Simon McGarr
@tupped.bsky.social
Solicitor, consultant, artist, writes TheGist.ie newsletter.
Visiting Lecturer. External Examiner in Data Protection law.
Visiting Lecturer. External Examiner in Data Protection law.
Reposted by Simon McGarr
ex-tories explaining why they’re joining reform
January 26, 2026 at 2:07 PM
ex-tories explaining why they’re joining reform
Reposted by Simon McGarr
Dredging is a pet peeve of mine. I did a small research project in 2012 on invasive clams in the River Barrow. Our review of the literature was largely inconclusive on what to do, but the only thing we could recommend with certainty was "don't dredge". Of course this recommendation was ignored.
Flooding is only going to get more extreme as climate breakdown worsens.
It's so important that we don't let the most clueless people try to fix this by dredging and channelling...it only makes flooding worse but does make it look like there's lots of work being done.
It's so important that we don't let the most clueless people try to fix this by dredging and channelling...it only makes flooding worse but does make it look like there's lots of work being done.
January 28, 2026 at 12:14 PM
Dredging is a pet peeve of mine. I did a small research project in 2012 on invasive clams in the River Barrow. Our review of the literature was largely inconclusive on what to do, but the only thing we could recommend with certainty was "don't dredge". Of course this recommendation was ignored.
Reposted by Simon McGarr
Tomorrow
- Mixed media, 2026
- Mixed media, 2026
January 27, 2026 at 10:44 PM
Tomorrow
- Mixed media, 2026
- Mixed media, 2026
Reposted by Simon McGarr
In addition to what the Commission could be doing, we have national powers agaibst the grok CSAM too bsky.app/profile/john...
Irish political leaders cannot claim that we need new law before the Grok CSAM machine can be shut down
Here is a table of available law to protect our children—>
www.iccl.ie/wp-content/u...
Here is a table of available law to protect our children—>
www.iccl.ie/wp-content/u...
January 28, 2026 at 7:34 AM
In addition to what the Commission could be doing, we have national powers agaibst the grok CSAM too bsky.app/profile/john...
Lauding men for believing they can “judge truthfulness” of an AI more than women, and suggesting this is a Skill gap women have let open up is the dumbest set of words I’ve seen in a hotly contested month.
I would say this findings shows women are more AI literate than men, because the majority of non-magical beings have no innate ability to "judge truthfulness"
January 28, 2026 at 7:34 AM
Lauding men for believing they can “judge truthfulness” of an AI more than women, and suggesting this is a Skill gap women have let open up is the dumbest set of words I’ve seen in a hotly contested month.
Reposted by Simon McGarr
While I don't believe that our fate is governed by the stars, I do abide by my daily horoscopes.
In response to announcement that he will be a new CBS contributor, Andrew Huberman tweeted “I’ve always gone issue-by-issue on health & science, spoken to experts w/a range of takes & presented where I see the center of (data) mass pointed. I’ll do the same with @CBSNews”. In Sept he posted this:
January 28, 2026 at 7:23 AM
While I don't believe that our fate is governed by the stars, I do abide by my daily horoscopes.
Reposted by Simon McGarr
I wrote about my childhood friend Alexi Pretti. Please read it and share it and remember him as a human being. @theverge.com
I grew up with Alex Pretti
The kind-hearted ICU nurse shot by ICE agents was my childhood best friend.
www.theverge.com
January 27, 2026 at 4:45 PM
I wrote about my childhood friend Alexi Pretti. Please read it and share it and remember him as a human being. @theverge.com
Please note: This has been Ireland’s immigration policy for over 20 years.
Five-year-old Génesis Ester Gutiérrez Castellanos was deported to Honduras on January 11 despite being a US citizen, and now she is trapped in a country she had never known. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Five-year-old deported to Honduras despite being US citizen is latest child victim of Trump crackdown
Mother whose visa application was pending says she will send girl back to US soon accompanied by another relative
www.theguardian.com
January 28, 2026 at 12:27 AM
Please note: This has been Ireland’s immigration policy for over 20 years.
These morons have now invaded another country.
1/27/2026 - Minneapolis
ICE just attempted an illegal entry into the ECUADORIAN CONSULATE to abduct someone
They did not have a warrant
ICE just attempted an illegal entry into the ECUADORIAN CONSULATE to abduct someone
They did not have a warrant
January 27, 2026 at 10:56 PM
These morons have now invaded another country.
Tomorrow
- Mixed media, 2026
- Mixed media, 2026
January 27, 2026 at 10:44 PM
Tomorrow
- Mixed media, 2026
- Mixed media, 2026
Reposted by Simon McGarr
Reposted by Simon McGarr
Imagining that guy zipping through hot buttered cob after cob old-timey typewriter style while his wife looks on in tears.
January 27, 2026 at 9:32 PM
Imagining that guy zipping through hot buttered cob after cob old-timey typewriter style while his wife looks on in tears.
Reposted by Simon McGarr
“Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg approved allowing minors to access AI chatbot companions that safety staffers warned were capable of sexual interactions, according to internal Meta documents filed in a New Mexico state court case and made public Monday.”
Meta CEO Zuckerberg blocked curbs on sex-talking chatbots for minors, court filing alleges
Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg approved allowing minors to access AI chatbot companions that safety staffers warned were capable of sexual interactions, according to internal Meta documents file...
www.reuters.com
January 27, 2026 at 8:00 PM
“Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg approved allowing minors to access AI chatbot companions that safety staffers warned were capable of sexual interactions, according to internal Meta documents filed in a New Mexico state court case and made public Monday.”
Reposted by Simon McGarr
God this storm is brutal, let me check the only place I can reliably see if my train is delayed...
January 27, 2026 at 5:54 PM
God this storm is brutal, let me check the only place I can reliably see if my train is delayed...
Reposted by Simon McGarr
NEW – Analysis: EVs just outsold petrol cars in EU for first time ever | @mollylempriere.carbonbrief.org
Read here: buff.ly/5g3BVAp
Read here: buff.ly/5g3BVAp
January 27, 2026 at 2:45 PM
NEW – Analysis: EVs just outsold petrol cars in EU for first time ever | @mollylempriere.carbonbrief.org
Read here: buff.ly/5g3BVAp
Read here: buff.ly/5g3BVAp
Reposted by Simon McGarr
Twitter died a long time ago and X isn't worth it. Before I made the jump, my ego was holding me back. I was too concerned with vanity metrics. I finally realized if you're posting stuff people want to follow, then they'll follow you, even when you leave. www.siliconrepublic.com/enterprise/k...
Open-source champion Kelsey Hightower on the promise of Bluesky
Ann O’Dea spoke to US software engineer and open-source champion Kelsey Hightower about the promise of the AT protocol.
www.siliconrepublic.com
January 26, 2026 at 5:23 PM
Twitter died a long time ago and X isn't worth it. Before I made the jump, my ego was holding me back. I was too concerned with vanity metrics. I finally realized if you're posting stuff people want to follow, then they'll follow you, even when you leave. www.siliconrepublic.com/enterprise/k...
Reposted by Simon McGarr
Reposted by Simon McGarr
The reason why cyclists and pedestrians push back against these types of campaigns is not because we think visibility is bad (I wear hig-viz!), but because it's victim blaming that diverts attention from the real issues: dangerous drivers and poor infrastructure
“Where the built environment separates human skin and bone from lorries, cars, and buses, there is no need for our frantic striving to make fragile bodies hyper-visible”
“Anyone who thinks cyclists ‘come out of nowhere’ should not be in control of a vehicle”: Author slams ‘be safe, be seen’ hi-vis cycling campaigns, calls for ‘Look, don’t kill’ slogan; TT tinkering; V...
January is never going to end, is it? And on that cheery note, Ryan Mallon’s back for another cold, wet, and very windy shift rounding up all the latest cycling news on the Tuesday live blog
road.cc
January 27, 2026 at 11:23 AM
The reason why cyclists and pedestrians push back against these types of campaigns is not because we think visibility is bad (I wear hig-viz!), but because it's victim blaming that diverts attention from the real issues: dangerous drivers and poor infrastructure
Reposted by Simon McGarr
my game based on Ireland's favourite deli sandwich, the Chicken Fillet Roll, was praised by players and fellow devs for its unusual food focus & strong writing
if you wanna check it out, it's a free, text-based game with a branching narrative made in Twine
unaminh.itch.io/chicken-fill... #gamedev
if you wanna check it out, it's a free, text-based game with a branching narrative made in Twine
unaminh.itch.io/chicken-fill... #gamedev
Chicken Fillet Rolls by Úna-Minh Kavanagh
What happens when you get 145 chicken fillet rolls?
unaminh.itch.io
January 27, 2026 at 4:04 PM
my game based on Ireland's favourite deli sandwich, the Chicken Fillet Roll, was praised by players and fellow devs for its unusual food focus & strong writing
if you wanna check it out, it's a free, text-based game with a branching narrative made in Twine
unaminh.itch.io/chicken-fill... #gamedev
if you wanna check it out, it's a free, text-based game with a branching narrative made in Twine
unaminh.itch.io/chicken-fill... #gamedev
Reposted by Simon McGarr
Darragh is the Minister For Saying Things But Not Doing Them. He's only appointed to oversee things that are never intended to happen.
January 27, 2026 at 2:54 PM
Darragh is the Minister For Saying Things But Not Doing Them. He's only appointed to oversee things that are never intended to happen.
Reposted by Simon McGarr
I also don't think this is 'the EU view' but the view of a specific MEP group and not a few in governments gagging for more tech cashflows and believing the big fat tech blackpill on AI, data privacy etc . But they swallow it anyway
January 27, 2026 at 3:45 PM
I also don't think this is 'the EU view' but the view of a specific MEP group and not a few in governments gagging for more tech cashflows and believing the big fat tech blackpill on AI, data privacy etc . But they swallow it anyway
Reposted by Simon McGarr
Yet, EU underuse of its 'over-regulation' 🤔 has allowed so many catastrophic outcomes the EU has w/Big Tech. “The European view, not just my humble view, but in the European view, we have gone through a decade of over-regulation, it has to be said,” Ms Smyth said. www.irishtimes.com/politics/oir...
Social networks could be treated as publishers if they host illegal content, Minister of State says
Government considering law that would ban ‘deepfakes’, Niamh Smyth says
www.irishtimes.com
January 27, 2026 at 3:41 PM
Yet, EU underuse of its 'over-regulation' 🤔 has allowed so many catastrophic outcomes the EU has w/Big Tech. “The European view, not just my humble view, but in the European view, we have gone through a decade of over-regulation, it has to be said,” Ms Smyth said. www.irishtimes.com/politics/oir...
Reposted by Simon McGarr
New: Unsealed court docs detail Big Tech’s yearslong, secret race to ingest the collective works of humanity, including Anthropic’s project to “destructively scan all the books in the world.”
Gift link: wapo.st/4rjXAMQ
Gift link: wapo.st/4rjXAMQ
How Silicon Valley built AI: Buying, scanning and destroying millions of books
Court filings reveal how AI companies raced to obtain more books to feed chatbots, including by buying, scanning and disposing of millions of titles.
wapo.st
January 27, 2026 at 3:20 PM
New: Unsealed court docs detail Big Tech’s yearslong, secret race to ingest the collective works of humanity, including Anthropic’s project to “destructively scan all the books in the world.”
Gift link: wapo.st/4rjXAMQ
Gift link: wapo.st/4rjXAMQ
Reposted by Simon McGarr
Sharing again, because we still haven't passed the threshold.
We are at 77%.
This petition is really important. Sign, share and make sure others sign, please. 🙏
eci.ec.europa.eu/055/public
#Speirgorm #Speirghorm
#JusticeForPalestine
We are at 77%.
This petition is really important. Sign, share and make sure others sign, please. 🙏
eci.ec.europa.eu/055/public
#Speirgorm #Speirghorm
#JusticeForPalestine
January 27, 2026 at 10:01 AM
Sharing again, because we still haven't passed the threshold.
We are at 77%.
This petition is really important. Sign, share and make sure others sign, please. 🙏
eci.ec.europa.eu/055/public
#Speirgorm #Speirghorm
#JusticeForPalestine
We are at 77%.
This petition is really important. Sign, share and make sure others sign, please. 🙏
eci.ec.europa.eu/055/public
#Speirgorm #Speirghorm
#JusticeForPalestine
