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AdamsandLoughgall has commented 11 times (0 in the last month).
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Books
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The Creative Class and Northern Ireland
As part of NICVA’s series of masterclasses from its Centre for Economic Empowerment project, there was a morning seminar on the topic of the “creative class” (as popularised by Richard Florida) and its applicability to Northern Ireland. The agenda was to: Explain Richard Florida’s idea of the “creative class” and the link between economic outcomes [...] read our review »
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Review: To Kill a Mockingbird
Somehow I escaped reading this essential school text, with its story of racism in 1930s American South. Living in Northern Ireland, I draw parallels with sectarianism, with its similar bigotry and prejudice. To Kill a Mockingbird was part of a Unite Against Hate campaign event at Parliament Buildings in Northern Ireland, which I’ve written [...] read our review »
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What has The Third Man got to say about Northern Ireland?
Short answer: very little, other than he enjoyed the environs of Hillsborough Castle, enjoyed working with the local politicians, and has Gerry Adams to thank for Bobby his dog. Peter Mandelson’s book The Third Man has captured media headlines in recent weeks as the Times serialised the most juicy bits. But what did he have [...] read our review »
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Comment on Election round-up, marks out of ten
on 9 June 2009 at 2:45 am
Danny you would do better in these situations if you had better candidates.
will you run again yourself?
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Comment on Election round-up, marks out of ten
on 9 June 2009 at 2:27 am
“I’m a very friendly lion called Parsley”
There is no future in the APNI herb garden.
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Comment on Election round-up, marks out of ten
on 9 June 2009 at 12:28 am
Allister 9
Nicholson 8
Agnew 7
De Brun 6
Maginnis 6
Parsley 5
Dodds 3
Greedy Peter -1
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Comment on Mary Lou slips in anti government shoot out for last Dublin seat…
on 9 June 2009 at 12:23 am
Yes, realitycheque, but there is still something attractive about Mary-Lou. Maybe it is the sense that she could ultimately fit neatly into FG or similar. And she seems reasonably normal and not unattractively weird like Catriona R.
Anyhow fair play to you Joe Higgins. You’ve given us another Dail bye-election to look forward to!
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Comment on MPs split on how to take devolution forward
on 27 May 2009 at 1:03 am
Comrade Stalin
Yes the Robinsons do own the property and they have claimed some £160k on it altogether. they are more than paying off any normal mortgage and heading for a significant capital gain courtesy of the taxpayer.
Much the same as IPJ paying over the odds for the office belonging to his father-in-law – the taxpayer eventually pays for the entire asset.
As I said, this stuff would not be tolerated in any other part of the UK – politicians are currently falling like ninepins
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Comment on MPs split on how to take devolution forward
on 25 May 2009 at 11:04 pm
NI is certainly a different beast when it comes to dealing with all the Westminster expenses excesses.
In England, Andrew McKay and spouse Julie Kirkbride are being persecuted mercilessly for doing what Peter and Iris Robinson did – ie claim two second home allowances. Up to £48k in a single year.
Yes McKay and Kirkbride claimed for 2 different houses – one claimed the family home as the second home and the other one claimed the second home as the second home – which means one of them didn’t do anything wrong!.
The one who who claimed for the family home as a second home only did what Home Secretary Jacqui Smith did – and she is still in her job.
Also, McKay/Kirkbride did not rip the ass out of the food allowance like the Robinson’s did. and they have offered to pay back some money. But whatever their protestations, their political careers are now in tatters.
Meanwhile the greedy Robinsons carry on regardless. Bogus, albeit within-the-rules Westminster expenses claims, are funding the Robinson Gransha Road mansion in Castlereagh. This would not be tolerated in any other part of the UK.
Shouldn’t the Swish Family at least have the decency to return some of their ill-gotten gains?
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Comment on The Truth is a Heartbreaking Thing
on 25 May 2009 at 10:28 pm
The issue here seems to be that Adams et al have been totally dishonest. Yet why should anyone be the slightest bit surprised? Gerry Adams has never had a problem at any time with dissembling or dealing in misinformation or just plain telling lies.
In his ‘Secret History of the IRA’ book, Ed Maloney makes it very clear that Adams lied quite cynically and purposefully to him in relation to details around the IRA’s ‘disappearing’ of Jean McConville.
Its therefore a bit of a no-brainer for Adams to tell porkys about the possible resolution of the hungerstrikes. The alternative to lying is admitting responsibility for the unnecessary, harrowing deaths of some of his most devoted followers.
Hunger-strikes aside, how many comrades has Adams jettisoned to some terrible fate in pursuit of his own glorification?
The world would be a better place if he were to step down off the stage.
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Comment on Ruane denounces “gutter journalism”
on 23 May 2009 at 8:02 pm
The Irish News was unfair to Catriona in that the issue was not about expenses. It was the taking the child out of school that rightly raises eyebrows.
The big issue however was Middletown. the Irish Government deliberately pulled the plug because Catriona had made it confrontational (North and South of the border during an election campaign when FF is under huge pressure) – and they wanted to teach her a lesson. If she had gone about things the right way Middletown would be getting the new Centre and Dublin would have pruned elsewhere.
And that is the real issue with Catriona: She only offers a confrontational and ideologically driven approach to politics and government.It has to be a war or a ‘struggle’. there has to be a them and us. Like Arsenal she has no Plan B and eventually this is going to cost her.
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Comment on “This attempt to regain primacy was just too brazen”
on 23 May 2009 at 5:11 pm
Anybody noticed the body language between robbo and Arlene?
Our First Minister has a wee eye for Arlene. At first she didn’t seem to notice, but now she plays up to it.
Watch Stormont Live any time the two are together in the Assembly Chamber or answering questions etc.
I’m sure its all innocent but Arlene definitely melts the Iceman’s heart!
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Comment on Robinson to shuffle MPs out of the Executive and annouces the end of Double Jobbing..
on 23 May 2009 at 2:29 am
Robbo said he ‘might’ give up his Westminster seat. That translates as only if he has to. There’s an election on!!!
Clever though to refocus attention on his new ministerial line-up and away from his greed
But he has a mansion in the Castlereagh hills to build – and mansions don’t come cheap. So he won’t be relinquishing any of his little earners until he is politically forced to. (Iincidentally Peter’s Palace is only half-a-mile up the Gransha road from his current pad. Have a look next time you are passing – its quite a site!)
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