Norwegian scamps, the Pistol Shrimps continue their rather charming, First Avenger-inspired rundown of national Eurostereotypes.
They’ll get to us yet.
Previously: Captain Europe
M.A.M.O.N (Monitor Against Mexicans Over Nationwide) a satirical fantasy sci-fi short by Uruguayan animation studio Aparato exploring the consequences of Donald Trump’s (since moderated) plan to wall off Mexico and eject illegal immigrants.
35 Days
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Globe House, Sligo
Amjad Rosstami is a 44-year-old Iranian Kurdish man who came to Ireland several months ago seeking asylum.
He reportedly came to Ireland via Britain where he was for four years.
After Ireland’s Department of Justice refused his application for refugee protection, Amjad faced a deportation order – to send him back to the UK – prompting him to go on hunger strike.
He is now on the 35th day of his hunger strike.
Ahmad Kamal, from Sudan, is Amjad’s roommate at Globe House where there were 195 asylum seekers living at the end of 2015. Ahmad has been in the direct provision system for 11 years.
Last Saturday, Ahmad spoke at Saturday’s rally in Dublin, calling for an end to the direct provision system and spoke of Amjad’s situation.
This morning, on RTÉ’s Today with Sean O’Rourke show, journalist Brian O’Connell broadcast an interview he carried out with Ahmad in Sligo last night.
“We share a room, he’s on hunger strike for 34 days. The first days were very horrible days – he was dying because [he was taking] no water, no food and his body not used to it. And then [after several days] when he started drinking [water], he seemed to be a little bit okay. Just, he’s so weak and he lost a lot of weight.
“He used to be very healthy, muscle man, now he’s very weak. He’s looking like he’s dying. He’s not moving out of the room, he just keeps lying in the bed because he has no energy to move. He’s sugar is low, his blood pressure is low and he’s, he’s too weak.”
“He wants Ireland to look after his case. He’s like lost for four years in the UK. The UK, they refused him so he decided to come to Ireland. He thought that this is his last chance. Die or Ireland will look after him.”
“He’s in danger. Iran want him, he’s wanted there and if he’s sent back, he will be killed there.”
“He’s a very quiet man, he’s very gentle. He doesn’t talk much. I really worry about my friend, he’s getting weaker and weaker every day. A couple of days [ago] he stopped drinking water and now he’s on hunger strike without water…”
Mr O’Connell explained that, at around 9pm last night, Amjad was complaining of severe stomach pains, an ambulance was called and he was transferred to Sligo General Hospital.
He said it’s unclear whether Amjad remains in the hospital or if he has been discharged.
Mr O’Connell also reported:
“There was a dramatic development in the case this morning. A Government source has confirmed that the deportation order has now been lifted and when I put it to them that the protest is continuing unless written confirmation is given, I’m told this will happen in the next few days – that he will be brought back into the asylum process on the basis that he stops his protest.
“Now, it’s unclear at the moment whether that will be enough to end the hunger strike, as he said he would only end the strike if he was officially interviewed by Department of Justice officials but it is a significant development. The deportation order which had been hanging over him has been lifted.
“But I guess many people at the vigil last night were asking: how was it that somebody could have been allowed spend 35 days on hunger strike before any significant progress was made?“
Previously: ‘Something Should Have Been Done For Her As A Matter Of Urgency’
Elfie Shtick
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‘Sup?
Gareth Naughton writes:
The application process for The Late Late Toy Show tickets closed yesterday. More than 125,000 applications have been received for seats in the audience of this year’s show, which airs on Friday, December 2nd. Tickets will be issued on a lottery basis.
However, The Late Late Toy Show is giving viewers an extra shot at securing two seats…
To be in with a chance of securing a pair of tickets, all viewers have to do is go here to download the ‘RyanElf’, carefully cut it out and start taking snaps.
Make the ‘RyanElf’ a part of a special occasion, bring him to your favourite spot in your hometown or maybe he could ’embellish’ the perfect picture with a well-timed photobomb.
To enter viewers must then post their creative shots – using #ToyShowSnap – on Instagram, Twitter or The Late Late Show/RTÉ One Facebook pages.
This may not end well
*Snap*
Previously: Time Travel Adventures
Neil writes:
How could you not be entertained by the plight of a guy with a learning disability who was involuntary and unconstitutionally coerced into confessing to assisting in a murder and has been incarcerated since he was a teenager?
US judge orders release of ‘Making a Murderer’s’ Brendan Dassey (RTE)
ELLLL – releasing new extended-player Romance
What you may need to know…
01. Last time we checked in with ELLLL, she’d been putting the finishing touches on her first “proper” collection of songs after years of gigging and composing under the name.
02. Veering from her initial explorations in drone, ambient & noise, and into an atmospheric take on minimal techno, her debut extended player, Romance, finally releases across various formats this winter.
03. Streaming above is the eponymous leadoff tune from the extended player, with a full stream/interview over at the 405.
04. The E.P. releases this week digitally and next month on 12″ vinyl, via Sligo-based label Art for Blind, with the quest apparently on to assemble more tracks for a follow-on E.P.
Verdict: Laden with textures, and built on menacing, foreboding reinterpretations of a multitude of samples, this ought to be something else entirely to hear on wax.
Now available for completely free streaming, worldwide – all 92 episodes of cult classic spoof talk show Space Ghost: Coast to Coast.
Following the passing of voice talent and producer C. Martin Croker, US animation-slingers [adult swim] have been uploading episodes of the cringe-humour masterclass over the past few weeks. Last night, the network managed to throw up the last few episodes to make the complete box-set.
Party cake at the ready.
Alterations
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Children’s toys and flowers at the ‘Little Angels’ memorial plot in the grounds of Bessborough House in Blackrock, Cork in 2014
You may recall a post from 2014 which detailed a timeline of the known medical trials conducted on children in Mother and Baby Homes in Ireland, the response of successive health ministers and the contemporaneous expansion in Ireland of the medical companies involved in those trials.
Further to this…
In today’s Irish Examiner, Conall Ó Fátharta reports:
The files of vaccine trial victims in Bessborough Mother and Baby Home were altered in 2002 — just weeks after the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse sought discovery of records from the order running the home.
Material obtained by the Irish Examiner under Freedom of Information shows that changes were made to the records of mothers and children used in the 1960/61 4-in-1 vaccine trials.
The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (CICA) had sought discovery of the records from the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary on July 22, 2002. An affidavit was sworn on October 3, 2002, and on a number of later dates in 2002 and 2003.
The document listing the changes opens with: “8.8.02 Checked the 20 files.” This is immediately followed by: “9.8.02 Made the changes.” The changes made to files Nos 5, 8, 11, 12, and 15 to 20 are then detailed.
The changes include:
The alteration of discharge dates of mothers (by a period of one year and two years);
The changing of discharge dates of children;
The changing of admission dates of mothers;
The alteration of the age of a mother (by two years);
The alteration of dates of adoption;
The changing of baptism dates and location of baptism;
The insertion of certain named locations and information into admission books.
Bessborough Mother and baby vaccine trial files altered (Irish Examiner)
Read more of Mr Ó Fátharta’s work here
Previously: Medical Trials And Children Of Lesser Gods
Laura Hutton/Rollingnews
Celtcia writes:
A brief presentation summarising some of Celtcia’s work for College Green. We welcome your comments…
Following up on our recent guide to Irish artists being supported on the airwaves (itself due an update soon – stay tuned, pardon the pun), comes this, from former You May Like This featuree Caoilian Sherlock.
small town disco – episode 2 features Meltybrains? Sísý Ey GANGLY and a mix of artists that I saw at the Bedroom Community 10th Anniversary in Harpa, only last weekend.
Voices, Interviews and Recordings are of Seamus Heaney, Patti Smith and David Sedaris who kept me company on my travels.Enjoy.
An hour of worthwhile tuneage and poetry. Broadcasting monthly on Dublin Digital Radio.
Previously: So, What Now?