So this is Christmas; and what have you done? Well, this is what I've done: a whole lot of media, surrounding my public lecture on 'The Psychology of Christmas' just the other week. Turns out lots of people are interested in Christmas. Who knew? I've made a list (I've even checked it a few times):... Continue Reading →
(Link points to https://pwme.uk/VIDEO/PACE1080p.mp4. My talk runs from 0:00 to 42:25) I am behind on posting it, but here we go. This video has already attracted a staggering number of worldwide views, but I thought I would (should) present it here for posterity. Kudos to everyone at the charity Hope 4 ME & Fibro NI who... Continue Reading →
There is one. A Psychology of Christmas, that is. Here I am over at TheJournal.ie going on about it, as usual: In the 1930s, US President Calvin Coolidge made the following observation on the annual yuletide festivities: “Christmas is not a time nor a season,” he said, “but a state of mind.” For sure, Christmas... Continue Reading →
Today I will be doing a turn. Actually, two turns. (Three, if you include tomorrow.) This afternoon I have the honour of being a keynote speaker at the Psychological Society of Ireland's annual conference, here in Wexford City (Ireland's "sunny southeast", where roadside strawberries come from, and opera). My talk is part of a special... Continue Reading →
Lines are drawn A quarter of a million Britons have been diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), the condition also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). ME/CFS is a severe debilitating illness that renders patients either temporarily or perennially immobile. Sufferers will have often led very active lives before being struck down. After onset, they are... Continue Reading →
And I'm one of them. This is important not least because of claims appearing over the weekend that Cochrane pulled its controversial review due to pressure from brain-addled trouble-making "patient activitists," rather than for scientific reasons. Claims that Cochrane had been harassed were made not by Cochrane themselves, but, rather, by the authors of the controversial... Continue Reading →
It was unexpected, but the announcement was made today. The Irish cabinet have approved a decision by Minister for Children Katherine Zappone to conduct a forensic excavation of the Tuam site: The remains of children buried in unmarked graves at a former mother and baby home in Tuam, County Galway, are to be exhumed, identified... Continue Reading →
John Waters is/is not a professional contrarian who does/does not believe that blasphemy should/should not be removed from the Irish constitution: Here is John arguing/not arguing the point back in 2009: The right to give expression to the religious concept of reality itself depends on the right to freedom of expression. If we move... Continue Reading →
You may have read that the Pope was in Ireland. He's just left. According to our bizarre national media, all went totally smoothly. This is despite the fact that attendances at the various Pope shindigs were pretty feeble, bringing to mind those that turned out for the inauguration of one President D. Trump over in... Continue Reading →
I guess most of you already know the background to this. (For those unfamiliar with this story, be assured of its international significance. Check out, for example, this New York Times feature. Or this BBC Podcast. Or just go read Wikipedia.) I'm from Tuam. This whole issue disturbs me on several levels. And the prospect... Continue Reading →
It is really getting pretty out of hand. Epidemic proportions, I'd say. Pete Etchells sets out the debate on so-called "Gaming disorder" in this thread on Twitter. It's well worth reading in full and in detail: https://twitter.com/PeteEtchells/status/1009407027813199872 Essentially, the current obsession concerns the proposal to issue ICD guidelines for "video gaming disorder" to be diagnosed... Continue Reading →
Peru play Denmark today in the big sporty cup. And here is the man who took the Robert de Niro approach to getting his travel plans in order: A man who was identified as Miguel F, a 24-year-old from Lima, didn’t manage to get a ticket before they all sold out and decided to take... Continue Reading →
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fdW4e-p7XA;&rel=0 https://twitter.com/tvcritics/status/1002672832357203968 Every single talking point is spot on. Not just accurate, but highly relevant too. I know it's edited, but come on -- these folks are just sitting around watching TV! In a foreign country! (Kudos to @tvcritics for posting this video on Twitter.)
In the Irish abortion referendum, the 'No' side -- those campaigning against the repeal of Ireland's archaic Constitutional abortion ban -- certainly had their work cut out. The way the Constitution was worded meant they had to persuade the Irish electorate to defend all of the following: (a) forcing raped pubescent teens to carry unwanted pregnancies to term;... Continue Reading →
For: 1,429,981 (66.4%) Against: 723,632 (33.6%) Ireland votes 'YES'. Careful, logical, critical contributions carried the day, outweighing the fake news, grim posters, emotional manipulation, attempts at foreign influence, church persuasion, alt-right hectoring, and brain-dead dogmatic pseudo-morality. We focused on the facts and the evidence. We relied on experience and expertise. We decided that each person... Continue Reading →
From the Guardian's live results coverage: 11:07 Andanappa Yalagi, the father of Savita Halappanavar, who died of sepsis in Galway in 2012 after being denied an abortion during a protracted miscarriage, said he was “very happy today”. Speaking to Harriet Sherwood by phone from his home in Karnataka, in south-west India, Yalagi said: We’ve got justice for... Continue Reading →
Ha! Polls closed 10 minutes ago. The Irish Times, our paper of record, has conducted an exit poll. Get a load of this baby: WOWZERS! I had told folks to expect a decisive margin, but I had been pegging it at 60:40... Of course this is just an exit poll, but unlike pre-polls, exit... Continue Reading →
(From the Irish Times; HT @solo1y) Does this mean that Catholics who vote to repeal Ireland's abortion ban might be forgiven if they turn up to the Popefest in August? Or partially forgiven if they catch it on TV? I think it does. Spread the word. Every vote counts!
So the White House is now directly referring to the underclass as "animals": WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIOLENT ANIMALS OF MS-13 WHAT: The violent animals of MS-13 have committed heinous, violent attacks in communities across America. Too many innocent Americans have fallen victim to the unthinkable violence of MS-13’s animals. At the State... Continue Reading →
