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Books
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A flexible library service for the 21st century?
Following Alan’s piece on libraries, I picked this ‘advertorial’ from Google plus this evening… about how a US county library system is cutting costs and improving flexibility in their free at the point of delivery services by enabling the whole library service act as a functioning unit as opposed to the one discrete library… read our review » -
Eamon Nancarrow’s misadventures in Rock…
It’s the quiet ones you have to watch, they say. When I last saw Eamonn Namcarrow, back in the mid 1980s he was a congenial, good-natured and highly sociable young lad. The next time was 26 years later, in Lavery’s Gin Palace in Bradbury Place. He’d just brought out his first book, Holywood Star about [...] read our review »
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Help me with the West Wing: Essential viewing or Party Political Broadcast?
Having somehow managed to avoid watching a single episode of the widely praised West Wing TV series I was delighted to discover the entire Box set in my Christmas stocking – and with enough spare time over the holidays to give it a good lash. But with 10 episodes of the first series under my [...] read our review »
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Comment on Wilson: no corporation tax cut in this Assembly
on 20 September 2011 at 9:31 pm
Could we not have had this statements months ago. even if you did think it was a good idea, which its not,it would be political suicide to remove £500m per year from the budget on the pretence that this would solve our economic problems and quickly.
Best case scenario – Any savings would not be realised for some 15-20 years, HMRC would not have capacity to administer it and there would not be a single job guaranteed. Aside from that it makes prefect sense.
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Comment on Protestant Alienation 2011
on 8 June 2011 at 9:06 pm
While there is some excellent points in the piece, good to see more of the WE DIDN’T DO ANYTHING WRONG = IT WAS THEIR FAULT alive and well
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Comment on Parity of corporation tax.
on 28 July 2010 at 7:52 pm
While we all salivate at the prospoct of establishing a tax haven for big business, there are implications for us all. Following link a good article on this.
Link to article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/may/18/northern-ireland-tax-haven
Don’t believe Cameron will run on this one anyway. Sop to NI politicans just like sop to LibDems on voting reform. Non-runner in my opinion and I’m happy enuf about that.
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Comment on Is anyone listening?
on 24 July 2010 at 2:48 am
Eamon
Wud the £13k be better spent employing HMRC staff to investigate fraud and tax evasion by big business or as rates collectors for Land and Property Services? At least we might get some of our own money back. As I understand it about £120 billion floating about there.
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Comment on Photograph of the Day- Interface Hood
on 5 July 2010 at 10:38 am
Mostly have to agree with Billy. It is the text primarily that engages the imaginations rather than the photo on its own. Take the text out and the subject addressed could be anything. It is only the inclusion of the text that develops the ‘story’. Together fair enough but the photo alone is weak.
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Comment on Ritchie on the ‘stuck’ Executive…
on 5 July 2010 at 10:29 am
Isn’t it now time that the SDLP, UUP and others sought to establish a credible Opposition will the Cross-Community consenus nature of the Assembly continued under DUPand SF. Or do they not want to give upthe ‘power’ for better governance.
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Comment on The DUP should stop sniping at Saville
on 24 June 2010 at 9:37 am
I support the call for putting evidence of HET into public domain. Lets get all the washing out there and just se how dirty it is. Once we have looked at it for a while, politicans have made what political capital they want out of it, families have had a chance to digest and cope with its ‘facts’ or otherwise, then time will ensure that it will lose some of its relevance.
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Comment on Austerity budget must prompt radical approaches in Northern Ireland
on 22 June 2010 at 11:40 pm
Given the amount of tax evasion in UK, would it not be seen as an investment to increase HMRC Investigation staff to recoup tax evasion or is it that as Tory donors and big business benefit most, it might be better to ignore this option.
Also, the Stormont Executive has no powers regarding Social Security Benefits and therefore are tied in by default to whatever decisions, especially regarding IT, are made in UK. So no point in Stormont forusing on new ways to get people of the sick.
Could we also close the Culture, Arts and Leisure Dept to stop spending on Irish language, Ulster-Scots(not even a language) and creationist fairytales.
Just a few thoughts!!
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Comment on Second thoughts on the Public Assemblies Bill
on 18 May 2010 at 3:09 pm
Neil
While it will certainly raise opposition across the divide, I can’t see it bolstering support for Dissidents and if it does, AG’s reference to ‘dribbling idiots’ might be more appropriate
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Comment on Police attacked at security alert in Lurgan
on 18 May 2010 at 2:44 pm
Great to read views of Lurgan. Many right unfortunately.
Drinking is seen as a sport and weekends in Lurgan all involve alcohol. There is little else to do. No good restaurants, no cinema, no shows, just pubs and drinking.
History has also encouraged rioting as a social pastime. That message still exists today and is difficult to change although efforts are being made to change it.
There are a number of GAA clubs, numerous soccer clubs as well as good rugby and cricket clubs. Unfortunately education is still heavily segregated as is the town geographically. There is little movement across the ‘peaceline’ that is the Castle Lane/Carnegie Street junction.
There are many excellent young people and many excellent community organisations supporting them. But all you have to do is look at local Borough Council to understand that history and division still remain in the Craigavon area and when this is the example we set for young people, can we really blame them alone.
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