# donaldson (blogs) — RSS Amplifier Recent posts from the 3 feeds in the RSS Amplifier directory that cover donaldson. Page: Feed: --- ## [‘Peace at last’: The 1994 Loyalist ceasefires](https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/podcasts/peace-at-last-the-1994-loyalist-ceasefires/a/160162534.html) _2026-08-20 · Belfast Telegraph - Podcasts_ On the 13 October 1994, six weeks after the IRA announced a ‘complete cessation’, the Loyalist paramilitary groups declared their ceasefires. The UVF’s Gusty Spence announced loyalist violence was over, in a step that is seen as one of the vital steps towards a lasting peace in Northern Ireland. Ciarán Dunbar is joined by former PUP leader Billy Hutchinson, Historian Aaron Edwards, and journalists… ## [Indo Daily Extra: 'Almost zero sympathy for dead children' – unprecedented reaction to M9 crash](https://www.independent.ie/podcasts/indo-daily-extra-almost-zero-sympathy-for-dead-children-unprecedented-reaction-to-m9-crash/a/160299106.html) _2026-08-20 · Irish Independent - The Indo Daily_ Five teenagers dead, three sisters and a seven-year-old boy seriously injured, and a wave of public outrage in the wake of the horrific wrong-way crash on the M9 motorway last weekend. In the days since, the tragedy has sparked a huge amount of anger and debate around youth crime, garda powers, social media and even the role of parents. Has this incident exposed a much bigger problem in Irish… ## [Jon Burrows and the UUP in a fix as Mike Nesbitt resigns](https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/podcasts/jon-burrows-and-the-uup-in-a-fix-as-mike-nesbitt-resigns/a/160248171.html) _2026-08-19 · Belfast Telegraph - Podcasts_ The UUP’s Mike Nesbitt has resigned as health minister – with a stinging public resignation letter aimed at his UUP leader Jon BurrowsThe row is over retaining emergency general surgery at the Causeway Hospital in Coleraine. The Northern Trust had recommended its closure, despite widespread local opposition.Jon Burrows told a public meeting in Coleraine that he wouldn’t support any closure –… ## [‘It’s Over’: The 1994 IRA ‘ceasefire’](https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/podcasts/its-over-the-1994-ira-ceasefire/a/160162875.html) _2026-08-18 · Belfast Telegraph - Podcasts_ After 25 years of what it termed ‘Armed Struggle’ and the ‘Long War’ , the Provisional IRA called a “complete cessation of military operations” on 31st August 1994. By that stage, the organisation was responsible for the deaths of 1,700 people. Ciarán Dunbar is joined by Journalists Brian Rowan and Allison Morris, Former Belfast Telegraph Editor Ed Curran and historian Fearghal Mac Bhloscaidh.… ## ['Almost a third of us are economically inactive': Does Northern Ireland need more workers?](https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/podcasts/almost-a-third-of-us-are-economically-inactive-does-northern-ireland-need-more-workers/a/160124355.html) _2026-08-18 · Belfast Telegraph - Podcasts_ As chief executive of Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Wylie is a woman at the top of her game, having grown the chamber into one of the best performing chambers in the UK with a strategic focus on skills, infrastructure, and trade. Under her leadership, it won British Chambers of Commerce Chamber of the Year 2024, and she remains passionate about helping Northern Ireland’s businesses… ## [Extra: Horror M9 crash and social media trend gardaí seem powerless to stop](https://www.independent.ie/podcasts/extra-horror-m9-crash-and-social-media-trend-gardai-seem-powerless-to-stop/a/160146726.html) _2026-08-17 · Irish Independent - The Indo Daily_ The five teenage boys killed in a horror crash when their car was driven the wrong way on the M9 motorway were all aged between 15 and 18 years of age.Post-mortem examinations will now be carried out on the bodies of Joey Carthy (15) and Jack Kennedy (17) from Athy, Co Kildare; Alex McCarthy (17) and his cousin Jeremy O’Brien (18) from Carlow; and Kamil Pustkowski (17) from Limerick.The teenagers,… ## [Families search for truth over 1983 south Armagh murders](https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/podcasts/families-search-for-truth-over-1983-south-armagh-murders/a/160030157.html) _2026-08-17 · Belfast Telegraph - Podcasts_ Paddy Mackin and Eamon MacMahon’s bodies were found on the morning of the 13th of July, 1983. They both had been blasted with a shotgun as close range. The murders of the 34 year olds were first blamed on INLA leaders Dominic and Mary McGlinchey. But their families don’t believe that – they believe “other republicans” were involved. They claim that an informer recruited by Captain Robert Nairac… ## [Culture war rages in the wake of Prof Jason Arday resignation](https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/podcasts/culture-war-rages-in-the-wake-of-prof-jason-arday-resignation/a/159989316.html) _2026-08-14 · Belfast Telegraph - Podcasts_ UPDATE: Professor Jason Arday was found deceased in London on Friday afternoon. He was found at an address in Battersea and pronounced dead at the scene. At 37, Jason Arday became the University of Cambridge’s youngest black professor. But he found himself at the center of a plagiarism accusations which cast a shadow over his career – and thrust him into the international limelight. Parts of his… ## [Fleadh Cheoil hailed as an enormous success for Belfast](https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/podcasts/fleadh-cheoil-hailed-as-an-enormous-success-for-belfast/a/159903390.html) _2026-08-12 · Belfast Telegraph - Podcasts_ Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann took over Belfast City Centre for over a week drawing huge crowds. The all-Ireland traditional Irish music competition and festival has been near universally hailed as an enormous success. It has been cited as having made a massive cultural, social, and economic impact on the city. How much money was made? What impact will it have on the Fleadh, and can any lessons be… ## [Extra: Inside the court as Daniel Kinahan charged and jailed](https://www.independent.ie/podcasts/extra-inside-the-court-as-daniel-kinahan-charged-and-jailed/a/159847603.html) _2026-08-10 · Irish Independent - The Indo Daily_ Daniel Kinahan sounded bemused when he described the frenzy around his life as “movie stuff”, but the scenes that accompanied his trip back to Ireland were undeniably cinematic. A trip on a €53m government jet that was tracked by the public in real-time, a ring of steel around parts of Dublin as he was escorted in a bomb-proof convoy, and a long-awaited appointment at the Criminal Courts of… ## [Point once, get highlights (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/IojxBgXAWsmF) _2026-08-10 · **Sponsored**_ Get minutes worth watching from a whole game — point once ## [Daniel Kinahan's podcast tell-all: Conspiracy theories and a media 'meltdown'](https://www.independent.ie/podcasts/daniel-kinahans-podcast-tell-all-conspiracy-theories-and-a-media-meltdown/a/159707132.html) _2026-08-07 · Irish Independent - The Indo Daily_ Daniel Kinahan is languishing behind bars in Dubai as he awaits extradition to Ireland, but the exiled cartel boss is speaking out – as a podcast guest. Having famously teased a previous audio sit-down with Kinahan that never made it to air, broadcaster James English insists he finally has a world exclusive, and a box-office one at that. English has released snippets of the apparently forthcoming… ## ['Baddie of the Bailout': How 'Fingers' Michael Fingleton built 'the world's worst bank'](https://www.independent.ie/podcasts/baddie-of-the-bailout-how-fingers-michael-fingleton-built-the-worlds-worst-bank/a/159658944.html) _2026-08-06 · Irish Independent - The Indo Daily_ Michael Fingleton was one of the most controversial figures of the Celtic Tiger. As the longtime boss of Irish Nationwide, he oversaw reckless lending that ultimately left taxpayers with a €5.4 billion bill. But was he simply the face of a wider banking culture, or the true “baddie of the bailout”? Deputy Business Editor John Burns joins Dave Hanratty to examine the man behind one of Ireland’s… ## [Who are the New IRA in 2026 and what are they capable of?](https://www.independent.ie/podcasts/who-are-the-new-ira-in-2026-and-what-are-they-capable-of/a/159609074.html) _2026-08-05 · Irish Independent - The Indo Daily_ The seizure last week of a bomb containing almost 400g of Semtex plastic explosive has put the New IRA back on to the front pages after a lull in violence.Two people connected to the political group Saoradh have been charged in relation to the incident.The sophisticated device has fuel fears that the group has gained access to fresh stocks of military-grade explosives.The New IRA has been long… ## [Inside the Jared Leto investigation as Hollywood star denies sexual misconduct allegations](https://www.independent.ie/podcasts/inside-the-jared-leto-investigation-as-hollywood-star-denies-sexual-misconduct-allegations/a/159476431.html) _2026-08-04 · Irish Independent - The Indo Daily_ Just a heads-up – this episode contains references to alleged sexual assault and may not be suitable for everyone, so please take care when listening.Jared Leto is an Oscar winner, a rock star, a cult leader and now the focus of serious questions.The 54-year-old has been seen onscreen in the likes of Fight Club, American Psycho, and Blade Runner 2049, while also finding the time to tour the world… ## [Belfast’s first Night Czar on Troubles nightlife, Hollywood A-Listers in Belfast, and why he almost left NI for good](https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/podcasts/belfasts-first-night-czar-on-troubles-nightlife-hollywood-a-listers-in-belfast-and-why-he-almost-left-ni-for-good/a/159386230.html) _2026-08-03 · Belfast Telegraph - Podcasts_ Belfast’s first Night Czar, Michael Stewart, reflects on 40 years in hospitality—from managing Bob Cratchit’s in 1987 amid the Troubles to helping shape the city’s post-peace nightlife through venues like The Fly, The Apartment, and The Northern Whig. He joins Cathy to talk about his pivotal early career choice not to join the Hong Kong Police, one Hollywood A-Lister’s visit to Belfast, and his… ## [If the AI bubble bursts, how badly could Ireland be hit?](https://www.independent.ie/podcasts/if-the-ai-bubble-bursts-how-badly-could-ireland-be-hit/a/159475806.html) _2026-08-03 · Irish Independent - The Indo Daily_ Artificial intelligence is fuelling a stock market boom unlike anything seen before, with tech giants spending trillions in a race to dominate AI. But what if the hype doesn’t live up to the promise? Kevin Doyle is joined by Irish Independent columnist Richard Curran to ask whether we’re watching the next financial bubble inflate, and what an AI crash could mean for Ireland’s jobs, economy and… ## [Jim O’Callaghan v the Lawyers: The high-stakes legal aid showdown](https://www.independent.ie/podcasts/jim-ocallaghan-v-the-lawyers-the-high-stakes-legal-aid-showdown/a/159422857.html) _2026-07-31 · Irish Independent - The Indo Daily_ Jim O’Callaghan is a politician with leadership ambitions and a reform agenda. But in his bid to overhaul Ireland’s legal system, he has picked a high-stakes fight with a formidable adversary: the lawyers of Ireland.It has been a month since solicitors withdrew their services in a deepening row over criminal legal aid fees, and tensions look to be escalating.At the heart of the controversy is a… ## [Extra: Is Daniel Kinahan suddenly on his way back to Ireland?](https://www.independent.ie/podcasts/extra-is-daniel-kinahan-suddenly-on-his-way-back-to-ireland/a/159408356.html) _2026-07-30 · Irish Independent - The Indo Daily_ Word on the street is that Daniel Kinahan is suddenly being prepped for extradition from Dubai.The 49-year-old could be back in Ireland in a number of weeks, likely prompting one of the biggest security operations in the recent history of the State.So, what awaits Kinahan when he finally arrives home?On this Extra episode of The Indo Daily, host Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Eimear Rabbitt, news… ## [Busting the biggest mortgage myths: Do you really need a massive deposit?](https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/podcasts/busting-the-biggest-mortgage-myths-do-you-really-need-a-massive-deposit/a/159255111.html) _2026-07-28 · Belfast Telegraph - Podcasts_ Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll ever make—but thanks to social media, online forums and well-meaning advice from friends and family, it can also feel like one of the most confusing. Do you really need a 20% deposit? Is one missed payment enough to ruin your chances? Should you wait for interest rates to fall before buying? Cathy is joined by Ann Marie Rollo, Mortgage… ## [Hours Above Replacement](https://www.jjd.io/posts/hours_above_replacement.html) _2026-07-12 · Justin Donaldson · Justin Donaldson, Ph.D._ In 2017, Hurricane Maria knocked out three Baxter plants in Puerto Rico, and hospitals across the US suddenly couldn’t get saline bags. Nurses went back to pushing drugs by syringe. In 2022, a COVID lockdown in Shanghai shut a single GE plant and hospitals started rationing contrast media — triaging which patients got CT scans. In 2024 it was blood culture bottles. The receipts. Saline after… ## [Try Before You Buy, Risk-Free (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/jqWAvqBeQZ5r) _2026-07-11 · **Sponsored**_ Free trial hosting plus refunds processed in 12-24 hours, guaranteed. ## [Woman claims Jeffrey Donaldson sexually assaulted her in Westminster DUP offices](https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/podcasts/woman-claims-jeffrey-donaldson-sexually-assaulted-her-in-westminster-dup-offices/a/158406936.html) _2026-07-07 · Belfast Telegraph - Podcasts_ Jeffrey Donaldson looks set to be investigated again after a further allegation of sexual assault on a woman in the DUP offices at Westminster. The young woman at the heart of the allegations says that the former DUP leader tried to get her to drink vodka shots in his office, that she refused to do, before he allegedly tried to kiss her on the mouth and put his hand up her skirt.The DUP has… ## [Meaning Has More Than Three Numbers](https://www.jjd.io/posts/semantic-frames.html) _2026-07-05 · Justin Donaldson · Justin Donaldson, Ph.D._ Why would meaning stop at three? Last month we went looking for Charles Osgood’s 1957 semantic differential inside a small language model, and found it: Evaluation , Potency , and Activity , recovered as three nearly-perpendicular directions in the hidden states of SmolLM2-1.7B, kept separate just as Osgood’s factor analysis insisted. That post ended with a tidy result and an untidy question.… ## [A 1.7B Model That Stops Guessing](https://www.jjd.io/posts/swollm-bbh-leaderboard.html) _2026-06-27 · Justin Donaldson · Justin Donaldson, Ph.D._ swollm — SmolLM2-1.7B with the Turnstyle layer bolted on. A small model doesn’t usually fail because it can’t compute the answer. It fails because it won’t stop guessing long enough to compute it. BIG-Bench Hard (BBH) is a curated set of tasks where, at the time it was assembled, language models did worse than the average human rater: multi-step arithmetic, tracking shuffled objects, Dyck-language… ## [A 1957 Theory of Meaning, Hiding in a Language Model](https://www.jjd.io/posts/osgood-epa-language-model.html) _2026-06-20 · Justin Donaldson · Justin Donaldson, Ph.D._ Meaning, Osgood found, is mostly three numbers. — paraphrasing The Measurement of Meaning (Osgood, Suci & Tannenbaum, 1957) Charles E. Osgood (1916–1991), who set out to measure meaning with paper rating scales. Photo via PeoplePill. In 1957, the psychologist Charles Osgood handed people a word— tornado , mother , nuclear —and a stack of rating scales: good–bad , strong–weak , fast–slow , hot–cold… ## [Don’t draw so close to the heat, you forget you must eat](https://www.jjd.io/posts/no_free_lunch.html) _2026-06-14 · Justin Donaldson · Justin Donaldson, Ph.D._ Don't draw so close to the heat, you forget you must eat What a conservation theorem says about superintelligence — and why the most beautiful version of the answer is the one to distrust. Justin Donaldson & Claude · June 2026 Don’t become so attached to a poem, you forget truth that lacks lyricism. — Joanna Newsom, “En Gallop” (the title is the line that follows) This started as a conversation… ## [Creating a Surgical Energy Map](https://www.jjd.io/posts/gudid_landscape.html) _2026-02-22 · Justin Donaldson · Justin Donaldson, Ph.D._ An AI read 34,000 FDA electrosurgical device descriptions and drew a map. The map makes sense. Not in a “well, if you squint” way. In a “the Yasargil fenestrated forceps cluster sits right next to the Yasargil stop-pin cluster, and both neighbor the irrigating Yasargil variants” way. In a “footswitches are at the edge because their descriptions talk about pedals, not tissue” way. The dataset is a… ## [Dense vs MoE: Claude Opus 4.5 vs Kimi K2.5](https://www.jjd.io/posts/claude_vs_kimi_debate.html) _2026-01-31 · Justin Donaldson · Justin Donaldson, Ph.D._ The Setup I wanted to see if two AI models could have a genuine technical debate — and whether one could be argued into conceding a point. So I picked a topic guaranteed to be personal: I asked Claude Opus 4.5 (a dense transformer) to argue that dense models are architecturally superior to Mixture-of-Experts models, against Kimi K2.5 (a 1T parameter MoE model with 32B active parameters from… ## [Semantic Proprioception: Teaching Data to Understand Itself](https://www.jjd.io/posts/semantic-proprioception-demo.html) _2025-11-22 · Justin Donaldson · Justin Donaldson, Ph.D._ Semantic Proprioception: Teaching Data to Understand Itself Just as proprioception lets you sense where your body is in space without looking, semantic proprioception gives data the ability to understand its own internal structure. No manual labeling, no predefined categories—just the data revealing patterns within itself. I’ve built a live demo that shows this in action across three very… ## [Intelligence Chases Chaos](https://www.jjd.io/posts/intelligence_chases_chaos.html) _2025-02-03 · Justin Donaldson · Justin Donaldson, Ph.D._ Intelligence Chases Chaos Fractals have an astonishing property: their dimensionality is only a fraction of the space they inhabit. The paths of hurricanes, the spread of wildfires, the beating of the human heart—all of these chaotic systems play out in a space far smaller than their theoretical possibilities. One way of better understanding fractal dimensionality is to understand that it’s not a… ## [Fast, secure international transfers (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/iJFdmTzZFBLX) _2025-02-02 · **Sponsored**_ Bank transfer, cash pickup, mobile wallet — low fees and real-time tracking ## [Creating an LLM Agent for Books](https://www.jjd.io/posts/book_bot.html) _2024-12-16 · Justin Donaldson · Justin Donaldson, Ph.D._ Book Bot When AI Meets Family Legacy: A New Way to Interface with Investment Literature In an era where ChatGPT makes headlines and generative AI seems to be everywhere, traditional books might appear antiquated. Yet, there’s something powerful about the permanence of printed wisdom—especially when it captures pivotal moments in financial history and personal (and humbling) revelation. I recently…