Let there be no light
Sinn Fein's Cathal Boylan wants the people of Armagh plunged back into the old dark days.
Nothing to do with the troubles. His concern is that Armagh is just getting too bright. The light in the sky is making it difficult for stargazers at the Armagh observatory to see through the glare.
The Environment Minister Arlene Foster says she is considering extending nuisance laws to artificial light. But Mr Boylan thinks we should be looking at ways to prevent light filtering up into the night sky, rather than threatening people with prosecution if they leave their porch lights on.
I am looking forward to regular patrols by blackout wardens around Armagh.
I'm 
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Sometimes our ministers look like a child with a new toy that has lots of buttons on it. They seem to want to do stuff just because they can.
Is there really any need to be a nuisance to the taxpayer and the ratepayer in order not to be a nuisance to the observatory?
What does Cathal Boylan propose? Non-shiny rain water to cut down on reflected light? How about getting a big dome like Springfield got in the Simpson's movie, but with tinfoil on the inside and a telescope sticking out from the observatory? Maybe we could build an artificial mountain that goes beyond the clouds and put the observatory on top of that, like proper observatories everywhere else in the world are?
Here's my proposal. Forget about looking at the stars directly in the visible light spectrum. Get the EU to buy a radio telescope that is more suitable for Armagh, and sell off the old one. Maybe aliens will be detected first in Northern Ireland.
Well RJ your comments indicate you are about as enlightened as our politicians. Is this not an opportunity to encourage the use of 'daylight' bulbs or even better upgrade to more efficient LED lighting standards which give of less glare? oh wait that might require a little lateral thinking. Let down once again.
DIM AND DIMMER...
Nuisance lights - not Israelites - are on Minister Foster's agenda. She's 'minded' to plunge Northern Ireland into total darkness in order to facilitate a few star gazers from Armagh.
Mark - on the occasions when you give an evening broadcast with Parliament Buildings as the backdrop, it is without fail illuminated like a bright beacon - sending a signal to outer space that there are at least 108 dim wits endeavouring to enlighten the universe with their brilliance! Oops - sorry - it's 107 dim wits. Like Elvis, Iris Robinson left the building. She probably spent her spare time at the hairdressers for a few highlights and illuminating conversation!