Behold: the BMW K1100S – a heavily modified R1100S created by Milan-based Officine Mermaid and Radikal Chopper which recently won the coveted ‘Best In Show’ award at the 2020 Motorbike Expo in Verona.

Not much remains of the donor bike beyond the powertrain and swing arm. The rest is an intricate, alloy-clad work of hog art with a custom two piece chassis, one-off fender, headlight, Discacciati brakes, clip-ons, levers, top triple and ornate fluid reservoirs

You can’t have it. It’s just for looking at.

hiconsumption

Deadly Buzz Aldrin – Stories

The chamomile Kraftwerk?

Mellow electronica rules the day on this second video from last year’s Your Move, Space Cadet EP, released on the Soft Landings label.

The video was created by Aniz Duran. A second EP is due in late April.

Nick says: To the Sea of Tranquillity and beyond…

Deadly Buzz Aldrin

From top: Public Services Card; privacy statement regarding the PSC which was changed overnight; former Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection Regina Doherty

This lunchtime.

Cianan Brennan, of the Irish Examiner, is reporting that the department of former Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection Regina Doherty has “changed its privacy statement overnight” regarding the Public Services Card.

The department is now stating (above) that biometric processing does occur as part of the Public Services Card database despite repeatedly denying that was the case.

It follows Ms Doherty losing her seat in Meath West at the weekend.

During a debate about the card last month on Virgin Media One’s Tonight show, Ms Doherty and Executive Director of Irish Council for Civil Liberties Liam Herrick had this exchange about the card…

Liam Herrick: “I think the Public Services Card is fundamentally flawed and it’s not just the reports we’ve had up to now. There’s ongoing investigations  into the biometric nature of the card. Bizarrely, the Government is saying the card isn’t a biometric card…”

Matt Cooper: “Sorry, explain, what does that mean?”

Herrick: “It means that it’s processing  biological information – in this case, a high-resolution photograph which can be processed and, using facial recognition technology, match against a database…”

Ivan Yates: “Ah here.” [puts head in right hand].

Cooper: “You love that type of stuff, don’t you?” [to Yates].

Yates: “Give us a break, Liam. The fact of the matter is if I produce my driver’s licence, it has my photograph on it. My passport, like don’t make it sound like Big Brother, oh my god, my privacy has been breached because of a photograph.”

Herrick: “I’m actually telling you what’s, the scientific description that was on the Government’s tender document that went out in the first place. And the company that makes the cards was originally called Biometric Card Services. And now the Government is denying it’s a biometric system. There’s another investigation…”

Yates: “It’s a photograph. Let’s call it what it is.”

Later

Regina Doherty: “It is a simple photograph. It’s exactly the same photograph  that’s on your driving licence, it’s on your passport, it’s no different…”

Herrick: “It’s part of a database that’s shared across all Government departments.”

Later

Herrick: “In the lead up to the election, whoever that’s going to be, we’ll be calling on all political parties to make a commitment not to dig ourselves into this any deeper and to step back.

“If we’re concerned about identity systems. Let’s start by reviewing what we already have. The passport and the driver’s licence work perfectly effectively in proving people’s identity. This is a project that’s just got out of control.”

Doherty: “Oh. My. God.”

Herrick: “And it’s a real shame that the Government is compounding, you know, mistakes, misrepresentations on top of each other at this stage and compounding it with legal fees on top of the money that’s been wasted.”

PSC data protection policy updated after Doherty loses seat (Cianan Brennan, The Irish Examiner)

Previously: “It’s A Photograph. Let’s Call It What It Is”

Earlier today.

In Grange, Tullow, Co Carlow…

St Brigid’s National School tweetz:

“Some very ‘persuasive writing’ from 4th class as to why they should play in the sneachta.”

Mmmf.

Also, in fairness.

Let them out for pity’s sake.

Meanwhile…

Meanwhile, the Status Yellow snow/ice warning for the whole country continues until midnight tonight, while a Status Yellow wind warning continues for Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo, Clare and Kerry until 8pm tonight.

Via Met Éireann

Caution urged as snow/ice warning in effect (RTÉ)

Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar and Fine Gael TD Charlie Flanagan speaking to journalists last month

This morning.

Ben Haugh and Ronan Early, in The Times Ireland edition, reports:

“Leo Varadkar received hundreds of angry emails about the plan to commemorate the RIC, including dozens from lifelong Fine Gael supporters who said they would never vote for the party again.

…Documents released to The Times under freedom of information laws show that more than 200 people contacted Mr Varadkar’s office shortly after the event was announced, calling for it to be cancelled. A further 250 people contacted Charlie Flanagan, the justice minister, to complain.”

Election 2020: Hundreds ‘didn’t vote for Fine Gael over RIC commemoration row’ (Ben Haugh, Ronan Early, The Times Ireland edition)

Previously: “Obscene”

“We Maybe Should Reconsider These Commemorations” [Updated]

Rollingnews

RTÉ website this morning

RTÉ News.

Still spinning.

Bless.

Fianna Fáil edges Sinn Féin in race to win most seats (RTÉ)


From top:  Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher, Independent TD Denis Naughten, Fine Gael TD Simon Harris  and Former deputy leader of Fianna Fáil Mary O’Rourke

This morning.

Official Ireland’s freak out continues.

On RTÉ’s Today With Seán O’Rourke.

Mr O’Rourke spoke to a number of politicians and former politicians, including former deputy leader of Fianna Fáil Mary O’Rourke; Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher; Independent TD Denis Naughten and Fine Gael TD Simon Harris.

Listeners were also informed that RTÉ had requested someone from Sinn Féin to join the show but this did not happen.

The panel discussion followed Fianna Fáil taking 38 Dáil seats (which includes the seat of the Ceann Comhairle); Sinn Féin 37; Fine Gael 35; Independents/Others 21; Green Party 12; Labour 6; Social Democrats 6; and Solidarity/People Before Profit 5, in the general election.

Former deputy leader of Fianna Fáil Mary O’Rourke said:

“Now, the momentum right now is with the Sinn Féin party and its leadership as they go around to gather like-minded people…”

“My belief now is that when that day comes [the election of a Taoiseach], when, if Mary Lou McDonald will be put forward as the leader of her party for the role of Taoiseach that Fianna Fáil should not participate in that vote…”

“…But for me now, I’m quite clear and I want it, to say it, we stick with Micheál Martin because for me and for many of my ilk, he is the person who is still the best to lead us out of the electoral difficulties in which we now find ourselves. You didn’t ask me about that but I’m telling you that.”

Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher said:

“The idea that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael would find some small party and coalesce in advance of giving the process of the people’s will an opportunity to play out would simply be an affront to democracy. I mean, we have to accept that Sinn Féin has 37 seats. It’s the largest popular vote.

“Mary Lou McDonald has said quite clearly she wants to put together a coalition that would exclude Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael and, you know, there’s an obligation on her to try and ensure…”

“…if Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael somehow got together today or tomorrow, brought in a few Independents, and rammed through into Government, what do you think would be said by Sinn Féin and everybody else and the public at large…”

Independent TD Denis Naughten, who was re-elected in Roscommon/Galway on the fifth count, said:

“The reality is that no one’s manifesto got a clear mandate from the people whether it was the Sinn Féin manifesto, the Fianna Fáil manifesto, the Fine Gael manifesto or any manifesto.

“And I believe what needs to happen in this stage is to allow time for the parties to consult with their own organisations, that they should sit down, everyone, around a single table and negotiate a national programme for Government that would take in the best elements of the various manifestos.

“Because the one thing that I got on the doorsteps from people is that they’re sick and tired of the political bickering that has been going on. They want to see politicians collectively coming together and implement practical solutions in terms of health, housing, regional balance, agriculture and so forth…”

“…yes, this is a hung parliament so to speak that we now have as a result of the vote of the electorate but that’s what the electorate voted for. The responsibility is on us now to form an operational government.”

Former Minister for Health Fine Gael TD Simon Harris, who was re-elected in Wicklow last night on the 15th count, said:

“I agree with Billy Kelleher on this. That the process should be that Mary Lou McDonald is the leader of the largest party, who got the most votes in the election. She should now do what she said she was going to do.

“She made a lot of promises, a lot of commitments, let her off now and see if she can try and form a Government.

“I wish her well in that regard.

“…if she can’t, if she can’t, I do think there’s an obligation on the centre of Irish politics, which still won a hell of a lot of votes by the way. You would think from some of the media commentary that everybody voted Sinn Féin – 76% of people did not vote for Sinn Féin to be in Government.”

Asked if he thinks Leo Varadkar should step down as leader of Fine Gael, Mr Harris said:

“Absolutely not…our Taoiseach has performed extremely well, he performed very well as leader, he did extremely well in the debates…”

“…this was a very difficult election. It was a very difficult election for all parties but Sinn Féin. And Leo Varadkar is the leader of Fine Gael and will continue to be the leader of Fine Gael and whether in Government or in opposition, he’ll continue to promote our policies and values.”

Listen back in full here

This morning.

On Cork’s 96FM Opinion Line With Pj Coogan.

Deirdre O’Shaughnessy writes:

Issouf Kone (top) from Cobh [County Cork] was a talented athlete who dreamed of playing football professionally.

At just 21, his dreams were shattered when a blood clot led to his leg being amputated.

Although he has a prosthesis, it’s too uncomfortable for him to walk for long and he dreams of being able to cycle around the hills of Cobh as he once did.

Issouf spoke to PJ Coogan (above) on air today: He’s fundraising for a better prosthesis but it could cost approx €70,000.

Broadsheet.ie