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Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Definition of the Day

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.”

Pete Baker @ 03:41 PM

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

    Stone-ageing?

    Neolithicising?

    Answers on a postcard please…

    Posted by  on Sep 20, 2006 @ 03:59 PM
  2. Is he preparing his base Sinn Fein voters?

    Posted by  on Sep 20, 2006 @ 04:02 PM
  3. “Is he preparing his base Sinn Fein voters?”

    Is that supposed to be a pun?

    Posted by  on Sep 20, 2006 @ 04:11 PM
  4. 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?

    Posted by  on Sep 20, 2006 @ 04:14 PM
  5. slug

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

    Posted by  on Sep 20, 2006 @ 04:18 PM
  6. Pete

    Good point. Perhaps he is preparing DUP voters :)

    Posted by  on Sep 20, 2006 @ 04:20 PM
  7. inuit_ goddess,

    Past ing .

    Demonic Unprecedented Pasting

    So Far

    Posted by  on Sep 20, 2006 @ 04:25 PM
  8. 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.

    Posted by  on Sep 20, 2006 @ 04:31 PM
  9. 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”

    Posted by  on Sep 20, 2006 @ 04:43 PM
  10. 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.

    Posted by  on Sep 20, 2006 @ 04:49 PM
  11. 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.

    Posted by  on Sep 20, 2006 @ 04:50 PM
  12. Rusty Nail

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

    Posted by  on Sep 20, 2006 @ 04:52 PM
  13. 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.

    Posted by  on Sep 20, 2006 @ 05:00 PM
  14. 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.

    Posted by  on Sep 20, 2006 @ 06:26 PM
  15. priceless.  “You have to stand over it.” The flicker picture beside it was of a urinal.

    Posted by  on Sep 20, 2006 @ 06:49 PM
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