Dublin's Double Standards Over On-The-Runs
by beano 
on 30 Oct 2005 at 14:21. Categories: News, Northern Ireland, Irish Republic, Sinn Fein, IRA An immensely detailed UTV news story reports that the IRA killers of Irish police officer Garda Gerry McCabe will not be granted amnesty under the terms of the legislation being passed in Westminster and in Dublin to allow on-the-run terrorists to return home without fear of prosecution.
If this turns out to be true it's an absolute disgrace and illustrates exactly the sort of double standards the government of the Republic are happy to impose regarding terrorists. It also illustrates the contempt with which they really view the British population of Northern Ireland.
Taxi Driver Leads Assault On Passenger
In a disgusting display of savagery a west Belfast taxi driver led a mob of about 30 people in an assault on one of his passengers - because he was a Protestant. The incident happened last weekend when Stephen Donaghy, from Blacks Road, was dumped out of a taxi in Andersonstown. (Hat tip to ATW on this)
Did Anyone Notice Yesterday?
I realised last weekend but managed to forget about it all day yesterday. Yesterday was 28th September: Ulster Day - the 93rd anniversary of the signing of the Ulster Solemn League and Covenant throughout Ulster, signifying the people of Ulster's opposition to the plans for Home Rule being introduced; an act that would see Ulster under the control of a Dublin parliament. There's more on the covenant at Wikipedia.
In most other places in the world a day as significant as this in the history of a country, significant enough for Rudyard Kipling to write the poem "Ulster" would be marked as a national holiday and celebrated. In Northern Ireland it is conveniently ignored. It should be a public holiday.
25,000 Hits In 3 Months
Everything Ulster has just today passed 25,000 page loads (and just short of 10,000 unique visits) since 1st August according to stats at statcounter.com.
Microsoft Try To Take Over My PC
Micro$oft - out to take over the world?
It's that time again folks - yep, another MSN Messenger upgrade. I barely use the thing any more but my curiosity won out when I logged on and it told me MSN Messenger 7.5 was now available. Happy days, let's see what bell they've added or which whistle they've tweaked this time.
Right, what's new? Windows XP users can send video clips. Ohhh exciting! :yawn: Ah what the hell I'll upgrade anyway. This action, for some reason, in Microsoft's eyes, gives them the right to try and overrun my whole PC with MSN branded products - BOKE!
Iran President Defends Call To War
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the psychotic Islamofascist heading Iran's government, has defended his remark that Israel should be "wiped off the map" claiming criticism of his remarks was unjust and invalid.
Let's just think about this for a second. This guy unapologetically and unequivocally calls for a neighbouring country to be "wiped off the map" and at the same time expects the west to believe that his nuclear programme is purely for civillian electricity provision. He's having a laugh isn't he?
PAT Calls For Grammar Schools Return
Delegates from the Professional Association of Teachers called yesterday for government to reintroduce the 11-plus/grammar school system scrapped in England and Wales by the Labour government following their 1964 election win. Despite the blindingly obvious fact that comprehensive education has failed on the mainland, the government position is still against academic selection and is also presumably happy to bring Northern Ireland's education system down to the same level.
ODPs Asked To Swallow Another Bitter Pill
by beano on 26 Oct 2005 at 18:57. Categories: News, Northern Ireland, Sinn Fein, Loyalists, IRA, Direct Rule, Republicans Peter Hain is currently working on proposals to allow "dozens" of on the run criminals to return to Northern Ireland without fear of prosecution, once again demonstrating that Ordinary Decent People (yes, that's what I meant by ODPs) don't matter a jot as far as the Labour administration at Westminster is concerned. Perpetrators of what even Peter Hain described as "horrific crimes," who have never served a day of jail time for the atrocities they committed will be allowed to return to the United Kingdom safe in the knowledge that they've got away scot free!
I've been quite critical of loyalists and of unionist politicians overhyping perceived concessions to the IRA - largely because now nobody will take any notice of them when they talk of quite real concessions like this. The release of prisoners early under the Good Friday Agreement was bad; it was an awful element of the agreement which most ordinary folk accepted as the price of peace but this is taking things too far.
McDonalds To Provide Fat Transparency
It's welcome news that McDonald's are going to start putting nutritional information about their foods on the packaging itself instead of just making it available in an online nutrition counter or (sometimes) on leaflets in store. McDonald's has been going healthy (well, healthier) for some time now and one look at their website will show you they're focusing more on deli sandwiches and other healthier options in an effort to keep up with changing trends, but does this really mean much?
Where To Now for Northern Ireland?
It's a slow time for news in Northern Ireland, you know that when one of the 'big' stories of the week is that the leader of a pressure group masquerading as a political party has been appointed to a position on the Privy Council, a position in which he will wield zero power or influence. These slow times though give us all the opportunity to step back and analyse just what's going on in the province at the minute. What's up with the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive?
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