the truth will always out. In this age of technological wizardry any of us are potential paparazzi. Anyone with a mobile phone can take a photo, covertly record a conversation - there really is no hiding place. It takes a special kind of arrogance to believe that you are untouchable.
As for a sixty year old woman having an affair with a 19 year old boy (and I'm sorry - but at 19 he was still a boy, not a man) there will be some who applaud and some who are appalled. What leaves a nasty taste in the mouth is that Mrs Robinson and her husband have always played the super-religious card. Indeed, she has publicly proclaimed on many issues, making her views on Homosexuality , Abortion and Catholicism well known. Funny, that. Obviously, the moral high ground was abandoned sharpish when a buff 19 year old strolled into view.
The thing that disturbs me more than anything about the affair is that Iris Robinson has apparently known Kirk McCambley since he was 9 years old. Am I alone in finding this slightly creepy? I think of my kids' friends (and my friends' kids for that matter) whom I have known since they were small children and the Robinson affair makes my skin crawl.
Anyway, now Iris is confined to home, apparently suffering from mental illness. There has been some sniping in the press, suggesting that the timing of this illness is convenient. Who knows? Perhaps she should make an appointment with the doctors who treated Ernest Saunders at the time of the Guinness scandal - he who made a miraculous recovery from the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. In fact, he is allegedly the only person in the world to do so.
For some time before the scandal broke, Saunders' nickname within the company was "Deadly Ernest". The unfortunately named Mrs Robinson (but what a gift to the headline writers!) can expect to hear catcalls of "Coo coo ca choo Mrs Robinson" for some time to come.
What is surprising is that Iris Robinson couldn't just dip into her own pocket for the requisite £50k or so she procured from business contacts to hand over to her toyboy lover, pocketing a neat £5k for herself in the process. What is it about money and power that skews the thinking of apparently right-minded people? That's a genuine question, by the way, because I really, really don't get it (never having had much of either :) It's one thing to live your life to stunning double standards (viz Tiger Woods, family man) but it's quite another to imagine that the truth will never out. It seems to me that the truth will always out. In this age of technological wizardry any of us are potential paparazzi. Anyone with a mobile phone can take a photo, covertly record a conversation - there really is no hiding place. It takes a special kind of arrogance to believe that you are untouchable.
As for a sixty year old woman having an affair with a 19 year old boy (and I'm sorry - but at 19 he was still a boy, not a man) there will be some who applaud and some who are appalled. What leaves a nasty taste in the mouth is that Mrs Robinson and her husband have always played the super-religious card. Indeed, she has publicly proclaimed on many issues, making her views on Homosexuality , Abortion and Catholicism well known. Funny, that. Obviously, the moral high ground was abandoned sharpish when a buff 19 year old strolled into view.
The thing that disturbs me more than anything about the affair is that Iris Robinson has apparently known Kirk McCambley since he was 9 years old. Am I alone in finding this slightly creepy? I think of my kids' friends (and my friends' kids for that matter) whom I have known since they were small children and the Robinson affair makes my skin crawl.
Anyway, now Iris is confined to home, apparently suffering from mental illness. There has been some sniping in the press, suggesting that the timing of this illness is convenient. Who knows? Perhaps she should make an appointment with the doctors who treated Ernest Saunders at the time of the Guinness scandal - he who made a miraculous recovery from the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. In fact, he is allegedly the only person in the world to do so.
For some time before the scandal broke, Saunders' nickname within the company was "Deadly Ernest". The unfortunately named Mrs Robinson (but what a gift to the headline writers!) can expect to hear catcalls of "Coo coo ca choo Mrs Robinson" for some time to come.
Curry Queen - Does that mean I can't continue to ogle my neighbours 20-something son? Oh no, I was so looking forward to the summer. I've only known him since last week - honest! (sorry, probably no the sort of sensible comment you were hoping for) x
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