Yearly Archives: 2019

Alas, now getting shorter again.

A composite image of the time between the Winter and (nearly) Summer Solstice (December 21, 2018 to June 16, 2019) all compressed into a single point of view. To wit:

 Dubbed a solargraph, the unconventional picture was recorded with a tall, tube-shaped pinhole camera using a piece of photographic paper. Fixed to a single spot at Casarano, Italy for the entire exposure, the simple camera continuously records the Sun’s daily path as a glowing trail burned into the photosensitive paper. Breaks and gaps in the trails are caused by cloud cover. At the end of the exposure, the paper was scanned to create the digital image. Of course, starting in December the Sun trails peak lower in the sky, near the northern hemisphere’s winter solstice. The trails climb higheras the days grow longer and the June 21st summer solstice approaches.

(Image: Gianluca Belgrado)

apod

An Army driver with the USA 3rd Infantry Division, 1st Battalion, 64th Armored Regiment, drives a Bradley Fighting Vehicle into place yesterday by the Lincoln Memorial, Washington ahead of today’s Fourth of July festivities

This morning.

Washington DC.

Thousands are gathering  in the US capital to celebrate the birth of America with a parade which this year will feature Army tanks, a flyover of military jets, Air Force One and fireworks.

Via USA Today:

The centerpiece? A speech from President Donald Trump — the first time in decades that a president has addressed the crowd.

But protests are expected and Trump is facing criticisms over the costs of the event and has been accused of injecting politics into a traditionally nonpartisan event. This year’s celebration won’t just attract tourists, Washington, D.C., residents and families looking to observe the holiday.

Both protesters and supporters of the president are descending to the heart of the nation’s capital – potentially putting the patriotic holiday on a collision course for partisan fights.

Thousands expected for Donald Trump’s 4th of July celebration, featuring tanks and lots of protests (USA Today)

Meanwhile…

Meanwhile…

Oh.

Pic: Jacquelyn Martin/AP

Yesterday evening.

In the Dáil.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar compared opposition leader Micheál Martin to a parish priest “who preaches from the altar, telling us to avoid sin while secretly going behind the altar and engaging in any amount of sin himself”.

It followed questions from Mr Martin about the National Development Plan and its costs and Mr Martin asking the Taoiseach not to be “petty, silly and idiotic” in his response.

Good times.

Taoiseach compares Fianna Fáil leader to sinning parish priest (RTE)

From IDA magazine Innovation Ireland in 2014

This morning.

In The Irish Times, Karlin Lillington writes:

Let’s call it the San Francisco-fication of Dublin.

…The non-stop expansion of the tech sector, especially of multinationals, is a major (though not the only) engine behind these changes.

In comes yet another company, cornering another area of Dublin’s Docklands; up go pricey apartments to accommodate high-salaried employees.

Developers arrange deals to take social and affordable housing requirements off the table, trading them out to already-saturated communities at the edge of Dublin without adequate transport infrastructure.

Then, in a pincer movement, this limited market is further squeezed by landlords who AirBnB their properties…

How Silicon Docks is killing Dublin (Karlin Lillington, The Irish Times)

Pic: IDA Ireland

Mean while…

Today’s iIish Times

Localisation Girls writes:

Whither the role of Irish media and property supplements and ad revenue in tech g-entrification of Dublin…

Earlier: Dreams of Californication

‘Really geeked’ about growing eBay in Ireland (irish Times)

Dawson Street, Dublin

Cycling enthusiast Dublin Pedaller has thought of ways in which new bike parking spaces can be provided near Grafton Street in Dublin 2.

They’ve tweeted…

Anyone?





Last night.

US Ambassador’s residence, Phoenix Park, Dublin

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar  with the new U.S Ambassador to Ireland Edward F. Crawford to mark the 4th of July Independence Day Celebrations.

Mr Crawford (81) explained that US president Donald Trump had offered him an ambassador posting before he had even been elected.

Asked by Mr Trump what country he would prefer, Mr Crawford responded: “Ireland”. When it was suggested that he give Mr Trump three choices, Mr Crawford said these were “Ireland, Ireland, Ireland”.

US ambassador vows to try to enhance relationship with Ireland (Irish Times)

Rollingnews