We have had many types of politician represent us over the years. Those who have made us proud, those who have entertained us; shamed us; those who you wouldnt with any confidence send to the shop, and those who have delivered in spades for the region. All of them had their merits, their demerits, their strengths and failings, all obvious only to the differing eyes of the beholders.

Perhaps the biggest trick that Ministers of the past carried out was the multiplication of their truth in the role that they played in diverting back to us the money that was justly ours. We all know of Ministers who delivered for their area. We saw the signs that you are entering X country; we know of caricatured TDs who are able to convince their constituent they were delivering, by catering for them on a one by one basis.

The modern electorate is no fool and can spot a shyster when it sees one. So for us to be downbeat at the perceived injustice that has been afforded the west merely because we do not have a senior Minister is something we just have to get over. A lot has been made of this issue over the last few days, as if we should throw up our arms and give up and move to Rockall.

Modern politics is less and less about the personalities of the Ministers involved. Of course, there are those who will shout loudest for their constituents, but there is more than enough to go around to the regions if the cases are made adequately on our behalf by all the TDs we have elected, and not just those with a Mercedes under their bum.

If Ministers are to be truly ministerial, then they have to be forced to think nationally. The onus is on our TDs and senators to lobby those ministers. With three parties in power, there are enough local representatives of each party in influential positions to be able to bring our concerns to their table. Increasingly, we are seen the diminution of the power of the Minister to influence the progression of projects in their own areas.

Do I think that the west of Ireland would be a better place merely because Dara Calleary did not get the promotion he probably deserved? No, I dont. I have faith and trust in the political system to ensure that this region gets its desired share.

We live in a part of the country that has a lot to offer. Here in the capital of the west in Galway city, there is much to enthuse about. Our inclusion this week in the Top Ten techie places to be based in the world is one such indicator of our status. We cannot tie our future prosperity anymore to the awarding of half a million euro employment contracts to Ministers. We have to be able to work the system better, to use what we can to highlight the issues that arise.

We have seen how the change of life forced on us by the pandemic has already made things possible that six months ago would be laughed out of court. Widen the paths, make it safer for cyclists, let the fittest in our communities look after their most vulnerable. These were all niceties last Spring. Now, they are a reality.

Now those who would have screamed climate change or walkways or cycling healthier living or sustainable development are no longer deemed loonies. They are no longer a They. They are a We. When push came to shove, we were forced into new ways of thinking and living. With this people power and more enlightened public representation, let us look at new ways of getting our political point across.

What we need to do is to take matters into our own hands, to not put our fate or faith in the hands of others.

By this time next year, the skyline of Galway will have changed shape, move forward another five and it will be even more so. The arrival of Covid-19 has illustrated just how possible it is for the impossible to become possible.

Let us keep the momentum going that existed pre-Covid, but let us add what we learned to the mix.

This is our region, only we can force the change to make the the place we all want to work, live, holiday or study in.

Good luck to all who have become Ministers I wish you all the best of listening. Because you will need it.

We cannot tie our future prosperity anymore to the awarding of half a million euro employment contracts to Ministers. We have to be able to work the system better, to use what we can to highlight the issues that arise.

We have seen how the change of life forced on us by the pandemic has already made things possible that six months ago would be laughed out of court. Widen the paths, make it safer for cyclists, let the fittest in our communities look after their most vulnerable. These were all niceties last Spring. Now, they are a reality.

Now those who would have screamed climate change or walkways or cycling healthier living or sustainable development are no longer deemed loonies. They are no longer a They. They are a We. When push came to shove, we were forced into new ways of thinking and living. With this people power and more enlightened public representation, let us look at new ways of getting our political point across.

What we need to do is to take matters into our own hands, to not put our fate or faith in the hands of others.

By this time next year, the skyline of Galway will have changed shape, move forward another five and it will be even more so. The arrival of Covid-19 has illustrated just how possible it is for the impossible to become possible.

Let us keep the momentum going that existed pre-Covid, but let us add what we learned to the mix.

This is our region, only we can force the change to make the the place we all want to work, live, holiday or study in.

Good luck to all who have become Ministers I wish you all the best of listening. Because you will need it.

Read more from the original source:

We shouldn't need Ministers to develop the west - Galway Advertiser

How TV platforms and producers are handling old episodes with blackface and other outdated, insensitive content

On Friday, The Office proved how far some older shows will go to wipe their slate clean of racially insensitive material, by re-editing one of its episodes to remove a scene featuring a character in blackface. That came the same week that other sitcoms including Community Scrubs and 30 Rock all had episodes pulled that included characters in blackface.

Those subtractions come amid a larger push that has forced the producers and distributors of older shows to re-evaluate their content for things that may have seemed fine years ago, but look badly outdated in 2020. The decision to pull or re-edit episodes, or in some cases add a disclaimer, is often a collaborative one. At least, thats the desirable approach.

Even more desirable would be not waiting for a moment of public backlash to right old wrongs. (Themost desirable possibility, of course, would be to not create offensive material in the first place.)

Also Read: 'The Office' Season 9 Christmas Episode Re-Edited to Remove Blackface Scene (Exclusive)

One somewhat regular check-up on old material tends to occur when series get licensed for another life on a new platform. Then, old episodes need to be rechecked for numerous reasons, including music rights, according to one industry insider. At that time, socially problematic issues can arise and the episode(s) in question can be re-edited if need be, and in extreme cases, pulled.

Through corporate processes like these, most of the truly problematic stuff would have been removed (quietly) years ago. Saturday Night Live, which has been around since 1975, is a good example of this. The culture has changed so much in the last 45 years that what was acceptable as edgy art in the early days might not be in 2020. But because Lorne Michaels show has existed on so many platforms (like the short-lived SeeSo, and soon, Peacock), some Saturday Night Live library material that wouldnt fly in the current climate hasnt actually been available for many years.

Examples of such previously scrubbed material include Jimmy Fallon doing a Chris Rock impersonation in blackface in 2000, and the Chevy Chase-Richard Pryor job interview sketch from the 70s, in which Chase uses the n-word and other racial epithets during a word-association round. Those can both be found in ripped form on YouTube, but the skits do not exist within the archives of official SNL licensing partnerships.

Also Read: Netflix Pulls 'Community' Episode 'Advanced Dungeons & Dragons' Due to Blackface Scenes (Exclusive)

In 2020, social media sometimes knows of a problem before a platform does. Want to get the attention of a network executive? Make an old show trend for all the wrong reasons. Along with Scrubs, late-night hosts Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel have been called out for previous instances of wearing blackface. In recent weeks, the list of shows that have either been taken down completely or shed specific episodes includes W/ Bob and David, Chris Lilleys Summer Heights High, Angry Boys, We Can Be Heroes and Jonah From Tonga, and British comedies like Fawlty Towers and Little Britain.

And then there are the self-policing producers. On Monday, Tina Fey and partner Robert Carlocktook it upon themselvesto reach out to each platform where their sitcom 30 Rock is available, including Hulu and Amazon Prime, and ask that four episodes be taken down. When Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence was asked on Twitter if he would follow suit, he replied it was already in the works. One day later, those episodes were removed.

Office creator Greg Daniels went the extra mile by removing a scene in the hopes that the episode in question could still remain. We cut a shot of an actor wearing blackface that was used to criticize a specific racist European practice, Daniels told TheWrap. Blackface is unacceptable and making the point so graphically is hurtful and wrong. I am sorry for the pain that caused.

Also Read: 3 'Scrubs' Episodes Featuring Blackface Pulled From Streaming (Exclusive)

When it comes time to yank entire episodes, the platform distributing the series prefers to let producers make the official request to remove potentially offensive material. In most cases, the platform is (generally) paying for the opportunity to offer the program to subscribers and doesnt own or control the content. The platform would prefer the tough decision be a collaborative one with open communication between the parties.

With Community, it was Netflix who made the call to pull an episode of the former NBC comedy that had a character in blackface, an individual with knowledge of the decision told TheWrap. Community producer Sony Pictures TV declined to comment.

There are, of course, some exceptions to including everyone in the decision-making process. When Bill Cosby was accused and then later convicted of sexual assault, it was clear that presenting The Cosby Show to subscribers was just a bad idea. Hulu, which had the streaming rights, did not completely dump the series, though the service ceased promoting the classic sitcom to users and including it on any watch lists. While Hulu let the rights expire, The Cosby Show was still technically available for anyone who specifically searched for it. (Amazon Prime never pulled the series, where its still available today).

Then theres the case of Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the long-running sitcom that features blackface in a Season 6 episode. Last week, Netflix, which owns the Sunny rights overseas, pulled the episode but its still available on Hulu, which has the streaming rights to the FX comedy stateside.

Also Read: Tina Fey Pulls 4 '30 Rock' Episodes From Circulation, Apologizes for Blackface Use

Both Hulu and FX are owned by Disney, and the parent company has tied to the two brands with the launch of FX on Hulu. That gives Hulu and FX even more reason to try to make a mutually agreed-upon decision if creator and co-star Rob McElhenney doesnt make it for them. Representatives for McElhenney did not respond to TheWraps request for comment.

At press time, the episode was still up on the FX on Hulu site.

Instead of pulling content altogether, some platforms may prefer to put a thoughtful disclaimer on a property, as HBO Max did with Gone With the Wind. The streamer pulled the 1939 film, which has long been criticized for its sympathetic portrayal of the Antebellum South, two weeks ago. On Wednesday, the Oscar-winning drama returned with a video disclaimer and two short videos that discuss the historical context of the film.

Disney+ has also featured a disclaimer that read outdated cultural depictions on some of its decades-old content. But the call to feature disclaimers to pull insensitive material outright really depends on the level of offense and outcry.

Jenny Maas contributed to this story.

Don't even think of mimicking these celebrities.

Joni Mitchell

The singer posed in blackface on the cover of her album "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter" in 1977, and later went on to justify it by saying, "I have experienced being a Black guy."

Ted Danson

The "Cheers" star appeared at a New York Friars Club Roast in 1993 with then-girlfriend Whoopi Goldbergwearing blackface makeup to perform an offensive N-word-filled comedy routine.

Tom Hanks

The Oscar-winning actor came under fire in 2012 when video surfaced ofa 2004school fundraiser featuring Hanks and another man wearingblackface and stereotypical African clothing. Hanks later condemned the bit as "horribly offensive."

Jane Krakowski

The actress appeared in blackface in two episodes of the 2006-13 sitcom "30 Rock," in one case dressing as a Black man while co-star Tracy Morgan, who is African American, appeared as a white woman. Series creators Tina Fey and Robert Carlock pulled the episodes from circulation in 2020.

Tyra Banks

The host of"America's Next Top Model" took heat, as did her show, for a photo shoot in 2009 in which competingmodels were made to look "biracial." Styling techniques includedthe darkening of contestants'skin.

Paula Deen

Following the epicure'souster from the Food Network in the wake of her infamous N-word controversy, Deenposted a photo on Twitter from her show's 2011 Halloween episode featuring her son, Bobby, dressed as Ricky Ricardo, complete with brownface makeup.

Beyonc

The diva took heat for a 2011L'Officiel Paris cover with an "African Queen" theme for which the pop star's skin was darkened.

Jon Hamm

In a 2012 episode of "30 Rock," Hamm teamed with Tracy Morgan to re-create a parody version of a dated old TV show modeled on the stereotype-laden "Amos and Andy." Hamm doesn't so much blacken his face as dirty it, but the episode proved so problematic that creator Tina Fey pulled it from circulation in 2020.

Julianne Hough

The singer/dancer/actress drew criticism overa 2013 Halloween costume for whichshe donned dark makeup to masquerade asUzo Aduba's "Orange Is the New Black" character Crazy Eyes.

Shane Dawson

The YouTuber known for his outrageous characters in 2014 was forced to apologize for the use of blackface in some of his videos, including a parody of talk show host Wendy Williams.

Kylie Jenner

Fans of the reality star jumped all over a photo she posted to her Instagram account from a 2015 shoot, outragedthat herskin appeared to be darkened."This is a black light and neon lights people lets all calm down," Jenner responded.

Luann de Lesseps

The former countess and "Real Housewives of New York" star apologized for her 2017 Halloween costume as Diana Ross -- even though she insisted that she didn't actually do blackface. "I had bronzer on that I wear normally like the rest of my skin," she later told Andy Cohen on "Watch What Happens Live." "So I didnt add anything to or would ever, ever dream of doing a blackface. Ever."

Oliver Peck

The longtime "Inkmasters" star announced he was departing the show in 2020 after an old photo resurfaced of him wearing blackface while portraying an NBA player.

Jimmy Fallon

The late-night host came under fire for a 2000 "Saturday Night Live" sketch in which he impersonated former "SNL" cast member Chris Rock -- in full makeup.

Jimmy Kimmel

In June 2020, ABC late-night host apologized for a series of sketches from earlier in his career when he darkened his skin to impersonate Black stars such as NBA player Karl Malone and Oprah Winfrey. "I apologize to those who were genuinely hurt or offended by the makeup I wore or the words I spoke, he said of the sketches from "The Man Show" which he co-hosted from 1999-2003.

These celebrities offer a timely reminder that its never OK so dont try it

Don't even think of mimicking these celebrities.

View original post here:

From '30 Rock' to 'Community,' Who Decides What Old TV Episodes Are Too Insensitive to Keep in Circulation? - TheWrap

The fully refurbished Thunderchild II was on the hoist at Crosshaven Boatyard in Cork Harbour yesterday, fuelling speculation that she is preparing for a new world record transatlantic crossing?

As regular Afloat readers will know, the record bid for the innovative Irish craft was postponed from 2019 until this summer.

The North Atlantic Challenge by Safehaven Marine of Youghals new 70ft XSV20 Thunder Child II was originally scheduled to be underway in mid-July 2019. But although the boat had her preliminary launch that February, pressure of work on other craft in the companys internationally successful pilot and patrol boat ranges at the busy factory saw a postponement of the Challenge until 2020. And while the preferred strategy is still in favour of the northern route, the plan now is to do it west to east.

Designed and built by Youghal-based Safehaven Marine, managing director Frank Kowalski describes the super-swift craft as a unique, hybrid hull design, asymmetrical catamaran, with a wave-piercing deep V mono-hull.

Valued at over 1m, it is designed for high speed, with minimal turbulence.

Measuring 23 m in length, it has a 5.3 m beam and boasts a Hyuscraft hydrofoil system fitted between the two catamaran hulls.

In July 2017 the 17-metre original Thunder Child set a record in circumnavigating Ireland, anticlockwise, via Rockall, in just over 34 hours.

It was previously indicated that between July and August 2020 the same five-member crew, aboard Thunder Child II will attempt an unprecedented 4,500 km transatlantic route from Killybegs to Newfoundland via refuelling stops at Greenland and Iceland.

Link:

Thunderchild II on the Hoist at Crosshaven Boatyard Ahead of Record Bid? - Afloat

'Meanstreak' -Blow Up Your Video,1988

Most of us wouldn't immediately associate the word 'funk' with AC/DC, but when you hear the groove on this deep cut from the band's 1988 albumBlow Up Your Video,there's simply nothing else that comes to mind. On 'Meanstreak', Malcolm embraces his inner groove thing and lays down one of the band's most danceable riffs to date, with his playing taking influence from the wave of funk-rock that swept the world in the '70s. Angus also delivers a mean solo in this track, making for what might be one of AC/DC's most underrated songs of the '80s - and maybe even all time.

This one is explosive! 'Riff Raff' delivers astop-start groove somewhat reminiscent of Led Zeppelin's 'Rock and Roll' or 'Black Dog', with Malcolm chugging out a classic 12 bar blues inspired progression drenched in distortionfor his bandmates to soar atop of. The energy on this trackis second-to-none, and Malcolm's guitar tone - courtesy of a mangled Gretsch and cranked Marshall stack - is classic AC/DC. Malcolm even once said that 'Riff Raff' was the ultimate AC/DC track, and when you strip everything back to its fundamentals, it's pretty hard to disagree with that.

Of course, 'Thunderstruck' is all about Angus'sjagged 16th note lead riff that powers through the song, which I'm sure all of us have butchered playing at least once in our lives while trying to impress someone. However, I'm going to throw a spanner in the works here and say that it's Malcolm's playing that makes 'Thunderstruck' such an iconic tune. The right-handpicking in this song is outrageously clean -it almost sounds like a bluegrass rhythm pattern on crack - and when you take into account that Malcolm used to use 0.12 gauge guitar strings, you can only imagine how tricky this riff would have been to play for as long as it goes on in the song. Syncopation at its very best.

If there was ever a song that made Malcolm the legend he is today, it'd have to be this banger. 'Let There Be Rock' sees Malcolm at his rhythmic best, smashing through the open chord changes in immaculate fashion throughout the song before cranking things up a notch for the face-melting finale of the track. Possibly the most fascinating aspectabout 'Let There Be Rock' is hearing Malcolm Young's isolated guitar track, which reveals the nuances of his playing and demonstrates how rock solid his rhythm really was. Plus, that guitartone is about as ballsy and raw as it gets.

Undeniably one of the best guitar riffs of all time, 'Back In Black' was actually written by Malcolm while AC/DC were touring behindHighway To Hellin 1979, with the rhythm guitarist using the iconic stop-start riffas a warm-up before taking the stage. When the band finally came around to recording the follow-up to that record (and their first album since the death of Bon Scott),Angus urged Malcolm to bring the ideaforward to the other members, feeling it would be the appropriately energetic way to introduce Brian Jones while simultaneously upholding Scott's inimitable legacy. Suffice to say, Malcolm turned in the goods for this one - what a legendary riff.

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Read more:

Malcolm Young's five best rhythm guitar moments in AC/DC - Mixdown

Global Power Distribution Market Size, Status And Forecast 2020-2026

The Power Distribution Marketreport provides a detailed analysis of the area marketplace expanding, competitive landscape, global and regional market size, growth analysis. It also provides market share, opportunities analysis, product launches as well as recent developments with sales analysis, segmentation growth, market innovations and value chain optimization, SWOT analysis. Power Distribution Market latest report covers the current COVID-19 impact on the market. This has brought along several changes in market conditions. The rapidly changing market scenario and initial and future assessment of the impact is covered in the report.

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Top Companies: Siemens, General Electric, ABB, Eaton, Hager, Chint Group and others.

This report segments the global Power Distribution market on the basis of Types are:Fixed TypeDrawer Type

On the basis of Application, the Global Power Distribution market is segmented into:Power PlantIndustrial SitesCommercial SitesOthers

For comprehensive understanding of market dynamics, the Power Distribution Market is analysed across key geographies namely: United States, China, Europe, Japan, South-east Asia, India and others. Each of these regions is analysed on basis of market findings across major countries in these regions for a macro-level understanding of the market.

Browse the report description and TOC:

https://www.marketinsightsreports.com/reports/06302121721/covid-19-impact-on-global-power-distribution-market-insights-and-forecast-to-2026?Mode=70

Major Points from the Table of Content of Power Distribution Market:

-Market Overview:The report begins with this section where product overview and highlights of product and application segments of the global Power Distribution Market are provided. Highlights of the segmentation study include price, revenue, sales, sales growth rate, and market share by product.

Competition by Company:Here, the competition in the Worldwide Power Distribution Market is analyzed, By price, revenue, sales, and market share by company, market rate, competitive situations Landscape, and latest trends, merger, expansion, acquisition, and market shares of top companies.

Company Profiles and Sales Data:As the name suggests, this section gives the sales data of key players of the global Power Distribution Market as well as some useful information on their business. It talks about the gross margin, price, revenue, products, and their specifications, type, applications, competitors, manufacturing base, and the main business of key players operating in the global Power Distribution Market.

Market Forecast:Here, the report offers a complete forecast of the global Power Distribution Market by product, application, and region. It also offers global sales and revenue forecast for all years of the forecast period.

Research Findings and Conclusion:This is one of the last sections of the report where the findings of the analysts and the conclusion of the research study are provided.

The research includes historic data from 2015 to 2020 and forecasts until 2026 which makes the report an invaluable resource for industry executives, marketing, sales and product managers, consultants, analysts and stakeholders looking for key industry data in readily accessible documents with clearly presented tables and graphs.

Customization of the Report: This report can be customized as per your needs for additional data up to 3 companies or countries or 40 analyst hours.

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Power Distribution Market 2020 With Top Countries Data: Industry Trends, Share, Size, Top Key Players Analysis and Forecast Research - Cole of Duty