As I have said before, I certainly hope that the optimists who see a deal in a DUP/SF victory are right.

Mick,

Sorry to be a bore again - but I still have not received an answer regarding the state of the Paul Berry post. Why is it broken?

The Berry case may be subject to a legal action against the papers concerned. Much of what is in that thread is completely fair comment. But Sluger has no resources to sustain any civil action - were it to arise.

If you believe that SF were testing the water then you have no grasp of the mood in Republican areas. Under no circumstances will a photo be permitted. If anything SF were incredibly successful in fracturing the DUP. Word has it that Jeffrey and Peter would have been deal makers in the absence of the doc, while Ian og and Nigel were very much with daddy.

"Word has it"

no more need be said.

"As I have said before, I certainly hope that the optimists who see a deal in a DUP/SF victory are right."

They are. You need to get rid of the in-tribal bickering on both sides before you can really get down to sorting out the inter-tribal stuff.

It's a pity that some "decent" people have to lose their seats etc, but we need to get the big issues sorted out before we can go forward to ordinary boring politics like they have everywhere else.

It's not even a party issue. It's just a necessary part of the process of resolution.

And there'll be a political future for all those who feel they've lost today, because when it works out we'll all be winners.

"If anything SF were incredibly successful in fracturing the DUP. Word has it that Jeffrey and Peter would have been deal makers in the absence of the doc, while Ian og and Nigel were very much with daddy."

LMAO

Dodds was certainly saying he was in no hurry to do a deal, at the time when the two Governments proposals were released.

I left N.I. 24 years ago because I was totally disillusioned by the inability of the two tribes to come to an acceptable compromise. I thought it would take at least a generation before some people realised that all humans have the same aspirations and deserve equal respect. I didn't want my children growing up in that atmosphere.. You are so close to reaching that compromise now, respecting all traditions and moving forward. Please don't despair like I did all those years ago. Go forward. all sides, with pride and humility and hope.

You left at a Low point, that's for sure Joe. Come back. We need the people who left for the right reasons - and it is getting better.