Slugger O'Toole

This user has not yet written a description

Latest comments from Damian O'Loan (see all)

Damian O'Loan has commented 426 times (0 in the last month).

1. Comment on Better journalism: “We have to learn directly from news consumers through experiments”
   on 7 February 2012 at 1:34 pm

   Mick,

   I had no ideas in mind – I thought that was your role?

   In terms of data, though, I don’t see great difficulty in compiling the various statistics published by various Stormont depts, local government, commissions, NGOs and charities into spreadsheets that could be worked on by anyone who requested an invite. A fairly laborious task, but I think you could encourage an exchange on your usual topics based on data manipulation and mining as opposed to opinion, by presenting it in the right format. Were this to encourage better-presented, more thorough reporting in the first place, it could only be a good thing.

   Go to comment

2. Comment on Better journalism: “We have to learn directly from news consumers through experiments”
   on 6 February 2012 at 1:49 pm

   The table showing the sources of news is interesting, and will become more so. What’s missing from the debate is that developments in hardware are as significant as those in software and online behaviour.

   As TV and internet become one and the same thing, a huge market becomes open to news and comment providers who have been marginal in their influence. When you can sync your news providers across your TV and any mobile devices you have, the potential for the control of communications staff to be weakened is also increased. Advertising revenue, in this context, is sure to be sufficient to ease any worries about the death of journalism.

   If, as seems probable, this results in a situation where those who follow stringent and transparent editorial lines, provide stimulating and trustworthy news and react to events most quickly become or remain institutions, things won’t have changed that much after all.

   Incidentally, I don’t recall Slugger O’Toole ever engaging in data journalism. The attempt at crowd-reporting the 12th was led by a blogger who then left after a disagreement, and only one blogger regularly provides original video content – which is often more interesting than the BBC or UTV coverage of the same events.

   Go to comment

3. Comment on NI’s least understood virtue: Diversity has a Dollar (not to mention a Yen) value…
   on 18 November 2011 at 2:36 pm

   The original post doesn’t say much, but your comment at 1:56 adds a lot.

   I’m not sure why the Yen features in your headline.

   “richer, cleaner and more stable than China”

   NI, for one, is none of the above. Far from being richer, as you say. Cleaner in parts, perhaps, but too small to form a meaningful comparison. And no stabler, much less so.

   The idea that people who return from NI to China are leaving behind civilisation is absurd. They may leave close friends who form part of the network you describe.

   It’s sad though that to render cultural exchange in NI attractive, it has to be sold as a business investment. From the MTV awards to the Titanic quarter to your post, it reflects little sincerity. I suspect it appears that way to the outsider too.

   Also, where is the quote from? I don’t think NI is in a position to sell democracy to anyone.

   Go to comment

4. Comment on Why is there no Irish unrest? “Because we shrug and go, shrug and go, shrug…”
   on 14 October 2011 at 9:12 am

   Excellent programme. I could only point to one facet that wasn’t really explored.

   Discourse regarding emigration tends to focus on the economic factors that give rise to it. This is understandable as they no doubt form the most common motivation. However, there are those who leave for cultural reasons.

   You can’t grow up in Ireland without the feeling that what really counts on a global scale happens elsewhere. Culturally and economically, Ireland follows and does little to innovate, let alone have the critical mass that would create a feeling of being in a society that was ahead of its time.

   Then there is the well-documented reality of insular attitudes and closed-mindedness, one area in which the Irish are close to leading Europe. The nationalist identity has much to answer for here. This is, for me and I’m sure others, a large part of the reason Ireland is not a great place to live.

   If the economic case for emigration has been well researched to the end of attracting back bright minds, it may be worthwhile to look at the social phenomena that render Ireland, in some ways, a less than hospitable environment for its own citizens and for potentially valuable immigrants.

   Go to comment

5. Comment on SDLP leadership readers’ survey: McGlone leads with good show from McDevitt…
   on 27 September 2011 at 3:36 am

   “But how exactly do you think more polls would fix the problem?”

   I don’t, but I like polls and there aren’t enough conducted on NI affairs.

   “this is about crowd sourcing judgement”

   Funny, the word you used repeatedly in interpreting was “sentiment”. You have confused these two concepts from start to finish.

   “I’ve been thinking about why I chose the word significantly. It’s a reference to an alleged plan, the existence of which is much gossiped about but not known.”

   Care to elucidate?

   Go to comment

6. Comment on SDLP leadership readers’ survey: McGlone leads with good show from McDevitt…
   on 26 September 2011 at 7:59 pm

   “I’m not pretending that it’s anything other than a fun crowd sourcing exercise”

   The question was, “which of the four contenders for the leadership of the SDLP is most likely to win?”

   It is a ‘fun’ test of crowd-forecasting abilities.

   As others have hinted at, this was so badly conducted, it’s just meaningless.

   I used to think your multiple mistakes were forgivable, over time I’ve realised you just throw things down without thinking them through. More polls and more preparation would be good.

   In the meantime, “significantly, if the real results were anything like this one”, is just not significant at all – it indicates nothing.

   Go to comment

7. Comment on McDevitt registering a friendly base within the SDLP?
   on 15 September 2011 at 4:57 pm

   “five or six branches would not be enough in a two horse race. It might make things more interesting in a three way split.”

   I think this is the key point.

   Firstly, it indicates an appetite for change in the SDLP that is nothing if not refreshing. Whether pursuing McDevitt as a leader is, at this point, the right approach to achieve change and avoid further decline is another question, but the recognition of the risks of stagnancy is refreshing and contrary to the popular perception of the party.

   Secondly, the SDLP is perhaps either too fragmented or admirably decentralised for McDevitt’s support for either leadership candidate to ensure that these constituencies to follow his lead. That makes it all the more interesting, but given that the support for the two declared is largely unknown, probably too early for comment.

   The only thing I would say confidently is that neither of the two declared candidates will reverse the decline the party is suffering. I doubt McDonnell regrets having lost the first time as much today as he did the evening of the vote. I don’t know if McGlone feels he could have done much better, though I imagine so.

   As an aside, Alex Attwood may not be the most popular voice – though he has faced more vitriol than either candidate and stood it admirably – but he gets things done and knows his brief better than any of the three under discussion. My Panglossian leader, and I’m a fan of Leibniz.

   Finally, I would credit Conall McDevitt with too much intelligence to stand now. I think he will be a fine leader at some point; in many ways he is ahead of his time. The best-case scenario would be for someone to patch the leaks until someone with a new vision that is acceptable to the electorate, like McDevitt, finds him-/herself in a position to give a new meaning and dynamic to the party.

   Go to comment

8. Comment on Another Bookish Thread
   on 14 August 2011 at 7:40 pm

   You’ve perhaps read this short story by Kafka, I’d recommend it if not.

   A Hunger Artist:

   http://records.viu.ca/~johnstoi/kafka/hungerartist.htm

   Also, his Letter to His Father is worth reading to contextualise The Castle in particular:

   http://www.kafka-franz.com/KAFKA-letter.htm

   Nothing pretentious about liking Kafka in any case, seems very sensible to me.

   Go to comment

9. Comment on Internment bonfire closes Westlink…
   on 9 August 2011 at 9:13 pm

   A bonfire is not the best way to mark any anniversary of internment, surely?

   I see SF have been suggesting they be replaced for at least five years now. Any better ideas?

   I’d suggest a paper bird in your living room/car window, throughout August, if you disagree with internment and/or want to celebrate the British constitution, Magna Carta and habeas corpus.

   Any others?

   Go to comment

10. Comment on Blood and Thunder…
    on 8 August 2011 at 12:21 pm

    “What is striking about some of the feedback is the willingness of many to demonise and totally right off what is a massive section of the community.” (sic)

    What is striking is how you approached the items you source, badly.

    You have gone through these and taken out every point, valid or otherwise, which does not paint your subject in a favourable light. Whether you did this consciously or not is irrelevant, the result is something far closer to propaganda than truth.

    The attempts to address criticism are surely not serious. They don’t understand us. They’re too old. They’re too rich. They’re too Catholic. They don’t take part. Try not counter-attacking, try to convincingly point out the merit of this activity.

    If you want to increase understanding, you aim for truth. You simply haven’t. Don’t expect your apologia to be treated with any undue respect, particularly given its overtly sectarian content.

    This essay rests on a confusion of culture in the sense of art and culture in the sense of common behaviour. Doing something 150 times a year does not give it merit. It does not lend it artistic value. It does not remove its sectarian nature. There is no gain in pointing out that Irish nationalists can also be sectarian idiots in order to try and defend the ridiculous.

    Go to comment