Slugger O'Toole

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Latest comments from HeartoftheEmpire (see all)

HeartoftheEmpire has commented 14 times (0 in the last month).

1. Comment on Platform calls for rethink on cohesion and promises full programme soon
   on 30 October 2010 at 1:32 pm

   1. Who wrote this statement? It is like a press statment from HM Press Secretary

   2. Have the authors never heard of Plain English? ‘Plain English is written in a manner appropriate to the reading skills and knowledge of its audience. It is writing that has no confusion about meaning, is free of cliché and unnecessary jargon, and is easy to understand’.

   3 The tone of the staement underscores the make up of the pressure group – the usual chattering classes (mainly)

   4. The pressure group has called for the ‘rewriting of this document, in collaboration with independent experts’ -
   names please as I dont recognise too many so called experts among the ‘sign – up’s’

   4. Are they asking for another expensive ‘influential report to be written up by one of their welll healed consultants?

   5. While I acknowledge the need for major changes to the CSI strategy, including the retention of CRC, it is obvious that this platform crowd is politically driven by UNCUNF, SDLP and the odd Sticky Back.

   6. From the list of signatories highlighted, I don’t recognise too many people/activists from working class areas – they are probably too concerned about the forthcoming public spending cuts than to jump on this bandwagon which is going nowhere.

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2. Comment on Maze development (complete with shrine / conflict transformation centre) moves forward
   on 29 July 2010 at 10:28 pm

   Fair play to FM and DFM – not too many Sluggerites were predicting agreement 12 months ago. It shows how far we have come politically when DUP and SF can come to an agreement on such a sensitive project. After agreement at St Andrews, Policing and Justice, Saville, Windsor Palace, sorry Park (our new national stadium) and now the ‘Lazy K’ – to name but a few – the dissidents and the diehards on both sides are becoming more marginalised and irrelevant. “My mama told me there’d be days like this”.

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3. Comment on Bonfire did not wipe Council’s eye after all…
   on 14 July 2010 at 10:02 pm

   I foolishly responded to Mark McGregor’s ‘revelation’ last Friday about a ‘large UDA flag proudly fluttering’ on the Donegall Road and his promise: ‘I’ll FoI BCC tomorrow for the funding criteria they aren’t publishing at present and the total/individual grants’.

   I gave the following advice: ‘ Why doesn’t Mark buy a nice bottle of red and sit in and watch Big Brother instead of driving around Belfast spying on children at bonfires?’

   Some five days later Mick has to admit on M McG’s behalf that this was a seriously inaccurate report; a report that he could/should have checked out the facts beforehand with BCC/ Councillor Bob Stoker instead of taking his lead from a newspaper that at times I find it hard to believe the very football results.

   Lets not forget that this was written at an extremely sensitive time in the Donegall Road/Broadway area which had witnessed wide scale rioting by Republican dissidents and their criminal allies – and subsequently, the horrendous scenes of a car ploughing into families attending the bonfire on the 11th night – so we are not getting carried away Mick!

   As someone who is a recent adherent to Slugger, I find this type of gutter, lazy journalism both dangerous and offensive. The least we can expect from Mark McG is an apology to those people like myself who took the bait. Or better still, just forget about – I’m going back to Facebook – I would rather waste my time there……

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4. Comment on Belfast bonfire builders wipe Council’s eye
   on 10 July 2010 at 7:44 pm

   I think I may have touched a slight nerve with some of our Slugger Politicos and that BIG para flag has caused great consternation among our poison pen, middle class brethren!
   For the record, let me remind you of a few changes that are taking place in some of these loyalist communities:
   * huge steps have been taken to significantly reduce the number of loyalist paramilitary flags – its not perfect but it is significant progress;
   *Some of those leaders at the bonfire were out to the small hours last weekend trying to restore calm at Broaday/St James – along with their republican counterparts – unlike some of the ‘social commentators’ on this site;
   *While there are difficulties with some of these bonfires, some have been replaced with beacons and others are being managed much better – fair play to these lads;
   As for Mr Stalin – he is obviously one of our beloved securocrats – “send in the tanks and suppress these rebellious, loyalist teenagers”? Better still, let’s gas them! Somebody buy him a pint in the John Hewitt!

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5. Comment on Belfast bonfire builders wipe Council’s eye
   on 9 July 2010 at 11:41 pm

   Fitz – there was no mention of terrorism regarding ‘flag of a friendly nation and fellow member of the Yoorpeen Community’ – yet come to mention it, I do recall it being displayed as an emblem at many terrorist funerals and press conferences over the years – guilty by association?

   M McG – I thought the UDA had decommissioned and gone off the stage so why all the hype about a bloody flag that was probably put up by some ten year old kid? A quick chat with the ‘leaders’ of the bonfire might have resolved this instead of pursuing council officials to withdraw funding for kids activities in one of the most deprived areas of Northern Ireland. You are also giving loyalist nutters the opportunity for a tit-for-tat response to the council management scheme during the annual anti-interment internment bonfires in August
   At least you will have achieved equality – working class Unionist and nationalist kids will be deprived of street parties and activities. Sleep well!

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6. Comment on Belfast bonfire builders wipe Council’s eye
   on 9 July 2010 at 10:17 pm

   Mark Mc Geg: ‘When I passed it had a large UDA flag proudly fluttering’

   This afternoon I saw an even BIGGER tricolour flag proudly fluttering at the high rise flats in the New Lodge.

   For frigg sake don’t tell Mark – he will tout to the Housing Executive and the local tenants group will get their annual grant stopped!

   I wonder why this is called the silly season?

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7. Comment on Commons cuts will force radical reform and a smaller Assembly
   on 9 July 2010 at 9:59 pm

   Could Belfast be reduced to just 3 Westminster seats? The rumours abound………

   If it is true, North Belfast will become even more vulnerable for Unionism at the next Westminster election.

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8. Comment on Belfast bonfire builders wipe Council’s eye
   on 9 July 2010 at 9:43 pm

   Why doesn’t Mark buy a nice bottle of red and sit in and watch Big Brother instead of driving around Belfast spying on children at bonfires?
   If he has so much time on his hands he could get a grant from the Community Relations Council to count all those sinister flags on those hateful loyalist bonies! Better still, why doesn’t he just drive a few hundred yards up the Donegall Road to the Broadway roundabout to make sure those Republican dissidents and their criminal colleagues don’t cause further mayhem this weekend. As for me. I’m looking forward to another Orange victory on Sunday!

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9. Comment on “He then lapsed into petulant silence, refusing to speak during the rest of the plane journey”
   on 19 June 2010 at 6:58 pm

   He hasn’t gone away you know – he and Eileen are watching you from the House of Lords! The ‘furry faces’ would still be running about if ‘The Doc’ had not done the deal. History will be kinder to him – much more than some of the clowns who go on the site….

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10. Comment on Photograph of the Day – Breakdown (captions welcome)
    on 19 June 2010 at 6:51 pm

    There is no such place as the ‘lower’ Newtownards Road. The correct term is the ‘bottom’ of the Newtownards Road, or, better still, Ballymacarrett!

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