by RuthDE | Sep 17, 2026 | 2026, Belfast News Letter, Journalism, September
I’m not one to react nervously to doom-laden predictions, but I was a touch rattled last week when Geoffrey Hinton, the eminent “Godfather of AI”, said a 10% chance of it killing off the human race soon was a “not unreasonable” estimate. Published: 17 September 2026...
by RuthDE | May 14, 2026 | 2026, Belfast News Letter, Journalism, May
I try to be charitable to Michelle O’Neill, first minister of Northern Ireland. It is only partly her fault that she can never say anything interesting, since the politburo in Sinn Fein HQ are ever vigilant. Published: 14 May 2026 She wasn’t given the job...
by RuthDE | Mar 20, 2025 | 2025, Belfast News Letter, Journalism, March
We don’t get enough laughs in life, particularly if we follow events in Northern Ireland, but I have enormously enjoyed at a distance the Saint Patrick’s Day events in Washington. Published: 20 March 2025 It takes me back to 2011, when the Felons Club...
by RuthDE | Apr 2, 2024 | 2024, April, Belfast News Letter, Journalism
What a week it has been! The most urgent question is how to steady the political ship after disconcerting revelations about the two biggest parties in Northern Ireland politics. Published: 2 April 2024 The shock of Sir Jeffrey Donaldson being charged with historical...
by RuthDE | Feb 6, 2024 | 2024, Belfast News Letter, January, Journalism
Last week was certainly an interesting time to look at female politicians in action in our two islands. Published: 5 February 2024 As a long-standing feminist since the days when female politicians were as rare as white blackbirds, I should have been thrilled that in...
