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Books
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A poem for the day – Launching the Whaler Juan Peron
A Belfast epic, and one of my oldest poems, the opener of my first collection, Grub. The gist of the story was found in Moss & Hume’s Shipbuilders to the World: 125 Years of Harland and Wolff, Belfast, 1861-1986, which tells how Eva Peron was due to launch a huge whaling vessel in Belfast, built [...] read our review » -
Do Words Matter?: Book Review of Political Discourse and Conflict Resolution – Debating Peace in Northern Ireland
I share many of the concerns of Andy Pollak, whose recent post ‘My Response to the Slugger Begrudgers’ zeroed in on the ‘relentless flow of negativity’ of some Slugger commentators. Pollak’s post was largely concerned with the medium of the blog. Indeed, I think the anonymity of the online world encourages extreme discourse and allows [...] read our review »
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“You can see Newton’s mind at work…”
To add to the open access treasure trove at the Royal Society, Cambridge University Library is putting online some of its collection of books, maps, manuscripts and journals. We have called the first phase of our work on the Cambridge Digital Library the Foundations Project, which runs from mid-2010 to mid-2013 and has been made possible [...] read our review »
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Comment on Another racist Facebook page from Belfast
on 12 February 2010 at 2:47 am
Yes please Drumlins. The info page is blank though!
Appreciate that Jaggers. I am pretty sure there is racist content there and that no right.
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Comment on Another racist Facebook page from Belfast
on 12 February 2010 at 2:29 am
Jaggers. Take a look at the pictures and the comments. Its targeting Roma.
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Comment on Another racist Facebook page from Belfast
on 12 February 2010 at 2:21 am
Yes I am Raven
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Comment on Holocaust Memorial Day Belfast
on 28 January 2010 at 4:15 am
Greenflag. You may be interested in this speech by Gerald Kaufmann the veteran Labour MP who also as it turns out lost his grandmother to genocide. Please do watch it and undertand that many jews believe like him that their grandparents did not die to provide cover for the murder of Palestinians by the IDF. I went tonight to stand with the suvivors and their families. People like the late Helen Lewis. I will go every year as an Irishman and a republican; and I will bring my children when they are old enough so they to can undertand. You should go. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMGuYjt6CP8
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Comment on Are we reaching the end of the education crisis?
on 18 December 2009 at 11:22 pm
Thanks for your comments as always PACE.
Unfortunatley, I just dont agree with your analysis.
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Comment on Are we reaching the end of the education crisis?
on 18 December 2009 at 11:19 pm
Wild Turkey.
Good questions.
Sorry for the delay in replying. Will never undertand how everything needs to be finished before Xmas!
Anyway on your points:
1. does the group have Terms of Reference?
Yes, six key areas of agreement between the parties taking part have been published, the agreed detailed terms of reference will likely be published in the new year following the educator group’s initial meetings..
2. is the groups immediate priority a short term compromise or a long term ‘solution’?
The educator group have been asked to look at a short term compromise as an immediate priority, but within the context of the need for a long term agreed solution.
3. if a short term compromise is the immediate objective, I’d be interested on your take on the probability that the short-term compromise transmutes into the long-term solution.
The likelihood of finding a short-term compromise which transmutes into long-term solution will be greatly enhanced by having a group of experienced educators working closely with the cross-party group.
4. when there is a new election for the assembly, do you have any sense that the four parties participating in the group have or will reach an understanding on what party will take-up the education portfolio to forge a long-term solution?
I understand the issue of the 2011 Assembly election and a possible change of Minister has been discussed in the talks, because as the SDLP outline in their policy document on the issue, “Following an Assembly election a new Education Minister may propose radically different guidelines for post-primary transfer involving a complete policy reversal, with the prospect of further upheaval and more distress for our children”
5. if you went to the bookies tomorrow morning, what odds would you find acceptable that this new initiative will go belly-up by springtime?
The odds on a new initiative going belly up would be short, however, I am pleased that the four parties are genuinely engaging on the issue and as Mark McGregor points out it is essential that Sinn Féin also engage. If these talks begin to produce answers it will become much harder for any one party to pull out or for Sinn Féin to remain disengaged.
6. all political parties take soundings on the ground, including formal and informal surveying. what percentage of past and potential SDLP voters favour the retention of the grammar school system and academic selection at age 11?
I don’t have a figure for you, however the SDLP have a long held view that academic selection is academically unsound and socially unjust. I imagine voters take that into account when voting SDLP.
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Comment on The speech Peter Robinson should give
on 21 November 2009 at 7:12 pm
Lads it is worth remembering that it was Carson who considered himself Irish. As did Burke. Two years ago at the opening of the Boyne Commemorative Centre Iain Paisley too described himself as proudly Irish.
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Comment on Equality – what equality?
on 2 November 2009 at 10:03 pm
Sammy the fact is this agreement does discriminate against nationalist voters. It denys nationalism the 11th seat and hands it to a party without a large enough mandate to be in government.
Drumlins I am advocating another nationalist seat in an 11 seat Exec. What SF have agreed to discriminates against nationalist voters.
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Comment on Equality – what equality?
on 2 November 2009 at 9:49 pm
So do I hear some people saying this should never be a DUP department in the same way we hear some say it should never be an SF one?
The issue is equality of respect for all mandates. The law has already been changed to allow another department. The issue is that SF and the DUP are choosing to allocate that department outside of D’Hondt thus disenfranchising SDLP voters who would be entitled to a second seat at the table in an 11 seat Executive.
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Comment on Equality – what equality?
on 2 November 2009 at 9:29 pm
Sammy
“I am therefore suggesting that your statement is a half truth and you should correct it – the UUP, SF, the DUP and the SDLP could not hold the position after the next election – any ‘discrimination’ as you like to call it applies equally to the 4 main parties.”
The point is SF have signed up in your words to a discriminatory deal. Why would any self respecting Irish person sign up to anything which so was obviously discriminatory?
It makes no sense to row back on the equality provisions in the Good Friday Agrrement and makes a mockery of SF’s claim to want an “Ireland of Equals”.
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Comment on Equality – what equality?
on 2 November 2009 at 8:57 pm
Sammy.
I am really sorry but you have totally lost me.
Bray you are right about the British Government’s tardiness on this issue and on the Bill of Rights.
You are also right that the dept may well be taken by others and not the SDLP if D’Hondt was run again but at least there would be equality of recognition of mandates and there would be another nationalist (SDLP) minister around the Executive table. That is what we all voted for in 1998.
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Comment on Equality – what equality?
on 2 November 2009 at 7:07 pm
Sammy
I wonder if the DUP and SF would have been so keen to give up the post if the 11th department had fallen to either of them under D’Hondt?
There is no getting away from the fact that this deal discrminates against nationalist voters denying them a minister they are entitled to.
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Comment on Ritchie to stand for SDLP Leader
on 13 October 2009 at 7:47 pm
Hi exile.
Nope. Not talking to myself. I would not know. It’s what I am told!
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Comment on Robinson for European President
on 5 October 2009 at 7:23 pm
I have to say lads you really do go out of your way to behave in a way which is unbecoming of these islands.
Thankfully you are the few!
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Comment on Sinn Fein “not interested in managing the economy”
on 10 September 2009 at 8:27 pm
Hi Sammy
I have to say that line did jump out at me.
Conall
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Comment on Sinn Fein’s ticking timebombs
on 11 August 2009 at 1:46 pm
Sorry about the initial double posting. Still getting used to the Slugger system. Fixed now.
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