Cornelius (aka Con) Traas
@theapplefarmer.bsky.social
Fruit Grower. University Lecturer. Horticultural Scientist. Drinks Manufacturer (juices, cider, spirits). Sustainable Food Production Systems. Statistics hobbyist.
Sixteen years ago today, Ivan Oransky and Adam Marcus founded Retraction Watch. Happy birthday to us!
Celebrating Retraction Watch’s 16th birthday, how sweet it is
Suddenly, we’re 16. And what a year it has been. Our birthday (and annual birthday post) comes on the heels of one of the biggest stories we’ve told this year: The unreported death of a 6-yea…
retractionwatch.com
"The University of Cambridge has begun an investigation following new information about Professor Arday’s academic qualifications and honorary appointments." "[A] number of ongoing complaints regarding academic misconduct...are being handled in line with our Misconduct in Research policy."
Statement about Professor Arday
Statement about Professor Arday
cam.ac.uk
Your regular reminder that there ISN’T a “war on cars.” Any objective observation in most cities however, would conclude that for 60+ years there’s been a war on every mobility choice EXCEPT cars. And that’s been bad for EVERYONE, including drivers. Poster via @urbantruth.bsky.social. #UrbanTruth
The UK Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has upheld a landmark ruling that anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitism and constitutes a protected philosophical belief under the Equality Act 2010. www.middleeastmonitor.com/20260804-ant...
Anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitism, UK appeal tribunal confirms in landmark ruling
The UK Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has upheld a landmark ruling that anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitism and constitutes a protected philosophical belief under the Equality Act 2010. The judgmen…
middleeastmonitor.com
I’m shocked that this came from a company who sells a product originally designed to keep track of hot ladies on campus. Shocked I say!
NEW: Meta reviewed, approved, and ran more than 50 ads containing AI-generated child sexual abuse material across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Threads. They ran for nine months. Some were live this week. After WIRED asked about them, researchers found ~30 more
Meta Ran Ads That Contained AI-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Imagery
More than 50 offending image and video ads were published across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, or Threads, according to Meta’s ad library data. Some ran as recently as this week.
wired.com
Feeling a lot fresher in Ireland on Wednesday with cool and less humid air over us. Hot weather into Southern and parts of Central Europe. A mix of sunny spells and showers for Ireland with strong breeze Wednesday and West in Donegal.
Underreported in international media: Ben Gvir is building a literal moat with crocodiles around a prison where Palestinian prisoners are held. No that's not a joke. A court put it on hold for now.
Court freezes transfer of crocodiles to prison moat, putting Ben Gvir’s plan on hold
Following petition from animal rights group against move to surround Ketziot Prison with Nile crocodiles, Jerusalem District Court gives state until Wednesday to respond
timesofisrael.com
A very petty hill I will die on is sheer refusal to use self checkouts if possible, even if it means going to another shop. I am not paid to work there and I am not going to use a klanker if there is a working human around.
Cornelius (aka Con) Traas@theapplefarmer.bsky.social · yesterdayEvery time a new supermarket outlet opens in Ireland, there's a big article in the local paper about the jobs that will be created (but nothing about the jobs lost in local butchers, greengrocers, bakeries etc., who they're targetting). And after the big announcement, they start replacing those jobs
Number go up. Number go down. Number go up...
The Irish Times@irishtimes.com · yesterdayOil prices drop on hopes Strait of Hormuz could reopen
Told ye all this stunk of classist moral panic.
Eils_G 📎@eils1.bsky.social · yesterdayHappened to hear the Lord Mayor of Dublin talking about e-scooters on Radio 1. He said that people in social housing should be banned from using one! WTF? He wasn't put off when told that this was discrimination. He just doubled down muttering about anti social behaviour! #Ireland #SpéirGhorm
this is what Naoise said he wanted the committee to be before it was created and he joined it. a talking shop where TDs brainstorm how Ireland can use AI, instead of a serious forum for the consideration of how to regulate. he's only chaired one meeting so far, we'll see if he tries to get his wish
just a reminder the cathaoirleach of the AI committee has stock in a AI-based revenue intelligence company. Naoise insists the stock – whose value is only realisable if the company goes public – is not a conflict of interest for him as a TD forming AI legislation www.ontheditch.com/fianna-fail-...
AI committee FF TD has stock in IDF-vet-founded AI company
It was co-founded by a man who “conducted classified intelligence work” for the Israel Defense Forces.
ontheditch.com
Amazon’s chief business these days is selling third party junk that users impulse buy because Prime is “free” Impoverished SpaghettI-Os customers are not making Bezos a billionaire. “But it’s only $5, throw it in the cart” is.
I was at the South Infirmary on Friday morning (all good) and the staff bike shelter was almost full. These things serve an important use but seem a very easy target for La-Z people and people who should know better.
IrishCycle.com@irishcycle.com · 2d agoBike parking enabling 60 hospital staff to cycle to work is a win for the taxpayer Comment & Analysis: A cost of €85,000, or €1,416 per space, for a secure bicycle shed for the National Maternity Hospital is cheap compared to building car parking, which is estimated to cost €5,000 to €85,000 per…
Michael Murphy had every chance to help reduce these security costs by doing anything – anything at all – to bring down the temperature in Clonmel in 2024, but like most of the councillors, he tried to stay out of it, giving Mattie McGrath free rein to incite shit
Irish Independent@independent.ie · 2d agoThe complex in Clonmel was the focus of repeated vandalism attacks, with security guards injured in late-night assaults
Went on to work im Affidea Dublin...
Dr Keith Wilson 💭@keithwilson.eu · yesterday“A former consultant general and colorectal surgeon, acting as the General Medical Council’s expert witness, said the procedure carried out by Dr Rahman was ‘not known to man’ and his error was ‘as bad as it gets’.” Oh my god. 😳 apple.news/AB1UUbBhTTzS...
“A former consultant general and colorectal surgeon, acting as the General Medical Council’s expert witness, said the procedure carried out by Dr Rahman was ‘not known to man’ and his error was ‘as bad as it gets’.” Oh my god. 😳 apple.news/AB1UUbBhTTzS...
Surgeon struck off after wrongly connecting organs — BBC News
An expert witness said the bowel procedure carried out by the surgeon was "not known to man".
apple.news
Happened to hear the Lord Mayor of Dublin talking about e-scooters on Radio 1. He said that people in social housing should be banned from using one! WTF? He wasn't put off when told that this was discrimination. He just doubled down muttering about anti social behaviour! #Ireland #SpéirGhorm
“Women just hate me. Idk what to do about it…What’s the point in living." The accused FSU mass shooter fantasized about brutally violent sex—a scenario ChatGPT scripted for him in detail. AI chatbots fueling violent thinking and planning among troubled people is an urgent problem, experts warn.
Inside a mass shooter’s harrowing history with ChatGPT
A year of chats reveals glaring red flags—and disturbing ChatGPT replies—from long before a rampage at Florida State University.
motherjones.com
I know there are issues with Irish healthcare, but coming from the States… seeing three doctors in a day, going to the emergency room, getting an MRI appointment, prescriptions to handle pain in the meantime, and all of it costing a grand out-of-pocket total of €77, feels like a goddamn miracle.
Every time a new supermarket outlet opens in Ireland, there's a big article in the local paper about the jobs that will be created (but nothing about the jobs lost in local butchers, greengrocers, bakeries etc., who they're targetting). And after the big announcement, they start replacing those jobs
Kerrie B@wheels002.bsky.social · yesterdayCan we have this here in Australia? Shoppers should be paid for their efforts in serving themselves #auspol
Can we have this here in Australia? Shoppers should be paid for their efforts in serving themselves #auspol
So a retailer withna clothes or home division decided to defraud the Irish taxpayer. www.rte.ie/news/busines...
Retailer must repay €8.87m in Covid subsidy wage payments
A major retailer must repay €8.87m to the Revenue Commissioners after wrongly claiming that amount during the Covid-19 pandemic in wage subsidy payments for its staff.
rte.ie
Go nuclear they say! Meanwhile... Romania blasts rock to divert water from drought-hit Danube to nuclear reactor Hungary and Romania face energy crisis as record-low river levels force atomic power plants to reduce output www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...
Romania blasts rock to divert water from drought-hit Danube to nuclear reactor
Hungary and Romania face energy crisis as record-low river levels force atomic power plants to reduce output
theguardian.com
Rod Liddle has died aged 66. If you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all. I'm saying this, cos if Rod Liddle had lived by that principle, then he wouldn't have uttered or typed a single fucking word in his entire adult life, & the world would have been much better for it.
BREAKING: The newly elected Prime Minister of Hungary announced that Netanyahu will be arrested if he enters Hungary.
The MAHA position is that if some illness they let run rampant kills you but you have any other disability or health condition you had it coming and it’s not their fault.
Don Moynihan@donmoyn.bsky.social · 2d agoWonder will Alex Berenson now change his health reporting? Or will start pushing a "died with" rather than "died from" framing?
