Do this in Ireland next please. And add a couple of zeros for good measure. And seize the unlicensed properties and convert them to social housing.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

Tall buildings in other cities get nicknamed. I’m going to suggest The Carbuncle for this one. I’m not against tall buildings in general, but this one is truly hideous, and totally out of place in that location.

Neither the Minister for Housing, nor the Taoiseach, nor the Tánaiste, nor any other cabinet minister made themselves available to Prime Time or the other major news bulletins this evening to talk about their absolutely critical 6 year plan. They don’t believe in it themselves. No one else should.

In better news, there was minimal phone use at the Baxter Dury gig, which was excellent. I took one bad photo as a keepsake.

There isn’t a single thing mentioned in this RTÉ report that would give you the slightest confidence that this government knows how to move the needle on housing. A plan a year in the making and they have spectacularly failed to grasp to nettle.

Going to a gig as a punter for a change. Looking forward to the the music and the show. Hoping that the expected slightly older crowd might not be as inclined to video the whole thing on their phones. Time will tell!

Memeception

FFG has been told by a state department that it has fucked up housing so badly that even if tries quite hard (which it steadfastly refuses to do) it’ll take at least 15 years to catch up. So FFG has decided to point the finger at asylum seekers to deflect and distract, consequences be damned.

Simon Harris’s comments on immigration won’t win FG any new votes and will alienate some of their existing base. It happened to Sinn Fein when they tied something similar. It has happened to both Labour and the Conservatives in the UK. It’s incredibly poor leadership after their electoral defeat.

The constitution worked perfectly. It kept grifters, layabouts, and the ultra entitled off the ballot paper, and saved us weeks of racist, xenophobic, homophobic, and transphobic dog whistles in the process. You wanted to be on the ballot? You had 7 years to figure out your plan. #spoofers #aras25

Only FFG could preside over a housing emergency for over a decade and *still* be making things worse not better year after year. It’s also generally accepted that we need roughly 60K new units p/a just to stand still, so setting a target of 41K is just them saying “we don’t want to solve anything”.

My big take away from that debate was that Heather Humphreys, like many modern politicians, is incapable of directly answering a question, preferring to stick to and repeat talking points. Catherine Connolly seemed to be at least trying to directly engage with the questions. #rtept #aras25

Amazing what can be done when “viability” aka profit isn’t the only thing concerning developers.

Anyone willing to listen to Ivan Yates is already voting for Humphreys, but hopefully some undecided people see it for the smug, entitled, dishonest bullshit it is, and it helps push them towards Connolly.

The attention economy has acted like a black hole on the whole concept of news and journalism, (mostly) shifting it away from reporting on difficult but important concepts like the commodification of housing, climate issues and wealth inequality, and replacing it with constant rage bait stories.

Topology

OK I chuckled a bit Poker Face Season 2

Reason number ♾️+1 why I’ve permanently deleted my Facebook and Instagram accounts, and would dearly love to ditch WhatsApp if only others would stop using it … 🤦‍♂️

The presumably more successful e-scooter drugs mules in D7 appear to have upgraded to deafeningly unmuffled motorbikes now, and love nothing better than tearing up and down Manor Street and its environs at all hours. The dangerous driving is bad enough but it’s the noise level that makes me 🤬.

Just saw a nauseating new way to describe an overpriced block of build to rent apartments: “A new rental community” 🤢🤮 Everything about build to rent is by its very nature anti community.

I voted for Eoin Hayes, and deeply regret it. I didn’t know he had worked for Palantir, and wouldn’t have voted for him if I had. Some of that is on me for not digging deeper myself before voting, but I think the Soc Dems showed very poor judgement by running him in the first place.

Today, 30 years ago, I was right down the front of this all day.

This sounds like heaven, and 💯 what I’d spend a Euromillions win doing in Ireland.

Would totally rock this ngl

A really concise summary of the negative impacts we can expect from the recent changes to apartment standards in this chat between @orla-hegarty.bsky.social and Rory Hearne.

Scruffy orange T-shirt selfie experiments

I saw a Tesla yesterday near Sandycove with one of those “I bought this before Elon went crazy” stickers on the back. The car was on a 2023 reg. You ma’am or sir were simply not paying attention. 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️

One of the reports about Horner being fired from Red Bull suggests it follows pressure from Verstappen’s team for changes in Horner’s responsibilities. So I’m guessing Horner wouldn’t acquiesce and paid the price. It would also suggest that Verstappen isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

The Minister for Housing is finally admitting we’re in a housing emergency. He could seize vacant and derelict properties, or ban AirBnBs, or invest in fast delivery modular and 3D printing tech. Instead he’s reducing apartment sizes, removing the need for cultural spaces and enriching developers.

“The Minister will tell Government colleagues that the proposed changes will cut building costs by between €50,000 to €100,000 per apartment.” Every penny of which will end up in developers’ pockets rather than lower prices and locking potential residents into a significantly lower quality of life.

The world's loosest shackles 🏠

The top Gaza story on the BBC homepage is about 2 US aid workers being injured. Meanwhile …

I’ve already stopped using a bunch of software and services that have added rubbish features dubbed “AI”. They have all jacked up their prices because they have sunk a fortune into the AI goldrush and are starting to realise no one wants to pay for it. I hope they go bust.

I’m heartbroken at the news of Keith from Optimo’s sudden and serious illness.

Even if you can’t bring yourself to watch this film (I haven’t yet, but will), you should read this review. I hope it generates the outrage it deserves to, and helps bring war criminals to justice.

The most shocking thing I read in all the Glastonbury coverage was in an article by the BBC about the BBC’s own coverage. It mentioned “the accusation that Israel is committing genocide”, followed by the statement “which it denies”, and left it at that to go back to some more pearl clutching.

I hope the Lana crowd have their ponchos ready because I’ve never seen a blacker cloud than the one heading east over the city now! ⛈️🌧️☔️

Delighted to see that @cmatbaby.bsky.social seems to be the breakout star of Glastonbury this year. She has put in the graft and deserves the success.

Solidarity with Budapest ✊ Solidarity with Ballymena ✊ 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🌈

A very happy and uplifting #Pride to the crowds assembling in #Dublin, who can enjoy the march and the day because of the hard work of brave people standing up for everyone over decades. Those marching in #Budapest and #Ballymena today are doing that same work - more power to them! 🌈

It is kind of amazing just how clear the water is in Dublin Bay these days compared to when I was a kid. #goodnews

Every day I have less and less interest in ever returning to the US. It seems like such a simple & stupid policy, but it will have real knock on effects. Imagine LGBTQ employees asked to travel to the US for work forced to out themselves because of their personal social accounts.

If you care at all about trans rights you should avoid this tv show like the plague, even if Potter was something special to you in the past. Boycotts work, and take nearly no effort on your part.

It’s hard not to believe that the attacks on Iran aren’t just a media distraction when you see another headline like this not being the lead story of the day.

One of the most interesting side effects of not being on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, as well as only using paid streaming for TV, is that I see nearly no advertising in my day to day life. I can highly recommend it.

Just got an unexpected wave of sadness seeing some of the Gardaí on the street for the Stoneybatter street party openly carrying guns. Sign of the times I guess especially after the stabbing incident a while back.

This made me smile. 🙂

Not too sure about the video but I would have repeatedly lost my mind to this track in my twenties. Doing the nearly 49 version of this by listening to it on repeat while I stroll into town on a Sunday afternoon. 🤷‍♂️😅

This really well done, and fun for anyone with even a passing grade in Daft Punk fandom.