Author Archives: Bodger

This afternoon.

Leinster House, Dublin 2

Meanwhile…

In Europe, an Italian government survey covering deaths in 10 percent of the nation’s care homes, suggested 45 percent of all deaths in that country could be in care homes.

And in Spain, leaked regional government data suggested 57 percent of the country’s death toll from March 8 to April 8 was from care homes.

According to Ireland’s chief medical officer, 54 percent of deaths up to April 11 had occurred in care homes.

Figures released by the French public health authority showed 45 percent of deaths took place in care homes.

In Belgium, health ministry figures showed 42 percent of COVID-19 deaths happened in care homes.

In North America, it’s reported at least 3,621 deaths in the U.S. have been linked to coronavirus outbreaks in nursing homes and long-term care facilities in the country. In Canada, deaths in nursing homes makes up almost half of the country’s coronavirus deaths.

Not A Medic writes:

There appear to be specific countries that have encountered the same issue concerning nursing homes. Was there a general policy worldwide that some countries opted out of?

Anyone?

Rollingnews

This morning.

Dublin Airport arrivals.

From today, visitors arriving in Ireland must fill out a mandatory Passenger Locator Form to ‘help with contact tracing’.

Via RTÉ

Anyone entering the country from abroad must provide details of where they intend to stay for the following 14 days, and they will be asked to self-isolate at that location.

Those who arrive in the Republic of Ireland and travel immediately onwards to the North will only have to fill out their name and signature on the form.

Failure to fill out the form will be punishable by a fine of up to €2,500 or up to six months in prison.

Oh yes.

Playing a blinder.

Mandatory passenger locator form comes into effect from today (RTÉ)

Leah Farrell/RollingNews

Two Metre Portraits.

Ashort film dedicated to Ireland’s Frontline Workers by Cinematographer/Musician Stephen Flynn and Designer Simon Kingston of Dublin-based Reverb Design.

Stephen writes:

“As someone in the high risk category, I’m familiar with the incredible work our healthcare workers do on a daily basis. I owed them a great deal of gratitude before this pandemic started. Now, we all owe it to them.

As creatives in a decimate industry, we wanted to use our skills to create something that shows our appreciation to frontline workers across the country, Thank You.”

In fairness.

Stephen Flynn

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar  (left) and Russian President Vladamir Putin

The topless thing.

You’re doing it wrong.

Via Jason O’Toole at RT [full article at link below]:

If it weren’t bad enough having to stomach the smugness of the Irish PM flouting his own rules, I reckon the sight of a topless Varadkar splashed all over the Irish papers on Tuesday morning would’ve put anybody off their breakfast.

You’d understand it better if he looked like Putin in his prime, but the only thing the PM, a qualified doctor, has to get off his chest here is a public apology.

…I can’t recall any other Irish PM in living memory who has made so many embarrassing slip-ups or as many remarkable volte-faces as Varadkar…

…I still laugh at how Varadkar was left with egg on his face when he once said he “wouldn’t be keen” on Donald Trump visiting Ireland – only then to become PM himself and end up fawning all over the US president in the Oval Office and even promising to learn how to play golf if the Leader of the Free World ever popped over to Ireland.

As I’ve always said, if an MRI scan was carried out on Varadkar, I doubt it would find any backbone. I believe he’s a spineless character willing to disregard once strong-held convictions to hold on to power.

I certainly couldn’t see any backbone on display in those photographs. Forget just needing to learn how to keep his big mouth shut, Varadkar should also keep his shirt on. Because the Covid-19 pandemic is certainly no picnic.

FIGHT!

Hypocritical Irish PM tells his people not to picnic during lockdown, then sunbathes bare-chested while picnicking 9Jason O’Toole, RT)

Yesterday: Picnicked

Marty Mone – Hit The Diff 2020

He’s got a brand new combine harvester…

Marty Mone has updated and re-recorded his 2014 YouTube sensation which put industrial farming machinery on the rock’n’roll map.

It’s a blast.

Nick says: How’s she cuttin’?

Marty Mone

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and US President Donald Trump

President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order aimed at social media companies today, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters, a move that comes as the president and his allies have escalated their allegations that companies like Twitter and Facebook stifle GOP voices.

“Big Tech is doing everything in their very considerable power to CENSOR in advance of the 2020 Election. If that happens, we no longer have our freedom,” Trump tweeted last nightt to his 80 million Twitter followers, after sounding the same theme more than 14 hours earlier. “I will never let it happen! They tried hard in 2016, and lost. Now they are going absolutely CRAZY. Stay Tuned!!!”

Trump to sign executive order on social media amid Twitter furore (Politico)

Getty

Meanwhile…

Um.

Twitter’s fact checker Yoel Roth in 2017.

FIGHT!

Twitter exec in charge of effort to fact-check Trump has history of anti-Trump posts, called McConnell a ‘bag of farts’ (Fox News)

President Michael D Higgins

On The Late Late Show…

…Jennifer O’Brien writes:

Ryan will catch up with some key workers from frontline services including nurses, doctors, nursing home staff, and paramedics who have played a vital role in the battle against Covid-19.

Among those lining up to voice the nation’s thanks to Ireland’s frontline workers will be Uachtarán na hÉireann, Michael D. Higgins, in an interview which will be pre-recorded at the gardens at Áras an Uachtaráin.

The inimitable Sinéad O’Connor will be back in studio for another performance.

There will be a strong touch of Hollywood on the show, with Saoirse Ronan chatting to Ryan. Colin Farrell will also be joining the show from LA.

Ireland’s record goalscorer Robbie Keane will discuss how his experience of the pandemic inspired him to fundraise for those working in hospitals around Ireland,

And Sibéal Ní Chasaide will be in studio with a special performance dedicated to all those who have lost their lives during the crisis.

The Late Late Show on RTÉ One at 9.35pm.

Rollingnews

This morning.

Men’s health charity Movember and Dublin creative agency In the Company of Huskies have collaborated to light up Poolbeg Chimneys with a ‘message of solidarity’ as part of Movember’s ‘Conversation Piece’ campaign.

Timi Ogunyemi writes:

‘Together We Stand’ is the first in a series of light installations, projected onto Dublin landmarks over the coming weeks.

The installation comes as new research reveals that one in three (30%) men said they feel lonely more often compared with before COVID-19 with more than half (54%) of men saying they feel less connected to friends and colleagues during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The collaborative artworks from some of Ireland’s most notable cultural figures, artists and designers including Gavin Friday, Domino Whisker, Aches, Mundy and Tiny Ark aim to raise awareness around the importance of social connection and encourage meaningful conversation.

A new interactive online tool [at link below], Movember Conversations gives you practical guidance on how to support the men in your life who might be struggling.

Conversations (Movember)

Save Poolbeg

Tonight.

It never gets old.

Previously: Meanwhile At The Smithfield Horse Fair

NWA?

Ice-T?

Thanks Nat King Coleslaw