Comments on The Pensive Quill: Bus Banjaxed

Larry The News Of The World will hardly be misse...

2011-07-10T10:12:15.923+01:00

Larry

The News Of The World will hardly be missed. Pity that people lost their jobs but it was a disgraceful set up.

Mackers could be worse, you could have been workin...

2011-07-07T20:16:43.815+01:00

Mackers
could be worse, you could have been working for News of the World.

Jim. Good piece. Alec: "The bus was detour...

2011-07-07T19:53:36.629+01:00

Jim. Good piece.

Alec: "The bus was detoured down Consent Road via Good Friday Avenue to Stormont Hill...

Quite funny and so true.

Mick: "By the time Arafat met Barak and Clinton, he new the game was up"

Reminds me of when Adams met Clinton, Blair and Ahern!

Bus Banjaxed Mick, Thanks but you flatter me! I ...

2011-07-07T13:36:35.180+01:00

Bus Banjaxed

Mick,

Thanks but you flatter me! I think it is important for writers to know when they are past their best. Otherwise they end up like old flabby fighters stalking a ring with no corners to hide in.

Really good speech Jim. The analogy stuff was grea...

2011-07-07T10:47:31.250+01:00

Really good speech Jim. The analogy stuff was great. Maybe it be that I am old now but felt deep sadness post reading it.
RE: '...republicanism ...the kind that puts the people before Politician, President, Prime Minister, Pope, Priest, Pastor or Profit.'
How will/can things as they be now ever be molded into a sustained cohesive determination of the Irish people? I just cannot figure how so many have sagged into compromise so thoroughly bar a handful. Like all the guts and self determination has been sucked out of Ireland. Creaking groaning tottering into the 21st century is Mother Ireland. Her back is broken & her heart ripped to shreds.

"There are much sharper nibs about." AM...

2011-07-06T11:02:02.129+01:00

"There are much sharper nibs about."

AM

Perhaps, but when it is combined with fact, at your best you are as good as it gets.

Mick

Eddie, ‘Mackers, you were always hell and blue Je...

2011-07-05T18:45:42.043+01:00

Eddie,

‘Mackers, you were always hell and blue Jesus with a pen.’

Is that my old buddy Eddie O?

‘glad to see you are applying it with rapier like precision in the direction of those who deserve to be confronted with the truth of their lies, deceit and treachery.’

I have gone off the boil over years. I basically said all I needed to say years ago and now use the pen more casually. There are much sharper nibs about.

The Oslo Accords and the GFA came out of the same ...

2011-07-04T18:31:04.961+01:00

The Oslo Accords and the GFA came out of the same womb, and to be fair to the Palestinian people they quickly realised they were being stitched up. By the time Arafat met Barak and Clinton, he new the game was up and in the period after that meeting he understood the best the Palestinians could hope for was to endure, understand and await better days.

However this was not on as far as Washington and Israel was concerned, and they turned their guns on old Yasser and the Palestinians, whilst placing their stooges in leading positions throughout the West Bank. Sound familiar?

After Arafats gruesome death they felt they had the whole caboodle in the bag, but the Palestinian people said no and discarded the Quisling Fatah leadership for Hamas and the rest is history as they say.

Whilst of a secular bent myself, there is much to be learnt from the way Hamas conducted themselves in those dark days. They realised conceding core beliefs will get them no where they wish to be.

Back to the thread, a great speach by Jim Mc Allister,

Marty, Spike always got called the horse and the...

2011-07-04T16:41:48.948+01:00

Marty,

Spike always got called the horse and the other fella was known as Seamy Wooden Top

Anthony no fools those two,have you seen their pro...

2011-07-04T16:28:55.707+01:00

Anthony no fools those two,have you seen their property pportfolio,s.as Nuala said some swaped the bus for a seat on the gravy train.

Alec, that sounds like Seamy F and Spike!

2011-07-04T15:46:11.655+01:00

Alec,

that sounds like Seamy F and Spike!

larry, "who would sign up for another Adams ...

2011-07-04T12:36:13.387+01:00

larry,

"who would sign up for another Adams mystery tour."

Only fools and horses.

Fionnuala As with revolutions, each 'resoluti...

2011-07-03T23:40:47.239+01:00

Fionnuala

As with revolutions, each 'resolution' is also unique. The western media have lauded the northern 'peace process' because it is a triumph for the UK. Those involved in other struggles will have to study it and formulate their own strategy. When they do so, they will see just what SF did.

The Unionists with their dogged determnination have more in common with the Basques than SF.

The book is 'Talking to Terrorists' Making peace in Northern Ireland and the Basque country. By John Bew, Martyn Frampton and Inigo Gurruchaga.
Very good read.

Alec
brilliant, but who in their right mind would sign up for another Adams mystery tour?

Larry, thanks for that, it is something that has p...

2011-07-03T22:50:15.247+01:00

Larry,
thanks for that, it is something that has puzzled me a lot recently.
It puzzled me even more, when I heard the 'settlement' here was being used as model for peace and reconciliation in other countries.

The bus was detoured down Consent Road via Good Fr...

2011-07-03T22:07:05.312+01:00

The bus was detoured down Consent Road via Good Friday Avenue to Stormont Hill where it was decommissioned due to wear and tear,to the utter dismay of some of the passengers. Unfortunately, the fares are non refundable as the tour company is insisting that though the bus is banjaxed the journey may still be completed using other transport.

Fionnuala, 'What fascinates me and it really ...

2011-07-03T20:10:40.551+01:00

Fionnuala,

'What fascinates me and it really does, how they got the Basque and the Palestinian's to buy into this?'

Read a book recently "Talking to Terrrorists". The concensus seems to be that SF have got into self deception. The Basques although infiltrated and as good as on their knees refused anything other than their original demands.

I'm no authority on the Basques or the Palastinians, but it seems they are not going to be palmed off or bought out like SF. The Basques seem happy to play a waiting game rather than accept an imposed settlement by Madrid. While the Palastinians are resolute in choosing their own negotiators for any peace settlement.

A great read Jim, thoroughly enjoyed that.

Why do people refer to SF as Republicans? They are SDLP imposters.

Now after me Mickeyboy et all, The wheels on the b...

2011-07-03T16:31:51.626+01:00

Now after me Mickeyboy et all,
The wheels on the bus are square,square square.the wheels on the bus are square ,square, square,
This bus aint goin anywhere!

Eddie Lot of passion in that post Jim and a truer...

2011-07-03T13:46:30.794+01:00

Eddie

Lot of passion in that post Jim and a truer reflection of republican feeling on the ground.Obviously feelings no longer shared by Gerry Adams and his merry ilk.I have never heard the crap about the bus journey,if I had it would have been dismissed as speedily as "you have got to see the bigger picture" and the mouthpieces who parroted this hand me down phrase from those most high upon their self constucted pedestals.

Mackers, you were always hell and blue Jesus with a pen,glad to see you are applying it with rapier like precision in the direction of those who deserve to be confronted with the truth of their lies,deceit and treachery.

Very fitting and very moving. No buses these days...

2011-07-03T13:27:19.366+01:00

Very fitting and very moving.
No buses these days, too busy making sure none of the gravy spills out of the proverbial train.
No trickle down effect in West Belfast, buckets out everywhere to ensure the people do not profit from the overflow.
What fascinates me and it really does, how they got the Basque and the Palestinian's to buy into this?

Marty, despite destination Cork it got about as ...

2011-07-03T12:24:47.386+01:00

Marty,

despite destination Cork it got about as far as Banbridge before he ran it into the ground. Those still on it are happy enough to sing the Sash

A lot of good people were on that bus Anthony,befo...

2011-07-03T12:16:11.706+01:00

A lot of good people were on that bus Anthony,before the wheels came off.!

Jim, some great reflections there. I remember rea...

2011-07-03T11:12:01.185+01:00

Jim,

some great reflections there. I remember reading that bull about the bus ride to Cork.

No probs Anthony,Jims love for his part of this la...

2011-07-02T22:16:21.302+01:00

No probs Anthony,Jims love for his part of this land shines out like a beacon.

Marty, thanks for alerting me to that. I had the ...

2011-07-02T21:39:24.248+01:00

Marty,

thanks for alerting me to that. I had the byline typed out and the phone rang. So I forgot to post it. Sorted now.

That reads to me like Jim Mc Allister, if not I ap...

2011-07-02T21:30:27.859+01:00

That reads to me like Jim Mc Allister, if not I apoligise either way,it was a well written post and one which I am in total agreement with.psf and I mean here Adams and a few others privy to the secret dirty deals,have ripped the heart out of the republican struggle,the rest of those who remain in psf are either suffering from part of the herd syndrome or ambitious wannabes,A new way foward for republicanism must be found,the old ways have given us nothing but hero,s like Brendan,who like other brave volunteers died way before their time,or young people banged up for years wasting that precious energy, I believe we can and will rekindle the flame of freedom, how we achieve that must be up for open debate.