The votes are in!

Last week, with a lovely €25 Golden Discs voucher on offer, I asked you to name the most underrated song of the 1980s.

The response once again provided an amazing playlist of overlooked gems. Thank you.

But there could be only one winner.

Third Place:

Higher Ground by The Feelies

Gonzo writes:

I’m not sure how this band aren’t more well known, so I could pick any of their songs, but I love this one.

Runner-up:

All Her Favourite Fruit by Camper Van Beethoven

Liam writes:

I could also pick one of many many Camper Van Beethoven songs; they’re best remembered for “Take the Skinheads Bowling” but their image as a novelty band doesn’t do justice to their superb songwriting and eclectic instrumentation. This is from what turned out to be their last album (prior to a 21st century reunion)…

Winner:

Keeping You In Mind by Mary Margaret O’Hara

Friscondo writes:

When I first listened to Mary Margaret O’Hara’s Miss America in 1988, I assumed I was listening to the first of what was going to be a long list of great recordings from the Canadian singer songwriter. Inexplicably she only made one more album, years later. Anyway, here’s my pick from a stone cold classic.

Thanks all.

Last week: Win Nick’s Voucher

Golden Discs

Behold: the 1974 BMW 3.0 CS, more specifically, actor Robert Downey Jr’s newly modified CS, upgraded by autoshop Speedkore with a bespoke leather interior, high performance shocks, wheels, callipers, pistons, a (somewhat chinny, in fairness) carbon fibre front bumper and the rorty 3.6l straight-six engine from an E-34 M5.

hiconsumption

This afternoon.

Donnybrook, Dublin 4.

Protestors demonstrating outside RTE’s studios against the station’s covid coverage and the arrest by Bray Gardai of Gemma O’Doherty for alleged public order offences last Friday.

Rollingnews

One, right?

Wrong. To wit:

.. take a closer look at the object on the upper right. That seeming-star is actually the planet Jupiter, and your closer look might reveal that it is not alone – it is surrounded by some of its largest moons. From left to right these Galilean Moons are Io, Ganymende, Europa and Callisto. These moons orbit the Jovian world just like the planets of our Solar System orbit the Sun, in a line when seen from the side. The featured single shot was captured from Cancun, Mexico last week as Luna, in its orbit around the Earth, glided past the distant planet. Even better views of Jupiter are currently being captured by NASA‘s Juno spacecraft, now in a looping orbit around the Solar System’s largest planet. Earth’s Moon will continue to pass nearly in front of both Jupiter and Saturn once a month (moon-th) as the two giant planets approach their own great conjunction in December.

(Image: Robert Fedez)

apod

This morning.

In the Dáil.

Labour TD and the party’s spokesman on justice Brendan Howlin (top) put forward several amendments to the Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill 2020.

The first amendment called for the deletion of the words underlined in red (above).

He explained:

My amendment seeks to delete that final half-sentence which is line 14, namely, “whether in relation to a relevant provision or otherwise”. The interpretation section, under section 1 of the Bill, defines a “direction” given by a member of An Garda Síochána as “a direction given under section 31A(7) of the Act of 1947 in relation to a relevant provision”.

Therefore, under the direction section of this Bill, a member of An Garda Síochána can legitimately enter a premises for the purposes of giving direction in regard to a relevant provision of this Bill. Section 3(1)(a) expands that so they can enter the premises for the purposes of giving a direction not only under the provisions of this legislation, but also “or otherwise”, whatever “or otherwise” might mean.

…. We need to clarify that what we are giving here is the power for members of An Garda Síochána, without warrant, to enter premises to do inspections.

…We need to ensure that the provisions we are providing for in this legislation are met, and where they are not met, there is the capacity to give a direction to the proprietor of such a premises to comply with the legislation.

It is often the case the drafters slot in words like “or otherwise”, giving a much broader scope than this House would intend to legislation.’

A Dail vote on implementing the amendment subsequently failed.

Meanwhile,

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee

During a debate on the bill last night, Mr Howlin said:

“I listened carefully to the Minister, Deputy [Helen] McEntee, at the beginning of this debate but we do not actually know what specifically is to be criminalised either now or into the future.

…At the briefing on Friday, I asked the Minister for Justice and Equality’s officials what specifically the offences are and where are the regulations are. These crafters of the legislation before us told me they did not know.

“I have never dealt with a situation where the crafters of the legislation did not know what the crimes being specifically legislated against were.

They said that it was a matter for the Minister for Health and that it would be published on Monday. In fact, the Minister for Health signed 14 pages of regulations yesterday. The difficulty with the regulations is that some of them are what are known as “penal” and some are not penal. What is the difference?

“In essence, non-penal regulations are entirely advisory and nobody can enforce them. The penal regulations are enforceable. There is a strong view in jurisprudence that a law that is not enforceable is not a law at all. Regulations that do not carry a penal sanction are not regulations.”

Meanwhile…Continue reading →

</a

From top: Fine Gael HQ; Department of Health and O’Neill’s, Suffolk Street, Dublin 2

Ah here.

This afternoon

South Dublin city.

A mobile billboard calling for the reopening of pubs that do not serve food and targeting the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste for their handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

Commissioned by ‘Monaghan Publicans for Common Sense’.

Not to be confused with that ‘Monaghan Publicans for Inanity’ mob

Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland

Hudson Taylor – Where Did It All Go Wrong?

A band of brothers.

Siblings Alfie (top right) and Harry Hudson-Taylor (top left) release another single from their No.1 album Loving Everywhere I Go on the Rubyworks label.

Neat lyric video too.

Nick says: Taylor made.

Hudson Taylor

The 2 Johnnies Do America.

A USA visit by the two Tipp men behind ‘the number 1 podcast in Ireland for the last 52 weeks’ with over 250,000 listeners per week.

Karina Ryan writes:

The comedic podcast duo – Johnny “Smacks” McMahon and Johnny B O’Brien from Co. Tipperary – have taken their podcast tour on the road in America and while they are there, they meet some interesting Irish people doing well for themselves stateside! Episode 1 of a 4 part series…

The 2 Johnnies Do America at 9.30pm tonight on RTÉ2 .

The Two Johnnies Podcast

Pic: Ruth Medjber

Broadsheet.ie