Slugger O'Toole Still determined, but not so small anymore, not after winning this year’s Man Booker Prize for The Sea, John Banville is to follow the path of many other high profile writers and will be writing a series of thrillers.. under the pseudonym Benjamin Black – not such a pseudonym now, however. Whether the first line of his next book will still be “Of all the things we gave them that they might be comforted, dawn is the one that works.” …
The Guardian’s Newsblog is trailing Rory Carroll’s own account of his abduction and subsequent release, with, for now, an extract and a brief audio report[mp3 file].. and it’s worth pointing to the brutal contrast with Saadoun Sughaiyer al-Janabi, defence lawyer for one of Saddam Hussein’s co-defendents, abducted and murdered yesterday, and Muhammad Haroon, 37, the editor of al-Hakeka newspaper, who was killed by unknown gunmen on Monday. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
We’ve been putting the finishing touches to a new website, Britain and Ireland. It’s a direct collaboration with the excellent River Path Associates (who’ve designed, built and techno-bankrolled Slugger for the last three years) and the British Council, Ireland. It’s a monthly e-magazine which explores a different issue each month. Tomorrow we kick off (where else) at Croke Park, with a Sporting Lives special featuring: an interview with Niall Quinn; a think piece from Professor Mike Cronin of Boston College; …
The Guardian’s NewsBlog is live-blogging the second round of voting in the Conservative Party leadership battle, although if their last attempt is anything to go by that will be a more of a semi-conscious-blogging *ahem* ANYway, they’re currrently predicting David Cameron to top the poll. This time Ann Widdecombe was waiting at the right door.. Update When I said semi-conscious I meant semi-coherent, as the NewsBlog jumps threads to here.. and [finally?] to here And Fox leaves the hunt.. only …
NIO minister Lord Rooker’s decision, announced in June this year, to grant planning permission for the proposed retail superstore by John Lewis Partnerships at Sprucefield now faces a judicial review by the High Court following the decision by Mr Justice Girvan today. The planning permission announcement in June, opposed in the review by 6 groups including Belfast City Council, and the Belfast Chamber of Trade and Commerce, came after John Lewis threatened to abandon plans for their only retail development …
A very colourful account of Gerry Adams on tour in South Africa, which begins with the immortal words: Barefoot and still as the smoke which rose around him, Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams marked the start of his visit to South African by meeting the ancestors. Thanks to reader Peter for the heads up! . Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
Tim Collins takes this headline on a report on this weekend’s UUP conference, but it seems he will be restricting his participation to a debate on the future, or whether there is one, for the Royal Irish Regiment. The main story appears to be that the UUP will elect their Party President this weekend as well as other party officers.. but not, it seems, their Party Chairman, Vice Chair, Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer – that’s to be decided at a …
The Guardian are reporting that the Irish journalist Rory Carroll, kidnapped yesterday morning, has been released unharmed tonight into the care of Iraqi government representatives. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
If you’ve made you’re way here instead of Slugger’s usual abode, it’s because Slugger is down at it’s usual site. This is due to a scripting error in the comments zones. We are hoping to have it fixed in the next few days or so. Please bear with us in the meantime. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
In accordance with BBFC guidelines. Eric the Unread got a 12A certificate.. and I get an 18, for some reason.. hmmm.. btw the quiz itself is definitely 18. See what your rating is! Created by bart666 What this supposedly means – Suitable for 18 years or older. This is real life. Anything in this category is considered to be of subject matter relating to adult life, that happens day in and day out. Walking down the street is an 18 …
Right, we were nearly gone there for good. It looks like we’ve road tested Moveable Type’s capacity to take comments to destruction. The same thing happened last year. Then we had to move hosts leaving the fat old 2002-4 site behind to set up camp here. But now precisely the same thing has happened. The comment script seems to have ‘bowed open’ and is leaking all over the place. For this reason the comments zone have to be closed or …
I noted that the general tone of the Independent Monitoring Commission’s report was one of caution. And at a press conference in Dublin this afternoon members of the IMC emphasised that cautious tone. Lord Alderice, on the point that some media reports of the IMCs 60-page dossier had said that the IRAs criminal activity had stopped – That is not what we have said. Perhaps the BBC.. and RTÉ.. should reconsider the focus of their reports? From the Press Association …
PR Week have named the McCartney sisters Communicators of the Year Award. It was quite a story, that several times looked as if if might have slipped under the radar but for the persistence Robert McCartney’s partner and his sisters. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
Rory Carroll, a former Irish News journalist who now writes for the Guardian and is a native of Blackrock, Co Dublin was kidnapped in Iraq this morning. He was the African correspondent until earlier this year when he began posting from Iraq. He filed yesterday in anticipation of today’s trial of Sadam. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
The 7th IMC report has been made public, assessing paramilitary and criminal activity from 1 March to 31 August this year. Available here [pdf file]. Its general tone could be accurately described as cautious.. maybe, at a stretch, even cautiously optimistic. But the same [cautious, that is] could not be said for Secretary of State, Peter Hain. In relation to the activities of the Provisional IRA it has this to say – 3.18 In conclusion, on PIRA we emphasise again …
Previously, councillors in Newry and Mourne Council faced calls for them to be barred from office, by the UUP’s Danny Kennedy, after the Local Government Auditor[LGA] accused them of wilful misconduct. [I’m trying to find an update] Now the LGA has instructed serving and former councillors on Fermanagh Council to pay a £38,178 surcharge and this time, according to the BBC report, the UUP have denied that the councillors are guilty of any wrongdoing – an appeal against the LGA …
*tap* *tap* Well, we appear to have resolved our technical difficulties.. for now.. and, hopefully, blogging will continue uninterrupted. Mick may have an announcement on that some time soon. In the meantime – Welcome back! Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.
Right. A big, big thanks to those who’ve given so far. We’ve raised a credible £268 since lunchtime. I’ve asked the Big Blog Company to look at the problem and come up with an estimate so we all know what we’re going for more clearly. I really don’t want anyone to overstretch their budgets. I repeat, (and no doubt will again) if only half our regulars stretch to a tenner, we will be able to transfer Slugger to ‘industrial strength’ …
When, following the orchestrated violence in September, Secretary of State, Peter Hain, declared that he “acknowledge[d] the particular needs of loyalist communities” and appointed David Hanson to take the lead in addressing those needs I, somewhat sarcastically [Really?? – Ed], referred to him as the new Minister for Loyalist Alienation. Now, as the BBC report, David Hanson has announced that a Delivery Team to co-ordinate action in disadvantaged loyalist communities is being set up to implement the findings of a …
THE PUP is to retain its link to the UVF. David Ervine seemed almost grateful to Bertie Ahern for saying loyalists needed time and space to sort themselves out, and he probably appreciated the sweetener from Tony too. However, it came at more than the cost of funding a party linked to the UVF… The Government’s apparent refusal to follow through on a recommendation of the IMC served to undermine the watchdog’s authority (where is the interim report?). But if …