67 thoughts on “Saturday’s Papers

    1. theo kretchmar schuldorf

      Miriam is always hard to take, but the first few minutes of the show featuring the emergency services waving their own flag had me shouting at the TV.
      She dropped in later that the segment was filmed in September, but still an unedifying watch

  1. Formerly Known As @ireland.com

    About time Ireland locked down. The Irish numbers haven’t been good for weeks. New Zealand locked down a few days ago. They started that with ZERO deaths. I like a government willing to act early, not when it is too late. Unfortunately, Australia has a moron for a PM, no lockdown, and you can have a haircut. Shops are open but they want us to stay at home. Crazy stuff.

    1. GiggidyGoo

      The problem eventually will be that countries that did lock down and contain (defeat even) this virus, will receive visitors from countries that didn’t do the right thing, and even ones that are infected from those that did lock down.
      Until a vaccine appears, there will always be a real threat from this, lock down or no lock down.

      1. GiggidyGoo

        Probably because there is a free vaccination available for the flu which not all (elderly?) avail of, but there isn’t for Covid-19, for anyone?

        1. Cian

          Not fully correct. There is a ‘flu’ vaccine available each yeah, but there are always lots of different strains of the flu on the go.

          This year[2019], the seasonal flu vaccine protects against the 4 strains of flu virus recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the strains most likely to be circulating this season.

          The flu viruses that are circulating change every year. This is why you need to get a new vaccine each year.

          https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/pubinfo/flu-vaccination/about-the-vaccine/

      2. J Dizzle

        Lord sandwich, have you missed what’s happening in Italy? Spain? Without these measures we would have a collapsed health service and 1000s dead. Just go home

      3. :-Joe

        You’re both right…. Acting earlier probably would have been better but it most likely will be going around and around for the near future in different stages as a new flu-like normality.

        The whole vaccine/drug treatment solution could be up to 18 months away apart from temporary treatment through antibodies. Even after that.. it is unknown how long a vaccine could last or how easily or often people could keep getting re-infected again.. All that before you consider mutations and different strains etc. and various other factors.

        Boost your immune system with the natural, widely available and affordable medicine of healthy fresh fruit and veg, a little bit of extra excercise and maybe add meditation and/or breathing techniques or something else?.. that helps to regulate your systems and ability to relax, recover and strengthen your defenses.
        -(Disclaimer : AFAIK.. Just my opinion – Not official medical advice)

        :-J

  2. GiggidyGoo

    Will guests (and presenters) on forthcoming Late Late Shows have their attendance described as ‘essential’ thus avoiding the travel to work ban?

    1. Spud

      Anyone find it a coincidence that the 3 top people for this crisis are all in the news that they have it on the same day the news broke that the UK missed out on ordering more ventilators?

      Seeing Dominic Cummings running out of No.10 doesn’t bode well…

      Only the FT has it as headline.

      https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-he…-idUKKBN21D313

      1. Cú Chulainn

        Yes. I find that remarkable. I will find it even more remarkable when each fully recovers completely, as the body count soars, but near peak, when they will announce further measures which will of course appear to work. I will find it remarkable when they then portray themselves as like front line heath workers. I will find it less remarkable they the good people of Britain will continue supporting them.

  3. Birdie

    I don’t know if it’s rationale or I’m starting to go stir crazy but my main feeling these days has been anger. Anger at the government for not acting earlier and doing lockdown weeks ago. Anger at their neglect of medical staff and people in minimum wage in service jobs over the years off ff and fg tenure. Anger at their decisions to put the economy over society. This just all feels too late.

      1. Birdie

        Seriously, go fupp yourself. I’m not employed by any party but just because I make a criticism you go down a simplistic branding route.

        1. GiggidyGoo

          That’s his mantra. Nothing else works in the little head. ‘Yiz are all SF/IRA’ Never anything else to write. Lockdown of the brain perhaps?

    1. Janet, I ate my avatar

      now take a deep breath and compare to America or UK, I think you’ll find there is less to be angry about

          1. Birdie

            thanks Janet xo starting tomorrow I’ll do better at trying to stay positive.

            It’s just really intense tbh. Partner due to have our baby and now the maternity restrictions are making it so hard especially since we’ve a young kid already.

            Then of course work or lack of it. It’s just never ending.

          2. Janet, I ate my avatar

            I’m really sorry to hear that, sounds like you have a lot on your plate, congratulations on the baba, wait until you see the smiles you’ll forget all your worries for a while,
            in the mean time sending good vibes
            nimnnnmnmmmggggg
            ( good vibes noise )

    2. ReproBertie

      Every decision made by the government has been based on the advice and guidance of the National Public Health Emergency Team. Everything from closing the schools to last night’s extension of the restrictions has been done on NPHET advice. Blaming the government for following the advice of public health experts in dealing with a public health crisis seems pointless.

    3. Clampers Outside

      It’s all about the “feels” is it…. Pffft

      Feck that, I’ll roll with the reality.

      The reality that what is being done now is good work.

      (And I’ve never voted FG in my life, just so ya know… before the dumb responses to that comment roll in. Nor FF for that matter. )

      1. some old queen

        All she is really asking is why a 2 KM distance. I know she is a sandpaperyouranus sometimes but when Harris on the sad late states 98% compliance, you really wonder- of what?

  4. Janet, I ate my avatar

    we all deal with anxiety in different ways and we are social creatures of habit so how about we try be a little kinder on line especially, recognize you are maybe getting caught up on online heightened anxiety if you are lashing out and do something nice for yourself, nice bath, sit in the garden, call a friend who’s upbeat
    just some thoughts

          1. Janet, I ate my avatar

            we just are going to avoid descriptions, of their battered ragged toes and illkempt heels squashed into greying socks, threads trailing and catching on those weird metal runners under doors,
            we won’t talk about picking things up in the weird flexibility some people have, or using them to hit the space bar when you need to carpet bomb the aliens or boot your snoring partner

          2. Cú Chulainn

            Of course, those little feet are going to be sore after all of that walking around in 2km circles. Little red toes, sore and in much need of tender care, a strong yet delicate hand caressing each one in turn, soothing, knowing… and onto the oh so elegant arch, Roman engineers would be immensely proud to have constructed such an arch, in turn supported by that delicate and yet so strong heel and ankle.. and ankle, and ankle.. before …

          3. Brother Barnabas

            hoping that’s directed at janet, Cú

            if not, i’m size 11 and likely still infectious

            just so you know like

          4. Janet, I ate my avatar

            impressive, rather moving rhetoric whoever it’s aimed at,
            I particularly liked the little feet part ( hides half of foot under couch )

          5. Cú Chulainn

            Those feet are totally infectious BB, but fear not Janet, I’m foot ambidextrous.. so, just relax back and let my thumb hit that spot and work it’s magic..

  5. jamesjoist

    a word of advice , if you decide to walk to the local shops don’t have a big smiley goodmorning head on ye, people will shy away as if you’re the weird looking fella who just got on the bus.

  6. :-Joe

    Interesting story there about britain abandoning the latest long-fingered tory lie(plan) for housing the rough sleepers / house-less by 2025. It looks as though it was easier to deal with immediately, although only temporarily so far, as a priority for general public health than had been previously expected.

    After decades of neglect and massive cuts to funding support systems(as per usual ideology) in recent years… it turns out it was just the political will holding it back the whole time. The same fundamental reason as here in Ireland and everywhere else..

    No surprises maybe but it helps to confirm and clarify what are the basic truths and facts a bit better.

    :-J

    1. GiggidyGoo

      It’s the same here – if the will, or if they were forced (as now), suddenly there are more hospital beds open (apart from ICU’s), more staff, money going to the people and not to the banks, more gardai, more soldiers.
      Suddenly there is money available for emergencies, which begs the questions – if the Covid19 didn’t surface, why isn’t housing deemed an emergency? Why isn’t health deemed an emergency?
      Stored in my, and a lot more folks, left hippocampus

      1. :-Joe

        Ye It’s basically down to an ideology partly created and partly just continuing on growing and evolving over a period of time. It’s mostly not even a conscious choice(at least it couldn’t be or that would be seriously grim wouldn’t it?) .. for the most part in a sense by various individually elected TD’s or civil servents or any particular F-f/g government over the decades. I think saying our own so called “right-wing” mentality governments are more responsible or blaming individuals in time-frame like Eoghan Murphy, while true to do so… is ultimately too lazy and simplified.

        I’m not a qualified psychologist but in my opinion, it’s in the realm of how collective ideas work around everything we deal with as a collective organism made up of humans. Added to that ideas such as false memory, herd mentality or wisdom of crowds combined with faulty logic, bad theories compunded over time and you could even throw in specific elements of politics and economics i.e. propaganda. manipulation for greed, power and control and then not forgetting nature itself. The underlying darker intentional cruelty and viciousness at the heart of the human condition.

        The source of the prevailing logic that overtly reminding people that it’s a system of survival of the fittest and they better keep their nose to the grind or else look what will happen to you next ! is a 20th century trick that used to work to help drive wealth and keep people in check. It’s a dreadful system that unfotunately we’re still trying to come to terms with and find an alternative.
        -I’m just rambling through ideas off the top of my head, tho…

        :-J

        1. Cian

          Some people think that Ireland has had succession of hard right government’s since the foundation of the state. We haven’t.
          FF and FG are slightly right of middle.

          €1 out of every €4 the government spends goes to social welfare (most of which is cash payments to the public). Another €1 of each €4 is spent on health. How right-wing is that?

          https://whereyourmoneygoes.gov.ie/

          1. GiggidyGoo

            Great that the government has all of that dosh to distribute all the same. I wonder where they get it all?

    1. Clampers Outside

      From behind the pay wall (which seems to be down on original twitter link I clicked on which is here https://twitter.com/zooko/status/1243944703042539521?s=19 )

      “March 20, 2020 12:01 am by FT reporters

      Taiwan has accused the World Health Organization of failing to communicate an early warning about transmission of the coronavirus between humans, slowing the global response to the pandemic.

      Health officials in Taipei said they alerted the WHO at the end of December about the risk of human-to-human transmission of the new virus but said its concerns were not passed on to other countries.

      Taiwan is excluded from the WHO because China, which claims it as part of its territory, demands that third countries and international bodies do not treat it in any way that resembles how independent states are treated.

      The WHO’s relationship with China has been criticised in the past, with some accusing the organisation of overly praising Beijing’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak despite allegations local officials had initially covered it up.

      Taiwan said its doctors had heard from mainland colleagues that medical staff were getting ill — a sign of human-to-human transmission. Taipei officials said they reported this to both International Health Regulations (IHR), a WHO framework for exchange of epidemic prevention and response data between 196 countries, and Chinese health authorities on December 31.”

      There’s more in the link, I didn’t copy the whole piece here.

  7. Steph Pinker

    As someone who lives in a rural area, the evidence of ‘cocooning’ older [over 70s] people has already taken its toll within the past couple of weeks; another few weeks will see more upset and the demise of many which will manifest itself in differing ways, there is no need for older people – many of whom are physically, mentally and socially conscious – to be outlawed in such a manner; in fact, the older generations have experience and knowledge contrary to Leo’s make-believe ideology as per his spin masters, and are more competent and understanding due to crises they have experienced throughout their lives.

    If Leo’s parents lived in rural Ireland without family/ friends or resources, there’s no way he would consider such legislation – not to mention the panic and anxiety which it affords. Individuals with compromised immunity, regardless of age, are also aware so it’s highly unlikely they will compromise their own health or others.

    Cocooning older people is completely unnecessary and insulting.

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