Thank Fachtna it’s Friday.

You know the drill by now. It’s a voucher-free music nerd knees-up. And all in the best possible taste.

This week, I want to know: What’s your favourite song whose title or lyrics mention dreams or dreaming.

Here’s mine.

Lines MUST close on Saturday at Midday.

Please include video link if possible.

Nick says: Good luck!

Meanwhile…

Horslips – The Man Who Built America

Last week, I asked you to name your favourite song whose title or lyrics refer to metals.

Reader Eamonn won my esteem with this Irish prog banger:

“All about America right now. Golden Nails, Silver Bars. Only had to hear it once, never forgot it. Never had the excuse to post about it on the interwebs though.”

Nick says: Well done, Eamonn and thanks all.

Last week: Win Nick’s Esteem

Top pic: Plugd records, Cork

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Behold: the Vinci – an e-bike prototype designed by mechanical engineer and industrial designer Enzo Prathamesh, currently funding via Kickstarter.

The aluminium-alloy top frame tube houses an LED headlight and brake light cluster along with a 48v, 15Ah lithium battery mounted under the seat which powers a 750w rear hub-mounted motor.  Charge is good for 50km of throttle-only riding, or up to 80km of pedal-assist at 32km/h (eco) and 56km/h (sport mode). 

There’s a colour LCD in the tube indicating speed and charge, a seven-speed drivetrain Shimano gearset, front and rear suspension and fat Kenda tires.

Yours to preorder for $1,150 (€980)

uncrate

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This afternoon.

Tony Connelly of RTÉ News reported that the European Union is likely to challenge on legal grounds any move by the UK to trigger Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Via RTE News:

Although the UK government has repeatedly threatened to trigger Article 16, saying the conditions have already been met, the European Commission does not believe that to be the case, and would challenge any triggering of the article on legal grounds.

While details have not been shared with member states, it is understood the European Commission is preparing a hierarchy of responses should London trigger Article 16.

“The commission is internally of the view that Article 16 could happen at any time, that it hasn’t gone away, that it’s a very serious possibility,” says one diplomat familiar with preparations.

It is understood the European Commission is working on a twin-track approach, on the one hand bringing forward new proposals that would ease the implementation of the protocol, while on the other hand preparing a response to an Article 16 move

EU likely to challenge any move to trigger Article 16 (RTÉ)

Graphic:  @MillsSheehy and @melissaittoo

This afternoon.

Via The Irish Times:

Liam Kavanagh, managing director of The Irish Times, said the agreement with Google was “a welcome acknowledgement of the value of trusted news sources in modern democracies”.

“It means titles in The Irish Times Group have more support to provide high-quality, independent journalism to a wider audience,” he said.

The Irish Times Group has agreed terms with Google which will allow access to content from all titles in the group available through Google News Showcase when it launches in the Irish market later this year.

Google signs deal with Irish Times and other Irish partners to promote news (Irish Times)

Meanwhile…

Google shifted more than $75.4 billion (€63 billion) in profits out of the Republic using the controversial “double-Irish” tax arrangement in 2019, the last year in which it used the loophole.

The technology giant availed of the tax arrangement to move the money out of Google Ireland Holdings Unlimited Company via interim dividends and other payments. This company was incorporated in Ireland but tax domiciled in Bermuda at the time of the transfer.

The move allowed Google Ireland Holdings to escape corporation tax both in the Republic and in the United States where its ultimate parent, Alphabet, is headquartered. The holding company reported a $13 billion pretax profit for 2019, which was effectively tax-free, the accounts show.

A year earlier, Google Ireland Holdings paid out dividends of €23 billion, having recorded turnover of $25.7 billion.

Google has used the double Irish loophole to funnel billions in global profits through Ireland and on to Bermuda, effectively putting them beyond the reach of US tax authorities.

Companies exploiting the double Irish put their intellectual property into an Irish-registered company that is controlled from a tax haven such as Bermuda.

Ireland considers the company to be tax-resident in Bermuda, while the US considers it to be tax-resident here. The result is that when royalty payments are sent to the company, they go untaxed – unless or until the money is eventually sent home to the US parent.

Google used ‘double-Irish’ to shift $75.4bn in profits out of Ireland (Arthur Beesley, Irish Times, April 17, 2021)

This afternoon.

Queen’s University, Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Good times.

Clinton hails work of women in peace process as she becomes Queen’s University’s first female chancellor (Belfast Telegraph)

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‘sup?

This afternoon.

The Natural History Museum, Dublin 2.

Fearful youngsters – many on the mitch – call for action on climate change, part of a spontaneous, from the ground up, not adult-led ‘Climate Strike’ taking place across the country and the world.

They are the future.

Save yourselves.

Sam Boal/RollingNews

From top: Businessman and kidnap victim Don Tidey (second left) and his children following his release on December 17, 1983; Above from left: Don Tidey; Mother of Garda Gary Sheehan, Margaret Sheehan, Gary’s sisters Grainne and Jennifer and Martin McAviney (at back)

This afternoon.

Dubhlinn Gardens, Dublin Castle, Dublin 2.

At a ceremony to award deceased, retired and serving members of An Garda Síochána with Scott Medals for bravery were the family of Garda Gary Sheehan, who lost his life helping to free kidnap victim Don Tidey.

Mr Tidey, a supermarket executive, was kidnapped outside his home in Dublin in November, 1983 and held captive for 23 days by an armed IRA gang before he was rescued by the gardaí and Defence Forces.

Garda Sheehan along with Irish Army Private Patrick Kelly were shot dead during a shoot-out in Drumcroman Woods, Derrada, county Leitrim.

Don Tidey: Gardaí honoured for bravery during kidnapping (BBC)

Sam Boal and Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews

 

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