Stunning digital artwork by Estonian artist Amandine VanRay: ghostly figures afloat in surreal, digitally composited landscapes that evoke various, invariably dark, human emotions.
Yearly Archives: 2014
[ The National Emergency Coordination Group Briefing this afternoon. Top from left: Liam Basquille (office of Public Works) , Brian Kenny and Sean Hogan, Dept of the Enviroment, and Met Eireann’s Ger Fleming]
The Government has defended the decision of the National Emergency Coordination Group not to hold until yesterday its first plenary meeting in response to the adverse weather and flooding of the last month.
Fianna Fáil social protection spokesman Willie O’Dea said this morning that he was “gobsmacked” that the group had not met until this month. He was responding to an interview given by the group’s chair Sean Hogan this morning in which he disclosed its first formal meeting had been held yesterday.
Decision not to convene national emergency group defended (Harry McGee, Irish Times)
(Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland)
Reform Alliance Senator Healy-Eames spoke in the Seanad this morning about the fraping, liquor-chugging craze of ‘social media’.
In one.
Previously: Fidelma: The Frape Tape
(Top Judi Dench as Philomena Lee and Steve Coogan as Martin Sixsmith, Bill Donohue of the Catholic League)
Bill Donohue of the Catholic League offers his version of Philomena Lee’s life story of Catholic Ireland of the 1950s.
It should also attract attention for what it really is: a cruel caricature of nuns that is based on half truths and out and out lies. That it appeals to the worst appetite in anti-Catholic bigots is not debatable.
The film smears the Irish Catholic Church much the way “The Magdalene Sisters” did. That tale of woe was clearly discredited with the release of the McAleese Report last year, a study authorized by the Irish government.
Just as we would not expect a Palestinian-made movie of Israel to be fair, Irish Catholics do not expect that a film crafted by the English to ring true.
The Weinstein boys, Harvey and Bob, are the perfect duo to distribute the movie in the U.S.Their previous gifts to Catholicism include the film, “Priest,” a tale of five morally debased priests; a flick that stars Sinead O’Connor as a foul-mouthed Virgin Mary, “Butcher Boy”; one that features a descendant of Mary and Joseph who works in an abortion clinic, “Dogma”; a movie that ridicules Catholics about sex, “40 Days and 40 Nights”; a big screen portrayal of vicious nuns, “The Magdalene Sisters”; a depiction of Santa as a vulgar, drunken, sexual predator, “Bad Santa” ; and “Black Christmas,” a dark comedy made especially for the holidays.
But as we shall see, the nuns never “took” the baby, and never sold him.
Hardcore.
Read in full here. (162 kB PDF)
Previously: Laundering The Magdalene ‘Myths’
Set up 20 years ago by founder Janice Wolf (what are the chances?) The Rocky Ridge Refuge in Arkansas is home to 60 wild and domestic animals including dogs, a miniature horse, various cats, skunks, a zebra, tortoises and a capybara who all appear to get along just fine.
Many more pictures here.
Avoca, Rathcoole, Co Wicklow Dublin this lunchtime.
Thanks Chris Doyle
[Newly-elected new York Mayor Bill de Blasio]
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has confirmed he will boycott the city’s St Patrick’s Day parade due to the effective exclusion of the LGBT community from the event.
He is the first mayor in over 20 years to do so.
“I simply disagree with the organisers of that parade in their exclusion of some individuals in this city,” he said. He stopped short of barring city employees [police and fire officers] from marching in uniform, disappointing many LGBT advocacy groups.
De Blasio to Skip St. Patrick’s Day Parade; Cites Exclusion of Gay Groups (New York Times)
New York Mayor to boycott St Patrick’s Day parade over LGBT exclusion (RTE)
Previously: The New York St Patrick’s Day Parade Guidelines
(HuffPo)
A menu for a Valentine’s Day-themed dinner at the Members’ Restaurant in Leinster House next Tuesday and Wednesday (February 11 and 12) for €25pp.
Price includes roses on arrival ‘for the ladies’ and four courses, which include a steak option and complimentary chocolate truffles.
Prosecco will be sold for €5 a glass.
The courses:
A quick embrace:
Tony’s Cashel blue experience, pickled pear, tossed salad
Baked asparagus, lemon & lime seduction
Dublin bay prawn bisque, brown bread
Fresh beetroot & orange salad, honey & walnut dressing, croutons of love
The proposal:
Romantic duo of cod & salmon, red pepper soubise
Grilled rib eye steak, garlic herb butter
Ricotta & spinach tortellini, oregano & basil pomodora
Tray bake togetherness of chicken breast, preserved lemon & chorizo
Served with Sweet Potato & duchess potato
Sealed with a kiss:
Lover’s shortbread & fresh strawberries, on a bed of rose petals
Exotic Fruit Melody
Cleopatra’s Tiramisu
Passion fruit Mousse, luscious ice cream
Hand roasted coffee and real leaf tea
Crikey.
It’s all well and good these peNOMNOMNOMNOM
Thanks Tumbledry
Pic: Oireachtas.ie