'Mark Twain said never pick a fight with someone who buys ink by the barrel.' Irish Times #aras25

Entering the Anne Frank stage of the administration I see

Nearly eight (!!!) years since I started making notes for/talking/thinking about this book, and the latest draft has just gone in. It is (hopefully) publishing in May next year in the UK/Ireland with 4th Estate, and June in the US with Scribner.

BlackRock's bitcoin ETF now manages nearly $100bn, making the asset manager the single largest known owner of bitcoin. The ETF now throws off nearly $250mn a year in fees for BlackRock. www.ft.com/content/0cc9...

Losing the war on woke

Our Man in Havana – Frank McNally on a forgotten Irishman honoured in Cuba

‘The six counties is a s**thole’: Michelle Gildernew and Ian Paisley jnr go toe to toe on united Ireland

I'm not an economist but seems worrying that the whole US economy is seven companies in a trenchcoat, passing the same $20 up and down

Bari Weiss introduced herself to CBS News staff today on the network's 9AM call, saying she wants to "win," which requires restoring trust to CBS. She also said she was excited for staff to get to know the Free Press, and ended her remarks by saying: "Let's do the fucking news."

Eight years ago in Palestine.

A small fire at the front of the bookshop was started last night after rubbish bags that were awaiting collection were set on fire. The guards don’t have reason at this time to believe it was a targeted attack. Thankfully the damage was limited and everyone is safe. We are open for business as usual

Lot of interesting bits in this on the US economy exposure to A.I. www.ft.com/content/6cc8...

Greta Thunberg has arrived in Greece following her deportation from Israel, after the Gaza aid flotilla was intercepted #GlobalSumudFlotilla She said: “I could talk for a very,very long time about our mistreatment and abuses in our imprisonment. Trust me, but that is not the story.” #Athens airport

It helps to be able to spell the country you say only you are competent enough to run.

Really awful news. The best bookshop in dublin. Website still up - booksupstairs.ie www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/20...

Good irish times podcast on the FF presidential disaster pca.st/episode/8c1c...

Very interesting story on Georgia’s elections, billionaires, crypto and kidnapping (gift link) www.nytimes.com/2025/10/05/o...

Asked Jim Gavin today how he anticipated turning his campaign around given the questions about whether it was wise to run. His answer: “It’s not even halftime.” ⬇️

Per the Sunday Independent poll earlier: Humphreys would have taken 60% of Gavin’s first preferences, Connolly 24%, the remainder non-transferrable. Reworking the poll accordingly: Catherine Connolly 36 Heather Humphreys 32 Undecided 33 #aras25

Breaking: Jim Gavin withdraws from Presidential Election.

Adam Curtis intro video to the Dior show in Paris. I think he’s an interesting editor www.reddit.com/r/AdamCurtis...

The divergence between China & UK’s economy over the last 25 years is stark

Gavan Reilly has interesting analysis on the presidential poll open.substack.com/pub/gavreill...

The report on Greta’s treatment chimes with Peter Theils quotes on her earlier in the year. These people seemed consumed and driven paranoid by a 22 year old activist. It’s kind of feels reminiscent of Nixons final years.

In case you need another data point concerning the AI bubble: www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/... #RUNEUAI

Next month, Sam Bankman-Fried will appeal his conviction. We interviewed him in prison about the rise and ruin of FTX and what has become one the biggest bankruptcies in US history.

““They dragged little Greta [Thunberg] by her hair before our eyes, beat her, and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag. They did everything imaginable to her, as a warning to others,” the Turkish activist ErsinÇelik, a participant in the Sumud flotilla, told Anadolu news agency.”+

Billy woods was magnificent in dublin. Really peerless. There’s nothing effortless about what he does but that’s the product

Steen was presented almost like "an idea whose time has come," but some analysis suggests she might represent a moment that's already passed. I took a deep dive into where the Irish conservative right goes next, after Maria Steen’s failed presidential bid www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

Fear And Loathing In...Boyle I travelled to a tiny town in north west Ireland to attend a conspiracy conference that brought together figures from the US and Irish far-right communities. The uniting force at this conference? Charlie Kirk www.wired.com/story/conspi...

Manchán Magan: writer and documentary maker dies aged 55

Awful news. I only met the guy a handful of times but he was funny, no pretensions, a lovely guy. Manchán was also a great broadcaster in how he brought his personality to the job instead of becoming a broadcaster type.

I love these canvas reports around elections in ireland. Harry McGee is one of the best at them. Áras campaigns: Jim Gavin and Catherine Connolly out on manoeuvres in Roscommon and Dublin www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

Really liked Marianne Keatings & Laura McMorrow’s exhibition in the RHA. Running until Oct 26th.

Croatia and Cyprus feature the lowest shares of urbanites that pay more than 40% of their income for housing. In Greece and Denmark heaps of people spend a huge chunk of their income on housing. Source: buff.ly/P7hgMvb

I get the Pres election is boring but you’d hope the media will soon get over Maria Steen. Gareth Sheridan worked harder, was as close to getting on the ballot and sean Gallagher proved there’s a vote there. www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...

Thought this was a good article on the community work around the flag protests in Dublin - some depressing stuff in it, but i thought over all it was empowering ‘I will not be intimidated by our Tricolour’: The women pushing back against the far right www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025...

Tails of the city: Paris rats find unlikely ally in local politician. Gregory Moreau and his rat Plume are on a mission to reconcile residents with the capital's population of rats which, it is said, outnumber the inner city's two million human residents by a big margin u.afp.com/SW2k

Gift link to the Coates/ Klein int. Interesting look - if at times frustrating- at how the left should respond to figures like Charlie Kirk. I like podcasts evolution from audio - online chatshow - transcript. In 3yrs it’ll prob become a written interview. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/28/o...

Thought this was great by Keith Duggan. Not an original observation but we’re living in Vince McMahons world. Ryder Cup: McIlroy and Lowry suffer psychological assault on ugly and unforgettable day www.irishtimes.com/sport/golf/2...

Didn’t realise jay electronica put act 1 on streamers. Only of interest to 40-something hip hop fans at this stage I guess open.spotify.com/track/36wPOY...

Interesting case study on us tariffs www.newsshooter.com/2025/09/23/5...

I thought this was really interesting, I’m a huge fan of eno, but that centres around 72-82. I guess I admire his vibe more-so his output in recent years.

YouTuber becomes first person jailed over posting videos of asylum seekers online www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/co...

How Trump’s UN speech revealed US claim of total power over people’s lives www.irishtimes.com/world/us/202...

Trump to the UN: "I'm really good at this stuff. Your countries are going to hell."

Of course the main takeaway from all of this is that autism is women’s fault.

Trump: "We've got a lot of stupid people in this country running things."

🤦‍♂️

I thought this was interesting on the state of boxing, regulations, contracts… just a window into another world. www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/s...