Dr. K
@kurleymcd.bsky.social
Seeking refuge from the hell site.
Reposted by Dr. K
If you haven’t heard our Minister for Communications deliver his analysis of how software works, you may want to brace yourself against the back of a chair, or into the corner of a room, before pressing play here.
Patrick O’Donovan’s statement here is farcically wrong, grimly idiotic and would be laughable if this were a situation which was capable of ever being a laughing matter.
It should be quoted, cited or just played at him every time he opens his mouth on any matter, for the rest of his career.
It should be quoted, cited or just played at him every time he opens his mouth on any matter, for the rest of his career.
January 8, 2026 at 11:09 PM
If you haven’t heard our Minister for Communications deliver his analysis of how software works, you may want to brace yourself against the back of a chair, or into the corner of a room, before pressing play here.
Reposted by Dr. K
When a left-wing party comes to your door and asks for your vote, the first question you need to ask them is if they'll rule out a coalition with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. If they don't say yes, you don't either. #spéirgorm
That includes my own party BTW
That includes my own party BTW
Fine Gael & Fianna Fáil have thrown in the towel on climate action and don't even get me started on Independents.
They're even rolling back/standing still on the most popular measures the Greens brought in: public transport investment and housing retrofits. www.thejournal.ie/green-party-...
They're even rolling back/standing still on the most popular measures the Greens brought in: public transport investment and housing retrofits. www.thejournal.ie/green-party-...
Green Party 'profoundly alarmed' as minister admits greenhouse gas targets will be missed by half
The government had committed to reducing the emissions by 51 per cent between 2018 and 2030, which it is now not on track to achieve.
www.thejournal.ie
January 7, 2026 at 6:59 PM
When a left-wing party comes to your door and asks for your vote, the first question you need to ask them is if they'll rule out a coalition with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. If they don't say yes, you don't either. #spéirgorm
That includes my own party BTW
That includes my own party BTW
Congestion charges will not be introduced in Dublin, despite worsening traffic
www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dubl...
www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dubl...
a cartoon says we 've tried nothing and were all out of ideas
Alt: Dublin City Council trying to solve the congestion problem by nixing any idea that may work...
"We've tried nothing, and we're all out of ideas."
media.tenor.com
January 7, 2026 at 1:08 PM
Congestion charges will not be introduced in Dublin, despite worsening traffic
www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dubl...
www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dubl...
Reposted by Dr. K
Aldrich Ames, CIA agent who spied for Soviet Union and Russia, dies aged 84 www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Aldrich Ames, CIA agent who spied for Soviet Union and Russia, dies aged 84
In damaging intelligence breach, Ames admitted to passing information to Moscow for nearly a decade
www.theguardian.com
January 7, 2026 at 7:18 AM
Aldrich Ames, CIA agent who spied for Soviet Union and Russia, dies aged 84 www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Reposted by Dr. K
The Department lists out a bunch of things that X dot com’s Grok is doing and says that each of them is illegal.
So asking the AG to see if there are more ways it could be illegal just seems like a delaying tactic to actually doing something.
So asking the AG to see if there are more ways it could be illegal just seems like a delaying tactic to actually doing something.
Attorney General examining laws on sexualised AI images amid X backlash
www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/20...
www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/20...
Attorney General examining laws on sexualised AI images amid X backlash
Regulator, Rape Crisis Ireland and civil liberties campaigners criticise generated images using Grok
www.irishtimes.com
January 7, 2026 at 7:15 AM
The Department lists out a bunch of things that X dot com’s Grok is doing and says that each of them is illegal.
So asking the AG to see if there are more ways it could be illegal just seems like a delaying tactic to actually doing something.
So asking the AG to see if there are more ways it could be illegal just seems like a delaying tactic to actually doing something.
Going to try a book thread. Expect such reviews as "nice" or "I liked it."
January 6, 2026 at 5:39 PM
Going to try a book thread. Expect such reviews as "nice" or "I liked it."
Nationwide on RTÉ has someone going on about the 'Galway' breed of sheep being "Ireland's native breed" with not a word of challenge.
Sheep are not naitive to Ireland and their exploitation is destroying our biodiversity.
#speirgorm
Sheep are not naitive to Ireland and their exploitation is destroying our biodiversity.
#speirgorm
January 4, 2026 at 12:26 PM
Nationwide on RTÉ has someone going on about the 'Galway' breed of sheep being "Ireland's native breed" with not a word of challenge.
Sheep are not naitive to Ireland and their exploitation is destroying our biodiversity.
#speirgorm
Sheep are not naitive to Ireland and their exploitation is destroying our biodiversity.
#speirgorm
Reposted by Dr. K
Their drift to the far right is becoming more and more visible … and dangerous! No Taoiseach, it’s the polices of FF/FG governments that created this crisis #speirgorm
December 23, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Their drift to the far right is becoming more and more visible … and dangerous! No Taoiseach, it’s the polices of FF/FG governments that created this crisis #speirgorm
Reposted by Dr. K
My new book, THE MOST AWFUL RESPONSIBILITY goes on sale TODAY! It is a NEW argument about TRUMAN AND THE ATOMIC BOMB, from Hiroshima through the Korean War, from HarperCollins. alexwellerstein.com/writing/book...
The Most Awful Responsibility – Alex Wellerstein
alexwellerstein.com
December 9, 2025 at 12:04 PM
My new book, THE MOST AWFUL RESPONSIBILITY goes on sale TODAY! It is a NEW argument about TRUMAN AND THE ATOMIC BOMB, from Hiroshima through the Korean War, from HarperCollins. alexwellerstein.com/writing/book...
Reposted by Dr. K
Israel killed Palestinian poet Refaat Alareer with six of his relatives on December 6th 2023 in Gaza.
December 22, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Israel killed Palestinian poet Refaat Alareer with six of his relatives on December 6th 2023 in Gaza.
Ehh, sure how would they stop him? Aren't we hearing all the time that we can't control our own airspace.
🚨 annual ‘Santa has clearance to enter Irish airspace’ announcement 🚨
December 17, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Ehh, sure how would they stop him? Aren't we hearing all the time that we can't control our own airspace.
Reposted by Dr. K
"Synthetic panels" are AI-generated survey responses...
The obvious point is: If it was possible to "accurately predict how certain populations would respond to a survey" we wouldn't need surveys, polls or panels, and survey/polling companies wouldn't exist.
We also wouldn't need elections.
The obvious point is: If it was possible to "accurately predict how certain populations would respond to a survey" we wouldn't need surveys, polls or panels, and survey/polling companies wouldn't exist.
We also wouldn't need elections.
Did you know that from tomorrow, Qualtrics is offering synthetic panels (AI-generated participants)?
Follow me down a rabbit hole I'm calling "doing science is tough and I'm so busy, can't we just make up participants?"
Follow me down a rabbit hole I'm calling "doing science is tough and I'm so busy, can't we just make up participants?"
December 17, 2025 at 1:47 PM
"Synthetic panels" are AI-generated survey responses...
The obvious point is: If it was possible to "accurately predict how certain populations would respond to a survey" we wouldn't need surveys, polls or panels, and survey/polling companies wouldn't exist.
We also wouldn't need elections.
The obvious point is: If it was possible to "accurately predict how certain populations would respond to a survey" we wouldn't need surveys, polls or panels, and survey/polling companies wouldn't exist.
We also wouldn't need elections.
Reposted by Dr. K
"The British empire invented and commited crimes so heinous people had to invent new words for them" is a surprisingly large category 👀
The word dystopia was first coined by John Stuart Mill to describe the British governments rule in Ireland
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dystopia
"they ought rather to be called dys-topians... what they appear to favour is too bad to be practicable."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dystopia
"they ought rather to be called dys-topians... what they appear to favour is too bad to be practicable."
Dystopia - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
December 13, 2025 at 3:37 PM
"The British empire invented and commited crimes so heinous people had to invent new words for them" is a surprisingly large category 👀
Reposted by Dr. K
My great grandfather was killed two weeks before the end of WWI. His youngest daughter, my nanny, couldn’t remember him because he left for the war when she was a baby. Do not give an inch to anyone championing a repeat of this. Not an inch.
December 12, 2025 at 8:26 AM
My great grandfather was killed two weeks before the end of WWI. His youngest daughter, my nanny, couldn’t remember him because he left for the war when she was a baby. Do not give an inch to anyone championing a repeat of this. Not an inch.
Found in a ledger in the Mines of Moria.
December 11, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Found in a ledger in the Mines of Moria.
Reposted by Dr. K
Reposted by Dr. K
Patrick O’Donovan went out on the national airwaves with a half-baked, bad set of ideas about linking access to online spaces to our PPS numbers.
If he had these ideas himself, it would be a Christmas miracle.
But in fact, they are the Zuckerberg lobbying aim across the world.
If he had these ideas himself, it would be a Christmas miracle.
But in fact, they are the Zuckerberg lobbying aim across the world.
December 11, 2025 at 6:21 AM
Patrick O’Donovan went out on the national airwaves with a half-baked, bad set of ideas about linking access to online spaces to our PPS numbers.
If he had these ideas himself, it would be a Christmas miracle.
But in fact, they are the Zuckerberg lobbying aim across the world.
If he had these ideas himself, it would be a Christmas miracle.
But in fact, they are the Zuckerberg lobbying aim across the world.
Reposted by Dr. K
I would like to know what are the inhumane and degrading treatments the Minister believes should be legal.
European court interprets inhuman and degrading treatment too broadly, says O’Callaghan
European court interprets inhuman and degrading treatment too broadly, says O’Callaghan
Ireland shares concerns over challenges posed by convention on human rights in relation to migration and deporting criminals, Minister tells meeting
www.irishtimes.com
December 10, 2025 at 10:45 PM
I would like to know what are the inhumane and degrading treatments the Minister believes should be legal.
Reposted by Dr. K
your socials are going to be tied to yr MyGov.ie account if you want to use em and they’re handing all that info over to SM companies. What could possibly go wrong?
Dressing it up as a measure to ‘Protect the children’ is larval stage fascist language.
#Spéirghorm
www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...
Dressing it up as a measure to ‘Protect the children’ is larval stage fascist language.
#Spéirghorm
www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...
December 10, 2025 at 3:50 PM
your socials are going to be tied to yr MyGov.ie account if you want to use em and they’re handing all that info over to SM companies. What could possibly go wrong?
Dressing it up as a measure to ‘Protect the children’ is larval stage fascist language.
#Spéirghorm
www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...
Dressing it up as a measure to ‘Protect the children’ is larval stage fascist language.
#Spéirghorm
www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...
Interview with minister Patrick O'Donovan may be summed up in a gif
Never mind the public services card is illegal, this other thing over here is terrible....
#dataprotection #psc
www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...
Never mind the public services card is illegal, this other thing over here is terrible....
#dataprotection #psc
www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...
a cartoon of a woman saying " oh won 't somebody please think of the profits "
Alt: Live scenes of Patrick O'Donovan justifying ongoing illegality by the government.
media.tenor.com
December 10, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Interview with minister Patrick O'Donovan may be summed up in a gif
Never mind the public services card is illegal, this other thing over here is terrible....
#dataprotection #psc
www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...
Never mind the public services card is illegal, this other thing over here is terrible....
#dataprotection #psc
www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...
Reposted by Dr. K
A really great Gist, as always.
December 9, 2025 at 5:43 PM
A really great Gist, as always.
Reposted by Dr. K
My attempt to cut through some of the misinformation around farming and water quality as we approach decision time on Ireland’s nitrates derogation
www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/ou...
www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/ou...
Ireland's lax approach to inspecting farms and enforcing rules
The EU Nitrates Committee meets tomorrow and may extend Ireland's nitrates derogation by up to three years. At the same time we need to protect or restore water quality on a national scale writes ecol...
www.irishexaminer.com
December 7, 2025 at 9:10 AM
My attempt to cut through some of the misinformation around farming and water quality as we approach decision time on Ireland’s nitrates derogation
www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/ou...
www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/ou...
Reposted by Dr. K
If Ireland's emissions are "too small to matter" then I might as well evade my taxes and eat doughnuts for lunch.
Read my latest column about the laziest excuse in the climate debate:
www.irishtimes.com/environment/...
Read my latest column about the laziest excuse in the climate debate:
www.irishtimes.com/environment/...
‘Too small to matter’ is the laziest-possible excuse in climate debate
At a time of crisis, co-operation is the only way to resolve the climate collective-action problem
www.irishtimes.com
December 2, 2025 at 8:29 AM
If Ireland's emissions are "too small to matter" then I might as well evade my taxes and eat doughnuts for lunch.
Read my latest column about the laziest excuse in the climate debate:
www.irishtimes.com/environment/...
Read my latest column about the laziest excuse in the climate debate:
www.irishtimes.com/environment/...
Wait, wasn't someone saying that everyone should be heading back to the office..?
By order of Malta.
By order of Malta.
December 1, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Wait, wasn't someone saying that everyone should be heading back to the office..?
By order of Malta.
By order of Malta.