Imagine a passenger aeroplane which is in deep trouble.  Three out of its four engines have ceased to function.  The fourth is badly damaged and could also malfunction soon.  The plane was originally on its way to a different airport but had to be diverted because of a bad winter storm but it might never reach its diverted destination.  Weather conditions are still very bad and the storm is threatening again.  At the moment, visibility is poor.  The pilot can not even see the ground.  Things are rather desperate.  If they can not land soon, they risk losing that last engine followed by disaster and tragedy.

Now let’s call that Aeroplane “the DUP”.  Had it flown to its original flight path, it would have topped the poll in the Euro Election and landed safely at its originally planned destination airport.  As it was, a storm broke out which we call “the TUV.”  As well as preventing the plane from landing, the storm caused the damage to  the plane’s four engines after it was diverted.   The pilot wishes desparately to land.  There is only one airfield nearby.  The airfield is called “police and justice.”  If they can land there, get time to refuel and fix the plane, they could all survive.  But there is just one other problem.  The airport has been taken over by a group of gangsters called Sinn Fein.  Sinn Fein want the DUP to land at their airport but they will only allow them supplies and time to fix their plane if they agree to certain conditions. 

All right, I am not the most talented story-teller when it comes to inventing make-believe and drama description.  However, this analogy does highlight a number of real political incidents that are happening to the DUP.  The certainties in this drama are that the DUP has been damaged but not yet finished.  It still holds out a slim hope of a recovery and being able to weather the TUV storm.  Much of that hope is now dependent on getting Policing and Justice devolved in a way which satisfies the majority of hard-line unionists.

A month ago, Liam Clarke wrote an article in the Sunday Times entitled “First Minister has played his cards right.  If you read it, you would think “hey presto, Peter’s done a blinder and can look forward to the spoils.”  However, within a week of that article, it was obvious that it was flawed as well as written prematurely.  Consider particularly these comments:

“The DUP is now in a position to push for a series of side deals under the guise of measures to build confidence among unionists. These include the abolition of the Parades Commission, the retention of the PSNI full-time reserve, a more relaxed regime on the issuing of personal protection weapons to retired members of the security forces, and a gratuity package for members of the RUC’s former part-time reserve.”

Well, we now know that the full-time reserve will not remain and that Jeffrey Donaldson is still snarling.  We also know that Parades Commission is still a huge sticking point.  In fact, it is looking increasingly as though the lack of agreement on parades could be the sole reason that this crisis is not resolved.    

Why mention Liam Clarke’s article at all then?  Clarke should have waited until there was a formal announcement that the negotiations had concluded.  However, in many respects, Clarke’s article was right.  Peter Robinson had indeed played a ‘blinder’ on almost all aspects of the negotiations up to that point.  Even now, if he can put together a package which satisfies most of the unionists (including most hard-line unionists) he could well survive to see off the threat from the TUV. 

Unfortunately for Peter Robinson, the old proverb “a miss is as good as a mile” applies appropriately to his good work on Police and Justice.  If he fails on this, his failure will be absolute.  

His prospects of success do not look good.  The issue of parades seems to be one which the parties will not be able to resolve between them.  In the larger scheme of things, the DUP’s demands are unreasonable at the present time.  A lot of good and difficult work has been carried out by the Parades Commission.  Many streets and communities are safer and many parades are now peaceful because of its existence.  In an earlier post on this subject, I argued that Policing and Justice could be devolved without parades and that the latter could be devolved at a later time to give the best chance for public confidence in the new ministry to build.  Perhaps that is a concession that Sinn Fein could agree to.

That is not how Peter Robinson sees it, and with good reason.  Much of the support that was lost to the TUV in the European elections would be of Unionist voters who regard the Parades Commission with contempt.  Therefore its abolition would certainly be a feather in Robinson’s cap in his competition with Jim Allister.

Abolition of the parades commission is also too much of a concession for Sinn Fein to make.  Speaking to the BBC a few days ago, Martin McGuinness repeated Sinn Fein’s position

“it was “absolutely preposterous” to make a demand on behalf of the Orange Order for the abolition of the Parades Commission”

From its own political perspective, Sinn Fein can not afford to concede to the DUP on parades.  It has even rejected, out of hand, the recommendations contained in the interim report on the strategic review of parading headed by Lord Ashdown.   Taking these two positions together, it seems unlikely that we will see the devolution of Police and Justice during this Assembly – or is it?

Martin McGuinness is now blackmailing the travellers on that DUP aeroplane.  He has given the DUP until Christmas to set an actual time for the devolution of Police and Justice.  It is the equivalent of saying “If you don’t land on our terms within this time limit, you will not be able to repair your plane and you will have no supplies.”  It is still foggy and now a snow storm and blizzards are affecting the runway.  So what does Robinson do?

He really has no choice but to land that plane.   To him, it may be the lesser of two evils.  If he does not, Martin McGuinness will probably carry out his threat to bring down the Executive and force fresh elections.  Robinson could be ousted as first minister within weeks.  It would leave the DUP in complete disarray.

Is Sinn Fein bluffing?  I dont think it is this time.  With the SDLP not knowing who its new leader will be until February, the timing of the ultimatum is perfect.

As we cast our minds back to just over a year ago, we remember Sinn Feins’s boycott of the Executive over the issue.  They were forced to give up their boycott without apparently having extracted any clear commitment from the DUP on the timing of P & J devolution.   They gave up their boycott after calculating that they would suffer electoral damage if they did not get down to the business of government.  So what has changed to embolden Martin McGuinness? 

The answer appears to be the change of the political landscape brought about by the TUV.   Sinn Fein now see a vulnerablility in the DUP which was lacking a year ago.  If the Executive is brought down, that brings fresh elections followed by Sinn Fein becoming the largest party at Stormont with McGuinness as First Minister.  If the Unionist Parties refuse to go into government with a Sinn Fein First minister, who gets the flack?  It would be the Unionists for being intransigent.  Sinn Fein then comes out “whiter than white” within the nationalist community having also gained an electoral mandate to push through P & J.

Peter Robinson is in a perilous position.  Perhaps his best option is to fudge the parades issue by asking Sinn Fein to commit to “considering” the final Ashdown report when it is made.  In practice, it would be no concession at all but it might save Robinson from complete humiliation.  Following that, he would then close his eyes and hope that his party can hold onto most of its existing parliamentary seats at the forthcoming General Election.  That might just give him enough time to get that plane repaired.  However, he still has to negotiate that storm and land it without crashing it!

Barry Magee is a native of Co. Down. He is a Law Graduate from Queens University Belfast and has been involved  in Northern Irish, EU and US Politics for a number of years.  This is the second part of an article  about growing up as a Republican in the North over the past 25 years and what he feels needs to be done to achieve Irish Unity in the future

Following on from my earlier post regarding the growing up in the North during the Troubles, I would like to now discuss how we can actually progress the type of change that we want – and create a new, agreed and united Ireland.

This is a difficult one when one considers the current lie of the political landscape in the North. There is widespread inertia and this is typified by leadership failures at the very top of the political establishment between the Sinn Fein and the DUP.

This inertia is in truth a basic result of the St Andrews Agreement. This agreement created a form of balkanised “Government” in the North. It is not really a Government in the conventional sense, one that makes decisions and has a distinct presence of accountability. It is a “Government” of nobody and everybody at the same time. There is a clear lack of accountability for decision-making and it is a Government that has become synonymous with constant, almost perpetual, grid-lock and political inertia.

Considering the inability of the Assembly to properly legislate and the inability of higher echelons of the Executive to provide leadership it is a Government that does not really govern. As a result many people may begin to question the ability of the Stormont institutions to act as a proper vehicle to deliver sound and credible devolution and question whether Stormont is capable of delivering the goal of all-Ireland state.

In reality the institution stagnation is a result of the diametrical and conflicting nature of both the DUP and SF and reflects the institutionalizing of this conflict. This direct opposition only serves to perpetuate sectarian animosity and undermines any semblance of a shared society that exists. The fact that the two parties cannot even agree on a Shared Future strategy compounds this argument. This makes the prospect of a united Ireland look distinctly “pie-in-the-sky”. If political parties can’t even agree on how to live together in peace, then how exactly could they agree on something as outlandishly contentious as creating a united Ireland?

I believe that the problems with the current political dispensation are not only reflective of the composition of the mainstream political establishment in the North; they are inherently institutional. There is simply too much power concentrated in OFMDFM currently between what are confrontational and diametrically opposed parties in the DUP and SF.

Institutional reform is realistically an option if the circumstances dictate, and the current stalemate over the devolution of policing and justice may even prove to be that, but a change of political personnel is a dynamic that may not be so easily achieved. The DUP-SF mutual “love-in” has been so far electorally successful for both parties, despite the TUV giving the DUP a bloody nose at the European Parliamentary elections in June. While nothing continues to get done and the Executive workload begins(!) to drift, the DUP and SF continue to feed off their mutual blame and opposition to each other.

When republicans consider these difficult realities, a united Ireland sometimes seems like not only distant but an unachievable and hopeless goal. Not only is the leading party of Northern republicanism complicit in continuing to undermining public confidence in the devolved institutions but they have also entrenched and antagonised unionism, thus putting off the prospect of a united Ireland even further.

So who else should republicans look to for leadership? The SDLP are a party of leadership, but currently it is vastly outnumbered in the NI Executive and has a limited political voice due to the unhealthy weighting of power, at the hands of the DUP and SF, within OFMDFM. While the SDLP enjoy good relations with all parties in the South, SF has a long way to go in terms of being recognised as a major all-Ireland political force.

With virtually no influence in the South, SF seems unable to shake of the mantle of being a “northern party”. Couple this “northern party” label of SF with considerable opposition towards them in the North and it seems SF do not offer a viable vehicle to achieve a united Ireland. The monopoly on all-Ireland politics that SF currently enjoys is extremely unhealthy for both the political development of the North and for the overall all-Ireland project. I believe that this monopoly is also unhealthy for republicanism.

Firstly SF’s connections to violence will always undermine their ability to generate unionist consensus behind a united Ireland. Simply put SF will never deliver a united Ireland on their terms. This is due to the simple fact that their role in the troubles has meant that unionist do not trust them. Although this may seem like a paradox but a united Ireland will never be achieved without unionist support and any major advocate of all-Ireland realignment must be capable of gaining their trust. SF undoubtedly fails in this crucial task.

Secondly, SF negotiators at St Andrews failed republicanism with the deal that they struck with the DUP and British Government. SF gifted the DUP a perpetual veto for themselves and republicans have been living with the consequences ever since: DUP torpedoed the Irish Language Act, blocked SF’s education proposals, DUP continue to block the devolution of policing and justice powers and, frankly, there is a litany of other examples. The triple-lock veto given to the DUP by SF at St Andrews represented a sell-out and has allowed the DUP to dictate the agenda and call the shots.

One must ask whether allowing this DUP veto was either incompetence on the behalf of SF negotiators or in fact an ingenious but cynical strategic ploy, knowing that giving the DUP would be like giving a hunting rifle to Sarah Palin. A DUP veto would enable SF to play the blame game. This victimhood is the very essence of where SF draws it’s political power. Here we delve into the murky realms of SF political thought where SF cannot survive unless they can accuse unionism of oppression. Neither the DUP nor SF would be so powerful if it was not for the existence of the other: they both represent a rather perverse case of mutually dependent existentialism.

What we now have is a high-stakes political blame game between the DUP and SF. This is being pursued by each party for self-centred electoral purposes while the grid-lock threatens the very essence of the peace process, the stability and credibility of the structures in which the peace process is institutionalised and the very health of the political progress that has been made.

Thirdly, SF has displayed an inability or unwillingness to compromise and work with other parties, including their green counterparts in the SDLP. In the devolution of policing and justice debate SF have been complicit in attempting to exclude their fellow republicans in the SDLP and have attempted to deny them their democratic claims to a future policing and justice ministry. This is an unacceptable. Cooperation is also a fundamental principle of power-sharing government and their inability and unwillingness to compromise on the transfer debacle has not only created chaos in the education system but has shown SF to be incapable of being a party of leadership. The strangle-hold that SF currently exerts over republican politics in the North must be broken.

In my opinion for this to happen there must be all-Ireland political realignment involving other parties, North and South. Fianna Fail’s recent decision to organise in the North is something that should be welcomed by all republicans. This decision should not become dialectic or be about conflicting ideological issues between the various strands of republicanism, such as an argument about left or right. Republicans must look to the bigger picture: it’s about what is right and what is wrong in terms of the struggle for united-Ireland and a realignment of politics, potentially prompted by a move North by FF, will be simultaneously beneficial to the political health of the North and the republican struggle in the long-term.

Both the SDLP and SF have publically recognised this fact. They too know that all-Ireland political realignment will further advance republican goals. While each of these parties may have their respective concerns about the electoral ambitions of FF, whether FF will pose an electoral threat to these parties remains to be seen and is a discussion for another day.

The participation of another all-Ireland party within the realm of Northern politics is a development which must be accepted as an inevitable reality on the road to normalising the North and in the future create a united Ireland. Unity will not happen unless those who support it have political influence. Those driving the process forward must have influence in government in both the North and South. But it is imperative that FF, should they finally decide to contest elections in the North, operate on the basis that strengthening the republican agenda across the island of Ireland will involve cooperating with other republican parties already established here and seek to explore ways through which they can collaborate.

Even with this realignment, a united Ireland will not happen overnight. In order to bring that reality closer we must break down this cycle of deadlock in the North and make REAL power-sharing work. Republicans must also pay attention to the unionist community; a united Ireland can only happen with them on board. We must stay true to the consent principle and begin a process of engaging the unionist community in discussions about a united Ireland. This must be done by developing practical arguments for unity, and identifying the socio-economic benefits that it will bring to the table.

Another substantial issue will be dealing effectively with the legacy of the past. This is a major issue for me and one which the SF-DUP axis have failed to show proper leadership upon, instead preferring to degenerate this narrative into a zero-sum, sectarian game. There must be a proper, balanced and thorough process of reconciliation and truth that addresses the legacy of the past and all those involved.

There are many questions that will remain unanswered for the time being, including practical governance issues with unity including the implications for public finances, etc. These difficult issues are for a time in the future when a united Ireland is a more realistic prospect and when a much more serious debate can be instigated. Let’s just take one step at a time.

Wie ich gerade gelesen habe, gibt es ab Januar 2010 kein “ASU” mehr. Die Abgasuntersuchung wird dann bei der TÜV-Prüfung integriert, eine extra Plakette für das Nummernschild vorn gibt es dann nicht mehr.

Im Prinzip eine gute Sache. Theoretisch könnten dann sogar die 1-3 Euro für eine 2. Plakette entfallen – was immer die auch aktuell gerade kostet. Aber wie man sowas kennt, wird im Endeffekt die komplette TÜV-Abnahme teurer als zuvor, als es noch einzeln gemacht wurde…

Fahrschule 80803 München-Schwabing, 81675 München-Haidhausen: Kostenloser und unverbindlicher Schnupperkurs vor der Führerschein-Ausbildung

Künftige Autofahrer brauchen bei der Auswahl ihrer Fahrschule nicht die Katze im Sack zu kaufen.

Es ist ganz einfach: Man probiert die Fahrschulen aus, bevor man sich bei einer verbindlich für die Führerschein-Ausbildung anmeldet. Die Münchner Fahrschule Theorie + Praxis zum Beispiel bietet kostenlose und unverbindliche Schnupperkurse zum gegenseitigen Kennenlernen an.

Eine gute Fahrausbildung ist Vertrauenssache und abhängig von der stimmigen Chemie zwischen Fahrlehrer und Fahrschüler. Deswegen laufen die Schnupperkurse bei Theorie + Praxis so ab: Als erstes nimmt der potenzielle Fahrschüler an mehreren Theoriestunden in der Zentrale an der Münchner Freiheit (80803 München-Schwabing) oder in der Filiale im Stahlgrubercenter (81675 München-Haidhausen) teil. Dabei kann der Interessent die Fahrlehrer der Fahrschule kennenlernen und sich einen aussuchen, mit dem er eine kostenlose Fahrstunde zur Probe machen möchte.

Erst wenn der Fahrschüler dann wirklich überzeugt ist, bei einem Fahrlehrer gelandet zu sein, mit dem er gut auskommen kann, meldet er sich verbindlich zur Führerschein-Ausbildung an. Der Fahrschüler trägt keinerlei Kosten und keinerlei Risiko. Beides übernimmt komplett die Fahrschule Theorie + Praxis.

Man kann also zunächst alles in Ruhe ausprobieren – ohne einen Cent zu zahlen und ohne sich festzulegen. Dann erst entscheidet man sich ohne Zeitdruck, ob man den Führerschein tatsächlich bei Theorie + Praxis machen möchte. Man kann sich jederzeit für den Führerschein anmelden und sofort mit der Ausbildung beginnen.

Theorie + Praxis ist eine der wenigen “kompletten” Fahrschulen in München. Hier wird für den Mopedführerschein, Motorradführerschein, Autofürerschein, Lastwagenführerschein und den Busführerschein ausgebildet. Dazu kommen Seminare, Berufskraftfahrer-Qualifikation und sogar Schulungsfahrzeug-Verleih.

Mehr Infos zum Probesitzen (Schnupperkurs) bei der Fahrschule Theorie + Praxis in München

Does “P & J” only stand for Police and Justice?  Or could it mean something else?  Could it be the “Punch and Judy” show? 

For those of you not familiar with Punch and Judy, this is a traditional English puppet show dating back centuries in which the two main puppet characters, Punch and Judy continuously squabble with each other. 

PUnch and Judy

Northern Ireland now has its own version of Punch and Judy.  It is called “Peter and Jeffrey” 

OK, this is all a bit of tongue in cheek.  The serious point is that there are strains in the relationship between Peter Robinson and Jeffrey Donaldson which could have profound implications for the political fortunes of the DUP. 

 The story broke out approximately 10 days ago when it became apparent that Mr. Robinson was prepared to accept the recommendation of the Chief constable of the PSNI that the full-time police reserve could be disbanded but on the basis that it could be harnessed in a civilian capacity.  Mr. Donaldson’s position was that the maintenance of a full-time police reserve was not only necessary to maintain acceptable levels of security.  He boxed himself into a corner after declaring that this position was a “deal breaker.”  Not surprisingly, Jim Allister, the TUV leader, milked the rift for all it is worth.

On 12^th November, Donaldson appeared on the BBC’s “Hearts and Minds” show, interviewed by Noel Thompson.  He tried to argue that there was no difference in his position and that of Peter Robinson.  It was like listening to a politician try to argue that black equals red.  When he appeared in the Politics show last week (15^th) Donaldson was unable to hide the strain after a mauling from Jim Fitzpatrick.

Just when one thought that Donaldson might be on the road to political obscurity, it has been observed that Peter Robinson is in a position of significant weakness.  Last week, Brian Feeney of the Irish News pointedly observed

“Whatever he would like, his weakness in face of Donaldson’s indiscipline last week has shown he’s a paper tiger.

At the very minimum he should have removed the whip from Donaldson, a Johnny-come-lately who’s well down the pecking order in the DUP.

The fact that Donaldson got away with his impertinence flags up a danger signal for Robinson which he ignores at his peril.

If he doesn’t deal with Donaldson at this early stage Donaldson will split the DUP.

He’s got form.”

On Friday, the DUP met for its annual conference.  The issue between Robinson and Donaldson did not surface in the news.  Indeed, relations between Robinson and Donaldson were polite and jovial (sorry – another P & J pun).  However, the issue of Police and Justice was conspicuous by the absence of any direct reference to it in Mr. Robinson’s keynote speech.

Jeffrey Donaldson, meanwhile, is in a position of humiliation and things could get worse.  A general election looms in which he will have to fight “tooth and nail” to hold on to his seat (possibly against our Sheila Davidson).  Mr. Donaldson will be hoping desperately that no deal is reached on P & J before the election.

Last night, I received an interesting comment from Horseman on the post entitled “Allister sets a nasty trap for Peter Robinson“

He has identified a possible scenario where the DUP does indeed lose 9 more MLAs than McGuinness and suggests that some UUP MLAs could defect to the DUP in order to keep them as the largest political party. 

The last  UUP MLAs to defect  to the DUP were Jeffrey Donaldson, Arlene Foster and Nora Beare just after the Assembly elections in November 2003.   Much water has passed under the bridge since then.  The UUP’s decline was arrested during the Euro Elections.  However, any kind of disaffection can drive a politician to defect.   For example, there is no telling whether some left-wing Ulster Unionists, who are already upset about the electoral pact with the Conservatives, might be tempted to go that way.  

I think it is unlikely that any UUP MLA would defect for that reason.   Most UUP supporters see the DUP as having peaked and begin a long-term decline into obscurity.   The loss of 9 or more MLAs will add credence to that – the more so if the UUP then becomes the largest party at Stormont.   It is also possible that DUP MLAs could defect to the UUP to make them the largest party in protest at Peter Robinson failing to nominate the deputy FM.  Perhaps we should not get too carried away.   Politicians do have a responsibility to re-assure the voters that they will play by the rules and not seek to de-stabilise the Assembly, the Good Friday agreement and the St. Andrews Agreement for sectarian motives.   

Meanwhile, this morning, supporters of Jim Allister’s TUV could be choking in the corn flakes as they read the report in the Belfast Telegraph entitled “Ian Paisley praises Sinn Fein over Northern Ireland power sharing”

Or will they not be delighted?  Maybe they will think ‘We were right to form our own movement. This man really has lost it’

Politicians rarely make remarks which they know will upset and annoy some of their own followers without making some sort of political calculation.  So is there anything significant about Paisley’s remarks?

For many years, we have listened to “smash Sinn Fein” rhetoric from Mr. Paisley and his disciples.  This rhetoric did not stop when the DUP finally went into power sharing with Sinn Fein following the St. Andrews Agreement.  Only a few months ago, it still formed part of Diane Dodd’s European Election campaign.

Could it be that the DUP have finally recognised that the contradiction is working against them and that a new approach is needed?  Mr. Paisley could easily have said that his hard-line has been the reason why Sinn Fein have “danced to the DUP tune”  in Government.  However, actually praising Sinn Fein goes one step beyond that. 

Could it be that the DUP have seen Allister’s trap and have began to pave the way towards accepting Martin McGuinness as First Minister in 2011?

In his post yesterday, Horseman has set out to put flesh on the bones of Jim Allister’s article on his website in which he sets out his plans to wreck the mechanism of power sharing in its present form.  

Horseman rightly highlights the amendment to the Good Friday Agreement brought about under the St. Andrews Agreement whereby the party with the largest number of MLAs gets to nominate the First Minister.  

According to Horseman, Allister’s plan depends for its success on

(a) The DUP losing 9 more seats than Sinn Fein

(b) Sinn Fein having the largest number of MLAs at Stormont

(c) the DUP refusing to nominate for Deputy First Minister.  

Is (c) really likely to happen?  The reality is that the offices of First Minister and Deputy First Minister hold equal power.  The Assumption seems to be that the DUP leadership is incapable of swallowing its own pride.   

There is one further possible scenario.  That is that the UUP becomes the largest party.  Would Sir Reg refuse to nominate the Deputy First Minister?  I don’t think so.   

Peter Robinson has to be asked what his party would do, given that scenario.  The voters of Northern Ireland (particularly those who currently support the DUP) have the right to know that.  Robinson would then be in rather a dilemma.  

If he says he would not nominate for DFM, he leaves his party is open to accusations of (a) reneging on a constitutional arrangement which his own party negotiated (b) failing on their own promise to “control” Sinn Fein through power sharing.   If he says that he will nominate, he will upset a large section of his own supporters who would find that too difficult to stomach and more likely vote for the TUV.

Jim Allister has set a nasty trap for Peter Robinson.  He and the DUP will have great difficulty avoiding it.

Fahrschule Theorie + Praxis in München: Berufskraftfahrer-Qualifikation auf Bildungsgutschein der Bundesagentur für Arbeit

Arbeitssuchende erhalten bei der Münchner Fahrschule Theorie + Praxis gegen Vorlage eines Bildungsgutscheins eine Ausbildung zum qualifizierten LKW-Berufskraftfahrer oder Bus-Berufskraftfahrer.

Unter bestimmten Voraussetzungen erhalten Arbeitssuchende von der Bundesagentur für Arbeit sogenannte Bildungsgutscheine. Diese berechtigen bei den wenigen speziell dafür zertifizierten Anbietern zur Teilnahme an beruflichen Bildungsmaßnahmen.

Bei der TÜV-zertifizierten Fahrschule Theorie + Praxis in München-Schwabing und München-Haidhausen können Arbeitslose auf diese Art kostenlos eine Intensivausbildung zum Lastwagen- oder Bus-Führerschein durchlaufen. Der Einstieg in die Ausbildung ist nicht an bestimmte Termine gebunden, also jederzeit möglich. Nach bestandener Prüfung bei der Industrie- und Handelskammer München erlangen sie so die Berufskraftfahrer-Qualifikation.

Der Fahrschulinhaber Béla Farkas und sein Team leisten aber noch entscheidend mehr. Die Fahrschule mit Filialen an der Münchner Freiheit und im Stahlgrubercenter vermittelt Arbeitssuchenden auch potenzielle Arbeitgeber aus der eigenen hochaktuell gepflegten Datenbank. Die Job-Zusage eines Arbeitgebers ist in vielen Fällen eine Voraussetzung für den Erhalt eines Bildungsgutscheins von der Bundesagentur für Arbeit.

Eine Besonderheit der Fahrschule Theorie + Praxis ist die Ausbildung nach der von Farkas initiierten Plus-Methode. Das bedeutet, dass im Rahmen der Ausbildung besonders viel Wert auf sicherheitsorientiertes und verantwortungsvolles Handeln im Straßenverkehr gelegt wird. Absolventen erhalten am Ende der Ausbildung eine zusätzliche Plus-Methode Urkunde, die sich bei der Jobsuche bislang als sehr hilfreich erwiesen hat.

Mit einem Bildungsgutschein der Agentur für Arbeit erhalten Arbeitssuchende also kostenlos einen Lastwagenführerschein oder Busführerschein und zusätzlich eine qualifizierende Berufsausbildung zum Lastwagenfahrer oder Busfahrer mit IHK-Prüfung. Für viele Menschen ist das professionelle Fahren von Omnibus (KOM) oder Lastwagen (LKW) immer noch ein Traumberuf. Bei der Fahrschule Theorie und Praxis kann der Traum nun zur Wirklichkeit werden – und das für Arbeitssuchende ganz ohne finanziellen Aufwand.

Mehr Informationen zur Einlösung des Bildungsgutscheins der Bundesagentur für Arbeit auf der Website der Fahrschule Theorie + Praxis in München erhältlich

Mehr Informationen zur Berufskraftfahrer-Qualifikation für professionelle Bus- und LKW-Fahrer auf der Website der Fahrschule Theorie + Praxis in München erhältlich

Mehr Informationen zur Plus-Methode von Béla Farkas auf der Website der Fahrschule Theorie + Praxis in München erhältlich

Mehr Informationen zum Ausbildungsteam der Fahrschule Theorie + Praxis in München auf der Firmen-Website erhältlich

The TUV are a surprisingly animated bunch. Someone rocked up with the kind of clacker you’d see at a football match.  Laughter was free-flowing and genuinely felt.

These aren’t stern-faced refuseniks – these are people who’re enjoying their politics.

The TUV are criticised for not having a solution or an alternative to the present devolved structures. They are mocked for having no vision to offer. But it might be easy to deride the TUV as going nowhere. Heck, maybe they’re not going anywhere – but the only great certainty, to my eyes, is that they’re not going away.

Today’s conference contained a sense of community and togetherness which is uncommon. The opening line of Jim Allister’s speech suggests something of what binds them.

‘You can always measure the level of your success by the depth of the discomfort of your political enemies.’

That’s Jim’s big message – he also used it on Hearts and Minds this week. (There are of course other ways to measure to success – erm, cllrs, MLAs, MPs, MEPs?)

Sure, one might disagree with the premise behind Jim’s line, but it is clear that the TUV revel in the discomfort they create for others. Said Jim:

‘Upsetting DUP/Sinn Fein is an accolade, not a slight.’

The TUV are enjoying life at the minute. Allister did say that it’s bad to see politics generally maligned, but then Jim’s best lines are reserved for the malignin of politics. Eg.

‘Terrorists in government, spongers in parliament.’

The stuff about Peter Robinson’s 42″ TV and Iris’s Mont Blanc pen is a masterclass in Schadenfreude.

So the TUV might have a defiance and unifying spirit that’s rare among political groupings. But where do they go from here? The TUV say they have no quarrel with grassroots Unionists – just the leadership. Okay – so the leadership of Unionism is yours… what would the TUV do with it?

Well, by the sounds of things they would:

• implement the DUP’s 2005 manifesto;
• they would pull down present devolution structures and implement voluntary coalition;
• they would only form government’s without SF.

From a TUV point of view – they might say… how much more detail do you need?

This is the real strength behind today’s TUV. They have the gift which all political communicators crave – simplicity of message. Also, they appear only to want power enough to dispossess people in power. The political environment is ripe for protest against the status quo. The TUV are united, committed and focused. They will be successful in capitalising on that next year. But what happens beyond that?

In regular society ‘the good book’ is a euphenism for the bible. In TUV land, ‘the good book’ might also refer to the 2005 DUP manifesto. It’s held in similarly high esteem and to err from it is to commit sin. But running a political party on the basis of a rival’s outdated manifesto is not a sustainable policy platform.

What I saw today indicated how united the TUV presently are, and how simple / attractive their message of opposition presently is. I don’t think they care about things like sustainable policies, and why should they?

Il leader del TUV, si è lasciato andare ad una definizione offensiva della lingua irlandese

Jimm Allister, ex DUP e poi leader del Traditionali Unionist Voice, si è dovuto scusare durante la conferenza annuale del suo partito, per aver definito la lingua irlandese come il linguaggio parlato dai leprecani, alias folletti.
La sua ‘battuta di spirito’ era contenuta in un comunicato firmato di suo  pugno (“TUV Blast Leprechaun Language Waste”) in cui criticava aspramente l’esagerato esborso approvato dal Ministro dell’Istruzione del Sinn Fein, Caitriona Ruane, la quale ha stanziato nel 2008/2009 ben 47.062 sterline per la traduzione dei documenti di Stormont in lingua irlandese.
Un rappresentate politico di Alliance Party ha definito ‘imbarazzante’ quando scritto da Allister, pur essendo stato il suo partito a sollevare la questione sull’aumento esponenziale degli stanziamenti per le traduzioni tra l’esercizio 2007/2008 e quello successivo.
“Io sono a favore della promozione della lingua irlandese, ma sono anche a favore del rapporto qualità / prezzo, ed è per questo che è stata sollevata la questione”, ha aggiunto.
Jim Allister ha giustificato le proprie parole, sostenendo che il proprio commento era destinato semplicemente a distogliere dall’attenzione dall’opposizione del partito nei confronti del Ministro dell’Istruzione.

Traduci l’articolo…

TUV apologise for calling Irish a ‘leprechaun language’ (Belfast Telegraph)
Hard-line unionist party, The Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV), has apologised for branding Irish a “leprechaun language”.
The TUV led by former MEP Jim Allister is to hold its annual conference today as it tries to build-on efforts to draw support from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).
The TUV is a trenchant critic of the DUP decision to share power with Sinn Fein, but had to apologise after issuing a press release attacking the translation of Stormont government documents into Irish.
The party hit-out at news that Sinn Fein’s Minister for Education Caitriona Ruane spent £47,062 on Irish translations, but its press release on the issue read: “TUV Blast Leprechaun Language Waste.”
The TUV’s vice chair Keith Harbinson, in whose name the statement was issued, has since apologised and said no offence was intended.
But the Alliance Party politician who revealed details of the Education Minister’s spending by tabling a question at the Northern Ireland Assembly, said the TUV blunder was an embarrassment.
“This was a despicable and deeply immature comment. The TUV have shown their true colours during this episode,” said the Alliance Party’s Trevor Lunn.
“They tried to cynically use the answer to my question and all they managed to do was embarrass themselves.
“My question was balanced as it asked about both Irish and Ulster Scots translations and the answer was revealing in that there appears to be little demand for Ulster Scots translation services in this Department.”
The Alliance Party representative’s Assembly question found that between 2007/08 and 2008/09 the figure spent on Irish translation in the Education Department rose from £13,274 to £47,062.
He said: “I am in favour of the promotion of the Irish language but I am also in favour of value for money, and that was what this question is about.”
The TUV said it apologised for its ‘leprechaun language’ comment and said the remark had only served to distract from the party’s opposition to Ms Ruane’s spending.
Jim Allister is a former member of the DUP who left the party over its decision to enter power-sharing government with republicans.
In June’s European election his party was seen to have eaten into the DUP’s support base.
Sinn Fein’s Bairbre De Brun topped the poll, a first for a republican candidate in Northern Ireland, with 126,184 votes, representing 26% of the first preference votes.
The Democratic Unionists had previously topped the poll in every European election since 1979.
But after Mr Allister won 66,197 votes, representing 13.7% support, the DUP tally dramatically fell.
The DUP won 18.2% support in this year’s Euro poll, a major drop from the 32% it won in the previous European election in 2004.
DUP candidate Diane Dodds took 88,346 votes, winning a seat without reaching the quota.
Mr Allister will today use his party conference to underline its opposition to power-sharing and launch its plans for the next General Election.

 

Unter der Überschrift: Die Illusion von Safer-Shopping nimmt Heise gerade das Online-Gütesiegel eines bekannten Anbieters auseinander:

»Nach der Datenpanne im vom TÜV Süd zertifizierten Online-Shop-System von Libri.de fanden sich nun Sicherheitslücken auf weiteren Sites, die das Safer-Shopping-Siegel tragen – und sogar auf dessen eigener Homepage. Neben Safer-Shopping.de waren Audible.de, ReifenDirekt.de und weg.de betroffen.«

Über Zertifizierung, Gütesiegel und den TÜV gab es hier ja schon einiges zu lesen. Als Sekundärliteratur empfehle ich noch: 10 Things Your Auditor Isn’t Telling You.

Ich habe bekanntlich einen Email-Account bei GMX. GMX nimmt sich für diesen kostenlosen Dienst unter anderem die Freiheit, in hoher Frequenz Marketingmails und Werbung für GMX ins Postfach zu stecken. Diese Mails sind die einzigen, für die die ansonsten ganz gut funktionierende Funktion, bestimmte Kategorien von Nachrichten als Spam rauszufiltern, nicht einsetzbar sind. Man muss jede davon manuell löschen.
In der Regel mache ich das, ohne mir diese Texte näher anzusehen, aber heute besaß die Mail der GMX-Marketingabteilung eine besonders enorme Unverfrorenheit. In meinem Postfach fand ich heute nachmittag eine Mail mit dem Betreff (man beachte das Satzzeichen) “Sicherheit mit TÜV-Siegel!”:

[Jeder] der das Internet aktiv nutzt, weiß: Ohne Passwort und Benutzernamen geht fast gar nichts. Das ist auch gut so, denn schließlich dienen sie dazu, Ihre persönlichen Daten und andere sensible Informationen vor unbefugten Zugriffen zu schützen. Der Gedanke, dass diese “Schlüssel” in falsche Hände geraten könnten, verursacht zu Recht eine (zu Halloween perfekt passende) Gänsehaut. Und genau darum verdienen auch Ihre Login-Daten bestmöglichen Schutz!

Unser Tipp: Hinterlegen Sie Ihre Zugangsdaten in der “Login-Zentrale” des GMX Navigators. Dass sie dort sicher aufgehoben sind, hat jetzt der TÜV Rheinland nach umfassenden Tests bestätigt. Und Sie brauchen sich nur noch ein einziges Passwort zu merken: Das zu Ihrem GMX Account. So hat der Passwort-Spuk schnell ein Ende.

Ihr GMX Team

Tolles Testimonial!

In der Mail enthalten war außerdem ein Link zum GMX-Nachrichtenportal, unter dem ein für jedermann zugänglicher Artikel zu lesen ist, der im Lichte der aktuellen Geschehnisse nur als Satire durchgehen kann.

Im Ernst: Dass meine Daten bei GMX “sicher aufgehoben sind, hat jetzt der TÜR Rheinland [...] bestätigt”? Der TÜV? DER TÜV?!?
Alle Achtung, mein GMX Team! Solche Worte an einen Kunden zu richten zeugt vor dem Hintergrund des aktuellen libri.de-Datenkatastrophe (siehe dort: libri.de hat ebenfalls ein TÜV-Sicherheitssiegel) von Chuzpe von der Größe Mexicos.

Der Gedanke an solchermaßen besiegelte Sicherheit für meine Email-Kontodaten verursacht bei mir doch gleich zu Recht eine zu Halloween perfekt passende Gänsehaut!

Pada hari jumat tanggal 23 Oktober 2009, STIE IEU Surabaya telah mendapatkan pengakuan dari dunia internasional. Hal ini ditandai dengan didapatkannya Sertifikasi Internasional Standart Organization (ISO) 9001 : 2008, untuk International Higher Education dari Tuv Internasional Jerman dengan nomor sertifikat 01 100 096639. Hal ini membuktikan bahwa semua kualitas dan unit kerja yang ada di dalam STIE IEU Surabaya telah memenuhi standar internasional yang telah ditentukan untuk mendapatkan ISO 9001 : 2008. Sebuah kebanggan tersendiri, karena tidak semua institusi pendidikan yang ada di Indonesia, mampu memenuhi standar internasional tersebut.

Sebagai perguruan tinggi yang telah berpengalaman lebih dari 10 tahun dalam melakukan Sandwich Program (Double Degree) dengan salah satu perguruan tinggi di Eropa, yaitu Internasional Management Institute (IMI) Antwerp, Belgium, IEU selalu berhasil mewujudkan kepeloporan di bidang pembaharuan dan mampu menggabungkan secara harmonis sistem pendidikan Indonesia dan pendidikan Internasional. Mahasiswa yang mengikuti program double degree berkesempatan untuk mendapatkan dua gelar (SE dan BBA) untuk S1 dan (MM dan MBA) untuk S2. Sebagai perguruan tinggi dengan fokus di bidang Internasional Business Program, IEU berkomitmen untuk membekali para lulusannya dengan tiga bidang kompetensi, yaitu :

1. Competent Communication : TOEFL Minimal 500 bekerja sama dengan ToastMaster USA.
2. Competent Business Export Import : Kerjasama dengan Regional Export Training and Promotion Center of East Java
3. Competent Information Systems : SAP (System Application and Product in Data Processing) dari Jerman

Sejak tahun 2008, IEU mendapatkan kepercayaan dari DIKTI untuk mengembangkan program pengembangan SOFT SKILL bagi para mahasiswa. Dimana program pengembangan SOFT SKILL tersebut kami masukkan dan kembangkan ke dalam kurikulum dan proses belajar mengajar. Program pengembangan tersebut adalah kompetensi komunikasi dan kepemimpinan. Sehingga proses belajar mengajar di IEU lebih bersifat Student Centered Learning. Sebagai implementasi dari program SOFT SKILL tersebut, maka pada hari sabtu tanggal 24 Oktober 2009, STIE IEU Surabaya menyelenggarakan momen yang sangat membanggakan, dimana seluruh mahasiswa terlibat dalam acara tersebut. Acara yang diberi nama “Great Business Communication and Leadership” tersebut berisikan pidato bisnis dalam bahasa Inggris sebanyak 1000 (Seribu) topik yang dilakukan oleh para mahasiswa IEU.

Sebagai puncak acara dan untuk menyambut hari Sumpah Pemuda, maka pada tanggal 28 Oktober 2009, bertempat di EMPIRE PALACE Surabaya, IEU mengadakan sidang senat terbuka dalam rangka wisuda sarjana dan pasca sarjana. Hal yang cukup membanggakan adalah hampir semua lulusan IEU yang mengikuti wisuda tersebut sudah bekerja, bahkan ada yang sudah menjadi pengusaha dengan menciptakan lapangan kerja bagi masyarakat. Acara tersebut juga diisi orasi ilmiah oleh HR Manager PT. Unilever TBK, Bpk. Muhammad Noer, yang memberikan kita-kiat membentuk sebuah learning organization yang sukses.

Dengan bekal keilmuan yang didapat di IEU Surabaya, anda tak perlu ragu untuk bersaing dengan pengusaha dan profesional asing manapun. Anda Bukan Orang Biasa.

For More Information :

IEU Surabaya – Internasional Business School

Jl. Raya Dukuh Kupang No. 157 Surabaya 60255

Phone : 031 – 5665654 / 5619577

Fax : 031 – 5665933

Website : http://ieu.ac.id

E-mail : info@ieu.ac.id

In vista di un accordo tra governo libico e britannico sul risarcimento per le vittime dell’IRA, si apre la discussione su chi sarà a doverne beneficiare

“Sarebbe assurdo che gli autori di violenze e le persone che hanno utilizzato le armi fornite dalla Libia possano beneficiare di tale risarcimento”, ha dichiarato Jeffrey Donaldson in procinto di volare a Tripoli per incontrare una delegazione governativa libica, in merito al risarcimento alle vittime dell’IRA; accordo che parrebbe già esistere, stando alle affermazioni del Colonello Gheddafi a Sky News.
Ed è proprio in vista di tale accordo che si scatenano le polemiche su chi debba essere il reale beneficiario del denaro.
Jim Allister, leader del Traditional Unionist Voice, ha descritto come “inquietante” qualsiasi suggerimento che il risarcimento possa essere assegnato a tutte le vittime.
Il Victims and Survivors Order del 2006 aveva stabilito infatti che coloro che sono stati uccisi mentre erano impegnati in attività terroristiche dovevano essere considerati appartenenti alla stessa categoria delle vittime innocenti.
“Qualsiasi tentativo da parte di terroristi o delle loro famiglie, di trarre vantaggio dall’enorme lavoro svolto dalle vittime innocenti per ottenere un risarcimento dalla Libia, dovrebbe peraltro essere fermamente opposto con resistenza”, ha affermato Allister.
Willie Frazer, alla testa del FAIR (Families Acting for Innocent Relatives) pur concordando con il leader del TUV lascia però un spiraglio: “Ma se qualcuno, un ex paramilitare, si fa avanti e dichiara pubblicamente che non supporta più la violenza e prova di esserne stato vittima, ecco questo sarà qualcosa che qualcuno dovrà chiarire”.
“La gente che sostiene la violenza non può essere ricompensata. Ma non è detto che anche se si pente, otterrà il risarcimento”.
Jeffrey Donaldson ha poi aggiunto che potrebbe esserci un terza categoria coinvolta nella spartizione della somma risarcitoria, ovvero quella relativa all’istituzione di un fondo per la pace e la riconciliazione in Irlanda del Nord.

Traduci l’articolo…

‘Libyan cash only for the innocent’ (NewsLetter)
Only innocent victims of IRA terror should benefit from Libyan compensation, a unionist politician has claimed.
Speaking out after BBC Spotlight’s investigation into possible Libyan compensation to IRA victims, TUV leader Jim Allister described as “disturbing” any suggestion that money could be allocated to all “victims”.
He said that, as defined by the 2006 Victims and Survivors Order, those who were killed while engaged in terrorism were in the same category as innocent victims.
“Any attempt by terrorists or their families to piggyback on the tremendous work done by innocent victims to get compensation from Libya should likewise be steadfastly resisted,” he said.
Families Acting for Innocent Relatives spokesman, Willie Frazer, whose group launched the action against Libya, added: “We are not going to stand by and let terrorists benefit from this.”
He added: “But if someone, a former paramilitary, comes forward and says they no longer support violence publicly and prove they were a victim, this will be something for someone else to sort out.
“People who support violence cannot be rewarded. But there is no saying that even if they do repent that they will get compensation.”
DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson, who plans to fly to Libya to discuss the compensation claim, insisted that terrorists would not receive such money.
He said: “It would be absurd for the perpetrators of violence and the people who used the weapons supplied from Libya to benefit from this compensation.”
There was, he said, “not a possibility of this happening”.
Mr Donaldson did not specify how much money victims were seeking, but said they wanted to reach a multi-million pound settlement.
“We’re still in discussions with the Libyans so none of this is settled,” he said.
“The idea that’s emerging is that if there was a settlement then obviously those victims who have taken legal action against the Libyan government would be the first to benefit from any settlement.
“We would then hope that would be widened out to include generally victims of IRA terrorism.
“There’s a third category which would involve establishing a fund to promote peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland.”
Last night a Foreign Office spokesman said successive Governments have tried to secure compensation from Libya for the victims of IRA terrorism.
“Libya has told us that it considers this matter closed.
We nevertheless continue actively to monitor their position,” he said.
“Bill Rammell raised this matter during his visit to Libya in February 2009 and we have raised this issue frequently since the restoration of diplomatic relations.
“As a result, our judgement was that the most likely way to succeed was to support the families themselves in their legal representations through their lawyers to the Libyan authorities.
“The Government has been willing all along to support the families and we’ve now increased our support by establishing a dedicated unit focused on this issue.
“We understand that a group of MPs and victims of IRA terrorism are planning to visit Libya in the coming weeks. As we have told the group of MPs involved, we will be doing everything we can to support that visit.”

Der Journalist Felix Holtermann berichtet heute in der SZ von der Finanberatung Capital Art, die Investoren mit einem Zertifikat von TÜV Süd gelockt haben. Tenor des Beitrags: Das “Musterbeispiel der Seriosität” TÜV ist keinen Pfifferling wert. Bis zu 50.000 Euro zahlen Firmen laut TÜV-Süd für die Zertifizierung; der Andrang ist groß. Acht Finanzdienstleistern hat allein der TÜV-Süd inzwischen das Siegel “geprüfte Beratungsqualität” verliehen, zehn weiteren bescheinigt er “geprüfte Servicequalität”, ebenso einigen Krankenkassen. Doch in der Praxis entpuppt sich das Werben mit dem TÜV-Siegel als bloße Anlegerfalle. Den ganzen Beitrag gibt’s hier

Bambini con la divisa dell'Ira sfilano al Make Partition History di Dublino, Autunno 2005, FOTO di Aldo Ciummo, I ricordi dolorosi del passato recente e remoto sono stati introiettati anche da gran parte delle giovani generazioni, che ormai vanno verso un approccio costruttivo, promosso pure dai due opposti colossi politico-nazionali del Nord Irlanda, Sinn Féin e Democratic Unionist Party, entrambi coinvolti in passato nella deriva paramilitare dell'Ulster

In Ulster si cerca di evitare un’escalation dopo che dieci giorni fa una bomba ha ferito una agente di polizia, a più di dieci anni dall’entrata in vigore degli accordi di pace

 

Da giorni e giorni l’Ulster si interroga e si impegna in operazioni di polizia ed iniziative culturali per superare il trauma dei disordini politico-religiosi che sembrano riemergere dall’ombra del passato e trattenere con la paura una provincia perennemente in bilico tra l’Europa e i suoi fantasmi territoriali.

Il 16 ottobre 2009, come in un vecchio film con Daniel Day Louis, una donna, un agente di polizia, compie il semplice gesto di mettersi alla guida ed una bomba esplode. Ipotesi confuse si rincorrono, quello che è chiaro è che l’odio settario morde ancora la stupenda città di Belfast, sede universitaria e cosmopolita, il cui piccolo centro turistico è circondato da sobborghi dove Guglielmo D’Orange raffigurato sulle pareti vicino all’effige dei lealisti caduti e l’effigie di Bobby Sands che sorride triste da una casa che fa angolo tra due quartieri ricordano ancora ai loro abitanti che questa è ancora la città dove in periferia il 97% delle persone abita soltanto vicino ad altri cattolici o ad altri protestanti, e che in mezzo ci sono diciassette muri, più uno che corre sottoterra in uno dei principali cimiteri urbani.

L’Ulster sta cambiando, certo, con l’accordo del Venerdì Santo del 1998 e la sua applicazione a partire dalla primavera del 2007, con una coabitazione a mala voglia tra quelli che sulla opposizione alla tregua hanno costruito forze capaci di scavalcare gli altri partiti. Le fazioni hanno consegnato le armi (come ha fatto lo Sinn Feinn, cattolico e “sociale” legato all’Ira) o comunque le hanno abbassate (così il Democratic Unionist Party del reverendo Ian Pasley, che è riuscito a catalizzare intorno all’integralismo presbiteriano l’orgoglio degli scozzesi legati ai gruppi armati). Il governo di unità nazionale è stato uno dei passi che ha accompagnato la società verso lenti progressi, di cui l’apparizione, sia pure minoritaria, di nuove liste estranee alla divisione settaria in occasione delle ultime consultazioni europee, liste come la nuova sinistra laica ed ecologista, è stata un’avvisaglia.

Ma in alcuni quartieri gruppi dissidenti dell’Irish Republican Army, come la Real Ira e il Continuity Ira (autrici di altri attacchi dinamitardi negli ultimi mesi) o noccioli duri delle milizie lealiste quali il Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) hanno ancora dalla loro il risentimento di una provincia spaccata a metà fin dal 1690, quando gli orangisti protestanti ebbero la meglio nella lotta per la corona della Gran Bretagna, Irlanda compresa. Poi la partizione tra Nord e Sud nel 1920, l’Ulster (formato dalle sei contee del nordest) restava nel Regno Unito, a carissimo prezzo. La minoranza cattolica continuava a lottare per unirsi al sud, il governo autonomo protestante la escludeva da tutte le decisioni affidandosi al fortissimo senso di appartenenza dei lealisti favorevoli al governo britannico.

Negli anni ‘50 e ‘60, organizzandosi in gruppi per i diritti civili mutuati da quelli dei neri in America (che gli emigranti irlandesi conoscevano bene) i nazionalisti riuscivano ad ottenere delle formali garanzie, i paramilitari lealisti reagivano attaccando i quartieri “verdi”, l’Irish Republican Army rispondeva con gli attentati. Nasceva la potenza militare dell’Ira, che gli irlandesi dell’Ulster in crescita demografica cominciavano a vedere come l’unico riparo contro l’oppressione militare, e iniziavano i guai per il Regno Unito, le cui politiche di pace si scontravano con una situazione sul campo cristallizzata da decenni e aggravata dall’ostinazione di quella parte dei protestanti convinta che “la corona” andasse difesa contro l’Ira e gli irlandesi e contro tutti, anche contro il governo di Londra. Dopo la morte di Bobby Sand in carcere per sciopero della fame nel maggio del 1981 la situazione cambiò, i nazionalisti crebbero politicamente ed elettoralmente, il Regno Unito spinse i lealisti ad essere più realistici e evolversi in vista di accordi tra le due comunità.

Oggi i cattolici irlandesi sanno che presto non saranno più una minoranza, la loro crescita demografica è più alta e contano su un rapporto privilegiato con l’immigrazione europea, specie dell’est, i protestanti sanno che il futuro dell’UK e dell’Ulster è nella Ue, come quello dell’Irlanda. Ma quando il futuro fa paura, la comunità offre delle certezze, anche qualora queste siano rappresentate dai murales dei parenti morti. E’ indicativo che nelle ultime elezioni europee il DUP, forza politica del “duro” Paisley, non è riuscita ad eleggere nessuno ed è stato scavalcata per la prima volta dallo Sinn Feinn, ma solo perchè molti voti dei lealisti sono andati al Traditional Unionist Voice, che ha raccolto un 13% di voti (riferito al solo voto della comunità protestante significa quasi un quarto dei voti) sulla base della opposizione ad oltranza agli accordi di pace ed alla coabitazione di governo.

Aldo Ciummo

Eine gute Nachricht zu Beginn dieses Tages: Balkonien ist eröffnet! Nachdem wir seit Juli unser Stubenfenster nicht öffnen konnten, weil anfangs kein Balkon, dann ein halb fertiger Balkon und letztlich ein nicht TÜV geprüfter Balkon davor waren, dürfen wir seit ein paar Minuten “raus“. Blöderweise habe ich gestern die Kabelbinder vergessen, sonst könnte ich jetzt das Katzennetz anbringen und unseren Fellnasen auch die neue Freiheit gönnen. So müssen die Purzel eben noch einen Tag warten.
Kleiner Wermutstropfen, von 08:00 Uhr bis 12:00 Uhr gibt es kein Wasser, weil mal wieder irgendwas an der Leitung geschraubt wird – was auch immer.

Ich gehe dann mal Fenster putzen….

Fahrschule Theorie + Praxis in 80805 München-Schwabing und 81675 München-Haidhausen

Der Anspruch

Die Fahrschule Theorie + Praxis ist die Fahrschule für gehobene Ansprüche mit Schulungsräumen an der Münchner Freiheit in München-Schwabing und im Stahlgrubercenter in München-Haidhausen. Die gehobenen Ansprüche gelten für die Qualität und das besonders günstiges Preis-Leistungsverhältnis der Ausbildung.

Das Angebot

Die Schwerpunkte der Fahrschule Theorie + Praxis liegen bei der Führerscheinausbildung für Motorrad, PKW, LKW und Bus sowie bei der Berufskraftfahrerqualifikation. Zusätzlich werden Fortbildungen wie Punkteabbau-Seminare, Fahranfänger-Seminare und Berufskraftfahrer-Qualifikations-Seminare durchgeführt. Der Schulungsfahrzeugverleih rundet das umfassende Angebot ab.

Die Ausbildung

Die Fahrschule Theorie + Praxis bietet die theoretische und praktische Fahrausbildung und Führerscheinprüfung für alle Führerscheinklassen an. Und das in einer ganzen Reihe von Sprachen: Deutsch, Englisch, Russisch, Ungarisch. Die mehrsprachigen Fahrlehrer beraten und informieren zu jeder Zeit ausführlich, vollständig und geduldig. Bei der Fahrschule Theorie + Praxis wird ausschließlich auf modernen, bestens ausgestatteten Fahrzeugen von BMW und Volkswagen ausgebildet.

Es können auch Schnupperkurse, Intensivkurse, Crashkurse und Schnellkurse gebucht werden, um den Führerscheinerwerb kostengünstig und schnell zu gestalten. Die Fahrschule Theorie + Praxis bietet flexible Unterrichtszeiten und flexible Zahlungsmöglichkeiten sowie interessante Ermäßigungen beim gleichzeitigen Erwerb mehrerer Führerscheinklassen an.

Die Philosophie

Die Fahrschule Theorie + Praxis legt sehr viel Wert auf Gemeinsamkeit, Spaß und Kommunikation zwischen Fahrschülern, Seminarteilnehmern und Fahrlehrern. Über den Rahmen der eigentlichen Ausbildung hinaus gibt es laufend gemeinsame Aktivitäten wie gemeinsames Joggen, Kinobesuche oder Diskussionsrunden in den Fahrschulräumen und im Internet auf den Blog-Seiten. Das Motto ist: “Gemeinsamkeit macht Spaß – und erfolgreich!”

Mehr auf der Homepage der Fahrschule Theorie + Praxis in München-Schwabing und München-Haidhausen

Ottocar hat seine Plakette!!! Sie können Ihre Daumen (danke) jetzt also wieder für Ihre alltäglichen Arbeiten einsetzen. Thor Löwenherz

Power-On.com specializes in computer power solutions including LCD technologies. Power-On has been an online presence for over 15 years helping individuals, businesses and organizations with affordable aftermarket upgrades and OEM replacements. Remember, you can’t really go wrong with a company that pioneer and early adoption of the LCD technologies.  

PN: 9OC2050400

• 205W open frame LCD power supply for 32″ LCD panels.
• Full range 100-240VAC input with > 75% efficiency.
• Air cooled, no fan required, operating temperature 0-55°C.
• Built-in short circuit, over voltage, and over current protection.
• Dimensions of 210Lx110Wx32H mm.
•  Agency certifications: UL, CB, CE, TUV, NEMKO, CCC, PSE, EMC, and RoHS.

 Click here for the mechanical drawing

FSP205-5E01 is a replacement for tv models:

Astar LTV-32HBG
Astar LTV-32ASB
Astar LTV-26HBG

A side note: Remember to always match your existing power supply using the Part Number (P/N) instead of model number because there can be as much as 6-8 different P/N using the same model number. Again, contact Barry if you need more info on anything LCD power supplies.

Please contact Barry to get your replacement part.

Or email me and I’ll forward your information to him.

Jeffrey
jeffrey.ong (a) fspgroupusa.com
Tel: 909-606-0960 x 1223

p/s: Don’t forget, you can enter for a chance to win a Rechargeable power bank: http://wp.me/pAVIE-42

Morgen hat Ottocar ja noch einmal einen Vorstellungstermin, er kämpft ja immer noch um sein neues Medaillon. Damit diesmal auch wirklich alles klar geht, hat sich heute Flocke auch noch einmal von der sachgemäßen Ausführung der Reparaturarbeiten überzeugt – nach dem Felllosen und Nicki (im vorangegangenen Beitrag wurde diese mit Sammy verwechselt und bestand auf einer Richtigstellung).

Eine richtig akute Bremsprobe hat Ottocar heute übrigens ohne Beanstandung geschafft, aber wenn Sie vielleicht so ab 15 Uhr bis ca. 17 Uhr Zeit hätten, wäre ich Ihnen sehr verbunden, wenn Sie dann noch einmal Ihre Daumen drücken könnten. Danke!

Ihr Thor Löwenherz