Worrisome news from Belfast....

The news out of my home-away-from-home is quite worrisome -- disturbances at flashpoints in Belfast seem to be reaching higher than usual levels. It is nearing the end of the parade season for the Orange Order, and during my two Septembers (2003 and 2004) there was not much more than the usual drum noises and traffic tie-ups as the season came to an end. But it looks like a delayed parade from the summer has carried the tension over from July and August to this past week, and there are signs that much of this turmoil might have been planned. For anyone interested in how it all looked from inside the area, see the exchange posted at Slugger O'Toole here and here..... Northern Ireland