Messages

bollix. He's a great man to watch.

[It's]

That's great, NS, but it's just a statement with no supporting argument. I'm not interested in what you believe, but in why you believe it. Can you elaborate and, if you like, answer the questions?

And please stop with the ould shite about insults. If such a mildly expressed argument insults you, I don't care.

No supporting argument? To back up my claim that Irish Independence has not been achieved yet? Does it really need one? Look at a map, and you will see six north eastern counties which are divided from the rest of the Island.
Your own quote contradicts yourself:

I take the view that, per the terms of the GFA, Irish independence IS a done deal. The terms are clear. It's available as soon as the majority want it

If Irish Independence is already a reality, then what is the "it" you refer to twice as being available when...??

We have the ability to vote for Irish Unity, but that ability is not Irish Independence Hardy. Rather, it is a hard earned method of achieving Independence. It's like saying that Ireland was Independent in 1916 because we had the ability to take up arms for Independence. As I say, if you were a republican who grew up and lived in Tyrone, you would probably not take too kindly to being told by a Meath man that Irish Independence has been achieved.

As for your questions:

1&2: I don't look at it in a partitionist way. The British Queen has been to Ireland many times in her lifetime, and I'm well used to that. If that improves relations, then fine and well, but laying a wreath in the Garden of Remembrance and playing the British National Anthem there? Too divisive and in my view, and in the views of certain patriot dead family members whom I've both spoken to and read comments from, an unnecessary insult. British and Irish relations have room for improvement, but rather than divisive and hypocritical actions like yesterdays, would some form of practical co-operation not be much better? Would it also not be better if the British were perhaps to admit that they were an even an active protagonist in the conflict of the past 40 years here, rather than some sort of peace-keeping referee which at worst, maybe had one or two bad apples? Maybe then I would be more inclined to buy into the idea that visits like this will normalise relations.
3: I support the GFA. It doesn't state that to improve Irish-British relations, that the British Queen must visit the Garden of Remembrance and that no other methods shall be considered.

Excellent, NS, but I'm none the wiser as to your alternative to the GFA as a model of how we should proceed in our relations with the UK. If you don't accept that the GFA delivers Irish unity on acceptable terms, you can't really get away with dodging the issue of what your alternative terms are. Are you really suggesting that we cannot pursue normal diplomatic relations with the UK UNTIL a United Ireland (which version?) is actually set up. Even if that doesn't happen for another 50 years? 100? 2000? That seems to me to be the logic of your position.

What, exactly, is to be gained by a Paisleyite "never, never, never" stance? Even Paisley eventually relented. For him, the trigger was the opportunity to get his spawgs under the table of power. What would be your trigger?

The same.

[Do two wrongs make a right?]

The SDLP really don't help themselves. Attwood doesn't exactly set the world alight.

The Irish Language Act surely will only get passed via an all party vote? In the current climate they'd need to have some good justification for spending money on translating documents people can already read and understand. Having said that it may only be a small % of the money wasted elsewhere. Do two wrongs make a right?

Nah, just an executive.

This thread is pure troll fodder so I regret wading into it but I just find so many aspects of this funny. The ability on all sides to politicise the visit of an octogenarian and twist it whatever way they wanted is unprecedented in the history of the state. God forbid that Mary McAleese should ever invoke so many arguments and counter-arguments when she visits a neighbouring  country.
Those now in favour of the visit, Myers, Kenny, The Mail, are no better than a crowd of snivelling, hovel-ling West Brit gobshites. Joe Brolly must be getting paid the twenty silver pieces to write for such a shit-whack of a publication. These people are so fond of talking about the nation "maturing" and how we "matured as a nation" playing the Saxons in Croker. Is this the same "mature" nation that was buying bog-holes development sites for 200,000 euro a pop? Were youse as mature when the EU/IMF whipped your ass and threw yis in the playpen? bolix's , da lot.

"Those who think they are serving their community are in fact serving the occupation and will be treated as such," the statement says.

Someone arrest this man, he's in the Real IRA!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBT4ZWy6Lm4&feature=player_detailpage

Indeed.

DUP to take Enterprise, Trade and Investment which SF were widely tipped to be keen on to develop the All Ireland strategy. For that reason alone im disappointed. SF to keep education and agriculture and to take culture, arts and leisure, so expect an Irish Language Act on the agenda fairly quickly. DUP to keep finance obviously but also take health.

In reality though how much control and or influence can an assembly minister have? I mean how could SF manage the trade portfolio so much differently than the DUP? Could the language act even go through, even with a SF minister? SF proposals for a language act were quashed before, nothing has changed so they will be again. In the case of the Maze stadium, once the "shrine" uproar occured, party politics, 3rd party interests and finance intervened. Campbells only intervention was to decide when the money arrived, not who, where or how.

Ulick, can we expect Catriona to get the road next week? I'm keeping everything crossed. Is big O'Dowd in the running for a seat at the table? Always comes across as a good operator on tv so id like to see him replace Ruane or possibly Murphy who didn't help himself with his handling of NIW during the winter. Gildernew is no great shakes either.

tony i don't know how you think Michelle gildernew was no great shakes as agric minister when she was greeted everywhere she went in the farming comunity with rapturous applause IMO your completely wrong there she was probably the most popular minister in stormont

I know she was popular and that is because she was giving money to farmers hand over fist. DofA fucked up when submitting claims to EU and were fined to the tune of £60million. She wasn't personally responsible but he claim that no-one was to blame stuck in my craw and summed up all that is wrong with public sector NI.

actually what happened was the bean counters in Brussels started to look for excuses to reduce the single farm payment and began to stroke off land that was ineligible that had previously been payed out on. this included laneways, rushy ground, new yards, overgrown hedges. individuals had failed to stroke these areas off their maps and the dept had failed to notice Michelle took the hit to avoid the individuals  getting done for fraud and the issue was sidestepped, i understand that the 60million fine is being appealed with a Strong chance of success. i also understand that the Irish discrepancies were amongst the lowest in Europe

Thats complete and total balls. The land that was being claimed for should not have been claimed for and was never eligible for inclusion for SFP. Michelle didnt take any "hit" as she kept her job and the taxpayer has to foot the bill.

hedges grow and so do rushes oakleaf what do you want her to do, cut them?

Lawnseed,

You either know nothing about the eligibility of land under the SFP scheme or are stupid, which is it?

Hedges should be cut every second year unless they are at the roadside. Rushes have nothing to do with eligibility. All those issues are covered by the cross compliance checks which are carried out.

Gildernew was responsible as the Minister for the incorrect submissions.

i think you'll find that rushes do render land ineligible did you not get any aerial photos yet

Lawnseed,

I can log in and look at them anytime I like.

A field is either eligible or its not. We could go back and forth with different examples all night about different types of things covered under the 7 measures but the buck stopped with Gildernew.

do you not have to cut your hedges?

Lawnseed rushes make no field ineligible, quit it with your pub talk bullshite.

Gildernew is a bollix who doled out money hand over fist, ignored the rules and has been sent back from Europe with her tail between her legs. Trying to blame the 100 million fine that is in the pipeline for the taxpayer on "individuals" who didn't cut hedges or spray rushes is a conspiracy theory of the highest degree.

If the southern Ag minister brought a 100 million euro fine on the taxpayer he'd be out on his hole, it is annoying to think that the Shinner spin doctors can get this swept under the carpet and draw up double jobbing as an important issue. Gildernew is as successful an agriculture minister as she is a MP.

Here I've been away for a few days, can you tell me how the SDLP got on in Fermanagh and South Tyrone?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/election2011/constituency/html/36716.stm

Have you your single farm payment application in yet gda?

69 is a far better number to be obsessed with..

Oh and I never heard of the guy in the thread title but he sounds like the Nordie Joe Duffy

Was thinking the same thing. Co-incidentally he has an IQ of 69.

Who Lawnseed or David?

Neither.

yez i'll miss me when i retire

Can we get a deadline for that?

Ulick, can we expect Catriona to get the road next week? I'm keeping everything crossed. Is big O'Dowd in the running for a seat at the table? Always comes across as a good operator on tv so id like to see him replace Ruane or possibly Murphy who didn't help himself with his handling of NIW during the winter. Gildernew is no great shakes either.

tony i don't know how you think Michelle gildernew was no great shakes as agric minister when she was greeted everywhere she went in the farming comunity with rapturous applause IMO your completely wrong there she was probably the most popular minister in stormont

I know she was popular and that is because she was giving money to farmers hand over fist. DofA fucked up when submitting claims to EU and were fined to the tune of £60million. She wasn't personally responsible but he claim that no-one was to blame stuck in my craw and summed up all that is wrong with public sector NI.

actually what happened was the bean counters in Brussels started to look for excuses to reduce the single farm payment and began to stroke off land that was ineligible that had previously been payed out on. this included laneways, rushy ground, new yards, overgrown hedges. individuals had failed to stroke these areas off their maps and the dept had failed to notice Michelle took the hit to avoid the individuals  getting done for fraud and the issue was sidestepped, i understand that the 60million fine is being appealed with a Strong chance of success. i also understand that the Irish discrepancies were amongst the lowest in Europe

Thats complete and total balls. The land that was being claimed for should not have been claimed for and was never eligible for inclusion for SFP. Michelle didnt take any "hit" as she kept her job and the taxpayer has to foot the bill.

hedges grow and so do rushes oakleaf what do you want her to do, cut them?

Lawnseed,

You either know nothing about the eligibility of land under the SFP scheme or are stupid, which is it?

Hedges should be cut every second year unless they are at the roadside. Rushes have nothing to do with eligibility. All those issues are covered by the cross compliance checks which are carried out.

Gildernew was responsible as the Minister for the incorrect submissions.

i think you'll find that rushes do render land ineligible did you not get any aerial photos yet

Lawnseed,

I can log in and look at them anytime I like.

A field is either eligible or its not. We could go back and forth with different examples all night about different types of things covered under the 7 measures but the buck stopped with Gildernew.

do you not have to cut your hedges?

Lawnseed rushes make no field ineligible, quit it with your pub talk bullshite.

Gildernew is a bollix who doled out money hand over fist, ignored the rules and has been sent back from Europe with her tail between her legs. Trying to blame the 100 million fine that is in the pipeline for the taxpayer on "individuals" who didn't cut hedges or spray rushes is a conspiracy theory of the highest degree.

If the southern Ag minister brought a 100 million euro fine on the taxpayer he'd be out on his hole, it is annoying to think that the Shinner spin doctors can get this swept under the carpet and draw up double jobbing as an important issue. Gildernew is as successful an agriculture minister as she is a MP.

http://sluggerotoole.com/2011/04/12/sinn-fein%E2%80%99s-town-hall-event-speculation-on-ronan-kerr%E2%80%99s-politics/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-13320482

I find both these types of electioneering truly disgusting. Hijacking a dead man's memory to use a political canon fodder has to be the lowest of the low. I wouldn't mind it so much if it where family or friends declaring a particular stance, but two complete strangers predicting and articulating a dead man's motives is repulsive.

As Emmet said "Let no man write my epitaph; for as no man who knows my motives dare now vindicate them, let not prejudice or ignorance, asperse them."

Two things are happening. The assembly was very popular with nationalists and they turned out in numbers in the past to vote for it, a measure of apathy has now set in. There are more centrist votes, this has meant that the nationalist vote tend not to increase and the unionist vote declines. In an election or two it will be equal votes for nationalists and unionists and 10% for the middle.

I would draw a different conclusion. The low turnout shows that apathy has set in across the whole spectrum of voters. Despite 30 years of bloodshed, repression and reprisals, the people of the north are now more indifferent to politics as the vast majority of the Uk, Ireland and Western Europe. Turnout was 15% lower than recent irish and 5% behind the uk elections.

Also the Alliance electoral gain is increasing steadily, 1.5% in 2007, 2.5% in 2011. They are really the only party who can walk away saying they had a successful election. They so no sign of hitting their ceiling and I think they will have a big part to play in elections of the future

[Paranormal Activity 2]

Saw these this week.

Paranormal Activity 2 - Poor. A lot worse than the first one.

Green Zone - Shit, stupid, unoriginal.

Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - Shite book, alright movie.

Thor - Decent comic book stuff. Nice mix of FX, humour and general bullshittery to keep you entertained.

Monsters - Alright, bit silly in parts.

I need to start watching better movies.

Brilliant.

It is also perfectly credible to believe that the SDLP are more effective nationalists than the rather crass carry on of Sinn Féin, who are not typical of the Irish people generally. Softly softly catchee monkey and all that.

One of the notable things about the recent election count were media interviews by Marty and Jeffrey Donaldson that could have been taken from John Hume's speeches, with talk of "working together for the shared future of our people". I am not sure that the modern SDLP has people quite of the calibre of Hume and Mallon, who did a real service to the people of Ireland.

but for the tactical voting of unionists around markethill mallon wouldnt have lasted near as long as he did i'm open to hear what his great achievements were i cant think of one

What are your achievements then and we'll compare them with Mallon's?

I can think of 1: Mallon could master primary school spelling and punctuation.

Mallon: 1
lawnseed: 0

[Let this fool no-one, the vast majority of Unionists want to see the nationalist people back in the 70s with no say, no rights and no chance.]

Let this fool no-one, the vast majority of Unionists want to see the nationalist people back in the 70s with no say, no rights and no chance.

Yes I know Evil Genius will reply with 10 different replies to my statement in nought point three seconds, just like he has commented on Elliots behaviour (yeah right) 

That is a very sweeping statement. The only fool is yourself. As Maguire said the vast majority of Unionists I have encountered tend to be good, well meaning people. I'd say a damn site less than 25% would envisage a nationalist under-class as you describe. Many of the Unionists/Protestants that encounter nationalists on a day to day basis would be sound enough. It is the ones who live in E. Belfast, Craigavon, Portadown, the Protestant garrison towns, that would hold the view that nationalists are a threat.