Archive for the ‘Electoral politics’ Category

Eulogy – Dr Anne Boyle

Thursday, February 7th, 2019

We had the memorial service for my mother today - she died Monday, and the Irish tradition is to have a short few days of funereal rituals prior to the burial. In Mom's case - always the non-conformist - she asked for a non-religious service and a cremation, so the ...

Primary Care Fallout

Friday, September 28th, 2012

The scandals around the Irish health minister are a constantly shifting landscape at present, with recent news including the resignation of Labour's junior health minister, Roisin Shortall. Prior to Shortall's resignation, I had submitted a letter to the Irish Times. Since they declined to publish it, I'm sharing it here: A ...

Dana’s allegiance issue

Thursday, October 6th, 2011

It feels a little unfair to pick on someone when they're down - Dana's trailing the field in the presidential campaign, behind even Mitchell - but this is a fairly basic thing. Background: Dana Rosemary Scallon became a US citizen shortly before running for president of Ireland in 1997. The red herrings: ...

Traitors

Wednesday, December 1st, 2010

I've been advocating, privately, the prosecution for treason of David Drumm and other Irish former bankers who are manipulating foreign and domestic bankruptcy proceedings to retain their ill-gotten gains. Having made their fortunes by fuelling a speculative bubble, they then engage in clearly deceptive tactics to avoid their personal responsibilities ...

Communicating in a crisis – what the Irish government did wrong (part 1 of 80-180 billion)

Sunday, November 21st, 2010

When I talk with my students about PR I explain that the first rule of crisis communication is to 'fess up - get out in front of the rumours and claims, admitting the truth (in order that you can have a say in framing that truth). This week the Irish government ...

Intersecting regulatory structures

Monday, May 24th, 2010

For broadcasters, there can often be several different regulatory structures governing the same set of activities - which adds, of course, to the complexity of decision-making by managers and others. I was reminded of this today when I saw this tidbit from Inside Radio (the story itself is behind a pay-wall): AG: ...

Following the Irish election, at home and abroad

Sunday, June 7th, 2009

This is the first Irish election in many years where I have not been following the results from the counting centre. I remember in 1987 heading in to see the last few hours of the Galway-West count, as Michael D. regained his seat in the Dáil. There's something special for ...

Symbolism and rhetoric

Monday, February 4th, 2008

Many people pointed last week to Obama's victory speech in South Carolina, calling it inspiring and uplifting. At first glance I saw it as well executed, but perhaps lacking in substance in areas I would like to have addressed, but as I listened closer, particularly to the latter sections, I ...

Post-ACE resources

Friday, January 25th, 2008

On last night's show I made mention of an online graphic demonstrating the relative wealth of US presidential candidates. That graphic is available at this post with the large version here showing just what the disparities are. While I'm at it, I misremembered some of the details - Obama is ...

A Critical Ear: recent interviews

Friday, September 14th, 2007

One of my current side projects is the radio show I present with Bob Naiman on WRFU. A Critical Ear covers a range of US domestic and foreign policy developments. Bob works for Just Foreign Policy and is incredibly well informed on foreign policy, activism, and labor issues, so it's ...