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 >>
Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005
RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail?supporter? Anthony
Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony
Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony
RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony
Waiting for SIPO Anthony Public Inquiry >>
Parse failure for http://humanrights.ie/feed/. Last Retry Friday September 19, 2025 11:28
Europe?s Days of Carbon Colonialism are Numbered Fri Sep 19, 2025 09:00 | Tilak Doshi
The delusional EU believes it can wield carbon tariffs as weapons. But its grandiloquent Net Zero scheme is destined to collapse under the weight of the bloc's utter economic irrelevance, says Tilak Doshi.
The post Europe’s Days of Carbon Colonialism are Numbered appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
The Sceptic | Episode 51: Charlie Kirk, Free Speech and the Scourge of ?Anti-Fascism?, and Why Brits... Fri Sep 19, 2025 07:00 | Richard Eldred
In Episode 51 of the Sceptic: Michael Murphy on Charlie Kirk, free speech and the scourge of ?anti-fascism?, and Ben Pile on how the British public are going cold on global warming.
The post The Sceptic | Episode 51: Charlie Kirk, Free Speech and the Scourge of ?Anti-Fascism?, and Why Brits are Cooling on Global Warming appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
News Round-Up Fri Sep 19, 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.
We Shouldn?t Welcome Right-Wing Cancel Culture Thu Sep 18, 2025 19:00 | Noah Carl
The Right has spent much of the last decade railing against cancel culture, and was arguably winning the debate. It would be a mistake to abandon that position now.
The post We Shouldn?t Welcome Right-Wing Cancel Culture appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Trump Tells Starmer: Use Military to Stop Small Boats, Drill in the North Sea and Uphold Free Speech Thu Sep 18, 2025 17:00 | Will Jones
Donald Trump?urged?Keir Starmer?to deploy the military to stop the Channel small boats crisis that is "destroying" the country, drill in the North Sea and uphold free speech at a tense joint press conference today.
The post Trump Tells Starmer: Use Military to Stop Small Boats, Drill in the North Sea and Uphold Free Speech appeared first on The Daily Sceptic. Lockdown Skeptics >>
|
A Quick Guide to Social Welfare for the Newly Jobless
Workers Solidarity’s Vincent O’Malley spoke to his local Citizens Information Centre about some of the obstacles facing people who have lost their jobs. Q. What problems have people faced in accessing social welfare payments?
In terms of jobseekers’ benefit payments, people may not have paid enough social insurance (PRSI) to qualify. This may be due to a break in their work record, having been self-employed or, sometimes, due to their employer not passing on their PRSI contributions to the Department of Social and Family Affairs (DSFA). If they do qualify for a benefit payment, they can be waiting up to 12 weeks for a claim to be processed, although this will hopefully improve as the government has transferred 115 extra staff into social welfare offices.
If an individual does not qualify for a benefit payment, they can apply for assistance, or means-tested, payments. However, if they have a spouse or partner who is working full-time, they will only qualify for a reduced rate of Jobseekers' Allowance.
Q. What other issues do people face when applying for means-tested payments?
The means test applied is not always very fair. For example, money tied up in a retirement fund can be assessed against an applicant. The government has, in the past, run lavish advertisement campaigns encouraging people to save for the future, yet the DSFA insists that you must cash in and spend these funds, usually losing out hugely due to financial penalties, before you can qualify for a payment.
Also, an individual who may have bought and lived in a house in one part of the country, but has now had to move somewhere else in order to find work, will have to put that house up for sale in order to qualify for a jobseekers’ allowance payment, which will then only be paid for twelve months. So, again, while the government encourages us to be flexible in our efforts to find work, individuals are often stymied in this by the rules of the social welfare system.
Q. Reports of house repossessions are becoming more frequent in the media, what supports are available for people facing difficulties with mortgage repayments?
A major problem facing those who become unemployed is that, if their spouse or partner is working full-time, they will be disqualified from getting help with rent or mortgage interest payments, regardless of their salary level.
Also, community welfare officers, who administer these payments, can refuse to pay a mortgage interest supplement if they believe that the claimant will not be able to recommence making their payments in the near future of if they believe the house is not suitable for the individual or family concerned. Given current circumstances, this pretty much covers all applicants. Compounding this, community welfare officers are pretty much swamped with claims for payments and, as they are HSE employees, the recruitment embargo doesn’t allow extra staff to be taken on.
Q. What can people do if they have been refused a social welfare payment?
There are appeals systems in place within both the DSFA and HSE, which, while working within the constraints of the system, are quite fair. However, there are huge backlogs within the DSFA appeals system and there can be a wait of 12 months or more for a hearing. The HSE appeals system is also suffering from backlogs and while an appeal decision was generally made within 6 weeks a year ago, it is now taking between three and four months, sometimes longer. Again, the HSE recruitment embargo applies here.
This article is from the forthcoming print edition of Workers Solidarity 107, this is it's first online publication. You can find back issues of Workers Solidarity online at http://www.wsm.ie/ws
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national |
worker & community struggles and protests |
news report
Thursday January 08, 2009 11:17
by Vincent O’Malley - WSM (WS 107)
wsm_ireland at yahoo dot com
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Comments (13 of 13)
Jump To Comment: 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Well there's a start , a truck driver took the initative this morning and ' marched on the dail ' ;
Little apples are growing, it seems ..................Good .
Dear Francesca
Beware those 'qualified individuals' and their feedback.I used to want to go to college and study philosophy.After meeting a few qualified experts I decided they did not even know the meaning and roots of the word.
4 books a day is not enough?You must be ready to write one yourself so.
I did study psychology.More priestcraft.Everything is psychology, if you think about it.I learned more about the subject in three years door-to-door selling than in four at uni. They didn't like my heretical heterodoxy.Thats when I decided if I was serious about philosophy the best bet was get a stall in Moore Street.
When it comes to thereapy I climb the hills.It stops me climbing the walls.I used to climb the walls,and scrawl my comments there, but this new technology is handier,and keeps me out of court, which at my age gets embarrasing for such juvenile carry-on.But then after banksy, I'm not even a contender.
Second hand book-shops?I have to hitch to the city, but its not always raining. Otherwise swap.There must be readers in the library with their own collections.
And dont let being dis-employed get you down. I look on it more or less the same way I would a rejection by the a recruiting board for the marines.
As Groucho said, I dont want to be a member of any club that would tolerate a low-life like me on its books.
Or as the Latinist put, noli illegitimi carburundum--dont let the bastards grind you down.
- Dear Mark,
I intend to print out your comments of 09 and stick them up on my wall. I like your tone and use of the english language to get straight to the point - and what an inspiration to make a success of your life while others would rather 'sit and play the blame game'. It takes great leadership qualities to get a team to go out in all weather and do the biz and tenacity to detach oneself and get the job done.
Maybe Mr. penny apples should take a leaf out of your book as he's almost embarassing to watch on the apprentice. Incidentally, I did try for the business grant this year but they were available on the tuesday and gone on the wednesday - Next opportunity is April 2011.
I dont want to appear like I'm shinning anyone's b...s so I better leave it at that. Much success to you n your business. Francesca xxx
- Dear padlo diablos,
I am a massive fan of the library and nearly cry as my local library only allows 4 books at a time. The problem with therapy books is that - there is no singular angle and each author will theorerize their personal opinion on the matter. However, you must realise that there is a huge difference between sitting in a room alone reading a book - to getting feedbook and ideas from a qualified individual. You can bounce ideas back and forth and they provide you with some positive tools to move forward. Try it sometime and if you know of any second bookshops - plse let me know.
- Dear pman,
I too, had problems with the social welfare. I went to the local TD who eagerly wrote off letters - so he should be the first port of call. Next try - legal aid - it is means tested and sounds like your friend would fully qualify. Last be not least, I got a tip off recently that the local offices dont really like to get letters from the ombudsman - so that would be my next course of action. Good luck to you n your friend.
A New guideline to help people who are unemployed , quite simple , March on the government buildings in your hundreds
of thousands , the entire 455,000 of you , and stop whinging , Just Do It .
I have been on the dole,for just over one year,and i have been cut off by welfare,i had to go to the appeals office,and i have to wait six weeks for this to be over,i do not even have enough to last the next few days,not to mind six weeks!Thankfully my sister has helped me out,they should have a better way of dealing with who are the honest ones,and who aren't for example,the data welfare have stored on their computers,is not linked up where departments keep your birth data,or even the last time you payed prsi,that way you could see,if for example,someone was drawing dole,under different circumstances,such as working and drawing the dole,the minute you have your job pay you in,it should notify the department handling welfare by default..The system they have now,which hasn't changed since the 1980's is unbelievable,to think that when you first sign on you have to go through the motions of handing them a p45,showing them all the tax you paid,and what if you don't have those forms or lost them.The system the welfare has is data which is not connected to other departements,means they are not informed about their claimants,which is ridiculous,not to mention dangerous, and,stupid..
Just join your local library and educate yourself.Second hand bookshops are still to be found.
To Francesca .....I have been on a roller coaster since i write THAT ARTICLE in January -9-09..Lots of if's, but's etc , however there is no point in writing
something unless one truly believes what comes from the head and to the fingers that type into this wonderful internet , when one writes from experience
then people can 'read' if one is being truthful or not, as i hope you will agree .Yep the biz is going strong only because said biz was began during The
Recession of the 80s , so therefore the market remains exactly the same , during the boom years a lot of money was indeed made as one can imagine
but the recession ( now ongoing ) is the stuff that separates the men from the boys , i still wear ' the can of fruit ' as i also follow my ' rules ' as above ,
only problem is we are now down to a lot less people than the previous figures suggest , to cut to the chase it is a doorstep direct selling biz & not just
anyone is cut out for this form of persistence , the people involved are so dedicated it doe's not bear thinking about , and that's just about sums it up ;
May i wish you every success in your chosen career ( or the career that is chosen for you ) , Look after number 1 and the rest will fall into place;
Thank you so much for resurrecting the comments .....M
Having a job gives piece of mind and some sort of routine,which can be sobering,instead of getting sucked into the same old s*** tv internet,tv..There are cuts coming from every angle,i know one guy who lives on his own,and has no job,who is not even entitled to unemployed assistance..unbelievable.I had to write to the appeals office of dolier house francesca,lotta fun that was,i guess i better watch my back..
Loook on the bright side.....I loved your comments - very refreshing and common sense. I did go the piss recently and totally regret, enough with 50 eur0's spent and a body full of bruises. Would love to know what your business is?
I think when you are out of work, you lose self-esteem and the little nee sayers in your head, get louder and louder. there should be free self-esteem or cognitive development courses at the very least.
Good to michael and dear I say good luck to me.
the I.D.A. are not into helping Irish people still . Unless you have buckets of lolly or access to it and play Golf with them ,then they might
have some time for us . I could go on and on but i dont want to seem to be anti idea . Good luck to you in your business whatever it is.
Yes it is an awful situation to find one's self in . In The Recession of the 80s i was up to my eye teeth in Bad Luck with one thing on top of the other
coming like a train . We had to sign on twice a week ,Tuesday and Thursday was my days and believe me the queue in Bray Dole office was like
a tapeworm with a peak of 4,500 unemployed persons signing with no end in sight .... Legged it to England and got to the ''Elephant And Castle ''
which was the Main London catchment for ''my type'' ,Being Irish was not the flavour of the month either in many a persons eyes and after a 3 hour waiting
period i was offered a plane ticket back to Dublin Airport by the D.H.S.S. AND NOTHING ELSE.
Came Back and had an idea to make money , I Approached the I.D.A. Drop in Centre situated in Pearse St. Cap in hand explained the proposed
business idea and the bottom line was £1,000 to start up my own business to which i was sneered at by the knowalls . I am not and never was 1 for
giving up and the business was duly kickstarted and went on to employ a total of 22 people at its peak .
The Business is still going today and we are now in the throes of a worse recession than the previous in the 80s.
Moral of the story is Never ever Give Up , follow your heart and believe in yourself . Keep yoursrelf clean and respectable looking and stay positive .
If you get a kick in the gooleys learn from that kick and start off all over again . Dont ,and i mean dont ''Go on the piss'' and stop the fags as they are too
costly , Try not to heed the bad news as it is likely one might become Over Blown with anxiety and watch the Big D as you may be come addicted to
bad news and panic attacks . And try and Eat quality home cooked nourishing vitamin food. And Stay Healthy.
If you don't get penalised for it, try to find some voluntary work while jobseeking; I've found it stops you from feeling that you've slipped out of 'society' by not having a job, it's good to feel needed, & you can learn from the experience.
Got the letter last week, like everyone else I presume, that the rent allowance is to be cut by about a fiver a week in my case. I didn't notice this cut when the budget was announced, possibly was obscured by the more savage ones.
With the dole going up by about a fiver and inflation at work, it means that basically amounts to a blatant cut in umemployment payments.
Fascinating, eh?