Wise words: -"I’d like to hear more conversations about the injustices that are at the root of modern-day stress and the actions that will counter them, like joining a union, voting for political parties with progressive policies, or engaging with others who want to change the world for the better,”

Brian Hughes@bmhughes.bsky.social · 3w ago

Yours truly, quoted here, being woke again #psychology #stress www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/he...

Yours truly, quoted here, being woke again #psychology #stress www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/he...

How to recognise symptoms of stress — and how to reduce them

In week two of our summer wellbeing series, we ask what we can do to reduce our stress.

irishexaminer.com

quick question what does the T stand for and whats currently happening to them in the UK

These two sentences alone raise serious questions regarding this review. e.g. If no causation was established, then what was the recommendation based on? And: Given the name they chose for themselves ('ADDICT'), were the research team perhaps a tad biased? www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

UK social media ban could cut lifeline for disabled children, campaigners warn www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

UK social media ban could cut lifeline for disabled children, campaigners warn

Activists say blanket ban could prevent teenagers from finding peers and role models with similar conditions

theguardian.com

A lot of the “kids online safety” proponents actually are anti-LGBTQ extremists and fundamentalists who want kids to have less freedom and don’t care if that actually makes them tremendously less safe too

In light of the Long Covid presentations at #RCPsychIC today it is worth sharing this from the £3.25 million genetic study on ME & Long Covid about the lack of genetic overlap with depression & mental illness. From Prof Chris Ponting who led the study:

Throwback to 2018 when one of my university colleagues posted a homophobic tweet during Pride Month but it was okay because he did so "in a personal capacity" 😂😂😂 I believe the same person is now running as a candidate for the university's governing authority... A reformed character, no doubt

NUI Galway Says Lecturer's Homophobic Tweets Were Made In Personal Capacity

Galway University Says It Considers Case of Lecturer who Tweeted Homophobia Closed

gcn.ie

My letter to Minister Lawless about Research Ireland's decision to devolve the awarding of doctoral scholarships & postdoctoral fellowships to universities. A disastrous move. Please consider raising this issue in your own institutions and with elected representatives and the media.

"Beatings to continue until morale improves" etc.

Margot Finn@eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 2mo ago

'The university has adopted the position that boycotting staff are in "breach of contract", will receive no pay, and are therefore not expected to work at all, leading to what some have described as a "lockout".' 1/3

The leaders of Ireland's new Rinn national research network. I can only assume from this line-up that women in STEM initiatives are failing to produce results.

Family of #Belfast stabbing victim: "We want to make it absolutely clear that overnight unrest is not welcome... "We have many migrants who make a deeply valuable contribution to our country, including in our healthcare system and hospitality sector and we depend on them to make our country work"

“The principles of collegiality include academic freedom, shared responsibility, the policy of participation of all concerned in internal decision making structures and practices, and the development of consultative mechanisms.” www.unesco.org/en/legal-aff...

This is such incredible bullshit. I am alive, thriving, and writing books on health policy/politics thanks to antidepressants. Antidepressants aren't for everyone, but they can be literal lifesavers. Attacking their prescribing & use is stigmatizing and dangerous. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/04/s...

Kennedy Starts a Push to Help Americans Quit Antidepressants

nytimes.com

The courts found the OfS displayed "bias and predetermination" in what was supposed to be an objective investigation. Perhaps they could deal with the Cass Report next?

Office for Students’ University of Sussex humiliation is a symptom of deeper failings

England’s higher education regulator must rebuild trust with troubled sector after series of blunders under previous leadership

theguardian.com

Sussex University has overturned a £585,000 fine by England’s higher education watchdog after the high court rejected claims the university had breached free speech regulations involving its former professor Kathleen Stock

Sussex University overturns £585,000 fine as high court rejects free speech breach claim

Ruling is blow to Office for Students after it issued record fine for allegations over professor’s trans rights views

theguardian.com

The anti-trans playbook is being wheeled out against neurodivergent kids more and more in UK papers [Saturday Times]

"A history professor course could not allocate instructional time to the Stonewall riots or the gay rights movement. If a U.S. history textbook includes a chapter on the AIDS crisis, the professor must skip it." www.erininthemorning.com/p/texas-tech...

Texas Tech Issues Ban On Students Writing On LGBTQ+ Topics

The ban applies to theses and dissertations, and is expected to begin going into effect on a rolling basis.

erininthemorning.com

Once d headmaster (our teacher) was telling us a story. He cracked some joke &we all laughed. A traveller boy laughed along too, & as the teacher passed him he hit the boy a huge punch in the side of his head. The boy never saw it coming. The teacher never broke his stride. #Spéirghorm

Brian Hughes@bmhughes.bsky.social · 3mo ago

The details here sound *exactly* the same as what I recall from my own primary and secondary schools in the 1970s and 1980s. Nothing ever changes... RTÉ: Anti-Traveller discrimination embedded in schools - study

"Une étude menée par l'University College Cork et une organisation éducative de Cork destinée aux enfants des gens du voyage a révélé que la discrimination, l'exclusion et les inégalités structurelles à l'encontre de ces enfants sont profondément ancrées dans le système éducatif irlandais. ..."

Brian Hughes@bmhughes.bsky.social · 3mo ago

The details here sound *exactly* the same as what I recall from my own primary and secondary schools in the 1970s and 1980s. Nothing ever changes... RTÉ: Anti-Traveller discrimination embedded in schools - study

"a stain on Mandela's legacy" The Nelson Mandela Foundation is conducting a review into the use of Mandela's name by the University of Galway, citing its responsibility to protect Mandela's reputation. From 7lá on TG4 Full vid available via @cagcoalition on IG: www.instagram.com/reel/DXd9KBq...

The details here sound *exactly* the same as what I recall from my own primary and secondary schools in the 1970s and 1980s. Nothing ever changes... RTÉ: Anti-Traveller discrimination embedded in schools - study

Anti-Traveller discrimination embedded in schools - study

Discrimination, exclusion and structural inequalities against Traveller children are embedded within the Irish education system, research carried out by UCD and a Cork Traveller education organisation...

rte.ie

Zhang Shan won the gold medal for the mixed skeet shooting event in the 1992 Olympics. The International Shooting Union *immediately* banned women from competing against men.

bex@blueraccoon.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Fun fact: Women's sports are segregated not to protect women, but to protect *men* from losing *to* a woman. Don't believe me? Look up Jackie Mitchell. Struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Then suddenly women were unfit to play baseball.

6) That seems to be the most crucial line in the whole review. At least the authors are upfront with it! We disagree and think it likely is a fatal flaw. For more info on why blinding is important, see this brief history that we wrote about it here:

Turning a blind eye to blinding - ME/CFS Science

Blinding is the process of keeping key persons involved in the conduct of a clinical trial unaware of group assignment.

mecfsscience.org

Nelson Mandela Foundation reviewing ties with University of Galway over links to Israeli institution

Nelson Mandela Foundation reviewing ties with University of Galway over links to Israeli institution

The Nelson Mandela Foundation is reviewing the use of Nelson Mandela’s name by the University of Galway following controversy surrounding the university’s ongoing links with an Israeli institution.

independent.ie

Uh, whoa: *Sean Feucht* — a conservative and controversial Christian activist who has long been a part of the broader MAGA religious coalition and lead worship music at the White House — comes out against the image Trump posted. This…is rare.

A friend in the democracy movement in Hungary texts “landslide victory”. I don’t want to allow myself to believe yet … but …

Last line really captures the entire problem.

Lisa Fitz@lisafitz.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Great piece of analysis. People are going through enough without adding the protests on top of it but sectors are suffering & the government have managed nothing. Even if an election was held tomorrow we have no viable alternatives. That's how the far right gets a hold #speirgorm

How Ireland's far-right movement got involved in the fuel protests and tried to hijack them www.thejournal.ie/ireland-fuel...

How Ireland's far-right movement got involved in the fuel protests and tried to hijack them

While many are protesting fuel costs, far-right actors and international figures are using the movement to push anti-immigrant narratives.

thejournal.ie

There have been and still are people who thought that "holding back Covid until a vaccine at the expense of individual freedoms" and then "pushing vaccinations" were ammoral. In essence, they prioritise individual's freedom to infect others over the right of individuals to not get infected.

Jonathan Howard@joho.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Please treat him with the same respect and professionalism he showed to doctors who actually work in hospitals.