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Definition of the Day

Wed 20 September 2006, 7:41pm

future (verb). Definition: (in politics) to speculate on what might happen, in order to encourage the belief that it already has. Example: “Well I think if you are convinced, and remember we are “futuring” here, if you make a decision and you believe that it is the right political decision to make, then you have to stand over it.”

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Comments (15)

  1. inuit_goddess says:

    Well if Sinn Fein are “futuring”, any favorites for describing what the Dups are doing?

    Stone-ageing?

    Neolithicising?

    Answers on a postcard please…

  2. slug says:

    Is he preparing his base Sinn Fein voters?

  3. seabhac siulach says:

    “Is he preparing his base Sinn Fein voters?”

    Is that supposed to be a pun?

  4. slug says:

    Not aware of there being a pun.

    My question is simply whether he is preparing base republicans for a change of stand-point on policing?

  5. Pete Baker says:

    slug

    I’d suggest that an interview in the Belfast Telegraph would be more likely to be aimed at an external audience.

  6. slug says:

    Pete

    Good point. Perhaps he is preparing DUP voters :)

  7. Greenflag says:

    inuit_ goddess,

    Past ing .

    Demonic Unprecedented Pasting

    So Far

  8. Rusty Nail says:

    Slug, as Pete has pointed out on the other thread(s), what was said in the Rowan interview was not exactly earthshatteringly new. However, as noted, the BT as choice for venue of expression indicates the message is for an external audience, and in the context of the on-going negotiations that are nearing a(nother) deadline, it can be seen, given the time-frame that has been put into the response (weeks rather than months), as an indication of movement. SF are prepared to jump if the DUP are going to move, seems to be the smoke signal.

  9. Pete Baker says:

    slug

    As Rusty admits, there’s nothing new in the interview, Kelly’s just repeating what’s been said, with occasional wobbles, since January.

    But Rusty’s reading of the smoke signals misses the rather obvious neon sign – “and because we’re ready, it’ll be their fault if there’s no deal”

  10. BogExile says:

    This is a typo. He clearly meant, ‘we are footering here’ derived from the verb to ‘Footer’ which means to do fuck all but give the appearance of some movement.

  11. slug says:

    Pete

    Thanks for explaining; that makes perfect sense.

    Its not that there is gonig to be a deal, the point is to show that you are ready to move so as to blame the other side.

    Likewise with the DUP consultation exercise, some might say.

  12. slug says:

    Rusty Nail

    Thanks to you too; although I am not sure whether Pete has “nailed” it better than you :)

  13. Rusty Nail says:

    Thanks, Slug. I seem to have rubbed Pete the wrong way, or perhaps I am not upholding Slugger’s standards of tea-leaf reading. ;-)
    But yes, it (usually) goes without saying that the blame game is still in play, and any footering about with the future is meant to ensure no blame sticks.

  14. joeCanuck says:

    It’s rather obvious that it’s a done deal. if an Ard Feis is to be called within weeks, the outcome is a foregone conclusion. The Sinn Fein leadership would nver call such a conference otherwise.

  15. joeCanuck says:

    priceless. “You have to stand over it.” The flicker picture beside it was of a urinal.

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