It's been such a long time since I typed the name "Jim Shannon" that I was beginning to have withdrawal symptoms. Then as I flicked through today's written answers I found the DUP MLA for Strangford asking the Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew "if she will consider reintroducing the 'fox bounty', to control the rise in fox numbers and their impact on wildlife?"
This prompted a discussion about how hunters used to claim the "fox bounty" before it ended in the mid seventies. The general consensus is that you had to hand over the fox's tongue to the authorities to get your money. However one source says that north of the border it was the tongue, whilst south of the border it was the tail, meaning that you could indulge in a bit of cross border double jobbing (or should that be double foxing?). How much did you used to get per fox? Can anyone out there remember?
Anyway is the bounty coming back? Not if Michelle Gildernew has anything to do with it. She tells him the bounty proved ineffective, and she doesn't believe there is any overriding need to bring it back.
The Green Party's MLA Brian Wilson will no doubt be dissappointed. The Finance Minister Peter Robinson has told him that a plan to install a combined heat and power heating system at Stormont, which dates back to 2003, has been dropped due to changes in fuel prices. However a review has suggested some stand alone bio mass units can be installed around Stormont. Does that mean we are going to tap into the unrivalled amount of hot air around this place or not?
Sinn Fein's Caral Ni Chuilin is claiming victory after fighting for a more comfortable, practical uniform for Stormont's cleaners. The old ones had no pockets and felt as tight as straitjackets. After the North Belfast MLA's intervention the cleaners are going to be kitted out once more.
Presumably the straitjackets will be saved for use on the Stormont press corps.
Our new Secretary of State, Shaun Woodward, told the Politics Show at the weekend that we now face the same threat from international terrorism as the rest of the UK "no more and no less".
Passengers arriving at Belfast City Airport this morning didn't appear to agree. One woman told Will Leitch on Good Morning Ulster that "our time has come and gone. Britain is more the target than us, and Scotland too now Gordon Brown is Prime Minister".
Obviously you have to be cautious about tempting fate. If some Islamic extremist happened to find themselves close to a target of opportunity here (say, a visiting VIP) it's quite possible something awful could happen. But in general terms I agree more with the passengers in transit than the Cabinet minister. There are more high profile targets in Great Britain than here, so if you are an international terrorist mounting a campaign then you are more likely to be active there. Also given that most terrorists are mindful of the media impact of what they do, they might consider an incident in Northern Ireland to be simply too confusing in terms of the message it projects.
Perhaps the changing nature of the threat should be communicated to those authorities at UK regional airports who still insist in segregating Northern Ireland passengers and taking their photos. Why?
But will we start marketing ourselves as the "safest place in the UK?" Don't hold your breath.
So Harvard Professor Richard Somer thinks Stormont should be shut and the Assembly relocated in a new building somewhere around the Titanic Quarter. He's a Prof. in Urban Design, not Politics. Which may prompt you to think, enough said.
If not I'm happy to solicit suggestions
1) For venues and designs for our new assembly
2) For alternative uses for the Stormont edifice
I'm 
