Latest news with #Da
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Tom Dunne: When Kneecap's 'exciting fun world' strayed into the 'real, no craic at all' world
Kneecap, over the course of the last six months, became our 'family band'... the most requested on long drives, the one band we all agreed on. They and Fontaines DC. But the Fontaines weren't teaching my children Irish, so Mo Chara & Co nudged it. Hence, when they caught the world's attention at Coachella, my reaction was one of almost parental discomfort. 'What have those young bucks done now?' I exclaimed. 'It'll be doom they bring upon themselves,' I cautioned. And it had all been going so well. I'd been the one who introduced them to the family. 'It's political, it's exciting, its hip hop and, incredibly, unbelievably, it's in Irish,' I told them. 'What's not to like?' Slight concerns about the historical discrepancies, the juxtaposition of eras, a character being called Bobby Sandals, the IRA as bumbling incompetent drug dealers, I kept to myself. 'This is what freedom looks like,' I thought. 'This is post Good Friday. It's Kneecap's Norn Iron now.' My young music fans took to it with an enthusiasm I haven't seen since we secured a supply of In The Night Garden toys in 2010. In the week before her oral Irish exam, the older one memorised most of the album. We'll find out in autumn if she performed 3CAG in the exam. Then Coachella happened. I was consulted. 'What do you make of this, Da?' asked the local fanbase. 'It would have been better for them if they hadn't,' I said, dad-like. 'Gigs might get cancelled, tours ruined. And reducing a complex thing to a slogan is never good.' We all nodded sagely. Kneecap at City hall, Cork City on February 12, 2025. Pic Larry Cummins But I knew Kneecap's 'exciting, fun world' had just strayed into the 'real, no craic at all' world. Antennae were twitching, sleeping dogs awakening. It was that moment in a John Connolly book where the evil guy opens one eye. I then gave lengthy explanations of history to help set Kneecap's comments in context. 'This didn't start on October 7,' I said. I may have lost them around the 1947 UN resolution 181 but I think, by then, they had appreciated how complex it all was. Then the doom arrived. The clear-eyed certainty, the venom of their accusers was startling. It had been a while since so many, mostly British, politicians, with little or no say in anything important in their own constituencies, had seen something they could be so self-righteous about. Informed commentators were soon pointing out the worst offenders. Like those arguing against Kneecap's songs who, at the same time, were lobbying for the return of loyalist marches to Catholic areas; lobbying for the rights of loyalists to sing about marching 'in Fenian blood' outside Catholic homes. Soon police in Britain were trawling through footage of old Kneecap gigs with a level of urgency not seen since the 9/11 attacks. Oh, damn this mobile phone age. Kneecap, high on adrenalin and the energy of such sudden success, playing to ever-increasing audiences, had at times gotten carried away. Who'd have thunk? Members of Kneecap, Liam Og O Hannaidh (Mo Chara), JJ O Dochartaigh (DJ Provai), and Naoise O Caireallain (Moglai Bap) attending the Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) Awards Ceremony at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre. Some of what they said was stupid and crass. Apologies were made but a Hezbollah flag at a gig last November saw them charged with a terrorism offence by the Metropolitan Police. They have described this as 'political policing'. Mo Chara will appear before magistrates on June 18. As the witch-hunt continued, the news from Gaza grew ever more grim. And any kind of dissenting voice was greeted with ever more hysterical claims of antisemitism. As the horrors worsened, the discussion tightened. It is sickening. But one part of my doom prediction has proven spectacularly wrong. Some gigs have been cancelled but Kneecap's popularity is surging. They will play the West Holts stage at Glastonbury on June 28 and the AVO Arena Wembley on September 18 — their biggest show yet. Here, there is a gig in Fairview in June and one in Belfast on August 29 at Boucher Road Fields with Fontaines DC. At the Belfast gig, they will play to an estimated 40,000 people. That's 40,000 people in Northern Ireland singing 'Get your Brits out', as Gaeilge. Be still my beating heart. My younger daughter also loves Kneecap. She and her friends were in my car after the Rewind gig in Dublin. 'So, Kneecap can get put on trial,' I heard one of them say, 'but a government that kills 19,000 children isn't. How is that right?' Go on, you answer the girl. I'm all out. Read More Kneecap set to perform at Glastonbury Festival as line-up confirmed
Dublin Live
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Dublin Live
TD apologises after claiming British never 'bombed or shot' Irish people
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info TD Cathal Crowe has apologised in the Dáil after he claimed the British Army, "never retaliated by bombing and shooting the civilian population of Ireland" during a debate about Gaza. The comments from the Clare TD sparked criticism from Sinn Féin when he spoke during a Labour motion on the situation in Gaza on Wednesday. He said: "What is happening is not a war anymore; it is ethnic cleansing, genocide and, more recently, the weaponising of food. "The British army was a bad actor on this island for many centuries but even in the worst of days, when its cities were being bombed by the terror organisations of the IRA, it never retaliated by bombing and shooting the civilian population of Ireland." Sinn Féin's Aengus Ó Snodaigh called for the Fianna Fail TD to apologies following his statement. The Ceann Comhairle provided Mr Crowe with the chance to clarify his statements on Thursday morning, reports the Irish Mirror. Deputy Crowe said: "I apologise profusely to anyone that may have been offended by my comments. The speech I made was during the debate that this house had had on Gaza." "I was speaking without a scripted speech, and instead, using a series of bullet points. I began by stating that the Israeli eye-for-an-eye approach has been reprehensible, and that the bombing of hospitals, schools and tents, alongside the killing of babies, including many newborn babies in hospitals, amounts to genocide and ethnic cleansing. "I then wanted to make the point that brutal, bad and all as the British armed forces have been on this island for a very long time, they never resorted to sending over the Royal Air Force tanks and missiles to pummel Irish cities. "I wanted to convey the magnitude and the visceral hatred which has been behind the Israeli Defence Forces actions in Gaza and I also wanted to convey the huge disproportionality that the Israeli state has adopted following their reprehensible Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023. "Regrettably, speaking largely off the cuff, I clumsily and wrongly stated, 'They never retaliated by bombing or shooting the civilian population of Ireland'. Let me be very clear, it was not my intention to say this, and I didn't realise how woeful all of that sounded until late last night when I received the transcript of what I had actually said. "It was a genuine slip up on my part, but it was wrong, and I wish to unequivocally and profusely apologise." Mr Crowe said that he taught and studied history and led a boycott in 2020 to oppose a planned state commemoration of the Royal Irish Constabulary. He continued: "I know that the British armed forces have been involved in many heinous attacks on Irish people historically. "Bloody Sunday in Croke Park 1920, the massacre of 26 civilians at Derry's Bogside in 1972 and the countless other actions in recent history and further back in history for which they're responsible. I make this apology entirely of my own volition and it is genuine." Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fans Mourn Passing of Bears 'Superfan' George Wendt From Saturday Night Live Skits
The Chicago Bears have not won a Super Bowl since their 46-10 drubbing of the New England Patriots back in 1986, a time when quarterback Jim McMahon led the team's offense and the Bears' unique 46 defense changed the way defense was played. On Tuesday, the sports and entertainment worlds received news of the passing of former Chicago Bears 'Superfan' George Wendt, who played the iconic comedic role on the Saturday Night Live show, filmed live in New York City since October 1975. Fans mourned the passing of Wendt, who led a gregarious band of Bears, Bulls and Blackhawks superfans on the show featuring SNL cast members Mike Myers, Chris Farley and others during the time it captured hearts and minds on the popular TV show. "RIP, George Wendt," the X page CHGO Bears wrote along with a .GIF of Wendt's famous catch phrase, 'Da Bears!" Born George Robert Wendt, Jr., his SNL character was known as Norm the Superfan, who spent plenty of time in Chicago area bars with his friends discussing Chicago sports in a hilarious and colorful way. Wendt grew up in Beverly on the city's south side, the son of Loretta Mary and George Robert Wendt. His Chicagoland upbringing gave him a clear window into the mannerisms of Chicago area fans, which he brought to his world famous SNL skits. Wendt also starred on the world famous 'Cheers' TV show, 1999's 'Alice in Wonderland,' and the 1990-1997 series 'Wings.' Fans and journalists posted their favorite clips from Wendt's SNL appearances of the man who was also known as actor Jason Sudeikis' uncle. Wendt, born in 1948, was 76 at the time of his death. "Drinks on the house Norm," one fan wrote. "Da Bears! RIP Norm!" another added. "Southsider from Christ the King parish. Good man. RIP George," another added.
Daily Maverick
24-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Maverick
The tax implications of an RA, unit trust and tax-free investment
Investors need to consider various tax implications when comparing the three product options. Question: I am 55 years old and earn R25,000 a month. I have no retirement savings and want to invest R5,000 a month to supplement my spouse's pension. Should I invest this in a retirement annuity (RA), unit trust or tax-free investment? Answer: Each of these products has its own tax structure in terms of tax breaks when you invest the money; tax on the investment build-up; and tax applied to any withdrawals. You will need to take these into account when comparing the three product options. (See the table below.) I will take you through the typical calculations a financial planner would make. For the calculations, I will work on you investing R5,000 a month for the next 10 years. I have assumed that inflation will be 5% and that the investment returns will be inflation +4%. Retirement annuity The R5,000 investment you make to the RA will come off your taxable income. This will save you an amount of R1,300 in tax each month. (See table on the top right.) You can invest this additional R1,300 a month in an RA, which means your R5,000 investment is actually R6,300, with the South African Revenue Service (SARS) in effect contributing the additional R1,300. If you invest R6,300 a month for 10 years, the investment should be worth R1,203,842. Now, with an RA, you are allowed to take one-third as a lump sum and the balance as a pension. (See the table below.) As you haven't taken a retirement lump sum before, the full amount of the lump sum will be free of tax, as the first R550,000 of a retirement lump sum is not taxed. It is recommended that you take a 5% drawdown from your retirement capital. This will give you R40,128 a year. This is too low to attract income tax, so your income and lump sum would be tax-free. (See the table below.) Tax-free investments and unit trusts You can only invest a maximum of R3,000 a month in a tax-free investment, so I will work on you investing the remaining R2,000 in a unit trust. After 10 years, the investment would be worth R1,007,288. (See the table below.) Drawings from the tax-free investment would not attract tax, whereas the drawdowns from the unit trust would trigger capital gains tax (CGT). However, the gain on these drawdowns should fall within the annual R40,000 CGT exclusion, so no tax is payable. The key difference is that the tax break when you invest the premiums makes the retirement annuity (RA) an attractive option. Returns I did some calculations and the unconstrained investments would have to deliver returns that are 5% better than the RA for the end value of the investment to be better than the RA. So, unless this can be achieved by the tax-free and unit trust portfolio, the RA would provide the best solution. DM Kenny Meiring is an independent financial adviser. Contact him on 082 856 0348 or at Send your questions to [email protected] This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Good luck figuring out the Air Force's algorithm for shaving waivers
The Department of the Air Force's process for determining if airmen and Space Force guardians should receive medical waivers for shaving is about as indecipherable as the infamous flow chart about counterinsurgency operations in Afghanistan from years ago. A document from a Louisiana Air National Guard unit that was posted on Reddit includes the Air Force's 'algorithm' — a 20-step flowchart — for determining if airmen should get shaving waivers for Pseudofolliculitis Barbae, or PFB, a painful skin condition made worse by shaving. The flowchart provides a breakdown of which symptoms are common for PFB and which might indicate another shaving issue. It also includes several possible courses of action, including prescribing hydrocortisone to treat inflammation, allowing airmen and guardians to use electric clippers instead of razors to keep their facial hair slightly longer, and, in some cases, laser therapy. But it can be difficult for the layman to trace a path on the chart from diagnosis to treatment, and it is not clear what the requirements are for issuing a shaving waiver. An Air Force official confirmed to Task & Purpose on Wednesday that the flow chart is authentic, but it was meant for medical providers, not airmen. The flowchart is intended to help medical providers determine if airmen and guardians have PFB or another type of skin irritation that could be caused by local factors, such as a high mineral content in the water or the dryness of the air, the official said. Once the medical providers have diagnosed the issue, they can decide whether to issue a waiver or pursue an alternative medical treatment. Common in up to 60% of Black men, PFB is a condition in which facial hair grows back into the skin, causing inflammation, according to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology. Shaving 'sharpens the ends of the hairs like a spear,' exacerbating the condition, the college's website says. 'A 100% effective treatment is to let the beard grow. Once the hairs get to be a certain length they will not grow back into the skin,' the website says. But U.S. military leaders have long maintained that service members need to be clean-shaven to wear oxygen and gas masks, even though Great Britain and other countries permit their troops to have beards. Last year, Congress required the Air Force secretary to brief lawmakers about a potential pilot program that would allow airmen and guardians to grow beards. Then, in January, the Air Force announced that all airmen and guardians with medical profiles for shaving would need to be evaluated by a healthcare professional within 90 days of their next annual Periodic Health Assessment to receive another shaving waiver. The change, which does not apply to religious accommodation shaving waivers, reversed a 2020 policy that allowed airmen and guardians diagnosed with PFB to be issued waivers for five years without annual renewals. Shortly before the policy update was announced, Air Force Chief of Staff David Allvin announced the service would conduct more formations and uniform inspections and review policies and standards that look at 'waivers and the exceptions.' Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also announced a review in March that will look at how all the military services' physical fitness, body composition, and grooming standards have changed over the past decade. That review 'includes but is not limited to beards,' he wrote. 'High standards are what made the United States military the greatest fighting force on the planet,' Hegseth wrote in the March 12 memo. 'The strength of our military is our unity and our shared purpose. We are made stronger and more disciplined with high, uncompromising, and clear standards.' Top enlisted leader of Air Force Special Operations Command fired amid investigation The Marine in one of the most famous recruiting commercials is now in Congress 75th Ranger Regiment wins 2025 Best Ranger Competition Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer reenlists in Marine Reserve Air Force pilots get a new way to pee at 30,000 feet
