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A flexible library service for the 21st century?
Following Alan’s piece on libraries, I picked this ‘advertorial’ from Google plus this evening… about how a US county library system is cutting costs and improving flexibility in their free at the point of delivery services by enabling the whole library service act as a functioning unit as opposed to the one discrete library… read our review » -
Eamon Nancarrow’s misadventures in Rock…
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 »
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Help me with the West Wing: Essential viewing or Party Political Broadcast?
Having somehow managed to avoid watching a single episode of the widely praised West Wing TV series I was delighted to discover the entire Box set in my Christmas stocking – and with enough spare time over the holidays to give it a good lash. But with 10 episodes of the first series under my [...] read our review »
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Comment on 24/7 News nudges BBC into hype over student riots
on 10 December 2010 at 1:35 pm
The bottom line in N.I is that no one from the four main parties in Stormont can say a thing simply because all of their most senior representatives spent the guts of the last 40 years bringing literally hundreds of thousands of protesters onto the streets at the drop of a hat ( “Ulster Says No” campaign, Ulster Resistance, Civil Rights movement, Hunger Strikes et al) frequently resulting in death and millions of pounds worth of damage. If violent demonstrations w were deemed appropriate following numerous Drumcree standoffs and were successful in securing Sinn Fein’s place at the executive can anyone blame these youngsters for following their elders lead? People need to get real; the Student protesters in Belfast yesterday didn’t lick this kind of behavior off the ground (nor for that matter did the London protesters-Poll Tax riots anyone??) and the Northern Ireland assembly is powerless to criticise or judge-to do so would be hypocritical in extremis.
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Comment on Brian Ervine: “The media are fixated with the paramilitary link…”
on 26 October 2010 at 4:54 pm
The point I’m making though is that in general there seems to be a greater degree of acceptance of what is -as I said in my previous comment loyalist narco-terrorism- than there is of republican violence. Remember, a few weeks ago we saw similar scenes in Carrickfergus and Ballyclare, as yet there have been no arrests and no images of rioters distributed. Various media outlets are today estimating the numbers involved in last nights events to be close to 400, armed men were reportedly at the scene and police claim known prominent loyalist paramilitaries were on the ground directing operations. Who today, be they newspaper editor, blog moderator or local politician is speaking out about the fear Catholics/ Nationalist would have felt in the wider Newtownabbey area? It seems mainstream unionists prefer to turn a blind eye to the actions of their less-affluent counterparts and loyalist political representatives are willfully condoning violence perpetrated by drug cartels and as such are complicit in drug dealing and the destruction it causes in areas like Rathcoole.
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Comment on Brian Ervine: “The media are fixated with the paramilitary link…”
on 26 October 2010 at 4:28 pm
Strange how the media isn’t as vociferous in its condemnation of a riot involving 400 people instigated by what have effectively become narco-terrorists ( and sate sponsored ones at that!) as they were in their criticism of last summers riots surrounding the Orange Orders 12th July parades. Most casual observers of N.I and British media are aware that loyalist/Unionist violence is never deemed as serious as republican/ dissident republican violence but the contrast between the hysterical shrieking from sections of the media that followed last summers disorder and the general ambivalence and mealy mouthed condemnations following last nights violence is truly shocking. Will we see mass arrests? Almost certainly not. Will we see “photo-fits” of scores of suspected rioters (whether guilty or not) circulated throughout our local media? Unlikely. Why is the safety and well being of the unfortunate bus driver seriously injured last night of less importance to sections of N.I media/society than that of the P.S.N.I officer who suffered a head injury in Ardoyne in July?
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Comment on How Far Has Northern Ireland Come on Homosexuality?
on 4 August 2009 at 5:56 pm
The only people in N.I who seem to really get offended by homosexuality are the bible bashing fundamentalists of far-right Protestantism (probably the same nutters who like to chase polish and Romanian workers out of their areas and picket Catholic churches.) So who really cares whether they have any issues or not with other peoples sexuality, they’re an embarrassment to this country and all forward thinking people. Gay pride was good craic, simple as that, lets not read too deeply into it. Ultimately homosexuality ( and homosexual marriage) is legal and does not offend the majority of people here.
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Comment on Haughey’s support for IRA fundraising thwarted by the US and John Hume – Donlon memoir
on 29 July 2009 at 2:54 pm
So?… Hardly shocking or groundbreaking to think that a prominent Irish politician wanted to support the I.R.A. Like it or not Irish politicians, citizens and the Irish in America were/are mighty pissed off at Britain for raping Ireland on every conceivable level for at least 400 years. Not very surprising then that they might want to fund an armed insurgency to remove the aforementioned occupiers! “A Godsend”? Maybe, if you are a Unionist or British, not so much of a “Godsend” if you are a Republican, Nationalist, have Irish ancestry or or in any way in favour of Liberty, self-determination or freedom.
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Comment on Questions remain over PSNI handling of Coleraine murder
on 27 May 2009 at 6:00 pm
Lets face facts here for a second if possible. In N.I the death of a Catholic/Nationalist citizen by loyalist paramilitaries or sectarian thugs is not deemed as important or indeed newsworthy as that of a Soldier or Policeman. Murders by republicans of whatever ilk are deemed much more shocking and appalling ( ” our brave lads murdered by republican scum” etc etc) There will be no marches for peace on the streets of Belfast or elsewhere in response to this murder, will McGuinness stand shoulder to shoulder with the police constable and condemn those responsible in the harshest possible terms? I doubt it. Will Unionists call for the S.A.S to be sent in? Not a chance. The response of the media has been muted at best, ( “sure didnt they put up tricolours first?” etc etc) As a young Catholic can someone from a Unionist/loyalist background explain to me why this is? Am I and others like me doomed to the same fate as our parents and grandparents? Second class citizenry, a life of quiet desparation in a state that doesnt want us, too afraid to raise our heads above the paraphet?
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Comment on Tesco, Unionism and GAA children
on 30 April 2009 at 3:28 pm
Although unrelated to this story I thought I’d raise an interesting point I noticed over the last few days. The appalling murder of Co.Antrim man Geoff Kerr slips from the news a mere day after it takes place. Wheres the outcry? Will there be marches crying out for justice for his family? The hypocrisy of the media in this country is astounding. Peoples attitudes to “ordinary” (ie. non-political) murders are unbelievable, unless the victim is a soldier or P.S.N.I Officer ( one of “our” brave lads etc etc) then no one gives a fuck.
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Comment on Dissident threat to Martin McGuinness
on 24 April 2009 at 7:27 pm
Ulsters my homeland
Hmmm.. the media would have a story for a few days and some politicians from around the world would do the obligatory and shed a few crocodile tears. I can almost hear the corny American newsreaders now.. ultimately though no one gives a fuck about this corner of the globe, we are an irrelevance (especially post 9/11 and in these current economic climes.)I think we may have to all wise up a little and realise that there will always be an appetite for armed struggle from some as long as there is a British presence here and that our myriad issues cannot be addressed(and will always resurface) if we sweep them under the carpet. The traditional attitude in N.I is to pretend its not happening, too many subjects are taboo and in an atmosphere like that history will repeat itself.
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Comment on Dissident threat to Martin McGuinness
on 24 April 2009 at 7:06 pm
Re: Ulsters my homeland
Eh?
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Comment on Dissident threat to Martin McGuinness
on 24 April 2009 at 6:51 pm
This story and McGuinness’ statement all smack of bluster and spin. Hypothetically if the so called dissidents were to assassinate McGuinness or one of his high ranking cohorts (god forbid) it would have no obvious knock on effects as far as I could see. The Provisionals could not retaliate as their hands are tied nowadays for obvious reasons, I could hardly see Unionists shedding too many tears and in the end S.F would probably only benefit electorally. My guess is that McGuinness, Adams et al would be taking security precautions anyhow so if anyone is going to be targeted it will probably be a low ranking S.F member.
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