Humour

“After all their triangulating, formulating, circle-squaring and thinking big thoughts..”

| Readers

Has the British Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body’s period of existential angst ended? Perhaps, perhaps not.. In the Irish Times Miriam Lord gives her reaction [subs req] to the news Gary Kent brought us earlier. The 36th conference of the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body took place in Whites Hotel in Wexford earlier this week, and, in a gesture to unionists who have finally indicated they will send representatives to future gatherings, the BIIPB decided to change its name. Wait for it. It will …

Read more…

Goodbye from Paisley, hello Peter…

| Readers 4

Martin Rowson’s cartoon in the Guardian today captures at least one aspect of Peter Robinson’s position once the Doc calls time on his fleetingly brief own term in office… Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

Beware strange animals.. again..

| Readers 2

Just in case you didn’t know, tomorrow is the first of April [it is? – Ed] aka April Fool’s Day. So, by way of a public information announcement, and in particular if you were fooled by Panorama’s Swiss spaghetti harvest [ahem – Ed] or the more recent Google Lunar Base, Slate have helpfully produced an updated “Defense Kit” with numerous links to keep you busy informed. Don’t say you haven’t been warned.. again. Pete Baker

“an unforgettable insight..”

| Readers 22

Having spent most of last year filming, I think it would be fair to say that Will Crawley is eagerly anticipating the launch of BBC NI’s natural history series “Blueprint”. – there’s a trailer here. This major, multi-faceted season across television, radio and online features a series of exciting output which will give the people of Northern Ireland an unforgettable insight into where we live and who we are and change the way they see Northern Ireland forever. Blueprint series …

Read more…

“justice, with a small j..”

| Readers 1

Picking up on a report by Chris Thornton in the Belfast Telegraph, the BBC NI political editor Mark Devenport has blogged a suggestion for a possible solution to the still undecided structure of any devolved ministry for policing and justice.. “Is there a solution to the standoff over completing devolution here? Could we get a new department of justice, with a small j to appeal to nationalists and a gov.uk address to keep unionists happy? Perhaps it could be jointly …

Read more…

“oh boy.. oh boy..”

| Readers 2

Via Kieran at Crooked Timber. With one set of muppets warming up backstage.. or already on their worldwide ventures.. Here are the originals. Pete Baker

Heh.

| Readers 2

There’s a meme about on the topic of Hillary Clinton’s claim to have “crossed the threshold” of foreign policy experience to serve as commander in chief. Via the Professor, who spotted it at DailyKos. “Saying that Hillary has Executive Branch experience is like saying Yoko Ono was a Beatle.” Pete Baker

New Northern Ireland muppets revealed..

| Readers 5

Via Splintered.. who adds – “sometimes I wonder if Bert and Ernie would be an improvement..” Full story here, also here and here.. and previously here. Pete Baker

Ahem…

| Readers 4

This headline in the Belfast Telegraph caused me to pause and stare for a while. It is clear that someone’s delusional, and it’s not Gerry Adams. Or at least not in the way the headline implies: “West Belfast MP says Sinn Fein leader is “delusional”. It would seem that Ards MLA has, in the mind of someone, transmogrified into the MP for West Belfast. Nice guy Simon Hamilton may be, but I can’t see that happening in a hundred years. …

Read more…

RTÉ’s turkey’s tune revealed

| Readers 3

Via Conor Pope at PriceWatch, who laments the absence of a video. I’d be lamenting the absence of a tune.. ANYhoo.. It’s not my licence fee money.. but it’s worse than I thought.. and it will probably be RTÉ’s Eurovision entry.. Generally demented? If only.. Adds Keith has heard all six of RTÉ’s options. Update The public have spoken.. the RTÉ turkey it is.. [added link] Pete Baker

“This production is sexually explicit and contains strong language.”

| Readers 3

Given the Northern Ireland deputy First Minister’s apparent sensitivity in regard to portrayals of drunkness in dramas, what on Earth will he make of the one-week run of Equus at the Grand Opera House, Belfast, in March? And what on Earth will the NI First Minister make of it too? I’m sure front row seats could be arranged.. Pete Baker

It’s just a movie..

| Readers 2

Nationalistic interests, among other issues, as always, inform the reporting of this year’s Oscar nominations and there seems to be an assumption that the Writers’ Guild strike won’t be allowed to get in the way of the ceremony. But, as the Professor notes, the 28th Golden Raspberry Award nominations are out too.. with somewhat less nationalistic interest informing the reporting.. Pete Baker

Can you feel it coming in the air?

| Readers 8

Expressing the ineffable, from the Only An Excuse? crowd in Scotland on Hogmanay… Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

“Personal [and public] protection can be both fashionable and functionable”

| Readers 3

Mick had noted Newton Emerson’s hope that the deployment of Tasers “shocks our elected politicians out of their entrenched positions” – and on the same day that the Belfast Telegraph’s Chris Thornton reported that the Chief Constable “has received legal advice that says he has the power to deploy tasers [] in a matter of days” [Next week apparently – Ed]. Now, whilst I wouldn’t dream of thinking I could tell the police what to do on every single issue.. …

Read more…

Some Assembly required…

| Readers 3

We have the late arrival of last Friday’s Irish Times column from Newton Emerson… and his fictional vox pops of the opening of IKEA at the Holywood Exchange….By Newton Emerson The peace process reached its logical conclusion this morning with the opening of Ireland’s first IKEA superstore on the outskirts of Belfast. Huge crowds are expected as people from across the North come together in an orgy of shallow consumerism, Scandinavian social posturing and moderate physical violence. Some Assembly may …

Read more…