I watched a video last week on a channel to which I subscribe, Conor Neill’s YouTube channel. He made a video about there being no solutions to problems, but trade-offs or compromises. He points to the problem of global warming, energy consumption and generation and all the associated problems and points out that the global… Continue reading There are no solutions, only trade-offs
Category: Society
The unvetted men trope
A guy left a comment on one of my Facebook posts yesterday about UNVETTED MEN. In case the notion of “unvetted men” was not enough to strike fear into the mind of the reader he had gone to the trouble of putting UNVETTED MEN in block caps. Just in case I missed the point. I… Continue reading The unvetted men trope
A blessed life
I was scrolling though the Irish Times news app this morning as I had my breakfast, when a story ‘I have been in prison for 40 years in my head because of Billy Kenneally’: abuse survivors speak out’, caught my attention. An accountant and basketball coach, Billy Kenneally from Waterford was sentenced to a further… Continue reading A blessed life
It’s just the culture
I saw a lovely photograph of one of my daughters on Instagram this week. She was wearing a headscarf in a mosque in Istanbul on her honeymoon. We had a good laugh about it as it would certainly be a triggering event for her mother. Myself and herself are going to Istanbul next week for… Continue reading It’s just the culture
Human nature and ego
Human nature and ego is an enduring, universal thing. I drafted a letter some time ago and it was threatening an employer with an application for a High Court injunction to prevent my client’s termination going ahead. I sent it to senior and junior counsel for approval, as requested by the senior. The letter was… Continue reading Human nature and ego
Help wanted in Galway
We were in Galway for the long weekend just passed and one thing struck me forcibly. There were ‘help wanted’ posters or signs up in a tremendous number of service-based businesses. Bar staff, waiting staff, sous chefs, baristas, serving staff. The signs were everywhere. And in the Esquires coffee shop in Eyre Square there is… Continue reading Help wanted in Galway
Nobody pays cash anymore
I was in a pub in Galway yesterday afternoon-An Pucan near Eyre Square-watching the hurling matches on one of the many screens in the pub. I could not help noticing, however, that virtually nobody getting drink at any of the many bars in the place actually pay cash. They are tapping their card or waving… Continue reading Nobody pays cash anymore
What did the spreaders of hate do before the mobile phone and social media?
It is difficult to spend any time on Twitter without coming across spreaders of hate. These hate filled, racist, charlatans are almost always using the power of video on their mobile phone to make talking head videos spreading their toxic view of the state of our society. Or they are poncing about and posturing with… Continue reading What did the spreaders of hate do before the mobile phone and social media?
Status roles and affiliations
I have been binge listening to the akimbo podcast by Seth Godin for the last couple of weeks. (I have run out of audiobook credits for my Audible account!) But I am glad I have because I am beginning to see with fresh eyes what he has been banging on about for years. One of… Continue reading Status roles and affiliations
Irrationality is part of the deal
I have struggled lately to understand what I see as the irrationality of certain individuals when it comes to what I see as facts. Let’s take a look at the decisions of certain courts, for example. It is plain as a pikestaff who won and who lost. Yet the people on the losing side do… Continue reading Irrationality is part of the deal