Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Is podcasting about to take its next Great Leap Forward?
The article first appeared in Village magazine, July-August 2018 edition. Anyone using the Google mobile search app to look for a podcast on an android phone in the last month will have noticed something interesting happening. In addition to the usual links to relevant websites or iTunes directories, Google presents direct links to the most…
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Journalists give conflicting accounts at Charleton tribunal
Charleton tribunal: summary of evidence for week ending 8 June 2018 Article commissioned by Sunday Independent Listening to journalists during the past week, Mr Justice Peter Charleton noted several times that he did not want to be an Irish Leveson reporting on the state of Irish media. Journalists and barristers have danced around the issue…
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Journalists give evidence to Charleton Tribunal
Charleton Tribunal: Summary of evidence for week ending 1 June 2018 Article commissioned by Sunday Independent In its final phase, the Charleton tribunal is hearing from journalists about what they knew of smear campaigns and negative briefings against whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe. The week began with former commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan, who said she never sought…
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Halt the embargo
An edited version of this article first appeared in Village magazine, June 2018 edition. Can you determine what the following news reports all have in common? * Eoghan Murphy, Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government announced that Orders have been made directing that bye-elections be held to fill the vacancies in the Seanad caused…
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#RepealThe8th: Oldies get it wrong again
An edited version of this article first appeared in Village magazine, June 2018 edition. You should stop reading right now. Pay no attention to pretty much every columnist of my generation. We got it wrong. Opinion polls are only as good as the people who interpret them, and we all filter our interpretations though our…
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Callinan stands firm on smear campaign denial
Charleton Tribunal: Summary of week ending 25 May 2018 First published in the Sunday Independent After three days of evidence from former Garda commissioner Martin Callinan, there was one thing Mr Justice Peter Charleton couldn’t quite understand. “I’m still puzzled as to how you chose David Taylor, because whatever way you look at it, it…
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Shatter steps back to ‘quicksand’ of issues raised by Sgt McCabe
Charleton Tribunal: Summary of week ending 18 May 2018 First published in the Sunday Independent Alan Shatter had barely started his evidence, explaining the various contacts he had as justice minister with whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe, when Charleton Tribunal barrister Kathleen Leader asked him about the Commission of Inquiry headed by Mr Justice Kevin O’Higgins.…
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Charleton Tribunal: week ending 11 May 2018
Article for Sunday Independent of 13 May 2018 Supt David Taylor’s reputation has taken something of a battering since the Charleton tribunal began its inquiry earlier this month into allegations he was ordered to brief journalists negatively about whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe. Former garda commissioner Martin Callinan denies giving instructions to brief negatively to the…
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Charleton tribunal: week ending 4 May 2018
Article for Sunday Independent of 6 May 2018 John Ferris had a difficult time adjusting to life with David Taylor in the Garda press office. An inspector at the time, Ferris told the Disclosures tribunal how when Taylor first arrived to his posting at Garda headquarters, they shared an office. Aware that his new boss…
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Charleton tribunal: week ending 13 April 2018
Article for Sunday Independent of 15 April 2018 Tomorrow morning, Disclosures tribunal chairman Peter Charleton plans to visit Kildare Street. The Supreme Court judge will inspect Leinster House 2000, a new building completed in 2001. First stop will be the Coffee Dock, a popular breaktime spot for everyone working in the complex. From the checkout…
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