North Korea Increases Aid to Russia, Mos... Tue Nov 19, 2024 12:29 | Marko Marjanovi?
Trump Assembles a War Cabinet Sat Nov 16, 2024 10:29 | Marko Marjanovi?
Slavgrinder Ramps Up Into Overdrive Tue Nov 12, 2024 10:29 | Marko Marjanovi?
?Existential? Culling to Continue on Com... Mon Nov 11, 2024 10:28 | Marko Marjanovi?
US to Deploy Military Contractors to Ukr... Sun Nov 10, 2024 02:37 | Field Empty
Anti-Empire >>
Indymedia Ireland is a volunteer-run non-commercial open publishing website for local and international news, opinion & analysis, press releases and events. Its main objective is to enable the public to participate in reporting and analysis of the news and other important events and aspects of our daily lives and thereby give a voice to people.
Fraud and mismanagement at University College Cork Thu Aug 28, 2025 18:30 | Calli Morganite
UCC has paid huge sums to a criminal professor
This story is not for republication. I bear responsibility for the things I write. I have read the guidelines and understand that I must not write anything untrue, and I won't.
This is a public interest story about a complete failure of governance and management at UCC.
Deliberate Design Flaw In ChatGPT-5 Sun Aug 17, 2025 08:04 | Mind Agent
Socratic Dialog Between ChatGPT-5 and Mind Agent Reveals Fatal and Deliberate 'Design by Construction' Flaw
This design flaw in ChatGPT-5's default epistemic mode subverts what the much touted ChatGPT-5 can do... so long as the flaw is not tickled, any usage should be fine---The epistemological question is: how would anyone in the public, includes you reading this (since no one is all knowing), in an unfamiliar domain know whether or not the flaw has been tickled when seeking information or understanding of a domain without prior knowledge of that domain???!
This analysis is a pretty unique and significant contribution to the space of empirical evaluation of LLMs that exist in AI public world... at least thus far, as far as I am aware! For what it's worth--as if anyone in the ChatGPT universe cares as they pile up on using the "PhD level scholar in your pocket".
According to GPT-5, and according to my tests, this flaw exists in all LLMs... What is revealing is the deduction GPT-5 made: Why ?design choice? starts looking like ?deliberate flaw?.
People are paying $200 a month to not just ChatGPT, but all major LLMs have similar Pro pricing! I bet they, like the normal user of free ChatGPT, stay in LLM's default mode where the flaw manifests itself. As it did in this evaluation.
AI Reach: Gemini Reasoning Question of God Sat Aug 02, 2025 20:00 | Mind Agent
Evaluating Semantic Reasoning Capability of AI Chatbot on Ontologically Deep Abstract (bias neutral) Thought
I have been evaluating AI Chatbot agents for their epistemic limits over the past two months, and have tested all major AI Agents, ChatGPT, Grok, Claude, Perplexity, and DeepSeek, for their epistemic limits and their negative impact as information gate-keepers.... Today I decided to test for how AI could be the boon for humanity in other positive areas, such as in completely abstract realms, such as metaphysical thought. Meaning, I wanted to test the LLMs for Positives beyond what most researchers benchmark these for, or have expressed in the approx. 2500 Turing tests in Humanity?s Last Exam.. And I chose as my first candidate, Google DeepMind's Gemini as I had not evaluated it before on anything.
Israeli Human Rights Group B'Tselem finally Admits It is Genocide releasing Our Genocide report Fri Aug 01, 2025 23:54 | 1 of indy
We have all known it for over 2 years that it is a genocide in Gaza
Israeli human rights group B'Tselem has finally admitted what everyone else outside Israel has known for two years is that the Israeli state is carrying out a genocide in Gaza
Western governments like the USA are complicit in it as they have been supplying the huge bombs and missiles used by Israel and dropped on innocent civilians in Gaza. One phone call from the USA regime could have ended it at any point. However many other countries are complicity with their tacit approval and neighboring Arab countries have been pretty spinless too in their support
With the release of this report titled: Our Genocide -there is a good chance this will make it okay for more people within Israel itself to speak out and do something about it despite the fact that many there are actually in support of the Gaza
China?s CITY WIDE CASH SEIZURES Begin ? ATMs Frozen, Digital Yuan FORCED Overnight Wed Jul 30, 2025 21:40 | 1 of indy
This story is unverified but it is very instructive of what will happen when cash is removed
THIS STORY IS UNVERIFIED BUT PLEASE WATCH THE VIDEO OR READ THE TRANSCRIPT AS IT GIVES AN VERY GOOD IDEA OF WHAT A CASHLESS SOCIETY WILL LOOK LIKE. And it ain't pretty
A single video report has come out of China claiming China's biggest cities are now cashless, not by choice, but by force. The report goes on to claim ATMs have gone dark, vaults are being emptied. And overnight (July 20 into 21), the digital yuan is the only currency allowed.
The Saker >>
News Round-Up Thu Oct 09, 2025 01:07 | Richard Eldred
A summary of the most interesting stories in the past 24 hours that challenge the prevailing orthodoxy about the ?climate emergency?, public health ?crises? and the supposed moral defects of Western civilisation.
The post News Round-Up appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Two-Tier Justice on Full Display as Epping Protesters Get Longer Sentences Than Sex Attacker Whose C... Wed Oct 08, 2025 19:36 | Will Jones
Two-tier justice was on full display as three Epping protesters received longer prison sentences than the asylum seeker whose sex attack on a child they were protesting about, says Laurie Wastell.
The post Two-Tier Justice on Full Display as Epping Protesters Get Longer Sentences Than Sex Attacker Whose Crime They Were Protesting appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
British Steel Industry Faces ?Existential Threat? as EU Hikes Tariffs to 50% Despite Starmer?s ?EU R... Wed Oct 08, 2025 17:23 | Will Jones
Britain?s Net Zero-ravaged steel industry is facing an "existential threat" as the EU threatens the UK with tariffs of up to 50% despite Keir Starmer's recent 'EU reset' giveaway on fishing rights and youth mobility.
The post British Steel Industry Faces “Existential Threat” as EU Hikes Tariffs to 50% Despite Starmer’s ‘EU Reset’ Giveaway appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
The Fightback Against Politicised Art Has Begun Wed Oct 08, 2025 15:27 | Ferro
The public's indifference to art has never been greater. No wonder, says Ferro: it's all just tired Left-progressive politics by another means. But the fightback for real art that moves the human soul has begun.
The post The Fightback Against Politicised Art Has Begun appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Upon This Ice I Will Build My Church, Says Leo XIV Wed Oct 08, 2025 13:00 | James Alexander
Not until Leo XIV did we have a picture of a holy man staring at an ice cube with his hand on it, respectfully gazing as if imagining the whisky that could go with such a rock, says Prof James Alexander.
The post Upon This Ice I Will Build My Church, Says Leo XIV appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Lockdown Skeptics >>
Voltaire, international edition
Will intergovernmental institutions withstand the end of the "American Empire"?,... Sat Apr 05, 2025 07:15 | en
Voltaire, International Newsletter N?127 Sat Apr 05, 2025 06:38 | en
Disintegration of Western democracy begins in France Sat Apr 05, 2025 06:00 | en
Voltaire, International Newsletter N?126 Fri Mar 28, 2025 11:39 | en
The International Conference on Combating Anti-Semitism by Amichai Chikli and Na... Fri Mar 28, 2025 11:31 | en
Voltaire Network >>
national |
consumer issues |
opinion/analysis
Friday September 21, 2007 23:58
by Gwen
printable version
Digg this
del.icio.us
Furl
Reddit
Technorati
Facebook
Gab
Twitter
View Comments Titles Only
save preference
Comments (5 of 5)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5When Edelman work for the Israeli Government trying to brainwash Russians they use the affiliate 'Imageland'.
They claim to have lowered the, 'number of references to Israel in the military context', by 'news generation' and a 'Long-term PR campaign'. Well done!
But why do the Irish Government need these slick PR people to tell us the 'facts'? At least now we know why Ministers Gormley and Ryan look like demented puppets - because they are!
Slick PR or just more nauseating bull-crap?
I didn't look at the website of the PR firm but if what you say is true that sounds seriously dodgy, quite disturbing actually.
As for the cuts to the greener homes sheme, are you sure that's what it is? I was under the impression the scheme was about to run out totally, but that Ryan secured a smaller, extended version. Not trying to defend him however.
Oh yes, it's a major cut in government grants for eco-friendly home improvements. Grants, as listed below are dignificantly reduced, in some cases halved. Very significant for people who were hoping such grants would be increased, enabling them to install wood-pellet burners, solar-panels, water-heaters etc.
This marks a major change in Government policy under the Green Party, who have direct responsiblity for this area, against assisting the public to become more eco-friendly.
Biomass - Boiler reduced from 4,200 to 3,000
Heat Pump Vertl ground reduced from 6,500 to 3,500
Heat Pump Horizl ground reduced from 4,300 to 2,500
Heat Pump - Water to water reduced from 4,300 to 2,500
Heat Pump - Air Source reduced from 4,000 to 2,000
Solar - Flat Plate reduced from 300/m2 to 250/m2
It was expected that grants would have been massively increased but as is the case with all Green Party policy, a complete reversal in what we see.
To add insult to injury, the Green Party is taking advice form a US PR company on how to tell us this is in fact "Phase Two" of the Grants and not indeed a cut!
Lining up to sell out - Gormley and Ryan
..perhaps because I didn't explain myself properly.
I thought that the scheme was about to RUN OUT anyway, that is it was only ever going to be available within a certain time period, and that the Greens pushed to have it continue in some form, albeit significantly reduced, which is a shame. I don't think Ryan should get the blame, whatever my feeling towards him, because would it not have run out altogether and be gone completely if it was just a FF-PD govt?
I can't believe they're using that PR firm. It's rather sick.
Did they HIRE that PR firm? Or is this a case where the PR firm offered to help them out "pro bono"? Sorry, but when it's a case of getting the best professional help an open question whther you take into account what other clients that professional outfit is willing to do work for. You don't turn down a law firm because they take on briefs for sleezebags, do you? Or if you do make that decision, you need to make it very clear because that's an "unusual" position many of us might not agree with.
And in a case like this you really do have ask whether this "reduction" was something that the Green Party wanted or the best extension they could get. They aren't exactly in a very strong position in the coalition.
Look, I understand the frustration some of the "left" must feel with the Greens agreeing to be "in government" instead of aligned with you BUT you need to look at your own decisions, what compromises YOU are willing to make with "environmental" interests to get people who are BOTH red and green to side with you. So far I have seen little evidence that you would be willing to give an inch, so sure in yourselves that the "environmental" issues are irrelevant.
Take the "bin tax" campaigns as an example. It's not so much that you campaigned against the changes as to HOW -- in total disregard of the valid issues of the "greens". You didn't, for example, argue that the poor should be compensated/subsidized to prevent them from being harmed from "pay per throw" schemes that might affect choices on the ground "to recycle or not to recycle". You argued that this was not a relevant consideration (what the environmental effects would be). In other words, you have been telling the "greens" that you don't give a damn about their concerns.
Try looking at this situation in reverse. Suppose that YOU were "in government" and the Greens a minor coaltion partner. Just how much would YOU have given on THIS ISSUE (subsidies for homeowners to install private alternative systems). Not much I bet, as it wouldn't fit with your vision of socialism and the ill being attacked in your mind irrelevant (because you believe, perhaps sincerely, that our environmental problems are an illusion caused by capitalism and like all social ills will miraculously vanish* when capitalism is ended).
* NOTE (an important one) A belief that eliminating a CAUSE of a problem will make the damage already done vanish is a separate matter from believing that cause is to blame. If a bully has been going around smashing kneecaps, eliminating that bully will prvenet MORE people getting lamed but will not correct the lameness of those already injured. So saying that it was under capitalism that our environment got so screwed up is NOT enough to justify a belief that eliminating capitalism will fix it -- and you have to justify WHY you think socialist industrial society won't be just as damaging to the environment. Understand? You need to say more about this, give you analysis of socialism with regard to the environment.