Video

“How long is a roll of string..”

Pete Baker on February 25, 2008, 1:47 am | Readers 4

The timing of devolving policing and justice powers got a mention in that wide-ranging discussion noted here – with Reg Empey suggesting the Legislative Assembly provide evidence of competency on the powers they have before requesting more – and later in the Politics Show Jim Fitzpatrick, referencing the “timely” NIO poll, introduced Vincent Kearney’s report on the issue. Among the points made was the absence of detailed discussions on what powers would actually be devolved, the necessary preparations required before …

“He no longer has the fear factor..”

Pete Baker on February 24, 2008, 11:14 pm | Readers 1

A good review on the Politics Show today of Ian Paisley Jnr’s resignation as Junior Minister, whether or not anything illegal had taken place, and the implications for Ian Paisley Snr. The wide-ranging studio discussion with UUP leader Reg Empey and journalist Ed Moloney also touches on whether uncertainty over Paisley Snr’s future could damage the Northern Ireland Executive. Pete Baker

RTÉ’s turkey’s tune revealed

Pete Baker on February 22, 2008, 11:27 pm | Readers 0

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

“The more believable explanation for the duck hunt..”

Pete Baker on February 21, 2008, 8:07 pm | Readers 2

The weather over the archipelago last night was less than conducive to good viewing conditions for the total lunar eclipse, but in the Pacific Ocean there was enough of a gap for the US Navy ship, Lake Erie, to take the opportunity, at 10.26pm, to launch a modified SM-3 missile. And they’re pretty confident they succeeded in shooting down that ‘toxic’ satellite. Time reckons “The more believable explanation for the duck hunt is that it’s been an exercise in politics …

Bad moon rising

Pete Baker on February 20, 2008, 9:25 pm | Readers 1

There’s no guarantee tonight’s total lunar eclipse will be as spectacular as last year’s, as photographed by Sammy Morse, but it will be the last one to be fully visible here until September 2015. All the possible information you could want on tonight’s total eclipse from NASA. Partial eclipse begins here at 1.43am, full eclipse at 3.01am.And here’s a video record of last year’s event. But since I probably won’t be up until the small hours watching tonight, I’ll repost …

“the classical testing of an anti-satellite weapon..”

Pete Baker on February 20, 2008, 8:43 pm | Readers 2

With the Atlantis orbiter safely back on the ground the skies are clear for the US Navy to take a shot at that satellite. The Guardian report thinks that may happen tonight, and this BBC report notes that Russia defence ministry think that “speculations about the danger of the satellite hide preparations for the classical testing of an anti-satellite weapon”. The Belfast Telegraph keeps emphasising that the “toxic satellite [is] over Ireland” and has a somewhat breathless Associated Press video …

“it would be better if all the ducks were facing in the one direction..”

Pete Baker on February 12, 2008, 2:11 am | Readers 1

As a representative of an interested party, Frank Bunting of teachers’ union INTO says that the two consultation documents, on selection and area based planning, in the ongoing discussion on post-primary education are “eagerly awaited”. Apart from his comments on the need for consensus, the points on other issues are, for now, more rumour than fact, but he suggests that approximately 30 local area based planning groups are to be proposed – that number could be aligned, as recommended by …

“The ending will never spoil the memories..”

Pete Baker on February 9, 2008, 2:08 am | Readers 1

The 25th anniversary of the kidnapping, and subsequent disappearing, of the champion racehorse Shergar in 1983 sees a number of articles about those events. Jockey Walter Swinburn reminisces here and, after a brief introduction of some the wilder conspiracy theories, there’s one of the more thorough accounts here. UTV’s Ivan Little also reports below – including on what “one veteran republican” had to say about the sanctioning, or otherwise, of “a spectacular own goal.” Pete Baker

Vote RTÉ, or the turkey gets it?

Pete Baker on February 5, 2008, 8:26 pm | Readers 4

With little information on their entry, the BBC noted a local [Northern Ireland] link to the shortlist for RTÉ’s entry to the Eurovision Song Contest 2008. But there’s a turkey in the bunch.. as some bloggers have already spotted. And he’s an RTÉ employee.. RTÉ’s Morning Ireland talked to those involved [RealPlayer file]. As with last year’s song the public will decide.. the fools.. and with the topic already being discussed on RTÉ’s Questions and Answers [RealPlayer file] the prospect …

Beatles nuts hijack NASA..

Pete Baker on February 2, 2008, 7:54 pm | Readers 1

At least Paul McCartney is being appropriately light-hearted about this – “Send my love to the aliens”, indeed. Yoko Ono is.. well, being Yoko Ono. On the 50th anniversary of its founding, NASA, in their wisdom, have decided to transmit The Beatles’ 1968 song “Across the Universe”.. across the universe. Or, at least, towards the North Star, Polaris. Why Polaris? Because it’s there – 431 light-years there. Nothing scientific about any of it, btw, even though they’re using the Deep …

Ministerial mind to turn?

Pete Baker on January 28, 2008, 10:37 pm | Readers 1

An interesting, and short, snippet from the end of Stormont Live today. According to the BBC’s political editor Mark Devenport “all the buzz”, as the Assembly’s Environment Committee waits on Section 44 being imposed by the Speaker, is that the Environment minister, the DUP’s Arlene Foster, will use a ministerial statement tomorrow to “row back” on her previous position of being “of a mind to approve” Seymour Sweeney’s private development of the Causeway Visitor’s Centre and instead approve a publicly …

“There is, of course, a serious point..”

Pete Baker on January 28, 2008, 4:00 am | Readers 1

Via the Samizdatas. A quality of contribution that the Assembly can only aspire to hear.. Pete Baker

Rendezvous with Mercury

Pete Baker on January 21, 2008, 3:35 am | Readers 5

I haven’t looked at the stars for a while and, like the Professor, I meant to blog this earlier. Better late than never, indeed. The BBC report has a short overview of the Messenger mission to Mercury. But the images of the fly-by of Mercury’s dark side here are stunning. Of course, the best place to go is to the source.. which, in this case, is the Messenger mission website. And that’s where I found the archived animations and movies …

Can you feel it coming in the air?

Mick Fealty on January 16, 2008, 6:05 pm | Readers 6

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

The Executive.. and civil society..

Pete Baker on January 15, 2008, 2:34 am | Readers 0

At the weekend the Alliance Party’s David Ford criticised the Executive’s Draft Programme as ‘meaningless’ and today a collection of north Belfast Protestant clergy penned a critical article in the News Letter “Yet in pursuing this highly desirable goal [economic success], the Executive seems to have been afflicted with collective amnesia. There is much emphasis on building a peaceful, fair and prosperous society, yet a flagship policy of recent years – A Shared Future – has disappeared without comment or …

Responsible but not accountable.. again..

Pete Baker on January 13, 2008, 8:15 pm | Readers 1

Newsnight covered the Secretary of State for Wales etc Peter Hain’s current troubles on Thursday – video below – and the next day Hain made a statement to the Guardian blaming the number of hats he was wearing at the time for his forgetfulness over campaign donations, channelled through the non-think-tank Progressive Policies Forum, and said that “I just want to make it clear that when mistakes have occurred in the past I have never dumped on assistants or civil …

“it would be a very interesting and exciting scientific bonanza..”

Pete Baker on December 23, 2007, 3:29 am | Readers 5

Near Earth Objects, such as the Geminids’ 3200 Phaethon, don’t just pose a potential risk to Earth. One NEO, 2007 WD5, was only identified on 20 November this year and, having been eliminated as a potential threat to Earth, is now heading towards Mars – ETA 30 January 2008. Interactive 3D orbit diagram here [Java req]. NASA astronomers calculate that the chance of a collision with Mars, by the approximately 50m wide asteroid, is currently 1 in 75, although there …

Happy Christmas your arse..

Pete Baker on December 19, 2007, 1:05 am | Readers 17

In order to acknowledge the climb-down by the scumbags at Radio1 in the face of contempt from just about everyone, including their colleagues at Radio2, as they attempted to vandalise a classic song, and more importantly to mark the 7th anniversary of the death of Kirsty MacColl. Here’s the original. Enjoy. Pete Baker

Blogging, journalism, the citizen and convergence…

Mick Fealty on December 16, 2007, 4:13 pm | Readers 3

A few weeks ago I did this interview with Julia Hobsbawm of Editorial Intelligence, in which I lay out some thoughts on the convergence of blogging and journalism and in particular the role of the private citizen in calling political elites to account for the conduct of their mandates. Its worth picking though the full set of interviews with leading commentators like Nick Cohen, Peter York, and Mary Riddell. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers …

“And you believe it?”

Pete Baker on November 30, 2007, 5:17 pm | Readers 2

Jeremy Paxman’s interview with the Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Shaun Woodward, wasn’t part of the clips put online from the Newsnight report but, as with the Prime Time report, it’s worth noting. Pete Baker