Slugger O'Toole

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Latest comments from Gopher (see all)

Gopher has commented 33 times (0 in the last month).

1. Comment on Why the UK Chancellor’s regional pay initiative not a solution to depressed regional growth…
   on 3 April 2012 at 7:35 pm

   I just recieved my annual shakedown through the post today it goes by the name of the “rates”. I work two weeks for nothing to support 26 district councils and all their employees who are on a higher average wage get sick days and can strike when they feel like it with no repercussions and have a government support for any such action . The joys of devolved administration.

   The Assembly is a complete cash drain if they cant get the civil service in check give me back direct rule.

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2. Comment on Belfast City Airport passenger limit reinstated
   on 24 March 2012 at 10:19 am

   The assembly cant get stuff done period. The greatest economic achievement of the assembly so far is the creation of a black market for free prescription drugs for those that love a hectic weekend. As for growing the economy its obvious that the Lower Newtownards Road and Royal Belfast Golf Club are the engines that are going to drive the other 1.5 million us to prosperity. Its not as if they were putting the airport in Strangford Lough

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3. Comment on Belfast City Airport passenger limit reinstated
   on 23 March 2012 at 9:28 pm

   I despair, every economy with any sense of purpose is expanding its air transport infrastructure. We are blessed with an airport in the city beside every major transport route (not that we can get a train station usefully close to it) and private money (shock horror) to improve it and we mess it up. An island race without a clue

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4. Comment on John McCallister joins the UUP leadership race
   on 13 March 2012 at 9:00 pm

   The UUP has to go progressive or die. Elliot by his failure proved there are no more votes left on the traditional side. Opposition is also the only way to go for the UUP.

   The Assembly can make it harder to MoT your car stop you buying a cheap bottle of wine in the supermarket and put CCTV everywhere for every eventuality. Seriously somebody up there needs to point out the nonsense that is going on up there.

   The first thing any competent devolved administration on an island would do would be get rid of passenger duty especially when their next door niegbours have done the same thing.

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5. Comment on What on earth was that Dr Al?
   on 6 November 2011 at 8:35 pm

   I think the Alliance party will be going from strength to strength now on the back of this. Absolutely no change from the SDLP they just can’t and never will get it.

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6. Comment on Belfast City Airport passenger limit reinstated
   on 26 October 2011 at 6:16 pm

   Latest of a long line of short sighted decisions against the City airport. Does the assembly run the country or lawyers and judges living in Cultra. We could have the choice of Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Paris and Heathrow as hubs for our international flights instead because of the failure to lengthen the runway and cap numbers we are stuck with a costly flight to Heathrow or a 2 hour bus to Dublin due to its monopoly.
   As for passenger duty no other island administration would sit on its backside and have such an albatross hang round of the economy as our useless crowd do. The NI assembly have inertia down to an art form.
   I live below a flight path into Belfast and it does not bother me

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7. Comment on Nationalism’s ‘crise de foie’: most Catholics prefer the United Kingdom…
   on 17 June 2011 at 11:59 pm

   It is somewhat amusing that the “lip service” the SDLP pay to a united Ireland in election broadcasts is obviously erroneous. The SDLP when the practicalities of a united Ireland are questioned are there in the vanguard with SF. Laughed about that all day long, that and the display on talkback until mortified by some of the unionist politicians reaction, the Beeb and UTV certainly know who to interview to push buttons. Really need post agreement reporting. Totally bemused that an obvious vote (and non vote) for stability at the assemblly election in the wake of dissident activity can be so wildly be misconstrued by all. The war is over, the politics about the war is over the only thing left is to make this place better while waiting for something that may or not happen.

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8. Comment on And the #belw11 winners were … Paul Maskey (26% of the electorate) and the EONI (165 minutes)
   on 11 June 2011 at 9:22 am

   I would imagine even Repulican voters would vote for the union in a border poll now. What West Belfast shows us like East Belfast and like North Down there is a swathe of voters waiting to be galvanised. Niaomi did it in East Belfast and Sylvia did it in North Down , Alex sat on his backside in West Belfast that is the difference.

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9. Comment on And the #belw11 winners were … Paul Maskey (26% of the electorate) and the EONI (165 minutes)
   on 10 June 2011 at 8:24 am

   I would be certain if the SDLP held a seat in a predominately nationalist constituency, SF would galvanise the campaign on some issue or other and create interest. Attwood is content to collect his assembly wage and that is the height of SDLP ambition in politics.
   The decline of the SDLP continues unabated that is the story of this election

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10. Comment on “While it may be described as being a mistake, she was shot in the back”
    on 5 June 2011 at 11:43 am

    Analytically looking at this appointment we are probably seeing SF consciously or unconsciously accept that they have have nowhere left to go electorally and are handing out the sweeties to the base. The DUP response reminds me of a script from “Yes Minister” to simulate activity, set up an enquiry to find out nothing can actually be done.

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