tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60080376331210355792012-02-17T00:16:09.273ZA Pint of Unionist Lite"Resignation is our biggest enemy"O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.comBlogger23271100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-26857601886772724422011-09-26T16:20:00.000+01:002011-09-26T16:20:53.257+01:00A fresh re-start (sort of)For those of you may be still reading...
Geoff McGimpsey has handed over the reins of Open Unionism to Henry Hill and myself. Henry will be taking the more prominent role whilst I'll be helping out with the Facebook and twitter feeds and the odd (probably very odd!) occasional post.
In the words of Henry (and Geoff):
Open Unionism aims to encourage discussion on the future of Unionism in the O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-91937936774640234242011-04-21T12:33:00.011+01:002011-04-21T12:33:00.365+01:00Resignation is our biggest enem... not that bad a bloke really.I've now written about all the more major issues that I'd wanted to write about and the daily stuff popping up is inspiring merely an overwhelming feeling of déjà vu- so this seems as good a time as any to bring matters to a close on here.
At this point, it would be very rude not to mention the folk who have helped me out with links and in other ways over the last three years- thanks one and allO'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-46241618301944403192011-04-16T09:41:00.002+01:002011-04-20T16:11:21.822+01:00St George is on the move...Or, at least, his day is, if the Church has its way:
St George's Day is April 23, next Saturday. But next Saturday is Holy Saturday, a day of suspense between Good Friday and the great feast of Easter. So the Church of England has moved the saint's day to Monday May 2, as has the Catholic Church in England. The trouble is that most people are taking no notice.
It has happened before. In 1943, O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-18467564705319060372011-04-16T09:33:00.001+01:002011-04-20T16:11:35.233+01:00Your Republic, you pay for it!Right....
The Treasury should guarantee some financial support over the next 25 years even if Ireland is united, the SDLP said.Why?
If the majority within Northern Ireland and the Republic were to vote for "Unity", then then they should take the financial consequences of that decision. The day after that vote our financial welfare would no longer be the concern, legally or morally of the BritishO'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-284499120802437042011-04-15T11:28:00.001+01:002011-04-20T16:11:49.239+01:00For any Dubliners reading...And I know that I do have at least a couple!
This will be open to the public:
The Future of the Seanad - North & South
Time19 April · 19:00 - 21:00
LocationGeorgian Suite, Buswells Hotel, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2
An evening of discussion on Irish politics, North South relations, the future of the Seanad and the need for dissent with Jeffrey Dudgeon (Unionist TCD Seanad candidate) and EoinO'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-84371349479866804202011-04-14T11:21:00.001+01:002011-04-20T16:12:00.200+01:00"English" signs not permitted for children's race?Fortunately, it appears the culprit has been apprehended:
Children taking part in a run on a mist-covered Welsh mountain lost their way after a man removed safety signs and course markings because they were written in English.
The signs were apparently taken down because they were in English
Race organisers said the man was seen carrying one sign and removing another shortly before the O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-31766559696819752042011-04-13T19:31:00.002+01:002011-04-20T16:12:11.946+01:00"What is going to kick start this election?"Fellow pedants will be as delighted as myself that the DUP have now updated this previously erroneous claim:
“My DUP has delivered free prescriptions for everyone in Northern Ireland, the most generous scheme in the UK”It now reads in their "40 of our achievements in 4 years" document:
"We've introduced free prescriptions for everyone in Northern Ireland- they're not available in England"The lastO'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-10004817207456325732011-04-13T10:08:00.001+01:002011-04-20T16:12:50.012+01:00Quote of the dayI can't see any way we're going to avoid an almighty collision with the ECHR on this.
David Davis:
"The Court seems to have forgotten that our Parliament is the ultimate authority. It can tell Ministers to produce proposals if it likes. What it can't do is give them a timetable to do anything that Parliament won't approve. And Parliament's made it clear that it won't accept any of the O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-44195332772760424932011-04-13T01:36:00.002+01:002011-04-20T16:12:36.501+01:00Seen Elsewhere 04/13/2011The rise of "non-standard" English
Interview with Jeff Dudgeon: Open Unionism
Good Times for Alex and his Nationalist Army: Tom Gallagher
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-44148940299827754592011-04-12T19:04:00.002+01:002011-04-20T16:14:33.450+01:00Why politicians should really leave sport alone. Part2This week's second most gratuitous grab of a sporting event for purely partisan reasons:
DUP politician, whose blushes I shall spare, jokingly messaged on Sunday "McDowell wins US Open last year. McIlroy leading the Masters this year. The DUP delivering for Ulster!" Ah, no.
Today after young Mr McIlroy's disastrous final round he updated with "McIlroy crashes out at US Masters golf. The reason O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-51324364029340193312011-04-12T09:51:00.001+01:002011-04-20T16:14:48.214+01:00Unionist control of information-outflow now total in ScotlandA typical nationalist response as to why younger Scots are disconnected from the political process:
Maybe if the MSM gave a balanced account of what was truly going on instead of the one trick Unionist pony the kids would show more enthusiasm.
You Prof and the other London luvvies in "Scottish" Media distort things so much it is little wonder kids are not interested.Ah right, the old "Unionist O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-21894341062741377162011-04-12T07:13:00.000+01:002011-04-12T07:13:54.000+01:00Euro quotes...*They* once said:
“Remaining outside the eurozone will hurt the British economy…”
“The euro will remain stable and eurozone countries will be protected from crises…”
“There will be no bailouts…”
“Only countries that fulfil strict economic conditions should be allowed to join…”
“Greece joining the euro will be good for both the EU and Greece…” Etc, etc, etc.O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-7176924820203187352011-04-11T21:25:00.002+01:002011-04-11T21:25:36.885+01:00Does double-jobbing equal double-staffers?I have a post up on Slugger looking at the amounts claimed for staffing by our MPs and MLAS... and even our MPs/MLAs.O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-31467896759205615632011-04-11T11:27:00.000+01:002011-04-11T11:27:15.315+01:00Aintree- the Separatist Connection?This week's most gratuitous grab of a sporting event for purely partisan reasons?
Plaid Cymru has marked Grand National Day by urging people to back a winning future for Wales and vote for ambition. Plaid Cymru is the only party that has put forward ambitious policies to tackle the cuts being imposed on Wales from Westminster by the Conservatives and Lib Dems. O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-41277636198090577292011-04-10T17:52:00.000+01:002011-04-10T17:52:59.440+01:00The Rt Hon Alan B'Stard wants AV!
So, you probably shouldn't;)O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-26375083672245528742011-04-08T10:39:00.013+01:002011-04-08T18:43:04.930+01:00No. We are *not* "all entitled".I had actually forgotten about this article on regional disparities which has been festering in my drafts for nearly a month now.
Some noteworthy statistics first of all:
1. Average GDP per head in central London is more than nine times larger than in parts of Wales.
2. The ratio of GDP per head in the three richest regions of the UK to the three poorest increased by almost a tenth between 1990O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-4544396058050446592011-04-08T01:37:00.001+01:002011-04-08T01:37:03.853+01:00Seen Elsewhere 04/08/2011 UKIP's Plan to Abolish the Scottish and Welsh Assembly Governments: Toque Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-90563979845351443632011-04-07T08:27:00.001+01:002011-04-07T08:54:05.774+01:00The curse of living in interesting timesThe ancient Inka Prophecy has predicted a time of shocks, upheaval and turmoil in the world round about this point in history.
In the UK we are beginning to see disturbing outworkings of that prediction:
1. Man City are currently third place in the Premiership.
2. An item of woman's intimate (black!!) apparel being flashed in a DUP PEB (50 seconds in if you're, er...interested in checking).
3. O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-32512349905680662312011-04-06T16:34:00.000+01:002011-04-06T16:34:59.392+01:00Scottish Labour versus the SNP. What? Oh yes, and the ConservativesAlex Massie:
In the first place, both the SNP and Labour consider themselves "Scotland's Party". They are opposed, certainly, to the Conservatives but they're also opposed to Westminster, regardless of which party is in power in London. Their task is to "defend" Scotland come what may even if that means insisting that sensible public-sector reforms in England are not necessary in Scotland.
But O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-16866731140129216572011-04-06T09:51:00.000+01:002011-04-06T09:51:25.459+01:00So, why exactly is a Unionist running for the Irish Senate?This is Jeff Dudgeon's platform piece, explaining why a N.Irish Unionist is running for a seat in the Republic's Senate:
WHY A UNIONIST IS RUNNING FOR THE IRISH SENATE
The Trinity College constituency which I am contesting has amongst its 55,000 graduate electors, some three thousand from all the Ulster counties and many Church of Ireland and Presbyterian clergymen. TCD’s three senators have O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-45901246380147717672011-04-06T01:38:00.001+01:002011-04-06T01:38:34.717+01:00Seen Elsewhere 04/06/2011 Chicken or Egg? The Dissenter "It seems that everything remotely positive is claimed by all, whether Unionist, Nationalist or Republican, DUP, UUP, SDLP and Sinn Fein, and even Alliance. Who wouldn’t or couldn’t claim to be responsible for free bus passes and prescriptions, or low household rates and taxes? Just don’t mention or question the cost"O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-52297060469062866662011-04-05T12:55:00.001+01:002011-04-05T12:57:20.608+01:00Devolution's lack of diversity:From the Guardian:
Despite being set up to empower and involve the people of Scotland and Wales, both their devolved legislatures have been slow to include the countries' ethnic minorities. On this count at least, they have been arguably weaker than Westminster.On the "diversity" question generally, both institutes are struggling.
Some figures to back up that assertion-
1. There are 170,000 O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-84838103884606201462011-04-05T09:48:00.001+01:002011-04-06T09:56:05.219+01:00The thin line between wishful thinking and hard, objective dataPlaid Cymru economics guru, Dr Eurfyl ap Gwilym:
"It doesn’t surprise me that younger people are more inclined to believe that Wales may become independent. Older people like myself grew up in a period after the war when ideas like Britain, Empire and monarchy were absolutely at the centre of thinking. Young people are no longer subject to such influences to anywhere near the same extent, and inO'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-60941341418873981812011-04-05T01:36:00.001+01:002011-04-05T01:36:48.337+01:00Seen Elsewhere 04/05/2011 A populist warning light? How does Northern Ireland work? Newton Emerson "DOES Northern Ireland's equality system make us all equal?Or does it divide us into categories, multiply paperwork, add up to very little and subtract from the budget?Alas, that question is almost certainly O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-13539824737854615622011-04-04T10:00:00.001+01:002011-04-04T10:47:03.805+01:00Never mind the quality, feeeel the cheapness.One of the basic fundaments of UK politics is that parties don’t expect us to take anything contained or promised in their manifestos too literally but still, this proclamation from "Lynn of Co Antrim" does fall down on two crucial points:
“My DUP has delivered free prescriptions for everyone in Northern Ireland, the most generous scheme in the UK”First, whose idea was the free prescription”?
O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-31616741918635668142011-04-04T01:36:00.001+01:002011-04-04T01:36:12.977+01:00Seen Elsewhere 04/04/2011 Ban Welsh clubs from English football? Scotlands of the mind: Gerry Hassan Independence for Wales: Welsh Ramblings The response to ConO'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-48284905626201407392011-04-03T17:26:00.000+01:002011-04-03T17:26:00.376+01:00Keep an eye on Finland...Can things get any worse economically for the Republic?
With the CDU in trouble in Germany and a Finnish general election two weeks away, I think they might- read here on Slugger why.
O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-53127577816549578592011-04-03T11:20:00.001+01:002011-04-03T12:25:22.230+01:00Yet another Irishman slaughtered in the name of "Ireland". Was Ireland consulted?If the only the island itself could talk at times like this and tell those Irish who murder other Irish (and dare to claim it on its behalf) what it really thinks of them.
Two posts on the subject this morning are well worth the read; Dilettante's and this from Mike Nesbitt:
I am no Gordon Wilson; I cannot find it in myself to say any kinds words about the killers. They planned this murder and O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-86388635872581749022011-04-02T01:36:00.001+01:002011-04-02T01:36:41.030+01:00Seen Elsewhere 04/02/2011 Tories accused of "love-bombing Plaid to form anti-Labour coalition Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-68261675480238433592011-04-01T15:23:00.000+01:002011-04-01T15:23:00.664+01:00Oh daarlings, you just have to vote AV...Really think this is a load of silly nonsense:
Celebrities have thrown their weight behind the campaign for electoral reform – writing to voters urging them to support the cause.
Colin Firth, Joanna Lumley and Stephen Fry are among those endorsing the campaign in a Yes To Fairer Votes leaflet sent out to householders.
On May 5, Britain will go to the polls to decide whether to keep WestminsterO'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-87993612697256413992011-04-01T09:23:00.000+01:002011-04-01T09:23:00.157+01:00No rabbits and no coalitions with the nats.I spoke of the danger yesterday of Scottish and Welsh Labour heading off in a narrow regionalist direction; apparently the Conservatives in Wales are also potentially diverging from the Westminster line:
The concerns were that there could be a danger that the Welsh Conservatives could stand up and promise something in the non devolved fields and run the risk of a Conservative minister in a O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-26343019584850055812011-04-01T01:36:00.001+01:002011-04-01T01:36:53.663+01:00Seen Elsewhere 04/01/2011 DAVID VANCE: Cutting corporation tax a gamble too far UKIP promises to get rid of Welsh Assembly Members One Nation, One Time: Why the Daylight Savings Bill must not passO'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-66385011830509685402011-03-31T08:24:00.002+01:002011-03-31T17:52:46.557+01:00A bandwagon is starting to roll? And taxi for Gregory Campbell please.Following John Redwood's revelation the other day, this from the Monmouth Conservative MP (and as staunch a Unionist MP as you'll find in the UK), David Davies:
Mr Davies said: “As a proud Welshman and a unionist we cannot possibly have a situation where we as Welsh MPs are telling the English what to do with their health service and education and they can’t have any say over what goes on in O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-51349971867078522472011-03-30T11:25:00.000+01:002011-03-30T11:25:53.407+01:00Ethnicity is "broadly equivalent, only differing" in Scotland and EnglandMore Census ethnicity nonsense (thanks to JD!).
To ask Her Majesty's Government why the 2011 census question on ethnic group in England and Wales had five options for "White" when the Scottish version had nine options which included Polish, and has a different wording for Gypsy or Irish Traveller which excludes the word "Irish"; and how overall United Kingdom figures will be calculated and O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-29023348425771674982011-03-29T10:49:00.000+01:002011-03-29T10:49:55.584+01:00When even the DUP insults have ceased... can it get any worse for the UUP?Traditionally you could always tell that an election was in the offing in Northern Ireland by watching the pattern of the DUP's press releases- they would be balanced delicately by, on the one hand, various party luminaries calling for "Unionist Unity", whilst on the other, their colleagues would be simultaneously tripping over each other busily a-slammin' and a-blastin' the UUP.
The fact that (O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-27116405553960316152011-03-28T18:18:00.002+01:002011-03-28T20:47:24.590+01:00John Redwood no longer British? No longer a Unionist?John Redwood, talking about completing the census form, is an extremely grumpy man this morning and with good reason.
However, this sentence puzzled me:
On the Census form they forced me to decide was I British or English? I always used to think of myself as both.Now, I haven't seen the final English/Welsh census form but the draft that I did look at put the question thus:
How would you describeO'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-38965833879411121582011-03-28T17:48:00.000+01:002011-03-28T17:48:36.673+01:00The Racist is the other...I've missed the "European Actionweek against Racism" by one day but not to worry, this was one of the best posters I've ever seen on the subject.O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-31739547714990603392011-03-16T17:16:00.003Z2011-03-16T20:01:09.528ZPauseI'm taking a few days off to catch up on work (and unread books, articles etc).
Back soon.
PS. and a Happy St Patrick's Day to all reading!O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-27422155070433619962011-03-16T09:21:00.000Z2011-03-16T11:53:42.930ZArtefacts work better as ambassadors?About a month ago, I wrote a piece on Slugger about the Celtic League's attempt to "repatriate" certain artefacts, described as "Celtic Treasures", back to their "home" countries or regions.
One of those artefacts is the Mold Cape and this is the reply of the Welsh Minister of Heritage to the Celtic League's campaign:
The Mold Cape is a highly significant artefact which places Wales in a O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-91106845816167449702011-03-16T00:36:00.001Z2011-03-16T00:36:21.113ZSeen Elsewhere 03/16/2011 Peoples Pledge Unionişti: Dilettante Speaks to the Romanian Ambassador Corporate tax a distraction from core issue "BEFORE WE become hysterical about wicked Europeans bullying us over corporation tax, O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-8657854180845201942011-03-15T19:52:00.001Z2011-03-16T11:56:26.946ZSNP to dictate students' their national identity?I was fortunate enough to attend one of Northern Ireland's more liberal grammar schools, which meant (in those comparitively less liberal times) I got a pretty good grounding in both Irish literature and history. I've been told that it's just a question of time before Irish gaelic will be taught there as an optional subject.
I think studying the likes of O'Casey and Behan and having to put O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-42440215299548734342011-03-15T19:17:00.000Z2011-03-15T19:17:28.574ZThe People's PledgeThe People's Pledge:
"I will only vote at the next election for a candidate who publicly promises to support a binding referendum on our EU membership and to vote for it in the House of Commons”.More here.
O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-12754268632111972662011-03-15T09:14:00.000Z2011-03-15T09:14:27.889ZMarty doesn't exactly give the Queen his blessing but still...Another one of those "huh?" moments:
There should be no protests against the Queen’s forthcoming visit to Dublin, Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has said.
For his part, he believes people should respect the fact that Irish President Mary McAleese has invited the Queen to Dublin as part of her policy of reconciliation.
“While people have the right to protest, I think protest O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-72090130988862579622011-03-15T00:36:00.001Z2011-03-15T00:36:47.148ZSeen Elsewhere 03/15/2011 Jeffrey Dudgeon’s Seanad Election Diary: First Ten days Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-25268570559100472162011-03-14T08:59:00.000Z2011-03-14T08:59:00.235ZWhat has the Scottish Government Ever Done for Us? SNP Political Broadca...
This is a rather good SNP PEB...
Not a mention though of the raison d'etre of the party, separation from the rest of the United Kingdom- curious that;)O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-59386640672549259072011-03-14T00:36:00.001Z2011-03-14T00:36:21.819ZSeen Elsewhere 03/14/2011 Gaponomics "WATFORD GAP is geographically unremarkable but culturally iconic. The small dip between two hills in Northamptonshire is home to a motorway service station and marks the unofficial boundary between the north and south of Britain. In the popular stereotype, life on the other side of the Watford Gap is as foreign as life in a distant land. That mayO'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-26709080177437612492011-03-13T00:38:00.001Z2011-03-13T00:38:18.509ZSeen Elsewhere 03/13/2011 "Celebrate and defend our multicultural society": Unite against Fascism Yesterday’s men won’t hold us back "I have brought Sammy (Douglas) to meetings with US politicians and he has ensured I was on the guest list for games at the Oval. Together, we’ve successfully won joint O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-37733534050628827212011-03-12T19:50:00.002Z2011-03-12T19:58:46.158ZQuote of the day “The true hypocrite is the one who ceases to perceive his deception, the one who lies with sincerity”
Introducing Peter King, Hammer of Islam...
King had also said that the IRA did not have a policy of attacking civilians. Stewart (Jon) said "Maybe it wasn't their policy, but it sure seemed to become a hobby." The ensuing comments are also well worth a read, Mr Stewart's (inherited) religion O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-13150788398334936362011-03-12T16:25:00.003Z2011-03-12T18:33:55.288ZConfession time
I remember reading one of Chekov's posts where he admitted to his shameful fondness for U2 and thinking: "Ha! That's nothing, nothing at all, I've seen Suzanne Vega Live"
One of the current Ms O'Neill's favourites, I put on my best black poloneck, grabbed the gitanes and went along... just to keep her company...
The intro was quite funny (for a Man Utd fan anyway). She told us the sad story O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-14886367483243411692011-03-12T15:18:00.000Z2011-03-12T15:18:05.368ZA UK Bill of Rights-a threat or opportunity for N.Irish Human Rights?Will (or can) the "Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland" be part of a wider UK Bill of Rights?
A question I ask over at Slugger.O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-42545829417258325972011-03-12T00:36:00.001Z2011-03-12T00:36:03.927ZSeen Elsewhere 03/12/2011 Alex Deane: Why I won't be completing the Census If you're English, you're white - that's according to the 'National' Census Belgian crisis: it's time to take sides: Dan HannanO'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-68956461069184415692011-03-11T18:22:00.000Z2011-03-11T18:22:36.964ZOh FFS...The piece preceeding actually hits pretty well the targets it sets out to hit... but open up the comments and inevitably in rush the cybernat loons.
RaboRuglen:
At no time have I ever visited either Ibrox or Parkhead, however neither can I ever recall having seen any Saltires within the crowds (or outside the venues) at these matches on TV - plenty of Union flags and Tricolours though!
Make no O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-55101131853231310882011-03-11T13:55:00.002Z2011-03-11T18:32:01.195ZAn inappropriate intervention?The Republic's Seanad campaign is, from a N.Irish point of view anyroads, more interesting than usual this year.
First up, we've got the Unionist, Jeff Dudgeon, attempting to grab one of Trinity's four seats; next we have the Chief Commissioner of a UK tax-payer funded, non-departmental public body throwing her weight behind one of the candidates for the National University of Ireland's seats.
O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-62938951201203920662011-03-11T10:06:00.000Z2011-03-11T10:06:20.475Z1. Labour 2. Conservatives 3. Plaid Cymru.........................4. Liberal DemocratsIt's only an opinion poll, so usual caveats apply:
LABOUR is the only party to have won a referendum bounce in the polls and is now on track to gain a majority in the May Assembly elections, according to figures released last night.
Support for First Minister Carwyn Jones’ party now stands at 48%, up from 45% in January and far above the May 2007 result of 32%.Conservatives are slightly ahead ofO'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-53420623380628058842011-03-11T00:36:00.001Z2011-03-11T00:36:43.988ZSeen Elsewhere 03/11/2011 They'll be laughing all the way to the banc "WE'VE written the blank cheque. IN a couple of months we'll stare incredulously at our statements and gasp at how much of our money the Welsh Assembly hopes to trouser. Let me make a prediction. At the top of your account will be an item 'Welsh language education'"O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-78801859153622066942011-03-10T17:35:00.000Z2011-03-10T17:35:09.168ZTweet in haste, repent at leisureMy latest at Slugger deals with a very silly Plaid Cymru councillor and a warning for all us political social media-ists.
O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-20704192316517792012011-03-10T12:48:00.000Z2011-03-10T12:48:06.140ZThree into one would go?I suppose in the wake of last week's result, this was inevitable:
MPs have suggested merging the UK government departments responsible for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
A report by a Commons committee recommends a "serious look" at the Whitehall arrangements for the three devolved nations.
Devolution has removed most of the powers from the job (of the Welsh Office) and its counterpartsO'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-18478333093103692742011-03-10T09:29:00.000Z2011-03-10T09:29:47.148Z"Breaking up" is not the hardest thing to do, really.The Belfast Telegraph:
Tom Elliott has said his party’s UCUNF electoral pact with the Conservatives is now dead.
In the coming Assembly election the UUP leader will advise his voters to give their second and subsequent preferences to fellow unionists. Actually, in typical Elliott-style, it isn't 100% clear what he is saying about the Conservative link... but if it is finally kaput, then it O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-33481413193552159542011-03-10T00:36:00.001Z2011-03-10T00:36:42.411ZSeen Elsewhere 03/10/2011 Corporation tax in Northern Ireland: evidence to the Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Committee "Yes, there's a growing UKIP threat to the Conservatives. But it's got less to do with the EU than you may think" Posted from Diigo. The rest O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-71304876636419115242011-03-09T13:48:00.000Z2011-03-09T13:48:00.046ZQuote of the dayOh dear, Kevin....
St Patrick's Day, for all the "sophistication" of the Dublin parade, has thus become the one-day distillation of a ghastly year-long caricature. If the BBC were to offer comparable stereotypes of such paddy-whackery, our embassy in London would be howling about the racist portrayals of the Irish. Indeed, when the mayor of New York made some perfectly accurate observations aboutO'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-48462598523557213092011-03-09T10:34:00.001Z2011-03-09T10:34:00.472ZBig Al lets down South BelfastA couple of weeks ago, over at Open Unionism, I pointed out the tangible difference in performance between the DUP’s double mandaters and those who regarded being an MP at our nation’s real parliament as a full-time job.
Just to prove that difference isn’t just isolated to the DUP, compare and contrast Alasdair McDonnell’s woeful effort with that of his party colleague, Mark Durkan:
Alasdair O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-47992427719831418632011-03-09T00:36:00.001Z2011-03-09T00:36:28.519ZSeen Elsewhere 03/09/2011 SNP bid to control time Hearing on Muslims scorned as hypocrisy " (Peter) King, then a local politician on Long Island, was one of the most zealous American defenders of the militant IRA and its campaign to drive the British out of Northern Ireland. A quarter-century later, King O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-24048533024945458492011-03-08T20:07:00.000Z2011-03-08T20:07:41.486ZMore Devolved Dysfunctionality and this time not at Stormont!There was something puzzling me about this comment...
Plaid Cymru has criticised Labour's handling of education policy...... oh yeah, I know what it was:
within the Welsh Assembly Government run by the two parties.Plaid education spokeswoman Nerys Evans said:
"How did Labour allow standards to slip so far? They have been in government for more than a decade - what have they been doing?”Again you O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-25296622036269983852011-03-08T13:45:00.002Z2011-03-08T21:01:18.372ZQuote of the dayMichael Keating, The political economy of independence:
The North Atlantic periphery, and Europe more widely, provide a range of very different models of small nations adapting to global markets. There is a neo-liberal model, associated with some of the central and east European states (an extreme example is Estonia) and in some respects Ireland. This involves competing on low taxes, light O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-32435530102027701382011-03-08T00:37:00.001Z2011-03-08T00:37:04.195ZSeen Elsewhere 03/08/2011 "The country (Republic of Ireland) is banjaxed, worse than we ever imagined. We have no choice." LibDem Lord: courts should go easy on English drink drivers north of Border ALEX KANE: Time to stop believing SF’s O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-16270490863740650822011-03-07T22:52:00.000Z2011-03-07T22:52:00.410ZBlatter talking once again with forked tongue?Is there anyone left who takes what this old fraud says seriously anymore?
Fifa boss Sepp Blatter says the Celtic nations' international status would not be affected by their players' turning out for a Great Britain Olympic team.
The British Olympic Association hopes Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will join England in fielding a team in the 2012 London Games. But each of the Celtic nationsO'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-40624021545665520332011-03-07T20:34:00.000Z2011-03-07T20:34:00.343ZQuote of the dayHa! Ha!
This sounds like it was said by a typically "anonymous" cowardly academic steeped in a 1970s neo-marxist mindset:
“This sounds like it was drafted by a typically cautious British civil servant steeped in an imperialistic mindset.”However, I do believe Hain has struck again.O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-1840276790501813202011-03-05T17:34:00.001Z2011-03-05T17:35:23.842ZMaggie ain't gonna work on Pete and Marty's farm no more?That seemed to be the threat in the Belfast Telegraph earlier on in the week,
we've got a head full of ideas
driving us insane
It's a shame the way they makes us scrub the floor
well, we ain't gonna work on Pete and Marty's farm no moreGo for it and drag the UUP with you, the electorate will appreciate the gesture.
Rage against the Machine version.
O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-63653143393602570552011-03-05T13:56:00.000Z2011-03-05T13:56:35.342ZPlastic patriots costing 80k a yearMy initial thought is that any true red-blooded patriot wouldn't be seen dead waving a plastic flag anyway:
THE Scottish government have spent £300,000 on plastic flags since coming to office, it was revealed yesterday.
The SNP administration ordered almost 150,000 Saltires to be handed out at national events.
But last night there was anger over the "profligate" spending - equal to three juniorO'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-45498848002828090282011-03-05T00:36:00.001Z2011-03-05T00:36:29.524ZSeen Elsewhere 03/05/2011 EDL and the UVF-UDA connection Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-8336782353994060502011-03-04T19:32:00.003Z2011-03-05T17:10:33.341ZWelsh Devocrats receive "wake-up" callSo..the question:
Do you want the Assembly now to be able to make laws on all matters in the 20 subject areas it has powers for?And the votes:
Yes: 517,132
No: 297,380
Wales has a Assembly?/Don't care: 1,499,422
Wales' self-serving Political Elite and their Establishment chums are still delighted:
The Archbishop of Wales, Dr Barry Morgan, said: "This is good news for Wales as it means we can O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-70041694207990479102011-03-04T07:44:00.000Z2011-03-04T07:44:20.201ZThe UK expects that every man will do the skive his duty.From the BBC:
Plans to scrap the May Day bank holiday in favour of either a St George's Day in April or Trafalgar Day in October have been outlined by the government.
Ministers argue the former strategy would start the tourist season earlier, while the latter would elongate it.
The Trades Union Congress rejected a May Day change, saying firms have built schedules around established holidays.
O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-53857874673261941712011-03-04T00:36:00.001Z2011-03-04T00:36:33.643ZSeen Elsewhere 03/04/2011 The fashion to be federal "In federations, some votes count more than others. Is the price worth paying?" Kevin Myers: We must admit our mistakes and start again "So what's going on? Dublin Airport's business fell by 10pc last year, while the DAA owes €1bn. And rather like the O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-65505468719654479142011-03-03T18:54:00.000Z2011-03-03T18:54:32.178ZQuote of the dayAlexander McKay:
Where Eddie Barnes is right on the button is in suggesting that Sir David, and many others, are reasonably happy in the knowledge that the SNP can chunter along indefinitely in minority power as long as the party's core belief, its very raison d'être, is almost never mentioned and kept well under wraps. So it seems are a fair chunk of the electorate.
The result is that we now O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-53699371537859872282011-03-03T15:19:00.003Z2011-03-03T18:23:34.424ZOvercharge the goose and the golden egg will be laid elsewhere...From the Scotsman:
"We could end up in a situation where it makes no sense for English students to keep coming to Scotland in the same numbers they do now."...a prospect which is delighting at least one of the cybernat xenophobes:
Good, allowing Scots to be educated in our universities in greater numbers.
Currently some Scottish Universities have less than 50% Scottish students.The argument theO'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-71384373293080996042011-03-03T08:31:00.002Z2011-03-03T09:09:52.447ZA Unionist voice in the Seanad?The Seanad Éireann ("Senate of Ireland")) is the upper house of the Irish parliament, performing a similar, although more restricted, role as the UK's House of Lords.The system by which Senators are selected/elected verges on the Byzantine, although several worthy people fron Northern Ireland, including Gordon Wilson and Seamus Mallon, have been chosen by the Taoiseach over the years. None (as O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-50478771144782044212011-03-02T17:28:00.000Z2011-03-02T17:28:36.587ZNon-conformist Conservatives strike backAt least some Welsh Conservatives remain brave enough to publicly express an opinion counter to the Devocracy's lackeys within their own party:
A ROW broke out yesterday over the use of a Conservative Party logo in a newspaper advertisement advocating a ‘Yes’ vote in Thursday’s referendum.
The advert, on the front page of yesterday’s South Wales Argus, read: “On 3rd March 2011, the people of O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-70682035795462792042011-03-02T10:15:00.000Z2011-03-02T10:15:54.058ZOne less double-jobber....Chekov has just made it before me:
The Ulster Unionist Party has confirmed Sir Reg Empey is to leave the assembly later this month.
Sir Reg, now Lord Empey, who has been representing east Belfast at Stormont, will not contest the assembly elections on 5 May.
The party said the decision followed his elevation to the House of Lords and was "consistent with his spearheading of the policy of an endO'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-28103564933969683842011-03-02T00:36:00.001Z2011-03-02T00:36:39.573ZSeen Elsewhere 03/02/2011 The Union unravels: CEP Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-40998221373498894242011-03-01T15:47:00.001Z2011-03-01T17:39:34.337ZHappy St David's Day!BBC:
One item has been almost forever a part of Wales and can be found in the kitchen.
Welsh Rarebit, or caws pobi (Welsh for toasted cheese), was known to be wholly our delicacy as early as 1542; and no-one else dared - or maybe cared - to say otherwise...And following after last week's good news on the Cornish pastie, it's St David's Day, so there you go, have some of that:
O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-20743238090640045522011-03-01T13:31:00.000Z2011-03-01T13:31:00.207ZQuote of the dayLast one on the Republic's election:
Good day for Sinn Fein. Quite a few people will be rolling over in their unmarked graves #GE11Damien Owens on Twitter.O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-55398715909971656402011-03-01T08:33:00.000Z2011-03-01T08:33:14.163ZSeen Elsewhere 28/02/2011Wales devolution legacy
""Even more intriguing was Conservative support. In 1919, a group of Tory backbenchers declared that legislative devolution was vital, if only to ensure that the ‘Imperial’ Parliament did not suffer from congestion. In 1920, I Forestier-Walker, Conservative MP for Monmouth, was a co-signatory of a resolution declaring that:
“A [devolved] parliament, directly elected, O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-56069546889906774642011-02-28T20:38:00.000Z2011-02-28T20:38:00.609Z"...striking and troubling differences between the four nations, some accentuated since devolution."The Nuttfield Trust have published a report (pdf) on the UK's balkanised health service:
Historically Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have had higher levels of NHS funding per capita thanEngland. The research confirms this but shows other striking and troubling differences between the four nations, some accentuated since devolution.
In particular, these were higher numbers of doctors, O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-34868263971170202252011-02-28T14:43:00.000Z2011-02-28T14:43:00.994ZQuote of the dayLucky old Louth:
As the dust settled last night, there were whispers that Dundalk would once again be known as Little Belfast.Their loss is most certainly our gain...
O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-7871246518811599072011-02-28T09:57:00.008Z2011-02-28T10:39:35.703Z"It was the proud land of our fathers. It belongs to us and them. Not to any of the others"I included this week in my "Seen Elsewhere", the "Unique Paths to Devolution" report issued by The Institute of Welsh Affairs.
The timing, I'm sure, is not coincidental what with the Welsh Political Establishment seriously panicking over the referendum's turnout next week but, nevertheless, it's generally a good read, although it's the breathless conclusion which most media commentators have O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-73033373875970627992011-02-28T00:36:00.001Z2011-02-28T00:36:16.143ZSeen Elsewhere 02/28/2011 David Murray: SNP deserves a second term "SIR DAVID MURRAY, one of Scotland's best known Unionists, last night backed Alex Salmond for a second term as First Minister.The former Rangers chairman supported the Conservatives in last year's General Election and spoke out against the SNP in 2007 on behalf of Scottish business leaders.But now he says Mr Salmond "O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-4953166160834273292011-02-27T21:04:00.000Z2011-02-27T21:04:00.600ZI've gone to praise the DUP, not bury them (this time)!Regular readers will be shocked and probably disturbed to read that I have a post up at Open Unionism praising (most of) the DUP MPs' performances at Westminster. Yes, really, here.O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-63496765160774836302011-02-27T11:48:00.001Z2011-02-27T11:53:13.199ZSearchlight, The Guardian, Cruddas see the problem, but struggle for a solution?From yesterday's Guardian:
Huge numbers of Britons would support an anti-immigration English nationalist party if it was not associated with violence and fascist imagery, according to the largest survey into identity and extremism conducted in the UK.
A Populus poll found that 48% of the population would consider supporting a new anti-immigration party committed to challenging Islamist extremismO'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-8570942074343196712011-02-27T00:38:00.001Z2011-02-27T00:38:16.082ZSeen Elsewhere 02/27/2011 Iceland-Ireland Again: Paul Krugman Welsh Assembly Referendum: Campaign for an English Parliament The Welsh football team, Andrew RT Davies and True Wales: Welsh RamblingsO'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-26575215766093045412011-02-26T15:06:00.001Z2011-02-26T15:06:00.829ZNew Order: CrystalIt's a sign of your own impending middle-age when the rock-gods of your youth start sporting derbys and receding locks...Hookie, however, looks pretty much the same now as he did two decades ago:
Pity he's apparently limiting himself to performing in an Ian Curtis Tribute band now, criminal waste of talent.O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-10076018162495790032011-02-26T09:38:00.000Z2011-02-26T09:38:36.842ZAnd what's wrong with celebrating insanity and hangovers?No further comment really needed:
THE SNP have moved the St Andrew's Day holiday to give staff a long weekend - but it now clashes with a feast for the patron saint of INSANITY and HANGOVERS.
Scots will celebrate our national day on November 30 - a Wednesday this year. So the government is giving staff the time off two days later on Friday December 2 instead.
That day is also the feast day of O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-19887407000151782332011-02-26T00:36:00.001Z2011-02-26T00:36:10.457ZSeen Elsewhere 02/26/2011 'Madrassas' in the British media: IPPR Second generation must use Census opportunity "“The 2011 Census now provides an ethnic question and a nationality question and we know about 50 per cent of second generation Irish people say they feel both British and Irish.“Up until this O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-49096541160899034972011-02-25T13:37:00.005Z2011-02-26T09:56:30.533ZMonica is bemusing the NIO with her incongruous schemes"Bemusing" and "incongruous" is civil-service speak for "Both you and your cunning plans are pure, plain, barking mad"; in other words, a pretty strong condemnation.
Now, have a read of the first and particularly last letters ( registered under code: DEP2011-026) sent between the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) in December.
In a nutshell O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-50876539628535984932011-02-25T00:36:00.001Z2011-02-25T00:36:50.255ZSeen Elsewhere 02/25/2011 "Don’t be liberal about being liberal." Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-40516563563126981402011-02-24T18:59:00.002Z2011-02-24T19:13:50.573ZElectoral Reform Society- "financially independent and not in hoc to any big donors"Oh dear, apparently that claim is not the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth:
So the company in charge of administering the referendum on AV is itself funding one side of the campaign. As the internal documents from the Society (Electoral Reform Society) state, “it is possible that ERSL (Electoral Reform Services Ltd) will profit as a result of a YES vote (increased business O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-86122444445626024872011-02-24T14:48:00.001Z2011-02-24T19:13:40.991ZGerry struggles on the credibility countSomeone once said (was it Anthony McIntyre?) that the typical Sinn Fein voter would "happily assemble at Dunville Park for the three o'clock spacecraft to take them to a united Ireland" simply because Gerry Adams had told them it would be soon arriving...
He'll probably pull through in Louth but still, it's good to see that even Sinn Fein voters in the Republic are not quite so sheep-like in O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-57175625652676954372011-02-24T00:36:00.001Z2011-02-24T00:36:33.490ZSeen Elsewhere 02/24/2011 "Unique Paths to Devolution"- a book review Arthur Aughey, Eberhard Bort, and John Osmond question whether the Union has reached its sell-by date "Scottish, Not British" The "Scottish" solution to higher education......"will be popular with nationalists who get to see the O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-34087787588287693092011-02-23T16:16:00.001Z2011-02-23T18:55:15.146ZQuote of the dayVote "yes" or you're an anti-Welsh monster who nicks votes from OAP heart-attack victims is the message now apparently:
If you support Welsh Self Determination – vote YES if you can; because if you don't, those monsters who hate Wales will claim your vote as their own in the same way that they claimed my patriotic mother in law's heart attack as a vote in favour of their hatred of Wales!I do hopeO'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-1987719782590550322011-02-23T12:18:00.002Z2011-02-23T16:11:45.549ZWhile our back was turned, the UK has fallenCan't imagine Alex Salmond (not to mention "I was never in the IRA, so I wasn't" Gerry Adams) would be too chuffed to find himself included alongside marching provos... but not to worry, if you like your fantasies er... raw and unsophisticated, great entertainment none the less:
O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008037633121035579.post-19937956785840461092011-02-23T00:36:00.001Z2011-02-23T00:36:49.646ZSeen Elsewhere 02/23/2011 What Northern Ireland can learn from the rest of the UK about multiculturalism: Owen Polley The case for a "No" vote in Wales Bureaucratic assault? Govt launches 2011 censusO'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531858236570346203noreply@blogger.com0