Tuairisc ó Mheiriceá – an Dara hIarracht Donald Trump a fheallmharú!

Report from America - the second attempt to assassinate Donald Trump!

by | 2024/10/02 | Current Affairs, International News, Opinion

Report from America - the second attempt to assassinate Donald Trump!

“Many forms of Government have been and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all the other forms that have been tried from time to time.”

–Winston Churchill

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Fragile System

Democracy is always under threat. From time to time, the majority of the people realized that that fragile system had failed and that they had no other choice but to turn to some other effective system, which could make a definite decision which could then be acted on, regardless of and without interference from anyone. Something like this happened, probably, between the two World Wars, when certain countries sided with a dictatorship system, because certain people and certain groups in those countries saw the need for such, to deal with social and political difficulties.

L’Etat c’est Moi !

It goes without saying that such a system was also in place in the Age of Sovereignty, when the King of France could declare that he was the State ... "l'Etat c'est moi." In such a situation, no one was allowed to interfere with the King's decision, as his power was based on the principle that those same Kings received their power from God himself, and therefore, it was the duty of the citizen to accept the King's statute, on the understanding that it was God's will. However, that came and went, and today, not many powerful kings are left in this world, and Democracy is the system of government that is familiar to everyone. That does not make the system without fault, or above criticism because, when the chips are down, it has to restrict the freedom of the citizens, and legislate disciplinary laws, to gain complete control over the population for the good of their community. Another weakness in democracy is that it gives every opportunity to criminals, and extremists of all kinds, to practice their anti-social crafts under the eyes of the State itself. It becomes very difficult for the system to deal with them, as the system has to function in accordance with the law, while all those others are allowed to function without the slightest regard for those laws. Those stresses are clearly visible in America right now.

Attempt to assassinate Trump

We've all heard the news about the recent assassination attempt on Donald Trump. It is unbelievable that this is the second attempt to kill him within two months. Unfortunately, this is nothing new, and there have been many attempts to assassinate presidents and former presidents of the United States of America over the years. But why does this happen? There is no single reason. Sometimes, the assassin is not happy with his government and especially with the president. Other times, the killer is mentally ill and delusional. In any case, no politician should be killed, no matter the reason. No system would be able to function for long if that kind of failure was accepted, including Democracy.

Dangerous Times!

The democratic system is a fragile system, and the public has a duty to protect it at all times. They have to be involved and active. The public and their politicians need to resolve their differences peacefully, through negotiation and through the ballot boxes, instead of through violence. As we all know in Ireland, violence failed to solve any problem in Northern Ireland for 30 years (1968-1998). But after difficult negotiations between the two sides (loyalists and republicans), they decided to get rid of the guns, and use the ballot box instead. That peace process was successful with the as was the associated agreement - the Good Friday Agreement. Peace has prevailed in the North for the past 26 years and counting. Making a transition like that isn't easy, and it doesn't happen often. That's why things in America are so dangerous right now – violence against politicians increases the risks of things getting out of control.

Solutions?

What can be done to combat that problem in America? Undoubtedly, the secret service needs to be improved, and the government is currently working on that. While that is a good thing, the government is tilting at windmills if they don't tackle the root problem – assault weapons. It is estimated that there are up to 40 million of them in America right now, and there is nothing positive about that. Assault weapons (AR-15 for example) were banned from 1994 to 2004, but Congress refused to renew the ban then. Although the majority of the public is in favor of the ban, the legislation would not pass in the Senate at the moment because there would not be enough (60) senators for it. Perhaps it is time for all senators to put the country's interest before their own and do the right thing. And all politicians should also avoid making hateful statements and set a good example for their people.

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Gaelú nó Galldú!

Gaelicization or Foreignization!

by | 2024/09/25 | Current Affairs, Politics, Opinion

Gaelicization or Foreignization!

Rich countries’ problems!

All the media is packed with news and lies these days about the foreigners who are already here, not to mention the foreigners who will soon be trying to enter the country. However, we need to separate the wheat from the chaff, think for ourselves and do the right thing regarding the foreigners in our midst.

Needless to say, each has their own reason for making that trip to Ireland. For one, it is seeking asylum. For another, it is to seek work, and in the case of still others, it is to seek education and training.

Although we have a 'hundred thousand welcome' to the tourists who come to visit Ireland, the same story is not always the case regarding the foreigners who live in the country. When they started coming to Ireland around 30 years ago, at first we were not too keen on sharing our little island with people from outside. At the same time, we ourselves were welcomed abroad for generations, and therefore, when we understood what exactly was happening, we understood that we had an obligation to do our best to meet that need. Ireland make an agreement with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and with the European Union, to serve a share of people from other countries who need asylum. In addition to those, we decided to admit those seeking education and training and also to admit a certain number of workers per year.

Demographic change

The migrants continued to mingle in year after year until, at the moment, a total number of migrants has a large number settled among us (around 12%). There is no point in asking if we should let those people into this country, as they are already with us, and all we have to do now is take advantage of the situation as it is.

It cannot be denied that there are incalculable advantages attached to all this immigration. It provides essential workers for our economic system, when we ourselves could not meet that demand. Yes, and that keeps the wheels of the economy grinding at speed, which helps us to provide a better life for all our people, both Irish and Foreign.

In the case of the students, such a thing was always welcomed among us, or our ancestors respected and respected learning, for generations. In the case of those who sought asylum, unfortunately, they were not always taken care of, negative stereotypes about them were (and still are) spread and some of them were also sometimes discriminated against. To add insult to injury, we initially did not have a very satisfactory system to process them and provide them with decent shelter.

The Right thing to do

So we must look ahead, and make arrangements to welcome all these strangers, who have chosen our land, as a new home for themselves and their descendants. No doubt in the world, some of these migrants will go back home again to their own countries, but many of them will also stay, and if we are wise and intelligent, we will all try to attract these people into our community . Not because we have no second choice but to do so, but because it is in our interest to do so.

More Irish than the Irish themselves!

How can that be done, right?

Well, it can be done by sharing our whole life with them, and letting them be (on the) inside, in every aspect of that same life. We can improve our system for asylum seekers. Although the government is making progress, there are many other improvements that could be made. Let foreigners be welcome in the Army, the Garda Síochána, and the Defense Forces, together. Also, they should be encouraged to participate in the Education System, including the Law and Justice System, Matters of Culture and Language and of Sports. Let no aspect of national life be closed against them. If they are willing to accept us as a people, then shouldn't we accept them as Irish? If we are willing to do that, they may become more Irish than the Irish themselves, just like what happened to others who came to us in olden times. May that day not be far off.

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Tuairim ó Mheiriceá – Díospóireacht – Téic 2!

Opinion from America – Debate – Take 2!

by | 2024/09/18 | Current Affairs, International News, Opinion

Opinion from America – Debate – Take 2!

Introduction

I saw the first presidential debate this year, between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. I wrote an article about that disastrous debate, in which I wrote: "In my opinion, the best thing for Joe Biden to do now is to withdraw from the race immediately - but the risk is small."

A few things transpired after that, which were promising. First, Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential race. At first, he insisted that he was the only person who could defeat Trump. But it was clear that others did not agree with that, even people in his own party - the Democrats, and especially Nancy Pelosi - the former Speaker of the House of Representatives. Nancy Pelosi's opinion has a lot of authority, especially in this case. She is slightly older than Biden at 82 years old, and also, she recently resigned from her own position as Speaker, saying she would not seek the role again, after two four year terms in office (2007-2011 and 2019-2023). Eventually, Biden conceded the truth of his situation and pulled out. Then, the second significant thing happened, and all the Democrats supported Kamala Harris as the presidential candidate without any contest. She chose Tim Walz as her vice-presidential running mate and they soon began a vigorous campaign. Their campaign raised $361 million in August, nearly three times more than Trump's ($130 million). The gap between them narrowed in the polls until they were neck and neck. And then after working out a few details, Trump and Harris agreed to have an hour and a half long presidential debate.

The Debate

There was no similarity between this debate and the last one. At the start of the debate, Harris looked over to Trump and shook his hand. In this way, she made an important point that she was not afraid of him, but the opposite. That signal paved the way for what was to happen up on stage in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Here are four conclusions I drew from the debate.

1 Trump Weaknesses

Harris clearly highlighted Trump's fundamental weaknesses, which Biden was unable to do in the first debate, including:

• Trump's criminal record. When Trump said that most immigrants coming into the country are criminals, Harris responded: “Isn't that rich. Coming from someone who has been prosecuted for national security crimes, economic crimes, illegal interference in elections, found guilty of sexual assault, and will be in court in November at his own criminal sentencing.”
• Trump's role in the January 6, 2021 attack. Trump said: "I had nothing to do with that other than they asked me to give a speech." Harris said: “To everyone watching, who remembers what happened on January 6, I say, We don't need to go back. Let's not go back. We are not going back. It's time to turn the page.”
• Seasamh Trump ar ghinmhilleadh. Dúirt Trump go bhfuil na Daonlathaithe ar son linbh nuabheirthe a mharú. Ach dúirt an modhnóir Davis nach raibh sé sin fíor. Nuair a d’iarr modhnóir ar Trump an síneodh sé cosc náisiúnta ar ghinmhilleadh, níor fhreagair sé an cheist. Chuir Harris brú air é a fhreagairt, ach dhiúltaigh sé arís.

2 Trump's lies

Trump told a whole bag of lies, and here are just a few examples:

• Tá na Daonlathaithe ar son linbh nuabheirthe a mharú.
• Democrats are giving votes to illegal immigrants.
• Undocumented foreigners are capturing towns, capturing buildings.
• In Springfield Ohio the immigrants are eating the cats and dogs.

3 A passionate case regarding abortion

Dúirt Harris go dtacaíonn sí le Roe v. Wade a athbhunú. “Tá sé maslach do mhná Mheiriceá. … Bíonn ar dhaoine oibre, mná oibre atá ag obair post nó dhó, a bhfuil orthu cúram leanaí a fháil gur ar éigean d’acmhainn dóibh, taisteal go stát eile ar eitleán, a bheith ina suí in aice le strainséirí, chun an cúram sláinte a theastaíonn uathu a fháil – ar éigean d’acmhainn dóibh. Agus tá sé neamhscrupallach iad a chur tríd sin.”

4 Príomhthéama Trump – Inimircigh gan doiciméad agus a gcoireanna

According to Republicans, the Democrats' immigration policies are their biggest weakness, and Trump has emphasized immigration matters as often as possible. Trump has told lie after lie on the subject, and I already mentioned one where he claimed immigrants were eating the pets in Springfied. Here are a few more examples of what he had to say about migration.

"They (Democrats) allowed criminals," Trump said, claiming without any evidence that there were "millions" of criminals. “They allowed terrorists. They allowed common street criminals. They allowed people to come in, drug dealers to come into our country.” Trump said at another point: “Bad immigration is the worst thing that could happen to our economy. They and she (Harris) are destroying our country with their policy. That's crazy.”

Conclusion

According to most analysts, Harris won the debate. I agree with that, but that does not mean that she will win the election. Hilary beat Trump in the three debates between them in 2016, according to the analysts and according to the public - but despite this, Trump won the presidential election. And while everyone knows about Trump and his approach, many people don't know much about Harris and the differences between Biden's policies and her own. Harris did a great job in the debate and that's a good step, but she still has a lot to do, and she doesn't have much time left to do it. As a positive ending, Taylor Swift posted her support for Harris to her followers (283 million) on Instagram, after the debate. That's not a bad thing!

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Seoid Chríonnachta!

Pearls of Wisdom!

by | 2024/08/21 | Current Affairs, Personal, Opinion

Pearls of Wisdom!

 

"This is what they call summer, God between us and evil!"

I turned and who was there but Séimí an Droichid, and the poor creature looked like a drowned rat. Fortunately, I had an open golf umbrella with plenty of room for two people under it.

"Come join me under my umbrella!" I said, because I felt sorry for him.

"That's an offer I can't refuse, and I'm very grateful!" Séimí answered and he already safe, sheltered from a heavy shower.

“Well, let's head to Meubles for lunch, then! I will stand this!” We were outside Woodies and heading in that direction, anyway.

"Beggars can’t be choosers, so to speak!" said Séimí. “Ahead we go!”

When we were sitting by the window, eating soup and brown bread, I asked Séimí the question that had been bothering me recently.

"Séimí, I think we are in an uneasy time at the moment. Although diplomacy is the best way to ensure that there will be peace, there is a lack of it all over the world. But the increase in immigration is having the biggest impact on the western world. Once upon a time, the stresses of immigration were only visible in America. We didn't really understand what was going on there until the same thing happened here too, and we learned the complexities of immigration pretty quickly then. But now, things have taken a turn for the worse in Ireland and the violence is getting worse. Riots broke out in Dublin last year, following online rumors of an attack on children in the city centre. And there have been riots in England recently too. People across Britain were shocked when three girls aged between 6 and 9 were killed in a knife attack on July 29 in Southport, a seaside town north of Liverpool. False rumors quickly spread on social media that the suspect was an asylum seeker, or a Muslim immigrant. The anti-immigrant riots started in Southport, and then other riots broke out across England, from Plymouth on the south coast to Sunderland in the North East. Riots also occurred in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Séimí, where the hell are we going?" I was out of breath, and I was also starving. Séimí was already eating and I quickly imitated him.

“Mickaleen, my faithful friend, what about the niceties of social relations? I'm quite well, thank you, and I hope everything is fine with you, too?” He smiled roguishly, and I realized instantly that I had been rude to Séimí.

"Excuse me, Séimí, for my verbosity - I wasn't thinking at all. And we are fine too, and as busy now as we were before we quit our jobs. I was looking for relief, maybe, or reassurance from you that things will work out in this country and around the world and that's why I started blathering."

"Michael, I understand what you are saying, and that you are worried that things are in turmoil around the world, including in our own country. Too much bad news affects us all negatively. Times like this remind me of an old English proverb, which goes like this: 'Have the calmness to accept things I cannot change, have the courage to make changes when possible, and understand the difference between them.' We have an opportunity as a country to take a strict stance in relation to countries and people committing atrocities. We can express our views to our TDs (representatives). We also have the opportunity to express our discontent on the street, as demonstrations are often organized to pressure the government to address important issues. And we as citizens have a duty to use our votes wisely, and to give our support to people and parties that do not have hatred as an integral part of their political vision. Michael, people worry especially when terrible things are happening that they have no control over. But you can get things done most of the time. Although they are often small things, they make a positive impact in the right direction. My advice to all citizens is another old saying - 'actions speak louder than words'. One small action is stronger than a thousand words. I don't know if that would give you any relief or reassurance, but that's my approach to things like that!” With that, Séimí finished eating and nodded his head wisely. I myself had finished my meal and was drinking in every word that my faithful friend had to say.

“Séimí, you did it again! You are right. The 'Stand up to Racism' group held more than 50 rallies in Great Britain and the North. Around 15,000 gathered in Belfast, chanting the words: 'when migrants are under attack, what do we do? Let's stand up!' There are also frequent anti-racism rallies in Ireland, and there was a big one in Dublin last year. Our conversation reminds me of a few other old sayings of Teddy Roosevelt’s: 'In the hour of destiny, the best thing to do is the right thing, and the worst thing to do is nothing' and ‘Do what you can with what you have, where you are.'

“Well, we're of like minds then. And you tied everything together with the statements of President Teddy Roosevelt. He was a pillar of support for the disadvantaged during the Great Depression in the United States. Great advice from him, no doubt! Well, it's not raining anymore – I'm going to meet another friend at 'Costa' now. Nice to meet you, and I'll definitely see you again after a while."

"I'll be looking forward to it!" I said, but Séimí was already halfway down the stairs.

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Tuairisc ó Mheiriceá – tír gafa idir dhá thine Bhealtaine!

Report from America – a nation on the horns of a dilemma!

by | 2024/07/10 | Current Affairs, International News, Politics, Opinion

Report from America – a nation on the horns of a dilemma!

 

If you're a Democrat, the presidential debate that took place on June 27 was an absolute nightmare. Biden was unsteady on his feet as he walked out on stage before the debate, in contrast to Trump. That was a bad prediction for what was to come. Biden spoke in a weak, boring and monotonous voice. He became confused from time to time as he tried to recall details. Sometimes, one word came out when another word was intended. For example, he said trillionaires when he should have said billionaires. At other times, he lost the thread of his thoughts entirely, and at the same time seemed to be confused. For example, when he was criticizing Trump for his contribution to the national debt, this is what Biden said: “We're able to make every single person … eligible for everything that I've been able to do with him the, uh, with — with the Covid, uh excuse me, with, dealing with, everything we have to do, uh … see … if … we finally won Medicare.”

Trump promptly responded with a grin from ear to ear: “Well, he's right, he beat Medicare. He beat it to death.”

Trump told us his bag of lies during the debate, and Biden couldn't convincingly disprove the myths at all. For example, Trump blamed Nancy Pelosi for the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021. He said that Biden would raise taxes fourfold, that he would kill children after they were born, and that the economy was the strongest ever during the Trump regime. He said that 18,19 or even 20 million immigrants were taking "Black jobs" and "Hispanic jobs" and that things willo be the worst ever seen under a Biden presidency.

Biden was on the defensive most of the time, and only attacked Trump a few times. For example, he said that Trump was convicted on charges related to his close relationship with porn star Stormy Daniels, and that Trump had 'the morals of an alley cat'.

As heated as the debate was at first, things got worse with each passing minute. As it approaches the end of the debate, they were arguing about who is the better golfer, instead of discussing the big problems regarding their plans at home and abroad. And finally we saw them calling each other names: "Let's not behave like children," Trump told Biden. "You're a child," Biden replied. That is an accurate reflection of the debate, unfortunately.

Analysis

I can't say anything positive about the debate itself, it was so bad. There was nothing substantial to learn from the presidential candidates regarding their policies, that we didn't already know. But I did learn a few interesting things about Biden and Trump, though.

Biden

It was the worst decision of all for Biden to join the debate. There is no doubt about that. He was in no condition to be on that stage at all. Maybe Biden didn't recognize that, because he wasn't thinking clearly. But didn't his handlers or even his wife see that there was something wrong with him – something worse than a cold - seriously? It also looks like President Biden has had some kind of problem for some time; perhaps a problem that is getting worse over time.

Biden has done a lot in his first term, and the economy is currently strong in the country. But he couldn't convincingly tell us the list of their main achievements. Nor has he informed us of what he intends to do if re-elected.

Trump

Trump was lying through his teeth as usual - telling lies in detail and often. He had a big platform to spread his crap, and he didn't miss an opportunity to do it. He also gave Biden a jab or two, but Biden did that job on his own, really. Trump played a smart game, and had a big win against Biden, on the day.

Conclusion agus Moladh

A few things were very clear to me after the debate. The presidential candidates are just, well, leaders who are nothing but figureheads. But behind them, there are powerful and frightening political machines (Republicans and Democrats) operating against each other, with very different agendas. The Republicans believe that the only way for them to maintain their power in the future is to change the rules to their own benefit. They would not have the upper hand in a democratic political system, so they would change to an authoritarian system, with a dictator in charge with power equal to a king/queen. Forget the separation of church and state, as the philosophy and morality of Christian Fundamentalism would be the guiding principles of government. Also, a sectarian, malignant, racist philosophy would be contributing in. In short, the United States of America would be like the 'Republic of Gilead', the dystopian country invented by Margaret Atwood in her novel 'The Handmaid's Tale'.

Democrats would want to maintain the democratic political system and preserve and expand the freedom and rights of citizens, regardless of skin color, gender, religion or ethnicity. Wealthy people and companies would have to pay their share of taxes. The government would be obliged to provide social security services and public health services.

The Democrats did us no favors when they gave their full support to Joe Biden. They knew that there were major problems with that decision, and instead of preparing another candidate for the job, they continued despite their opinions on the matter. They upset the fans of their party, including me. In my opinion, the best thing Joe Biden could do now is to withdraw from the race soon - but the chance of that is small.

My suggestion to voters in the presidential election? Don't bother with anything else but cast your vote for Biden if you prefer a democratic country, or for Trump if you prefer a country like the 'Republic of Gilead'. It's that simple!

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Tairngreachtaí Suntasacha!

Noteworthy Predictions

by | 2024/07/03 | Science and Technology, Opinion

If you think Artificial Intelligence (AI) is new, the opposite is the case. Ray Kurzweil has been working in the field for 61 years - longer than anyone else alive. Most of us were unaware of AI until ChatGPT came into existence recently. But now AI is at the center of the global conversation, something Ray is very happy about.

Back in 1999, when Ray predicted that we would have Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) by 2029, most experts thought he was writing fiction. But his estimate was not far off, and now many experts are of the opinion that we will have AGI even sooner. AGI is a type of AI that can solve all kinds of problems as well or (usually) better than humans. Ray now has new prophecies about what AGI will mean for us in the near term in three important areas.

Energy

Today's technology relies heavily on energy sources. For the last two hundred years fossil fuels have been used as the main sources. Unfortunately, they pollute the environment and are not renewable so we need to stop using them due to the toxic output they emit. Therefore, it is necessary to use different sources without delay, which do not involve such pollution. Fortunately, we have no shortage of options, but unfortunately, they all come with different problems. Take solar power, for example. If only 0.01% of the sunlight received by the earth was harvested, the energy needs of the human race would be completely supplied. But solar power is still not cost-effective compared to fossil fuels, although things are moving in the right direction. In particular, the costs of the chemicals associated with the technology are too high. And that is where AGI will be able to help us a lot. AGI will be able to simulate millions of materials, and find the most efficient ones for us, so that we have almost free energy at our disposal. It will be a fundamental change, without a doubt.

Manufacturing

Prices for industrial products come from three main sources: energy, labor and materials. AGI will be able to provide energy that uses low cost materials. But what about the labor cost? Significant progress has already been made in the field of robotics in automating physical work. Undoubtedly, there will be more significant improvements in this area over time. This means that most items will become incredibly cheap and plentiful.

Medicine

Price performance will continue to drop in the computing space as well. In addition, there are innovations currently underway such as quantum computing that could fuel exponential growth in the AGI field. A new term is already being used for that alone – Quantum Intelligence – but that's a topic for another day. In any case, before long AGI will be able to develop new drugs to cure all kinds of diseases. And AGI will be able to adapt drugs to the needs of one person, because each of us has a unique biochemistry. The need for clinical trials will not be the same either, as AGI will be able to simulate trials. Digital trials will allow us to tailor medicines to each patient on an individual basis. It will enable us not only to cure diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's, but also to greatly reduce the harmful effects of ageing. This is the most significant promise of ISG: much longer and healthier lives for us.

Conclusion

I was stunned when I read the predictions mentioned above. Isn't Ray dreaming? Well, maybe he is, but Ray needs to be listened to for many reasons. First of all, his prophecies (in the nineties) came true, regarding the World Wide Web, smart phones and digital media. Second, Ray is an innovator who has had great success using AI to create new products. For example, he designed and developed an optical character recognition system back in the seventies; a music synthesizer in the eighties; 'text to language' products in the nineties, and financial technology (fintech) software at the beginning of this century.

Thirdly, Ray published one of his most provocative books to date, in 2005: 'The Singularity Is Near'. In this book, he gives us more details about the 'Singularity' - that is when ISG will be available for the first time and computers will become smarter than humans. After reading that book, it was clear to me that Ray is a world-class expert in the field of IS and ISG, and that we need to pay due attention to what he has to say.

Finally, price performance will continue to decrease in the computing field over time. There is also innovation currently underway such as quantum computing that could fuel exponential growth in the ISG field. A new term is already being used for just that – Quantum Intelligence – but that's a topic for another day.

It is clear, therefore, that there is serious thought behind his predictions, and Ray himself has special wisdom. In my opinion, we have no choice but to believe most of his predictions, even though they make us wary. But, as the old saying goes: forewarned is forearmed!

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