Irish Political News

There's been a rash of stats-porn, and anti-stats April fool porn, re this week on UK Political Blogs. I'm not interested in all of that, but the comments about blogs vs big media are interesting, especially with "Politics Portals" (my term) with their origins in the blogosphere on the way.

Since this is Free for all Friday again I thought I would make my contrarian contribution.

As reported here.. [*Ahem* - Ed]

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.

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 editor Paul McGuigan says: “We’re rolling 600 million years of Northern Ireland’s unique past into an exciting series across television, radio and online.”

Now, if someone could remind Northern Ireland’s Culture Minister..

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 led by a Justice minister and another justice Minister.....”

It would, of course, still leave the issue of the timing..

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

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.”

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.”

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.

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. A united Ireland on the other hand....

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]

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..