WITH the serious business of electioneering now behind us, bloggers and politicians are calmer and finding their sense of humour again.
Excepting Jim Shannon, who might soon shoot Mike Nesbitt in the face – but more on that shortly!
First off, A Pint of Unionist Lite offers the blogging equivalent of a group hug to all unionists. The blog has crunched the numbers and finds a reaso
n to be cheerful – the combined vote of the SDLP and Sinn Fein fell by 63,000 between 2001 and 2010.
"Which means, that we, its opponents, can sit back, pour a metaphorical Bushmills, light a cigar and have a quiet chortle and finally realise that it's a time not for panic but some sustained quiet reflection and contemplation about the future of our nation," the blog says.
Which brings us on to Jim Shannon. The Strangford MP has no doubt been enjoying a quiet chortle since he hit the mark on May 6. But now it looks like Jim will soon have Mike Nesbitt back in his sights again.
On the issue of post-election poster clean-up, Mark Devenport's blog records that the Nesbitt campaign plans to donate his posters to the Carrowdore Shooting Club for target practice.
"And who might be shooting at Mr Nesbitt? None other than... the DUP's Jim Shannon... a shooting enthusiast who occasionally visits Carrowdore to let off a few rounds."
In your face Mike!
Elsewhere, the rapid-fire wit of Peter Robinson supplies the political gag of the week, courtesy of the blog of Marie-Louise Muir.
She notes: "I was mc-ing the event and found myself playing musical chairs on the podium. As each speaker got up I took their seat, (you know where this is going!!!) and when it came to Peter Robinson's turn he thanked everyone for being there and remarked that I was the second woman to take his seat in as many weeks!"
But that election is now history. Talking of history, Professor Billy McWilliams at satirical blog 1690 an' all thon reviews a "seminal work on histerical matters". The name of this important work? 'Thieving English Bastards - How the Angle Normans made a Ballix oot of Ulster' by Professor Wullie McIlveen.
Wullie reckons that "the hamely folk that were sufferin' under the chainmail jackboot o' de Courcy". His evidence? De Courcy "brung in big stain churches an' abbeys o' the type frequented by the o'er surt an' their near kinsmen in the Church of Ireland". No gospel halls? English swines.
Also on the subject of literature, a new book by one leading US diplomat looks interesting. I tweeted: "Ex-US Envoy to NI Mitchell Reiss going down e-book route with 'Negotiating with Evil'. Does title refer to anyone in NI?" I'll keep this column advised if it does.
And finally, politicians are all a-spin about education. A breathless @JohnODowdMLA tweets: "Education committee today was actually productive, no seriously it was!"
But before the Sinn Fein rep gets too comfortable, up pops @uuponline with a statement about: "Continued muddle and mess within our education sector." Back to slinging the ordure lads.
Alas, only the world of the fake twitter account guarantees politics a more pleasant air. According to @sammywilsonmp: "Smelling cracker today. Two types of Lynx on."
Cracker indeed Sammy.
