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The Wednesday Club

Dropping dentures beats for silver ravers.

Big Stu writes:

The best club in Dublin is happening this afternoon, and every Wednesday, at 25 Bolton St, HQ of Friends of the Elderly, Ireland, from 2pm to 4pm. It’s a free live entertainment music centre, music provided by the Bolton St Band (Ireland’s oldest boyband!) and anyone can get up and sing a song.

These entertainment centres are very common across the water in the UK but, so far, this is the only one here in Ireland. It’d be great to see more of them pop up as they really are a force for positivity in the lives of so many elderly people, providing joy, community and something to look forward to every week. If you want to get up or just sit and watch, there is always a welcome for everyone.

For example, recently on October 1st, they celebrated UN Day of the Older Person by staging a world record attempt for outdoor line dancing. They handed out flowers and danced at the GPO in the sunshine, it was a lovely thing.

All in all, the positivity they generate is fantastic. As with any charity, donations are of course always welcome.

P.S. I don’t work for them, I just called in one afternoon and was so impressed I wanted to help out. Something special happens in there every Wednesday.

YOKES YOKES YOKES YOKES

Friends Of The Elderly Ireland

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Luke Brennan writes:

I know colouring books are all the rage right now, so I thought I’d have a go at creating one that’s local. Partially inspired by the great photos I saw on broadsheet here, I had a go at some local birds. Above are my first two attempts, hoping that people would get some enjoyment out of them. Created with the Maglus Stylus [Irish start up success story], for whom I work.

Save Poolbeg.

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A statement from Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council this lunchtime, following discussions between the council and residents of Rockville Drive, Carrickmines.

Meanwhile, Taoiseach Enda Kenny spoke to Pat Kenny on Newstalk about the situation unfolding in Carrickmines.

Enda Kenny: “Look, the funerals haven’t even taken place of these ten people. Of course, these things have to be dealt with. But there is a procedure and a process by which you can consult with local people at a time of tragedy and say, “look, we need to use this field”.”

Pat Kenny: “Do you think the council jumped the gun?”

Enda Kenny: “Well I think, I think there’s a really deep sensitivity here and obviously consultation and conversation with communities is very important. I hope that can take place today. If not already, if not already done so. The funerals of these adults and innocent children haven’t even taken place yet and obviously the council are more than anxious to accommodate…”

Pat Kenny: “Do you understand the reservations of the residents?”

Enda Kenny: “Well I think, in any community around the country, you have to balance here what’s happened. This is an appalling tragedy with ten people, loss of lives, to stand there in the site and see what’s in front of you, speaks for itself, it’ll never leave my mind actually. So council reacting here saying, ‘where can we house these remaining families in a temporary capacity?’ It’s necessary to consult, of course, with local communities. And I can understand that balances need to be got here. These funerals haven’t taken place yet. And obviously the community will respond in the way that they’ve shown their sympathy…”

Pat Kenny: “But the residents even predicted that they would be vilified for their stance, even though they feel they have a case to make.”

Enda Kenny: “Well I’m not sure, I haven’t seen all the comments about this but, if you’re going to move and make a change in terms of any kind of facility, it’s always good to tell the local community. Invariably they respond when things are fully explained to them and I hope that this can happen here too.”

Taoiseach calls for consultation with local communities over Carrickmines  accommodation (Newstalk)

Previously: ‘I’d Urge The Residents To Search Deep Inside Their Conscience’

Via Richard Chambers

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Laura Gaynor writes;

So my film school is holding open auditions for actors of all ages. These will be taking part in our HD TV Studios in IADT Dun Laoghaire. It’s not your ordinary audition – all actors will receive a HD file of their monologue performance which they can use for showreel so etc. These files are used within the film school for casting fresh talent.

Contact

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‘Galaxy Hair’ or, if you prefer, ‘Space Hair’ – where trendsetting young coiffsters recreate the cosmic ballet in hair colour – from the Aurora Borealis to deep space lightshows.

More at #galaxyhair and #spacehair.

mymodernmet

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJ4lP15mcno

The app-based, every Wednesday, comedy web series continues

Robert writes:

In part 3 of Danny & Dante, the guys meet with Dante’s old school pal John-Paul to recruit him to help create their App for the discerning non-hipster. Will the web-developer jump on board or dump them out of his office? Dialogue is still NSFW

Music: Nite Life by Aysyne

Episode 2

Episode 1

Danny And Dante

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Minister for Health Leo Varadkar

 

Further to the sickly, sugar tax-free Budget 2016.

A Food Critic fumes:

Thank you for bringing the issue of childhood obesity to the attention of your readers yesterday. As predicted, a sugar tax was not announced in the budget, despite the alleged determination of Leo Varadkar to see such a tax introduced. (Leo is, of course, your Minister for Health, the same chap who thinks the best thing about Ireland is “red lemonade and Tayto crisps.”)

Unfortunately, many of the people who commented on the article just repeated industry’s line on obesity: it’s all the fault of kids and their lazy parents. For 30 years we have heard this drivel from Big Food and its lapdogs in government and the media. Are your readers thick? Or do they read too many newspapers.

Very simply, childhood obesity is a major public health issue. A quarter of our three year-olds are now obese or overweight. We can respond in one of three ways:

1. Encourage kids and their parents to exercise personal responsibility. For example: eat less junk, start jogging, have your five a day.

2. Ask government to intervene with evidence-based strategies. For example: introduce a sugar tax, ban the marketing of junk food to children, don’t let fast food outlets open near schools.

3. Both of the above.

Option 3 is, of course, the logical approach. It is obvious that we each have a role to play, just as it’s obvious that government has a part to play. What’s depressing about many of your readers’ comments is that they parroted the industry line: exercise personal responsibility, as if that alone is the solution to this problem.

On its own, a sugar tax would not have saved a generation of Irish kids from obesity. However, as part of a suite of measures, including things like getting more exercise and restricting the marketing of junk food, such a tax would at least have demonstrated a sincere determination to tackle childhood obesity.

One day the cost of treating the diseases of obesity will become clear to us all. At that point, politicians will be forced to act. In the meantime, kids all over the country will continue to pay the price for our government’s refusal to play its part in addressing the biggest public health crisis in the history of the state.

That is shameful.

Food FIGHT!

Yesterday: One Lump Or Two

Broadsheet.ie