Northern Ireland town turns into virtual Potemkin village ahead of G8

[Newsjock]

A "pretend" butcher shop in the village of Belcoo in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
Source: Toronto Star

Enniskillen may not have a $2 million Muskoka-inspired fake lake exhibit, but it does have giant stickers plastered on abandoned storefronts to make it look like business is booming and shelves are fully stocked.

The Northern Irish town and surrounding area is getting a $460,000 fluff-up in advance of next month’s G8 summit. Gum is being scraped off sidewalks. Roads will be freshly paved to ensure a smooth ride for convoys of world leaders. Virtual Potemkin villages are springing up on the road to the Lough Erne Resort, where heads of state will gather to discuss tax evasion and reforms, food security, trade deals and the crisis in Syria.

While these costs are all about looking good under the intense glare of the world’s media spotlight, appearances can be deceiving.

A fresh coat of paint does little to hide what simmers underneath — an economically depressed Northern Ireland dealing with a 24 per cent youth unemployment rate and Prime Minister David Cameron’s controversial austerity cuts.

Read more: http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2013/05/28/northern_ireland_town_turns_into_virtual_potemkin_village_ahead_of_g8.html

[annabanana]

1. It will not work if enough people know about it.

This should generate a whole BUNCH of very interesting pictures. That will help the spread of the story...