Massacre in Glasgow North East?

As we enter this Halloween season, and British Members of Parliament continue to struggle to redeem public confidence in the institutions of government brought about by the 'MPs Expenses Scandal', the ghoulish scepter of the former Speaker of the House of Commons, Michael Martin, will once again haunt the political landscape and cause nightmares at Labour Party Headquarters.

Speaker Martin, who handled the initial stages of the scandal so badly that he was forced to resign on June 21, also resigned as a Member of Parliament the following day.

The by-election for his vacant seat of Glasgow North East, will take place two weeks from today, on November 12. In the 2005 election, Martin won the seat for Labour in the newly created constituency, with a majority of 10,134 votes.

The nightmare for the Labour Party however is more likely to come from the Scottish National Party than the Conservatives. In all 59 Scottish constituencies, the Conservative Party hold only one seat, Dumfreisshire, Clydesdale & Tweeddale, where David Mundell has a 1,738 majority. The swing change required in this seat is 2%.

In the last by-election in Scotland on July 25 of this year, Labour suffered a humiliating defeat to the SNP in Glasgow East, losing the seat which they held in the 2005 election with a 13,507 majority. After a recount, the SNP candidate, John Mason, was elected with a majority of 365 votes, a 22.54% swing.

Running for the Labour Party in Glasgow North East will be William Bain, a law lecturer and Constituency Labour Party secretary.

His SNP opponent will be David Kerr, (35) a television journalist and active member of the Nationalist Union of Journalists. In a by-election in 2000 Kerr contested the Falkirk West seat where the Labour majority was reduced to 700, a 16% swing from Labour to the SNP.

It is tradition that a sitting Speaker is unchallenged, so the Conservative Party did not run a candidate against Martin in the 2005 election. Their candidate in this by-election is a 30 year-old local, Ruth Davidson, a journalist and former member of the Territorial Army.

INTRODUCING Dan ÓNéill AKA ODD BODKINS #5

Dan has granted Soñar permission to publish his ODD BODKINS cartoon strip.

ODD BODKINS ON Soñar. Vol. I No. 5






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Hugh Daniel ÓNéill.

Thirty years ago Hugh Daniel ÓNéill was described as, “an innovator, a creator and a professional troublemaker” in a foreword to a collection of Odd Bodkins. For seven years his Odd Bodkins cartoons ran daily in The San Francisco Chronicle and in 350 other newspapers throughout the world. At its peak, the strip had a readership of fifty million. When he was hired at age 21 —the youngest cartoonist ever hired by a national syndicate— he was given three simple rules: no religion, no politics and no sex in the strip. He did his best to comply — he kept sex out of Odd Bodkins.

For further information on ÓNéill.

http://www.danoneillcomics.com/

http://origsix.com/index.asp

Elizabeth Windsor favours DHL over Royal Mail

Jack O'Connor (Centre with beard) President of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions
addresses striking postal workers in Belfast
© Joe ÓNéill 2009

Postal Workers at Belfast's main sorting office manned picket lines this morning, in the second day of a two day work stoppage, aimed at bringing pressure on their employer, Royal Mail, to enter negotiations to resolve workplace grievances.

The Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions have supported the stoppages. Irish Congress of Trade Unions Assistant General Secretary, Peter Bunting, stated:

“Given the seriousness of the situation, Congress urges Northern Ireland's elected representatives and all of the businesses affected by this dispute to call on Royal Mail management to engage in meaningful talks with the Communications Workers’ Union . A just and speedy resolution of this dispute is essential for all concerned. ”

“NIC-ICTU has consistently opposed bullying and harassment in all workplaces, and the stories which we have heard about conditions affecting Royal Mail workers are truly shocking.”

The Communication Workers Union have called for independent arbitration on the dispute but Royal Mail management have refused to enter negotiations until the union call off industrial action.

Joining the picket line this morning were the General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation, John Monks, Jack O'Connor, General President of SIPTU and President of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, and Peter Bunting.

DHL by Appointment to HM - The Queen
Belfast Docks Depot
© Joe ÓNéill 2009

Many mail order businesses and companies with Internet based sales, have made alternative and contingency arrangements for their mailing requirements in the run up to the Christmas season. One household that will have no problem with switching to an alternative carrier however will be Buckingham Palace. It appears that the Palace already contracts with DHL carriers for it's requirements.

DHL, founded in San Francisco is listed in the official Buckingham Palace site in the section under Royal Warrants as:
DHL Express (UK) Limited
Express Parcels Carrier
HM The Queen – Privy Purse

DHL is the world's leading express and logistics company offering customers innovative and customised solutions from single source. With global expertise in solutions, express, air and ocean, global mail, freight & overland transport, DHL combines worldwide coverage with an in depth understanding of local markets.

This little tit-bit I am sure would come as a surprise to many postal workers, who as taxpayers, help to contribute some £7.9 million per annum to what is called the Civil List, which covers the expenses of the Royal family. It would appear the Buckingham Palace does not take the 'Royal' in Royal Mail all that seriously.

George Washington and the 'Special Relationship'

Facing odds that must have seemed insurmountable, with starvation, military and political defeat staring him in the face at Valley Forge, General George Washington learned a thing or two about how to hold a nation and an army together.

On the completion of two terms as President of the new Republic, Washington delivered a Farewell Address to his fellow citizens.

He outlined his motives for the address such:
'But a solicitude for your welfare which cannot end but with my life, and the apprehension of danger, natural to that solicitude, urge me, on an occasion like the present, to offer to your solemn contemplation, and to recommend to your frequent review, some sentiments which are the result of much reflection, of no inconsiderable observation, and which appear to me all-important to the permanency of your felicity as a people. These will be offered to you with the more freedom, as you can only see in them the disinterested warnings of a parting friend, who can possibly have no personal motive to bias his counsel. Nor can I forget, as an encouragement to it, your indulgent reception of my sentiments on a former and not dissimilar occasion.'

Included in the address was an interesting comment on what is now referred to as the 'Special Relationship.'

George Washington on the 'Special Relationship'

'So likewise, a passionate attachment of one Nation for another produces a variety of evils. Sympathy for the favorite Nation, facilitating the illusion of an imaginary common interest, in cases where no real common interest exists, and infusing into one the enmities of the other, betrays the former into a participation in the quarrels and wars of the latter, without adequate inducement or justification. It leads also to concessions to the favorite Nation of privileges denied to others, which is apt doubly to injure the Nation making the concessions; by unnecessarily parting with what ought to have been retained; and by exciting jealousy, ill-will, and a disposition to retaliate, in the parties from whom equal privileges are withheld. And it gives to ambitious, corrupted, or deluded citizens, (who devote themselves to the favorite nation,) facility to betray or sacrifice the interests of their own country, without odium, sometimes even with popularity; gilding, with the appearances of a virtuous sense of obligation, a commendable deference for public opinion, or a laudable zeal for public good, the base or foolish compliances of ambition, corruption, or infatuation.'

As quotes of American Presidents go, this has replaced my former favorite quote by another President who also learned a thing or two about adversity:

'Show me a good loser, and I'll show you a loser.'

Jimmy Carter.

INTRODUCING Dan ÓNéill AKA ODD BODKINS #4

Dan has granted Soñar permission to publish his ODD BODKINS cartoon strip.

ODD BODKINS ON Soñar. Vol. I No. 4





Select Image for Larger Viewing

Hugh Daniel ÓNéill.

Thirty years ago Hugh Daniel ÓNéill was described as, “an innovator, a creator and a professional troublemaker” in a foreword to a collection of Odd Bodkins. For seven years his Odd Bodkins cartoons ran daily in The San Francisco Chronicle and in 350 other newspapers throughout the world. At its peak, the strip had a readership of fifty million. When he was hired at age 21 —the youngest cartoonist ever hired by a national syndicate— he was given three simple rules: no religion, no politics and no sex in the strip. He did his best to comply — he kept sex out of Odd Bodkins.

For further information on ÓNéill.
http://www.danoneillcomics.com/
http://origsix.com/index.asp

Celtic FC, Strikers, Scabs, and the SAS

A full house of Irish football fans packed Solitude Park, the home of Cliftonville Football Club, to witness a 3 – 0 victory of the north Belfast team over the powerful Glasgow Celtic yesterday evening. The friendly game between the two teams was organized in conjunction with the occasion of Cliftonville's 130 birthday celebrations.

As is normal in these friendly matches, Celtic did not select their first string line-up, but the result was still viewed as impressive by Irish fans.

Strikers of a different variety, than those associated with the game of soccer, called on Celtic fans to red card a director of the club, Tom Allison, and to protest his actions as a Chairman of Peel Ports, which is involved in a labour dispute with Dublin port workers.

The strike by Dublin Port workers passed the 100 days mark last Saturday. Peel Ports, the second largest port company in the UK, which last year took over the dockers previous employer, Marine Terminals, is accused by SIPTU, the union representing the dock workers, of refusing to negotiate with the workers and that the only option open was official strike action. “The Company” say the union, “have given the two fingers to the Irish industrial relation process, and will not attend the Labour Court.”

“While workers are locked out of their place of employment,” say SIPTU, “they have been replaced by Scabs, some from Dublin and Kildare, and more brought in from Belfast and Scotland. “A 'security company' founded by ex SAS members and recruiting form the British military is being used to intimidate strikers and supporters.”

The company, Control Risks, is currently advertizing on its web site for a Project Manager to - “provide day-to-day operational and personnel management of Control Risks’ contract with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in Iraq. The project manager will be based in the British Embassy in Baghdad and will work back-to-back with a project manager of comparable seniority and experience.”

It also posts - “Are you leaving the military soon? Looking for your next career move? Have you considered working within Close Protection? You can use your Enhanced Learning Credits to pay towards the cost of our close protection course.
"A fantastic and well run course - highly recommended to anyone looking to enter the profession." Steve, CP operative working in Iraq.

The striking workers have called on Celtic fans to send messages of support to Celtic Chairman John Reid, at publicrelations@celticfc.co.uk

“The club”, they say, “was founded over 120 years ago to provide relief for impoverished Irish immigrants in Glasgow, and has always had support from the Irish all over the world. No doubt Celtic fans will be disgusted to see a prominent member of the club linked to this attack on Irish workers.”

Dublin City Council have passed an unanimous resolution in support of the workers.

For more details:
www.mtldockers.com
supportportworkers@dublin.ie

INTRODUCING Dan ÓNéill AKA ODD BODKINS #3

Dan has granted Soñar permission to publish his ODD BODKINS cartoon strip.

ODD BODKINS ON Soñar. Vol. I No. 3







Select Image for Larger Viewing

Hugh Daniel ÓNéill.

Thirty years ago Hugh Daniel ÓNéill was described as, “an innovator, a creator and a professional troublemaker” in a foreword to a collection of Odd Bodkins. For seven years his Odd Bodkins cartoons ran daily in The San Francisco Chronicle and in 350 other newspapers throughout the world. At its peak, the strip had a readership of fifty million. When he was hired at age 21 —the youngest cartoonist ever hired by a national syndicate— he was given three simple rules: no religion, no politics and no sex in the strip. He did his best to comply — he kept sex out of Odd Bodkins.

For further information on ÓNéill.
http://www.danoneillcomics.com/
http://origsix.com/index.asp

The Changing Face of Belfast

Former Irish Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, signs a copy of his book, 'Bertie Ahern An Autobiography' for this young man, who was first in line at a packed Eason's bookstore in downtown Belfast today.


© Joe ÓNéill 2009

What a difference a decade makes - Not a protestor in sight!

Irish-American Hardball or California Dreamin'?

© Joe ÓNéill 2009

On July 21, and August 8, I posted two articles,

July 21, 'California dreamin'
http://seosamhsonar.blogspot.com/2009/07/california-dreamin.html

August 8, 'Irish American Voters'
http://seosamhsonar.blogspot.com/2009/08/irish-american-voters.html

The first, dealt with a resolution adopted by the Irish American Democratic Club of San Francisco, stating in part that, 'the California Democratic Party strongly supports Irish Reunification and urges both the State Legislature and the California Democratic Congressional delegation to support all peaceful actions that support the final reunification of the island of Ireland [Eire] by all electoral and diplomatic means necessary.' On July 19, the full resolution of the San Francisco Club, was adopted by the Executive of the California State Democratic Party.

The second post, carried a reprint of an excellent article by Stella OLeary, Founder and Chair of Irish-American Democrats, which challenged the assertion by Irish Times correspondent Niall Strange, that the influence of Irish-American voters was on the wane.

OLeary very astutely wrote then,

“No politicians have received more from Irish America than the Clintons. At one St. Patrick's Day breakfast Irish American Democrats raised $200,000 for the election of Hillary Clinton to the Senate.”

“As was commonly reported, Irish Americans raised millions for the election bid of Senator Clinton for the Presidency. One of our own, Declan Kelly, was at the very top of Senator Clinton's list of fundraisers.”

(Kelly, aged 41, born in Portroe, County Tipperary, has since been appointed by Secretary Clinton as Economic Envoy to Northern Ireland.)

On hearing the news of the position of the California Democrats, Northern Ireland First Minister, Peter Robinson, wrote to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stating that the campaign by California Democrats was 'unhelpful.'

If that news wasn't bad enough, the San Francisco Labor Council have got into the act. On September 28, they passed the following resolution;

Resolution in Support of a United Ireland

WHEREAS, the logic of history, international law, human rights and peace dictate the reunification of the island of Ireland [Eire]; and

Whereas, the reality of the moment—the Good Friday Agreement and the development of the All-Ireland institutions of governance—attest to this momentum; and

WHEREAS, in the past the San Francisco Labor Council has historically
supported not only equal rights and justice for all Irish people, but also the reunification of Ireland as the path to that end; and

WHEREAS, the contributions of the Irish-born, and Irish Americans to this state, this nation, and to labor unions are legion,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the San Francisco Labor Council supports Irish reunification and supports all peaceful actions that support the final reunification of the island of Ireland by all electoral and diplomatic means necessary; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Bay Area Central Labor Councils, the California Federation of Labor, the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), and to President Obama, Vice President Biden, Secretary of State Clinton, US Senators Boxer and Feinstein, House Speaker Pelosi, and Congresswoman Speier.

Submitted by Denis Mosgofian, GCC-IBT 4N and Mike Casey, Unite Here 2 and adopted unanimously by the San Francisco Labor Council on September 28, 2009.

Respectfully,

Tim Paulson
Executive Director
OPEIU 3 AFL-CIO 11

When the First Minister hears this news, I have no doubt he will put pen to paper once again to inform the San Francisco Labor Council that this move would be 'unhelpful.' I would however give him one little bit of advice, don't C C it to San Francisco's Irish-American Mayor, Gavin Newsom. He will be a little busy running for the Democratic Party nomination for Governor of California.

Around this time I also came across an article in which former California State Senator, Tom Hayden, (First to draft MacBride fair employment legislation for the California legislature regarding use of state pension funds invested in Northern Ireland) mused that he was unsure if the current group of Irish-American activists were as committed or as active in pursuit of an Irish-American agenda as those who were around in the 1980's.

He may well get his answer sooner than expected.

California Dreamin'

“California, once described by Patrick Doherty as, the 'Jewel in the Crown' of the Mac Bride Principles campaign for fair employment practices by American companies doing business in Northern Ireland, has again shown that Irish-Americans continue to be pro-active in the quest for Irish reunification.”

“Doherty was, and is at this time, Director of Corporate Responsibility for the City of New York pension funds, and a leading proponent of the Mac Bride Principles campaign.”

INTRODUCING Dan ÓNéill AKA ODD BODKINS #2

Dan has granted Soñar permissionto publish his ODD BODKINS cartoon strip.

ODD BODKINS ON Soñar. Vol. I No. 2





Select Image for Larger Viewing

Hugh Daniel ÓNéill.

Thirty years ago Hugh Daniel ÓNéill was described as, “an innovator, a creator and a professional troublemaker” in a foreword to a collection of Odd Bodkins.

For seven years his Odd Bodkins cartoons ran daily in The San Francisco Chronicle and in 350 other newspapers throughout the world. At its peak, the strip had a readership of fifty million.
When he was hired at age 21 —the youngest cartoonist ever hired by a national syndicate— he was given three simple rules: no religion, no politics and no sex in the strip. He did his best to comply — he kept sex out of Odd Bodkins.

His characters began to discuss metaphysics and deliberately offend the powers that be. The strip was dropped by the papers in 1966; editors thought he was going too far out, and assumed that no one could possibly make any sense out of these mad scribblings.

No sooner had the deed been done, when thousands of readers demanded Odd Bodkins’ return to the comic pages. Fans jammed the switchboard and sent letters demanding the reinstatement of Fred Bird, Hugh, Were-Chicken, Norton Motorcycle, and the rest of the Bodkins world.

In 2002, Dan was elected to the Board of Directors of the Sixteen to One mine, one of the last working gold mines in California.

For further information on ÓNéill.
http://www.danoneillcomics.com/
http://origsix.com/index.asp

Time to “efficiency save” Ulster Scots

In these series, Soñar will publish without edit, the views of Guests.

The views of Guest Bloggers do not necessarily reflect those of Soñar.

Soñar will reserve the right to comment at time of publication, or thereafter, on articles submitted by Guests.


© Joe ÓNéill 2009
Boordo Ulstèr - Scots, at Hope Street and Great Victoria Street, Belfast

Guest Blogger Cllr. Ian Parsley

Time to “efficiency save” Ulster Scots
29th September, 2009

A recent submission by the Ulster-Scots Language Society to the European Committee of Experts concerning regional and minority languages claimed there is a “lack of action to facilitate Ulster Scots in education” and “lack of opportunities for non-speakers to learn Ulster Scots”. Ein as ane at bes aa for takkan tent o the braid tongue, could I suggest that may be because there is a “lack of interest among the (taxpaying) population”?

If there were ever a time to put an end to this nonsense, it is now. The Government did not include “Ulster Scots” in its three-year report to the Committee because it knows fine rightly no such language exists – the main reason no one is interested in it!

What does exist is the Scots language – not used in every aspect of daily life, but still widespread, including in Ulster. It has a rich literary heritage (Burns et al), a rich cultural influence (as the language of pipe bands, golf and Scots law), and a rich academic following (as a useful comparator in Germanic linguistics). All of this incorporates the variants spoken (and written auld lang syne) in Northern Ireland and Donegal. Its promotion is best left to the grass roots, on the baith sides o the Sheuch, linking speakers, enthusiasts and academics.

However, little of this requires significant government (taxpayer) subvention, and none at all is required for the blatant attempt to separate “Ulster Scots” from Scots on purely funding grounds. The “Ulster-Scots movement” had its chance – and the fact its submission was in English shows you how spectacularly it blew it.

I don’t need government money to support my genuine interest in the Scots tongue. In times where a DUP Minister faces a £400 million black hole of his own predecessor’s making, it is time the DUP called time on this wee cultural experiment funded to excess by the taxpayer. To do otherwise would be both weird and daft.