Government ministers want as ‘wide a reopening as possible’ in May

Some ministers seem to be keen
To reopen our social scene
I don’t think I could cope
If this glimpse of hope
Is dashed. Now that would be mean

John Moynes]

RollingNews

Meanwhile…

Something you don’t normally see. To wit:

In visible light, the Milky Way’s centre is hidden by clouds of obscuring dust and gas. But in this stunning vista, the Spitzer Space Telescope‘s infrared cameras, penetrate much of the dust revealing the stars of the crowded galactic centre region. A mosaic of many smaller snapshots, the detailed, false-colour image shows older, cool stars in bluish hues. Red and brown glowing dust clouds are associated with young, hot stars in stellar nurseries. The very centre of the Milky Way has recently been found capable of forming newborn stars. The galactic centre lies some 26,700 light-years away, toward the constellation Sagittarius. At that distance, this picture spans about 900 light-years.

(Image: NASA, JPL-Caltech, Spitzer Space Telescope, Susan Stolovy (SSC/Caltech) et al.; Reprocessing: Judy Schmidt)

apod

Smoothboi Ezra – Stuck

Let’s hear it for the ‘boi.

Introducing Greystones, County Wicklow’s new star of indie bedroom pop, Smoothboi Ezra (top), who charms the pants off us with the title track off their forthcoming EP.

The press blurb describes a true pioneer, who prefers to use the pronoun ‘they’.

“They offer an often overlooked take on emotional relationships, as Ezra is writing as a person who is gender non-binary and on the autism spectrum. They are helping people who don’t often see themselves represented in the media to hear themselves in music and to know that there are songs which speak to their experience.”

Smoothboi Ezra writes:

“‘Stuck’ is a song about being in a relationship with someone you care a lot about but you know it’s not going to work out. It’s an unsaid mutual agreement that you can feel the relationship ending but you’re both waiting on the other person to end it.”

The compelling video stars non-binary couple El and Lauren.

Nick says: This ‘Boi’s life.

Smoothboi Ezra

Jimi Cullen – ‘Legalise Don’t Criminalise’

Featuring reefer-deranged members of Ireland’s Cannabis Activists Alliance.

Off their bins, blummin’ potheads.

*sinks treble vodka*

Jimi Cullen

Meanwhile…

This afternoon.

The European Medicines Agency has said the benefits of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine outweigh the risks.

Use of the company’s one-dose vaccine was temporarily halted by US regulators last week after a small number of blood clots were reported.

After you, etc.

COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen: EMA finds possible link to very rare cases of unusual blood clots with low blood platelets (EMA)

EMA: Benefits of J&J Covid-19 vaccine outweigh risk (RTÉ)

Broadsheet.ie