frankieforehead

Must've been !!!! hehehe

AlexMcC

Looks like the rankings aren't so inaccurate! The score was 0-1

Grah

not only 0-1 Canda played with 10 men for 70 minutes.
NI managed to hit the wooodwork once or twice tho. Think the game was on last night but was out so didn't see. but from the wind and fog report sounded like there wasn't much to see.

frankieforehead

Heres a nice joke to cheer the Irish up:

Bless me Father, for I have sinned. I have been with a loose woman."

The priest asks, "Is that you, little Tommy Shaughnessy?"

Yes, Father, it is." "And, who was the woman you were with?"

"I can't be tellin' you, Father ;I don't want to ruin her reputation."

"Well, Tommy, I'm sure to find out sooner or later, so you may as well tell me now.

"Was it Brenda O'Malley?"

"I cannot say."

"Was it Patricia Kelly?"

"I'll never tell."



"Was it Martha Shannon?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't name her."

"Was it Ann Morgan?"

My lips are sealed."

"Was it Fiona McDonald, then?"

"Please, Father, I cannot tell you."

The priest sighs in frustration "You're a steadfast lad, Tommy Shaughnessy, and I admire that; But you've sinned, and you must atone.
You cannot attend church mass for three months. Be off with you now."

Tommy walks back to his pew. His friend Sean slides over and whispers,
"What'd you get?!"

"Three month's vacation and five good leads"

Frankieforehead

jerry brewer

Hi
NI or Canada ,
Is it the 1st april already, My choice would be canada, if for some reason you didn't like it come back, just look at the lists of people trying to get into each country.
I have been to NI went to school there, going to canada for first time in august, but heard so much about it.
But in the end it's down to personal choice.
Cheers
Jerry

AlexMcC

I think the poster was winding us up about football - but for me its a real question since I live in NI and have some hankerings for a life in Canada. I have lived in Calgary in the past so I have some views.

IMO Calgary is far better in terms of family values, health care and (especially) recreation. I have my doubts about primary education there since its only starts properly at 6, but I believe by University age, Canada is as good or better. I have found Canadians very friendly but not more so than Irish/N. Irish people. However, in Canada I saw none of the loutish behaviour, drink culture and minor criminality that you get in NI (and other parts of the UK/Ireland). I suspect it is not tolerated there. Culture is not such an issue for me - I am often embarassed for passes for it in NI and the rest of the UK.

The one thing I hated about Calgary is the housing choices. You can choose a new community with a great big house and no garden and so no privacy or an older house with the problems that come with that but with some privacy. Big new house + privacy is not really a goer. That annoys me because here we can have a good garden and good privacy without having to live in the sticks.

You say if you dont like it you can come back but there are 3 reasons why that is difficult 1) House prices are going up quicker in the UK so you move back lower down the property ladder 2) Education being 1 year behind means your kids come back behind everyone else. 3) employers look at your last salary and in Canada it will be lower so you will probably go back to less.

So, unless you are young and single and can afford the risks - if you go you must stay.

JAJ

I thought another reason many people left Northern Ireland was to get away from the religious/political pigeon-holing (in other words, not being able to keep these issues to yourself if you prefer) that goes on there - or is that a thing of the past?

Jeremy

AlexMcC

People want do not want to leave because of the pigeon holing - that is an annoyance - but because of the general demise of society. That demise is UK wide but we have the extra burden here of terrorists trying to control large areas and a weak government who apease them. Where else in the world would someone who supports and allegedly is a commander of a terrorist organisation, responsible for thousands of civilian deaths get to be education minister? Sinn Fein, the Irish nationalist party got this as reward for their sister organisation, the IRA showing the kindness of not killing hardly anyone for the last few years. Oh they also got the release of all their prisoners and the other side too. These were people who shot off-duty policemen in front of their children or who left bombs in shopping areas or carried out violent robberies. These nice people are on our streets now. A few weeks back some of them helped themselves to £26 million of the Northern Bank's (BTW Australian owned) money. That has produced a crises and the penny has dropped that they are in fact common criminals and bullys. Sadly a large section (as much as 20%) of the population vote for them - and that is a good reason to leave. There are reasons to stay too - we have a low cost of living, very good education, affordable housing, great scenery and the majority of people are the most decent and friendly you could meet.