Slugger O'Toole

Cold Rain; County Londonderry; Northern Ireland Eye am an author/historian/publisher/satirist. Eye graduated from the university of Bradford in 1993 with an M.A. in European Studies. Eye am a commentator on topical issues and developments in the field of sport and in the murky world of politricks. Eye have also appeared live on stage a few times as a stand-up comedian in London several years ago. Eye have been interviewed on Radio Five Live in London and also for Arts Extra on Radio Ulster in Belfast, but eye generally have been skirting around the periphery of the media. Eye have written 14 books, and it was revealed by the UK public lending right agency that my publications had been borrowed 907 times in the year from July 1st 2009 to June 30th 2010. Oh and eye am a devotee of puzzles and quizzes, and eye have appeared on Channel Four's 'Fifteen To One' in December 1997 and on Channel Four's 'Countdown' in January 2006 when eye was narrowly defeated during a cliffhanger game that went down to a 'crucial conundrum'. Eye am articulate and 'a bit opinionated', the latter arising out of my disdain for inequality and injustice. Eye am particularly offended by the accumulation of wealth, and as a practising Christian, eye see no connection whatsoever between luxury or wealth and the life and teachings of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. My books (most of which were written under a pseudonym) are/were: Chelsea FC Day by Day Arsenal Versus Chelsea, the first 150 matches How To Commit Suicide In Ten Easy Steps by 'KJ Rolling' That Was The Decade That Was by 'Arthur TS Jackson' Garry Potter And The Same Old Nonsense by 'David Backhim' The Song For Today by 'Jimmie Oliver' An Essential Guide To Music In The 1970s by 'Johnny Zero' A Concise Guide To Eighties' Music by 'Karl Vorderman' England Football Team, 1946-2006, A Complete Record by 'John Bull' The Ashes, 1945-2005, A Complete Record by 'Tony Wagtar' The Five Nations/Six Nations, 1970-2009, A Complete Record by 'Ian Bronderson' England's World Cup Adventures, A Complete Record by Talented Loser A Pop Revolution, the transatlantic music scene 1965 to 1969 by the invisible man The Home Internationals, 1946-1984, A Complete Record by the King of Trivia

Latest comments from Oh Sam Bin Laden (see all)

Oh Sam Bin Laden has commented 10 times (0 in the last month).

1. Comment on The Fight to Keep an Irish Cultural Centre II
   on 11 June 2011 at 6:29 pm

   Culture centres are projects for middle-class ideologists with too much time on their hands. Let’s not worry about cancer centres, the quality of our transport infrastructure, or investing in business, let’s concern ourselves with an Irish centre. Is an Irish culture centre a venue where Brit-haters congregate and pay homage to all things Oirish? Beyond belief.

   Go to comment

2. Comment on Is Northern Ireland really a corporate beggar?
   on 6 June 2011 at 9:20 pm

   Lamhdearg, “to many beggars in Ulster”? I beg to differ. Now I’m off to complete my Jobseeker’s Allowance booklet. Oh by the way, is there anybody on here who’d lend me a few hundred pounds?

   Go to comment

3. Comment on Is Northern Ireland really a corporate beggar?
   on 6 June 2011 at 6:26 pm

   Well, folks, as a Northern Irishman residing in Norn Iron, I am becoming frankly embarrassed at the line of our politicos about how the government owes us all a living. How many times has Martin McGuinness banged on about promises that “the British government” (as opposed to “my government”) failed to honour. Most folk secretly concede that we have always had Westminster by the short and curlies. If you don’t fund our peace process as we stagger towards democracy, who knows what might end up happening? It sounds to me like London must continue to donate for fear of “we haven’t gone away y’know.” It wasn’t so long ago that David McNarry stated that the local parties must stand together as ‘team Ulster’ (or was it team Northern Ireland?) and confront the coalition government about increasing the block grant.
   Flip me, if I was Cameron or Osborne and my appointments secretary asked me when I should squeeze them tiresome Ulster beggars into the schedule, oh I would be rather busy for many months, even years, before I would allow our self-important types to pose outside Downing Street on a regular basis like the visiting dignitaries that they definitely are not.

   Go to comment

4. Comment on “While it may be described as being a mistake, she was shot in the back”
   on 4 June 2011 at 6:21 pm

   I suspect that, black humour or otherwise, what Sinn Fein regard as the mistake was that their cronies took out the wrong Travers sister. Perhaps they are stating behind closed doors that failing to kill Mary Travers instead was their “mistake.”

   Go to comment

5. Comment on Is FIFA about to enter a ‘black hole’ of Blatter’s own making?
   on 31 May 2011 at 1:46 pm

   Surely there must be somebody amongst the FIFA delegates to have the backbone to stand against Blatter if only as a ‘stalking horse’? If Blatter was toppled, you can imagine the members of FIFA falling over themselves to reveal their qualms about this autocrat. It’s like a stalinist regime with all the sheep shuffling in behind the leader and nobody daring to compete against him. As for the English, do they not have a delegate or representative to stand against Blatter? It seems like everyone can smell the odour of the stinky elephant in the room but nobody has the spine to do anything about it. I guess that the FIFA elections are like any election: you get what you deserve.

   Go to comment

6. Comment on “The Stormont system appears unsustainable in the long term…”
   on 29 May 2011 at 7:41 pm

   Lionel: the electorate are not looking for it at the moment? The failure of about 45% of the electorate to vote suggests that they don’t endorse the current coalition. They had no real choice between the current governing party and the current opposition party. They were merely presented with t coalition party A or coalition party B or coalition party C or coalition party D or coalition party E plus a number of fringe parties. At least the British Labour Party had the foresight last year to sit out power with the Lib Dems in the belief that in four years or maybe 8 or 9, they will be back in power. It’s a pity that the short-sighted SDLP and UUP can’t think in those terms. Ah, but the aroma of ministerial office is just too seductive.

   Go to comment

7. Comment on “The Stormont system appears unsustainable in the long term…”
   on 29 May 2011 at 7:21 pm

   Firstly, the Stormont system is indeed unsustainable. No other state would seriously entertain the notion of a five-party coalition. It’s like having five goalkeepers and six outfield players in your team – totally unsustainable and dysfunctional. What Norn Iron needs is for the politicos and populace to accept the notion that the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement could and should be amended through time in much the same way as the US Constitution is periodically amended. Unfortunately, Sinn Fein in particular are clinging to the Yes vote in the 1998 referendum as if it is set in stone for eight hundred years.
   As for the SDLP, they and the Ulster Unionists are indeed dying in their inflexibility. Have they never noticed that in the Westminster, Dail Eirann, or Congress models, when the government fails to deliver, the opposition reaaps the dividends at the subsequent election. By refusing to have the patience to sit in opposition for four years, the SDLP and the UUP are losing the golden opportunity to tell the lectorate next time that the failings of the Executive were not our doing.
   Unfortunately, the lure of a ministerial car and the kudos of being a minister is seducing the SDLP and the UUP into their stupidity.
   They want to have their cake and eat it. They want to be in government and taken seriously as policy formulators. However they lack the mandate to throw their weight around. They then make opposition noises about the manoeuvrings of the Sinn Fein/DUP axis but they still stay in government.
   Oh Stormont is doomed and the SDLP and the UUP will go down with it unless they can think outside of the box. Middle-aged middle-class Ulster folk are too conservative to think outside of the box. Fools!

   Go to comment

8. Comment on Altnagelvin goes ahead, but at what price?
   on 27 May 2011 at 1:01 pm

   As Alan correctly asks, what will be the price for the worthwhile creation of a cancer unit at Altnagelvin? The answer will be revealed in the fullness of time when one or two other projects are shelved, or one or two hospitals are shut.
   My solution is a restoration of prescription charges. Any right-thinking person (if such a creature exists) would concede that prescription charges are a necessary evil to help finance healthcare provision. It was an act of gross stupidity to reward us with a freebie. Nobody was on the streets screaming and shouting for free prescriptions, so this was a stupid giveaway by Michael McGimpsey. I propose £5 charges for full-time employed; £4 for part-time workers; with free prescriptions for under-18s, students in full-time education, the unemployed, and pensioners.
   Sorry to hijack the post by digressing on to prescription charges, but this is a long-winded answer to the original question. Perhaps prescription charges will be the price to pay. This is a least worse solution in comparison to ward closures.

   Go to comment

9. Comment on Gerry Kelly: “and I don’t like being critical of the media…”
   on 27 May 2011 at 8:01 am

   Ann Travers has correctly observed that meeting the ex-members of the republican death squads would be rather futile in that the Shinners are not for turning. Can she persuade them to relieve McArdle of her elevated position? Not a chance. Sinn Fein are as entrenched as their beloved opponents (or allies) in the DUP. This proposed meeting is merely a propaganda exercise for Sinn Fein. It wouldn’t be like them to exploit a propaganda opportunity, now would it?!
   I like Pete Baker’s hint that the so-called death threats from the invisible Orange Volunteers have neither been confirmed nor denied. It’s funny how when this furore erupted around lunch-time on Wednesday, the ex-members of the republican death squads were all ‘in a meeting’ and unavailable for comment. This is a tried and trusted Sinn Fein response to adverse publicity. Let’s get together and plot our reply, and if all else fails let’s suggest that our lives are in danger from the mythical ‘Orange Volunteers’.
   As for the tiresome twaddle that McArdle was “a political prisoner”. Her involvement in gunning down a young woman coming from Mass was no more an expression of ‘politics’ than Michael Stone’s recent incursion at Stormont was a manifestation of ‘art’.

   Go to comment

10. Comment on “There is a convincing case for reducing the corporation tax rate in Northern Ireland…”
    on 24 May 2011 at 11:01 pm

    What are the businesses and investors going to do with the excess funds arising out of having to pay less corporation tax. Will they re-invest in their workforce and stop paying a ludicrous minimum wage? Probably not. A reduction in corporation tax will lead to the Managing Director and the managing board investing in extra golf club membership. Unless companies utilise the increased funds from a decrease in tax to plough into higher wages for their staff, then a reduction in corporation tax will be exploited to fatten the already fat cats.

    Go to comment