March, 2013

Victims of the Troubles: should they decide the punishment?

It’s probably not unique. There likely are parts of the world where, when the judge has passed sentence on the guilty party, he/she turns to the victim or a relative of the victim and asks “Any other punishment you’d like to add?” There may even be countries which sign international treaties and then ask some […]

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Victims of the Troubles: should they decide the punishment?

It’s probably not unique. There likely are parts of the world where, when the judge has passed sentence on the guilty party, he/she turns to the victim or a relative of the victim and asks “Any other punishment you’d like to add?” There may even be countries which sign international treaties and then ask some […]

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Can I interest you in some quality Death?

Psst – care to buy a gun? No?  Just as well, actually, as I don’t have one for sale. But I know  where you can get one. And much, much more. Because arms sales is a massive business which brings in ( wait for it) $1.000 billion  annually. Hold that thought for a second. If […]

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Can I interest you in some quality Death?

Psst – care to buy a gun? No?  Just as well, actually, as I don’t have one for sale. But I know  where you can get one. And much, much more. Because arms sales is a massive business which brings in ( wait for it) $1.000 billion  annually. Hold that thought for a second. If […]

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Cardinal Napier: it’s good to talk

There are certain trigger words that drive people wild – their wits go out and reflex responses set in. This weekend and this morning Stephen Nolan’s radio show was knee-deep in trigger words. What words? “Catholic clergy sexual abuse”. Stephen did an interview with Cardinal Wilfred Napier of South Africa, in which the cardinal raised […]

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Cardinal Napier: it’s good to talk

There are certain trigger words that drive people wild – their wits go out and reflex responses set in. This weekend and this morning Stephen Nolan’s radio show was knee-deep in trigger words. What words? “Catholic clergy sexual abuse”. Stephen did an interview with Cardinal Wilfred Napier of South Africa, in which the cardinal raised […]

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A night with David Norris

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=NMKQRNwuQ9g I was late for David Norris at Colaiste Feirste last night but I’d no bother finding the room where he was performing: the rolling, booming tones were unmistakable and echoed down the hallways. He was being interviewed by William Crawley as part of Féile an Earraigh, and over 90+ minutes he was incorrigible. A […]

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A night with David Norris

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=NMKQRNwuQ9g I was late for David Norris at Colaiste Feirste last night but I’d no bother finding the room where he was performing: the rolling, booming tones were unmistakable and echoed down the hallways. He was being interviewed by William Crawley as part of Féile an Earraigh, and over 90+ minutes he was incorrigible. A […]

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End of ‘No Pope there’

The bit I liked best was when they announced – in Latin – the name of the new Pope and everyone in St Peter’s Square, including the media, sat with their lower jaws hanging. Who’d he say? Who he? I love it when the experts are found clothes-less. So what else is there to be […]

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End of ‘No Pope there’

The bit I liked best was when they announced – in Latin – the name of the new Pope and everyone in St Peter’s Square, including the media, sat with their lower jaws hanging. Who’d he say? Who he? I love it when the experts are found clothes-less. So what else is there to be […]

Continue Reading