The problem with progress - Ulster Business

http://www.ulsterbusiness.com/articles/2012/05/10/the-problem-with-progress

Social media has become part of daily life. But with many people uneasy about the way it helps brands target individuals so specifically with advertising; some experts believe internet privacy is a ticking time bomb. Stephen McVey reports

How would you measure a Belfast Buzz?

http://sluggerotoole.com/2012/05/11/how-would-you-measure-a-belfast-buzz/

At the ‘Belfast One City’ conference Paul Nolan, author of the Peace Monitoring Report, said it would be difficult to collect the data to measure the positive feelings in Belfast. As odd as it may seem to take a scientific approach to the mood of an entire city, it does highlight how small victories for a city as a whole, may not be of any consequence to individual citizens struggling with recession.

As we head into summer, many people are suffering from brain freeze after being bombarded with iceberg related anniversary news. A ‘Thai-tanic’ restaurant really took the biscuit. Although there is probably a Titanic biscuit out there as well. The cynics will say, celebrating failure is not something we should be proud of, whilst others will point to the positive attention the Titanic has brought to Belfast. An impressive, new exhibition building to attract tourists and celebrities (John Bishop being the latest) can only be good for the city.

The Belfast media group in promoting the ‘Belfast One City’ conference labelled Belfast as a ‘vibrant city’.  I would argue that there is no question that Belfast is going in the right direction, but with a city centre that is like a ghost town most days of the week, it is only our drinking and dining culture that is providing any footfall after 6pm.

Paul Nolan states in the PMR that:  “Attention has focused more on the relaxed environment of the city centres, which now boast a new ‘cappuccino culture’, busy restaurants, shopping malls and night clubs.”

Following trends in the US or on the continent is not a new thing and the cappuccino culture in Belfast has been thriving for years. Now it seems like our mimicry of the continent is set to continue with new legislation set to be introduced to legally allow cafes, restaurants, and bars to place tables and chairs on the pavement for use by their customers.

 DSD Minister Nelson McCausland said: ‘’Well designed, sensibly located pavement cafés can add value to the street scene, boost visitor numbers and contribute to the economic and general well-being of local communities. “

I would love more of the Al fresco lifestyle and I regularly take the opportunity of a break in the clouds to lie in a heap outside City Hall, but we don’t live in Madrid, Paris or even London. 

There is the sense that we continue to struggle with our identity, a shared identity to be proud of. Titanic gave an example as one BBC reporter claimed her Catholic friends considered the Titanic to be a symbol for Protestantism. It is typical that even something as big as Titanic cannot be celebrated in unison.

Rather than measuring a so-called Belfast buzz. We should be moving past the buzz words like ‘A shared future’ and ‘dealing with the past’ and actually finding a way to make it happen. 

The citizenship test: Protestants as well as Catholics in favour of fee waiver.

http://sluggerotoole.com/2012/05/02/the-citizenship-test-protestants-as-well-as-catholics-in-favour-of-fee-waiver/

In Northern Ireland we have the unique situation where we can claim dual nationality. The bulk of the population is split between those who claim Irish citizenship and those who claim British citizenship.

Following the news that sixth form pupils in the UK who hold Irish passports qualify for free university tuition in Scotland, the question arises whether the passport that a person from Northern Ireland holds, is the definitive mark of their nationality.

It was originally believed that students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland had to pay the higher fees in Scotland. The decision has now been made that, as Irish passport holders in Northern Ireland count as EU students, those who have Irish passports are exempt.

The possibility of students from both religious backgrounds taking up this tempting opportunity is very likely. Given that they could avoid paying up to £27,000 in fees over a three year period, Protestant students could face a dilemma over how much their citizenship is worth and whether having two passports questions their identity or nationality.

In East Belfast, students of Grosvenor Grammar school have decided to apply for an Irish passport with no apparent concern about what it represents.

The flexible manipulation of dual citizenship is not a new concept. In recent years when people in Northern Ireland wanted to travel back to countries such as Australia, they have applied for a second passport as a way to get another visa.

Speaking about the tuition fee waiver, DUP MP Gregory Campbell said he had raised the issue with Angus Robertson, the SNP leader in Westminster regarding the treatment of dual citizens in Northern Ireland.

"With such a unique situation, the Scottish executive should take an equally unique approach to Northern Ireland students.

"Rather than only those who are happy to have an Irish passport gaining free university places, the Scottish executive should remove all fees for students from Northern Ireland.

"This would restore fairness in that those who wouldn't be comfortable being an Irish citizen can still avail of free places at Scottish universities.”

Mr. Campbell’s words have suggested that nationality in Northern Ireland is an option to be chosen. It is a bizarre arrangement that we live in a country where we choose the nationality that we feel most ‘comfortable’ with. 

The Scottish government acted in a way that ensures the equal treatment of all EU citizens, but in Northern Ireland it has opened up a loophole that will add to the citizenship debate.

Whilst we remain torn between British and Irish sensibilities, Northern Irish citizens will not have a collective unique identity. For the foreseeable future, it looks like we will continue to have optional nationality. Within this framework, having two passports in the locker will be nothing more than a way to manipulate the system, and with £27,000 at stake, why not?