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Books
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“Good Friday. The death of Irish Republicanism” by Anthony McIntyre: a review
Tweet This was a book that I first reviewed at the same time as “Unionism Decayed” back in 2008. Like Vance’s work, it is the author’s portrayal of a defeated political movement or ideal and as a Unionist it was instructional to read an interpretation of the immediate post-Agreement period from the other side of the [...] read our review » -
Stay out of Libya: counterinsurgency doesn’t work
Tweet A moment of some significance in journalism perhaps, as the New York Times reviews the current talked about book, The Wrong War: Grit, Strategy, and the Way Out of Afghanistan by Bing West. The author is no bleeding heart but a former assistant Defense Secretary from the Reagan era who stomped his way round the [...] read our review »
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Ringtone and the drum: Africa’s underclass’s clash with technology
Tweet My old friend from River Path has a book out today (his first, hooray!). I’d be lying if I told I’d read the whole thing right through, yet (I’m waiting for a free copy, rather than reams of white paper!!). But I have been talking with Mark on and off about the project for [...] read our review »
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Comment on Gove calls for a split with Wales and NI on GCSE and A Level reform…
on 22 May 2013 at 1:39 am
“And in Germany and Austria they put Eng. as a mark of honour on your gravestone.”
I have two nephews and a niece, 7,9,13. I am already sounding like my late mother… “…with a trade, dear sister, they will never be wanting…”
There won’t be much need for financial services when The Fall comes. Naturally, that’s a hard sell to anyone in construction at the moment, but I live in hope.
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Comment on Gove calls for a split with Wales and NI on GCSE and A Level reform…
on 21 May 2013 at 1:15 pm
“Northern Ireland’s Education Minister John O’Dowd has said he is not opposed to revamping the exams, but would not be rushed into action.”
Thus was it ever.
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Comment on “Win a weekend break for two in Londonderry”
on 4 May 2013 at 11:59 pm
Super. Changed times. I like it.
What I don’t like is the picture of Dunluce Castle further down the page, under the title “Getting to Londonderry”.
We don’t like that over here. Any more than The Wans like being referred to as being at the arse end of the Causeway Coast/North Coast.
Which, of course, they are.
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Comment on Draft CSI document contains yawning gaps. OFMdFM parties fear criticism.
on 30 April 2013 at 8:38 pm
I’m just wondering – how does one get a copy of this January-leaked draft? I mean, it’s out there…why has it not been posted somewhere? Just wondering.
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Comment on Tweet like a politician … ideally, thinking about how it’ll be read and misread
on 15 April 2013 at 1:23 am
“Tweet like a politician … ideally, thinking about how it’ll be read and misread”
No such ambiguity over some of Mr Poots’ tweets. Verging on inflammatory in some instances. One to watch as he eventually oversteps the mark.
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Comment on Bedroom Tax aimed at the poor in London and SE will cost more in Northern reland
on 5 April 2013 at 9:10 pm
It’s worth noting that HMRC lumps “fraud and error” into the same statistic. Breaking it down shows that those delivering benefit would solve a greater problem by being more accurate with less overpayments, than fraudsters making false claims by a count of about 3 to 1.
For comparison, and I took median figures here from a range of sources:
Tax evasion costs the Treasury £15.2bn in lost revenue each year.
Benefit fraud – that’s yer actual fraud – costs £1.1bn each year.
Errors and overpayments cost around £4bn each year
The UK benefits bill is around £151bn each year.
The ‘bedroom tax’ is estimated to save around £505m
I’m going to guess that a private sector rented one-bedroom accommodation will probably cost more than a two bedroom social accommodation; and this policy, if I recall, is not aimed at the private rented sector. Otherwise at least four of my mates would have had to have moved house. By the way, they’re unemployed cos they got laid off – and to the best of my knowledge they haven’t killed any children yet.
I would suggest that there are many more efficient and indeed easy ways of saving money here, or anywhere else, than this policy leads one to believe. If the effort which has been put into spinning this policy had been put into creating something other than the low-paid Tesco 51-week contract economy which the UK has become, the sky could have been the limit.
Just by the by, and not taking away from anyone’s outrage on the issue – I think Mrs Windsor and her crew cost around £40m per annum. For those in favour of a Republic, “staffing, housing, flying and entertaining President Obama and his family” in 2012 cost about $1.4bn.
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Comment on First Minister preaching integration whilst the road map burns?
on 29 March 2013 at 12:01 pm
“There are currently about 1650 pupils in CAI and CHS but I’m told the projected figure for the co-ed grammar is 1250, a reduction of 400 places.”
Nevin, on a tangent that is probably only slightly related… My (from a Protestant background) nieces have plumped for Loretto. This was after doing the rounds of all the schools in the area. The eldest reckons that very shortly, the Protestants at the Loretto will outnumber the Catholic kids in the upcoming first year intakes.
My point is – why are we bothering with this notion of Catholic and Protestant schools any more? I remember that in my own year of lads at the Inst, even 20 years ago, there was a healthy smattering of Catholic lads in what is notionally a Protestant school. (Yes, I’m using very broad terms there.)
Imagine someone being bold enough to dump all notions of state, controlled and integrated sectors, and just having…wait for it…schools!!
PS I must have missed the bit where Lesley aligned herself with Conservatives. *makes mental note to unfollow and shun*
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Comment on Theresa Villiers: “I’m extremely pleased that we were able to answer the Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill’s request for a military helicopter…”
on 27 March 2013 at 12:25 am
“The stricken animals looking for food were of prime concern. I doubt they took offence at the ‘occupying power’ providing their meal.”
Well said.
As for those complaining about the Red Arrows…as my father used to say, “people will travel a long way to be offended in this place.”
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Comment on Anti-abortion farce takes over Assembly
on 3 March 2013 at 5:43 pm
No one is forcing you to endure an abortion, SDLP Supporter. And yet you amd others seem very determind to stop others exercising their free right to be able to have one without social and legal and indeed religious and moral pressure.
I particularly find it distatsteful that this situation arises through a largely male-dominated Assembly, and that of all things, this amendment is tacked on to the end of a Criminal Justice Bill.
Thus was it ever on this island.
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Comment on Newcastle feels the chill wind that may soon blow Northern Ireland’s way?
on 28 February 2013 at 9:41 pm
Professor Yattle, my journeys take me to offices very near a market town library. I am constantly surprised by the breadth and numbers of people using it. Reading clubs flourish. I’ve seen school visits nearly every time I’m there. Books are borrowed. Kids study.
It’s a sweeping statement to make, but you’d need to have some back-up to it. I concur with what George says; and to where I refer is not within 100 miles of Dublin. Just because *you* don’t happen to use them…
It’s always the easy targets which get hit first. Perhaps if there were less daily hypochondriacs bunging up GP surgeries, less Saturday night brawl victims cluttering A&E, the MoD wasn’t overstocking on raw materials and consumables, retired teachers weren’t brought in endlessly as subs, and so on and so on, and so on…
The political classes don’t really appreciate the working classes getting educated, now do they?
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