Several deer that roam the city of Nara, in Japan, were found dead after swallowing plastic bags and food wrappers
Some Japanese boffins who fear
That plastic might be choking deer
Have invented a bag
That won’t make them gag
So let’s give these heroes a cheer.
Getty
More to follow.
If there’s any small Cork retailers who doesn’t have an online presence/store – I’ll gladly set up an online Shopify store free of charge, literally the only cost will be your site domain (max €15) #Lockdown2 #Cork #LoveCork #SupportLocal #shoplocal
— Damien Sreenan (@damiensreenan) October 20, 2020
In fairness.
Earlier: For The Way We Live Today
Level 5 heroics to broadsheet@broadsheet.ie marked ‘Level 5 Heroics’
This afternoon.
Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.
The Aviva Stadium Community Testing Centre where members of the Defence Forces are supporting the HSE in a swab-as-you-drive initiative.
LiR – Wickerman.
Thanks to all our readers who entered last week’s Golden Discs music competition to find the most underrated Irish music since 1960.
This week, we will be featuring some of the entries that almost but didn’t quite make the cut for the Top 3.
Andy Pipkin chose this song by the “totally underrated” 1990s Dublin band LiR (top) from their 1995 album Nest. Alas, LiR split up after falling out with their management.
Dave McGuinness went on to helm the I Heart… tribute band; bassist Rob Malone played with David Gray; and drummer John Boyle joined The Frames.
Nick says: King LiR.
No, but it sure does look like that.
Behold: the Crescent nebula (the aforementioned pulsating brain) and the Soap Bubble nebula (that ‘orb’ [what are the chances?] at bottom left) – two globular clouds of dust and gas drifting through the star field between our Milky Way and the constellation of Cygnus. To wit:
Both were formed at a final phase in the life of a star. Also known as NGC 6888, the Crescent was shaped as its bright, central massive Wolf-Rayet star, WR 136, shed its outer envelope in a strong stellar wind. Burning through fuel at a prodigious rate, WR 136 is near the end of a short life that should finish in a spectacular supernova explosion. Discovered in 2013, the Soap Bubble Nebula is likely a planetary nebula, the final shroud of a lower mass, long-lived, sun-like star destined to become a slowly cooling white dwarf. Both stellar shrouds are 5,000 light-years or so distant. The larger Crescent Nebula is around 25 light-years across.
(Image: Michael Miller, Jimmy Walker)
Above from left: the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath; The Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe, and the Minister for Social Protection, Community and Rural Development, Heather Humphreys outline changes to the Pandemic Unemployment Payment and the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme this afternoon
This afternoon.
Government Buildings, Dublin 2.
The budget deficit this year will now be €23 billion, up approximately €1.25 billion on the figure outlined in Budget 2021, Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe announced at a press conference.
Via RTÉ
The increase reflects the anticipated €2 billion spend over the next six weeks on several income and business support schemes as Level 5 restrictions come into play.
This will mean that GDP is expected to decline this year by 3.5%, a further 1% decline on the forecast released at Budget time.
Mr Donohoe said that the enhanced Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) is expected to cost €105m a week, the new Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS) €80m a week and the PUP €135m a week.
Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys said the enhanced PUP will be given at its current rate until January when it will then be reviewed….
Level 5 Covid restrictions to push Budget deficit up to €23 billion (RTÉ)
Ahead of Level 5.
What is an essential retail outlet?
Via Retail Excellence:
1. Outlets selling food or beverages on a takeaway basis, or newspapers, whether on a retail or wholesale basis and whether in a non-specialised or specialised outlet.
2. Markets that, wholly or principally, offer food for sale.
3. Outlets selling products necessary for the essential upkeep and functioning of places of residence and businesses, whether on a retail or wholesale basis.
4. Pharmacies, chemists and retailers or wholesalers providing pharmaceuticals or pharmaceutical or dispensing services, whether on a retail or wholesale basis.
5. Outlets selling health, medical or orthopaedic goods in a specialised outlet, whether on a retail or wholesale basis.
6. Fuel service stations and heating fuel providers.
7. Outlets selling essential items for the health and welfare of animals (including animal feed and veterinary medicinal products, pet food, animal bedding and animal supplies), whether on a retail or wholesale basis.
8. Laundries and drycleaners.
9. Banks, post offices and credit unions.
10. Outlets selling safety supplies (including work-wear apparel, footwear and personal protective equipment), whether on a retail or wholesale basis.
11. Hardware outlets, builders’ merchants and outlets that provide, whether on a retail or wholesale basis –
(a) hardware products necessary for home and business maintenance or construction and development,
(b) sanitation and farm equipment, or
(c) supplies and tools essential for farming or agriculture purposes.12. Outlets providing for the repair and maintenance of mechanically propelled vehicles or bicycles and any related facilities (including tyre sales and repairs).
13. The following outlets, insofar as they offer services on an emergency basis only:
(a) Optician and optometrist outlets.
(b) Outlets providing hearing test services or selling hearing aids and appliances.
(c) Outlets selling office products and services for businesses or for relevant persons working from their respective places of residence, whether on a retail or wholesale basis.
(d) Outlets providing electrical, information and communications technology and telephone sales, repair and maintenance services for places of residence and businesses.14. Any other retail outlet that operates an online or other remote system of ordering goods for purposes of collection at the retail outlet.
15. Outlets selling food or beverages whether on a retail or wholesale basis and whether in a non-specialised or specialised outlet –
(a) insofar as they sell food or beverages on a takeaway basis or for consumption off the premises,
(b) insofar as they are staff canteens operating for the exclusive use of persons working in, or at, a particular premises, or
(c) subject to paragraph 8 of Part 2, hotels or similar accommodation services insofar as they sell food or beverages for consumption on the premises by residents of the service.
Earlier: This Land Is Hemp Land
Level 5: Essential Retail as defined by Government for Level 5 (Retail Excellence)
