The newly re-opened Freshly Chopped, Baggot Street, Dublin 2

free tomorrow?

Enjoy salads?

Like a bargain?

Read on.

Ian Collins writes;

Freshly Chopped’, the healthy food company, has now re-opened on Baggot Street as ‘Freshly Chopped Innovation Kitchen’ following a complete redesign of the menu and service model,

The Baggot Street outlet was the very first Freshly Chopped, opened in May 2012.

Since then Freshly Chopped has expanded to include over 50 outlets throughout Ireland and internationally.

The Baggot Street location was selected to showcase the new Freshly Chopped experience as it was immediately popular with the local community in a vibrant area of ever changing dining options and brands.

to celebrate our opening customers from 12pm – 2pm can avail of HALF PRICE on selected salads…

Chopped

This morning/afternoon.

Models Gracie (above right) and Kelly (left) sporting ‘statement designer pieces in a curated collection from 60 retailers the jervis Street Shopping Centre this coming Autumn/Winter.

Including the return of the furry-lined RAF-style bomber jacket.

Finally.

Jervis Street Shopping Centre

 Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland


From top: Irish medical cards: John Wall.

Early last month, Father-of-three John Wall, who who was diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer, revealed that his emergency medical card was reviewed six months after it was issued, and then revoked two months after that.

A lot has happened since.

John Wall writes:

‘It seems like a lifetime ago now, but it’s just over 8 weeks since I put out that infamous tweet about my medical card or to be precise, the fact that I did not have one as a result of The HSE’s decision to take it back.

I’m sure if they could turn back time, I would be top of their list to appease.

Their decision to repeatedly ignore one simple question has backfired dramatically.

Why was my medical card, that was granted as a result of a terminal diagnosis, subsequently cancelled based on a means test, which according to The Department of Health’s own website never applied?”

So what’s happened since….. It’s been a busy spell with lots of welcome publicity on the issue.

Remember, I’m speaking out on behalf of the thousands that are unable, that are stuck in a system their unable to navigate and are screaming for help without being heard.

Until I see decisions regarding medical cards being taken based on the patients needs rather than the size of their wallet, I will continue to shout.

I’ve raised several important issues with The Ombudsman’s Office, mostly pertaining to the administration of The Medical Card Scheme, all of which have been upheld and are currently being investigated.

In fact as a result of these complaints, a review is also underway within The HSE as to how the scheme is governed.

Of note also is the fact that The Ombudsman published a report in January 2018 in relation to The Treatment Abroad Scheme.

My experience of attempting to even submit an application for life prolonging treatment abroad was thwarted by my consultant qand as a consequence, I was unable to use the scheme.

How many patients are treated in a similar fashion, but unlike myself do not have private cover to fall back on and as a result do not receive the life prolonging surgery that I was fortunate to be able to have?

Running alongside all of the above is my forthcoming meeting with Minister Simon Harris which takes place at the end of this month.

This meeting is crucial as it will I hope, lead to a solution that will ensure a more transparent and equitable medical card system for all.

I’m not advocating medical cards for all but I am seeking fairness.

I have encountered so many people and heard of so many stories, where citizens of this state are being abandoned simply because of a box that cannot be ticked by a departmental official with scant regard for the person involved.

On a positive note, this whole debacle has allowed be to utilise the traction to create awareness surrounding men’s health, both physical and mental.

I’ve found that men in particular are reticent to discuss their health, most especially when it pertains to certain parts of their anatomy that ordinarily we brag about!

Prostate Cancer has brought about changes that are life changing and for me that includes erectile dysfunction and slight incontinence also.

I’m not ashamed of who I am nor what I’ve got, because inside I’m still the same person.

That’s one thing my illness will never take away.

I’ll finish by reminding you all to take nothing for granted, enjoy the simple things that life has to offer and never shy away from telling those close to you that you love them.

John Wall

Previously: John Wall on Broadsheet

This afternoon.

After a working lunch with Mr Juncker, Mr Johnson met Mr Bettel. The pair were due to hold a joint news conference however Mr Johnson did not take part in the media briefing.

Boris Johnson tried to laugh off yells, hisses and anti-Brexit cries of pro-EU demonstrators as he met Mr Bettel.

“Stop the coup. Tell the truth,” said one over a speaker. “Bog off Boris.”

But Mr Johnson laughed and smiled as he walked up to meet Mr Bettel with a handshake and head into the Ministry of State for discussions.

Johnson skips news conference with Xavier Bettel following Brexit meetings (RTÉ)

Above from left: Noel Curran, Dee Forbes and Martijn van Dam

Yes, you are.

Yesterday.

At the International Broadcasting Convention – the “world’s most influential media, entertainment and technology show” – in Amsterdam.

Director general of the European Broadcasting Union (and former Director General Of RTÉ) Noel Curran, Director-General at RTE Dee Forbes and Martijn van Dam, a member of Executive Board of the Dutch Public Broadcaster (NPO) were part of a panel in which they were asked about the future of public service broadcasting.

From the discussion:

Interviewer 1 (male): “Are you going to survive or are you dinosaurs, do you think?”

Noel Curran: “DINOSAURS? – dinosaurs who are leading the way in loads of technological developments? Dinosaurs that are restructuring, changing, dinosaurs that are following their audience? We are, all media organisations, are facing challenges.

This is unprecedented. We faced a lot of challenges before. We’ve changed, we’ve adapted. We know our audiences, our audiences trust us. We need big changes, particularly around younger audiences. But, yes, absolutely, we are going to survive, if we change and if we get support from Government.

“And if we maintain the incredible trust and the connection that we have with the audience.”

Later…

Interviewer 2 (female): “Dee, is that what was coming through in the session today? Cause I know you were very much looking forward to collaboration.”

Dee Forbes: “Yeah, I think, you know, what Noel said is absolutely right. We’re, you know, we’re fighting for our lives here because it’s important and the word I keep using and RTÉ is, we’re reinventing ourselves. And that’s actually exciting as well. Because, you know, every so often we all have to reinvent ourselves.

“And I think that’s where opportunity arises and challenge arises.

“So, as part of that, and I think this is something that all public broadcasters have done in the recent years is collaborate. We can’t do everything ourselves. We don’t have the money to – nor, quite honestly, should we anyway.

“Because collaborating is bringing, in its own right, great ideas, great partnerships, opportunity. Particularly, we’re seeing great opportunities in the content space. So we’re partnering with a number of public service broadcasters but other broadcasters as well.

“To bring, you know, drama to our screens, to bring other content to our screens. We’re partnering with our biggest sports organisation in Ireland to create a worldwide streaming service for the distribution of that content.

“We’ve created a digital lab at RTÉ, to find new voices, new talent, new ideas, new content.

So we’re experimenting, we’re changing, we’re partnering, you know, we’re doing a lot of things. And that is hugely exciting.”


Dee Forbes: 300k a year.

European Broadcasting Union: 1million annually.

Martin van God Dam: 7gajillion gilders.

Good times.

Watch in full here

Thanks Jack Jones

Galway city’s  busking bylaws will come into effect from January, banning “any use of amplification from use before 6pm, restricting where acts that can attract a crowd from performing, and require performers under 16 to have a parent or guardian present.

“A street performer shall not act, say, do or sing anything likely to cause alarm, distress or offence to any member of the public, business owner, the Council, or any memberof An Garda Síochána.”

Galway City Council bylaw (as of  September 1, 2019)

Deliberately Offensive Song

Despite the Alderman, his head a sweaty pink moon,
who wanted travellers castrated,
or at least kept behind an electric fence.

Despite the former Mayor who liked to taste
the thighs of teenage boys in a local pub’s
musty meeting room and wore
his ceremonial robes while doing it.

Despite the motion you passed overwhelmingly
against contraceptive devices and students
engaging in sensuality without responsibility.

Despite the fortune one of your number got
from coffin ships his grandfather
profitably fed to the starving
Atlantic sharks.

Despite the “dastardly” Rising
at whose failure you rejoiced and the diamond
welcome you gave Edward the Seventh.

Despite the lines of white powder expertly
inhaled off a professional lady’s
clavicle which none of your number
knew anything about.

You are inoffensive as a fairground
run by defrocked priests in grey raincoats;

inoffensive
as a former Mayor owning
a seafront casino that took
the pensions of passing widows,
the disability benefits
of bald guys with the shakes;

inofuckingffensive
as a line of giant white puddings
who’ve calamitously been
let talk.

Kevin Higgins


Update:

Kevin writes:

I am offering the words of this poem to any busker who want to turn it into a song and sing it on Shop Street….

Busking bylaws stripping Galway of its culture say PBP (Galway Daily)

Galway buskers say new street performance by-laws are ‘disgrace’ (BBC)

Pic via You Tube

The adorable, slightly unnerving, big-eyed hybrids of Japanese artist Naoto Hattori.

Most a mere 7.5cm square, the highly detailed surreal acrylics reflect an obsession with eyes that has stayed with the artist since he was three years old. Sez he:

“When I closed my eyes, I could see a colourful eye like a mandala and it kept changing shape like a kaleidoscope. I drew hundreds of the eye images. Back then, I was thinking that it was something everyone could see.”

colossal



This morning.

Phoenix Park, Dublin

The Launch of Robin Hood the Panto at Liberty Hall Theatre Eden Quay, Dublin from December 19-31.

Above from left: Comedian Eric Lalor as the Sheriff of Snottingham, Ciaran Kavanagh as Nursie Nellie Nu Nu, Tynan Hooper, Darragh Kelliher as Robin Hood and Ciara Kelly as Maid Marion.

Robin Hood at The Liberty

Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland

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