Category Archives: Politics

Aras 11: The Newstalk/Google Debate

  By Aaron McAllorum | October 24, 2011 - 7:58 pm | Events, Politics, The Culch
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  The penultimate Aras ’11 debate took place today in Google H.Q. Newstalk teamed up with Google and used Youtube as the medium on which to broadcast. “This is the first of many future collaborations it is hoped between the 2 companies,” said Deputy Station Editor at Newstalk Patricia Monahan. The event, chaired by Ivan Yates, could have been described as a softening up for this evening’s Frontline debate on RTE1. No punches of note landed, the usual bout of mudslinging ensued while front running candidates Michael D Higgins and Sean Gallagher chose to keep their fists up and and chins tucked firmly against their chest. What set this debate out for special mention above others for Culch.ie was its interactive nature. Newstalk had questions banked for use after inviting members of the public to have their say. In addition to this a few curve balls were thrown at candidates … There’s more →

7 Deadly Wins #1: The Underrated Moments of #Aras11

  By Sinead Keogh | October 20, 2011 - 1:22 pm | Comedy, Food, In The News, Podcasts, Politics, Radio, The Internet
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In 7 Deadly Wins Sinéad Keogh counts down, in no particular order, her favourite little moments of the 2011 presidential race in the seven day run up to polling day. I have loved every moment of the politicking and furious duck and dive of #aras11 but perhaps none more than Today FM’s Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show asking the candidates a question a day this week to learn more about them as people. Yesterday’s question, ‘What’s your guilty pleasure?’ drew some amazing responses. Tuning in, I thought I had hit on some satire in the Today FM tradition but what makes this even more awesome is that it’s real. I can only assume it was edited together from soundbites captured on the campaign trail, but I love to think that it happened a room, in the order it was broadcast, and that despite everyone else answering with a food, Gay Mitchell … There’s more →

It’s The Emergency CD of the year, just in time for Christmas.

  By darraghdoyle | November 27, 2009 - 4:32 pm | Comedy, Politics, The Culch, The Internet
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EDIT: Feck, I really should read this site from time to time. If I did, I’d have seen that Anto has already blogged about this CD this week. Sorry! It’s over on mine so I thought I’d share the video of Brain Cowen being kidnapped that has landed in my inbox with you as well. Shocking what some people will do to push their new CD - Use Democracy Sensibly - featuring two topical, politically satirical but above all hilarious tracks of them doing funny stuff. Erm, yes. Anyhow, in The Emergency’s Christmas Carol, we’re treated to After collapsing into a customary deep sleep in Leinster House, acting Taoiseach Brian Cowen receives a chilling visitation from the ghost of Eamon deValera who sends three spirits; The Ghost of Governments Past, the Ghost of Governments Present and the Ghost of Governments Yet To Come, to visit and make him repent for … There’s more →

The Emergency - Use Democracy Sensibly

  By Anto | November 20, 2009 - 4:07 pm | Featured Post, Politics, Radio, The Culch
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Last Wednesday week, Culch was invited along to the Laughter Lounge where political satire group, The Emergency, were previewing their new CD, ‘Use Democracy Sensibly‘. Having sat with the guys in studio before and viewed their genius up close, it was great to see it taken to a live setting. For those who haven’t heard the guys via Newstalk, they are are a six person political satire group whose material is a razor sharp. Whether it be horse racing with a bank nationalisation twist, Gormley’s Electile Dysfunction or the Bertie story Give Up Your Aul Lies told by “school kids”, it was fantastic 90 minutes. The CD, Use Democracy Sensibly, which launches today (20th) features sketches from the aforementioned show on Newstalk as well as a few new bits too. If you like hearing our elected officials lampooned in the funniest manner possible then I’d suggest picking up a copy. … There’s more →

Four milestones

  By Will | November 5, 2009 - 1:55 am | Events, In The News, Politics, Radio, The Culch, TV
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This week sees the anniversary of four major cultural milestones. The fall of a wall, finding all kinds of people in your neighbourhood, the morning agenda and a trip to the moon. First off, the wall. The falling of the Iron Curtain, and the Berlin Wall. The wall’s coming down on 1989 led to a major cultural change across the world. Mostly the end of the Soviet Empire had effects across the world. Firstly the reunification of Germany meant a bunch of economic changes across Europe, and the start of an expansion of the EU indirectly leading to Polish becoming the second largest language group in Ireland. More to the cultural point, the end of the Cold War meant a huge change in political thrillers. The generic Russian bad guy couldn’t be used. Bond has only recently recovered from the required plot changes. It also meant that the Soviet era … There’s more →

The 2009 Nobel Peace Prize goes to Barack Obama

  By darraghdoyle | October 9, 2009 - 10:24 am | Events, Politics, The Culch
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Twitter is BUZZING right now with the announcement that Barack Obama is the winner of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples” From the Nobel Prize Committee: The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 is to be awarded to President Barack Obama for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples. The Committee has attached special importance to Obama’s vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons. Obama has as President created a new climate in international politics. Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play. Dialogue and negotiations are preferred as instruments for resolving even the most difficult international conflicts. The vision of a world free from nuclear arms has powerfully stimulated disarmament and … There’s more →

Interviewing the Abu Ghraib interrogator - Joshua Casteel

  By darraghdoyle | June 29, 2009 - 11:08 am | Politics, The Arts, Theatre
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The name Abu Ghraib conjures up a lot of images, primarily of abuse, of shame for America, of some of the cruellest actions by a leading military power that has come to the world’s attention. The Wikipedia page is very grim reading: Beginning in 2004, accounts of physical, psychological, and sexual abuse, including torture, rape, sodomy, and homicide of prisoners held in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq came to public attention. These acts were committed by personnel of the 372nd Military Police Company of the United States Army together with additional US governmental agencies. Prisoners were subjected to severe physical and psychological abuse. The abuse included using dogs to scare and bite prisoners, death threats and sexual abuse. Joshua Casteel was a military interrogator in Abu Ghraib at the age of 24, shortly after this scandal broke. He was there from June 2004 to January 2005. He received an … There’s more →

What’s a TV?

  By Will | May 6, 2009 - 7:53 pm | Gadgets, Politics, The Internet, TV
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It sounds like a simple question, but what is a television? Some of you are thinking “that box/flat yoke in the corner/on the wall” but that isn’t the full answer. At the moment. Legally. You see, I lived for years without a TV. I had broadband, and who needs a TV when you have YouTube. And now RTÉ and TV3 have their flash based players so you have even less need to buy a TV. Or a TV license. Unless they change the law… Oh they are changing the law. Spotted by Stochastic Geometry it appears that the 2008 Broadcasting Bill is (still) going through the final stages of the Oireachtas defines a “Television set” (on page 142, Part 9 line 37) “television set” means any electronic apparatus capable of receiving and exhibiting television broadcasting services broadcast for general reception (whether or not its use for that purpose is dependent … There’s more →