Another one for the "What the hell is she thinking?" scrapbook. Everyone's favourite tennis star Caitriona Ruane has finally put forward her proposals for ending academic selection... by not quite ending it? Well not quite, not yet. Maybe. It seems as… more »

I watched a quiz on TV recently where there was a multiple choice question (roughly) as follows: In what country is the stock exchange known as the BSE? A. India B. Japan C. Thailand I knew Japan has the Nikkei and I knew Bombay had been changed to M… more »

It's been a busy few weeks for those following the debate over the national stadium plans for the Maze. A matter of a couple of weeks before Peter Robinson is due to make his 'recommendation' to the Executive over the Maze plans, it has emerged John S… more »

They're coming from all sides today. O'Neill's ever-watchful eye has picked up that Wales's GVA per head is only 77% of the UK average, (down from 79% when the Assembly was set up in 1999 and 84% back in 1991) despite receiving more than £1bn of EU ai… more »

A few successes at the US:NI investment conference yesterday, despite the worrying economic outlook in the United States. US company CyberSource have announced they will be creating 20 new jobs (rising to 60 in three years) in a new research centre to… more »

The Sewel Convention states that if Westminster is to legislate for Scotland, it must seek the permission of the Scottish parliament first. It is somewhat different, in that the Assembly couldn't have made this decision at present but the Government has… more »

There seems to have been an awful lot of downtime here at EU lately (including most of today!). I am monitoring this and will move hosts if I have to to combat this should it recur. My hosts assure me, for the 3rd or 4th time, that they've found the sour… more »

Elections to the 11 new councils won't take place until 2011. NIO minister Shaun Woodward has announced that the local government elections due to take place in Northern Ireland in 2009 have been put back to 2011 at the request of executive ministers.… more »

It comes as no surprise to this blogger that our illustrious education minister, one Caitriona Ruane, has once again come under fire this week. Grammar schools have struck another blow against her policy of abolishing academic selection and this morning… more »

Everyone's favourite unelected legislator has had an idea. I can't drive. I've just never bothered to learn. So lets say I get my licence next month and I drive to my girlfriend's parents in south Down. Alastair Ross will be very upset if I leave f… more »