43 thoughts on “Sunday’s Papers

  1. Matt Pilates

    Irish Daily Mail stuck for local front page content again, so let’s suck at the teat of the Big Mama UK version…

    Feature on Boris Johnson; well on his way to offset the 28,000 deaths from a pandemic he should have spent time preparing for – instead of the Get Brexit Done con.

    Some PM.

    Mind you he’s been dropping his briefs for years now, so has form.

    1. Fintan Frobisher

      A quick reminder on Covid-19 preparation. Boris Johnson chaired his first COBR emergency planning meeting on March 2nd. On the same day Leo Varadkar announced he was setting up a special cabinet committee to deal with the ” evolving ” threat of the virus which CMO Dr Tony Holohan also described that day as likely to lead to only a few isolated deaths in Ireland.
      The UK also issued its stay at home orders four days before Ireland.
      The WHO didn’t declare a global pandemic until March 12th.

        1. Fintan Frobisher

          Britain, and in particular England, has one of the highest population densities in Europe.
          It’s also home to a major world city and is an international air travel hub.
          It was inevitable that death rates were always going to be amongst the highest in Europe.
          Clearly its population has more intelligence than you to understand this and approves of the preparations the government and its medical and scientific advisors have made for this pandemic – which is why its approval ratings are at record highs.
          Ireland,meanwhile,is still unable to form a government and Leo & Co get the usual brown nose treatment from a supine media.

          1. millie in quarantine

            There is, it must be said, a distinct whiff of Salmons from this comment.

          2. Brother Barnabas

            less density than Holland and Germany

            and Heathrow’s no busier than Frankfurt or Amsterdam

            looks like you’re spoofing, charger

          3. Formerly known as @ireland.com

            I think you will find Hong Kong has a higher density than the UK, or London. They are also a tad closer to Wuhan/China. There are no excuses for the British or Irish situation. The warnings from Italy and elsewhere were ignored.

      1. Rob_G

        Half the countries in Europe had already closed their schools, and the UK allowed a race meeting with 70k in attendance to take place…

    2. Tommy Bohan

      I predicted yesterday that the so called “Irish” Mail on Sunday would have this picture on its front page. And I’d be fairly certain that in the coming week the “Irish” Daily Mail will have Megan Markle or Prince Harry on its front pages! They really have become almost identical to what the Times Ireland edition were at i.e. put 5 or 6 pages of Irish news at the front of the paper and then just use the British content from their UK sister paper as the rest. That didn’t work for the Times, and sales of the Mail titles have collapsed so I can’t understand the front page tactic they are employing. Nearly all of their letters and questions are from Britain, which I find bizarre, I would make up letters rather than do that if I was the editor of the paper.

  2. Steph Pinker

    If the headline on the front page of the Irish Mail is [proven] true, then it’s the most repugnant aspect of how the HSE, Department of Health, minister for health and acting government have failed the citizens of this country – can it get any worse?

    … actually, yes it can; the next paper is the BP where it states that Varadkar is first choice as Taoiseach in a FF-FG coalition…

    1. Matt Pilates

      True enough. I don’t think this is a unique case of the wrong person being buried though.

      Regardless, questions should be asked by the Oireachtas and the media about the appallingly inept politically-conscious narrative of the FAI in Scrubs – the HSE. Mediocrity incarnate. However, you be be darned sure now such accountability or investigative journalism will happen.

      And whatever happened Ireland’s Call and outreach to non-medical volunteers who could actually help? The public service and nursing unions objected.

      1. George

        It certainly isn’t a unique case of the wrong person being buried because the mistake was caught before the burial.

    2. George

      Yes of course this single error (which has nothing to do with policy whatsoever) is the Government’s fault.
      Ridiculous.

    1. Cú Chulainn

      Ryan is a gobsmackinly stupid tool of the highest order. And yet, in the next couple of years following Covid, we as a society are going to look at fresh eyes how we do things, from the existential ‘what am I here for’ to the mundane ‘what am I sitting in a traffic jam everyday for’. There will never ever be a better time to have a Green voice for fundamental change sitting in government. And, mark my words: if there is another election in September the greens, SF and the SDs will lose as many seats as if they had been in govt.

  3. SOQ

    Dunno about anyone else but I am really getting fed up with all this media doom and gloom, it’s like they are trying to make us as miserable as possible. The situation will improve when the situation improves so you make the most of it as it is. Adapt and improvise- write about it, sing about it even- keep the spirits up.

    This is Sofi Tukker- just djing and singing from their living room- now courtesy of Spotify- on billboards in NYC.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5dyFB7KW8A

    This is house arrest
    La-da-di-da-di-da-dum
    I learned how to measure before I knew what was size
    I sing you to sleep, do you like my lullaby?
    Louder now they let you treat your sadness with a smile
    We can’t have what’s next till we hang with it for a while
    This is house arrest
    Come but wear your Sunday best
    This is house arrest
    La-da-di-da-di-da-dum

    Background story here- https://medium.com/@carlyzilker/house-arrest-with-sofi-tukker-b6442ea12d24

  4. GiggidyGoo

    https://www.thejournal.ie/green-party-government-2-5090847-May2020/
    Eamon Ryan, leader of FG on bikes, must think the electorate are clowns. Quite a lot of the FG candidates got in on the tail ends of the SF vote last time. They can kiss that goodbye come next election if they do enter government.
    Not so long ago, Ryan was saying he wouldn’t go into government with FFG, and that an all party government was what was needed.
    Not so long ago too, Mickey Martin said that FG must be kept out of government.
    Not so long ago too, FG said they would go to the back benches.
    ‘not so long ago’ = the last general election campaign.

    Waiting for Labour to about turn.

    1. Rosette of Sirius

      If only there was another political party large enough to try and form an alternative…. You know, at least even pretend to try….

      1. GiggidyGoo

        There is. And a getting together of Republican parties should have happened. Except, that one ‘Republican Party’ turned out to be Blueshirt-Lite. Even RedC chooses to downgrade them at this stage. Things must be bad.

          1. GiggidyGoo

            Fisticuffs Feighan is another video you should post. Or maybe mention Malcolm Byrne, who likes to hit women. Or Sean ‘Glass’ Conlon.

            You see, in FF FG you also have a few violent ones.

            But if you want to go down the road of murderers, you only have to look at what Varadkar, Harris and Co. have done to our elderly these past few months. The pen is mightier than the sword – FGs motto.

          2. Rob_G

            “what about, what about, what about…”

            You are comparing the shoving of a person (which was wrong, and Frank Feighan should not have done it) with the cold-blooded murder of 9 people, including two children.

            Do you accept that it was wrong for Sean Kelly to have murdered those 9 people, or not?

        1. Rosette of Sirius

          There are what? 87 or so predominantly left leaning TDs could, If they really really wanted to form an alternative, center-left leaning government.

          But you know and I know that won’t happen. A- SF clearly don’t have the guts to even try and B- no other political entity in this state want anything to do with them. Nobody. Pariahs.

          Why do you think that is?!

          1. GiggidyGoo

            SF did try. You obviously haven’t the time to read media reports, or to listen to media reports.
            The Greens had no problem with an all party government (i.e., working with SF) – up until Ryan got the itch again for a government seat – for instance. Many of the FF party are SF Republican views inclined. Michilín will find that out..

            But again, to get back to my point. I’ve mentioned three parties. FF FG GREEN, the leaders of which all have lied through their teeth and now are showing their true colours.

            It is good though that a real line has been drawn in the sand, and a real opposition has been at last identified. No longer have we a common law marriage of FFG, but a fully consummated one, and now have the bastard child, the Green Party coming looking for its pocket money.

            I find if ROFL-funny that the FG and FF commenters here and elsewhere have now become resigned to the fact that it’s one-and-the-same party, without even putting up an argument against it.

          2. Rosette of Sirius

            They did in in their hole, gigs. A couple of sound bites here and the odd quip about an national government. Pretty much nobody wants anything to do with them. Ten foot poles and the likes. Or iron bars to whack the heads offa whomever. A great bunch of lads. Or murderous scumbags.

          3. GiggidyGoo

            So – you’re agreeing with me then? The Greens quipped about national government, and you say pretty much nobody wants anything to do with them? The greens?
            =============================

            The problem now for FFG is that there is now a clearly defined opposition. FF and FG will no doubt, come next election, try to run the ‘we are not the same’ line. And Michilín has mentioned Brexit again. His lines will be Covid19 and Brexit for the foreseeable.

            The problem for the greens is that the bulk of their TDs got elected on the tailcoats of SF which won’t happen again.

            Three parties that have sold out on their election and post-election commitments. Are you happy to place your trust in them?

            Your ‘pretty much nobody wants anything to do with them’ line. Well, i’ve got news for you. They received the most votes than any other party in the election. Many of their candidates were elected on the first count, while it took Varadkar 5 counts to struggle in, Martin on 6th count, and Simon Harris….wait for it….. on the 15th count. (There were 14 counts prior to that, his was Count-15).
            Oh yeah – coveney on 8th count.

            So your statement is the usual diversion. What you’re really saying though is that FF FG GREEN coalition think that the views of a quarter of the voters at the last general election are worth nothing.

            SF had over two quotas in some areas, and not far off two in other areas. And you think that FG are going to get 35% in the next (September?) election?

    2. Cú Chulainn

      FG up to 35%.. think fast .. SF will get 22% of the vote and minimal transfers.. Lab will increase.. but not enough.. greens and SD back to 3 or 4 seats.. if you’re thinking of getting on the bus.. now is your moment.. because that 35% is going to be closer to 45%.. I’m even going to say 50%, come September..

        1. Brother Barnabas

          not to mention the fact that FG has never in its history – not even after FF crashed the economy – come anywhere close to 50%

          1. Rob_G

            I don’t think any party has ever been on 50% – not since the late 70s, at the very least.

          2. Brother Barnabas

            yeah not since lynch, if that was even 50%

            certainly wont happen again any time soon

  5. f_lawless

    I notice more anti-lockdown articles are starting to appear in UK media over the last couple of days:
    Headlines I’ve seen:

    “Is evidence rising that Britain’s lockdown could be a deadly mistake? ” Telegraph May 1st

    “We’re destroying the nation’s wealth – and the health of millions” Mail on Sunday May 2nd

    “The science is becoming clear: lockdowns are no longer the right medicine” Sunday Times May 3rd

    “Boris Johnson must end the absurd, dystopian and tyrannical lockdown” Telegraph May 3rd

    Meanwhile, according to a new phenomenological study, “Full lockdown policies in Western Europe countries (Italy ,France, Spain and the UK) have no evident impacts on the COVID-19 epidemic” – but may have actually caused “a net loss of human lives.”
    https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.24.20078717v1

      1. f_lawless

        isn’t that a given for any new study on the emerging Covid-19 situation? The study is dated 24th April – normally the peer-review process can take several months, if not years to be properly carried out

        I think on the scale of things, it’s likely to have a bit more weight than the opinion of say, the average newspaper columnist but I can respect that you’re not interested in considering scientific opinion that hasn’t gone through the process. Maybe we can pick up the conversation this time next year?

        I imagine it’s going to take quite some time to establish a scientific consensus on how effective the lockdown measures have truly been in each country – and I think that, despite the repeated mantra we’re fed through the likes of RTE, there’s enough reason to reserve judgement on whether the decision to enter into shutdown here was the correct course of action and whether at this point the continued extension is really worth the disastrous secondary consequences

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