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What you want to say – 14 October 2020 October 14, 2020

Posted by WorldbyStorm in Uncategorized.
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As always, following on Dr. X’s suggestion, it’s all yours, “announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose”, feel free.

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1. Tomboktu - October 14, 2020

Leo channelling Gerry Stembridge’s impersonation of Charles J Haughey there on Morning Ireland:

“Well, I designed the PUP, on a sunny day when I say down with Paschal Donohoe and Regina Doherty…”

All he was missing was the bodhran in the background.

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2. EWI - October 14, 2020

Mortified for the RCSI (this is sadly par for the Irish Times):

Chris Fitzpatrick: It is wrong to commemorate Kevin Barry

Centenary anniversary of his execution will, once again, make a hero of a first year medical student who felt justified in taking human life

https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/chris-fitzpatrick-it-is-wrong-to-commemorate-kevin-barry-1.4379523

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CL - October 14, 2020
EWI - October 14, 2020

Thanks!

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WorldbyStorm - October 17, 2020

Agree though with both of you. It’s a remarkably odd article.

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gypsybhoy69 - October 26, 2020

Let’s not mention the RCSI and it’s links to what goes on in Bahrain. Too many potential Kevin Barry’s there.

My wife is related to Thomas Bryan one of the Forgotten 10 along with Kevin Barry. So to Chris Fitzpatrick I’d just like to say this – ‘fuck right off!’.

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3. tafkaGW - October 14, 2020

Every day while the government waits for the hospitals to fill up before doing something that could effectively prevent the hospitals filling up, means more deaths and disablement.

The entire island of Ireland needs a month’s ‘circuit breaker’ lockdown, including schools and colleges.

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4. tafkaGW - October 14, 2020

New Covid rules in the North:

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5. tafkaGW - October 14, 2020

Schools to be off for 3 weeks (including I assume this week) until 2nd November in the North.

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6. oliverbohs - October 14, 2020

According to Gene Kerrigan, Paddy Doyle, author of one of the first books to shine a light on the Catholic Church’s distressing record on child abuse, The God Squad, has died. RIP

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7. tafkaGW - October 14, 2020

This just beggars belief:

“Students in Birmingham were given used coronavirus tests by mistake, with the council launching a review of the incident amid concern from those who received contaminated swabs.”

How could you do that?

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WorldbyStorm - October 14, 2020

😦

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sonofstan - October 14, 2020

Students are being sacrificed to the ‘need’ to keep the unis and the student loan company solvent. Rent strike anyone?

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8. CL - October 15, 2020

“Mr Martin said there is “always an ongoing tension” between the competing priorities of the economy and public health.”
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/t%C3%A1naiste-more-than-covid-19-case-numbers-should-be-looked-at-to-decide-restrictions-1.4369546

“The concept of ending the Covid pandemic through herd immunity is “a dangerous fallacy unsupported by scientific evidence”, say 80 researchers in a warning letter published by a leading medical journal….
“Effective measures that suppress and control transmission need to be implemented widely, and they must be supported by financial and social programmes that encourage community responses and address the inequities that have been amplified by the pandemic.”
Those restrictions will be needed “to reduce transmission and fix ineffective pandemic response systems, in order to prevent future lockdowns”.
If the numbers of infections can be pushed down to a low level, it will be possible to keep the virus suppressed through “an efficient and comprehensive” test, trace, isolate and support system, “so life can return to near-normal without the need for generalised restrictions.

Protecting our economies is inextricably tied to controlling Covid-19. We must protect our workforce and avoid long-term uncertainty.”
There are success stories – among them Japan, Vietnam and New Zealand, they say.
“The evidence is very clear: controlling community spread of Covid-19 is the best way to protect our societies and economies until safe and effective vaccines and therapeutics arrive within the coming months”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/14/ending-covid-19-via-herd-immunity-is-a-dangerous-fallacy

‘there can be no economic recovery until the virus is contained’-Stiglitz

Has the Martin government misconceived the economic implications of the public health crisis?
Is there necessarily a conflict between public health and economic priorities?
Can there be a healthy economy without a healthy working class?

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WorldbyStorm - October 15, 2020

That is a great point you make at the end. I cannot see how it is possible.

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CL - October 16, 2020

“Taking a decision not to invoke the highest level of restrictions, owing to economic reasons, is a massive one to be placed on the shoulders of those who sit around the Cabinet table….
Then while you’re busy looking after livelihoods, you might suddenly find yourself in a place where the number of lives lost is hitting record numbers.”
https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/arid-40065896.html

The notion that necessary public health measures are in conflict with livelihoods and the economy is seriously misconceived.
There is a an ideological undercurrent here as policies to curb the pandemic require government intervention.

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EWI - October 17, 2020

The notion that necessary public health measures are in conflict with livelihoods and the economy is seriously misconceived.
There is a an ideological undercurrent here as policies to curb the pandemic require government intervention.

Lucinda Ardren romping home now in NZ with a massive majority. Zero-Covid island strategy.

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WorldbyStorm - October 17, 2020

There really is EWI and that’s key the point you put – and I’m going to quote the way you put it cos it gets to the heart of things. It’s the same old same old hostility and hatred to state intervention.

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9. roddy - October 15, 2020

Indy now at 58% in Caledonia!

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10. Colm B - October 15, 2020

Support for Scottish independence breaks the record in latest poll: Yes 58%, No 42%.

https://news.stv.tv/politics/poll-support-for-independence-hits-historic-high-of-58?top&amp&top=&__twitter_impression=true

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11. Tomboktu - October 15, 2020

Shocked this evening walking through Belfast to see many people dining in many restaurants.

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12. sonofstan - October 16, 2020

Only 34 Labour MPs found it in themselves to oppose the second reading of the CHIS Bill, that would allow MI5/6, the police and anyone else to do whatever they like basically. Starmer instructed abstention on the premise that Labour would fix it when in power.

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WorldbyStorm - October 16, 2020

😦

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tafkaGW - October 16, 2020

So Brexitania is essentially a police state.

But this is of a piece with the Brexiteer imaginary. First they imagine that they won the second world war single-handed and view the war with nostalgia. And as a history continuation, they clearly think that they were defended against the commies by the likes of James Bond.

A ‘licence to kill’ is a adjunct of the ‘global Britain’ neo-colonial delusion.

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roddy - October 16, 2020

Do they not know that James Bond supports Scottish independence?Connery called for it when it wasnt even popular!

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GearóidGaillimh - October 16, 2020
13. tafkaGW - October 16, 2020

Chances of a no-deal rather than a minimal-deal Brexit just went up. Now it will probably move into blame-gaming.

It remains to be seen whether the Brexitanians will turn this into a double no-deal and renege on the Withdrawal Agreement, and thereby implicitly the Good Friday Agreement.

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Joe - October 16, 2020
14. tafkaGW - October 16, 2020

A large scale study conducted by the WHO indicates that none of Remdesivir, Hydroxychloroquin, Lopinavir und Interferon beta are of any use in treating Covid 19.

One hopes no further money will be wasted on the incredibly expensive Remdesivir, made by a company close to the Orange Void.

No wonder US pharma lobbyists hate the WHO.

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15. Alibaba - October 16, 2020

It will come as no surprise that Sinn Féin still maintains that its rejection of NPHET’s recommendation around two weeks ago to move to Level 5 was correct because this advice was “dramatic” and having “catastrophic” consequences. This is justified on the grounds of the need for more PUP, business supports, extra ICU capacity, and so on. Is it the case that these things are needed? To which the answers are yes, obviously, but this misses the point. SF mixes valid criticisms with frankly, just waffling on the most recent advice to move to Level 5.

I heard Mary Lou McDonald on the radio today expressing concern about “the dangerous situation” and how the government needs to “act quickly” but declining to say if SF approves the move to Level 5, because she hasn’t seen a letter and in defiance of the fact that NPHET’s predictions have proven to be correct and then some. Hard-hitting restrictions are required to suppress the virus, perhaps with some tweaking. There’s no getting away from this.

But you only have to look to SF’s base to see where it’s coming from.
 
With those misgivings aside, let’s get back to the cheerier developments whereby SF is giving us the heads up on what needs addressing in terms of protective measures and rightly arguing for the clarity required. What’s more RISE, PBP, Independent Left and others have called for what’s required promptly and unashamedly. 

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WorldbyStorm - October 16, 2020

+1

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sonofstan - October 17, 2020

“But you only have to look to SF’s base to see where it’s coming from.”

What do you mean? Genuine question.

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Alibaba - October 17, 2020

Fair point. It is reasonable to detect a desire by Sinn Féin to placate its base of support when we consider its response to the pandemic. Name me the political party that doesn’t do this or doesn’t make mistakes for that matter. SF is a self-declared “pro-business” party that is driven to oppose or resist certain measures that are disliked, for instance, the closure of pubs. Its politics shouldn’t be understood uncritically, most especially when we consider the loss of lives from coronavirus. And this is also why no one should be fooled by its indecision about Level 5. 

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roddy - October 17, 2020

And SF just closed the pubs in the North despite intense opposition from most of the DUP.

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Alibaba - October 17, 2020

Yes, the Executive brought new restrictions into existence in Northern Ireland last Friday with the announcement, among other things, that pubs and restaurants will close for four weeks, with the exception of takeaways and deliveries. It did so belatedly and after a serious spike in virus cases and when hospitalisations were on the up.

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16. GearóidGaillimh - October 16, 2020
WorldbyStorm - October 16, 2020

Interesting. Not something I’d have predicted. Does Aontú keep the seat without a byelection or how does that work at local government level in the North?

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GearóidGaillimh - October 16, 2020

I assume a cooption because it mentions it at the article. Apparently McCloskey’s vote was a personal one so presumably a challenge for them to retain it next time

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GearóidGaillimh - October 16, 2020

I was mistaken, they have another councillor in the north Denise Mullen, a defector from the SDLP in Co Tyrone. Still McCloskey was their most well-known person in the 6 counties.

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roddy - October 16, 2020

McCloskey was their only elected councillor.Mullen was elected on an SDLP ticket twice but resigned from the stoops shortly after her second victory to go independent and subsequently joined Aontu. McCloskey was deputy leader until being replaced by Mullen a week ago.Both are contrarians who would have bother remaining in any party and are more or less barking mad.

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WorldbyStorm - October 17, 2020

It’s the problem with new parties – they attract a wiiiide range of people

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WorldbyStorm - October 17, 2020

Ah sorry G, I missed that bit in the article.

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17. Paul Culloty - October 17, 2020

Ardern wins an overall majority, with both the Greens and the Maori Party set to keep her honest to her left:

https://interactives.stuff.co.nz/2020/10/election-2020-results-live/

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18. Tomboktu - October 17, 2020

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19. CL - October 17, 2020

“It is asserted that an elimination strategy is bad for the economy, despite the fact the low-Covid and ZeroCovid countries are ranking highest in business confidence, lowest in GDP decline, and have a self-evidently booming domestic economy and social life.”- Tomás Ryan, Irish Times

‘The low-Covid and ZeroCovid countries are ranking highest in business confidence’ from your oped today
Could you provide a source?’ – Dan O’ Brien, Twitter.

“New Zealand’s response to the coronavirus pandemic has been the best in the world and is the country that gives business leaders the most confidence for future investment, according to a Bloomberg Media survey.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/08/new-zealands-covid-19-response-the-best-in-the-world-say-global-business-leaders

“Editorial in TheEconomist argues against a ‘circuit breaker’ lockdown in the UK, where many Covid indicators are worse than in Ireland.

Those about to make a potentially society-changing decision should read it closely.”- Dan O’Brien, Twitter

The piece in The Economist is a typical neoliberal piece of crap refuted empirically by current events in New Zealand, of which Dan O’ Brien is ignorantly unaware.

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sonofstan - October 17, 2020

NZ has just returned a Labour govt with a working majority. Turns out there’s votes in keeping people safe and alive.

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WorldbyStorm - October 17, 2020

Amazing isn’t it just how far things have fallen that a fairly moderate Lab govt in NZ is the one to keep things on the road.

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WorldbyStorm - October 17, 2020

DO’B clearly has no intention of learning about anything outside his comfort zone.

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CL - October 18, 2020

” See-Saw, Let it Rip and Zero-Covid: three strategies but only one works.

Following mistimed interventions and a refusal to heed Nphet’s advice, an east Asian Zero-Covid exit strategy holds the best hope.
Unfortunately, the Nphet experts have been vindicated by the week’s depressing spread of the virus. The Government made a mistake in refusing to face the music.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar told RTÉ on Friday he was “not surprised” that Nphet had again recommended moving the entire country to Level 5 “given that virus rates have continued to rise”, in which case the experts are due an apology.

Back in March, European governments delayed their initial response, giving the microbes a second chance, and they have done it again with the second wave.”- Colm McCarthy.
https://www.independent.ie/opinion/comment/see-saw-let-it-rip-and-zero-covid-three-strategies-but-only-one-works-39637221.html

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terrymdunne - October 20, 2020

New series on the pandemic in FT covers some (only some) of the differences in responses and outcomes on a global scale –

https://ig.ft.com/coronavirus-global-data/

https://www.ft.com/content/82574e3d-1633-48ad-8afb-71ebb3fe3dee

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20. Starkadder - October 18, 2020

This guy rang everyone in the infamous little black book by Jeffrey Epstein, and learned even more disturbing info about Epstein in the process:

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/10/i-called-everyone-in-jeffrey-epsteins-little-black-book/#4

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21. sonofstan - October 19, 2020
WorldbyStorm - October 19, 2020

Not merely interested but I just had my birthday and I’m told a copy is on its way.

Still, I’ve been – along with rockroots, banging a drum for Hawkwind, Pink Fairies and the broader Ladbroke Grove scene as radical, proto-punk/motorik, etc for a long time now. That’s a good piece which I missed actually so many thanks. The point about if they’d broken up is a fascinating one. In a way their longevity and slide into rave and dance meant they remained marginal and quite anonymous.

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sonofstan - October 19, 2020

They played in Dublin a few times in the early seventies didn’t they? at a time when few British bands did.

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WorldbyStorm - October 19, 2020

I think so but I only caught them once myself, in the Academy in 2000. I think they played here sometime in the last ten years but I wasn’t able to make it. Nik Turner has been a visitor to our shores numerous times.

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Joe - October 19, 2020

I vaguely remember this from TotP 1972. They were/are pretty cool that’s for sure.

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WorldbyStorm - October 19, 2020

Still going, released a new album three days ago -Dave Brock is 78 or so. There’s also a range of groups associated or splintered from them all still releasing albums.

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rockroots - October 20, 2020

Stacia Blake, incidentally, has lived in County Laois for many years and is pretty active as an artist and in various local and environmental campaigns. You’ll find her public page on Facebook.

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22. NFB - October 19, 2020

Anyone see Aaron Sorkin’s Trial Of The Chicago 7? Interesting, but flawed, tableau of elements of the American left at a critical time. Sacha Baron Cohen is quite good as Abbie Hoffman.

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sonofstan - October 19, 2020

Yeah, saw it and enjoyed it, but the history is a bit suspect. Schultz wasn’t, apparently, stricken with conscience ever, for example.

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WorldbyStorm - October 19, 2020

Can I ask what is it viewable on?

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sonofstan - October 19, 2020

Netflix

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23. CL - October 20, 2020

“Like most of their neighbors in their predominantly white, middle-class community, the Deacys voted for Mr. Trump in 2016, and enthusiastically intend to do so again on Nov. 3. But the Deacys do not live in a solidly red state…..
Mr. Trump garnered 77.5 percent of the vote in Breezy Point. Hillary Clinton swept the city overall with 78.4 percent….
In a city where a majority of residents are people of color, the two-square-mile Breezy Point remains 92 percent white. Locals refer to it as the “Irish Riviera” because 62 percent of residents claim all or partly Irish ancestry.”

“Its ethnic and racial makeup has also been a source of controversy. It was once called an “an apartheid village” by the Rev. Al Sharpton during a protest.”

The Dark Side Of Breezy Point

“Kids in camos shoot toy machine guns, in keeping with the neighborhood’s military sympathies. Many residents are obviously veterans. One house along the parade route is slathered in USMC insignia and jingoistic banners: “Peace through strength.” A towel hanging to dry in one yard, printed with the American flag, reminds passersby that “Freedom isn’t free.” Down the road, one woman adorns her home using Halloween decorations, including a cardboard tombstone to mock (prematurely) the failure of President Obama’s healthcare overhaul….
A bunch of Irish hiding behind fences at the end of New York City come together every summer to make that right-wing fantasy a reality. An American flag hangs from nearly every house.”
https://www.thelmagazine.com/2009/09/the-whitest-neighborhood-in-new-york-city/4/

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