The Irish government, that is (but don’t tell New York City’s Mayor Bloomberg or other health-nanny-authoritarians around the world). Continue reading “Government considers ban on smoking in cars”
Government considers ban on smoking in cars
I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine
Bob Dylan’s newest concert tour kicked off yesterday in the Emerald Isle. The set list from his show in County Cork isn’t a violent departure from recent tours, but features one song that is not heard all that often: “I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine,” from the album John Wesley Harding
There are no live versions by Bob extant on YouTube, but I did just listen to this cover version by a duo calling themselves “Two Travellers at Midnight” that I think is rather nice indeed. Nothing radical, but they’re feeling it.
It’s a remarkable song.
I dreamed I saw St. Augustine
Alive as you or me
Tearing through these quarters
In the utmost misery
With a blanket underneath his arm
And a coat of solid gold
Searching for the very souls
Whom already have been sold
…
Addendum: I neglected to note that because there was no “Blowin’ in the Wind” or “Times They Are-A-Changin'” in the set list, it must be presumed that the Irish government, like the Chinese, censored Dylan in order to prevent his fierce protest songs from igniting the fury of the masses. And again, Dylan has capitulated! What can you say? He just hasn’t been the same since ’64.
Muslim prisoner in Ireland claims harsh abuse
45 year-old Ali Charaf Damache is in prison in County Cork, Ireland, awaiting trial on a charge of making a telephoned death threat. (He’s accused of making the death threat to an American in Detroit who had publicly claimed that most Muslims didn’t support terrorism such as the attempted Christmas Day bombing of 2009. Feel free to read that sentence twice.) Continue reading “Muslim prisoner in Ireland claims harsh abuse”
Ireland donates towards climate change in poor countries
Ireland, which has recently been bailed out by the EU and the IMF to the tune of about 85 billion Euros, and is raising taxes and imposing the proverbial draconian cuts on everything, has decided to scrape up 23 million Euros of “additional” funds to “help poor countries deal with climate change.”
Ireland, as it happens, is also in the grip of an unusually cold pre-winter season at the moment, with bitter sub-zero temperatures and snow, for which public authorities, as ever in that usually temperate isle, are woefully unprepared.
Begob. You truly can’t make this stuff up.
Retching insects
In the news from Ireland: Vomiting bug forces visitor restrictions at several hospitals.
Strict visitor restrictions are in place at a number of hospitals across the country due to outbreaks of the vomiting bug. Continue reading “Retching insects”