MAKING a will is one of life’s chores that far too many of us foolishly long finger.

SIXTY-TWO years after Mao Tse-tung led the revolution that established his autocratic, brutal and hugely influential communist People’s Republic, China has become the world’s second largest economy by leapfrogging its neighbour Japan.

LESS than ten days ago Micheál Martin said he wanted to leave Punch and Judy politics behind.

IT is unlikely that anyone will blockade their local railway station to protest over the quality of the first class service offered on some of our trains.

THERE are more than enough parallels between the situation in Egypt and Ireland to offer a few lessons to those who might wish to learn them.

THERE is hardly an Irish person who, at one time or another, has not been exposed to the destructive force of alcohol abuse.

SO much of what we do, so much of what we think important, was put into a sobering perspective by yesterday’s tragedy at Cork Airport when six people lost their lives in a plane crash.

IT is still true that a society can be judged on how it treats its weakest members. In that context this week’s highly critical report from the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment admonishes us all.

THE response from Fine Gael’s Leo Varadkar and Labour’s Jan O’Sullivan to the suggestion that another €15 billion might be needed to recapitalise Ireland’s rotten banks should be welcomed by every one of us.