Five Minus One Equals ?
We had to wait so long for the sound of gloating that I started to think unionists must have been flattered by Sinn Fein's "Charter for Unionist Engagement", launched today. Was that why they had decided not to mention the Irish Election results, in which Sinn Fein lost a TD, rather than doubling its Dail team as republicans had hoped?
Then the DUP new boy, Alastair Ross, popped up in the middle of a debate on literacy and numeracy to suggest that republicans spend more time studying their figures, especially their election figures.
Sammy Wilson followed through by suggesting Sinn Fein need a lesson in subtraction and negative numbers.
How cruel when someone is just trying to reach out to you...
I'm 
颁辞尘尘别苍迟蝉听听 Post your comment
What I find heartening in this is that politics in NI appear to be starting on the road to "normal" political debate, with its give and take. I live in Ontario, across the pond in Canada, and our national experience has been that parties with extreme leftist views are quickly brought back to the centre by having to actually be governing (or even to have a chance at it) and having to find a way to pay for their platforms. Unless you are like Hugo Chavez sitting on a sea of oil, that is. But even the latter will pass.
Mark
Clearly Gerry Adams鈥檚 poor grasp of economic issues was largely to blame for Sinn Fein鈥檚 dismal showing in the Republic鈥檚 elections. In the new spirit of co-operation that exists in the Assembly would it not be a nice gesture by Sammy Wilson, who is an Economics Graduate (yes I know, it鈥檚 hard to believe), to take Gerry in hand. Perhaps Sammy could offer one or two pointers on how economies work and what the relations are between economic players in the larger society. As a quid pro quo Gerry, who is a successful author (yes I know, just as hard to believe), could gave Sammy a few lessons on grammar and punctation.
Bill
Carryduff
Does everyone who posts on this blog come from Carryduff then?
Cathal
(Not from Carryduff, and not sure what in joke he's missing out on)
Mark
May I please respond to Cathal鈥檚 comment at Post No 3?
Cathal, calm down, dear, calm down! As we say on Slugger O鈥橳oole: 鈥淧lay the ball, not the man鈥.
Let me explain the Carryduff connection: We Carryduff Posters belong to a small group called: Carryduff Retired Accountants鈥 Presidium. We became friends during our working lives and those friendships have carried into retirement. We鈥檙e a bunch of people who are determined to remain very active (in every sense of the word 鈥 Whoah!). Importantly, we share myriad interests such as hill walking, wine tasting (a favourite), Bridge, tours Here & There with Ulsterbus (Herebus). Indeed I would now extend an invitation to you to meet our little group; there鈥檚 a basket-weaving class next Wednesday and, if you agree to join us, I shall arrange for extra tea and scones to be available.
Cathal, I suspect you鈥檙e a young man with little experience of life and a bit rough round the edges (and I mean this in a nice way) but I beg you not to let the Posts of a group of boring old farts upset you. Maybe you鈥檒l be old some day! So, please, humour us in the meantime.
Finally, does your Employer know that you鈥檙e posting during working hours?
Lots of Love to you Cathal, you little rascal you!
XOX
Susie
Carryduff