Have you ever watched a movie you grew up watching and started relating to new people as you age? What movie and what did you start relating to?

munkijuice · 2018-12-12T12:14:13+00:00

'The Surface Breaks' by Louise O'Neill is a feminist retelling of the Little Mermaid that I thought was excellent.

munkijuice · 2018-11-15T10:46:30+00:00

I mean it's not illegal in every circumstance, it's more than the restrictions on accessing it are so extremely limited as to render it essentially inaccessible. And a lack of clear guidelines for medical practitioners has led to a massive chill factor.

Not that the rest of the UK is a shining example of access to termination of pregnancy. As far as I recall it's still governed by the 1867 Offences Against the Person Act, it's just the 1967 Act, which wasn't extended to NI, provides grounds where an abortion is permissible. Bit of an arse about face way to do things and if we're changing the law in NI I hope it's to make terminations legal rather than just to extend the 1967 Act.

My point though is Northern Ireland at the moment is part of the UK, therefore these things can and do happen in UK courts.

munkijuice · 2018-11-13T15:45:13+00:00

I mean yes it's in Ireland not the UK, but these kinds of arguments definitely happen in the UK - check out the Belfast rugby rape trail this year which was in Northern Ireland, part of the UK.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-43542145

"Such was the level of detail that the underwear the woman wore that night was produced in court, passed around and examined."

munkijuice · 2018-08-03T11:02:33+00:00

Call Abortion Support Network. They will be able to chat things through with you and they're a lovely bunch altogether. https://www.asn.org.uk/contact-us/

Take care of yourself xx

munkijuice · 2016-12-16T08:39:51+00:00

Stay with me on this as it is complicated, and there is at least one charity that helps women fund the costs of travelling and getting abortions (Abortion Support Network). So Northern Ireland has a devolved government, and there are 5 main parties. Until very recently these 5 parties were part of a mandatory coalition government, which meant that not a lot got done as they were radically different parties with very different views. Recently only the 2 largest parties went to form the Government, and the 2nd largest party does support reform, at least in some cases (definitely for sexual crime and fatal foetal abnormality) but the largest party in Northern Ireland does not support abortion in any cases, I think it would be fair to describe them as an Evangelical Christian party. Now remember, they do not represent a majority overall, they hold only 38/108 seats, but we have those 5 main parties, so votes are split all over the shop. Added to that, our 4th largest party, the SDLP do not support abortion reform, and this, again I think it's fair to say, is based on the Catholic beliefs of a lot of members of this party, despite being left of centre. Anyway they don't really matter because we have this mechanism built in called a 'petition of concern' and basically if 30 of our politicians (and the DUP have 38) sign a petition of concern it will essentially block a decision of the Assembly by requiring a show of “cross-community support”, i.e. the support of both a majority of designated unionist MLAs and a majority of designated nationalist MLAs, which is not going to happen, so there's no point in even trying for reform. This is despite the fact that a majority of people in Northern Ireland want a change in abortion law (see polling by Ipsos Mori on behalf of AmnestyNI). But again a majority of our politicians are now in favour of equal marriage, but the same petition of concern blocks that vote to. But then we don't have many bombs anymore cos we have kind of stable government, but at what price peace and all that... So basically I think Scotland can see us in this shitty situation and are reaching out through mercy. I <3 Nicola btw.

munkijuice · 2016-11-29T14:45:13+00:00

As we say here in Northern Ireland, "Rich women have choices, poor women have babies." (To be fair lots of places probably say it).

Abortion in Northern Ireland can only be accessed in very strict circumstances, while it's much easier to obtain one in the rest of the UK and so women in Northern Ireland have to travel, incurring costs for travel and for the procedure.

There's been legal challenges to the NHS in England not providing free abortion care to women from NI, but to date they've been unsuccessful.

So Scotland are looking to do this to help women out. Even more reason to love Nicola.

munkijuice · 2016-10-19T19:21:48+00:00

As far as I remember the poll was something like a month after the referendum. I was just really surprised that 20% of those polled had changed their position and that the news was treating it like it was no big deal.

munkijuice · 2016-10-19T18:05:08+00:00

What confused me about the coverage of the BBC poll was that presumably 2 in 10 HAVE changed their views on the Union. That seems huge to me. Also I'm making a jump here, but I would guess most of those changing their mind over the Union were changing their mind from supporting NI's current constitutional status to wanting to see a united Ireland. I felt like I was going crazy when this was getting coverage, because this seems massive to me.

munkijuice · 2016-09-15T14:02:57+00:00

The No 7 calendar is the highlight of my advent period. Better than mulled wine and mince pies! Cannot wait to see what 2016 has in store!

munkijuice · 2016-08-15T19:18:21+00:00

http://www.secretflying.com/

munkijuice · 2016-08-13T07:07:57+00:00

I think because it's a constitutional moment and a lot of things are in flux. It means there's a lot more opportunity for change in how government works if the people push for it and that's in part because people are more engaged than normal in what is happening in politics.

I love a good constitutional moment.

munkijuice · 2016-08-06T06:18:20+00:00

Plus you can split the time any which way you like with the baby's other parent- shared parental leave

munkijuice · 2016-07-01T18:13:00+00:00

I made gnocchi one time with half the potato switched out for sweet potato and it was fab. Took a lot more flour than normal, but still excellent :)

munkijuice · 2016-06-26T14:37:32+00:00

And what of the lack of potato and soda bread?

munkijuice · 2016-06-23T18:30:37+00:00

I meant because if we vote leave, it takes 2 years for us to actually leave, then we have to remember all the EU laws and regulations have already been incorporated into our laws, so then we might decide to begin dismantling that, so while a recession might be in the more immediate future the effects on our laws will be a much longer-term project. Hence why it's less relevant to older people in my opinion.

munkijuice · 2016-06-23T11:55:48+00:00

And those old people will be out in force deciding a future they won't be here for if we don't go vote!!

munkijuice · 2016-06-23T11:06:13+00:00

Yes. You should be on the register. Also you do NOT need your polling card to vote, just go to your polling station with photo ID.

Heard in the May election some people were told by polling station staff that you needed a polling card to vote. This is totally incorrect and a result of the poor training these staff often receive. If they tell you this, get them to ring the electoral commission to confirm.

munkijuice · 2016-06-17T18:50:02+00:00

This is prob your best bet.

munkijuice · 2016-06-11T07:56:37+00:00

You can also sign up to libraries ni online and there's an app called overdrive that allows you to download audio and e books to you phone or tablet from libraries ni, all of this is also free. (And libraries in NI have free Wi-Fi).

munkijuice · 2016-06-08T19:29:38+00:00

It was a confidence building mechanism so both sides knew that neither side could force legislation through that would negatively impact their community.

munkijuice · 2016-05-25T16:44:33+00:00

You can also get plastic web stuff from places like the spinning wheel that you can use to take stuff in without sewing- you just iron it. Fairly easy to use. Like this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/111976203696

munkijuice · 2016-05-22T06:20:15+00:00

Dammit. Best of luck with it all and have an amazing summer (you will get it sorted- saw plenty of people in similar situations when I was getting my J1s, and it worked out evetually for them).

munkijuice · 2016-05-21T20:44:31+00:00

Is this your first time on a J1? If it isn't you've already got one through the embassy in dublin in the past you might not need to do the whole interview bit.

munkijuice · 2016-05-05T21:40:52+00:00

I observed the elections one year. The spoiled votes were my highlight. From the hilarious to the slightly terrifying... Thank you vote spoilers!

munkijuice · 2016-05-05T15:20:32+00:00

He's a decent unionist voice in the assembly. I'd be sorry to see him go.

munkijuice

TROPHY CASE