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IT WAS BIG news this past week when Google bought Boston Dynamics, an engineering company that creates mobile research robots for the US military. This is the ninth robotics company that Google has purchased in the last six months.
Boston Dynamics features nine robots on its website, and some of them are almost unbelievable. They can crawl, jump, climb, and gallop, even over tough terrain.
Meet some of the most amazing (and kind of creepy) robots that Boston Dynamics has created:
Atlas: The Humanoid Robot
Atlas is a humanoid robot that can walk through rough terrain like a human and even climb using its hands. It can lift and carry things, and it has cameras and a laser range finder on its head. When hit from the side, the robot manages to keep its balance.
Check out Atlas in action:
Cheetah: The fastest robot in the world
The Cheetah set a new record for the speediest robot. It can run faster than 29 miles per hour, completely destroying the previous record, set in 1989 at MIT, of 13.1 miles per hour. That’s faster than Jamaican sprint champion Usain Bolt.
The Cheetah is powered by an off-board hydraulic pump, meaning that it can’t operated untethered.
Watch the Cheetah sprint:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chPanW0QWhA
WildCat: The free-running Cheetah
The WildCat is Boston Dynamics’ free-running iteration of the Cheetah. Although it hasn’t reached Cheetah’s insane speeds yet, the four-legged robot can run up to 16 miles per hour on all types of terrain.
The Wildcat can gallop, bound, and turn quickly.
Big Dog: The huge robot that can carry almost 400lbs
BigDog is perhaps Boston Dynamics’ most bizarre-looking bot.
About the size of a large dog or a small mule, BigDog can walk, climb and run through rubble, mud, water, and snow and carry heavy loads (up to 340 pounds).
Check out BigDog climbing in the woods, jogging, and, kind of hilariously, slipping on ice:
RiSE: The robot that can climb up walls
RiSE is six-legged robot that can climb up vertical terrains like walls, trees, and fences using its micro-claws. The robot uses its tail to help it balance and can change its posture to conform to the curvature of the climbing surface. RiSE is 0.25 meters long, weighs 2 kilograms, and travels 0.3 meters per second.
Watch RiSE climb a building and a tree:
- Jillian D’Onfro
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What a waste of time. Allow the Irish people to decide not this group of nobodys who nobody elected.
@Karen Doyle: I started with that viewpoint but I have followed the proceedings and have been hugely impressed by the focus, conscientiousness and hard work of the Citizen members. I get the impression that they are representative.
Let’s guve them a chance to recommend and to report. They deserve a chance. The Referendum is inevitable.
@Karen Doyle: Allow the Irish people to decide without the full facts you mean ?
Best of luck to them. They seem to be sensible in wanting to hear from women themselves. If they really are to be reflective of society, they will bring this nearer to home. I trust they will have the sense and compassion that our political class don’t seem to have. I have faith in them
@Tony Daly: How can they be representative? I didnt elect them, in fact, nobody did. We elect TDs to do this job. I won’t respect anything that comes out of this bloated waste of time and money.
@lavbeer: Without the full facts? What facts do you need? The Catholic Church’s opinion? Or any pro-choice group for that matter? I will decide myself when the time comes to vote thank you, I don’t need to be spoon fed ‘facts’.
@Lucy Legacy: that’s a very good point. The experience of women affected must be listened to.
Lavbeer – the problem will be getting facts not faith backed dogma, which has no place in the autonomy of women. Justice Laffoy stated the same today, when she said interest groups must stick to fact based assertions.
@Karen Doyle: Yes you have a vote as do I. If you don’t want to know the facts so be it. The 8th had unintended consequences. Pity the electorate back then didn’t have more information.
@Karen Doyle: a genuinely randomised sample of demographically representative ordinary Irish citizens doing their best and listening attentively to both sides. I don’t think that TDs can be trusted on this issue. TDs are afraid to lose votes. I do not begrudge the time involved and the unpaid services of 99 ordinary citizens doing their civic duty.
@Paul Fahey: So the chair is doing her job. I assume there will be some sort of a summary report at the end. Whether faith backed dogma has a place or not is a question for each individual voter. I suspect it will play a part.
@lavbeer: Rightly or Wrongly I may add.
@lavbeer: it is impossible sensibly to deny that a very large element of the voter opposition to the repeal of the Eight Amendment will be faith based, primarily RCC and Muslim.
@lavbeer: We don’t have a vote. That’s the point. Let us vote instead of wasting time and money debating whether or not we should be given the right to the vote on repealing the 8th amendment.
@EvieXVI: the process is in train and is moving ineluctably to a Recommendation for a Referendum. I would give the Assembly time to do its work on this issue. It is on schedule.
Got to have these unaffiliated middle men and women so that FG and FF can shrug the responsibility for allowing a referendum which will upset the older religious conservatives.
@Rochelle: sadly that is true. It’s a pity to have this buffer but it is helping g to refine and to define the issues. The Referendum will not be denied to us. It is a matter of time for the end of the wretched 8th Amendment.
@paul, facts are good, but will ultimately only go so far, in the end people will have to decide with their conscience. Facts can’t answer everything unfortunately.
I did (and still) want a referendum. However I worry there is currently a lot of misinformation, on both sides. Having followed the assembly recently I’m actually still learning. I’m now even more convinced we need a referendum but I also appreciate the need for accurate information to all people. I don’t want people voting in a referendum until they are informed. If they then chose not to avail of this information that’s their choice.
@Aoife Dooley: therecis a repository of useful information on the Citizens’ Assembly web site.
Overall, I find the evidence on the pro choice side presented in a more objective fashion. There is a lot of religious material on the anti choice sude, which I find unhelpful and too dictatorial.
@Tony Daly: I dont agree that it is on schedule. A referendum is long overdue. If it’s inevitable, why do we need the assembly? Public opinion indicates huge support for a referendum in repealing the 8th amendment.
@EvieXVI: the constitutional Assembly squeezed in an extra day and the Chair is Committed to delivering the recommendations on time.
I opposed the Eight Amendment in 1983 and have waited since then fir this day but, that said, I’m not a woman who has to deal with the consequences if the Eight Amendment.
@Aoife Dooley:
Misinformation Aoife? That usually stands for something the opposite opinion doesn’t agree with. People are not stupid and can usually see through the fog of political discourse.
The electorate don’t need to be spoon fed “accurate information.” To suggest we do is to diminish our ability to think and infantilises us.
There are constituencies on either end of the debate that will be well informed and committed to their view and there is a spectrum in the middle that are open to persuasion. In a effort to mobilise that middle vote, propaganda is perfectly reasonable.
@Joe: the usual judgmentalism and bile from the more extremist side of the anti choice side.
Propanganda is always distorted and emotive. It is a manipulative appeal to emotion, not to fact and reason.
I agree with Karen in that there should be referendum called without the approval of a citizens assembly but I don’t agree with calling people nobodys. Everybody is somebody but each person in this country has their own opinion on abortion & each person should be afforded the chance to vote.
Dice is loaded. The slant is obvious.
Let’s just move on to a referendum and let the People decide.
@RG Law: the Referendum is necessary and inevitable.
@Tony Daly: Yes but what will the question be? Appeal or amend ?
@lavbeer: On Repeal or Amend, I don’t know the outcome. I do know that I would prefer Repeal.
@Tony Daly: in other words, the choice should be between Repeal or Amend but I see that one person who made Submissions suggested moving Article 8 to Article 45 on Social Policy and so “non-justiciable”, that is the Courts could not take cognisance of the Eight Amendment as relocated. It was an interesting compromise proposal.
Correction, moving Article 40.3.3 p, introduced by the Eight Amendment, to Article 45
@Tony Daly: Yea. I agree with your comments on the CA (and I haven’t been following it anyway as close as you) – it releases the information to make an informed decision. Repeal losing would be a complete disaster and not beyond a possibility. 3 options would of course reduce the option of repeal as the path of least resistance is there. And then there is the trusting the politicians to put good law in place. Interesting times.
@lavbeer: fair comments. The compromise proposal would only work, if it received substantial support but you make a valid and insightful point that it could unwittingly under mine the repeal vote.
At the end of the day no matter which side your on the constitution is no place for such an important medical issue for women.
Pro-Life groups, more accurately anti-choicegroups, are dogmatic, doctrinaire and authoritarian.
The 99 Citizens are hard working, scrupulous and conscientious. I don’t think that they will be swayed, just informed.
The pro-life side is positioning to lose and then to seek to discredit the Citizens’ Assembly.
Nail on head
You mean anti choice or anti abortion?
@Sideshow Brendan: anti choice is more precise.
@Sideshow Brendan: You can be pro choice and anti abortion i.e. believing abortion is wrong personally but that it is a moral choice for the individual to determine. What the pro life groups want can only be described as anti choice.
@Rochelle: yes, the pro-life side want their opinion to have the force of legal compulsion.
I can’t understand why the Life Institute are objecting to input from those who perform this procedure- surely if this is about ensuring that all the facts are available, those with first hand experience are the people who have most to offer?
@EvieXVI: that is so true.
@Tony Daly: Spot on, if you know you’re not going to win then just complain about the process.
If The Life “Institute” said it well it must be true… It’s not like those “fine” people to lie….
@James: ohhh gosh no. They are so honest.
The government allowed pro abortion groups to hijack it from the start.
Might as well have had Maire Stopes chairing the assembly it’s so loaded in their favour.
If the recommendations are in favour of repealing the 8th then it will lack any credibility.
Everyone knows that at this stage.
@Alex Falcone: There’s always an oul sob story with antis :)
@Alex Falcone: that is a false charge and a calumny against a respected and impartial Judge who is chairing the process.
The Citizens’s Assembly is conscientious and attentive.
The speakers on both sides have been excellent and informative.
I look forward to an informed Recommendation for a Referendum.
I’ve been pleasant surprised by the Citizens Assembly process. It has been an excellent and informative process even though the motivation for its establishment was political cowardice.
Great job being done by the Citizens’s Assembly.
Maybe Anne Trainer can tell us all the lie of how the 8th Amendment saved her son while parading the kid as “proof”….
@Tony Daly:
Actually, I pointed the finger at the government not Justice Laffoy.
When you have people attending the Citizen’s Assembly wearing Repeal the 8th badges you know the agenda has already been set.
@Alex Falcone: the process has been conducted fairly. The Givernment has had no role in the selection process or in the conduct of the process because the Government has washed its hands of the process.
I have followed the proceedings attentively. I have seen no repeal the Eight badges on any of the 99 Citizens and I don’t believe your allegation which you have not sought to substantiate.
James – that would be Anne Trainer of Youth Defence, IONA, Life Institute and personal friend of Marion Murphy, Maria mhic Mheanmain and other religious fundamentalists of this parish.
@Paul Fahey:
Someone has to counteract the spin.
@Paul Fahey: yes, the very person. I’m surprised that she did not attempt to instruct the Citizens’Assembly what to do.
@Tony Daly:
Yes Tony, you are the eyes of the nation.
(in your own head)
@Alex Falcone: lies are never credible in the longer term. Interesting that you think that The Chair of the Assembly is chairing a partisan group. I admire her integrity and even handedness. She is scrupulously fair.
@Tony Daly:
‘“I have to say this balance can be difficult to achieve in such a highly contested and controversial area.”
Justice Laffoy.
Which suggests that she has her own concerns about the manner in which material has been presented.
Yes Paul. and about another half dozen pro life groups masquerading as charities that the Charities Regulator has refused to audit for some reason….
@Alex Falcone: you are misinterpreting once again in favour of your own bias. Justice Laffoy is simply recognising the hard work involved in ensuring balance but that will not stop the pro-life crown trying to discredit her.
Some of pro-life side tend to cheat and lie so to advance their cause although many have integrity.
Alex – but O’ Mathuna is coming at it from a faith based belief, which the book he co-edited (Commitment and Responsibility in Nursing: A Faith-Based Approach (2004)) will tell you.
@Paul Fahey: that is actually scary.
Tony – sadly it is, but there is a reluctance among the pro-life side to acknowledge their dogmatic views in this matter, which are driven by the teachings of the misogynistic Catholic Church.
@Alex Falcone: on the Chairing of the Citizens’Assembly you actually did attack the Chair by asserting that the Marie Stopes clinic might as well be chairing the Assembly. You really should withdraw that assertion. It is unfair, wrong and utterly unjustified.
@Paul Fahey: well expressed. I agree.
@Paul Fahey: @Paul Fahey: O’Mathuna’s attitude to women is horrific. I’d run a mile before I’d let him near me in any kind of capacity, professional or otherwise. His prurient attitude to sex and dangerous attitudes towards women and girls is everything that’s wrong with this country. His kind of religious obsession has no place anywhere in society especially not when it comes to health and welfare.
Daisy – fully agree and the fact the pro life side have put him forward speaks volumes.
The Citizens’Assembly is a great resource for information on both sides of the debate. It is informative. I look forward to hearing the eventual recommendations.
I would trust the Citizens more than the politicians.
My feeling is that we are moving slowly and inevitably to a democratic Referendum which will allow a democratic choice.
I would trust the 99 Citizens more than I would trust politicians on this issue.
Its inevitable where this ends up, i do feel with the dominance of the liberal agenda in Ireland there is a good chance it is slanted towards a referendum but let the people decide.
Its actually in everyones interest pro and anti to get this out of the constitution so it can be ruled on as a point of law. Having it in the constitution means that no one is accountable for it.
@Makenzie Calhoun: the same sex civil marriage Referendum and the Childrens’ Referendum is indicative of a less RCC conservative dominated outlook in Ireland but only a Referendum result will tell for sure.
@Tony Daly: Yes it is and there are those on the left who would deem those successes as a sign that they have won over Ireland and write the script now.
Unfortunately we have replaced the RCC with a hardline liberal left who trades in identity politics. There could be possibility of an upset for the left if this does go to a referendum. This could be Irelands trump moment.
Which is a sad state of affairs as this rule being in the constitution is not good as no one today can be held accountable for it. If goverment had control over it then the people voting could decide what they wanted.
@Makenzie Calhoun: there is no hard line liberal left in Ireland in any position of political influence unless you think that FF and FG are actually hardline liberal left.
@Makenzie Calhoun: Regardless of one’s thoughts on the matter, it’s pretty safe to say that the constitution is a rather bad spot for such a specific piece of the legal jigsaw in this (or any) country.
@Richard: excellent point.
“the Life Institute” enough said even their name is an insult to those who made a choice and went to England because their wished for baby was none viable,
@Kerry Blake: I’m never able to distinguish between Youth Defence and the Life Institute and similar extremist anti choice groups. There seems to be a lot of these group sharing the same premises and the same sponsors.
@Tony Daly: Have you any Information on the Supreme Courts decision on not have a Second Referendum on Children,you seem to be an Expert on everything ,was their decision published ,if so could you enlighten me .I would love to know why they came to this decision.
Some even share the same address and directors, odd that. They are simply an effort to make a small number of people seem greater in number than they actually are.
@Tony Daly: Two cheeks of the same scutter spewing arse.
@Daisy and Paul, both excellent replies.
@Pat Stapleton: I know nothing of that. Pray enlighten us.
This whole thing is a sham with a pre-determined outcome clear to anyone with half a brain.
Anyway, let’s cut to the chase and have the referendum so that the pro-abortion mob can be defeated.
@Shane P. Slayer: at least you welcome a Referendum.
I would not presume on the result but I’m hopeful that the Eight will be repealed.
@Tony Daly: I look forward to seeing the ‘repeal the 8th’ campaign crash and burn during the actual campaign when they are confronted with the reality of their extreme agenda.
@Shane P. Slayer: time will tell. I remember similar remarks from opponents of the same sex civil marriage referendum. They were wrong.
“pro -abortion mob” lol
@Tony Daly: This will be very different. So many things to highlight to push people in the the No camp:
Repeal means:
- late term abortion for any reason
- sex-selective abortions
- abortions of the unborn with disabilities such as Down’s Syndrome
- taxpayer-funding of abortion
- underage girls will be able have abortions without parental notification or consent
All of these are 100% true and can be found by checking out the websites of the main repeal lobby groups.
I started off with an open mind on this issue, did some research and found out all of the above, turning me into a firm NO to repeal.
@Shane P. Slayer: PMSL!
@Shane P. Slayer: Who will be performing these sex-selective abortions?
@Shane P. Slayer: ‘extreme agenda’? What are you on about?
Shane – I have never read such nonsense, none of these are true. However, I am happy for you to cite your research, which states these will become prevalent if the 8th is repealed.
Over to you………….
@OpenBorders: PMSL TOO LOL
Late term abortion for any reason..K
@Shane P. Slayer: I don’t think that parental consent to abortion is appropriate in cases of incest and under age girls.
I know of no plans for sex-selective abortions. That sounds like a fabrication.
I see no objection to publicly funded abortion as part of a proper,y funded public health care system althoiygh I realise that many hospitals will opt out.
I would accept a more liberal abortion regime in the first trimester. That would include cases of foetuses with suspected Downs Syndrome.
As a general point, I would prefer to leave the reasons and the decision to the pregnant woman although late stage abortions should only arise in exceptional circumstances.
The first step is to get rid of the General embargo imposed by the blunt and potentially dangerous Eight Amendment.
Shane P. Slayer: Repeal means ‘revoke’, or ‘annul’. In simple terms, removing an amendment from the constitution. Nothing else.
@Shane P. Slayer: Attempted twice to post a response with three links. Either they aren’t putting up the comment because of automatic screening to detect links (to combat possible spam) or I’ve been prevented from adding comments. Let’s see with this comment which one it is.
@Shane P. Slayer: Post 1 of 3:
Ailbhe Smyth, the convener of the Coalition to Repeal the Eighth Amendment, told the New York Times:
“The coalition is pushing for legislation based on the Canadian model, which allows abortion at any time, for any reason.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/03/opinion/irelands-long-journey-on-abortion.html (13th paragraph).
@Shane P. Slayer: Post 2 of 3:
“The Abortion Rights Campaign opposes gestational limits”
“At the Abortion Rights Campaign we believe that abortion should be free, safe and legal and covered under the HSE like any other healthcare procedure.”
These two here, as is the stated opposition to parental notification:
http://www.abortionrightscampaign.ie/2016/08/06/abortion-faqs/#sthash.Ru7HyCpY.dpuf
@Shane P. Slayer: Post 3 of 3
The last point here rules out banning sex-selective abortion:
@Shane P. Slayer: I’d imagine its all in your mind Slayer. Just like your claims above on the meaning of repealing the 8th……
Shane – none of those prove your points above, none.
@Shane P. Slayer: I just love the Canadian model as it is left to the medical profession and the woman.In Canada..just over 0.4% of abortions are carried out after the 20th week.Wow!
@Shane P. Slayer: Kerry and Paul are in denial. That’s OK. They’ll get a rude awakening during the referendum campaign.
Francis, I hope they double down on pushing for the Canadian model as it will alienate the middle ground and push people towards a No vote.
And just to add…no medical professional can terminate a pregnancy over 24 weeks without serious indications that the life of the mother is at risk or that the fetus has very serious malformations.
Do you have any sources to say otherwise?
@Shane P. Slayer: expert evidence given to the Cutizens Assembly shows that paradoxically the rate of abortion is lower in more liberal abortion regimes than in more restrictive abortion regimes.
I would be surprised to find a significant number of persons in favour of no gestational limits but that is likely to be fir a legal position and not for a medical practice position.
The extremists on the pro-life side always seek to exaggerate the position of the pro choice in a dishonest fashion so as to advance their position.
@Shane P. Slayer: Looks like you just disproved your own conspiracy theory about The Journal screening certain links. Typical paranoid hysteria from anti-choicers.
@Francis Mc Carthy: Two months ago, an abortion was carried out at 35 weeks in Montreal in the case of a “fetus [that] appeared to have physical abnormalities that were not life-threatening to the mother or the baby” after two hospitals initially refused to give her an abortion (she found a third which did the abortion):
@OpenBorders: They block posts that post more than 1 or 2 links to combat spam. No conspiracy theory.
@Shane P. Slayer: Do you read the links that you put up ? Scarlet for you
@Shane P. Slayer: Who bloody green thumbed your post for putting up a link that said a woman was REFUSED an abortion after 30 weeks..Read your links properly Shane..
My apologies Shane..Just read that :)
@Shane P. Slayer: the woman was denied an abortion at 30 weeks.
Your links prove the untruth of your assertions.
@Tony Daly: She got an abortion at 35 weeks (Which was her right) .We don’t know exactly the details of the malformations.. but the woman & her partner looked for an abortion as they didn’t want the child to live that life with whatever the disabilities were…As I said above,late term abortions are very rare & are only done due to the health of the mother/foetus..
@Francis Mc Carthy: I note that but the point is that an abortion was initially declined until it was established that there was a compelling medical case for abortion.
@Shane P. Slayer: Excellent contribution. I almost feel sorry for the other commenters on this thread who were totally and comprehensively owned.
Have you ever been confronted Shane with the reality of caring for a severely disabled child with very little help from the government, or being raped & having no access to the morning after pill, or finding yourself pregnant after the contraceptive you were on failed?
My personal belief Shane is that like the referendum on equal rights for people who are homosexual, there shouldn’t have been the need for a referendum. It should have been a given that everyone has the same rights. Thankfully it passed & I hope that if/when there is a referendum on abortion the majority of people will realise that’s it’s about people’s rights. It’s not about forcing abortion on someone.
Shane, excellent fact based contribution. The fact that all you get in response is ignorance and insults shows how much the so called pro-choice side are unable to debate
I can’t understand why these liberal lefties will vigorously demonstrate against fox hunting,hare coursing and badger baiting but they see nothing wrong in terminating the life of an unborn child.
“Trump” moment coming in Ireland on Repeal scammers , I wonder if the Govt will use Public monies ,like they did on the Childrens Referendum ,found to be Illegal. Anyone out there got Information on the Supreme Courts Decision NOT to allow a Second Childrens Referendum .They said they would publish why they came to their decision ,I would like to know why .Anyone?.Could anyone Inform the Citizens Assembly on George Soros donation of 250 Million to the Pro Abortion Group,and ask if this is Fair or like themselves ONE SIDED.
@Pat Stapleton: you don’t understand what the Citizens’ Assembly is actually about.
@Pat Stapleton: Trump moment? Like Trump demanding one of his ex wives aborts their daughter? That kind of Trump moment?
@Daisy Chai NSaw: Jeez you Pro Abortionists come out with some shit,when I say a Trump moment,i mean the People realize they are being lied to,deceived and Betrayed by these Liberal sellout Political Elites .New Balls coming in Ireland too.The Family are coming back .Mother,Father and Child .Watch out .
@Tony Daly: Oh but I do Tony.
@Pat Stapleton: somewhat immoderate tone there.
@Pat Stapleton: well then, please explain it to us.
@Pat Stapleton: “Jeez”? Really? Taking the name of your lord in vain will get you sent to catholic hell. You’d want to watch your tongue.
@Tony Daly: I explained everything about the Constitution Convention [ same group,different name.] several times ,i am sure you read several times,so i am not going to Again.Selection process,Criteria,party membership,who selects part of our Constitution to attack,names of those selected.The list is endless. Disband .
@Daisy Chai NSaw: Jeez Daisy,your losing it,calm down,smoke coming out of your ears,spitting Insults because do not agree,a pure Liberal if ever i seen . Liberals say they are for the People,then when they disagree with Democracy ,they Riot,cause Unrest ,burn buildings .All in the name of the people [not] im sure.
@Pat Stapleton: it a different body, different people, different process and different procedure without the oppprtunity to select its own tasks. It works in a different way to the Constitutional Convention and was selected in a different way.
@Pat Stapleton: Oh dear, such projection.
@Pat Stapleton: Lol..those “protesters” causing mayhem at Berkeley University,were a well known anarchist group called ‘black bloc’..they cause mayhem at any protest…Do you remember when the 400 yobs were protesting at Mississippi University when Obama got re-elected?
@Pat Stapleton: abortionists are skum as is shown here daily..they troll here all day waiting for abortiom stories so they can spew their bile..what is so wrong in their lives that they are so bloodthirsty..
@Bejasus Bejorrah: I’m not an OB-GYN ..lol
@Bejasus Bejorrah: I haven’t performed any abortions.
It’s no wonder that people keep their identity secret from antis like Beyjaysus & Pat.They do frighten me if I’m being honest….and I ‘m a big strong male..You know…I actually would worry about the females in their lives…
@Francis Mc Carthy: yes, they have a threatening and a sinister quality.
Just checked your page ..and you reckon I’m scary? Jeez .you are seriously f…ed up in the head
Citizens Assembly is what it is ,a Sham.Constitutional Convention [ Same Group] should be repealed and disbanded.Waste of time.
@Pat Stapleton: I would be inclined to give it a chance, now that it is established and has finished its third set of meetings on this subject. The presentations given has been fascinating and informative.
Political cowardice gave rise to the Assembly but I believe that it has truly risen to the task.
@Pat Stapleton: How much time did you spend looking at it to make your decision it was a waste of time ?
@lavbeer: Well ,it used to be called the Constitution Convention ,till the Irish people copped on to their attack on OUR Constitution ,written on Blood of our Forefathers. Sellout FFG got worried the people might see through their Pro Abortion Agenda,and their Blatant attack on our Catholic Faith in Ireland.Secularism will not do well to well in Ireland ,i fear.
@Pat Stapleton: it’s a different Group and a very different process.
@Pat Stapleton: Why would any self respecting politician attack your catholic faith? After all Archbishop McQuaid is long gone and hopefully answering for his sins.
@Pat Stapleton: Tone down the mad hyperbollix – the Constitution was written in ink and the 8th amendment is exactly that, an amendment to the original constitution so it’s very inclusion is an attack. Get rid of it completely.
Pat – it is not “our catholic faith”, it is your catholic faith. I want nothing to do with an organisation that sold my grandfather as a young child.
@Daisy Chai NSaw: Liberal Nasty,Chill.
@Pat Stapleton: And proud to be. Much preferable to being a right wing catholiban nutjob.
@Pat Stapleton: Pat did you write that in the blood of your forefathers?
Time to end this farce and call a referendum to remove the 8th
It is ridiculous that Right2Water have been so blatantly excluded from these talks. They have a huge democratic mandate at the ballot box.
@alphanautica: that’s now water under the bridge.
Pure waste of time, put it to the country. The question should be “should an individual have the right to choose for themselves ” Simple, then again this is Ireland where everyone needs to know everybody elses business
@Johnnie Sexton: the politicians have absolved themselves of the responsibility and the only way forward is through the Citizens Assembly.
Shocking facts from the country the repeal activists use as a model.
How can sane people support these procedures?
http://www.lifenews.com/2016/01/18/canada-216-babies-born-alive-after-failed-abortions-left-to-die/
This process has absolutely no credibility. Stacked with pro-abortion witnesses.
I wonder what the geographical spread of participants is? Given that there is a significant time commitment and the meetings all seem to be taking place in Dublin you would imagine that it is mainly people from locations convenient to Dublin. Doubtful if there are many people from Donegal or Kerry taking part.
If Justice Mary Laffoy is truly interested in presenting a fair and balanced view on the subject of Abortion, she needs to show the testimony of Dr Anthony Levatino (Obstetrician & Gynaecologist) that was presented to the United States Congress in 2013. Dr Anthony Levatino performed over 1200 direct abortions (intentional killing of the unborn child) before becoming a Pro-Life activist and speaker. Justice Mary Laffoy could very easily show this evidence to the Citizens Assembly by hooking up a laptop with a internet connection to a projector and then viewing this evidence on YouTube using this link here – https://youtu.be/53tzMV9OmvY
Warning! This evidence is harrowing and extremely explicit. However, if the remit of the Citizens Assembly is to present to the Government a recommendation to hold a referendum to remove the 8th Amendment so that the unborn child can be intentionally destroyed on demand, the people of Ireland need to be aware of the full implications of that act including those organisations (Planned Parenthood, Maire Stopes, etc) who will profit from selling abortion in this country.
How can you have a balance when something is either right or wrong, is there a balance for killing a person or for torture?
Something is either right or wrong and there is no middle ground, the only ones who use this excuse are ones who try to look intelligent, in my view.
Something can seem right or wrong to one person but not to another. For instance someone can think it’s ok to dump their rubbish in a ditch while someone else wouldn’t dream of doing that. Someone might think if a woman or young girl gets pregnant that she should have the baby regardless of the circumstances in which she got pregnant. Someone else would think that’s wrong.
@Trisha Tully: Right or wrong is based on the main action of it doing harm or not, the rest is views based on opinion and beliefs.
We live now in a society of contraceptions and the use of rape for abortion has be used but it is the fact that the vast majority of rapes are done by those who wear condoms.
The facts now are, is the womans life in danger, does she need medical assistance, we live in a time of contraception and abortion should not be used as a method of delayed contraception or for designer babies?
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