1342. The US Election and the Case for Optimistic Pessimism

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Media can't make the news. But it can frame it. Rejoining us on the podcast is Stockholm-based journalist, Philip O'Connor, and he's got a lot to say about the lack of diversity of opinion within Irish media, especially when it comes to Sinn Féin. We discuss the self-selecting biases, the impartiality fallacy and ask you to consider 3 important questions as you are consuming news in the runup to General Election 2024. The GE2024 Candidate Podcasts are available here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-114872281

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Echo Chamber podcast we are rejoined by our Russian-Irish, US-based Prof of Economics listener favourite, Constantin Gurdgiev for what is an absolute belter of a conversation. We talk US presidential election drama, its ridiculousness and the potential results and outcomes. We look at the booming economy vs the failing infrastructure and we revisit Ukraine and how even the aid via loans now is a disaster for any notion of true solidarity. The GE 2024 Candidates Podcast Series is live now:https://www.patreon.com/posts/114681387 Donate to Dignity for Palestine:https://www.patreon.com/posts/112598735

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this Reboot Republic we talk once more to award winning journalist and podcaster with the Guardian, John Harris about the tensions, achievements and neoliberal technocracy of the new Labour Government in the UK. We dig into the disconnect between the big parties and ordinary people. We also talk about autism, disability and the waste of energy that are the culture wars. Finally John tells us about his new book that'll be out early in 2025. The GE 2024 Candidate Pods are here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/114681387 Donate to Rory's marathon for Gaza:https://www.patreon.com/posts/112598735

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Abubaker Abed is a sports journalist in Gaza but since October last year he had to change his scope to cover an ongoing genocide by Israel in the Gaza Strip. He opens up to PalCast hosts about the trials and tribulations of existing in Gaza today. He says, despite the unbearable atrocities has he seen, he has not lost hope because he insists on being a human every day. In fact he demands that we all do. Abubaker calls on people all over the world to speak up to end the genocide in Gaza and call out their complicit governments. What we have seen is beyond a genocide, he repeats. As he speaks, gunshots and noise are heard in the background from Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital where Palestinians were burnt alive by an Israeli airstrike last week. Rory's Dublin Marathon for Gaza:https://www.patreon.com/posts/112598735

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Thousands of Irish people head to the Canaries for their holidays. Most are blissfully unaware that the waters they swim in are arguably the deadliest to migrants anywhere in the world. Rejoining us in the tortoise shack is Madrid-based journalist, Eoghan Gilmartin, who visited the area and brings us up to date on what Fortress Europe is doing in our name. Read more from Eoghan here:https://bylinetimes.com/2024/10/02/canary-islands-el-hierro-migrant-crossings/ Journalist Abubaker Abed joined us from Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital where Palestinians were burnt alive by an Israeli airstrike last week. That podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-114494103

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack It is a constant head scratcher to us that the brilliant journalist and writer Jon Schwarz continues to put up with our madness. He rejoins us just 21 days out from the US Presidential election to talk all things political, societal in a presidential race that has ranged from the crazy to the absurd. We also talk Elon Musk and his needy role in it all. No cats were injured during the recording of this podcast. The General Election is on podcast is here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/114250721 Donate to Rory's marathon for Gaza here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/112598735

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Dr. Nour Naim holds a PhD in Artificial Intelligence. In this episode of PalCast she talks about the use of AI techniques during the genocide in Gaza by Israel. Naim notes that what is lethally dangerous about Israel’s use of AI in Gaza which started in 2019, long before October 7th, and how AI has turned into a marketable killing machine, facilitated by humans with minimal efforts. This includes the use of AI machines Lavender and Where’s Daddy based on algorithms fed by the Israeli military. Helena Cobban talks about the US letter that gave Israel 30 days to allow aid into Gaza otherwise the administration might (MIGHT) reconsider US arms to Israel, noting that this is all related to the US elections on November 5th. Tune in for more! Donate to Dignity for Palestine:https://www.patreon.com/posts/112598735

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In this very special podcast we are joined by Nadim Nashif, who is the director of https://7amleh.org/ and Taysir Mathlouthi, who is EU Advocacy Officer with 7amleh. They describe the online human and digital rights battle for Palestinians in ways that we had never imagined. We delve into the fatally dangerous role that AI is playing in the war machine and how it’s killing by inputs now and could be much worse in the future. Thank you to Uplift for their help in setting up this important conversation. Donate to Rory's marathon:https://www.patreon.com/posts/112598735

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack We do weekly member-only podcasts where we talk openly about information we are privy to and some stories that often didn't get enough traction that stay forever behind the paywall. But given that Brian Stanley has resigned from Sinn Féin in controversial circumstances and that we have had dealings with him over the last few years, we've lifted the paywall on this episode. Kangaroo Court, Brian? The Death in the Canaries Podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-113558762

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack In his latest Gist:https://www.thegist.ie/the-gist-a-free-speech/ solicitor and Digital Rights Expert, Simon McGarr revealed his concerns about the new Online Safety Code and how it has by accident or design, created two seperate legal requirements to introduce age verification by designated platforms, and they don't both meet the tests set down for being compliant with EU law. If that all sounds a bit highbrow, don’t worry. Simon explains it all here and we think it is something that needs fixing ASAP. Support Dignity for Palestine:https://www.patreon.com/posts/112598735