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offsite link North Korea Increases Aid to Russia, Mos... Tue Nov 19, 2024 12:29 | Marko Marjanovi?

offsite link Trump Assembles a War Cabinet Sat Nov 16, 2024 10:29 | Marko Marjanovi?

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The Saker

Indymedia ireland

Indymedia Ireland is a volunteer-run non-commercial open publishing website for local and international news, opinion & analysis, press releases and events. Its main objective is to enable the public to participate in reporting and analysis of the news and other important events and aspects of our daily lives and thereby give a voice to people.

offsite link Fraud and mismanagement at University College Cork Thu Aug 28, 2025 18:30 | Calli Morganite
UCC has paid huge sums to a criminal professor
This story is not for republication. I bear responsibility for the things I write. I have read the guidelines and understand that I must not write anything untrue, and I won't.
This is a public interest story about a complete failure of governance and management at UCC.

offsite link Deliberate Design Flaw In ChatGPT-5 Sun Aug 17, 2025 08:04 | Mind Agent
Socratic Dialog Between ChatGPT-5 and Mind Agent Reveals Fatal and Deliberate 'Design by Construction' Flaw
This design flaw in ChatGPT-5's default epistemic mode subverts what the much touted ChatGPT-5 can do... so long as the flaw is not tickled, any usage should be fine---The epistemological question is: how would anyone in the public, includes you reading this (since no one is all knowing), in an unfamiliar domain know whether or not the flaw has been tickled when seeking information or understanding of a domain without prior knowledge of that domain???!

This analysis is a pretty unique and significant contribution to the space of empirical evaluation of LLMs that exist in AI public world... at least thus far, as far as I am aware! For what it's worth--as if anyone in the ChatGPT universe cares as they pile up on using the "PhD level scholar in your pocket".

According to GPT-5, and according to my tests, this flaw exists in all LLMs... What is revealing is the deduction GPT-5 made: Why ?design choice? starts looking like ?deliberate flaw?.

People are paying $200 a month to not just ChatGPT, but all major LLMs have similar Pro pricing! I bet they, like the normal user of free ChatGPT, stay in LLM's default mode where the flaw manifests itself. As it did in this evaluation.

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offsite link Israeli Human Rights Group B'Tselem finally Admits It is Genocide releasing Our Genocide report Fri Aug 01, 2025 23:54 | 1 of indy
We have all known it for over 2 years that it is a genocide in Gaza
Israeli human rights group B'Tselem has finally admitted what everyone else outside Israel has known for two years is that the Israeli state is carrying out a genocide in Gaza

Western governments like the USA are complicit in it as they have been supplying the huge bombs and missiles used by Israel and dropped on innocent civilians in Gaza. One phone call from the USA regime could have ended it at any point. However many other countries are complicity with their tacit approval and neighboring Arab countries have been pretty spinless too in their support

With the release of this report titled: Our Genocide -there is a good chance this will make it okay for more people within Israel itself to speak out and do something about it despite the fact that many there are actually in support of the Gaza

offsite link China?s CITY WIDE CASH SEIZURES Begin ? ATMs Frozen, Digital Yuan FORCED Overnight Wed Jul 30, 2025 21:40 | 1 of indy
This story is unverified but it is very instructive of what will happen when cash is removed
THIS STORY IS UNVERIFIED BUT PLEASE WATCH THE VIDEO OR READ THE TRANSCRIPT AS IT GIVES AN VERY GOOD IDEA OF WHAT A CASHLESS SOCIETY WILL LOOK LIKE. And it ain't pretty

A single video report has come out of China claiming China's biggest cities are now cashless, not by choice, but by force. The report goes on to claim ATMs have gone dark, vaults are being emptied. And overnight (July 20 into 21), the digital yuan is the only currency allowed.

The Saker >>

Public Inquiry
Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005

offsite link RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail?supporter? Anthony

offsite link Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony

offsite link Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony

offsite link RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony

offsite link Waiting for SIPO Anthony

Public Inquiry >>

R.N.U Kildare: Boots Workers To Strike Nationwide!

category national | worker & community struggles and protests | press release author Wednesday November 11, 2009 00:38author by R.N.U Cill Dara- P.R.O - Republican Network for Unity Report this post to the editors

Boots Workers to strike Nationwide

Press Release/Preas Ráiteas
Republican Network for Unity
Kildare Cumann

Boots Workers To Strike Nationwide!

Republican Network for Unity[R.N.U] in Kildare have been notified that Employee's of Boots Pharmaceutical are to take strike action on the 28th of November 2009. Mandate Trade Union have stated that pickets have been organised for all Boots stores for Saturday November 28th. Boots has 918 Full Time members of staff in 57 stores across the 26 counties.

Mandate Assistant General Secretary, Gerry Light, said, "We have now served notice of industrial action on the company, and as part of that process we have requested that the company come back to the negotiating table with Mandate in an effort to resolve this dispute in the interests of their staff members and their customers. As a last resort, we have also requested that the company attend the Labour Court for a hearing with Mandate."
Republican Network for Unity in Kildare has recently become aware of the introductions of pay cuts to all Boots employee’s to come into affect in mid- November. Employees of Boots Pharmaceutical are being asked to take a 15’5% wage reduction at top scale of pay from €14.20 to €12 per hour. They are also being forced to take a 25% reduction in holiday pay and a 25% reduction to Sunday premiums.

Republican Network for Unity in Kildare and all cumainn in the 26 counties, pledge our full support to these workers. We will part take in several pickets at boots stores and reject the proposals of pay cuts towards ordinary working class people, been exploited by a multi national company. Boots Phamaceutical in 2008 have profited 20 million Euro and in 2009 have a cash reserve of 70 million Euro.

R.N.U Cill Dara
P.R.O
10/11/2009
republicannetwork.ie

Ends.

author by mark - nonepublication date Wed Nov 11, 2009 08:25author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Supporting pickets is fine as long as you are correct in your statement of the facts, My wife works for Boots and there are no pay cuts at all. Yes the top rate of pay is changing (i.e. if currently paid 10 you will only get to 12 in future rather than 14) but for those currently on 14 and indeed anyone else there is no pay cut whatsoever.

It seems in Ireland we want our cake and eat it. We complain at these comapnies for the prices being higher than UK but we support pickets to keep a maximum wage rate of €14 when the uk equivalet would be £9.

If we genuinely believe that a company shouldn't be able to choose its payrates for new people then its goodbye to ever being competitive again and goodbye to jobs for the future.

author by Free Ireland - Republican Network for Unitypublication date Wed Nov 11, 2009 09:06author address author phone Report this post to the editors

This is information received to us from the union representing the Boots Workers, of course these are facts, look at their website.

www.mandate.ie before slobbering about political groups supporting the working class.

author by Stabillo Bosspublication date Wed Nov 11, 2009 12:11author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Who are the RNU?

There's a great video about this dispute in circulation via mobile phone.

author by R.N.U Kildarepublication date Wed Nov 11, 2009 13:33author address author phone Report this post to the editors

If you would like to know more about us Contact below.

Kildare Cumann : republicannetworkkildare@gmail.com

Dublin Cumann : rnudublin@gmail.com

Visit main website : www.republicannetwork.ie

author by pat cpublication date Wed Nov 11, 2009 16:17author address author phone Report this post to the editors

The issues in dispute include:

· Despite Boots making record profits in Ireland, with most recent figures of €20 million profit being posted in 2008, the company are attempting to unilaterally change terms and conditions of their workers including cuts in pay;

· Boots has threatened to rip up all previous agreements protecting staff members from 17 November 2009 despite Boots management having negotiated and agreed these during 15 years of partnership with Mandate Trade Union;

· Boots management refuse to utilise state mechanisms for resolving disputes and have openly stated that they will not attend a Labour Court hearing with Mandate Trade Union.

Cuts include:

· A 15.5% wage reduction at the top scale of pay from €14.20 to €12 per hour;·
A 25% reduction in public holiday pay;· A 25% reduction in Sunday Premiums;·
Increased flexibility in weekend work for full time staff.

http://www.mandate.ie/News/Campaigns/105/boots-workers-....aspx

Existing workers who are on €10 per hour will no longer progress to €14 per hour. The latest offer from Boots is for €12 ph, in a press release Boots have said they are offering €12.75 ph but this offer has not been made to MANDATE.

Gerry Light, Assistant General Secretary of Mandate, says Boots are trying to force pay cuts of 15%, but Rhys Iley, Director of Boots Ireland, says that the claims are untrue. Listen and make your own mind up.
http://www.rte.ie/news/news1pm/player.html?20091106,264...l,209

author by Stabillo Bosspublication date Thu Nov 12, 2009 13:27author address author phone Report this post to the editors

It is rip offs fuelled by profits not wages that trade unionists complain about.

Now tell us Mark, what is your wife's job at Boots and what is she paid? What are you paid an hour in your job? Why should a shopworker have to live on less than €546 a week (39 x €14)?

The myth of the 'sacrifice' in the private sector (as opposed to the public sector): immensely profitable companies like Boots and Coca Cola demanding cuts; profitable companies departing for even cheaper labour.

author by markpublication date Thu Nov 12, 2009 15:56author address author phone Report this post to the editors

wife has just started with boots this year and is below the 12 euro an hour.

clearly i have slightly more capitalist views than many on here. companies like Boots and Coca Cola will always seek to make large profits - that is how they became big companies in the first place. The only question is do they decide to make their large profits here or elsewhere in the world.

Is €20 million profit that much? From looking at the accounts: ( http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/boots-pretax-p....html )

They spend 40 million on staff, 160 million on stock, 64 million on selling costs and 20million on administrative expenses.

Ie they spend the best part of €300Million in ireland to make 20 million. A return on investment of less than 10%. There is little point us deciding if this is too much or not - the question for boots owners is "where else in the world can i spend 300 million a year to make more than 20 million??"

It is also fair to say that much of this €20M gets invested back in Ireland - the article in the link says €4m went on buying hogans pharmacy and they have opened several more new stores.

Is 500 euro a week enough to survive - thats a different debate altogether. It is in virtually every other EU country. Years of inflation and matching wage rises mean that sadly it may not be - it is a bit chicken and egg - if everything cost less we would be happy earning less - if we have higher wages - everything costs more. We need a solution though if we want to create jobs.

author by Shanepublication date Fri Nov 13, 2009 12:06author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Hi Mark,

I'm glad you and your wife are happy with life as it is and you're earning enough to get by. Not everybody is in the same boat. I just want to point out a few things to you though.

Firstly, why would boots go off to another country when they can earn more profits in Ireland for their investment here than anywhere else? Here's a quote from Alliance Boots' own annual report.

“Trading profit increased by 18.4% to £45 million, mainly as a result of currency translation and strong profit growth in the Republic of Ireland, which was partially offset by lower profits in The Netherlands and Norway.”

So what they're saying here is, in case you don't get it, ROI profits offset worse performances in other countries. So how is it that they say all profits go back into investment in Ireland if they "offset" lower profits in other countries? Boots is more profitable here than almost anywhere else so they won't be leaving Ireland anythime soon.

Also, they want to expand and create more jobs, which is great. But they want that expansion at the expense of their workers. They have agreed a contract with their staff members for pay and terms and conditions. They now want to tear those contracts up? If they have contracts with landlords, would they be allowed to cut the amount they pay without agreement? I think not. But when it comes to undermining contracts of employment, you feel its a different matter? They signed up to those contracts so they should honour them. And the argument that these are difficult economic times just doesn't add up when you're making €21 million profit per year.

Lastly, is €500 per week enough to survive? I don't understand this? Who is earning that in Boots? If the new contract is established (€12 per hour was the proposal) then it is about €480 for a 40 hour week. But according to Boots' own records, they have 1,700 staff members. Yet in their audited accounts, they have 918 staff. This means they have almost all their staff on part time hours officially. So very few, if anybody, is earning €500 per week. Is that enough to survive on per week? should workers take cuts so the company can expand and pay their new staff even less all so they can "offset" lower profits elsewhere? I don't think so. If i break my contract of employment, i'd be in serious trouble. Why can't the same be said for Boots.

If they're so confident of their position, why won't they go to the Labour Court for a determination?

PS: Sorry this is so long, i just hate Irish people underselling themselves. We don't deserve to be walked all over because some Multinational wants to expand and make more profits for well off shareholders and owners!

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