Daragh Ó Briain
@daraghobrien.bsky.social
Flumping along in the world of data since Long Ago. Posts as @castlebridge-chief here & on Mastodon at https://mastodon.ie/@CastlebridgeChief CEO @ Castlebridge.ie.
Doctoral candidate at UL looking at #DataGovernance. Author of several books on data stuff.
Doctoral candidate at UL looking at #DataGovernance. Author of several books on data stuff.
Is anyone else in Ireland getting this error message when trying to watch Star Trek stuff on Amazon Prime (yes I know.. but)
Affecting some other Trek titles as well. Raised it with support and got an interesting explanation.
Affecting some other Trek titles as well. Raised it with support and got an interesting explanation.
February 9, 2026 at 12:07 AM
Is anyone else in Ireland getting this error message when trying to watch Star Trek stuff on Amazon Prime (yes I know.. but)
Affecting some other Trek titles as well. Raised it with support and got an interesting explanation.
Affecting some other Trek titles as well. Raised it with support and got an interesting explanation.
Siri, show me a way to show people I’ve never listened to the lyrics of a popular song.
Green Day avoids making political statement during Super Bowl 2026 opening performance
Green Day avoids making political statement during Super Bowl 2026 opening performance
A rocking start to the Super Bowl.
pagesix.com
February 8, 2026 at 11:42 PM
Siri, show me a way to show people I’ve never listened to the lyrics of a popular song.
Multiple “for fuxsake” from me reading this article about the passenger cap lift at Dublin Airport. State paying 30% above market rate for properties (ffs) and exempting from ban on one off rural housing (fffs) archive.ph/zfXJW
archive.ph
February 8, 2026 at 11:10 PM
Multiple “for fuxsake” from me reading this article about the passenger cap lift at Dublin Airport. State paying 30% above market rate for properties (ffs) and exempting from ban on one off rural housing (fffs) archive.ph/zfXJW
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
The Ministry of Justice has ordered the deletion of the UK’s largest court reporting archive.
This risks undermining open justice, and I believe, undermines the public accountability role of the press by making it harder to see what is going on in the courts.
www.thetimes.com/article/77b0...
This risks undermining open justice, and I believe, undermines the public accountability role of the press by making it harder to see what is going on in the courts.
www.thetimes.com/article/77b0...
MoJ orders deletion of UK’s largest court reporting archive
Courtsdesk, which supports the media in monitoring records, is an important tool for journalists and the move raises concerns over open justice
www.thetimes.com
February 8, 2026 at 9:51 PM
The Ministry of Justice has ordered the deletion of the UK’s largest court reporting archive.
This risks undermining open justice, and I believe, undermines the public accountability role of the press by making it harder to see what is going on in the courts.
www.thetimes.com/article/77b0...
This risks undermining open justice, and I believe, undermines the public accountability role of the press by making it harder to see what is going on in the courts.
www.thetimes.com/article/77b0...
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
This is the ur-grift: it’s not the get-rich-quick scheme that makes you rich, it’s teaching other people how to sell it to someone else.
To be very clear, that lady in the NYT article is not making any money with her hundreds of AI slop books.
She makes money by *convincing people* she makes money that way and getting them to pay her to teach them how to do it.
It's an evolved MLM, and the NYT is helping market it.
She makes money by *convincing people* she makes money that way and getting them to pay her to teach them how to do it.
It's an evolved MLM, and the NYT is helping market it.
February 8, 2026 at 10:15 PM
This is the ur-grift: it’s not the get-rich-quick scheme that makes you rich, it’s teaching other people how to sell it to someone else.
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
One of the easiest ways to shoot down the idea that "AI" is an expert is to show how it deals with something people know about.
Younger readers may not get this as most appliances come pre-wired, but anyone 35+ can see these are chaotic fire hazards.
From Mastodon, AI asked how to wire a plug:
Younger readers may not get this as most appliances come pre-wired, but anyone 35+ can see these are chaotic fire hazards.
From Mastodon, AI asked how to wire a plug:
February 6, 2026 at 5:20 PM
One of the easiest ways to shoot down the idea that "AI" is an expert is to show how it deals with something people know about.
Younger readers may not get this as most appliances come pre-wired, but anyone 35+ can see these are chaotic fire hazards.
From Mastodon, AI asked how to wire a plug:
Younger readers may not get this as most appliances come pre-wired, but anyone 35+ can see these are chaotic fire hazards.
From Mastodon, AI asked how to wire a plug:
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
A @klillington.bsky.social story important enough to dust off the keyboard and unretire herself?
This will be a doozy.
This will be a doozy.
February 8, 2026 at 9:27 PM
A @klillington.bsky.social story important enough to dust off the keyboard and unretire herself?
This will be a doozy.
This will be a doozy.
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
"Upon becoming aware of the individual’s presence, the patron was asked to leave the premises and was escorted out by staff in accordance with venue policy to maintain a safe and orderly environment for all patrons."
Border Patrol boss Gregory Bovino tossed from Las Vegas bar
Former U.S. Border Patrol Commander-at-Large Gregory Bovino was reportedly asked to leave a Las Vegas bar out of safety concerns for the venue’s customers.
lasvegassun.com
February 7, 2026 at 11:49 PM
"Upon becoming aware of the individual’s presence, the patron was asked to leave the premises and was escorted out by staff in accordance with venue policy to maintain a safe and orderly environment for all patrons."
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
I did not know this! The USA imposed mass deportations during the great depression. One million Mexican-Americans were deported by Hoover. 50% were US citizens. Most were children. They were used as scapegoats to divert attention from capitalist market failure.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican...
Mexican Repatriation - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
February 8, 2026 at 12:58 PM
I did not know this! The USA imposed mass deportations during the great depression. One million Mexican-Americans were deported by Hoover. 50% were US citizens. Most were children. They were used as scapegoats to divert attention from capitalist market failure.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican...
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
Time and again the clear and obvious dangers that such provisions, which are meant to make us safer, have been highlighted. Time and again Ireland’s Government has sought to lead the EU into ignoring these warnings.
- Emmet Ryan
www.irishtimes.com/business/inn...
- Emmet Ryan
www.irishtimes.com/business/inn...
EU’s push for digital IDs won’t reduce harmful behaviour online
Any system brought in to verify identification will be hacked
www.irishtimes.com
February 8, 2026 at 11:57 AM
Time and again the clear and obvious dangers that such provisions, which are meant to make us safer, have been highlighted. Time and again Ireland’s Government has sought to lead the EU into ignoring these warnings.
- Emmet Ryan
www.irishtimes.com/business/inn...
- Emmet Ryan
www.irishtimes.com/business/inn...
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
"Any reduction to online anonymity has the potential, and frankly likelihood, to harm all of us. Trying to push for ID verification online was wrong in 2024, it was wrong last year, it is wrong today, and it will remain wrong so long as this is the path our policymakers choose to follow."
February 8, 2026 at 12:04 PM
"Any reduction to online anonymity has the potential, and frankly likelihood, to harm all of us. Trying to push for ID verification online was wrong in 2024, it was wrong last year, it is wrong today, and it will remain wrong so long as this is the path our policymakers choose to follow."
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
cc #speirgorm Google continues to distribute the twitter/x/grok apps on its play store, which continue to distribute/generate csam and porn deepfakes
Google finally replied to my report that Twitter's app is distributing CSAM in violation of Irish law.
They told me that I should first reach out to X, for no good reason. I've replied, fully expecting they'll take a few more weeks to say something inane like `uh duh Section 230` as exculpatory.
They told me that I should first reach out to X, for no good reason. I've replied, fully expecting they'll take a few more weeks to say something inane like `uh duh Section 230` as exculpatory.
February 8, 2026 at 12:04 PM
cc #speirgorm Google continues to distribute the twitter/x/grok apps on its play store, which continue to distribute/generate csam and porn deepfakes
The Indo and RTE both talking about ghosts and spooky occurrences in Leinster House. m.independent.ie/irish-news/s...
As a loyal citizen I hereby volunteer to exorcise the Dáil Bar of all ancient spirits.
As a loyal citizen I hereby volunteer to exorcise the Dáil Bar of all ancient spirits.
Strange footsteps and spooky laughter – ghostly goings-on logged at Leinster House
A senior civil servant who oversaw the restoration of Leinster House has spoken about the ghostly reports logged when the building was closed for a period.
m.independent.ie
February 8, 2026 at 11:57 AM
The Indo and RTE both talking about ghosts and spooky occurrences in Leinster House. m.independent.ie/irish-news/s...
As a loyal citizen I hereby volunteer to exorcise the Dáil Bar of all ancient spirits.
As a loyal citizen I hereby volunteer to exorcise the Dáil Bar of all ancient spirits.
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
The government’s own economic advisers are giving it perfect political cover to reject Jim O’Callaghan’s increasingly brutal immigration policies but it won’t because our government ministers are amoral spoofers who don’t care about anything beyond the next poll
www.thetimes.com/world/irelan...
www.thetimes.com/world/irelan...
Immigration ‘vital’ for future of Irish society, economy and HSE
Report outlines necessity of overseas workers to offset population decline in a country where healthcare is already reliant on recruits from outside the EU
www.thetimes.com
February 8, 2026 at 11:00 AM
The government’s own economic advisers are giving it perfect political cover to reject Jim O’Callaghan’s increasingly brutal immigration policies but it won’t because our government ministers are amoral spoofers who don’t care about anything beyond the next poll
www.thetimes.com/world/irelan...
www.thetimes.com/world/irelan...
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
Wow, NBC edited out the audience booing JD Vance at the Olympics. And this is one of the few remaining news outlets NOT owned by right-wing billionaire Trump sycophants
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
NBC appears to cut crowd’s booing of JD Vance from Winter Olympics broadcast
The US vice-president, JD Vance, was greeted by a chorus of boos during when he appeared at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Milan on Friday
www.theguardian.com
February 7, 2026 at 3:01 PM
Wow, NBC edited out the audience booing JD Vance at the Olympics. And this is one of the few remaining news outlets NOT owned by right-wing billionaire Trump sycophants
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
Dutch data protection agency was hacked via the two recent Ivanti zero-days disclosed earlier this month
www.tweedekamer.nl/kamerstukken...
www.tweedekamer.nl/kamerstukken...
February 7, 2026 at 10:24 PM
Dutch data protection agency was hacked via the two recent Ivanti zero-days disclosed earlier this month
www.tweedekamer.nl/kamerstukken...
www.tweedekamer.nl/kamerstukken...
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
The bosses are forcing their employees to use it. Politicians are competing to shovel money & infrastructure at it. The billionaires who control media are constantly lecturing & hectoring people to accept it & use it more.
They don't care it's losing money. They don't care people hate it.
They don't care it's losing money. They don't care people hate it.
February 7, 2026 at 8:49 PM
The bosses are forcing their employees to use it. Politicians are competing to shovel money & infrastructure at it. The billionaires who control media are constantly lecturing & hectoring people to accept it & use it more.
They don't care it's losing money. They don't care people hate it.
They don't care it's losing money. They don't care people hate it.
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
‘In the end, you feel blank’: India’s female workers watching hours of abusive content to train AI
‘In the end, you feel blank’: India’s female workers watching hours of abusive content to train AI
Women in rural communities describe trauma of moderating violent and pornographic content for global tech companies
www.theguardian.com
February 5, 2026 at 11:48 AM
‘In the end, you feel blank’: India’s female workers watching hours of abusive content to train AI
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
The way AI affected translators' jobs shows that AI cannot replace humans, only degrade their work.
Translators are now hired to edit AI-made translations. Nevermind than editing a bad translation is harder than just translating it well!
That still gives the company an excuse to underpay them.
Translators are now hired to edit AI-made translations. Nevermind than editing a bad translation is harder than just translating it well!
That still gives the company an excuse to underpay them.
February 7, 2026 at 3:50 PM
The way AI affected translators' jobs shows that AI cannot replace humans, only degrade their work.
Translators are now hired to edit AI-made translations. Nevermind than editing a bad translation is harder than just translating it well!
That still gives the company an excuse to underpay them.
Translators are now hired to edit AI-made translations. Nevermind than editing a bad translation is harder than just translating it well!
That still gives the company an excuse to underpay them.
Bastarding insomnia has just wiped out my plan for a full day today doing a thing I love to do keep the things that trigger my bastarding insomnia at bay.
February 7, 2026 at 3:22 AM
Bastarding insomnia has just wiped out my plan for a full day today doing a thing I love to do keep the things that trigger my bastarding insomnia at bay.
2 years and one month ago I wrote this on the @castlebridge.bsky.social website, causing our webhost to shit themselves when the post ended up on Hacker News.
I was talking about, among other things, the inevitable problem of GenAI being trained on GenAI output.
castlebridge.ie/insights/llm...
I was talking about, among other things, the inevitable problem of GenAI being trained on GenAI output.
castlebridge.ie/insights/llm...
February 7, 2026 at 12:45 AM
2 years and one month ago I wrote this on the @castlebridge.bsky.social website, causing our webhost to shit themselves when the post ended up on Hacker News.
I was talking about, among other things, the inevitable problem of GenAI being trained on GenAI output.
castlebridge.ie/insights/llm...
I was talking about, among other things, the inevitable problem of GenAI being trained on GenAI output.
castlebridge.ie/insights/llm...
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
There are literally 100s of flood relief schemes in place, and only a handful have been judicially reviewed. Enniscorthy hasn't even got planning permission but judicial review is being blamed for delay.
Jack Chambers should be put into a cannon and shot off Roche's Point into the Atlantic.
www.thejournal.ie/jack-chamber...
www.thejournal.ie/jack-chamber...
'Paralysis from culture of judicial reviews’ a ‘major issue’ in progression of flood relief schemes
‘Certain resident associations brought judicial review proceedings against flood relief schemes in communities that have been flooded in recent days,’ said Jack Chambers.
www.thejournal.ie
February 6, 2026 at 1:35 PM
There are literally 100s of flood relief schemes in place, and only a handful have been judicially reviewed. Enniscorthy hasn't even got planning permission but judicial review is being blamed for delay.
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
ChatGPT literally choking in its own shit
"One study suggested that this year, large language model training would use 75% data created by AI. The quality of that training data could degrade service quality. As it stands, AI is already making some creative hallucinations in high-stakes situations"
"One study suggested that this year, large language model training would use 75% data created by AI. The quality of that training data could degrade service quality. As it stands, AI is already making some creative hallucinations in high-stakes situations"
February 6, 2026 at 10:17 PM
ChatGPT literally choking in its own shit
"One study suggested that this year, large language model training would use 75% data created by AI. The quality of that training data could degrade service quality. As it stands, AI is already making some creative hallucinations in high-stakes situations"
"One study suggested that this year, large language model training would use 75% data created by AI. The quality of that training data could degrade service quality. As it stands, AI is already making some creative hallucinations in high-stakes situations"
Reposted by Daragh Ó Briain
They kinda did. Look up the history of the Know Nothings
If your Irish American imagine if in the 1800s ice existed and they beat and humiliated Irish immigrants fleeing the great famine.
"Sure, ICE is bad, but we need to deport illegal immigrants"
No you don't.
If immigration enforcement leads to concentration camps and roving death squads, maybe it's time to just get rid of the concept of illegal immigration entirely. You've tried it, it's a bad idea in practice, so bin it.
No you don't.
If immigration enforcement leads to concentration camps and roving death squads, maybe it's time to just get rid of the concept of illegal immigration entirely. You've tried it, it's a bad idea in practice, so bin it.
February 6, 2026 at 9:46 PM
They kinda did. Look up the history of the Know Nothings