THE hippies used to say ‘never trust anybody over 30’. It was a mantra of the 60s counterculture movement with its admonishment of ‘squares’ and anyone in a suit. It’s the same with all generations, of course.
Now, the hippies are the boomers, the flower power children who set about changing the world but gave us hypercapitalism, €4 cappuccinos and a planet choking on the fumes we’ve created in the process. And today’s Generation Z youngsters certainly don’t trust them. Life comes at you fast, man.
The rebels who started 2FM probably felt the same back in the heady days of pirate radio when the Gerry Ryans and Dave Fannings and the Larry Gogans were the epitome of cool. Now at 45, the station has the bang of one of those university Ents officers who is still hanging around the campus decades later.
These days 2FM is haemorrhaging presenters (read ‘influencers’) faster than the Tories are losing election candidates. The 2 Johnnies, Doireann Garrihy, Jennifer Zamparelli .... If this continues I might have to consider tuning in again!
They are leaving for a number of reasons, but chief amongst them must be RTÉ’s changing approach to how it treats the commercial interests of presenters. Good riddance, I say. There are enough commercial radio stations pumping out mediocre dance music 24/7 around Ireland. I don’t see why RTÉ needs to compete in this space.
Under the right stewardship, the State broadcaster might give us our own version of BBC Radio 6. Wouldn’t it be great to have a station that can cover some of the amazing music and culture that is taking place around the country week-in and week-out? Other Voices has long been keeping this flame lit for music in its own independent way. There’s no doubt that it would be a more niche station, but isn’t that what public service broadcasting is all about?
Whether they continue with the same brand and name or not, I’m not sure. Perhaps it’s time to admit defeat when it comes to 2FM. It was a fine station in its day and an important cultural watershed. But times have changed, the sands have shifted and RTÉ needs to somehow rediscover the innovative spark that brought that station about in the first place and use it to create something new.
Crisps row is smokin’ hot
I’VE been a committed Europhile for as long as I can remember. But this week, I was shocked and horrified to hear that they are trying to kill our Bacon Fries.
Yes, Simon Coveney had pub snacks on the brain all week as he went to Brussels to try to convince the bureaucrats in Brussels to leave our Smokey Bacon alone.
Last month, the EU approved a phasing out of various smoke flavourings currently added to meats, sauces and crisps, citing concerns about the toxicity of the flavourings as ‘either confirmed or not ruled out’. Coveney was doing his best to convince them that an extension was needed, given the effects it could have on our agrifood industry.
Is this our ‘bendy bananas’ moment, I wonder? Are any of the Euro election candidates on the doorsteps going to promise to go out and bring home the bacon?
Turbulent times ahead
I’VE never been a great flyer even though my work gives me little choice.
I know it’s irrational but something in me fundamentally disagrees with ceding control to a complete stranger in a tin box 30,000ft up in the air.
I’ve found ways around it over the years, breathing techniques help, not drinking helps and distracting myself with music and podcasts certainly helps.
Focusing on probabilities helps less, but it is true that you are statistically more likely to die getting out of the shower or on the roads, especially the way people have been driving in this country since lockdown ended.
So it doesn’t help one iota to hear about the flights falling rapidly in the sky this week, even if just momentarily, including one travelling from Doha to Dublin this week.
Scientists believe that the increase in turbulence, especially the dangerous invisible kind experienced by the passengers involved in this week’s incidents, is helped by global warming and incidents like this will continue to increase as the atmosphere heats up.
Six passengers and six crew members had reported injuries during the incident on the flight to Dublin, with the staff continuing to serve the passengers for the remaining five hours of the flight despite what they had been through. Fair play to them.
Ultimately, it’s reassuring that both planes landed without a hitch, and these machines are generally kept in incredible working order by the airlines we are lucky to have in this part of the world. So the fear of some bumps is not going to stop me travelling. I’ll be keeping the seat belt on at all times as usual, though. And maybe wearing a bicycle helmet when I go to use the toilet.
A pun that’s lager than life
A LINCOLNSHIRE brewery made headlines earlier in the week when a new release of theirs sold out within days. Mitchell Brewing Company’s Osama Bin Lager beer went viral on social media and demand was so high that staff had to turn off their phones and close their website.
There are plenty of other options in the brewery’s menu, however. They also brew a Putin Porter, a Winston Churchpale and a Kim Jong Ale. The puns alone are enough to make you goggle-eyed.
