Ireland's Big Issue 265 (July 2021)

Digital Edition July 2021 Is 265 Vol 19

The Body Coach -

JOE WICKS “This has been a REALLY tough year but things ARE going to get BETTER.”

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Page 4

made us all laugh as Dr. Crane but his own life was far from joyous. Shaun Anthony reports:

Letter to my Younger Self – Julie Graham

Page 22

Actress Julie Graham (55) has a word with her teenage self.

Fr. Luigi Ciotti on the Fight Against Mafias Luigi Ciotti is an Italian priest committed to the fight against organised crime. This issue he discusses modern mafias and the steps that can be taken to eradicate them.

Page 6 Dublin Teen Helping the Homeless Brandon O’Connor uses experiences gained from childhood to help the city’s homeless.

Page 8 The Academic on Death Row Sineád Dunlop looks at the case of Ahmadreza Djalali, an expert in emergency medicine who could be executed at any time on trumped-up charges.

Digital Edition Contacts:

Page 12

Editor: Sean Kavanagh Ireland’s Big Issue Email: info@irelandsbigissue.com

Profiting from Pain: The Billionaires & GPs that Caused an Epidemic

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It’s been called “the worst public health epidemic in U.S. history” and 8 members of one Big Pharma family firm Purdue have contributed to much of the problem - the opioid epidemic that is destroying whole communities across America. Sam McMurdock reports.

Page 28 ‘Heat Officers’ Take Aim at Climate Change’s ‘Silent Killer’ As urban areas worldwide face a growing threat from heatwaves, they are starting to plan ways to protect their most vulnerable residents. Carey L. Biron reports.

Page 30 Quick-Fire Questions with the Body Coach’s Joe Wicks

In occasional issues we sit a celebrity down on the hot seat and ask them some quick fire questions. This issue, Joe Wicks (MBE) the world’s favourite fitness coach takes on the challenge.

Regulars

20/21 – Photo World 26/27 – Screen Scene 32 - Book reviews

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Kelsey Grammer: The Tragedies that Made the Cheers & Frasier Star

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Issues: Life

Letter to my Younger Self Julie Graham

Each issue we asked a well-known face to write a letter to their 16-year-old self. This issue, Scottish actress Julie Graham (55), best known for her stellar performances in the likes of ‘Benidorm’ and ‘Queens of Mystery’ takes the challenge.

Hey you. Being sixteen is tough. You are in the twilight zone between adolescence and adulthood. People treat you in confusing ways, they give you responsibility you don’t always want and then when you f*ck up they blame you for not being responsible enough.

You know what? Life is about f*cking up, that never changes, the only thing that changes is how well you fail.

Surround yourself with people who get you, never waste time on people who don’t because they never will. Be eclectic in your taste in music, film, art, poetry.

Immerse yourself in it. It will nurture you. It’ll certainly make you more interesting! Be the person you want to sit next to at a dinner party. Find your passion.

Read. Books are your friends. They will expand your mind and broaden your horizons, so read more!

Failure is the way we learn so don’t ever be afraid of it. Be spectacular in your failures. Dream big. Be brave. Stick your neck out. Go after the things you want with abandon and gusto. Your only limits are the ones you impose on yourself.

Be proud of yourself, you have been through a lot in your young life and you are much more well adjusted than you give yourself credit for. Don’t ever believe that girls can’t do things because boys say they can’t. Be fierce. You will end up being a mouthy feminist so you may as well embrace it now!

Never listen to people who criticise your choices because chances are they’re terrified of you doing something they’re too chicken Dream big. Be brave. Stick to do. Life is scary sometimes your neck out. but don’t let fear cripple you.

Love your body but love You do not ever want to look your mind more. Never compare back and regret not doing something or yourself to others. It’s a terrible waste of time achieving something because of fear. and energy, it will only ever make you unhappy. Believe it Ask questions. Be curious about the world or not, other people want to be YOU! 4

You’re funny so allow yourself to be funny, surround and sit on those beaches basking in the beauty of youth. yourself with funny people because they will sustain you You are free in ways you can’t imagine. Love people with through anything. Do not give boys all the power. You alacrity! You will get it back in buckets. have no idea how much power you have, so don’t squander it. Don’t Finally - be Everyone’s let that nicer to favourite lockdown a*sehole your mum. binge-watch was who I know she’s definitely Benidorm. dumps annoying you and irritates because you beyond Julie as as the fiesty you cut belief, but Sheron Dawson your hair that’s her occupy job and she another loves you second more than of your you’ll ever time. He’s know. You a D*CK! will lose her Keep soon which up your you couldn’t healthy possibly disrespect of authority but be smarter about it. have predicted, so try and appreciate her while she’s still Remember what your granny around and don’t be eaten up with guilt said, honey catches when she’s not there any more Believe in yourself and don’t feel more flies than vinegar! restricted because of where you come from because it’s a wasted emotion.

As soon as you lose Know this. Everything will be your temper you lose the alright in the end. So don’t sweat the argument. You’re a fiery Celt so it’s small stuff kid. You’re at the beginning of an part of your DNA but don’t allow your fury to cloud amazing adventure. I’m proud of you and I love you very your judgement. Cool your jets! much. x Don’t get that perm, you’ll look like a poodle!! Too late, ok, well you live and learn!. You’re sixteen so of course you’re bound to be a bit self absorbed but never forget to be kind. Kindness is a valuable commodity and a much underrated virtue. You will be on the receiving end of it many times in your life so start early, you’ll never ever regret being kind.

Believe in yourself and don’t feel restricted because of where you come from, you really can be anything and anyone you want to be. You will experience a lot of self doubt but that will only hold you back so believe in yourself more. You have talents laying dormant within you so eek them out and set them free! Playing a musical instrument is sexy! Don’t give up learning the guitar!

You’ll only have to learn it when you’re really busy and don’t have the time so do it NOW!

More recently, as Cat Stone in Queens of Mystery.

(Season 2 coming soon).

Live in the moment more because your life speeds up at an alarming rate, so take time to watch those sunsets 5

Issues: Making a Difference

“Young People Care Too” - How Dublin Teen Used His Mother’s Homelessness & Addiction to Help Others

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randon O’Connor decided to use everything he had learned from childhood when his mother was homeless and an addict to help others living through similar challenges. Samantha McMurdock recently spoke with the inspirational teenager.

Brandon O’Connor from Donaghmede, Co. Dublin decided to use everything he had learned from childhood when his mother was homeless and an addict to help others living through similar challenges. Samantha McMurdock spoke with the inspirational teenager who is training to be a paramedic and manages a team of 25 volunteers in his passion project, Dublin Homeless Awareness.

had to be something personal that they were passionate about. O’Connor, now 19 knew immediately that his assignment would involve helping the homeless and drug addicts of Dublin as his mother and members of his family had experienced both.

Brandon set up a volunteer group and named it Dublin Homeless Awareness, impressively recruited twentyfive equally spirited volunteers (between the ages of 16 and 25) and had them all first aid trained. Brandon, a naturally reserved young man who is training to be a paramedic (currently doing his pre-paramedic course and starting his full paramedic training in September, with the ultimate dream of employment with the Fire Brigade) speaks with conviction and unreserved fervour when explaining how he was determined to turn a negative situation into a positive legacy,

We rarely hear the positive news stories about teenagers.

We hear only the negative sound bites, which, if reflected upon would have us believe the next generation are chiefly comprised of apathetic technology addicts right up to anti-social thugs. This is simply not true, and whilst not all teens are quite as dedicated and visionary as Brandon O’Connor from Donaghmede, Co. Dublin, there are many other inspirational young people out there and it’s time we talked about them.

Dublin Homeless Awareness is Born

“My mother was homeless and Brandon O’Connor a drug addict when I was “I want to help my community and there’s was in his Transition young …. I know how loads of good teenagers who want to give Year (TY) of high my mother behaved back to their communities.” school (for those in and I know how other drug the north and elsewhere, TY is an addicts behave and I believed I could help. optional one-year programme taken after the Junior I know how to interact whilst also keeping myself safe Certificate) when the class was asked to undertake a and I knew I could turn my experience into a plan to project of their choosing - the only stipulation - it help others….. I think the media really believes all young 6

people are no good but our slogan is ‘Young people care too’, because we do … I want to help my community and there’s loads of good teenagers who want to give back to their communities.”

Brandon and his team see between 100 and 200 people each night and he tells me of the “loneliness” facing many individuals on the streets, especially during lockdowns when, “…they’ve no one to ask for money and nobody to interact with… it’s very sad…”

aren’t just people to me, they’re friends I genuinely care for and I need to know we’re doing everything we can, with what we’ve got to take care of them.”

It must be hard to wind-down though at the end of a hard night in Dublin’s city centre?

“I have to just turn off and not think about it. If you don’t make time for a social life it’d get to you.”

Your mother must be very proud of what you’ve achieved.

O’Connor explains that despite the streets being “really quiet after 9pm,” they are incredibly busy,

“She really is, and now she wants to become involved as well, which really speaks for itself I think.”

I think a lot of young people would like to do something to give back but, to be fair, it’s a daunting task starting a charity or setting up a project, for anyone, never mind a teenager. Any advice for young folks out there?

“There’s a lot of loneliness at the minute, mental health issues, for many having somebody to talk to is crucial and a hot cup of tea and a sandwich is always “Just because you’ve maybe appreciated. We see a lot of ulcers, infections and such dropped out of school, don’t let that be the end of and if our first responders feel they need it, don’t allow that to be your story. I dropped a hospital, we arrange out of school but wanted that.” to do something with “Just because you’ve maybe dropped out of my life , which is school, don’t let that be the end of it, don’t allow that to be Dublin Homeless why I signed up to your story.”

Awareness operate a paramedic course. on limited funds which Always remember, when makes Brandon’s quest at getting the show on things go wrong or don’t turn out like you’d the road all the more admirable, hoped, you can work your way around it and make something positive from it. Use opportunities you’re “I remember trying to get started, trying really hard to given, do things that will look good on a C.V, even if get donations, to get sponsorships and to this day this you’re not doing great at school, you can still make a is difficult. We’re in Phase 1 towards obtaining charity success of your life. I’m proof of that.” status, so hopefully we will have charity status next month as that would mean we’d get food donations from FoodCloud, sponsorships from businesses and Please follow Dublin Homeless Awareness: such and we need full charity status to get those things we need so badly.”

On Instagram: @dublin_homeless_awareness Facebook: Dublin Homeless Awareness Brandon becomes quite emotional when telling me about Twitter: @DublinAwareness the number of homeless people on their rounds who are TikTok: @dublinhomelessawareness being assaulted “for fun” by youths, You can also donate at: “We desperately need funding…. we’re determined as a team that these assaults will stop, which is why https://uk.gofundme.com/f/support-dublin-homelesswe spread ourselves around those areas to ensure the awareness homeless and vulnerable are completely safe. They 7

Issues: Human rights

A Call to Action:

Ahmadreza Djalali - The Academic on Death Row

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ineád Dunlop looks at the case of Ahmadreza Djalali, an expert in emergency medicine who could be executed at any time on trumped-up charges.

In April 2016 Iranian-national Ahmadreza Djalali left his home in Stockholm, Sweden to take a two-week work trip to Tehran. Ahmadreza Djalali, a doctor with expertise in emergency medicine, was invited by the University of Tehran and Shiraz University as he was in great demand for the academic quality of his seminars and lectures globally. He never returned.

A fortnight later he was faced with charges of espionage and collaboration with Israel, (they say he was passing on classified information to Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency to help them assassinate Iranian nuclear scientists) the proof being a supposed letter from his wife, which was said to contain proof of the accusations. His family was not told where he was for ten days though they knew he had been arrested. After being held at an unknown location for a week, he was moved to section 209 of Who is Ahmadreza Djalali?

Evin prison where he was held for 7 months. During the calls made to his family, Djalali said he had been held in Ahmadreza was a key figure in establishing the Research solitary confinement for three months, and the following Centre in Emergency and Disaster in Italy and has months in partial been part of isolation. important Happier times with wife and children studies on Djalali is Charged. the level of preparedness On 31st January of hospitals 2017, after 9 months for disasters. in jail, Djalali was Published taken to branch 15 studies he coof the Revolutionary authored have Court (a special also looked system of courts in at hospital the Islamic Republic preparedness of Iran designed to for try those suspected earthquakes, of crimes like man-made blaspheming or trying conflicts, chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear to overthrow the Islamic government) in Tehran where emergencies. Such is Djalali’s expertise that he was he was formally charged with espionage and informed offered a fellowship by Harvard and Greg R. Ciottone, he could face the death penalty. His lawyer was not Director of the Division of Disaster Medicine, described allowed to be present at the hearing and he was denied him as, access to the case files. After more months of detention, “….a strong academician and leader. As a he was sentenced to death on Disaster Medicine fellow, you will 21st October 2017, His lawyer was not allowed to be represent all of us through on the charge your academic diligence, present at the hearing and he was of ‘corruption professionalism, and conduct.” on earth’. He denied access to the case files. was then locked Considering these accolades up at Evin prison. its unsettling to realise that this great In November 2017, the academic is currently on death row. How did this UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention formally happen? When he arrived in Iran in April 2016 he was petitioned the Iranian Government to provide detailed arrested upon order of the Ministry of Intelligence information about his detention, but it got no response. and Security without a valid warrant or reason for arrest. Near the end of 2017, Iranian state TV presented him as 8

a spy and showed his alleged confession which, according Tehran Using People as Pawns to Djalali, was a pre-written text that he was forced to say under threats of death, and harming his family. Attempts The list of foreign nationals and dual citizens Iran has by his legal team to submit appeals for judicial review of detained for spying is long. Human rights groups accuse the sentence have been Tehran of using them as rejected. pawns to gain concessions Djalali has lost stones in weight from foreign governments.

Death Sentence Could Be Carried Out Ahmedreza dedicated his Anytime PhD thesis to the people of Iran, writing on the first In November 2020, page: Djalali was transferred “To the people killed or to solitary confinement. affected by disasters around Prosecution authorities the world especially the told Amnesty people of the Bam city in International that Iran.”

Djalali’s death sentence was now a matter of Little did he know its weeks and could be government would seek carried out any time. to kill him and I’m sure UN rights experts asked he never believed that Iranian authorities his degree in emergency to retract the death medicine could lead to sentence of Djalali. death row. His wife says all Amnesty encouraged the he ever wanted to do was international community save lives and prevent the to intervene immediately repeat of such disasters. into the matter to halt the capital punishment.

Robbed of Family Life Ahmadreza’s health has Ahmadreza’s daughter has been rapidly deteriorating followed in his footsteps and since his arrest, blood tests taken in 2018 showed a is at the same university where her father defended his low white blood cell count. He was PhD, studying medicine. It’s very sad examined at the beginning that her father did not see Djalali never believed that his of January 2019 by a her graduate high school GP at Evin prison; he or any of her other degree in emergency medicine was recommended to milestones because of could lead to death row. be seen by a specialist trumped-up charges. in haematology in hospital, but this appeal was rejected.

On 1st March past, a group of Recommended follow-up examinations have also been civil rights activists appeared before the Judiciary Services rejected. Djalali has lost around 4 stone in weight since Office in Tehran to file a suit against those who order or his arrest. The World Medical Association has taken enforce solitary confinement in Iran’s detention centres up his case and its president, Ketan Desai wrote to the and prisons, bringing to the fore public discussion in Iranian authorities stating that the conditions Djalali Iran of a longstanding practice that the UN has labelled is being held in fail to comply with medical ethics and torture. human rights law.

On 18th March UN human rights experts demanded the In 2017, 75 Nobel prize winners wrote an open letter immediate release of Djalali due to his critical condition to the Iranian authorities asking for Ahmadreza’s after over 100 days in solitary confinement, a form of immediate release. Seven months ago, 150 Nobel punishment used systematically by the Islamic Republic Laurates sent another letter to Iranian Supreme Leader of Iran despite being a violation of Iran’s obligations Ali Khamenei, asking him to intervene and release the under the International Covenant on Civil and Political doctor. Still no success.

Rights.

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Since the Iran hostage crisis (from 4 November 1979 to 20 January 1981) the Islamic Republic of Iran has engaged in a pattern of detaining foreign nationals for extended periods. Dual nationals are particularly vulnerable to arbitrary detention because Iran does not recognise dual nationality and the Iranian government uses imprisoned foreign nationals as bargaining chips in its dealings with other nations. Back in 2017, Reuters reported that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had arrested, “….at least 30 dual nationals during the past two years, mostly on spying charges.”

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According to Human Rights Watch, “Iranian authorities have violated detainees’ due process rights and carried out a pattern of politically motivated arrests.”

PLEASE HELP! We all need to do something to put pressure on Iran - please sign the pro forma letter

by Googling ‘Amnesty International, Ahmadreza Djalali’. As I write this, Amnesty have 59,682 signatures and need 65,000. Time is literally running out!

ear Editor

With fatal stabbings happening every week in London, with teenagers murdering fellow teenagers and some victims as young as 13, we should be very concerned that a similar outbreak of callous killings do not happen here.

connection with the senseless murder of a 48-year-old mother in a 40 second mugging incident, we are already on the brink of London style mayhem, action must be taken before its too late..

Recent happenings in Dublin city centre should concern us all. Feral little thugs who think they are big men use the cover of gangs to caused havoc. It is difficult to watch such scenes and worse still to see the lack of police presence.

P Rothery Dublin

Got a letter for the editor?

If we are to recover post pandemic, such behaviour must be nipped in the bud. It is not enough that these little brats are given a wrap on the knuckles when they do eventually appear in court, there must be proper deterrents. They should be obliged to make recompense by being put to work. Yes, work; I know that is anathema to most of them but there should be a system where this is an option. They could be obliged to work under the supervision of a special army unit for a period of time, perhaps complete a six month intensive course similar to basic training, this might instil in them discipline and a degree of self-respect and ultimately an ability to participate in a meaningful way in society. Suspended sentences and the like clearly do not work, it is time to be innovative and use the army’s special skills to allow these youths to mature.

Email Sean: info@irelandsbigissue.com

With a young boy of 14 already held in custody in 10

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Issues: Health

Medical Scandal: Profiting from Pain - The Billionaires & GPs That Caused an Epidemic

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t’s been called “the worst public health epidemic in U.S. history” and eight members of one ‘Big Pharma family firm Purdue’ have contributed to much of the problem the opioid epidemic that has, and is destroying whole communities across America.

It would be nice to believe that the medical industry is there to keep us healthy, but the reality is poor health equals big bucks and unfortunately Big Pharma can become so unprincipled in it’s quest for these bucks that the fallout is quite shocking - in this case an opioid crisis that has been labelled “the worst public health epidemic in U.S. history”.

were dying each day from the drug, President Trump declared the problem “a national emergency”.

How Addiction Often Begins When many patients are in hospital they’re given OxyContin for chronic pain or after surgery unfortunately, patients easily fall into addiction cycles with withdrawal and many progress from these hospitaladministered drugs to stronger alternatives like Heroin or Fentanyl.

Research has shown a correlation between high opioid prescription rates and high overdose rates.

In America opioids cause 50,000 deaths each year, and this is just the very tip of the problem as innumerable lives and those of their families have been shattered through addiction.

What’s unnerving is that most of these tragedies was caused by one company - the Sackler family firm, Purdue who have created a multi-billion dollar empire from the pain and addiction of millions.

A staggering 80% of injectable drug users started with opioids like OxyContin.

80% of injectable drug users started with opioids (painkillers) like OxyContin.

Each year, over 214 million prescriptions for opioid painkillers have been dispensed, with more than 11 million people abusing the medication.

How it all began

The Sackler family firm Purdue aggressively pushed OxyContin to everyday users and corrupted the entire supply chain with their armies of sales reps paying off GPs, lobbying for favourable regulation and making billions of dollars profit whilst millions of people fell into

For those unaware of the opioid problem in the States, it all began when the Sackler family created their infamous painkiller OxyContin. In 2017, when over 100 people 12

catastrophic dependency. This unscrupulous family firm didn’t care about the habit-forming properties in their tablets - they cared only about the bottom line.

Who are the Sacklers?

People generally are not aware of them but the Sackler name is just about everywhere as they’ve invested a huge portion of their $15 billion wealth in countless art museums and universities (the Louvre Museum in Paris is one example) and it seems that the family is happy to have their surname on plaques of any prestigious institution that will take their money - unfortunately, most people do not associate these respected billionaire ‘philanthropists’ with the devastation caused by their flagship product.

a morphine-based drug to help cancer sufferers sleep called MS Contin and because the patients would soon die, addiction wasn’t an issue - but Purdue, ever determined to increase sales decided to release a version of MS Contin for general use - sadly, this would be the precursor to the drug that would create devastation.

The Sackler brothers hired their nephew Richard who was also a great advertising man and knowing the patent for MS Contin would be expiring at the end of the 90s looked for other uses for the drug. The use of morphine as an end of life drug stigmatised it from being more widely used, so Richard decided to diversify markets and started to produce the new drug Oxycontin, with the active ingredient Oxycodone replacing the Morphine.

Doctors falsely believed that Oxycodone was weaker than Morphine - in Aggressive actual fact Advertising Oxycodone was 50% The story of the stronger. In an Sacklers started unpublished in 1952 when study by psychiatrist Purdue in brothers, 1999, the Raymond, company Arthur and found that the Mortimer addiction rate bought a was 13% - not pharmaceutical 1% and the company called L-R: Raymond, Arthur & Mortimer Sackler spot an opportunity for market growth FDA even Purdue. The approved a & produce a version of MS Contin for general use - with devastating effects. three brothers claim that co-authored well OxyContin’s over 100 research papers on the biochemistry of mental delayed absorption reduced abuse – one of those who illness, with Arthur also doubling as an advertising gave approval then left the FDA and was employed by, pioneer in pharmaceuticals by using his research papers yes, I think you’ve guessed it – Purdue ! as leverage, he went on to make valium the first drug to pass 100 million sales and he did this by In 2015 Perdue was ….with the introduction of the marketing it to cover just about granted FDA invented medical term, psychic every ailment one can imagine, approval to tension, it could be prescribed to a and a new term (he concocted) market the drug much, much wider market… called ‘psychic tension’. to children as Previously, drugs like valium were young as 11. Almost strictly for conditions like anxiety only, but immediately after OxyContin with the introduction of the invented medical term was released, the cases of addiction became apparent but psychic tension, it could be prescribed to a much, much rather than admit it was highly addictive, the company wider market - literally anyone could fit the symptoms stated that patients were not taking the drug as directed. (and he knew that). Arthur Sackler was a member of the Medical Advertising Hall of Fame!

How Addiction Spread.

A New Sector In the ‘80s a new movement in medicine emerged - the hospice sector, and the Sacklers spotted an opportunity for market growth - their company, Purdue produced

Purdue started marketing their new drug heavily in 1995 - focusing it on the same market as MS Contin - the move was made to gain acceptance and integration of the drug into medical programmes, so initially ads were targeted very heavily at health professionals, and sales 13

reps were encouraged to lie about the addictive nature Unethical Behaviour Knows No Bounds of the drug; a promotional video (‘I Got My Life Back’

by Purdue Pharma L.P. 1998) was released extolling Purdue began targeting poor towns where labour was the benefits and Purdue began paying off all the links in the source of income as they figured higher instances the supply chain - distributors were guaranteed rebates, of workplace injury would equal higher potential use of pharmacists refunds and patients were given coupons OxyContin. The company also recorded information on for starter prescription supplies. quantities Academia - sadly this got their was so sales share in reps would grants, know which medical GPs to journals target (a bit were like casinos making targeting money from customers adverting who will the drug, spend politicians the most, were given Purdue was campaign targeting donations GPs who but the most would In 2010 when Purdue felt pressure to improve OxyContin’s reputation by making the pill important prescribe link was the harder to snort or inject, 33% of users turned to other drugs and of those a further 70% the most). started Heroin doctors Doctors’s GPs were flown in to seminars which were actually luxurious prescriptions for the drug was outnumbering actual golfing weekends, thousands of clinicians were paid to citizens in some towns - and unearthed emails between speak at conferences, prominent doctors on the Purdue Purdue sales reps reflected their excitement (many were payroll played down the negative effects of opioids. receiving six figure commissions) From 2006 - 2015 Purdue and others in the industry had “$$$$$$! It’s bonus time in the neighbourhood.” spent $900m in political payments and lobbying. They lobbied and encouraged regulations that encouraged Information soon emerged that the effects of OxyContin patients to rate pain 1-10, giving were only lasting 8 hours instead them a more tangible reason of 12, so Purdue knew Doctors falsely believed that to prescribe the drug. they had two options: Oxycodone was weaker than Morphine - in The company was doing increase the frequency actual fact Oxycodone was 50% stronger…. everything to make opioids of the dose or increase a viable medication for the dosage and intensify everyday use, in fact Esquire the potential for addiction, magazine’s Christopher Glazek stated, sadly they chose the latter. Sales reps were told to inform GPs to increase the dosage amount “The company rebranded pain relief as a sacred instead of the frequency and this created the perfect right: a universal narcotic entitlement available to cycle for addiction. The increased dosage would make every American.” the patient feel the effects of withdrawal and then they would have to take another tablet to put them at ease Business was now booming, between 1996 and 2001, again; this led to patients being prescribed more than OxyContin had grown from just under 300,000 they needed and as their tolerances grew, so did their prescriptions to 6 million! Opioid abuse cases started addiction! to rise to the surface which showed direct correlation between location of cases and volume of opioid prescriptions in that area.

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Lawsuits Unsurprisingly, countless patients have sued Purdue and been awarded millions of dollars out of court.

In one instance, a patient was awarded $10m and the case was sealed under confidentiality but Purdue admitted no wrongdoing or changing any practices. Purdue have always avoided any Sackler family member having to testify under oath.

produce it and the FDA agreed, but Purdue’s version remained on the market - their tactic had been to stop other companies making it - thus removing potential competitors.

International Markets

With its vile reputation, Purdue have looked to other markets (with less stringent regulations) to keep milking their cash cow. They In 2007 Purdue faced even started a new a suit from the Federal company, Mundi Kathe Sackler, left, and Ilene Sackler Lefcourt, her sister, in 2001 at Pharma. The FDA Government in which they were charged with a society event. The Sacklers rarely appear in public. wrote a letter to the a criminal felony on WHO (World Health purposefully pushing Organisation) warning misconceptions about OxyContin. The company them that Mundi was owned by the Sacklers. admitted they knew about the misconceptions GPs had about their drug and actively exploited it for profit. This The Irony! settlement cost them $600m. Despite countless Sacklers holding senior Three years ago the Sacklers positions in Purdue, none of their obtained a patent for a drug to names appeared in the 89-page guilty treat opioid addiction - hence plea! The Sackler name did appeared making money from the crisis on an agreement attached to the plea they created! which meant the government wouldn’t go after any of the listed entities related In 2019 the company reached to the family. The company’s eagerness a settlement of $270m to the to settle was to avoid anything going on state of Oklahoma for its part the public record. in the opioid epidemic (again, the family name was not used, Richard Sackler would later have to and possibly so they would not admit that the company knew that be called to testify, the Sacklers their drug was a powerful narcotic yet donated a further $75m to they played down the highly addictive Richard Sackler has tried to downplay advance Addiction Studies at the nature. local university). his family’s role in the opioid crisis In 2010 when the family felt the pressure to improve OxyContin’s reputation by making the pill harder to snort or inject, a third of users switched to other drugs and of those a further 70% started Heroin - this reformulation simply increased the rate at which people switched to cheaper and harder opioids (the reason for increased addiction and suicides post 2010).

Change of Heart or Protecting their Interests?

In 2013, with the OxyContin patent coming to an end, Purdue lobbied about the addictive qualities of the drug and asked that no other company be allowed to

There’s currently countless lawsuits against Purdue and the company, already in bankruptcy pleaded guilty to a series of felony charges The family have proposed to resolve bankruptcy by contributing more than $4 billion towards the opioid crisis. If the plan is agreed, they would admit no wrongdoing and be shielded from any future litigation while retaining a fortune of around $7 billion. Sadly, the settlement will meet only a fraction of the cost of the damage wreaked by OxyContin. * ‘Empire of Pain’ by Patrick Radden Keefe (Picador publishing) is out now in all good book shops & online.

15

Issues: Tales of Hollywood

Kelsey Grammer:

The Tragedies That Made the Cheers & Frasier Star

F

rasier actor Kelsey Grammer may have made us all laugh as Dr. Crane but his own life was far from joyous, with one tragedy after another robbing him of family and hope. Shaun Anthony reports:

Among the pantheon of remarkable TV stars, Kelsey Grammer is right up there with the best. He spent over 20 years as Dr. Frasier Crane in the Boston sitcom Cheers (’82-’93) and the equally (if not, more) popular spin-off Frasier (’93-’04), a show that followed the life of a snobby psychiatrist who offers his unique sharpwit to callers on his radio programme.

was particularly close to his grandfather who’d often tell him stories of the “family curse”. When Kelsey was 12 his grandfather and best friend died, aged just 63 from cancer. Grammer felt alone, confused and struggled to cope with the loss but felt he had to be a grown-up for his little sister.

His Father is Shot Dead The following year a man broke into his father’s home, shooting him dead,

“I suppose he lit a ring of fire On Frasier, Kelsey around his house and as my father Grammer’s Dr. Crane is came down to investigate what was a social climber, eagerly going on, he shot him several times pursuing fashionable and dad died,” he would later parties across Seattle and explain. Sadly, Grammer and his of course getting into family felt they did not receive the mischief with his pompous justice they deserved as the killer younger brother, Niles and was found not guilty by reason of their bad-tempered father, insanity.

Martin. Sadly, away from the TV set, Grammer’s life Kelsey found another father figure has not been remotely as in his TV dad Martin Crane entertaining; the 66-year(played by Blackpool-born actor, old Emmy and Golden John Mahoney). Even Globe winner has experienced when the TV show more tragedies in life ended, Grammer than most people Kelsey was particularly close to his grandand Mahoney would face in five father who’d often tell him stories of the “family remained “like lifetimes. curse”. family” and when Mahoney passed away The Tragedies Begin three years ago, from complications from When Grammer was just 2-years-old and his sister was a throat cancer, Grammer fell apart, “He was my father. I loved him.” newborn, their parents split up and they were sent off to live with their grandparents in New Jersey. Kelsey 16

Finding Solace in Shakespeare

in a series of arrests for drugs and drunk driving incidents.

Grammer, who was born in Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands fell in love with acting after he discovered After getting himself somewhat cleaned up, things Shakespeare in his high school English class. He won a scholarship to improved a little the private professionally after performing he landed work at the arts Old Globe Theatre conservatory, in San Diego and in Juilliard School New York Broadway in New York productions, but City but after very soon life took a short time another downturn there, he his two half-brothers, couldn’t keep Stephen and Billy, up with the died in a scuba cost of living diving accident and swiftly lost in Saint Thomas. his apartment.

When Billy failed to Young Kelsey with sister Grammer was resurface after a dive, Karen now homeless Stephen went back and sleeping down to look for him every night in and died of an air Central Park. To pay for food and other necessities for embolism while ascending improperly. Billy’s body was his course he took labouring jobs and was a hotel lackey never recovered but the belief is that, “he was eaten by the rest of the time. In the second year of his course, his sharks.”

18-year-old sister Karen was kidnapped, gang raped, tortured and murdered. She was a victim in a crime spree After this string of tragedies, Grammer was very affected. by three men, including Freddie Glenn and Michael He was plagued day and night by the guilt of his sister’s Corbett, who killed five people. Karen was abducted death in particular, despite the fact he didn’t even live in from outside the restaurant where she worked, and was the same state as her at the time, “I abandoned the effort later found by police with 42 stab wounds to find a reason to be alive,” he would later and a slit throat. Kelsey had explain in an interview. to identify his little …his 18-year-old sister Karen was sister’s body. Glenn Cast in Cheers kidnapped, gang raped, tortured and Corbett were sent and murdered. to jail but maintained Despite struggling their innocence for with severe depression decades until a parole hearing in and still experiencing episodes 2014 (denied). Glenn expressed remorse for his actions & of drug and alcohol abuse, Kelsey was delighted when Grammer believed he was sincere. In the decades since former Juilliard classmate and Broadway co-star Mandy the murder, Grammer has repeatedly testified at parole Patinkin suggested him to the New York casting director hearings that the men should not be released, saying that of Cheers and he got what was supposed to be a sixit would, “be a betrayal of my sister’s life”. In a letter to episode job, but ended up as a regular cast member (his the parole board he wrote, “I miss her in my bones …. character, Frasier first appears in the third season and I was her big brother. I was supposed to protect her - I continue to appear until the final season of the series, could not…. It very nearly destroyed me.” which aired in May 1993.)

Addiction Creeps In Angry and unable to focus on anything, Kelsey was kicked out of the Juilliard School. To escape his pain he started drinking heavily and abusing drugs, particularly, cocaine. His addictions quickly spiralled and culminated

Domestic Violence After a series of failed relationships, including his first marriage that ended in 1990, Kelsey took up with former exotic dancer Leigh-Anne Csuhany. After dating briefly, they married, moved into a massive villa 17

Heart Trouble

in LA, and conceived their first child. On the outside, the relationship seemed to be fairytale - on the inside, however, it was tumultuous. Allegedly, Csuhany was abusive toward him, “She’d spit in my face, slap me, punch me, kick me, break glasses over my head, break windows, tear up pictures of my loved ones, threaten to kill me, kill herself,” he alleged in his 1996 autobiography.

Grammer filed for an annulment nine months after the wedding charging his wife with ‘fraud’ and being of ‘unsound mind,’”

By 2008, with Frasier behind him and disappointment at not finding the success he had hoped for in new sitcoms like ‘Back to You’ and comedies like The Sketch Show, he felt exhausted and needed, what he described as, “me time,” so he set off on holiday to Hawaii, but just when things were getting started, he suffered a very serious heart attack. Though his representatives later downplayed the news to the media, claiming Grammer, he had only terrified for had a “mild” the life of their attack, it was far unborn child, from the truth. filed for custody In actuality, and put her Grammer’s heart out of their had stopped and home. Csuhany he was moments couldn’t cope and from death, attempted suicide “They had with tablets and to blast me alcohol days later, twice and get With the Frasier cast leaving behind me started all a note that read, over again,” “Kelsey doesn’t Grammer would love me.” Doctors were able to save her but she received later tell Reuters. Though he was just seconds away an abortion after the suicide attempt. When Grammer from dying, the star would later tell Oprah that he was heard the news, he was devastated, “I had dreamed of thankful for the health scare, raising this baby.”

“It was a good event in my life. It was the physical manifestation of whatever The Intervention lesson was being taught to me, ..a man broke into his father’s home, which was you better fix Grammer threw your life now. It took me shooting him dead.. himself into another couple of years, his work but was but I did get it. And it was secretly numbing his time I thought I had to change a pain with drugs and alcohol. few patterns.”

In 1996 things came to a head when he crashed his car while driving drunk. Cast mates from both Frasier and Forgiveness Cheers staged an intervention and got him into rehab.

Still, the star found alcohol very difficult to give up and Grammer decided to forgive his sister’s killers, deciding would later tell Oprah in 2012 that, that he could no longer hold on to the hate and live a healthy life, “I liked how alcohol made me feel, yes, maybe I was “I forgive you” he told Freddie Glenn (his sister’s killer) running away from the feelings I wasn’t comfortable with via video conference and I accept you live with remorse but maybe I’m just a self-destructive person myself.” but I cannot give your release my endorsement - it would be a betrayal of my sister’s life. But I forgive you.”

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Daughter is Stabbed More recently, Grammer’s first child, daughter and ‘Rick and Morty’ actress Spencer Grammer was attacked with a knife while dining out at The Black Ant in New York City when an intoxicated man walked up and demanded to be served. Spencer and her friend intervened to prevent things from escalating but the man turned on them, stabbing her in the arms and her friend in the back (thankfully they escaped with no serious internal injuries).

Kelsey Grammer has seven children and is on his fourth marriage and these days enjoys his grandchildren and tries to “leave the past in the past”, however, “the kind of pain I’ve dealt with is the pain you can very easily stumble into again… its with you and you know it can crop up any time… in fact, if family members don’t keep in touch with me very regularly I get very nervous, I’m right back there and believe something horrible has happened….it’s never something logical if someone’s late, like they’ve got a flat tyre - my mind suddenly jumps to the worst, like they’ve been taken, they’ve been kidnapped and Reflecting on his family’s I’m immediately terrified and those chilling past, Kelsey said he old wounds are reopened….” has had a “big dose” of terAs quick-witted Dr. Crane in Frasier rible loss in his life …… but Ironic that a man who played a for every story you hear that’s psychiatrist in Frasier could probably tragic, there’s another that’s have benefited from regular sessions equally tragic or more so. I with one from childhood. think you come to look at it as part of life.”

19

Hallstatt Village, Austria

Issues: Crime

Fr. Luigi Ciotti on the Fight Against Mafias

L

uigi Ciotti is an Italian priest from the Archdiocese of Turin who has been committed to the fight against organised crime, including mafias, for decades and who founded the Libera (‘Free’) association in 1995 so that Italian organisations could coordinate their efforts in the fight against organised crime. In the 250th issue of street paper Scarp de’tenis, he discusses modern mafias and the steps that can be taken to eradicate them.

Mafias are very different now, but the models with which they are interpreted and analysed remain unchanged.

These models are ones that in too many cases have remained unchanged since the tragic era of the Capaci and Via d’Amelio bombings, which took place in the summer of 1992. They continue to refer to a specific type of mafia and to the misleading beliefs that mafias are a predominantly southern Italian issue and that mafias exist only where there are attacks or bloodshed.

in the fight against the mafias, it is also true that other policies have been tainted by negligence, underestimation of the scale of the issue, delays and – as shown by reports – complicity.

Cultural ignorance

In addition to moral responsibility, there is also the issue of widespread cultural ignorance: the battle against the mafias involves not only suppression and The truth is Sopranos fictional series, which to a degree legal involvement that mafias glamourised the mafia. but also major have changed social, cultural their shape and and educational structure over the last 30 years: the traditional interests reform. On the one hand, there is the importance of and mafia presence in certain territories continue, but investigations, arrests and trials; on the other, there is the legal and illegal overlap has been growing. Modern knowledge, education and action. This is the foundation mafias are flexible, comprised of solid networks and of the fight against mafias, and it are increasingly global. Transnational mafia is the The business is made up of many highly responsibility on-going and powerful sophisticated levels, with new of politics to fascination of cinema and TV, more technologies, connections, criminal ensure that abilities and infiltration strategies all attention is paid to narrating the story of the each of these coming into play. criminal world with a certain emphasis, areas have the necessary tools which may risk inspiring emulation Modern mafias have acquired the skills and resources. in those watching... to operate directly or indirectly in economic markets. They have become “entrepreneurial” mafias It will also benefit us if we examine that have, stealthily and without raising alarm, tainted – and re-examine – the information we have about many aspects of social and public life. All this has mafias. Just as there has been, and continues to be, happened thanks to political inaction. Although certain information that can deepen our knowledge, spur on policies have resulted in tangible action being taken investigations and be reported and documented, there 22

is still information that is ridden with carelessness and schematism, or is unduly managed. The narrative of mafias needs less “colour” and more austerity. Today, perhaps as a result of the on-going and powerful fascination of cinema and TV, more attention is paid to narrating the story of the criminal world with a certain emphasis, which may risk inspiring emulation in those watching, rather than to analysing the criminal system in-depth and the negative effects it has on the lives of each of us.

police action, there is a need for policies that set out to eliminate social injustice and economic inequality and to combat poverty and functional illiteracy. There are many people today who are Pope Francis with Fr Luigi Ciotti capable of reading but not capable of understanding what they are reading.

More concretely, support and guidance are needed for those who decide to come forward and become witnesses and also for those who choose to break their ties with mafia families even though they are neither collaborators nor witnesses of justice. This is the case for many women and children who have chosen the difficult path of dignity with the support of Libera’s “Liberi di scegliere” (“Free to choose”) project.

One element of criminality that has led to profound change in the world of organised crime is the ever-closer association of mafias with corruption.

Corruption is no The relocation longer just a mafia’s of seized assets starting point; it is its prevailing method. In the era of the market economy, with its global Finally, measures in support of the law on the network and many grey and social reuse of confiscated assets should obscure areas, the mafias be strengthened. This law – which Corruption is the result of a have less need to resort was passed in 1995, thanks to the to direct violence system that has made money an millions of signatures collected because money gives idol, an absolute value to which

by Libera through a popular them the power to petition – represents a battle that to sacrifice the common good... obtain what they we cannot afford to lose or fight would have in the past half-heartedly. The assets seized from with weapons. Insufficient mafias are a crucial means of balancing progress has been made on the repressive anti-mafia action with positive social legal side of things. Laws alone are not action: these assets can be reinvested in areas accustomed enough: corruption is an evil that is defeated through to mafia influence or formerly controlled by mafias so proper education and action, and it is in complacent that they can embrace the freedoms founded on work minds in which corruption makes its nest. and dignity, as set out in our Constitution – the first and most comprehensive of anti-mafia texts.

Corruption is the result of a system that has made money an idol, an absolute value to which to sacrifice the common good; that is, the freedom and dignity of the people. So, today, what is necessary to effectively fight the evil of the mafia and all of its connections, branches and entanglements? In addition to prompt court and

Translated from Italian by Sara Lopes Courtesy of Scarp de’tenis / INSP.ngo

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s e k Jo “Do you believe in life after death?” the boss asked one of his employees.

“Yes, Sir.” the new recruit replied.

“Well, then, that makes everything just fine,” the boss went on. “After you left early yesterday to go to your grandmother’s funeral, she stopped in to see you.”

A doctor and his wife are having a fight at the breakfast table. Husband gets up in a rage and says, “And you are no good in bed either,” and storms out of the house. After sometime he realises he was nasty and decides to make amends and calls home.

She comes to the phone after many rings and the irritated husband says, “What took you so long to answer the phone?”

She says, “I was in bed.”

“In bed this early, doing what?”

Shouts the doctor.

“Getting a second opinion!”

This guy is walking with his friend, who happens to be a psychologist.

He says to this friend, “I’m a walking economy.”

The friend asks, “How so?”

“My hair line is in recession, my stomach is a victim of inflation, and both of these together are putting me into a deep depression!”

Helvetica and Times New Roman walk into a bar.

Because laughter is the best medicine!

“Get our of here,” shouts the bartender. “We don’t serve your type.”

those hills?”

Airman Jones was assigned to the induction centre where he was to advise new recruits about their government benefits, especially their GI insurance.

“That’s what I thought,” said the lady, “but this fellow in front of me said it was Greece.”

“Just snow,” replied the stewardess.

Actual exchanges between pilots It wasn’t long before Captain Smith and control towers noticed that Airman Jones had almost a 100% record for insurance sales, Tower: ‘Delta 351, you have traffic at which had never happened before.

10 o’clock, 6 miles!’

Rather than ask about this, the Delta 351: ‘Give us another hint! We Captain stood in the back of the have digital watches!’ room and listened to Jones’ sales pitch. Jones explained the basics of the GI Insurance to the new recruits, Tower: ‘TWA 2341, for noise and then said: abatement turn right 45 Degrees.’

TWA 2341: ‘Centre, we are at 35,000 “If you have GI Insurance and feet. How much noise can we make go into battle and are killed, the up here?’ government has to pay $200,000 to Tower: ‘Sir, have you ever heard your beneficiaries. If you don’t have the noise a 747 makes when it hits a GI insurance, and you go into battle 727?’ and get killed, the government has to From an unknown aircraft waiting in pay only a maximum of $6000.” a very long takeoff queue: ‘I’m f...ing “Now,” he concluded,” which bunch bored!’ do you think they are going to send Ground Traffic Control: ‘Last into battle first? aircraft transmitting, identify yourself immediately!’

When the waitress in a New York Unknown aircraft: ‘I said I was f...ing City restaurant brought him the soup bored, not f...ing stupid!’ du jour, the Englishman was a bit dismayed. “Good heavens,” he said, “What is this?”

A man said to his wife one day, “I don’t know how you can be so stupid “Why, it’s bean soup,” she replied. and so beautiful all at the same time. “ The wife responded, “Allow me to “I don’t care what it has been,” he explain. sputtered. “What is it now?”

God made me beautiful so you would be attracted to me; God made me As the plane was flying low over some stupid so I would be attracted to you! hills near Athens, a lady asked the stewardess: “What’s that stuff on 24

Proud Supporters of Ireland’s Big Issue & Homeless Street Leagues

25

Screen Scene Lisey’s Story**

Wuthering Heights****

Starring: Julianne Moore, Clive Owen Run Time: 8 x 1hr Streaming on: Apple TV+ Available to stream from: Since 4 June

Starring: Tom Hardy, Charlotte Riley.

Streaming on: Sky Run Time: 120 mins Available to stream from: From 17 June.

Two-part television adaptation, based on the 1847 novel by Emily Brontë, starring Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley. Foundling Heathcliff is raised by the wealthy Earnshaws in Yorkshire but in later life launches a vendetta against the family. Perfect if you live in the north or have a VPN to switch location and avail of this streaming service and this classic.

Hardy & Riley

Based on the novel by Stephen King, this thriller follows widow Lisey Landon (Julianne Julianne Moore Moore) as a series of distrubing events revives memories of her marriage to author Scott Landon (Clive Owen) and the darkness that plagued him. It must be said that this is not up to the standard of King’s usual fare. Performances are completely on point, as they always are from Moore and Owen but the storyline is lacking. Fans will want to see it but either Stephen King’s getting a bit lazy or we fans Epstein’s Shadow: Ghislaine are expecting a bit too much from him after classics like Maxwell*** The Shining, The Shawshank Redemption, Carrie and Stand By Me. Starring: Differnet personalities

Streaming on: Sky Documentarites & NOW TV Run Time: 5180 mins Available to stream: 28 June

Epstein & Maxwell

This three-hour documentary investigates the mysterious world of Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite and once heiress to the Maxwell fortune, whose life takes a sordid downturn when she meets Jeffrey Epstein -- a serial sex offender. A glimpse into the complicated story of power, sex and money that leads to her arrest and pending trial.

26

Virgin River (Season 3)****

The Pursuit of Love **** Contributions from: Lily James, Dominic West, Emily Beecham.

Streaming: Prime Video Run Time: 3 x 60 mins Available to stream from: 30 July 2021 Based on the 1945 Nancy Mitford novel of the same name, this three-episode romance drama series follows two cousins (Lily James and Emily Beecham) as they navigate their lives and their friendship, as each desires separate things in life. The Pursuit of Love is written and directed by Emily Mortimer, and stars James, Beecham, Andrew Scott, Dominic West, Dolly Wells, Shazad Latif, and more, so you can be absolutely sure that this series has bag loads of talent both in front of and behind the camera, and they’ll be sure to serve up stellar performances.

Starring:Alexandra Breckenridge, Martin Henderson.

Streaming: Netflix Run Time: 10 x 60 mins Available to stream: Netflix

Everyones’ favourite feel-good series (based on the novels of the same name by Robyn Carr) returns 9 July. We learn what happened to former U.S. Marine and PTSD sufferer Jack after the explosive ending of season 2 (remember, it ended with Mel, the local midwife discovering her lover bleeding out from a gunshot wound. Has he survived? Who shot him?

Will ex-girlfriend Charmaine destroy Jack and Mel’s relationship? What’s wrong with Doc? Have we seen the last of evil Brady? You’ll have to tune in from 9th to find out. Well worth waiting for is all I will say!

The series has just been approved for a fourth season!

Alexandra Breckenridge & Martin Henderson in Virgin River

Fear Street Trilogy ** Starring:Gillian Jacob, Emily Rudd.

Streaming: Netflix Run Time: 3 x 90 mins.

Available to stream from: 2 July 2021

Lily James as Linda and Emily Beecham as Fanny in The Pursuit of Love.

Fear Street Trilogy

t watching righ e g in b e ’r u o y Tell us what now d igIssueIrelan B @ r te it w T on

R.L. Stine’s collection of Fear Street books have been adapted for Netflix with three movies set to release throughout the month of July 2021. Interconnected, each movie will take place in a different time period with the first being 1994, the second in 1978 and the final entry being 1666. All three movies are directed by Leigh Janiak and will feature a cast including Gillian Jacob, Kiana Madeira, Emily Rudd, Olivia Welch, Sadie Sink, Julia Rehwald, and McCabe Slye.

Not everyone’s cup of tea but those who loved the Goosebumps series will be captivated!

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Issues: Environmental

New City ‘Heat Officers’ Take Aim at Climate Change’s ‘Silent Killer’ “Heat kills more people annually than all other weather-related disasters combined, though it does not get the same level of attention.” As urban areas worldwide face a growing threat from heatwaves, they are starting to plan ways to protect their most vulnerable residents. Carey L. Biron reports.

S

ituated at the flood-prone and storm-vulnerable position shared by many cities around the world. southern tip of Florida, Miami-Dade County has long figured among the US urban areas most at risk “Heat kills more people annually than (all) other weatherfrom climate related disasters change. combined, But when though it does county leaders not get the unveiled a same level” of new climateattention, said related Evan Mallen, resilience with the Georgia plan two Institute of years ago, the Technology’s dangers posed Urban Climate by rising Lab. temperatures received Gilbert’s only passing appointment is mention. one indication Now the heat threats are county starting to be has done taken “seriously a U-turn, and proactively”, creating the he added. world’s first city position tasked specifically with tackling As part of a global initiative launched in August, other the growing threat of heat. cities also plan to name chief “Miami was known heat officers, including Heat deaths often occur behind internationally for Athens in Greece, and closed doors, with little media coverage, and sea-level rise, flood Freetown in Sierra risk and hurricanes,” “people just don’t have awareness of it - that’s Leone. said Jane Gilbert, the why they call it the silent killer.. county’s new chief heat In a statement, Athens officer, in a phone interview.

Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis “We felt like we know how to handle heat called extreme heat one of his city’s “greatest here.” threats to liveability and economic prosperity”.

Gilbert plans to start work in June, just as hurricane But in reality, Gilbert and others say Miami is not season gets underway - timing that isn’t coincidental, she prepared for rising heat linked to climate change - a said.

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After a 2017 hurricane, 14 people died when an area nursing home lost air-conditioning in an extended power outage. That prompted authorities to require such facilities to have a backup power source and three days’ fuel, Gilbert said.

But in fact, such vulnerability is far more widespread, she said.

Heat season?

in parallel to hurricane or wildfire seasons.

One proposal to raise awareness includes starting to name and categorize heatwaves, as is now done with major storms.

From a climate perspective, heat is both a shock and a stress, Baughman McLeod said, pointing to immediate problems such as with infrastructure - train tracks bending, planes being unable to fly - as well as longerterm social pressures.

The past decade has been the hottest on record “When you can’t sleep because it’s globally, according “Heat kills more people too hot, people wake up and to the United annually than (all) other make mistakes at work” and Nations, and weather-related disasters students can’t learn as well, US government combined, though it does not she said, calling heat a growing researchers health crisis. get the same level” last year said the “So you see injuries and deaths on coming decade is “very the job, and it’s not categorized as such. likely” to see more of the We’re missing a lot of data.” same.

Already heatwaves of longer than 20 days are affecting 30 per cent of the world’s population, while heat in the workplace could cost $2.4 trillion a year by the end of the decade, according to figures compiled by the Adrienne Arsht–Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center at the Atlantic Council, a thinktank.

A cooling station is seen during a heatwave, amid the global outbreak of COVID-19, California. 20/8/20. Photo: Lucy Nicholson

Yet even as recognition of other risks from climate change rises among the public and policymakers, heat lacks similar attention, said Kathy Baughman McLeod, the centre’s director.

Heat deaths often occur behind closed doors, with little media coverage, and “people just don’t have awareness of it - that’s why they call it the silent killer,” she said.

The Arsht-Rockefeller center, which is helping support Gilbert’s position in Miami, is spearheading a broader campaign to create public recognition of a “heat season”,

Help for more at risk

Southern Florida is already experiencing large increases in its average temperatures and humidity levels. Since 1995, it has seen 27 additional days over 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) each year, Gilbert said.

That includes higher average night-time temperatures, which can be especially dangerous as they do not offer the typical relief, she said.

Gilbert said the work in Miami could serve as a blueprint for other cities.

“The idea is to have a person who wakes up every day to think about the heat risk,” she said.

Courtesy of Reuters / Thomson Reuters Foundation / INSP.ngo 29

Quick Fire Questions With ......

The Body Coach - Joe Wicks

I

n occasional issues we sit a celebrity down on the hotseat and ask them some quick fire questions. This issue, The Body Coach, Joe Wicks (MBE) the world’s favourite fitness coach takes on the challenge. Joe’s new cookbook, ‘Joe’s Family Food’ is out now.

What motivated you to write ‘Joe’s Family Food’?

You’ve had around 130 million views on your YouTube channel and you topped the YouTube charts as the number one trending creator of the year. What’s your USP (unique selling point) - and what has made you so popular where thousands fail?

I really love working with children and finding ways to help them to feel happier and have more energy.

‘PE with Joe’ is one way I have done that, but it is important to remember that food also really affects our mood and our energy, and so this book incorporates all the flavours and dishes I love that I know children will love too.

I think people love that when they do a workout with me they can see me sweating You completed and struggling along a sports science with them. My degree and went content is real and on to become a doesn’t look ‘perfect’ teaching assistant before deciding on being a like some of the content out there. I also make sure that personal trainer. For those who don’t the workouts are short enough to fit into know - how were you discovered your lunch break or while your baby When lockdown was announced and tell our readers where is napping so that there are less all I could think about was how they can become one of the obstacles to getting involved. scary and disorientating it would millions who follow you on be... social media?

Last year you launched ‘PE with Joe’ during lockdown People always think that I was an overnight to help kids keep fit while schools success but that couldn’t be further from the truth. I was were shut and you donated £500,000 profit to working away for 10 years as a teaching assistant and the NHS - then of course during the second then as a personal trainer before The Body Coach really lockdown you produced a series Wake Up with took off. My publisher found me just as I was starting out Joe. What gave you the idea for these and do on social media and the books really helped me to reach you think we need to instil the need for intuitive a big audience. Now you can always find me posting new eating and exercise from a young age in our kids recipes and workouts on Instagram and YouTube. (and how soon should we start)?

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When lockdown was announced all I could think about HIIT workout three times a week, but it might also mean was how scary and disorientating it would be for young going for a daily walk, or joining your local swimming children who were suddenly unable to leave their houses, pool. Unfortunately motivation rarely comes at the see their friends and learn at school. Late at night on beginning of a workout, it is the amazing feeling you get the Thursday before I started PE with Joe I texted my afterwards that motivates you to come back to it day after brother to say I wanted to do a week of live morning day. workouts to get kids up and moving for the day and give parents a break while they did it. That week turned into I would also say not to beat yourself up over a few extra 13 incredible weeks and I was bereft when it was over. I pounds. This has been a really tough year and things are think that movement and going to get better. healthy food is important for children because it is Is it possible to turn an what gives them energy exercise-phobe into an and helps them to focus. exercise lover?

I’m not interested in weight and calories, I’m interested With the right guidance and attitude in how happy and upbeat anyone can learn to love exercise. our nation’s children are Once you start feeling your energy and that they are getting rise and those endorphins pumping, the nutrition they need. you begin to understand that The earlier this starts the exercise isn’t about punishment or more likely that child is to shedding weight, it is about looking grow up as an adult with a after your mental health and being “This has been a really tough year and things positive relationship with the best version of yourself you can are going to get better.” their body. be.

You’ve raised millions for charity, you were appointed MBE on the Queen’s 2020 Birthday Honours for services to fitness and charity. What else could you possibly wish to achieve?

I absolutely loved doing PE with Joe but I can’t wait to get back into schools in person exercising with children and making them feel excited about fitness. I love the feeling of coming away from a school knowing that I have changed some of those children’s’ minds about PE and fitness and hopefully setting them on a healthy path.

Speaking of achieving - where you do you get your motivation and zest for life from?

I really get my motivation from helping people. It sounds cheesy but I get the most amazing messages from people who have used my books, done my workouts, met me at an event and they tell me what an impact I have had on their lives. You can’t put into words how amazing that feels and as long as I am helping people I will keep doing the work.

What advice would you give to anyone who’s gained those extra few pounds during lockdown and needs to get them back off but hates exercise? I’m asking for a friend haha!

I would say to start slowly and set achievable goals you know you’ll stick to. That might mean incorporating a

What advice, if any would you give 16-year-old Joe? I really wouldn’t change a thing about what has happened to me since I was 16 so I would just tell him to trust the process.

What do you like to do in your wind-down time (I can’t imagine you Netflix ’n’ Chill like the rest of us lazy mortals!)

Rosie and I love to wind down after putting the kids to bed by watching some Netflix. We enjoy true crime documentaries and we really loved Ozark recently.

Otherwise I like to play on my guitar or if I’m lucky steal a few hours to ride my motorbike.

What’s next for you personally and professionally?

As I said, I really want to get back into schools in person and hopefully I’ll get to do that soon. Otherwise I have an app that I am really proud of that I’m always producing new workouts and recipes for, I have the podcast I host that has some amazing guests coming up and at some point I really want to take a holiday with my family. I think we all deserve it after this crazy year.

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Joe’s Family Food is available from all good bookshops and online.

Issues: New Book Releases

Patricia Scanlan’s Book Club Patricia Scanlan was born in Dublin, where she still lives. She is a #1 bestselling author and has sold millions of books worldwide. Her books are translated in many languages.

Patricia is the series editor and a contributing author to the award winning Open Door Literacy series.

This issue, Patricia brings her favourite books of the moment.

About Us - Sinéad Moriarty (Sandycove)

Three couples. One therapist’s couch…Poignant, perceptive and very funny. Her best yet!

Not My Problem – Ciara Smyth (Andersen Press)

You laugh, you cry, and you can’t put it down. Great humour, pathos and empathy, it’s page turning. Brilliant! A hugely talented new writer.

The Garden – Paul Perry (New Island Books)

Allegorical. Dark. Intriguing and very clever. A terrific, and sometimes gruesome read that grips you from the start.

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Remembering – Sinéad O’Connor (Sandycove)

As honest, revelatory, and superbly written, as you would expect.

Compulsive reading. She writes as beautifully as she sings.

Snowflake – Louise Neylon Manilla Press

Deservedly a No 1 bestseller. This is a fresh, intelligent, beautifully crafted debut, from a very impressive writer.

The Other Black Girl - Zakiya Dalila Harris Bloomsbury

An original, satirical racially charged thriller, that grabs you from the start. Absolutely unputdownable.

The Nameless Ones – John Connolly Hodder & Stoughton

In his trademark, dark, grisly, page turning style, this new Charlie Parker thriller is vintage Connolly.

The President’s Daughter - Bill Clinton & James Patterson Century

With the inside track on Presidential life, this is a thrilling, believable roller coaster. A perfect summer read.

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Issues: Historical

The Doolough Tragedy -

“what is to become of a country, reduced to such a shocking state?”

A

group of 600 starving people set out during the Great Hunger to find food - sadly most of them never returned. Sineád Dunlop reports:

In 1849 five exhausted and famished people (including two children) died at the side of the road in Mayo after walking for miles to present themselves before authorities.

The dreadful events that occurred in the Doolough valley in March 1849 first came to the public eye when a letter was published in the Mayo Constitution on 10th April. The person who penned the

officials at Louisburgh on 30th March to determine if they qualified to remain on the relief lists. Similar inspections were taking place throughout the union to check that the relieving officers’ books were up-to-date and to guard against ‘exploitation’ of the 600 people including small children set out for Doolough for essential outdoor relief system. food. Most never returned home.

The starving assembled at Louisburgh on the day in question and two officials arrived, Francis Hogreve, a vice-guardian of the union, and Captain J.M. Primrose, the poor law inspector. For some reason the appraisal did not go ahead and the two men left Louisburgh for Delphi Lodge.

correspondence and signing himself ‘A Ratepayer’, drew attention to the discovery of five bodies on the roadside, According to the letter, the relieving officer, Michael between Louisburgh and Delphi Lodge on 1st April. The Carroll, bereft of any understanding or sympathy for the bodies were a woman named Dalton and her two little grim state of the poverty-stricken, then ordered them ones (a boy and girl) and two men. The men to follow him to Delphi Lodge where they would be were found a mile from the rest of appraised early the next morning. Carroll the group. would later insist that Primrose and The appalling unearthing Hogreve had instructed him to do so. of the five bodies the next morning The letter explained that illustrated how the taxing journey had broken The officials maintained otherwise. the five individuals were people already in an advanced state of among a number of povertyThe only hope of survival for everyone undernourishment. stricken people who left Delphi assembled that morning was to stay on the Lodge the day before to return to relief list. Without their weekly food allowance, their homes near Louisburgh (15 miles). The reason the there was no doubt - they would die, and quickly. So, in people were at Delphi Lodge was elucidated in this and dreadful weather conditions, poorly clothed and barefoot, successive letters, published in the same newspaper over ‘hundreds of those unfortunate living skeletons, men, the following weeks. women, and children,’ were forced to make the fifteenmile journey on foot by road and mountain passes to The people were all beneficiaries of outdoor relief and Delphi Lodge. had been instructed to arrive for evaluation by union 34

The inspection happened the following morning, 31st March, and the freezing cold and starving had to make their own way home without water or food. The appalling unearthing of the five bodies the next morning illustrated how the taxing journey had broken people already in an Memorial to the victims in advanced state of Doolough valley undernourishment.

The number of victims did not end there. It later became apparent that two more bodies were found on the mountain pass, nine or ten others who left for the inspection never returned home - no one knows what became of them, and a number of deaths happened soon afterwards among those who had made it back.

guardians who were found to be inept at managing the union at this time of catastrophe.

The union, one of the poorest in the country, was among the earliest designated as ‘distressed’ and consequently, eligible for financial aid from the treasury.

The vice-guardians, however, were told to make every effort to collect rates and reduce unnecessary spending before any additional funds could be acquired from the treasury.

At the start of February 1849, Capt.

J.M. Primrose, the temporary poor law inspector for the union, told the Poor Law Commission that the vice-guardians were abiding with the regulations and ‘No application for relief has been granted by the Vice-Guardians, without a most careful scrutiny into the circumstances of each case’.

The letter’s writer accused the relieving officer, Carroll, for the demise of these poor people. He claimed Carroll did not have his books in order and this was the reason the inspection at Louisburgh had not Sadly, the devastation at Doolough valley was the occurred. The editor of the Mayo Constitution laid full sickening result of the vice-guardians’ blind conformity blame on the two officials, who did not take the time to to the rules.The coroner, aided by the workhouse GP inspect the people at Louisburgh, but caused them to later examined the bodies that had been buried in a bog make the uncalled-for journey to Delphi to be inspected close to where they perished (back then it was typical for at their convenience. Angrily he stated, bodies to be quickly buried to prevent them being eaten “Can this be true? Is it to be by dogs). tolerated that men largely People became so desperate paid for dispensing relief After a post-mortem on two of they started committing crimes and then to the starving peasantry, would implore the courts to sentence them to the dead and an inquest, the jury shall be guilty of such an returned a verdict of death from transportation act of barbarity as this?” He ‘starvation and cold’ for all of the then called for an investigation, victims, and the bodies were taken back to proclaiming that, “the blood of these people calls loudly the bog. Later the local curate, Rev. O’Dowd, supplied to heaven against those who sent them unprepared coffins and ensured the bodies proper burials.The names before their God by the most melancholy of all deaths of six of the dead were published in the papers on 17th death from hunger.”

April 1849: Catherine Dillon and her children, Pat and Honor Dillon, Catherine Grady, Mary McHale and During this period the Westport Union was managed by James Flynn. The editor was furious with the manner in vice-guardians: paid officials installed by the Poor Law which the inquest was managed and carried on calling Commission in August 1847 to replace the board of for a public inquiry. There is no evidence of a public 35

inquiry occurring. The Westport Union, like the rest of the West, was by this stage fighting to cope with the constantly rising number of deaths from starvation and disease among the impoverished.

On 24 April the same year, the editor of the Mayo Constitution asked, “what is to become of a country, reduced to such a shocking state?” Near the end of May the paper published its last letter on the Doolough tragedy, with the letter writer Through the month of April “what is to become of a thanking the editor for his support. the dreadful weather country, reduced to such a continued, ‘hail, snow, He informed readers that Michael shocking state?”

Carroll had been sacked from his job as rain, and storm - and cold, relieving officer and that in future a vicethe most intense, have kept guardian was to attend at Louisburgh once a incessantly driving on us’, the week to revise the outdoor relief lists. This would ensure Mayo Constitution reported. The workhouse that the, “poor creatures are not in future to be harassed, and auxiliary house were full and disease was spreading among the inmates causing many to discharge themselves hunting their honours through mountain sloughs - same - the catch 22 - preferring to die of starvation at home as they were when so many poor creatures perished in the mountain passes not long since, on their return from than disease in an overcrowded workhouse. People Delphi Lodge.” were dying of fever, dysentery, small-pox, scarlatina and measles. The number of deaths rose again when cholera Every year since 1988 there has been a walk along the spread like wildfire throughout the West. route in memory of the Doolough dead and to highlight the starvation of the world’s poor today.

People became so desperate they started committing crimes and then would implore the courts to sentence them to transportation as it was better than a long, slow death from hunger.

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Word Power Over the next few issues we’ll be attempting to increase your word power. Have a look at the words below and afterwards see if you know their meaning.

Word

Pronunciation

1. Repudiation 2. Brevity 3. Vanguard 4. Hipster 5. Empirically 6. Spurious 7. Corroborate 8. Disparate 9. Laconic 10.Webinar 11. Implicitly 12. Voluntourism

Re-pewd-e-ay-shun Brev-it-tee Van-gard Hipp-sturr Emm-peer-ik-al-ee Spew-ree-us Kor-obb-or-ate Diss-pirr-it Lak-onn-ik Webb-in-arr Im-plis-it-lee Fall-un-turr-is-im

Answers 1. The act of saying officially and/or publicly that something is not true.

2. Using few words when speaking or writing.

3. The leaders of a movement in society, for example in politics, art, industry.

4. Connected with or used by people who follow what is fashionable in clothes, music, etc.

5. By means of observation or experience rather than theory or pure logic.

6. False, although seeming to be real or true.

7. To provide evidence or information that supports a statement, theory, etc.

8. Made up of parts or people that are very different from each other.

9. Using only a few words to say something.

10. A presentation or seminar (a meeting for discussion or training) that is conducted over the Internet 11. In a way that is suggested without being directly expressed.

12. A form of tourism in which travellers work without pay, usually for a charity, in countries they are visiting.

on w o n k s u ? Let o d u o y How did eland r I e u s s I @Big r e t t i w T 38

How did YOU score?

10 or more – Perfection!6-9 Brilliant.

3-5 Well done.

0-2 Must do better.

D is c o u n

t Corne

r

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