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What you want to say – 24 February 2021 February 24, 2021

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. Klassenkampf Treehugger - February 24, 2021

The Dig is an excellent podcast for those of us without the time to read every book they’d like to – or even 2% of the books they’d like too.

They give the authors sufficient time (an average of two hours) to present the gist of the book. They’re focus is also admirably internationalist although it’s understandably US-based.

Anyhow I found this edition:

https://www.thedigradio.com/podcast/empires-without-imperialism-with-jeanne-morefield/

where Jeanne Morefield talks about the parallels between the ideological construction of the British empire at the beginning of the 20C as ‘liberal’ (not at all racist like the competing wannabe German empire, not at all no siree) and the US empire of this century that dare not speak its name.

Especially now that ‘normal’ ideoligical service has been resumed with Biden, after Trump let the side down so egregiously.

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WorldbyStorm - February 24, 2021

Thanks for the lead on that podcast – sounds great

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2. Tomboktu - February 24, 2021

The Dublin Inquirer has an interesting article today on how housing vacancy is measured and the problems with it, an important starting point if we are to tackle the housing crisis.

It’s by Kathleen Stokes, who us a postdoctoral fellow at TCD and Cian O’Callaghan, a professor at TCD (not to be confused with the Social Democrats’ housing spokesperson, Cian O’Callaghan TD).

Kathleen and Cian: We Need to Change How We Think About Urban Vacancy

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3. sonofstan - February 24, 2021

I’ve just noticed the census in Ireland is being postponed this year whereas it’s going ahead in England, Wales and NI with Scotland having postponed.

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WorldbyStorm - February 24, 2021

That’s interesting.

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WorldbyStorm - February 24, 2021

Is it a heightened concern over the pandemic in the ROI and Scotland?

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sonofstan - February 24, 2021

Dunno. Scotland took the decision back in July, when even the most pessimistic of us probably thought we’d be through the worst by now: the CSO decided in Sept. I think. Probably more a matter of resource management since the stats bodies would be doing a lot of work on Covid during what would be the planning stages for census 21

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WorldbyStorm - February 24, 2021

That makes sense.

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Paul Culloty - February 24, 2021

That, and they’re planning a virtual census there, whereas it’s still largely paper and peann luaidhe here.

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4. Tomboktu - February 24, 2021

Tomato seedlings showing hints this morning of the first true leaves emerging between the seed leaves.

“Wildfire” rocket seed leaves are much smaller than the leaves of plain rocket. (I think the trademark on “Wildfire” has not been renewed in the UK. I wonder of that’s a commercial decision or a Covid side-effect. I first learned about the significance of the difference between a cultivar name and a trademark for a new plant from an NPR report about the Pink Lady apple. Breeders’rights for a new variety, like a patent for an invention, expire after a certain time, but a trade mark can be renewed indefinitely. If you can establish a trademark as the identity of your new variety in the mind of the public, then, when the cultivar rights expire, it doesn’t matter if others start growing or selling your cultivar because they can’t use your trademark with your permission.)

Three varieties of lettuce trundling along as seedlings.

They’re all growing inside the patio door in the kitchen, so the trick is to keep them moist enough without inducing damping off.

I found some old packets of flower seeds under the stairs. Probably all well gone now, but no harm filling trays with spent compost from last year’s lettuces and sowing the seeds. If nothing germinates, I’ll still be able to put the compost into the compost bin.

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banjoagbeanjoe - February 24, 2021

And Tombo goes one up :).
I’ve nothing started. Best I can claim is that the compost heap is composting away goodo.

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Tomboktu - February 24, 2021

It’s going to be a long gardening year.

I was out of action for a few years between study and an accident, and I’m now paying the price. Buttercup and couch grass have taken over the middle bed. I cleared the west bed of weeds last year before I did my elbow in, but couch grass is back, though it’s not as denseas as it is in the middle bed.

If you’ve a weed which has repens as the second word in its scientific Latin name, then sigh. If you’ve two of them, then weep.

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Klassenkampf Treehugger - February 25, 2021

Couch grass and buttercup! You have my deepest sympathies.

Both were inneradicable I found, short of major chemical warfare, which I was never willing to contemplate.

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Michael Carley - February 24, 2021

Started a batch of tomato seeds a few weeks ago and some of them are coming up nicely. Chillies are either doing well, feeble, or non-existent, depending on variety (I think some of the seed was a bit old). The sprout seeds I put on compost last week are germinating. Have a first batch of peas in toilet roll tubes of compost.

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Tomboktu - February 26, 2021

First parsley seedling peekng out of the compist this morning.

One third of the west bed cleared of couch grass roots. I’m taking it one narrow strip at a tine with the fork to dislodge the soil around the roots without breaking (famous last words). I must weigh them when I’ve finished it.

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5. Paul Culloty - February 24, 2021

So, the Mother and Baby Homes motion was unopposed, but the Government then tabled a motion to ensure it couldn’t be implemented, so the Commission will be dissolved:

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WorldbyStorm - February 24, 2021

Very very very telling indeed.

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Tomboktu - February 25, 2021

What was the point of that?

Is it so that government TDs can go on radio at the weekend and say the Government parties did not vote down the extension?

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6. Liberius - February 24, 2021

New IT/IPSOS-MRBI poll out.

The state of the parties, when undecided voters and those unlikely to vote are excluded, is as follows: Fianna Fail 14 per cent (down three); Fine Gael 30 per cent (down five); Sinn Féin 28 per cent (down one); Green Party 6 per cent (up two); Labour 3 per cent (down one); Social Democrats 3 per cent (up one); Solidarity-People Before Profit 1 per cent (no change); Aontú 1 per cent (no change); Independents/others 13 per cent (up five).

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/fall-in-support-for-fianna-f%C3%A1il-fine-gael-as-confidence-in-covid-19-management-slumps-poll-1.4494233

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7. Tomboktu - February 25, 2021

At this rate, he’ll deserve a TWIMBLT slot soon

https://twitter.com/BigDirtyFry/status/1364709736466243598

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8. sonofstan - February 25, 2021

Good news:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/25/coventry-family-overturns-ban-on-gaelic-wording-on-gravestone

Unbelievable decisions by the ‘Court of Arches’ (FFS) to begin with. An inscription in ‘Gaelic’ might be assumed to be political without a translation – courts apparently have to take into account the feelings of bigoted fools.

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WorldbyStorm - February 25, 2021

+1 bigoted and essentially cultural xenophobia as well as unbelievable ignorance

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WorldbyStorm - February 25, 2021

Btw would be interesting to get an overview of these quasi judicial religious entities in the UK (and any in Ireland too).

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Tomboktu - February 25, 2021

I think that UK body has the force of law.

Irish ones… remember RC annulled marriages in the days before divorce, and RC ecclesiastical courts instructing victims of clerical abuse to not day anything to non-church authorities?

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banjoagbeanjoe - February 26, 2021

“Remember ….RC ecclesiastical courts instructing victims of clerical abuse to not say anything to non-church authorities?”

I do remember that. And I still am amazed that we maintained and continue to maintain diplomatic relations with the state that did that to us. They still have those ‘ecclesiastical courts’ and they still maintain they have the right to instruct Irish citizens not to deal with Irish state authorities and all kinds of other stuff. Absolutely intolerable interference in the internal affairs of the Irish state.

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Klassenkampf Treehugger - February 26, 2021

If by state you mean the Vatican state, absolutely.

And they need us more than we need them. A simple power imbalance that the forelock-tuggers in the Irish establishment don’t seem to be able to grasp.

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Tomboktu - February 26, 2021

A nerdy question. Do we have diplomatic relations with the state that did that?

I ask because a few years ago I remember reading that there is a legal distinction between the Holy See and the Vatican State. The Holy See, if I recall correctly, has abserver status at the likes of the UN, but could not be a member of some other global organisations because it’s not a state – for example, the international bodies that coordinate links between national postal systems and national telecommunications systems.

Practically, the difference is negligible (hence the question being nerdy), but symbolically it makes the situation worse. We don’t have diplomatic relations with the Vatican city state, but with the Roman Catholic Church itself.

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banjoagbeanjoe - February 26, 2021

Bleedin hell. They’re clever b**tards with their angels on a pinhead distinctions. Just sever diplomatic relations with whichever pinhead we can. I never liked pinheads.

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9. Bagetall's Undaunted Threshing - February 25, 2021

“These materials may have been obtained through hacking.”

Grayzone exposé on Bellingcat was tagged with the above on the twitter.

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10. Paul Culloty - February 26, 2021

Even first-year marketing students are told not to put leading questions in their surveys:

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WorldbyStorm - February 26, 2021

That is a truly abysmal framing of the question in that poll. No surprise to see the IT leading the charge.

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11. sonofstan - February 27, 2021

Drew Harris claiming that there were ‘far left and far right’ elements in today’s anti-lockdown protest in Dublin. Any truth in that?

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pettyburgess - February 27, 2021

Paul Reynolds repeated this false claim as fact on the RTE news, not even as a quote from Harris.

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WorldbyStorm - February 28, 2021

Disgraceful.

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Tomboktu - February 27, 2021
sonofstan - February 28, 2021

“This morning, he [Drew Harris] said that “despite initial indications, following further investigations, there is no corroborated evidence of extreme left factions being involved.”

From the RTÉ site.

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sonofstan - February 28, 2021

‘further investigation’

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WorldbyStorm - February 28, 2021

At least there was some pushback against the narrative they were – a narrative constructed by the police themselves!

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Tomboktu - February 28, 2021

Is love to know what the uncorroborated “evidence” was.

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sonofstan - February 28, 2021

The heasline on the RTÉ site is that DH ‘clarified’ his comments: not, you will note, ‘withdrew’.

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Tomboktu - February 28, 2021

The Journal and the Examiner also have the commissioner ‘clarifying’ his remarks.

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Aonrud ⚘ - February 28, 2021

I notice the RTÉ article also has some vague references to ‘Republicans’ from Helen McEntee. I wonder where that’s coming from? Although presumably most FG TDs mumble that word in their sleep.

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2021/0228/1199831-dublin-protests/

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12. GearóidGaillimh - February 27, 2021

I doubt he could name a single left-wing org involved if you asked him

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13. GearóidGaillimh - February 27, 2021

By the way, does anyone know when exactly Indymedia turned into a crank anti-mask/anti-vaccine website? I forgot it still existed until someone pointed out it was pushing this nonsense.

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WorldbyStorm - February 28, 2021

I hadn’t checked in in awhile . WTF? It’s mad stuff there. I’d love to know what happened?

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14. roddy - February 27, 2021

Red C SF29 FG29 FF13 SD6 LAB4 GP3 PBP2 AON2 IND12

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WorldbyStorm - February 27, 2021

What paper or outlet is that for roddy? V v solid SF vote! Phoenix said they’re tipping up to 60 plus seats next time!

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Paul Culloty - February 27, 2021

The monthly SBP tracker poll – the Next Irish GE Twitter a/c usually gives the regional and age breakdowns on Sunday.

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CL - February 27, 2021

FFG = 42 SFF = 42

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Paul Culloty - February 28, 2021

The Connacht-Ulster breakdown is particularly jawdropping:

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sonofstan - February 28, 2021

SDs seem to be taking over the centre-left slot vacated by the Greens. But bigger than FF in Connacht/ Ulster?!

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WorldbyStorm - February 28, 2021

That’d be something but still early days tho on the other hand organising as an all island party makes a bit more sense so (btw DL was also all island and the merger w the LP saw reps in NI shabbily treated IMO).

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GearóidGaillimh - February 28, 2021

I can’t see SDs winning a seat anywhere in Connacht-Ulster except for Galway West and even there it’s an outside shot. They definitely won’t come ahead of FF. On the other hand I can see SF make gains in seats like Galway East.

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GearóidGaillimh - February 28, 2021

FF not having a seat in Galway East would be a bit like Brit Labour not having a seat in Bolsover. Hmm

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WorldbyStorm - February 28, 2021

That’s got to suggest FFs role as a ‘national’ party may be in deep deep trouble

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sonofstan - February 28, 2021

Looks as if SF have effectively replaced them west of the Shannon. They’re actually stronger in Dublin (9%) and rest of Leinster (16%)

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6to5against - February 28, 2021

I had assumed that FF would end up being a sort of a not-Dublin party. That they would morph (whether they liked it or not) into a loose coalition of Healy-Rae type local organisations. If only because that’s the only place where I could see a little room for them. But if they fall apart in Connaught-Ulster, its hard to see then having any future at all.

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WorldbyStorm - February 28, 2021

I’d thought at one time there was a danger of SF being the equivalent of the CSU to FFs CDs, but it appears the relationship could be exactly the opposite ! Not btw that SF going into govt w FF in coalition would be a positive

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15. roddy - February 28, 2021

What possible comparison is there between SF and CSU?

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WorldbyStorm - February 28, 2021

Fair question. None politically – I was thinking more of geographic location. Do you recall when there was a preponderance (not a word I use every day) of SF TDs in Ulster and adjacent constituencies and I wondered back then was that going to be the SFs core heartland with a few seats here and there elsewhere across the 26. How wrong I was.

But I had wondered back then was SF fated to be more a ‘regional’ rather than national party like the CSU – what really struck me was 2011 when I felt I knew a good number of SF people and had my ear to the ground and yet at the election that year suddenly new TDs popping up everywhere and again in 2016 and obviously again in 2020. So that’s why I’m wondering is FF in a way being pushed into that sort of configuration of a smaller possibly more regional party.

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sonofstan - February 28, 2021

Which region though? They are weakest where you would think they would be strongest.
I always figured FF would end up like the Liberals in Britain pre-80s, isolated seats in the highlands and west country, but without the sandals.

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WorldbyStorm - February 28, 2021

Yeah, no region at all it would appear!

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Fergal - February 28, 2021

You’d wonder what happens to politics here once questions like divorce, abortion and marriage equality have been solved… by the public too… with all parties agreeing to these changes…
The end of ff-fg hegemony
FF becoming bit players
FG representing a smug, secure and socially liberal middle class
SD… to become the new half party in the a new 2 and a half party system
SF becoming vectors for change and talking left
Indos… will always be with us… unless single-seat constituencies are created
Will pandemic boost hard right?
PBP/Sol… perpetual outsiders?
Labour… gone…

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Fergal - February 28, 2021

The Greens…have peaked at 12 seats… will do well in every second Euro election… the planet’s descent into perdition won’t be halted by them

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WorldbyStorm - February 28, 2021

It’d be great if things tilted towards economic issues and class. But… I’m not holding my breath.

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16. EWI - February 28, 2021

I feel like this is throwing shade at the Desmond Greaves School:

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17. CL - February 28, 2021

“Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has said that “despite initial indications, following further investigations, there is no corroborated evidence of extreme left factions being involved” in yesterday’s protests in Dublin city centre.” – RTE

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Fergal - February 28, 2021

Did he explain how the inference was made in the first place?
Extreme left?!
Only two extremes there were the right-wing headbangers and the cops

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EWI - February 28, 2021

Because it was useful to his masters, such as Helen McEntee who ‘clarified’ on national radio this morning that they meant republicans.

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CL - February 28, 2021

” Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has said that some of those who attended the riot in Dublin yesterday were individuals with previous connections to far-left violent groups or organisations.
Minister McEntee said the clarification from Garda Commissioner Drew Harris was intended to make this clear, as some of those identified were individuals or factions who may have moved to the extreme right from previous allegiances with other organisations on the left…..

Earlier this morning, Minister McEntee said the Garda Commissioner had said that far left groups at the protests were “violent republican groups” and not groups of any political persuasion….
Speaking on Newstalk Radio, Minister McEntee said that Commissioner Harris had said his reference and that the republicans were among the disparate groups yesterday “who were there with intent on causing harm”.
https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2021/0228/1199831-dublin-protests/

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Fergal - February 28, 2021

Sounds like they’re tying themselves up in knots…
Which narrative scares the middle class most? Run with that one…

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EWI - March 1, 2021

Here’s the other shoe dropping on what was afoot this weekend with FFGP:

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CL - March 1, 2021

” Anti-lockdown and conspiracy groups and individuals have been “galvanised” by last Saturday’s protest on Dublin’s Grafton Street and further demonstrations look likely, an anti-extremism researcher has said….
Aoife Gallagher, who monitors disinformation online for a London think-tank, said she was “very concerned” at the spread of conspiracy theories among Irish people across social media….
She said the people involved in the anti-lockdown protests are “down the conspiracy theory rabbit hole” and believe the Government is actively trying to destroy their lives.
She said that, while there did not appear to be signs that the far-right National Party was involved in organising Saturday’s violence, the party was being “constantly promoted” on social media platform, Telegram.”
https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40235840.html

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18. terrymdunne - March 1, 2021

New Peelers & Sheep podcast episode out now – putting the Irish revolution into a global context – more soon on Irish Farmers’ Union – plus one of its leaders ex-landlord George O’Callaghan-Westropp and on farm workers in Dublin during the 1913 Lock-Out.

https://peelersandsheep.ie/podcast/ep-4-dubs-dirty-shirts-and-world-revolution/

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Klassenkampf Treehugger - March 2, 2021

Thanks Terry – will give it a listen.

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19. CL - March 1, 2021

– The first known case of COVID-19 in New York State was reported one year ago today, when it was publicly announced that a Manhattan woman was found to be infected with the virus…..
One year later, more than 1.9 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered citywide –
https://gothamist.com/news/remembering-march-2020-nyc-when-times-came-end

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20. Michael Carley - March 1, 2021

Eamonn McCann is stepping down as a councillor for health reasons.

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WorldbyStorm - March 1, 2021

Ah, sorry to hear that. Hope he’s okay.

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WorldbyStorm - March 1, 2021
banjoagbeanjoe - March 2, 2021

Feck it. Hope he does okay. A giant of the Irish left. And a great writer and talker.

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21. sonofstan - March 2, 2021

Everyone thinks they’re better than everyone else.
https://www.rte.ie/news/newslens/2021/0302/1200325-covid-19-restrictions/

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banjoagbeanjoe - March 2, 2021

I don’t. I know I am.

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Fergal - March 2, 2021

Brexit remoaners!
What are ye at?
Vaccines ✔️
Tunnel between n. Ireland ✔️
World Cup in 2030✔️
Nice to see a government minister declaring ‘they won’t be found wanting’ in the quest to have gangs of overpaid drug users chasing a ball

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22. NFB - March 2, 2021

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2021/0302/1200396-world-cup-soccer-bid/

Interested to see PBP jumping on this story, didn’t think it would be up their avenue. Or was it just an off the cuff quote when addressing something else?

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banjoagbeanjoe - March 2, 2021

Not a surprise surely that PbP are on this. Sure we all know they were playing ball in Mountjoy Square in the eighties in between theoretical discussions at Marxism.

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sonofstan - March 2, 2021

There’s a joke that gets an annual outing on the Bohs forum about how a Bohs supporters team would never be any good because everyone would want to play on the left-wing.

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alanmyler - March 2, 2021

It’s a bit bread and circuses though isn’t it? I mean I wouldn’t mind the World Cup happening on my doorstep at all, but I’d like to hear John Molyneaux’s thoughts on how this will impact of the chances of accelerated revolutionary change before we all go endorsing it.

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23. Paul Culloty - March 2, 2021

Advance health warning, as John McGuirk is on Prime Time tonight to discuss the rise of the far right, and Saturday’s protest.

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WorldbyStorm - March 2, 2021

😦

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24. banjoagbeanjoe - March 3, 2021

I’m going to say this again. There has to be an opportunity for the Irish government to help out the French and German authorities with their problem in shifting the Astra Zeneca vaccines.
Ffs, where are the tanglers and jobbers who used to run the country when we need them now? There’s deals to be done. We can do our German and French friends a big favour and take a portion of their vaccines off their hands (a small portion for them but a big deal for little us). Ffs, will someone get Mairead McGuinness on the phone?

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/02/covid-germany-and-france-under-pressure-to-shift-oxford-vaccine

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25. CL - March 3, 2021

” To leaders’ frustration, the EU has little short-term prospect of catching up with the US, or the UK, which has administered more than four times as many doses per capita. Israel has given more than 12 times as many….
The problem has taken on a new dimension as several big countries grapple with stockpiles of unused AstraZeneca jabs. Merkel and French president Emmanuel Macron have in recent days tried to restore public trust in the vaccine following question marks about its effectiveness in older individuals ”
https://www.ft.com/content/39d31c19-5a3d-4352-9bff-630f7c80e5fa

“In just the last few days, Denmark, Austria, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic have all joined Hungary in breaking ranks with the EU’s vaccination strategy by going beyond Europe’s borders for doses. In the process, they’ve unleashed a devastating barrage of criticism directed at the EU, saying their citizens simply can’t wait for the Commission to get its act together. ….
“Total shitshow,” German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz reportedly said of the EU vaccine program.
And Polish President Andrzej Duda used a phone call Monday with Chinese President Xi Jinping to express interest in purchasing Chinese vaccines…..
The loud, public push by numerous capitals to pursue foreign-made vaccines amounts to a stunning rebuke of Brussels following weeks in which national leaders had refrained from criticism and pointedly reiterated their support for the Commission-led joint procurement effort.”
https://www.politico.eu/article/brussels-doubts-eu-countries-capitals-look-abroad-russia-china-coronavirus-vaccines/

” Austria and Denmark, chafing at the slow rollout of COVID-19 vaccines within the European Union, have joined forces with Israel to produce second-generation vaccines against mutations of the coronavirus…..
The European Commission said member states were free to strike separate deals should they wish to. “It’s not that the strategy unravelled or it goes against the strategy, not at all,” spokesman Stefan de Keersmaecker said.”
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronaviurs-vaccine-europe/austria-and-denmark-break-ranks-with-eu-to-produce-vaccines-with-israel-idUSKBN2AU11D

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CL - March 3, 2021

“Europe’s unified vaccination strategy is splintering as countries turn to Israel, China and Russia for help.
Czech Republic President Miloš Zeman indicated to CNN affiliate Prima News on Sunday that his country may roll out Sputnik V if it is authorized by the domestic regulator. “I wrote to President Putin requesting the delivery of Sputnik-V. If I am properly informed, this request will be granted, but of course we will need the [medical regulator] certification,” he said.
“If various people warn us against having a Russian or Chinese vaccine, then it is good to tell them that the vaccine has no ideology,” he added…..
The bloc now faces a race to fix the vaccine rollout while retaining the faith of jittery member states looking elsewhere for solutions.”
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/europe/europe-vaccine-strategy-splinters-intl/index.html

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