sluggerotoole--2020-05-03--What gives you joy? It might surprise you to discover what activities are meaningful for you…

Back between the twilight zone of Christmas 2019 and New Year I was at a friends ’ home for an annual open house .
It ’ s a fixture in my not too busy social calendar because it ’ s daytime ( I don ’ t do evenings ) and also I always meet people who are interesting and I can have real conversations with , not just “ curtain talk ” ; pointless chat about soft furnishings or other subjects .
Fashion trends are so fleeting I don ’ t see the point , it ’ s all a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conversation starter I was asked what I worked at .
I had my usual reaction which is a combo of a momentary sinking of my heart and then congratulating myself on not crying .
I haven ’ t worked for years due to a sudden illness which has resulted in long term disability .
I struggled a bit , but managed to say that due to illness I couldn ’ t work .
She reacted with a bright smile and asked me a gentle question about my hobbies .
What were my hobbies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was unexpected as the usual line of questioning is about the illness and how I came to contract Lyme disease .
As a person I disappear .
I get asked all kinds of questions , it certainly stops being a conversation .
It morphs into an interview or an unwilling presentation without the slideshow .
Usually with the same responses of shock and horror from the listener as I give them a brief description of how horrendous it was .
In these current times I ’ m realising that a lot of lessons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disabled can be useful for anyone in lockdown who may be struggling , or just need some inspiration/distraction .
After much searching online last year I finally found some individuals in the disability world that I could relate to i.e .
not too moany but not too bloody sparkly/flaky either .
One of these people ( Natasha Lipman ) suggested upgrading previously mundane daily activities to the heady heights of hobby level .
Even looking out the window at the big sky .
That ’ s a thing .
You can have that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in some cities the sky seems to a lot bluer .
I live in the countryside , the sky always seems big and blue .
Maybe you ’ ve noticed more bird song or wildlife around your home ?
Or even just finding time to distantly chat to your neighbours , maybe you ’ re a volunteer helping many in your community .
To those who are still working in our essential jobs I salute you .
We really can ’ t do without you .
Perhaps the day seems to yawn at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of your daily stuff to hobby level .
This may help fill any vortex of despair that feeling useless can create .
Or is that just me .
I ’ m always on the lookout for meaningful activity .
Make it a hobby and it sounds like more fun .
In fact you can mark them off as achievements as you reflect on your day before sleeping .
This could help lead you to a feeling of genuine acceptance of our situation .
Surely we have in common now than ever ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ were my hobbies ?
I have to admit , it took me a moment as I was a bit embarrassed that they may not seem very interesting .
How wrong I was .
I told her that I was an expert in property development , current affairs and antiques .
This expertise was down to the volume of daytime telly I watch .
Also I mentioned my love of listening to and watching sport .
Memories , eh ?
She found this to be really unusual and before I knew it I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brought up with 3 older brothers in the seventies , where we had one tv with 3 channels , had a long lasting effect on me and had given me a love of sport .
This acceptance of mine-of my life and how it is , was in turn accepted by her .
She accepted my hobbies , this was a relief and it was even joyful .
It certainly felt strange and new .
Celebrate reading a bit of a book , writing in your diary , doing some exercise if you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve always wanted to .
What gives you joy ?
It might surprise you to discover what activities are meaningful for you .
Photo by Free-Photos is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA

Back between the twilight zone of Christmas 2019 and New Year I was at a friends’ home for an annual open house. It’s a fixture in my not too busy social calendar because it’s daytime (I don’t do evenings) and also I always meet people who are interesting and I can have real conversations with, not just “curtain talk”; pointless chat about soft furnishings or other subjects. Fashion trends are so fleeting I don’t see the point, it’s all a bit shallow for me.
As a conversation starter I was asked what I worked at. I had my usual reaction which is a combo of a momentary sinking of my heart and then congratulating myself on not crying. I haven’t worked for years due to a sudden illness which has resulted in long term disability. I struggled a bit, but managed to say that due to illness I couldn’t work. She reacted with a bright smile and asked me a gentle question about my hobbies. What were my hobbies? I was slightly stunned. It was unexpected as the usual line of questioning is about the illness and how I came to contract Lyme disease. As a person I disappear. I get asked all kinds of questions, it certainly stops being a conversation. It morphs into an interview or an unwilling presentation without the slideshow. Usually with the same responses of shock and horror from the listener as I give them a brief description of how horrendous it was.
In these current times I’m realising that a lot of lessons that I’ve learned from becoming disabled can be useful for anyone in lockdown who may be struggling, or just need some inspiration/distraction. After much searching online last year I finally found some individuals in the disability world that I could relate to i.e. not too moany but not too bloody sparkly/flaky either. One of these people (Natasha Lipman) suggested upgrading previously mundane daily activities to the heady heights of hobby level. Even looking out the window at the big sky. That’s a thing. You can have that one for free. Apparently these days in some cities the sky seems to a lot bluer. I live in the countryside, the sky always seems big and blue. Maybe you’ve noticed more bird song or wildlife around your home? Or even just finding time to distantly chat to your neighbours, maybe you’re a volunteer helping many in your community. To those who are still working in our essential jobs I salute you. We really can’t do without you.
Perhaps the day seems to yawn at you, take this opportunity to upgrade some of your daily stuff to hobby level. This may help fill any vortex of despair that feeling useless can create. Or is that just me. I’m always on the lookout for meaningful activity. Make it a hobby and it sounds like more fun. In fact you can mark them off as achievements as you reflect on your day before sleeping. This could help lead you to a feeling of genuine acceptance of our situation. Surely we have in common now than ever?
Back to my conversation, so what were my hobbies? I have to admit, it took me a moment as I was a bit embarrassed that they may not seem very interesting. How wrong I was. I told her that I was an expert in property development, current affairs and antiques. This expertise was down to the volume of daytime telly I watch. Also I mentioned my love of listening to and watching sport. Memories, eh? She found this to be really unusual and before I knew it I was waxing lyrical about sport and how being brought up with 3 older brothers in the seventies, where we had one tv with 3 channels, had a long lasting effect on me and had given me a love of sport. This acceptance of mine-of my life and how it is, was in turn accepted by her. She accepted my hobbies, this was a relief and it was even joyful. It certainly felt strange and new.
Celebrate reading a bit of a book, writing in your diary, doing some exercise if you can, taking up that hobby you’ve always wanted to. What gives you joy? It might surprise you to discover what activities are meaningful for you.
Photo by Free-Photos is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA


sluggerotoole--2020-05-03--Mobility data suggests that Northern Ireland is traveling more than any other region in the UK or Ir

Mobility data suggests that Northern Ireland is traveling more than any other region in the UK or Ireland

Data provided by Apple on levels of mobility by Apple Maps users suggests that Northern Ireland has seen less of a drop in motor traffic levels than any other area in the United Kingdom or Ireland .
The chart above shows average motor traffic levels by week , compared with the week commencing Sunday the 19th of January , for the regions of the UK , the Republic of Ireland , Italy and Spain .
The data suggests that this week motor traffic levels in Northern Ireland are 47 % of what they were in January .
By comparison , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 30 % of January levels ; in Italy and Spain traffic is still only at 24 % of the levels observed in January .
Within Ireland , there has been a significant difference in the fall in traffic levels between counties .
The chart below shows road traffic levels for the week commencing the 29th of March 2019 , which was the height of the lockdown in many regions , compared with the week commencing the 19th of January .
The traffic reduction observed in Dublin was almost as dramatic as what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with over an 80 % reduction in road traffic .
In Northern Ireland and County Wexford traffic levels dropped off to a much less severe extent , with peak-lockdown motor traffic levels exceeding 35 % of January levels .
It is arguable that population density could play a role in traffic levels ; for example , it is much easier to visit a supermarket without a car in Dublin than Donegal .
But this doesn ’ t explain why traffic levels are higher in comparatively urban County Louth than more rural County Clare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argued that the mobility data shows that there is a “ lockdown fatigue ” effect taking place .
Motor traffic levels have risen by 10.2 % ( of January levels ) in Northern Ireland from the peak of the lockdown at the end of March ; in England traffic has risen by 8.7 % over the same period , whilst traffic is up 7 % in the Republic of Ireland over the same period .
Whilst variations between regions in mobility levels could be attributed to different types of worker in each region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comparatively more workers able to work from home than rural counties ) , the increase in motor traffic levels observed in April is more likely to be due to “ lockdown fatigue ” than any other cause .
Data for public transit activity and walking isn ’ t available for Northern Ireland , but the following chart shows how motor traffic data compares with walking and public transport activity for a range of cities that have seen significant coronavirus outbreaks .
The pattern is similar across different regions ; walking and public transport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traffic levels .

Data provided by Apple on levels of mobility by Apple Maps users suggests that Northern Ireland has seen less of a drop in motor traffic levels than any other area in the United Kingdom or Ireland.
The chart above shows average motor traffic levels by week, compared with the week commencing Sunday the 19th of January, for the regions of the UK, the Republic of Ireland, Italy and Spain. The data suggests that this week motor traffic levels in Northern Ireland are 47% of what they were in January. By comparison, traffic levels in the Republic are less than 30% of January levels; in Italy and Spain traffic is still only at 24% of the levels observed in January.
Within Ireland, there has been a significant difference in the fall in traffic levels between counties. The chart below shows road traffic levels for the week commencing the 29th of March 2019, which was the height of the lockdown in many regions, compared with the week commencing the 19th of January.
The traffic reduction observed in Dublin was almost as dramatic as what was seen in Italy and Spain, with over an 80% reduction in road traffic. In Northern Ireland and County Wexford traffic levels dropped off to a much less severe extent, with peak-lockdown motor traffic levels exceeding 35% of January levels.
It is arguable that population density could play a role in traffic levels; for example, it is much easier to visit a supermarket without a car in Dublin than Donegal. But this doesn’t explain why traffic levels are higher in comparatively urban County Louth than more rural County Clare, for example.
It could be argued that the mobility data shows that there is a “lockdown fatigue” effect taking place. Motor traffic levels have risen by 10.2% (of January levels) in Northern Ireland from the peak of the lockdown at the end of March; in England traffic has risen by 8.7% over the same period, whilst traffic is up 7% in the Republic of Ireland over the same period.
Whilst variations between regions in mobility levels could be attributed to different types of worker in each region (for instance, Dublin will have comparatively more workers able to work from home than rural counties), the increase in motor traffic levels observed in April is more likely to be due to “lockdown fatigue” than any other cause.
Data for public transit activity and walking isn’t available for Northern Ireland, but the following chart shows how motor traffic data compares with walking and public transport activity for a range of cities that have seen significant coronavirus outbreaks. The pattern is similar across different regions; walking and public transport tends to have larger reductions than motor traffic levels.


sluggerotoole--2020-05-04--Loss of overseas students could create opportunities for domestic student in the Republic

I hadn ’ t thought about this before , but in the Irish Times Carl O ’ Brien touches upon @ @ @ @ @ ( and , perhaps , opportunities ) of Covid19 for Irish third-level education… Trinity College @ @ @ @ @ , for example , has forecast that its international students numbers will be “ wiped @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
UCD has projected losses of up to €100 million this year and expects @ @ @ @ @ student numbers on campus .
Irish universities overall have become increasingly reliant on revenue from @ @ @ @ @ a reduction in State investment per student over the past decade or so .
The @ @ @ @ @ is now generated privately and international fees account for a large proportion of this .

I hadn’t thought about this before, but in the Irish Times Carl O’Brien touches upon one of the big costs (and, perhaps, opportunities) of Covid19 for Irish third-level education…
Trinity College Dublin provost Prof Patrick Prendergast, for example, has forecast that its international students numbers will be “wiped out” due to the pandemic.
UCD has projected losses of up to €100 million this year and expects a significant drop in international student numbers on campus.
Irish universities overall have become increasingly reliant on revenue from international tuition fees due to a reduction in State investment per student over the past decade or so.
The bulk of most university income is now generated privately and international fees account for a large proportion of this.


sluggerotoole--2020-05-04--It is well past time to get on with forming a new government in the Republic…

Interesting news over the weekend , and possibly the most important from the Republic since February ’ s shock election result that the Greens have decided to go into negotiation for a Programme for Government with Fine Gael and Fianna Fail .
In the Irish Examiner Professor Gary Murphy is typically blunt in his assessment of the absurd situation the country has fallen into since then : The 70-day 2016 negotiation process is now the standard template .
The Tánaiste , Simon Coveney , says he is hopeful a government can be formed by the middle of June .
Meanwhile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with no less than three ministers who lost their seats in February , a fourth super junior who lost her seat , and a fifth super junior who did not even contest the election .
Last Wednesday , we had the extraordinary spectacle of the junior minister John Halligan , who didn ’ t contest the election , using a public event to call for the current government to continue in office for another couple of months and “ see where we are.
” The danger remains that no one beyond the rural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alliance .
That brings talk of a second election .
Beyond the nightmare of trying to even organise an election in the midst of this awful pandemic all parties should be warned against it .
The Irish voter has never been so fickle .
That voter now has worries about the pandemic and its hideous consequences both physically and emotionally .
That voter deserves a government out of February election and that is what all parties should be thinking of now .
Well worth reading the whole thing .

Interesting news over the weekend, and possibly the most important from the Republic since February’s shock election result that the Greens have decided to go into negotiation for a Programme for Government with Fine Gael and Fianna Fail.
In the Irish Examiner Professor Gary Murphy is typically blunt in his assessment of the absurd situation the country has fallen into since then:
The 70-day 2016 negotiation process is now the standard template. The Tánaiste, Simon Coveney, says he is hopeful a government can be formed by the middle of June. Meanwhile he sits at the virtual cabinet table with no less than three ministers who lost their seats in February, a fourth super junior who lost her seat, and a fifth super junior who did not even contest the election. Last Wednesday, we had the extraordinary spectacle of the junior minister John Halligan, who didn’t contest the election, using a public event to call for the current government to continue in office for another couple of months and “see where we are.” This is absurd.
He concludes:
The danger remains that no one beyond the rural independents will join the Fianna Fáil/Fine Gael alliance. That brings talk of a second election. Beyond the nightmare of trying to even organise an election in the midst of this awful pandemic all parties should be warned against it. The Irish voter has never been so fickle. That voter now has worries about the pandemic and its hideous consequences both physically and emotionally. That voter deserves a government out of February election and that is what all parties should be thinking of now.
Well worth reading the whole thing.


sluggerotoole--2020-05-04--Fergus on Monday: US Protests

Fergus on Monday: US Protests

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sluggerotoole--2020-05-04--The north’s economic problem – education…

John FitzGerald is one of Ireland ’ s most respected and influential economists –formerly research professor at the Economic and Social Research Institute and currently chair of the group advising the Irish government on climate policy .
He is a strong critic of Northern Ireland ’ s policies on education and skills training , arguing that these are core factors in the weakness of the northern economy .
He is the latest interviewee in the Holywell Trust ’ s Forward Together podcast series .
“ In terms of productivity , Northern Ireland is at the bottom of the scale , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fact that the educational attainment of the population in Northern Ireland is the lowest for any region in these islands .
“ Ireland , London and Scotland are at the top .
Northern Ireland is at the bottom .
Measuring both in terms of early school leavers , who don ’ t complete high school , and the proportion of the population who have third level qualifications .
Northern Ireland is at the bottom on both of those measures .
That helps to explain why productivity performance is so poor.
” Moreover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have third level qualifications is a major factor in determining the location of foreign direct investment , says John .
Between a quarter and a third of Northern Ireland ’ s undergraduates leave to study in Britain and two thirds of those do not return .
The contrast with the Republic is significant .
A larger proportion of school leavers go to university , and while “ quite a high proportion of them , 25 to 40 percent , would then go abroad for whatever reason , but they ’ re homing pigeons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John .
“ It looks as if the pattern is that you return to where you did your third level of qualifications .
Even if you ’ re from Northern Ireland , if you do your undergraduate degree in Britain , you don ’ t come back.
” Moreover , a significant number of those people who do graduate in Northern Ireland go into the public sector .
“ The public sector is much bigger in Northern Ireland than it would be in most other parts of the United Kingdom , ” says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that in the crisis years between 1970 and 2000 , and in particular in the 70s when employment collapsed because of the Troubles , it was ramped up in the public sector .
And really , the public sector still dominates.
” Another core problem of the Northern Irish economy is the shortage of relevant vocational skills .
“ In the Republic , one of the success stories of the last 30 , 40 years was the institutes of technology.
” These , argues John , have been a foundation for some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as health care devices and pharmaceuticals .
The contrast with Northern Ireland is substantial and linked to the influence of academic selection .
Selection at 11 tends to separate pupils at a young age , with one route being academic and the other vocational .
Research , says John , “ shows that segregation by educational attainment in grammar schools and secondary schools is very damaging to kids , in particular from disadvantaged backgrounds.
” He adds : “ It seems to be an urban working class problem , which has been overcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s really damaging in Northern Ireland .
And it goes back to the selection by schools .
The research done in the Republic shows that mixed ability teaching is really important… The research showed streaming doesn ’ t improve the prospects of good bright kids , but seriously impacts on the prospects of kids in the lower half of the distribution of attainment.
” The result is demotivating for those pupils not doing well , while “ the bulk of kids from a middle class background get into grammar school .
So you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , on a class basis as well.
” Alongside education and skills , the other basis for necessary reform in Northern Ireland is infrastructure investment , argues John .
“ The evidence is that Northern Ireland is an exception in the investment in physical capital compared to the Republic , compared to the United Kingdom as a whole , compared to Scotland .
The transfers from London have been used to provide support of income through employment , through welfare or good public services , rather than holding back some of that and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a productive and active business economy.
” But the strains on infrastructure have been accentuated by urban and rural planning policy .
“ Belfast has decentralized and partly because of the Troubles , it has not grown .
There has been much more dispersed population growth .
Whereas in the Republic and in Britain , the problem is that there ’ s been overconcentration in London , overconcentration in Dublin .
But cities across Europe are successful.
” The “ failure to develop Belfast ” backed by good public transport has led to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think there ’ s a need for a change in approach and investing in infrastructure.
” But John concedes : “ It ’ s an issue which we face in the Republic as well : Irish people , north and south , would like to live in rural areas and work in urban areas .
That ’ s totally unsustainable .
And the dynamic of a dense city works… .
That is the future.
” This latest podcast in the second Forward Together series is available here on the website of Holywell Trust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and is financed by the Community Relations Council ’ s Media Grant Scheme Disclaimer : This project has received support from the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council which aims to promote a pluralist society characterised by equity , respect for diversity , and recognition of interdependence .
The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Community Relations Council .
Photo by picjumbo_com is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA

John FitzGerald is one of Ireland’s most respected and influential economists –formerly research professor at the Economic and Social Research Institute and currently chair of the group advising the Irish government on climate policy. He is a strong critic of Northern Ireland’s policies on education and skills training, arguing that these are core factors in the weakness of the northern economy.
He is the latest interviewee in the Holywell Trust’s Forward Together podcast series.
“In terms of productivity, Northern Ireland is at the bottom of the scale,” he says. “That reflects the fact that the educational attainment of the population in Northern Ireland is the lowest for any region in these islands.
“Ireland, London and Scotland are at the top. Northern Ireland is at the bottom. Measuring both in terms of early school leavers, who don’t complete high school, and the proportion of the population who have third level qualifications. Northern Ireland is at the bottom on both of those measures. That helps to explain why productivity performance is so poor.”
Moreover, the proportion of young adults who have third level qualifications is a major factor in determining the location of foreign direct investment, says John. Between a quarter and a third of Northern Ireland’s undergraduates leave to study in Britain and two thirds of those do not return.
The contrast with the Republic is significant. A larger proportion of school leavers go to university, and while “quite a high proportion of them, 25 to 40 percent, would then go abroad for whatever reason, but they’re homing pigeons and they come back,” says John. “It looks as if the pattern is that you return to where you did your third level of qualifications. Even if you’re from Northern Ireland, if you do your undergraduate degree in Britain, you don’t come back.”
Moreover, a significant number of those people who do graduate in Northern Ireland go into the public sector. “The public sector is much bigger in Northern Ireland than it would be in most other parts of the United Kingdom,” says John. “That reflects the fact that in the crisis years between 1970 and 2000, and in particular in the 70s when employment collapsed because of the Troubles, it was ramped up in the public sector. And really, the public sector still dominates.”
Another core problem of the Northern Irish economy is the shortage of relevant vocational skills. “In the Republic, one of the success stories of the last 30, 40 years was the institutes of technology.” These, argues John, have been a foundation for some of the key industrial growth areas, such as health care devices and pharmaceuticals.
The contrast with Northern Ireland is substantial and linked to the influence of academic selection. Selection at 11 tends to separate pupils at a young age, with one route being academic and the other vocational. Research, says John, “shows that segregation by educational attainment in grammar schools and secondary schools is very damaging to kids, in particular from disadvantaged backgrounds.”
He adds: “It seems to be an urban working class problem, which has been overcome in the Republic, but it’s really damaging in Northern Ireland. And it goes back to the selection by schools. The research done in the Republic shows that mixed ability teaching is really important… The research showed streaming doesn’t improve the prospects of good bright kids, but seriously impacts on the prospects of kids in the lower half of the distribution of attainment.”
The result is demotivating for those pupils not doing well, while “the bulk of kids from a middle class background get into grammar school. So you’re segregating, if you like, on a class basis as well.”
Alongside education and skills, the other basis for necessary reform in Northern Ireland is infrastructure investment, argues John. “The evidence is that Northern Ireland is an exception in the investment in physical capital compared to the Republic, compared to the United Kingdom as a whole, compared to Scotland. The transfers from London have been used to provide support of income through employment, through welfare or good public services, rather than holding back some of that and investing in infrastructure, which would support a productive and active business economy.”
But the strains on infrastructure have been accentuated by urban and rural planning policy. “Belfast has decentralized and partly because of the Troubles, it has not grown. There has been much more dispersed population growth. Whereas in the Republic and in Britain, the problem is that there’s been overconcentration in London, overconcentration in Dublin. But cities across Europe are successful.” The “failure to develop Belfast” backed by good public transport has led to a dispersed population. “So I think there’s a need for a change in approach and investing in infrastructure.”
But John concedes: “It’s an issue which we face in the Republic as well: Irish people, north and south, would like to live in rural areas and work in urban areas. That’s totally unsustainable. And the dynamic of a dense city works…. That is the future.”
This latest podcast in the second Forward Together series is available here on the website of Holywell Trust, a peace and reconciliation charity, and is financed by the Community Relations Council’s Media Grant Scheme
Disclaimer: This project has received support from the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council which aims to promote a pluralist society characterised by equity, respect for diversity, and recognition of interdependence. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Community Relations Council.
Photo by picjumbo_com is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA


sluggerotoole--2020-05-04--With Paywall in Place, has the Tele Lost its Welly?

Ten years ago , the Belfast Telegraph received a prestigious UK Award for Digital News Service of the Year .
This was followed by multiple awards for website of the year , huge growth in on-line readers , and a new platform for digital debate that attracted thousands of comments .
But with the installation of a new paywall on 19 May , are these achievements now at risk ?
Will the free and open voice of liberal unionism be silenced to all save a minority of private subscribers ?
The implementation of the paywall is being driven by MediaHuis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acquired Independent News and Media Group last July .
On one hand the innovation and fresh capital they bring is welcome ; but on the other , evidence shows on-line traffic drops by up to 90 % when you force people to pay for content .
One of the core features of the Telegraph – distributing local news to inform and educate a local audience – will be significantly diminished .
Indeed , with all three Belfast dailies now behind paywalls , will professional journalism continue to drive the debate ?
Before we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look at the challenge newspapers face .
It is no secret that the industry is suffering long term decline , largely driven by the availability of free on-line content , the growth of social media , and smart phone technology that has revolutionised accessibility .
Why pay for a paper when you carry instant access to global events in your pocket ?
All these factors have conspired to decimate circulation .
At present the Tele ’ s daily print run hovers around 30,000 , of which only 71 % are paid for sales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run was four times as great , with 90 % paid sales .
And in parallel to the loss of sales , the revenue from advertising has collapsed .
This negative trend , which will accelerate significantly in the aftermath of Coronavirus , has created an existential threat for the industry .
As revenues have declined , so have the resource available for local journalism .
That means more reprinting of press releases and generic news , less time cultivating local contents or attending events , and much less resource on investigative journalism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ account .
As newspapers become less unique people have less reason to buy them and start to source their news elsewhere ; sometimes using amateur outlets which distort facts and magnify subjective opinions .
This is a poor substitute for professional journalism , whose aim is to provide objective reports and question existing narratives .
To try and adapt to these challenges new business models have emerged : The first – more a rear-guard action than a new business model – is to fight back against the vicious circle by maintaining unique content @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the local news agenda is a lot more interesting than the average English Council – the stock in trade of most regional titles .
Indeed , with topics like the Peace Process and Brexit , we are at the very centre of world events .
The Tele has worked hard to supplement this advantage with strong opinion pieces from local commentators and new innovations , such as the Saturday supplement introduced in 2015 .
That said , the uniqueness is still undermined by the inability to properly resource in-depth journalism and the plethora @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some local titles do well to hold onto an aging audience , they can not compete against the rising tide of competition and new technology .
The slow decline of print journalism is , unfortunately , a losing battle .
The second model is to grow the on-line presence and increase digital advertising .
Newspapers have a trusted brand , which they can leverage to boost their websites .
For example , the Sun is the most popular paid for title in the UK , with 1.2m sales every day ( a reach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Yet its free website attracts 30m visitors per month .
It is a logical assumption that these impressive digital figures must leverage significant revenue from advertising , so it may come as a surprise to learn that the Sun was £68m in the red in 2019 and has been loss making for years .
There are three main problems with free content .
First , the website tends to cannibalise the newspaper itself , accelerating the decline in physical sales .
Second , the rates for digital advertising are a fraction of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , most digital revenues go to two main sources – Facebook and Google .
These sites republish articles from other outlets , hoovering up revenue without the trouble of creating and editing unique content .
Even with a large website following , it is unlikely that digital sales will ever restore the income lost from the decline of print and traditional advertising .
The third model is erection of a paywall , and this is the model the Belfast Telegraph has adopted .
The first thing new Editor Eoin Brannigan will notice is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ followed quickly by gleeful critics pointing this out ) .
And at £2.50 a week , or just £99 a year , it will take a lot of subscribers before the Telegraph ’ s digital content will turn a profit .
This is the point where many previous newspapers fail , lifting the paywall too quickly and chalking up the loss-making initiative to experience .
Developing the paywall is like developing a brand-new business – it takes years of time and commitment and will initially operate at a loss .
When ‘ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first paywall in 2010 website traffic slumped and it was left with just 15,000 digital only subscribers .
Fast forward 10 years and it now has 304,000 digital only subscribers , while profits for the title have gone from £87m in the red to £10m in the black .
Moreover , the recent decision to remove VAT on digital newspapers could easily double profits .
But it takes more than time and deep pockets to make what is still a risky and expensive initiative work .
Former BBC boss Mark Thompson now runs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paywall papers in the world , The New York Times , and he thinks he has the answer : “ We have a business model that very few people in the industry are following .
It is very simple model ; we invest in great content.
” And that really is the key .
60 % of customers sign up to a paywall to get access to local news .
But once they are registered 78 % value the quality of content .
The Belfast Telegraph has a proud history , conveys a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instils a sense of belonging amongst its readers .
The new owners have both a duty and a business incentive to invest in unique content , informed analysis , and distinguished commentary .
But if they do then the paywall will not be a betrayal of the Tele ’ s values , but an enhancement : a new direction and a sense of renewal .
In a post Covid-19 world this is needed more than ever before .
“ Belfast Telegraph advert Castledawson , Co .
Derry .
June 1990 ” by sludgegulper @ @ @ @ @

Ten years ago, the Belfast Telegraph received a prestigious UK Award for Digital News Service of the Year. This was followed by multiple awards for website of the year, huge growth in on-line readers, and a new platform for digital debate that attracted thousands of comments. But with the installation of a new paywall on 19 May, are these achievements now at risk? Will the free and open voice of liberal unionism be silenced to all save a minority of private subscribers?
The implementation of the paywall is being driven by MediaHuis, a Dutch-Belgium media giant, who acquired Independent News and Media Group last July. On one hand the innovation and fresh capital they bring is welcome; but on the other, evidence shows on-line traffic drops by up to 90% when you force people to pay for content. One of the core features of the Telegraph – distributing local news to inform and educate a local audience – will be significantly diminished. Indeed, with all three Belfast dailies now behind paywalls, will professional journalism continue to drive the debate?
The Existential Threat
Before we rush to judgement, let’s look at the challenge newspapers face. It is no secret that the industry is suffering long term decline, largely driven by the availability of free on-line content, the growth of social media, and smart phone technology that has revolutionised accessibility. Why pay for a paper when you carry instant access to global events in your pocket?
All these factors have conspired to decimate circulation. At present the Tele’s daily print run hovers around 30,000, of which only 71% are paid for sales. Two decades ago, the print run was four times as great, with 90% paid sales. And in parallel to the loss of sales, the revenue from advertising has collapsed.
This negative trend, which will accelerate significantly in the aftermath of Coronavirus, has created an existential threat for the industry. As revenues have declined, so have the resource available for local journalism. That means more reprinting of press releases and generic news, less time cultivating local contents or attending events, and much less resource on investigative journalism and holding local politicians or officials to account. As newspapers become less unique people have less reason to buy them and start to source their news elsewhere; sometimes using amateur outlets which distort facts and magnify subjective opinions. This is a poor substitute for professional journalism, whose aim is to provide objective reports and question existing narratives.
Three Choices for Survival
To try and adapt to these challenges new business models have emerged:
The first – more a rear-guard action than a new business model – is to fight back against the vicious circle by maintaining unique content. N Ireland has an advantage as the local news agenda is a lot more interesting than the average English Council – the stock in trade of most regional titles. Indeed, with topics like the Peace Process and Brexit, we are at the very centre of world events. The Tele has worked hard to supplement this advantage with strong opinion pieces from local commentators and new innovations, such as the Saturday supplement introduced in 2015. That said, the uniqueness is still undermined by the inability to properly resource in-depth journalism and the plethora of other news sources. And while some local titles do well to hold onto an aging audience, they cannot compete against the rising tide of competition and new technology. The slow decline of print journalism is, unfortunately, a losing battle.
The second model is to grow the on-line presence and increase digital advertising. Newspapers have a trusted brand, which they can leverage to boost their websites. For example, the Sun is the most popular paid for title in the UK, with 1.2m sales every day (a reach of 7m unique viewers every month). Yet its free website attracts 30m visitors per month. It is a logical assumption that these impressive digital figures must leverage significant revenue from advertising, so it may come as a surprise to learn that the Sun was £68m in the red in 2019 and has been loss making for years.
There are three main problems with free content. First, the website tends to cannibalise the newspaper itself, accelerating the decline in physical sales. Second, the rates for digital advertising are a fraction of what is charged in print. Third, most digital revenues go to two main sources – Facebook and Google. These sites republish articles from other outlets, hoovering up revenue without the trouble of creating and editing unique content. Even with a large website following, it is unlikely that digital sales will ever restore the income lost from the decline of print and traditional advertising.
The third model is erection of a paywall, and this is the model the Belfast Telegraph has adopted. The first thing new Editor Eoin Brannigan will notice is a dramatic drop in unique visitors (followed quickly by gleeful critics pointing this out). And at £2.50 a week, or just £99 a year, it will take a lot of subscribers before the Telegraph’s digital content will turn a profit. This is the point where many previous newspapers fail, lifting the paywall too quickly and chalking up the loss-making initiative to experience.
Developing the paywall is like developing a brand-new business – it takes years of time and commitment and will initially operate at a loss. When ‘The Times’ introduced the UK’s first paywall in 2010 website traffic slumped and it was left with just 15,000 digital only subscribers. Fast forward 10 years and it now has 304,000 digital only subscribers, while profits for the title have gone from £87m in the red to £10m in the black. Moreover, the recent decision to remove VAT on digital newspapers could easily double profits.
Content is King
But it takes more than time and deep pockets to make what is still a risky and expensive initiative work. Former BBC boss Mark Thompson now runs one of the most successful print and paywall papers in the world, The New York Times, and he thinks he has the answer: “We have a business model that very few people in the industry are following. It is very simple model; we invest in great content.”
And that really is the key. 60% of customers sign up to a paywall to get access to local news. But once they are registered 78% value the quality of content.
The Belfast Telegraph has a proud history, conveys a deep understanding of local issues, and instils a sense of belonging amongst its readers. The new owners have both a duty and a business incentive to invest in unique content, informed analysis, and distinguished commentary. But if they do then the paywall will not be a betrayal of the Tele’s values, but an enhancement: a new direction and a sense of renewal. In a post Covid-19 world this is needed more than ever before.
“Belfast Telegraph advert Castledawson,Co. Derry. June 1990” by sludgegulper is licensed under CC BY-SA


sluggerotoole--2020-05-04--The culture of consultation needed for North-South cooperation on easing the lockdown.

Many of you will have watched An Taoiseach , Leo Varadkar address the nation about the Irish governments exit strategy from the lock down measures .
I am sure there will be other posts to debate that and Northern Ireland ’ s in the coming weeks but I wanted to focus on this and no I am not talking about North-South cooperation , as that is happening , my post is more about North-South consultation .
Disclaimer , I know these things are agonised over and debated with relevant stakeholders , but this is not the first time this has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the decision to close schools , the Executive wasn ’ t given a heads up either about that .
Nobody is expecting both administrations to hand a veto over the others policy , that would be foolish in the extreme .
But during the Brexit negotiations the Irish government rightly campaigned around Europe about the border communities who use that crossing on a daily basis and who would be hurt by a disruption to the free flow of movement .
Well that has not changed .
Thousands of people live in one jurisdiction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they shop , socialise or regularly visit the other .
In 2017 , Leo Varadkar told the Dail about his frustration that during the Brexit process if he wanted to hear the views of Scotland or Wales , he could listen to the views of their respective governments .
Well , the administration in Northern Ireland is back now .
It is important to talk to one another and let them know what each others plans are .
For the sake of a few phone calls between Arlene Foster , Michelle O ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot easier .
The Taoiseach said himself on the 17th March ; Yes , the various bodies are cooperating which is great , but the culture at the top of government needs to be there to match it .
Both administrations need to know how the other is planning and moving forward , because for many on this island their lives in one shape or other are governed by the other .
A heads up and briefings are needed and for those whose lives cross that border , this isn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t need to move in sync but they can ’ t be pulling in different directions on some aspects of policy .
As we look to the future , we need to see coordination and linked planning across the island and also consideration for what the rest of the UK are also doing too .

First Minister @DUPleader confirms that the NI Executive did not receive a briefing from Irish Gov before Dublin published its Roadmap for lifting #covid19 restrictions. — Darran Marshall (@DarranMarshall) May 4, 2020
Many of you will have watched An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar address the nation about the Irish governments exit strategy from the lock down measures. I am sure there will be other posts to debate that and Northern Ireland’s in the coming weeks but I wanted to focus on this and no I am not talking about North-South cooperation, as that is happening, my post is more about North-South consultation.
Disclaimer, I know these things are agonised over and debated with relevant stakeholders, but this is not the first time this has happened. When the Irish government made the decision to close schools, the Executive wasn’t given a heads up either about that. Nobody is expecting both administrations to hand a veto over the others policy, that would be foolish in the extreme. But during the Brexit negotiations the Irish government rightly campaigned around Europe about the border communities who use that crossing on a daily basis and who would be hurt by a disruption to the free flow of movement. Well that has not changed. Thousands of people live in one jurisdiction and work in the other, or they shop, socialise or regularly visit the other.
In 2017, Leo Varadkar told the Dail about his frustration that during the Brexit process if he wanted to hear the views of Scotland or Wales, he could listen to the views of their respective governments. Well, the administration in Northern Ireland is back now. It is important to talk to one another and let them know what each others plans are. For the sake of a few phone calls between Arlene Foster, Michelle O’Neill and himself. This would be a lot easier.
The Taoiseach said himself on the 17th March;
Viruses pay no attention to borders… race… nationality or gender. They are the shared enemy of all humanity.
I couldn’t agree more.
Yes, the various bodies are cooperating which is great, but the culture at the top of government needs to be there to match it.
Both administrations need to know how the other is planning and moving forward, because for many on this island their lives in one shape or other are governed by the other. A heads up and briefings are needed and for those whose lives cross that border, this isn’t a small thing. The two administrations don’t need to move in sync but they can’t be pulling in different directions on some aspects of policy. As we look to the future, we need to see coordination and linked planning across the island and also consideration for what the rest of the UK are also doing too.


sluggerotoole--2020-05-04--Changing Behaviour in a time of plague. Be careful what you wish for…

When I discovered last week that my favourite Chinese restaurant was open for take-aways and delivering locally , I telephoned but found I was out of range so I ordered to collect .
Bad boy , my wife admonished , I was making an unnecessary and selfish journey and this was not allowed .
Suitably censured I agreed to stay home and to satisfy my desire for spicy food I located at the back of a cupboard an out-of-date Vesta curry bought years ago possibly for just such a crisis .
Myself aside , we are mostly obeying government rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this should not really be surprising .
What is a surprise is that those experts advising government on public behaviour in this pandemic seem less confident about our level of compliance .
The SAGE subcommittee on behaviour worried early on and before the lockdown that a modern Western liberal population would have great difficulty sticking with such restrictive rules .
This perhaps was a factor in the lateness of the UK lockdown and which potentially may have cost many lives especially in regions such as London where community transfer of the virus was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public had locked down a week before the government told it to do so .
Public behaviour was ahead of the experts .
The SAGE behavioural subcommittee in formulating its advice , I suspect , was too highly influenced by Nudge Theory .
Nudge Theory was devised by US behavioural economists and was so politically influential ten years ago David Cameron , then PM , set up a Nudge Unit within No 10 Downing Street which is I believe still there .
This Behavioral Unit exists to ensure the public does what the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use of coercion or punitive laws and is based on ; boundaries , social norms , beliefs and values .
When , having failed to pay tax on time and you get a letter from HMRC telling you 97 % of people do , or when you stand at a urinal in Charles De Gaul Airport and note an intimidating fly tattooed onto the enamel near the sink hole , you are witnessing Nudge Theory in action .
As pampered spoilt brats it was felt most of the UK could not be locked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This advice missed a key point not accommodated for in behavioural economic theory .
When an individual perceives a risk , believes it to be true and understands it is acutely detrimental to their wellbeing , they change behaviour immediately without much need for persuasion .
For many that change can be permanent .
Edwina Currie when UK Minister of Agriculture almost destroyed the egg industry when she glibly commented that most of UK hens were infected with Salmonella typhi .
Over the following days farmers were forced to dump eggs as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them on .
This behaviour was in complete contrast to the impact of a Department of Health campaign , running for two years before Edwina ’ s comments , and trying to reduce egg consumption to two eggs weekly as egg consumption was linked to increased risk of heart disease .
This latter advice has since been modified off course .
The difference in behaviour responses ?
For salmonella ; it was known , serious , acute , likely to happen now whereas the risk of a heart attack 20 years from now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not strong enough to persuade .
Nudge theory does not accommodate the significant difference in these public behavioural responses and therefore underestimates how the public behaves and obeys the rules in a time of pandemic .
Off course there will be those , like me , who are less compliant but you only need 60 % of the population to stay home , practice social distancing and wash their hands to bring the R value , the virus spreadability , down from the estimated natural 2.5 where we get exponential growth in cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 0.5 in N. Ireland at the moment .
My point here is that it will be more difficult than we think to get us back to normality .
We have behaved so well and government has been using all the known persuasion techniques advised by the behavioural committee ; daily briefings on Covid-19 deaths , TV interviews with grieving relatives , clapping the Health Service on Thursdays and making Captain Tom is a national hero , that many will continue to behave like this into the future .
As we attempt to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normal that will allow our society , our economy and our health services to do what they must to support our wellbeing and make us prosper we will find it very difficult to undo the behaviours we have so successfully inculcated in a large percentage of the population .
Yesterday I saw a gross act of racism from a normally mild octogenarian on a foreign neighbour .
Last week I had to plead with two very sick people one with angina and one with respiratory disease to go to hospital and if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been very serious .
They had been so frightened they would literally rather die than go to hospital .
Government is committed to “ keeping the foot on the pedal ” but I am not so sure this is still necessary .
On the contrary we will need to coax that part of our population we have so aggressively frightened , back to a confident sense of normality .
The consequences for not doing so is an increased death rate from good old-fashioned diseases the ones that normally killed us before Covid-19 appeared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much greater numbers than Covid-19 if we fail to manage them .
Such has been our obsession with Covid-19 , mostly justified I admit , we ’ ll need reminded that ; cancer , heart disease , lung disease and mental health carry a much bigger scythe .
Photo by Lockie is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA

When I discovered last week that my favourite Chinese restaurant was open for take-aways and delivering locally, I telephoned but found I was out of range so I ordered to collect. Bad boy, my wife admonished, I was making an unnecessary and selfish journey and this was not allowed. Suitably censured I agreed to stay home and to satisfy my desire for spicy food I located at the back of a cupboard an out-of-date Vesta curry bought years ago possibly for just such a crisis.
Myself aside, we are mostly obeying government rules on staying home and social distancing and this should not really be surprising. What is a surprise is that those experts advising government on public behaviour in this pandemic seem less confident about our level of compliance. The SAGE subcommittee on behaviour worried early on and before the lockdown that a modern Western liberal population would have great difficulty sticking with such restrictive rules. This perhaps was a factor in the lateness of the UK lockdown and which potentially may have cost many lives especially in regions such as London where community transfer of the virus was already very active. In reality the public had locked down a week before the government told it to do so. Public behaviour was ahead of the experts.
The SAGE behavioural subcommittee in formulating its advice, I suspect, was too highly influenced by Nudge Theory. Nudge Theory was devised by US behavioural economists and was so politically influential ten years ago David Cameron, then PM, set up a Nudge Unit within No 10 Downing Street which is I believe still there. This Behavioral Unit exists to ensure the public does what the government wants it to do without the use of coercion or punitive laws and is based on; boundaries, social norms, beliefs and values. When, having failed to pay tax on time and you get a letter from HMRC telling you 97% of people do, or when you stand at a urinal in Charles De Gaul Airport and note an intimidating fly tattooed onto the enamel near the sink hole, you are witnessing Nudge Theory in action.
As pampered spoilt brats it was felt most of the UK could not be locked down for more than a short time. This advice missed a key point not accommodated for in behavioural economic theory. When an individual perceives a risk, believes it to be true and understands it is acutely detrimental to their wellbeing, they change behaviour immediately without much need for persuasion. For many that change can be permanent.
Edwina Currie when UK Minister of Agriculture almost destroyed the egg industry when she glibly commented that most of UK hens were infected with Salmonella typhi. Over the following days farmers were forced to dump eggs as supermarket and catering businesses could not sell them on. This behaviour was in complete contrast to the impact of a Department of Health campaign, running for two years before Edwina’s comments, and trying to reduce egg consumption to two eggs weekly as egg consumption was linked to increased risk of heart disease. This latter advice has since been modified off course. The difference in behaviour responses? For salmonella; it was known, serious, acute, likely to happen now whereas the risk of a heart attack 20 years from now that might not happen at all was not strong enough to persuade. Nudge theory does not accommodate the significant difference in these public behavioural responses and therefore underestimates how the public behaves and obeys the rules in a time of pandemic.
Off course there will be those, like me, who are less compliant but you only need 60% of the population to stay home, practice social distancing and wash their hands to bring the R value, the virus spreadability, down from the estimated natural 2.5 where we get exponential growth in cases to less than 1. It is about 0.5 in N. Ireland at the moment.
My point here is that it will be more difficult than we think to get us back to normality. We have behaved so well and government has been using all the known persuasion techniques advised by the behavioural committee; daily briefings on Covid-19 deaths, TV interviews with grieving relatives, clapping the Health Service on Thursdays and making Captain Tom is a national hero, that many will continue to behave like this into the future.
As we attempt to get our lives back to a new normal that will allow our society, our economy and our health services to do what they must to support our wellbeing and make us prosper we will find it very difficult to undo the behaviours we have so successfully inculcated in a large percentage of the population. Yesterday I saw a gross act of racism from a normally mild octogenarian on a foreign neighbour. Last week I had to plead with two very sick people one with angina and one with respiratory disease to go to hospital and if they hadn’t the outcome would have been very serious. They had been so frightened they would literally rather die than go to hospital.
Government is committed to “keeping the foot on the pedal” but I am not so sure this is still necessary. On the contrary we will need to coax that part of our population we have so aggressively frightened, back to a confident sense of normality. The consequences for not doing so is an increased death rate from good old-fashioned diseases the ones that normally killed us before Covid-19 appeared and which will be killing us in much greater numbers than Covid-19 if we fail to manage them. Such has been our obsession with Covid-19, mostly justified I admit, we’ll need reminded that; cancer, heart disease, lung disease and mental health carry a much bigger scythe.
Photo by Lockie is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA


sluggerotoole--2020-05-04--What’s in an app?

What’s in an app?

In relation to the cross-border use of the app , Mr Harris said inter-operability between EU member states and use @ @ @ @ @ Border “ presents specific challenges which have yet to be addressed ” .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ in Ireland and across the Irish Sea has been highlighted in EU meetings convened to @ @ @ @ @ ” There in a nutshell is a problem of the moment .
How big a @ @ @ @ @ the choice of different contact tracing apps north and south ?
Is an answer uncoloured @ @ @ @ @ much to hope for ?

In relation to the cross-border use of the app, Mr Harris said inter-operability between EU member states and use of the app across the Border “presents specific challenges which have yet to be addressed”.
“The specific challenge of North-South travel in Ireland and across the Irish Sea has been highlighted in EU meetings convened to discuss eHealth and the app.”
There in a nutshell is a problem of the moment. How big a problem for the island is the choice of different contact tracing apps north and south? Is an answer uncoloured by the usual politics too much to hope for?


sluggerotoole--2020-05-05--Why the wall of silence over north-south Covid cooperation?

Whatever the reliability of the figures , it seems possible that the Republic has been managing Covid 19 better – or has been luckier- than Northern Ireland .
Whether this can be accounted for by the incubus of UK delay and the complexity of a bigger country with an older average population will emerge from the inevitable spate of inquiries .
But north -south coordination and cooperation over phasing out lockdown would seem to be essential .
And yet so little has emerged about it .
I ’ m completely puzzled .
Fionnuala O ’ Connor ponders the theme this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I ’ m on her wavelength .
I don ’ t know what to make of the fact that aside from politicians , calls for an all-island coronavirus plan were limited to a couple of experts .
Was this because all the others were inhibited by politics or didn ’ t think it mattered all that much ?
Or by March it was too late anyway ?
Equally odd is that the memo of understanding between the two sides has produced virtually nothing by way of joint cooperation over plans for easing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the reverse .
The North complains they received no notice of the south ’ s graduated lockdown release plan .
Maybe this will change over the next few days and weeks but I ’ m not holding my breath .
We ’ re warned that the north ’ s plan due imminently may contain “ no dates ” How will that work for cross border travel ?
Why is there so little pressure to debate this properly , from the south as well as the north ?
Is it because of fears it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the north ?
Or that the south is basically indifferent ?

Whatever the reliability of the figures, it seems possible that the Republic has been managing Covid 19 better – or has been luckier- than Northern Ireland. Whether this can be accounted for by the incubus of UK delay and the complexity of a bigger country with an older average population will emerge from the inevitable spate of inquiries. But north -south coordination and cooperation over phasing out lockdown would seem to be essential. And yet so little has emerged about it.
I’m completely puzzled. Fionnuala O’Connor ponders the theme this morning, without coming to firm conclusions. I’m on her wavelength.
I don’t know what to make of the fact that aside from politicians, calls for an all-island coronavirus plan were limited to a couple of experts.
Was this because all the others were inhibited by politics or didn’t think it mattered all that much? Or by March it was too late anyway? Equally odd is that the memo of understanding between the two sides has produced virtually nothing by way of joint cooperation over plans for easing lockdown and contact tracing and testing- rather the reverse. The North complains they received no notice of the south’s graduated lockdown release plan. Maybe this will change over the next few days and weeks but I’m not holding my breath. We’re warned that the north’s plan due imminently may contain “ no dates” How will that work for cross border travel?
Why is there so little pressure to debate this properly, from the south as well as the north? Is it because of fears it would quickly degenerate into a sectarian wrangle in the north? Or that the south is basically indifferent?


sluggerotoole--2020-05-05--How does our press emerge from lockdown? Part three: Regional Sunday Newspapers

I hadn ’ t planned a third instalment of this series as frankly I have little to no interest in the local Sunday newspaper market these days .
Certainly my days of buying five or six Sundays that would see me through to midweek are long gone and , apart from a quick browse of the football sections ( usually when I ’ m in Costa or Nero for an afternoon coffee ) there ’ s not a lot on the front pages of our local Sundays to entice me to the tills these days .
But the treatment of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week made me think again .
There were 2 aspects to the Nesbitt story , one of public interest and one that was none of our business .
No one can realistically take issue with any medium reporting an elected representative breaking Assembly emergency laws to travers the province on more than one occasion ( though I wonder was the same research done into whether or not any MLAs or councillors attended the recent well attended republican funerals .
Or is that a bit too dangerous ? )
.
They ’ re supposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to law adherence .
So , it ’ s a fair cop Mike .
The emphasis on the alleged state of Nesbitt ’ s marriage is a different matter .
I ’ m all for exposing hypocrisy from public figures .
For example , I can remember certain now deceased MPs consistently voting against abolition of oppressive legislation relating to gay rights , while it was pretty widely known they were living a gay lifestyle in London .
It is firmly in the public interest for such hypocrisy to be exposed when it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their job , rather than just make insinuations through occasional use of “ confirmed bachelor ” by the broadsheets .
Same with any politician who lives a life different from the one they would impose on the rest of us .
In Nesbitt ’ s case I ’ m not aware of him supporting socially oppressive legislation , opposing liberalisation of such laws , or lecturing us on how we should conduct our private lives or relationships .
So , where ’ s the legitimacy in that reporting .
You can just sense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lady friend ” was repeatedly typed .
Also , all of this before we even consider some of the mental health issues recently attributed to his wife – clearly innocent of any offence .
So , reprehensible as let ’ s face it that ’ s the bit the Sunday World was interested in .
The lockdown offence was just a hook to build it around .
So , what of our two local Sundays ?
Can they both survive or is there even room for both in a very cluttered market @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When the Sunday Life launched in 1988 , I was a young sales manager with the brief of rolling out the launch to advertising agencies in London , Manchester and the other GB regions .
Launching a new paper was never easy , but the Sunday Life had a lot going for it .
At the time the Sunday World was a big seller ( around 90,000 in Northern Ireland ) but seen as very down market and not a great platform for advertisers and one of those papers many people would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaving the shop , to avoid looking too downmarket .
The Belfast Telegraph threw everything at the Sunday Life .
It had a great team , bumper marketing budget and they managed to headhunt both the Editor and Chief GAA correspondent from the Irish News .
Could you imagine that happening in 2020 ?
The plan was to publish a broadly middle class , largely cross community brand with traction in Greater Belfast , strong features , great sport , and the best possible advertising platforms .
And it worked .
Within 3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday World and eventually peaked at around 120,000 sales .
What changed was the ownership of the business .
Eventually it came into the hands of Independent News & Media in Dublin .
That in itself didn ’ t need to be a negative but shorn of the management and key editorial figures who launched and grew the paper , there was a very discernible movement downmarket to the point where there is now little to distinguish it from the Sunday World , with its relentless focus on loyalist paramilitaries ( replete with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ latter days working for that business in the mid-1990s being horrified as it had a run of “ exclusives ” exposing gay men as gay .
Nothing more and nothing less .
It was sad but once such a decline in standards starts , it generally becomes inexorable .
So where do they go from here ?
We have two local Sunday papers owned by the same people , based in the same building .
So , you would imagine there would be a clear layer of product differentiation between them .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Currently the two papers have a very similar weekly sale .
The Life currently sells around 29,000 copies .
The World doesn ’ t publish audited figures but the industry standard readership survey ( TGI 2018 ) indicates a sale in that ballpark .
Their readership profiles are broadly similar in terms of gender , age and over two thirds of both readerships being outside Belfast , The only meaningful differences are a slightly ( but not as dramatically as in the past ) more upmarket readership and the fact that the Life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the World 56 % Catholic .
Neither of those really present a market sufficiently distinct to safeguard a prosperous future .
Maybe the new Belgian ownership of IN & M will invest in the Sunday Life to attempt to restore the product to the vision of the launch team and help layer the market between the two titles .
But its much easier to take a product downmarket than it is to take it back up .
So that ’ s a long shot .
Alternatively they are more likely to decide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brands into a clear market leader here ( currently the Sunday Mirror has a higher local readership than either ) , If that ’ s the case then I would assume it will be the Sunday World , an all-Ireland brand with traction across the island , to be the focus of the new owners ’ efforts .

I hadn’t planned a third instalment of this series as frankly I have little to no interest in the local Sunday newspaper market these days. Certainly my days of buying five or six Sundays that would see me through to midweek are long gone and, apart from a quick browse of the football sections (usually when I’m in Costa or Nero for an afternoon coffee) there’s not a lot on the front pages of our local Sundays to entice me to the tills these days.
But the treatment of Mike Nesbitt by the Sunday World this week made me think again. There were 2 aspects to the Nesbitt story, one of public interest and one that was none of our business. No one can realistically take issue with any medium reporting an elected representative breaking Assembly emergency laws to travers the province on more than one occasion (though I wonder was the same research done into whether or not any MLAs or councillors attended the recent well attended republican funerals. Or is that a bit too dangerous?). They’re supposed to set an example when it comes to law adherence. So, it’s a fair cop Mike.
The emphasis on the alleged state of Nesbitt’s marriage is a different matter. I’m all for exposing hypocrisy from public figures. For example, I can remember certain now deceased MPs consistently voting against abolition of oppressive legislation relating to gay rights, while it was pretty widely known they were living a gay lifestyle in London. It is firmly in the public interest for such hypocrisy to be exposed when it relates to the way our representatives do their job, rather than just make insinuations through occasional use of “confirmed bachelor” by the broadsheets. Same with any politician who lives a life different from the one they would impose on the rest of us.
In Nesbitt’s case I’m not aware of him supporting socially oppressive legislation, opposing liberalisation of such laws, or lecturing us on how we should conduct our private lives or relationships. So, where’s the legitimacy in that reporting. You can just sense the lip licking zeal with which “a lady friend” was repeatedly typed. Also, all of this before we even consider some of the mental health issues recently attributed to his wife – clearly innocent of any offence. So, reprehensible as let’s face it that’s the bit the Sunday World was interested in. The lockdown offence was just a hook to build it around.
So, what of our two local Sundays? Can they both survive or is there even room for both in a very cluttered market with a rapidly declining customer base?
When the Sunday Life launched in 1988, I was a young sales manager with the brief of rolling out the launch to advertising agencies in London, Manchester and the other GB regions. Launching a new paper was never easy, but the Sunday Life had a lot going for it. At the time the Sunday World was a big seller (around 90,000 in Northern Ireland) but seen as very down market and not a great platform for advertisers and one of those papers many people would have hidden inside a copy of Playboy when leaving the shop, to avoid looking too downmarket. The Belfast Telegraph threw everything at the Sunday Life. It had a great team, bumper marketing budget and they managed to headhunt both the Editor and Chief GAA correspondent from the Irish News. Could you imagine that happening in 2020?
The plan was to publish a broadly middle class, largely cross community brand with traction in Greater Belfast, strong features, great sport, and the best possible advertising platforms. And it worked. Within 3 or 4 years it had overtaken the Sunday World and eventually peaked at around 120,000 sales.
What changed was the ownership of the business. Eventually it came into the hands of Independent News & Media in Dublin. That in itself didn’t need to be a negative but shorn of the management and key editorial figures who launched and grew the paper, there was a very discernible movement downmarket to the point where there is now little to distinguish it from the Sunday World, with its relentless focus on loyalist paramilitaries (replete with nicknames). I remember in my latter days working for that business in the mid-1990s being horrified as it had a run of “exclusives” exposing gay men as gay. Nothing more and nothing less. It was sad but once such a decline in standards starts, it generally becomes inexorable.
So where do they go from here? We have two local Sunday papers owned by the same people, based in the same building. So, you would imagine there would be a clear layer of product differentiation between them. But I can’t see it.
Currently the two papers have a very similar weekly sale. The Life currently sells around 29,000 copies. The World doesn’t publish audited figures but the industry standard readership survey (TGI 2018) indicates a sale in that ballpark. Their readership profiles are broadly similar in terms of gender, age and over two thirds of both readerships being outside Belfast, The only meaningful differences are a slightly (but not as dramatically as in the past) more upmarket readership and the fact that the Life readership in 2018 was 54% Protestant and the World 56% Catholic. Neither of those really present a market sufficiently distinct to safeguard a prosperous future.
Maybe the new Belgian ownership of IN&M will invest in the Sunday Life to attempt to restore the product to the vision of the launch team and help layer the market between the two titles. But its much easier to take a product downmarket than it is to take it back up. So that’s a long shot. Alternatively they are more likely to decide to focus on developing one of the brands into a clear market leader here (currently the Sunday Mirror has a higher local readership than either), If that’s the case then I would assume it will be the Sunday World, an all-Ireland brand with traction across the island, to be the focus of the new owners’ efforts.


sluggerotoole--2020-05-05--COVID-19 Spread In Both Irelands, the UK and Selected Countries: Dublin’s success will pose dilemmas

COVID-19 Spread In Both Irelands, the UK and Selected Countries: Dublin’s success will pose dilemmas for both SF and Unionists:

Number-crunching the past few days ’ COVID-19 statistics is bringing clearer evidence by the day that RoI seems to have definitively turned a corner in its struggle against this frightening adversary .
If we define ‘ peak covid ’ as the date when a jurisdiction had its largest 7-day rolling average of new cases , we find that peak covid occurred on April 15th for the UK , April 18th for the RoI , and April 20th for NI .
The graph shows the 7-day rolling averages since March 25th .
The figures were weighted so that the peak covid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which allows easier comparison .
Average daily incidence in the RoI is now 18 % of its peak covid value .
By contrast – even though its peak covid day was three days earlier – the UK is at 87 % of its peak covid figure .
NI is in between , at 55 % .
These three differing stories may well bring significant strain on Northern politics .
If daily incidence in the South continues to drop at the same rate , it is likely that it will be ready for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the North .
This scenario creates a dilemma for Dublin , but also for Sinn Féin : do they agree to keep the border open and risk a possible upsurge in COVID-19 cases in RoI ?
How will that play out among SF ’ s new voters , many of whom have minimal interest in the North ?
Or will nationalist ideology win out over jurisdictional public health prudence ?
The DUP and UUP could also be in a very tight spot .
If Northern Ireland ’ s COVID-19 incidence continues to drop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the overall UK rate , it will be ready to unwind earlier than the mainland .
In that scenario , for Northern Ireland to protect the gains it will have made , it will have to impose travel restrictions at airports and North Channel ports .
Could unionist ministers agree to quarantining visitors from the mainland to avoid a possible upsurge in COVID-19 cases in NI ?
If they don ’ t , how will that play out amongst unionists ?
Will there be another tranche of unionist voters marching over to Alliance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jurisdictional public health prudence ?
The second graph shows that the UK and US are both spending a significantly longer time near their peak , compared to China , South Korea , Italy and both parts of Ireland .
Just a thought , but might it be possible that Brexitian and Trumpian populist distrust of experts has bred a hubristic myopia that left such governments incapable of decisive early intervention based on expert advice ?
In the South , 17 counties have seen a reduction in COVID-19 incidence , with nine going the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly bad surge .
Carlow and Offaly are also worrying .
Thankfully , Cavan , Monaghan and Louth have quietened .
Limerick and Tipperary did have very recent high incidence but are dropping now .
It is great to see the NI LGD council figures being published again , and on a daily basis .
This will allow the 7-day rolling average to be calculated from May 7th .
Some Ireland-wide maps have been added to my COVIDWATCH website .
The Bray-Athlone-Larne triangle still accounts for the vast majority ( 72 % ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thanyakij is licensed under CC0

Number-crunching the past few days’ COVID-19 statistics is bringing clearer evidence by the day that RoI seems to have definitively turned a corner in its struggle against this frightening adversary. If we define ‘peak covid’ as the date when a jurisdiction had its largest 7-day rolling average of new cases, we find that peak covid occurred on April 15th for the UK, April 18th for the RoI, and April 20th for NI. The graph shows the 7-day rolling averages since March 25th. The figures were weighted so that the peak covid for each jurisdiction was set to 100, which allows easier comparison.
Average daily incidence in the RoI is now 18% of its peak covid value. By contrast – even though its peak covid day was three days earlier – the UK is at 87% of its peak covid figure. NI is in between, at 55%.
These three differing stories may well bring significant strain on Northern politics. If daily incidence in the South continues to drop at the same rate, it is likely that it will be ready for a significant unwinding of its lockdown before the North. This scenario creates a dilemma for Dublin, but also for Sinn Féin: do they agree to keep the border open and risk a possible upsurge in COVID-19 cases in RoI? How will that play out among SF’s new voters, many of whom have minimal interest in the North? Or will nationalist ideology win out over jurisdictional public health prudence?
The DUP and UUP could also be in a very tight spot. If Northern Ireland’s COVID-19 incidence continues to drop at a much faster rate compared to the overall UK rate, it will be ready to unwind earlier than the mainland. In that scenario, for Northern Ireland to protect the gains it will have made, it will have to impose travel restrictions at airports and North Channel ports. Could unionist ministers agree to quarantining visitors from the mainland to avoid a possible upsurge in COVID-19 cases in NI? If they don’t, how will that play out amongst unionists? Will there be another tranche of unionist voters marching over to Alliance? Will unionist ideology win out over jurisdictional public health prudence?
The second graph shows that the UK and US are both spending a significantly longer time near their peak, compared to China, South Korea, Italy and both parts of Ireland. Just a thought, but might it be possible that Brexitian and Trumpian populist distrust of experts has bred a hubristic myopia that left such governments incapable of decisive early intervention based on expert advice?
In the South, 17 counties have seen a reduction in COVID-19 incidence, with nine going the opposite way. Longford has had a particularly bad surge. Carlow and Offaly are also worrying. Thankfully, Cavan, Monaghan and Louth have quietened. Limerick and Tipperary did have very recent high incidence but are dropping now.
It is great to see the NI LGD council figures being published again, and on a daily basis. This will allow the 7-day rolling average to be calculated from May 7th. Some Ireland-wide maps have been added to my COVIDWATCH website. The Bray-Athlone-Larne triangle still accounts for the vast majority (72%) of COVID-19 cases.
Photo by bongkarn thanyakij is licensed under CC0


sluggerotoole--2020-05-05--View from New York – light at the end of the tunnel or a train coming the other way?

Anybody I know who has lived in New York for any length of time has remarked in recent years that we don ’ t have shoulder seasons anymore .
One day it ’ s winter and the next day it ’ s not .
Nobody wears a spring or autumn jacket like we used to ; your winter coat gets stored away at the end of April and re-emerges sometime around Thanksgiving in November .
Well , it certainly felt like last Saturday was the day the Weather Service pulled a giant lever and summer returned .
Just maybe .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ around 27 Celsius ( that ’ s 80 degrees in old money ) under classic cobalt blue New York skies , and with that out came the hordes of people who have been cooped up in tiny cabin fever inducing apartments for the last two months .
Depending on how your working-from-home routine is structured , the weekend is still the weekend for the majority of people .
I have a very flexible schedule and accordingly I have had the luxury of timing my weekday visits with my dog to the park across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emptier wide open spaces and lesser trodden paths in the wooded areas .
Last weekend however it was mobbed , although I have to say people by-and-large adhered to the social distance guidelines .
Six feet for humans , less for dogs and squirrels .
Anticipating the surge in visitors , the City had taken the precaution of closing miles of streets to traffic around public spaces , essentially expanding the size of the parks , but it turns out it wasn ’ t necessary .
According to news reports , enforcement of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place to place .
In some boroughs the Parks Department was handing out masks and welcoming people with friendly advice , in others picnickers were being summarily dispatched by the NYPD .
In one grim incident , a cop was filmed beating a citizen in a social distancing related incident .
He ’ s on desk duties for now .
With the albeit still horrific Covid-19 infection and death rates noticeably falling in New York at last ( something like under 300 deaths a day down from around 800 a day ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without anyone close or related to me succumbing seriously to the illness , I have noticed my levels of anxiety abating somewhat .
Appalling as those statistics are , I believe we have almost become inured to them .
The hospital ship has gone , the field hospital in Central Park was decommissioned , and ditto the one in the massive exhibition centre in Manhattan .
I ’ m not hearing as many ambulance sirens outside as I did before ( correction , there ’ s one now ) .
Instead , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the courtyard who sings opera every evening with his windows open , now the weather has improved .
I guess he ’ s a professional singer rehearsing at home .
Seeing the crowds of happy people enjoying life in the outdoors yesterday was a teaser that normality ( or normalcy as they say here ) might not be that far off in the future .
Here ’ s hoping .
Meanwhile , back in real life my office informed us on Friday that they don ’ t expect to have staff back in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even then in smaller rotational groups , wearing PPE .
I keep hearing that regular life can ’ t resume without testing , testing , testing .
I ’ m agnostic on that because the way I see it you can test negative on Sunday and get infected on the way to work on Monday , but I ’ m not an epidemiologist .
Until very recently only about 1 % of the population of the United States had been tested but officialdom in New York estimates between a quarter and a third @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if we were asymptomatic .
My doctor of 18 years ( as opposed to my 18 year-old doctor ) has already diagnosed me as “ presumptive ” , and she and dozens of her patients also suffered a Covid-like affliction .
However , tests are becoming more widely available and out of a mixture of boredom and curiosity last Friday , and based on my history of having had all the symptoms when I was extremely sick in March , I walked into a medical centre and stumped up $ 130 for an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tests , one for the virus and one for the antibodies , but here ’ s the rub… a little light online research tells me that almost none of the tests nor the labs conducting them in the US have been approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) .
I attended a well-established national diagnostic company who do bloodwork for everything from cholesterol to HIV .
The small print on the company ’ s website cautions that the tests are not necessarily accurate and that antibodies from four or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ false result , amongst other factors .
I got my result this morning .
It was a four page report and the first line said , “ COVID-19 Immune Response Result — Negative .
Your test was negative , this indicates that you did not have IgG antibodies as an immune response to COVID-19 at the time your blood was collected.
” The next four pages consisted of various legal disclaimers and caveats that the test was not to be relied upon in any way for basically anything Covid-related .
I find it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who lived through the 80s and 90s would be disappointed that their virus antibody blood test did not come back positive .
A note on managing anxiety .
Despite my usual obsession with news media , I have found that being disciplined about how frequently I check the headlines helps alleviate stress .
Having said that , I had a quick gander at the BBC and The Guardian websites with my coffee this morning and was infuriated to see that the first and foremost headline was that Love Island has been cancelled this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matters right now .
But while my Covid-related anxiety might be dissipating , I have a new obsession to keep me awake at night .
A raccoon has taken up residence near the entrance to my building .
Maybe it ’ s the lack of human activity on the street that brought it over from the park .
Most evenings when I take my dog out for her final walk of the night , a stand-off ensues between us when I return and try and gain access to the door .
It has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proportions as a medium size dog but don ’ t be mistaken !
These trash pandas are rabid , wild animals that have been known to bite canine and human alike .
Stories abound of Brooklynites returning to their apartments to find their window screens opened , pet food kibble scattered around the kitchen , and maybe even a kitten eviscerated in a pool of blood on the floor .
Accounts of people waking in the night so see a raccoon staring in through the bedroom window are giving me new nightmares .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ my bed and I have resolved never ever to open that window , even when we are sweltering in the midst of a 38 degree July heatwave .
That ’ s 80 Fahrenheit in old money .

Anybody I know who has lived in New York for any length of time has remarked in recent years that we don’t have shoulder seasons anymore. One day it’s winter and the next day it’s not. Nobody wears a spring or autumn jacket like we used to; your winter coat gets stored away at the end of April and re-emerges sometime around Thanksgiving in November. Well, it certainly felt like last Saturday was the day the Weather Service pulled a giant lever and summer returned. Just maybe. Over the weekend, temperatures peaked at around 27 Celsius (that’s 80 degrees in old money) under classic cobalt blue New York skies, and with that out came the hordes of people who have been cooped up in tiny cabin fever inducing apartments for the last two months.
Depending on how your working-from-home routine is structured, the weekend is still the weekend for the majority of people. I have a very flexible schedule and accordingly I have had the luxury of timing my weekday visits with my dog to the park across the way to make the most of emptier wide open spaces and lesser trodden paths in the wooded areas. Last weekend however it was mobbed, although I have to say people by-and-large adhered to the social distance guidelines. Six feet for humans, less for dogs and squirrels. Anticipating the surge in visitors, the City had taken the precaution of closing miles of streets to traffic around public spaces, essentially expanding the size of the parks, but it turns out it wasn’t necessary. According to news reports, enforcement of social distancing and face-covering rules varied from place to place. In some boroughs the Parks Department was handing out masks and welcoming people with friendly advice, in others picnickers were being summarily dispatched by the NYPD. In one grim incident, a cop was filmed beating a citizen in a social distancing related incident. He’s on desk duties for now.
With the albeit still horrific Covid-19 infection and death rates noticeably falling in New York at last (something like under 300 deaths a day down from around 800 a day), and the longer this pandemic goes on without anyone close or related to me succumbing seriously to the illness, I have noticed my levels of anxiety abating somewhat. Appalling as those statistics are, I believe we have almost become inured to them. The hospital ship has gone, the field hospital in Central Park was decommissioned, and ditto the one in the massive exhibition centre in Manhattan. I’m not hearing as many ambulance sirens outside as I did before (correction, there’s one now). Instead, I hear a neighbor in an apartment across the courtyard who sings opera every evening with his windows open, now the weather has improved. I guess he’s a professional singer rehearsing at home. Seeing the crowds of happy people enjoying life in the outdoors yesterday was a teaser that normality (or normalcy as they say here) might not be that far off in the future. Here’s hoping. Meanwhile, back in real life my office informed us on Friday that they don’t expect to have staff back in until June at the earliest, and even then in smaller rotational groups, wearing PPE.
I keep hearing that regular life can’t resume without testing, testing, testing. I’m agnostic on that because the way I see it you can test negative on Sunday and get infected on the way to work on Monday, but I’m not an epidemiologist. Until very recently only about 1% of the population of the United States had been tested but officialdom in New York estimates between a quarter and a third of us have had it, even if we were asymptomatic. My doctor of 18 years (as opposed to my 18 year-old doctor) has already diagnosed me as “presumptive”, and she and dozens of her patients also suffered a Covid-like affliction. However, tests are becoming more widely available and out of a mixture of boredom and curiosity last Friday, and based on my history of having had all the symptoms when I was extremely sick in March, I walked into a medical centre and stumped up $130 for an antibody blood test. There are two tests, one for the virus and one for the antibodies, but here’s the rub… a little light online research tells me that almost none of the tests nor the labs conducting them in the US have been approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA). I attended a well-established national diagnostic company who do bloodwork for everything from cholesterol to HIV. The small print on the company’s website cautions that the tests are not necessarily accurate and that antibodies from four or five other corona viruses could trigger a false result, amongst other factors. I got my result this morning. It was a four page report and the first line said, “COVID-19 Immune Response Result — Negative. Your test was negative, this indicates that you did not have IgG antibodies as an immune response to COVID-19 at the time your blood was collected.” The next four pages consisted of various legal disclaimers and caveats that the test was not to be relied upon in any way for basically anything Covid-related. I find it darkly humourous that anyone from my generation who lived through the 80s and 90s would be disappointed that their virus antibody blood test did not come back positive.
A note on managing anxiety. Despite my usual obsession with news media, I have found that being disciplined about how frequently I check the headlines helps alleviate stress. Having said that, I had a quick gander at the BBC and The Guardian websites with my coffee this morning and was infuriated to see that the first and foremost headline was that Love Island has been cancelled this summer. Because that is what really matters right now.
But while my Covid-related anxiety might be dissipating, I have a new obsession to keep me awake at night. A raccoon has taken up residence near the entrance to my building. Maybe it’s the lack of human activity on the street that brought it over from the park. Most evenings when I take my dog out for her final walk of the night, a stand-off ensues between us when I return and try and gain access to the door. It has a cute face and has the same proportions as a medium size dog but don’t be mistaken! These trash pandas are rabid, wild animals that have been known to bite canine and human alike. Stories abound of Brooklynites returning to their apartments to find their window screens opened, pet food kibble scattered around the kitchen, and maybe even a kitten eviscerated in a pool of blood on the floor. Accounts of people waking in the night so see a raccoon staring in through the bedroom window are giving me new nightmares. My fire escape is right next to my bed and I have resolved never ever to open that window, even when we are sweltering in the midst of a 38 degree July heatwave. That’s 80 Fahrenheit in old money.