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I went the other way a few years back and quit my job altogether.

When our 1st son was born I was sent out on site usually from Monday - Friday, almost as soon as I got off paternity leave. I worked in Belfast but sites were in Dublin, Galway, Cork among others. I was basically the only person in the company who could do job X and rather train others to help I was used every time. I got completely sick of it and was totally missing my first kid as a baby. Mrs NS used to make videos of her and the baby during the week so show me when I got home on the Friday night.

By the time son #2 came along a couple of years later it had got even worse - I was told within an hour of returning from paternity what the plan for me was. At least this work was usually in NI so I did get home, but not until the baby was in bed. I had anticipated this would happen so Mrs NS & I had already discussed and as soon as her maternity leave was ending I handed in my notice. I havent looked back. We have had a daughter since who is just starting P1 so I am looking to start work again (though not looking to hard at the minute). The time I have been able to spend with my kids has been fantastic. Its a cliché that you dont get those years back - but it's true. 

+1 Hardy. If TF is the kind of follower the Church is producing then God help us.

I suspect that very few think the same way as TF.

But he would try to make you believe that 10,000 people at the Athletic Grounds think the same as him

+1 Hardy. If TF is the kind of follower the Church is producing then God help us.

Muppet,the parents shouldnt have allowed the meeting to proceed without them.Watch how this child abuse dies down by the way after compo payments.Amazing how lives destroyed are quickly normalised by moolah.

ffs TF - you have hit some pretty low points in this and the other thread but you have surpassed yourself this time. Absolutely shameful.

On the website I dont think it validates your number plate to check how much you know. Its been a while since I used the site but I think I just put in my reg and how much I owed - usually 2 journeys.

I forgot to pay last time I was through and rang them a couple of weeks later and just had to pay the toll fee. Cant remember if I paid over the phone, or if they told be to go to the website - either way it wasnt any problem.

This happened at a place called 'Burgers & Bullets' http://bulletsandburgers.com/. Book your birthday party on their website
'Our guests have the opportunity to fire a wide range of fully automatic machine guns and specialty weapons. You will choose the guns which you want to shoot ... To top it off, lunch is included inside the the World Famous Arizona Last Stop restaurant located onsite. You will be treated with the World Famous All American Hamburger, fresh cut french fries, and a drink.'

Ranked #1 attraction in Las Vegas on Tripadvisor (even with a few negative reviews today)
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g45963-d3697929-Reviews-Bullets_and_Burgers-Las_Vegas_Nevada.html

wtf!

Any links to what Wullie said about Galloway?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaAN_Xkftf0

I hope he cleans fraser out.

Wullie has a few screws loose but he also has got away with saying whatever he wants, libellous/lies or not, for too long so it'd be nice to see him put in his place.

Indeed! He's had a few rants at the GAA as well which have been basically ignored so if Galloway has some success fair play to him.

Also the LAD website appears to be down?

LADs Facebook page was taken down the other night. They have a new one
www.facebook.com/LADflegBelfast 
They have also started a website - prob due to Facebook being taken down every now and again
www.ladfleg.com 

I watch Wullie's rant. Galloway has good grounds for suing if he wants to go down that road.

Is she supposed to be going to Hydebank, I always thought that was a young offenders centre, not a prison so to speak.

There is a woman's part to this I think

There is a womens' prison and a young offenders centre at Hydebank. Won't be much craic serving her sentence there either. The prison system in N Ireland is a shambles http://nicrimejustice.wordpress.com/2013/10/11/deja-vu-for-northern-irish-prisons/
Though at least family will be able to visit.

Havent posted in a while - but I need some help.
I am working on an app that locates GAA clubs in Antrim, gets directions from your location. You can share/email directions. Its based on an app that I developed locating county grounds (http://bit.ly/1rjZeIT)

I have data on most clubs but need some info on where a few play their home games. Can anyone help on the following clubs?
Ardoyne - do they play at the Criky pitch, Cliftonville Rd?
Pearses
St Comgalls
St Malachys - Cherryvale?
Also, where are the new Belfast Shamrocks hurling club playing at?

Thanks

I am pretty sure Hill St Brasserie has closed. I was past there a couple of weeks ago, and from what I could see, it was gone - it might be one of those Home Restuarants now. If I am wrong, then apologies

[Sat in my seat while the rest of the crowd stood.]

Is America the only other country where they regularly play/sing the national anthem before games involving two domestic teams?

I went to see Manchester Storm play ice hockey when I lived there, so mid-late 90s. Against Basingstoke I think. They played the British anthem beforehand - I wasnt expecting it! Sat in my seat while the rest of the crowd stood.
I have watched Belfast Giants and there was no anthem. I dont know if the anthem is played before all main ice hockey games (minus Belfast) - suppose its an American thing they imported.

Just out of interest, why did you do that? Would you remain seated for the French or Spanish anthem? I don't think it's a great sacrifice to at least show due respect to another countries anthem.

15 odd years ago I was a fair bit more republican (with a small r) - priorities have changed since I have got older and had a family so I've mellowed quite a bit
I am from the north so beside all the obvious guff that the British establishment laid on the lives of nationalists/republicans, I presume would be more used to having British/Royal stuff rammed down my throat than someone from Offaly - it gives the anthem the obvious link with parades, flegs etc - so I have no respect for the anthem
I was stopped and searched by the British Army (and cops) countless times as a youth/young adult - on a weekly basis while at uni in the 90s (ring of steel) - and aul Liz is nominally the head of the army
The Brit anthem at the time was a bit of an issue. They were calls for it not to be played at graduations at Queens and Uni of Ulster. At ceremonies there were situations were some people stood, some sat and some didnt know what to do. So I was far from the first northern Catholic not to stand for Gstq.

So those kind of things along with the general disdain for the British royalty and their anthem meant I was never and am never likely to stand for the anthem. Here was a chance to take a stand (or sit in this case) - so I was taking it
I would have seen it as a great sacrifice if I was to stand - I would have been hypocritical to stand.
I did the same at my wife's graduation.

I am ambivalent to the French or Spanish anthem so would happily stand for it.

Is America the only other country where they regularly play/sing the national anthem before games involving two domestic teams?

I went to see Manchester Storm play ice hockey when I lived there, so mid-late 90s. Against Basingstoke I think. They played the British anthem beforehand - I wasnt expecting it! Sat in my seat while the rest of the crowd stood.
I have watched Belfast Giants and there was no anthem. I dont know if the anthem is played before all main ice hockey games (minus Belfast) - suppose its an American thing they imported.

I think the GAA should and will always promote Irish culture but plenty of us don't consider dead Republican volunteers to represent our Irish culture and identity. In fact some of us consider those people to have hijacked our culture and identity.

Another thing I consider out of date is the national anthem before every game. I'm all for it on All-Ireland final day and provincial finals but can't be arsed with it before national league games.

I would be happy limiting the anthem to All-Ireland & Provincial Finals - county & club. It would help signify that these games are a bit more important.
Playing it in-between the two games in a senior club double-header has always baffled me - why not play it before both, or why is it only necessary before the bigger of the two ties (maybe this is only a Derry thing?). Playing a crackly record over the PA system doesnt seem to happen as often any more.

Good to see unionism coming out and condemning this widespread state murder campaign. So far this morning I've heard Tom Elliot say that collusion didn't happen and he should know because he was in the UDR for 18 years and that any time a weapon "went missing", that "they were always recovered and recovered quickly". Oddly, innocent Catholics seemed to get shot while they were missing but that's just coincidence, right Tom?  The other unionist i've heard from today was Wee Jeffrey Donaldson who said he was worried that this book is just making an attempt to rewrite history.

Jeff is laughable. He admitted he hadnt seen the evidence of collusion, yet he is happy to go on the radio and spout on dismissing it.
I turned off when he started his 'rewrite history' spiel as I did want to listen to his horsesh*t yet again. Its his new mantra. When different narratives come out that dont fit with the cosy Unionist/British view of things it cant just be dismissed as an attempt to re-write history. History has been wrong and rewritten many times in the past. So, in NI it is imperative that attempts are made to 'rewrite history' - then we might actually get a version that is somewhere close to the truth. The old saying that history is written by the winners is so true - and for a long time the Unionist/British version of the truth was the only version because they were in authority. Are there still people out there who will only accept the official version of something and never question it?

NI will never move on until all politicians accept that there was wrong done by republicans, loyalists and the security forces. It doesnt matter who started what, or who was the worst, it matters that all sides, by their on nefarious ways, kept the conflict going for decades.

"I was never aware of any other option but to question everything." - Noam Chomsky (and definitely not Jeffery Donaldson)