Profile for Eleanor Bull
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Books
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“Unionism Decayed 1997-2007″ by David Vance: book review
I initially wrote this when the book was first published three years ago; whilst certain elements of it now sound dated, its basic premise that the period of 1997-2007 was a period of irreversible decay for Northern Irish Unionism can still be argued as a valid opinion. My own feeling is that it did indeed [...] read our review » -
The peace process not such a good model after all
Which reminds me…. Platform for Change’s driving force Robin Wilson has produced a corrective to the notion that the lessons of the NI conflict are easily exportable. Like myself, Robin is associated with the Constitution Unit. He introduced his new book in a CU blog which I here reproduce. The water crisis in Northern Ireland [...] read our review »
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Belfast port celebrated as hopes rise for lower corporation tax
The House of Lords was the suitably grand venue for the London launch of Alf McCreary’s magnificently illustrated tome Titanic Port, a history of Belfast Harbour. Before I got a chance to take a good look at my copy, my ears pricked up when the chairman of the harbour commissioners Len O’Hagan said hopes were high [...] read our review »
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Comment on This, not that and two bits of the other
on 12 March 2010 at 2:21 am
‘You missed Mick’s intervention.’
No. I didn’t, Joe.
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Comment on Six Nations Weekend 4 – Gatland a menopausal warthog!!
on 11 March 2010 at 9:07 pm
I’m afraid the only rugby story worth following, ever, is here
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8555574.stm
[One more time Elenor, and you are off the site - mods]
Welsh rugby legend JPR Williams has been banned from driving for 17 months after pleading guilty to drink-driving.
Cardiff Magistrates Court heard former full back Williams, 61, had sucked copper pennies in an attempt to lower a breathalyser reading.
He believed a “myth” that copper would interfere with the machine’s function.
Williams, of Llansannor, Cowbridge, in the Vale of Glamorgan, who works as an orthopaedic surgeon, was also fined £380 plus costs.
The court heard Williams had to be told twice to remove three one-penny coins from his mouth in the back of a police car after he stopped in Cardiff on 30 January.
Prosecutor Hannah Norton said: “There is a myth that the copper from these coins can interfere with the breathalyser machine.”
He feels he has let his family down, his friends and those who held him in high regard for his sporting prowess
Nigel Daniel, solicitor
Williams had already failed one breath test after being stopped in his red Audi cabriolet.
He was put in a patrol car to be taken to a police station for another test.
A blood sample showed 142 mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood. The legal limit is 80 mg.
Police stopped his car after being told a similar vehicle had been stolen, the court was told.
Defending solicitor Nigel Daniel said: “I wonder how many other red Audis have the registration number JPR.”
‘Remorse’
He told the court Williams and another former Wales rugby player had been entertained at London Welsh’s ground in Richmond, London, during a match on 30 January.
The pair were chauffeured back to Cardiff before Williams took “the stupid and misconceived” idea to drive the eight miles to his home.
Mr Daniel said: “Dr Williams was under the foolish apprehension that after a four-hour journey he would be fit to drive. It was a costly mistake.
“To say that his arrest and detention had a salutary effect on him would be an understatement. He was terrified. He is full of remorse.
“He feels he has let his family down, his friends and those who held him in high regard for his sporting prowess.
“He is somebody who as a medical expert should clearly have known better.”
‘Mistaken belief’
Magistrates chairman William Watt told him: “Drink driving is a serious offence.”
Williams played for Wales between 1969 and 1981, and only stopped playing local rugby seven years ago.
Speaking outside court, Mr Daniel said: “He regrets the actions which led him to appear here today.
“He hopes some good will come of today and that others, both young and old, will not follow his example and will refrain from drink-driving.
“He would also warn people not to drive in the mistaken belief that alcohol has left the system.”
So pissed he was still pissed after a four hour drive back from London. So stupid he’s sucking pennies. A doctor twice over the legal limit…I bet that’ll sit well next time the Welsh Assembly get a medical professional to lecture on binge drinking. His solicitor attempting to infer it’s victimisation by the police?
Sort of put’s the Chelsea Equestrian Centre (it’s a riding school) into perspective.
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Comment on Bill Drummond remembers Belfast…
on 11 March 2010 at 7:05 pm
As an election approaches, and given the louses (lice?) crawling from the woodwork to seek votes, let’s remember that, in the immortal words of the philosopher Drummond, ‘they’re justified, and they’re ancient and they roam across this land…let’s throw them off a bridge’.
(Last line’s not quite right, but ticks my boxes)
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Comment on This, not that and two bits of the other
on 11 March 2010 at 7:01 pm
‘The Miss Sinn Fein contest wasn’t going as well as Gerry hoped’
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Comment on Early start for sectarianism in Stoneyford
on 9 March 2010 at 1:30 am
http://debcenrevisited.yuku.com/topic/15627
For anyone interested, there’s a rather unique view of the proposed parade being offered by an American woman over on DCR.
Her analysis is that Harbinson’s band is clearly ‘protestants getting in tune with their Irishness’ and that there could well be 1798 Rebellion music amongst their repertoire. Her rather unique view offers the notion that because it’s St. Patrick’s Day, and not the 12th of July, it represents something of a sea-change in protestant thinking.
And to think NI’s ‘leaders’ jet off to Washington every year in order to be lectured to by people educated in the same schools system.
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Comment on Poached. Took the training then fecked off glory hunting
on 5 March 2010 at 9:03 pm
‘Who was that doing nets for NI in Albania the other night?’
Doing nets??????
Don’t proper football folk give that particular phrase up after they’ve gone to secondary school?
Next you’ll be casting doubts on the nationaiity of the inside right and left half back.
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Comment on Poached. Took the training then fecked off glory hunting
on 5 March 2010 at 8:59 pm
‘And you might want to compare relative positions in the FIFA rankings in recent years also.’
FFS! The FIFA rankings?????? Meaningless at any time. Greece, 10th. Switzerland 15th, Egypt 17th. Oh yeah, that looks like a yardstick to use in all circumstances.
As for the other points, I’m in favour of people born inside a political jurisdiction representing that team, and none of this fannying about with nationality and the great-granny drank a pint of Guinness once in Shannon airport so I qualify crap.
John Barnes for Jamaica….that sort of thing. Duffy for NI, Cascarino for England. Andy Townsend for England. Ray Houghton for Scotland. Cliff Richard for India (er….scrub that last one). Half of the German side for Poland.
Yes. Let’s open that can of worms and get absolute clarity on it. Regardless of where great granny came from, you should represent the FIFA team of your birth.
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Comment on Poached. Took the training then fecked off glory hunting
on 5 March 2010 at 4:12 pm
‘Does the IFA really want to force people to play for NI when they actually dont want to. What kind of team would that result in?’
One capable of beating Albania?
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Comment on Poached. Took the training then fecked off glory hunting
on 5 March 2010 at 4:06 pm
‘the all Ireland rugby team works a treat – this two teams on one tiny island does not -’
This ‘one team on a tiny island’ argument is, frankly, bollocks. Andorra, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg. Why don’t they just just give up being officially recognised ‘city states’ and throw their lot in with France or Holland or whoever others decide they should be part of?
The fact is that if Rockall can build a pitch, apply to FIFA and get international recognition from them, then they get to play, too.
The ‘tiny island’ argument, in football or in any other matter, is horse shit.
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Comment on Poached. Took the training then fecked off glory hunting
on 5 March 2010 at 4:01 pm
Ah! Two pages of chest-beating. (Maybe more to come).
Smple truth: Shane Duffy sees a better opportunity to play in a WC or EC with the RoI than with NI.
If NI were knocking at the door or playing in every WC or EC going, and the RoI were losing a meaningless friendly to the super-power of world football that is Albania, then this wouldn’t be an issue.
Duffy’s decision (for me, anyway) is pure footballing ambition. He wants to play in the EPL, he wants to play in WCs and ECs.
All this guff about ‘NI treated him well’. Of course they did, but he’s ambitious. I suspect Everton have treated him well, too, but the simple fact is that if Real Madrid or Arsenal come in for him, he’ll be out of Shellsuit City like a shot.
FIFA’s rules are a mess (what else do you expect with twats like Blatter and Platini ‘in charge’?) but face it, before turning it into ‘us uns’ and ‘themmuns’, the lad has ambition, and his decision can be seen solely in that light.
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