A conceptual fuel cell electric vehicle envisaged by Toyota and the Japan Aerospce Exploration Agency (JAXA) designed for two passengers (four at a pinch) that’s good for up to 10,000 dusty kilometres of lunar exploration.
All demographics and tastes catered to.
Except sludge metal.
Denied. Again.
Also: How many Irish acts can you spot?
Meanwhile…
Loving this year’s line-up for #ElectricPicnic pic.twitter.com/BGsQHG2XIj
— Justine Stafford (@JustineStafford) March 13, 2019
Ah here.
From the Ombudsman’s report into complaints made to him about Direct Provision
This morning.
Ombudsman Peter Tyndall published a report on the complaints his office has received from people living in Direct Provision.
In total, the office received 148 complaints in 2018.
As of January 1, 2019, there were 6,592 people living in direct provision.
In relation to the lack of self-cooking facilities in direct provision centres, Mr Tyndall said these facilities will be rolled out this year.
But he can’t say when.
He writes:
In my previous commentary I said that residents’ feedback to my staff was that their ability, or inability, to cook their own meals was the single most important issue for them.
Based on the feedback from residents to my staff in 2018, this largely remains the case.
My staff heard strong expressions of frustration from residents at some centres where self-cooking facilities are not in place or where the facilities are in the process of being provided but where there have been, and continue to be, delays in the provision process.
On the other hand, there are a number of centres which superficially appear to have very limited self-cooking facilities (eight hobs in one centre).
However, both management and residents at that centre told my staff that there was enough self-cooking to satisfy residents’ needs and there were never any problems with residents accessing the facilities that were there whenever they wanted to.
My office has engaged with RIA on this point which has confirmed that the Department has started a procurement programme for Direct Provision accommodation which will be rolled out on a regional basis by the end of 2019.
As part of the specifications for the competitions, tenderers will be asked to provide cooking facilities for residents.
Successful tenderers will have up to 16 weeks to provide those facilities from when they are notified that they have been successful.
RIA states that it is not possible at this stage to provide a timetable for when individual centres will have the cooking facilities rolled out.
This is because of the roll-out of multiple regional competitions and also because some providers may be able to deliver the required services in less than the full 16 weeks.
My staff will continue to engage with RIA on this programme over the course of 2019 and will see for themselves what progress is being made
when they visit the relevant centres during the year.
Read the report in full here
From top: Belfast International Airport( Aldergrove), Shannon, Co Clare; a fleet of Hercules C-130s at Shannon
How much are we a hub for chaos in the Middle East?
Dan Dowling archived flight paths of US military aircraft, and planes on contract to the military, landing on the island of Ireland from February 28 to March 6.
Dan writes:
At Shannon, the majority of planes landing are Omni Air International Boeing 767s and 777s on contract to the US military.
Between February 28 and March 7, a Boeing US Navy C-40 and a Boeing C-17A Globemaster III also landed at Shannon.
A Boeing 777 can carry 380 soldiers.
A Boeing 767 can carry 240 soldiers.
A US Navy C-40 cargo plane is the military version of a Boeing 737 with a capacity for 70 soldiers and cargo.
At Aldergrove [Belfast International Airport] fleets of Hercules C-130s were recorded landing.
The Hercules C-130 looks very similar to the AC-130 which is featured in a psychotic tweet by the US Department of Defence.
The C-130 is an old and accident prone aircraft. These planes should only land at military airports which have blast walls and other military infrastructure and not close to or at civilian airports.
Tracking a plane is only possible over land. The reason planes travelling to and from the USA are not recorded over the Atlantic is they have flown beyond the reach of transponders.
The reason military planes are not recorded over the Mediterranean East of Crete is these planes turn off transponders so as to not yield their position.
It is unclear why a plane would refuel in Ireland as kerosene is cheaper in Kuwait.
The cargo manifest of planes is also not easy to establish.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, March 2, Deir Ez Zor Syria was reportedly bombed with white phosphorus.
February 28
(flight details in hyperlinks)
Middle East to Shannon
3B76AE French Air Force Airbus (Diplomatic)
Paris to Shannon to Prestwick
43C147 United Kingdom BAE146 (Diplomatic)
Denham to Dublin to Northolt
AE010D United States Gulfstream Jet (Diplomatic)
Washington to Belfast
N225AX Omni Air International Boeing 767 (Troop carrier on Contract to US military)
Colorado Springs Municipal to Shannon
Omni Air International Boeing 767 (Troop carrier on Contract to US military)
Shannon to Kuwait
Omni Air International Boeing 767 (Troop carrier on contract to US military)
Shannon to Naval Air Station North Island San Diego California
Omni Air International Boeing 767 (Troop carrier on contract to US military)
Shannon to Kuwait
Omni Air International Boeing 777 (Troop carrier on Contract to US military)
Shannon to Campbell Army Air Field, Fort Campbell, Kentucky
Belfast to Naples
Belfast to Naples
Belfast to Athens
Belfast to Athens
March 1
United States Gulfstream Jet (Diplomatic)
Belfast to Washington
USAF C-146A (rapid, intra-theater mobility for special operations forces )
Reykjavík to Shannon
Omni Air International Boeing 767 (Troop carrier on contract to US military)
Shannon to Fort Hood Killeen Texas USA
Omni Air International Boeing 767 (Troop carrier on contract to US military)
Shannon to Sal Cape Verde
Omni Air International Boeing 767
Bangor Maine to Shannon/ Shannon to Kuwait
Omni Air International Boeing 767
Al Udeid Air Force Base Doha Qatar to Shannon/ Shannon to Fort Bliss Texas
Omni Air International Boeing 777
Kuwait to Shannon/ Shannon to Fort Hood Texas
March 2
Middle East to Belfast
Middle East to Belfast
Omni Air International Boeing 767
Kuwait to Shannon/ Shannon to Fort Bliss Texas
March 3
Middle East to Belfast
Middle East to Belfast
Omni Air International Boeing 767
Colorado Springs Municipal Airport to Shannon
March 4
Middle East to Belfast
Middle East to Belfast
Middle East to Belfast
Middle East to Belfast
Belfast to USA
Belfast to USA
Shannon to Middle East
Omni Air International Boeing 767
Shannon to Kuwait
Omni Air International Boeing 767
Al Udeid Air Force Base Doha Qatar to Shannon
Omni Air International Boeing 767
Shannon to Kuwait
Omni Air International Boeing 767
Colorado Springs Municipal to Shannon
Omni Air International Boeing 767
Shannon to Dallas-Fort Worth International
Omni Air International Boeing 767
Fort Bliss Texas to Shannon/ Shannon to Kuwait
March 5
Middle East to Shannon to USA
Belfast to USA
Omni Air International Boeing 767
Shannon to Fort Bliss Texas
Omni Air International Boeing 767
Al Udeid Air Force Base Doha Qatar to Shannon/ Shannon to Bangor Maine
Omni Air International Boeing 767
Shannon to Kuwait
Omni Air International Boeing 767
Kuwait to Shannon/ Shannon to Fort Campbell Kentucky
March 6
French Air Force Airbus (Diplomatic)
Paris to Dublin to Paris
US Military Lear jet (Diplomatic)
Ramstein to Belfast to Ramstein
Belfast to USA
Belfast to USA
Belfast to USA
Belfast to USA
Omni Air International Boeing 767
Baltimore to Shannon
Omni Air International Boeing 767
Shannon to Bangor Maine
Omni Air International Boeing 777
Fort Bliss Texas to Shannon/ Shannon to Camp Lemonier Djibouti
Previously: ‘They Haven’t Missed A First Sunday Of The Month For Over A Decade’
Shannon pic: Dr Ed Horgan
Dublin Fire Brigade tweetz:
Firefighter/Paramedics have responded to a collision involving a LUAS tram and a car on Jervis Street. There are no serious injuries. Crews from Phibsborough and HQ attended.
Meanwhile…
— Eoghan (@CaptainA_) March 13, 2019
Stop that.
Meanwhile…
Still fond of this though. pic.twitter.com/FHrmjIYBam
— Paula Healy (@thecountessp) March 13, 2019
Ah now.
For Kieran
at
On Monday, at 2pm.
In Aghada, east Cork.
A 5km walk will take place to help raise money for father-of-three Kieran O’Connor, who is from Aghada.
Kieran, a former All Ireland Cork footballer and former juvenile All Ireland medal-winning runner, has a rare bone cancer called Ewing’s Sarcoma.
Last Friday, former Cork football captain Graham Canty wrote in The Irish Examiner that Kieran is now battling the disease for the third time in 18 months after having his lower leg amputated in January.
A GoFundMe campaign has raised €272,028 in just four days.
Anyone who wishes can donate here.
GRAHAM CANTY: Kieran O’Connor is a man you’d pick to go to war with you (The Irish Examiner)
Fact-Finding
at
Independents 4 Change TD Clare Daly tweetz:
Fake News is alive & well about #Venezuela. Don’t believe the lies. Come to the public meeting on Thursday 7.30 Pearse Centre…
Meanwhile…
Western media coverage of the #Venezuela situation continues to be disgustingly one-sided. Here's a more realistic version of the situation from trusted journalist @johnpilger. https://t.co/13oPcKCbDG
— Oliver Stone (@TheOliverStone) March 12, 2019
Pernicio.
The brilliant, award-laden, short movie written and directed by Dave Fox and produced by beloved Broadsheet chum Laura Gaynor (top left at the Royal Television Society Awards with Pernicio director of photography Alfie Hollingsworth).
Available NOW to watch online for the first time!
Pernicio tells the story of a young man who explores his attitude towards life and death when his suicide plans are interrupted.
Dave writes;
I wanted to take a fresh approach to the overused theme of suicide, whilst also painting a picture of a potential futuristic Ireland if we don’t solve our mental health problems
Pernicio won ‘Best Drama’ at the Royal Television Society Student Awards, the ‘Producers Award’ at the Emerging Directors Awards in Dublin and ‘Best Student Film’ at the Richard Harris Film Festival and Underground Cinema Awards in Ireland.
AND It made the Official selection of the Newport Beach Film Festival in California and the Cork Film Festival and also screened at the Puerta Valetta FIlm Festival in Mexico last night with Spanish subtitles.
Laura writes:
I just want to say a big big thanks to the ‘sheet for giving us such a platform while we were making this short. We really enjoyed making it and hope you get a chance to watch. Let us know what you think!
Reviews welcome below.
Previously: The Gaynor Effect
Speaking Live from New York this evening on @cnni, Sinn Féin President @MaryLouMcDonald has said that a referendum on Irish Unity is inevitable in the event of a no-deal Brexit.#Time4Unity #BrexitVote #Tá32 pic.twitter.com/RIAWCj5Zsb
— Sinn Féin (@sinnfeinireland) March 12, 2019
Their day.
It’s coming.
Outcome of vote shows ‘disregard for people of Ireland’ – McDonald (RTÉ)
Zero tariffs on EU goods coming into NI in no-deal Brexit (RTÉ)
Earlier: Derek Mooney: Leaderless Top the End