Monthly Archives: February 2021

The Governments soft-touch approach on access to Rockalls fishing waters for Irish boats is totally unacceptable, a former state marine scientist has said.

As Times.ie reports today, Dr Peter Tyndall has also called on the government to push for a renationalisation of European waters to allow coastal states greater access to their own fish stocks.

He said the EU could still handle the management of shared and migratory stocks under a more honest Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

Dr Tyndall, formerly a BIM gear technologist, was commenting after last months warning by Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney and Minister for Marine Charlie McConalogue of increased risk of enforcement action by Scottish authorities around Rockall while engagement continues.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney

Their joint statement was issued four days after Donegal vessel Northern Celt was boarded by a Marine Scotland fisheries patrol while fishing within 12 miles of Rockall.

Ireland has never made any claims to Rockall, located some 230 nautical miles off north-west Donegal, nor has it recognised British sovereignty claims or a 12 nautical mile territorial sea limit.

Ireland is due to bear the brunt of a return of EU quotas to Britain, at a 15 per cent overall reduction in Irish quotas.

Tyndall said that the CFP, which is due for review in 2023, is clearly a failure.

He said he Irish government should now engage the best legal minds before 2023 to challenge a management system which is in breach of the Treaties of Europe on the rights of fishing communities to an income.

The CFP is rife with injustices and the British Tory party actively worked this emotive subject to influence votes in the Leave campaign, he said.

The effect that the CFP has had in Europe is totally disproportionate to its economic contribution. Norway rejected EU membership on two occasions while Iceland decided not to join. Greenland, a home rule dependency of Denmark, pulled away, Tyndall recalled.

Even with the new agenda of reducing carbon emissions there is a strong argument that those closest to the resource should access them proportionately, he said.

Irelands leaders should have the courage to initiate this conversation with our European partners in the knowledge that it can lead to a fairer system and healthier stocks which would be more in keeping with the stated aspirations of European partnership, Tyndall said.

Asked to comment, the Department of Foreign Affairs referred to Mr Coveneys Dil response on February 3rd

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Government Former State Scientist Calls on Ireland to Push for Renationalisation of EU Waters - Afloat

Winchester is likely to get more snow in the coming days with another 'Beast from the East' style weather-front moving in.

Residents will remember when the first Beast from the East hit the town in February-March 2018 as it caused havoc across the UK and travel disruption in Winchester.

Click on our picture gallery above to relieve some of the moments from 2018.

For two days it caused chaos on the roads, events were cancelled, schools and libraries were closed, offices, shops and restaurants were empty, diggers stood unused and waste collections postponed.

Hospital chiefs were forced to pleading with any staff who could make it in to come to Winchesters Hospital to help ease the pressure caused by the snow.

For some it meant unexpected journeys to hospital. Actress Sarah Parish, 49, who lives near Alresford, was hospitalised after breaking a leg in a sledging accident. She fell badly after standing on a sledge as if it was a snowboard in her garden.

She posted from the Royal Hampshire County Hospital: Day 2 in Winchester Hospital. Looks like Ill be operated on today, she told fans.

Theyre putting a great big pin right through my shin!! No sleep last night, was on enough Morphine to knock the Navy out but still in pain. Note to self: cheap plastic sledges are for sitting in and gently trundling down primary slopes NOT a substitute for a stand up snowboard.

The owners of one of Winchesters oldest buildings had a nasty shock when a car slid into it. The car was spotted by a passer-by who said it had skidded down Blue Ball Hill and crashed into the corner of The Old Blue Boar. The witness added that the corner of the inn, which is on the junction with St Johns Street, was completely caved in.

Hampshires 5,000 miles of road took a severe beating from the weather - but council leader Roy Perry said the well-honed machine sprung into action with good partnership working.

Including 100 farmers kept on a retainer and paid an hourly rate to help out, as well as 400 4x4 volunteers driving key workers to work, Cllr Perry said the 1m spent in 2011 on salt and grit boxes for residential streets had been used properly for the first time.

But one Hampshire hero disagreed - and criticised police, the council highways as well as drivers. Peter Rockall, from Cheriton, said he spent 12 hours battling six-foot snow drifts to help cars stuck in the snow. The pre-school teacher said he was awake at 3am when he realised the severity of the situation . He and friend Peter Sharp spent the rest of Friday towing cars in really dangerous conditions along the A272 up from Cheriton to Cheesefoot Head, the 600-foot high hill near Winchester.

He said: There was a sign to say road closed but people had just pushed it over and were ignoring it. We pulled an elderly womans car up to the top of the hill but when I asked her if she was going for a hospital appointment or something but she said she was going for a massage. There were people saying they were going in shopping in Winchester.

One primary school stayed open on the coldest March day on record and despite chaos on the roads. Children at St Anthonys in Fareham said theyd had the best day ever while hundreds of other schools were shut due to heavy snowfall. Several events at the weekend fell victim before the thaw set in.

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PICTURES: Look back at how the Beast from the East hit Winchester in 2018 - Hampshire Chronicle

HBO's 30 Coins just brought back a key relic, and in the process, it brutally destroys Elena and Paco's lives -- most likely forever.

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for 30 Coins Episode 6, "Holy War," now airing on HBO.

HBO's 30 Coins has truly done a number on Elena and Paco as they try to protect their small Spanish town of Pedraza. Thanks to Father Vergara's carelessness with the Judas coin, evil forces have descended as the cult known as the Cainites wants the relic to bring about the apocalypse and reshape the world.

Still, Elena soldiered on as a vet who really wanted to save her people, while Paco, as mayor, also tried to help the priest ward off the malevolent spirits. But with Vergara missing in action and their domestic problems coming home to roost, both Elena and Paco have now been brutally destroyed by the pain and tragedy surrounding them.

RELATED:HBO's 30 Coins Reunited Father Vergara With His Most Sinister Enemy

Elenahas nightmares about spirits coming for her and as it turns out, she's in Paris with Roque. She left town and a potential relationship with Paco to start a new life after an evil double of her husband, Mario, tried to kill her. Now, she's hellbent on a fresh start with the playboy. However, at a romantic dinner, Roque presents the coin thinking she lost it.

He found it in a restaurant a few days ago,after she threw it into a dam and it was eaten by a cod. He thinks it'll be a nice gesture, but Elena's horrified as she was warned that the coin would return to bring her more anguish. And the warning comes to pass as she calls Paco in the washroom, one of the Vatican's demonic agents enters and starts shooting up the place to get the coin. Sadly, despite the agent being killed, Roque gets hit in the chest and dies.

RELATED:HBO's 30 Coins Unleashes Father Vergara's Dark Side, Literally

Paco hears Elena over the phone crying out, and he also breaks down as he really does love her and just wanted her to be happy. He's majorly suffering as he's finally left Merche, wanting to leave the meat business and politics behind too. Paco can't cope with losing Elena and now, seeing as she went to Roque after "Mario" and lost yet another man in her life, he can't fathom how to work his way up in her eyes and prove that he can be her rock. All she knows is loss and given that she's chosen other guys repeatedly over him granted he's married it just feels like their romance will forever be doomed.

Merche's also pretty pissed and could be set to ruin Paco as she's always hated Elena, which means when they reunite in Pedraza, she'll come with a vengeance. And she'll have that moment sooner rather than later, because amidthe fracas in Paris, Elena finds the coin on the restaurant floor.

The coin is drawn to her like a magnet and she knows she has to return home to deal with it. She's been having nightmares with Vergara as well, so she thinks he's there to help her out, not realizing she's going to be taking the coin back to the enemy that's now infiltrated the town. And seeing as both her and Paco are desperate, broken and at their lowest point, the cult may not find resistance as strong as before.

Starring Eduard Fernndez, Megan Montaner, Miguel ngel Silvestre, Macarena Gmez, Pepn Nieto and Manolo Solo, 30 Coins airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and is also streaming on HBO Max.

KEEP READING:HBO's 30 Coins Just Killed off a Major Hero With Its Most Disgusting Monster

WandaVision: Hayward Could Bring Back the MCU's Most Sinister Villain

I'm a former Chemical Engineer. It was boring so I decided to write about things I love. On the geek side of things, I write about comics, cartoons, video games, television, movies and basically, all things nerdy. I also write about music in terms of punk, indie, hardcore and emo because well, they rock! If you're bored by now, then you also don't want to hear that I write for ESPN on the PR side of things. And yes, I've written sports for them too! Not bad for someone from the Caribbean, eh? To top all this off, I've scribed short films and documentaries, conceptualizing stories and scripts from a human interest and social justice perspective. Business-wise, I make big cheddar (not really) as a copywriter and digital strategist working with some of the top brands in the Latin America region. In closing, let me remind you that the geek shall inherit the Earth. Oh, FYI, I'd love to write the Gargoyles movie for Disney. YOLO.

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HBO's 30 Coins Destroys Elena and Paco's Lives With the Return of the Coin - CBR - Comic Book Resources

While travel in 2021 might be slightly curtailed we can still plan and dream for our next Irish vacation and there's nowhere better to immerse yourself in the "real Ireland" than in Galway city and its surrounding areas. Take it all in.

* This article was originally published in IrishCentral's sister publication, Ireland of the Welcomes. Subscribe to this bi-monthly print magazine here *

It has sometimes been said that Ireland is a country with a southern European sensibility trapped in a northern European climate in other words, its predominantly Catholic, big on family, and more rustic than industrial, but without the good weather.

Like many observations, it is only partly true and already out of date, but when you stroll through Galway city on a summers day, from Eyre Square to the Spanish Arch, down Shop Street then Quay Street, positively bustling as they are with buskers, flamenco dancers, magicians, musicians, face painters, hair-braiders, body sculptures, and caricaturists, you could be forgiven for imagining yourself in Barcelona, walking down a rather rainier Ramblas.

As the name Spanish Arch suggests, Galways continental connections are by no means fanciful. Its history as a trading port built up strong bonds between the citys merchant families and France and Spain, and today the city serves as something of a summer camp for Spanish teenagers, who migrate to the city to learn English while their Irish counterparts head just a few miles up the road to the Connemara Gaeltacht to improve their Irish.

Galway Arts Festival, one of the finest in the country, is in full swing during our visit, and Race Week and the Oyster Festival are waiting impatiently in line for their turn to shine, but Galway is one of those places young, vibrant, bohemian that always seems to be in the party spirit. Above a doorway I spy a stone plaque commemorating Johnny Massacre Doran, Professional Lunatic, 1975-2003 its that sort of place.

If you get the chance, visit on a Saturday, for there is a wonderful food market then in front of the 700-year-old St Nicholas Church (where Christopher Columbus reputedly heard Mass before discovering you know where). You are spoiled for choice between sweet and savory crepes, sushi, South African bockwurst, and the most wonderful vegetarian curries.

An aerial shot of Galway.

Afterward, wash it down with a beer or a coffee in Tigh Neachtains, a wonderfully atmospheric pub right on the main drag. If the weather is kind, by all means, sit outside and watch the world go by, but do take the time to have a prowl around in the half-light inside, for the walls are alive with festival posters and playbills from down the years, conveying a sense of the citys rich artistic past.

The citys culture is no less rich today. If you get the chance, and if you can get a ticket, take in a production by Garry Hyness Druid Theater Company, which has taken work by Synge, Martin McDonagh, and Tom Murphy not just to the Abbey in Dublin but Londons West End, Broadway and Sydney.

Are you planning a vacation in Ireland? Looking for advice or want to share some great memories? Join our Irish travel Facebook group.

In the evening, by all means, eat Ard Bia at Nimmos, overlooking the Claddagh behind the Spanish Arch and right beside the City Museum, is by common consent the critics choice but on no account pass up the chance to imbibe some traditional music. I recommend the Crane bar, where after dark the suns rays are somehow transformed into the energy of a different kind, sound waves generated by fiddlers and flutists.

One of the joys of Shop Street used to be Kennys Bookshop and art gallery, which I was devastated to discover has now shipped out to the suburbs, but as if to compensate, the city has the brand new Galway City Museum, a beautiful modern building in a historic setting, with spectacular views overlooking the ancient fishing village of the Claddagh (home of the Claddagh ring), River Corrib and Galway Bay.

Tradition does not mean preserving the ashes, but keeping the flame alight. This quotation from the French writer Jean Jaures is inscribed near the entrance to the museum, and it sums up the spirit of the place, and the city itself. There is loads to see and learn here about the city; for instance, how until the railway came in 1811, Galway time was eleven and a half minutes behind Dublin time. Some would say there is still a significantly different approach to time between the two cities.

On display is a fine selection of currachs, the distinctive local boat, and the citys medieval civic sword and mace once lost to the city but later bought and then bequeathed back to it by none other than William Randolph Hearst. The American connection doesnt stop there Cardinal Cushing of Boston consecrated Galway Cathedral, a handsomely successful cross of the traditional and modern. A temporary exhibition, Looking West From Galway Bay, celebrates John F. Kennedys visit to Galway on June 29, 1963, documenting this momentous occasion for the city using photographs, rare film footage, and personal memories.

If the day was clear enough, records a large panel bearing excerpts from JFKs speech in Eyre Square that day, and if you went down to the bay, and you looked west, and your sight was good enough, you would see Boston, Massachusetts. And if you did, you would see working on the docks there some Dohertys and Flahertys and Ryans and cousins of yours who had gone to Boston and made good.

And, of course, you think with sadness of what was to befall the president less than six months later and grieve for what might havebeen. A bust of the late president stands in Eyre Square today.

Galway is, of course, famous in song for its bay, but at its back is another body of water, Irelands second-largest lake, Lough Corrib, and on a beautiful summers day there is nothing more relaxing or delightful than to make yourself comfortable on the sundeck of the Corrib Princess and enjoy a 90-minute cruise up the river, around the lake and back, passing ivy-clad ruined castles and flotillas of swans en route, with an entertaining and informative commentary thrown in for good measure, not to mention a pint of Guinness and an Irish coffee.

A night or two later, enjoying a late-night drink with my uncle and his brothers in a bar near Moycullen, I was singing the cruises favors. Just as well, too, for who should be sitting next to me at the bar but the ships captain, who proceeded to buy me another drink as we put the world to rights, climaxing in a political wager written on a beer mat and reprinted here for good measure if George Lee succeeds Enda Kenny as Fine Gael leader by July 18, 2010, I owe the good captain E50 (US$74).*

After a bracing walk along the promenade in Salthill, the citys seaside suburb, soaking up theglorious view of Galway Bay, and letting off some steam in the lovely playground next door, we visited Atlantaquaria, Irelands National Aquarium, another recent addition to the city and a welcome alternative to the more traditional amusement arcades.

Its an opportunity to reflect on an aspect of Irish life that is all too often overlooked. For instance, as I write this, I am looking at The Real Map of Ireland, a free handout from the aquarium which depicts the 220 million acres (89 million hectares) of Irelands marine territory. Irelands designated Continental Shelf includes such hidden gems as the Rockall Trough and Porcupine Seabight. Hidden depths indeed.

The fish are the main attraction, though, with over 150 species to gaze at, and its great fun to feed the sprats and mullets and stroke the starfish. A lot less alive, but equally impressive is the 60 ft (18 meters) skeleton of a fin whale, nicknamed Grainne Whale, a play on the name of Irelands pirate queen, Granuaile.

Next to the replica of Alvin, a life-size replica of the famous deep submergence vehicle, there is an exhibit dedicated to John Holland from nearby Liscannor, County Clare, inventor of the submarine who sold his device to the US Navy.

Going back in time a bit, there is also a Bearna dugout canoe, found nearby after a violent storm and dating back 5,500 years.

If Galway is a hedonists heaven, Connemara, its breathtakingly beautiful hinterland, is like a vast playground for the spirit. I first visited it as a teenager and have been returning all my life, drawn back to its endless vistas of soaring crags and shimmering lakes, its seemingly boundless miles of stunning scenery, and outposts of high civilization such as Ballynahinch Castle, near Recess (what an appropriate name for a place to enjoy a break), a great spot to have lunch.

Then there are the beaches. Among our favorites are Ballyconneely, roughly halfway between the two thriving towns of Clifden and Roundstone, both full of bars and shops that you itch to explore, and Tr Sailin, first left out of Spiddal as you head away from the city. Silver Strand, near Delphi, has countless colored seashells underfoot like a mosaic. It feels like a trick of the senses but these places seem to smell as good as they look, the air almost sweet, not salty.

Sky Road, Clifden, County Galway.

As if nature hasnt provided enough wonders, Connemara also has two hugely contrasting gardens that you must visit. Kylemore Abbey, between Clifden and Leenane, is Irelands oldest Benedictine abbey, originally founded in Ypres, Belgium, in 1665. The nuns moved to Kylemore in 1920, taking over a lakeside castle built by Mitchell Henry, a wealthy second-generation Irishman born in Manchester. Tragically, his wife died three years after it was completed in 1874 and so he built a neo-Gothic church, a cathedral in miniature, in the ground as a memorial, with a mausoleum nearby where she is buried.

You can tour most of the house and gardens, and enjoy a fine meal in the nearby restaurant and visitors center; but parts of the building are private, as not only is it a place of prayer and contemplation, but Kylemore has also served for several decades as an international girls boarding school.

However, with only 14 nuns left, the youngest in her 50s, its days are numbered, and it will shut this summer for good. Another aspect of Kylemore, however, has recently bloomed again. Its magnificent Victorian walled garden, six of whose 8.5 acres (3.5 hectares) are completely enclosed by a brick and limestone wall, has been in large part restored over the past 14 years to its original prime, and they are a marvel. Most of its 21 glasshouses have still to be rebuilt but the kitchen, flower and herb gardens, and herbaceous borders are a wonder.

Kylemore has long since been a must-see on the tourist trail but a more recent and less famous addition is Brigits Garden in Rooscahill, near Oughterard. If you love gardens and nature, or have a gr, or fondness, for Celtic mythology, this place will delight you; a not for profit project set in the middle of rolling countryside about a 20-minute drive from Galway city, just off the road to the lovely fishing village of Oughterard.

Incorporating contemporary garden design but inspired by the ancient wisdom of the Celts, the gardens are based aroundthe four Celtic seasons, so that a walk through them is a journey through the cycle of the year, which mirrors the circle of life.

Samhain or Halloween is a time of death and rebirth. Its garden is enclosed by a long grassy bank in the shape of a sleeping woman, representing the earth in its winter rest. The pool is enclosed by birch trees, reflecting the stark simplicity of the season.

Imbolc, or spring, the garden has a path through a wildflower meadow and fruit trees to a childrens glade with basket swings and a sunken garden with symbols linked to Brigit - both the Christian saint and the goddess of the land who predated her.

The gardens also offer a nature trail, a tranquil walk through woodlands, wildflower meadows, and along a lake, with a stone chamber, fairy fort, cranng, and calendar sundial to visit en route. The Garden Caf also serves very fine soups and sandwiches.

Another must in Connemara is a boat trip on Irelands only fjord, a nine-mile-long (15 km) inlet with some spectacular scenery which you may be familiar with if you ever saw the movie The Field, starring Richard Harris and John Hurt, which was shot here.

Killary Cruises (www.killarycruises.com) offers a money-back guarantee if you get seasick but wisely makes no promises about the weather. In fact, it boasts that it is the best rainy day experience in Connemara. Its funny, but even the landscape seems to be wearing weatherproof clothing. As the rain lashes down, the water seems to sheet off the steeply sloping sides of the valley with fast-flowing rivulets every few meters.

But the next day, on the drive to Louisburgh, I swear there are sheep sunbathing at the side of the lake as well as ambling along the road. I am fleetingly envious, till I remember the Connemara lamb on last nights menu. The drive from Delphi to Louisburgh along the side of Doolough lake is one of the most lovely in the land, but the Famine memorial by the roadside casts a somber shadow on even the sunniest day, reminding you that dozens died on this path less than 200 years ago, on a futile journey seeking respite from hunger.

* This article was originally published in IrishCentral's sister publication, Ireland of the Welcomes. Subscribe to this bi-monthly print magazine here *

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The best of the west of Ireland - exploring Galway and its Connemara hinterlands - IrishCentral

Neha Kakkar, Jonita Gandhi, and Akriti Kakar are the internets most loved sensations right now and people have been loving all three of them a lot.

Neha Kakkar, Jonita Gandhi, and Akriti Kakar are also the most fashionable singers and are truly loved by all.

Neha Kakkar, Jonita Gandhi, and Akriti Kakar pull off any piece of clothing they try and have always slain all of their everyday looks. They have the most amazing style, and their makeup is always flawless.

Neha Kakkar, Jonita Gandhi, and Akriti Kakar all have the most beautiful skin and every makeup look looks amazing on them. They always rock all of their everyday makeup looks and their glam looks are beyond words.

Their makeup looks are good but the lipsticks they wear stand out the most. They have lipstick shades that make their makeup look very natural and elegant at the same time. Its a good combination of glam and subtle.

Here are some of their best lipsticks that look amazing on them and that you could give a try.

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Neha Kakkar, Jonita Gandhi, And Akriti Kakars Top 5 Hottest Shades Of Lipstick That Are Simply Perfect - IWMBuzz

While CBS was hit with a $550,000 fine for the incidentthe largest ever of its kindby the FCC, the Third Circuit Court would rule in the network's favor in 2008, saying the FCC "acted arbitrarily and capriciously" by levying such a fine for what the Court deemed to be an accidental split-second of nudity. A year later, the Supreme Court would opt not to hear the case, sending it back to the Third Circuit for re-examination. By 2011, the Court had ruled again in CBS' favor.

In January 2014,Powell, who'd left his position as FCC chairman at this point,admitted that the committee acted "unfairly" toward Jackson, telling ESPN that the committee overreacted."I personally thought that was really unfair. It all turned into being about her," he said. "In reality, if you slow the thing down, it's Justin ripping off her breastplace."

While the incident wreaked havoc on Jackson's career for years, there was at least one positive residual development from the whole mess. In the immediate aftermath, a young software programmer at PayPal named Jawed Karim, frustrated over his inability to find any video of the performance on the internet, teamed up with some friends to create a venue where people can easily upload and share video. And in 2005, YouTube was born.

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Inside Janet Jackson's Infamous Super Bowl Wardrobe Malfunction and Its Even More Complicated Aftermath - E! Online

We Are The Union take aim at veteran punks who abandon their antiestablishment ethos with age on their Dead Kennedys-referencing new song, "Fresh Fruit for Rotting Punk Rock Stars." Vocalist/guitarist Reed Wolcott explains:

This song is probably going to get us into some trouble. Though its original title, Punk Rock is an Oligarchy, was swapped at the last minute in favor of the Dead-Kennedys-Retweeting-Mitt-Romney-inspired Fresh Fruit for Rotting Punk Rock Stars, the meaning of the song remains the same. For a community supposedly built on antiestablishment ethos, when it comes to the endless battle with white supremacy, abolishment of the police, trans rights, and, truthfully, most of the social issues facing us all today, I look around and see too many of my teenage heroes remaining quiet and unhelpful at best. At worst, I see them standing fully on the wrong side of history. If the words that shaped our worldview as young punks in the early 2000s ever meant anything, the time is now for the people who wrote them to show up, take accountability, and get to work. But from former Sex Pistols wearing MAGA shirts to overwhelmingly white male festival lineups, one cant help but wonder: was punk rock all just a way to sell us god damn t-shirts?

It's a message that resonates very strongly right now, and it comes through loud and clear in this catchy, anthemic, sarcastic punk rock song. The Chris Graue-directed video stars Reed in clown face paint with people throwing fruit and vegetables at him, and to match the $100 worth of food that was wasted in the video, the band will be donating $100 to Watts Powerhouse Food, which provides "access to medical and dental, food, and education to children and families in the Grape Street neighborhood of Watts in Los Angeles."

The song hits streaming and Bandcamp on Friday (2/5) at midnight Eastern, and since this Friday is one of Bandcamp's monthly fundraisers, WATU will be donating 100% of Bandcamp proceeds on Friday to Mutual Aid Network Los Angeles, "a grassroots community initiative that is organizing and redistributing supplies, services, emergency cash assistance, and additional resources to the Los Angeles community."

UPDATE (2/5): The song is on Bandcamp now. Watch the video here:

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We Are The Union's Fresh Fruit for Rotting Punk Rock Stars takes aim at aging, once-political punks - Brooklyn Vegan