Bebo has become the source of much difficulty in interface areas with the site being used to organise peace-line confrontations between young people. However, this phenomenon is not unique to Northern Ireland and in Derby police have acted on information from the site to tackle gang fights. One for the PSNI to watch.
Writer Christopher Hitchens has died aged 62. He was as contrary as he was brilliant. Here is a brief In Memoriam from Vanity Fair (his outlet of choice since 1992) and, here, a longer tribute from his friend Christopher Buckley Stanley in The New Yorker. Better, perhaps, though to post one of Hitchens’ own writings in [...] read our review »
It’s the quiet ones you have to watch, they say. When I last saw Eamonn Namcarrow, back in the mid 1980s he was a congenial, good-natured and highly sociable young lad. The next time was 26 years later, in Lavery’s Gin Palace in Bradbury Place. He’d just brought out his first book, Holywood Star about [...] read our review »
NICCY is looking into it so we can rest easy, FD.
Any word from the junior ministers with special responsibility for the protection of young people, Gerry and Jeffrey?
“Mr Bonner is the second worker in the city to speak out about the Bebo website being used to arrange disturbances.”
I don’t think Jeffrey is up for it, anything to do with the internet will go nowhere the DUP want to be. Gerry is being talked to next Tuesday (I gather).
G.
[aside] Brown takes the policing pledge
A new “policing pledge” will allow local people to set priorities with community officers in their areas.
The teams will be working with residents to draw up “pledges” to tackle issues like anti-social behaviour and drug-related crime.
The community policing drive will be promoted with national adverts and a website – http://www.neighbourhoodpolicing.co.uk – - where people can find the telephone number and email address of their local team.
Neighbourhood policing teams are also known by other names according to the area in which you live. For example, in some areas they are referred to as Safer Neighbourhoods teams or Safer Stronger Communities teams. They are all working with local people and partners to deliver solutions to issues which people say make them feel unsafe in their neighbourhood. These can include crime, anti-social behaviour, disorder, speeding and environmental issues such as street lighting.
The pledge only applies to England and Wales so the paramilitary godfathers who operate ‘civic policing’ here can rest easy in their beds.