McGuirk on the Late Late Show

Stargal · 10-04-2006 1:43pm #1

Was anybody else seriously disturbed to see John McGuirk presented as an 'economist' on the Late Late Show on Friday on the discussion on whether Ireland should consider nuclear power as an alternative to fossil fuels?

10-04-2006 1:46pm

Hee hee, I haven't seen him yet to tease him about the make-up.

Agent Smith · 10-04-2006 1:56pm

stargal wrote:

Was anybody else seriously disturbed to see John McGuirk presented as an 'economist' on the Late Late Show on Friday on the discussion on whether Ireland should consider nuclear power as an alternative to fossil fuels?

not disturbed, tbh

Contesticle · 10-04-2006 3:20pm

really?
ahhahaha
why??
if they needed some one with a nice round face stating that "nuclear is good"(which i suppose he did) why choose a student?
the bad thing is that a person like McGuirk will have great chances of becoming someone important...
what a world..
bleah:eek:

europerson · 10-04-2006 4:03pm

I only saw the very end of the discussion, but I programmed my VCR to record the late-night repeat tomorrow, so I'll comment further, once I've seen that.

Beastieboy · 10-04-2006 5:31pm

stargal wrote:

Was anybody else seriously disturbed to see John McGuirk presented as an 'economist' on the Late Late Show on Friday on the discussion on whether Ireland should consider nuclear power as an alternative to fossil fuels?

At least one other person was seriously disturbed by it (or otherwise), i got a text on friday night that read....."that fat f**k that ran in the su pres election was on the late late, he's an awful w@nker".....i don't personally know him except to see.... i suppose its a bit funny really after all that stuff that came up about him during the election that he ended up on the late late as some figure of authority

Comhra.... · 10-04-2006 5:55pm

I was forced to watch the whole bloody thing because the person cooking dinner thought it was great. But it was nice to see Cormac in the audience looking all Mr.Suity-like

mcguirkj · 10-04-2006 8:43pm

Beastieboy wrote:

"that fat f**k that ran in the su pres election was on the late late, he's an awful w@nker".....i

C'mon, I'm not that bad

Though in the spirit of evil, I'm going to take this opportunity to rejoice in the lefties being thwarted again.

DrIndy · 10-04-2006 9:06pm

Lefties can support nuclear power, I do.

Don't confuse us with Hippies.

Kwekubo · 10-04-2006 9:19pm

I was watching the Late Late but didn't recognise the name! Will watch again.

10-04-2006 9:47pm

I too, think that for the foreseeable future nuclear, is the only viable energy source, obviously i expect this to change, but for the moment, it has to be done. When done correctly it is very safe and clean.

ApeXaviour · 10-04-2006 10:21pm

D wrote:

I too, think that for the foreseeable future nuclear, is the only viable energy source, obviously i expect this to change, but for the moment, it has to be done. When done correctly it is very safe and clean.

From a (lefty) physicist's point of view (though I don't claim to speak for all of them), it is the most environmentally friendly practical source of energy currently available, when dealt with correctly. Strongly regulated nuclear fission plants combined with a healthy percentage of wind/solar/hydro sources is the ideal way to tide us over until nuclear fusion becomes realisable (30-70 years depending on research input and luck). Sustainable fusion should be desired by all as it will solve the world's energy needs almost indefinitely. Although it will necessitate tritium production (used in H-bombs). The plant itself or tokamak will of course produce some radioactive bi-products. The reason fusion however is desirable is because these waste products tend not to be very biologically active and have half lives of tens of years (as opposed to fission waste with thousands of years half lives).

I ramble

Anyway, is the late late show repeated at all during the week? (I don't mind if it's 2am in the morning, usually up at that stage anyway). I'd like to see what john had to say on this.

europerson · 10-04-2006 10:26pm

ApeXaviour wrote:

Anyway, is the late late show repeated at all during the week? (I don't mind if it's 2am in the morning, usually up at that stage anyway). I'd like to see what john had to say on this.

It's on at 0200 tomorrow morning, i.e., in three and a half hours' time, on RTÉ1.

Barry Aldwell · 10-04-2006 10:35pm

stargal wrote:

Was anybody else seriously disturbed to see John McGuirk presented as an 'economist' on the Late Late Show on Friday

I was seriously disturbed to see John McGuirk engaging in conversation with that appeared to be a plank, but then I remembered it was the Late Late

Thirdfox · 10-04-2006 10:47pm

Apex: isn't tritium readily available from seawater? Although I think nuclear fusion is a great way to go power-wise that power can easily be channelled into more destructive uses. Someone with a nuclear fusion bomb can certainly hold the world to ransom.

How's solar energy developing? What is the current efficiency levels for them?

On the actual point - didn't see the programme, can't comment

ApeXaviour · 10-04-2006 11:04pm

Thirdfox wrote:

Apex: isn't tritium readily available from seawater?

That's deuterium, tritium does not naturally exist and so has to be manufactured. Deuterium is not that abundant either, it'd take 3700kg of water to get one kilo of heavy-water (water with one hydrogen atom replaced by a deuterium atom).

Someone with a nuclear fusion bomb can certainly hold the world to ransom.

Nuclear fusion bombs aka Thermonuclear bombs (or H-bombs) have existed and been tested afaik since the 50's. They tend to be about 10-15 times the power of an A-bomb (hiroshima). A nuclear fusion plant wouldn't necessarily make it in any way easier for people to make a bomb the way fission does. Firstly in order to get enough power to set the fusion reaction in a bomb going you actually need a mini-A-bomb in there with it to "ignite" it. There is no other means to do this in a bomb. So you'd need plutonium or enriched uranium. If all our power is coming from fusion plants though then these will eventually be very hard to come by.

Contesticle · 10-04-2006 11:13pm

we are going a bit off topic
the question is not wheter atomic energy is bad or good, but why a person like McGuirk, which i personally regard as disgusting and evil, which is just a student has partecipated to a tv show!
he probably has some important connection.
i told you, he is one of these sneaky person that without any ethical restraints will become a politician or something similar
lets even cut this thread coz i bet that he s enjoying this moment of "popularity"
bleah

John · 10-04-2006 11:13pm

I'm a lefty for nuclear power too. I don't have anything as good to add as Apex did.

John · 10-04-2006 11:13pm

Contesticle wrote:

we are going a bit off topic
the question is not wheter atomic energy is bad or good, but why a person like McGuirk, which i personally regard as disgusting and evil, which is just a student has partecipated to a tv show!
he probably has some important connection.
i told you, he is one of these sneaky person that without any ethical restraints will become a politician or something similar
lets even cut this thread coz i bet that he s enjoying this moment of "popularity"
bleah

*yawn*

cuckoo · 10-04-2006 11:43pm

Contesticle wrote:

we are going a bit off topic
the question is not wheter atomic energy is bad or good, but why a person like McGuirk, which i personally regard as disgusting and evil, which is just a student has partecipated to a tv show!
he probably has some important connection.
i told you, he is one of these sneaky person that without any ethical restraints will become a politician or something similar
lets even cut this thread coz i bet that he s enjoying this moment of "popularity"
bleah

Ah, now, c'mon. Why shouldn't a student be allowed have an opinion on the telly? Also, younger ppl are more likely to be around to reap the potential rewards/disaster of nuclear power.

I'd be more concerned that there were no women on that panel. Every time i watch the Late Late it's the same, the St Patricks Day special on the 'state that ireland is currently in' was very revealing about the state our national, licence fee supported national broadcaster is in - for the first two hours there wasn't a single woman included.

Back to the debate - i would have found it more interesting if there had been an anti nuclear scientist to debate with the pro nuclear scientist. It was a weird set up, McGuirk and pro nuclear scientist vs Duncan Stewart (i've said it before in a different thread, but it's worth repeating - i adore him) and Trevor Sargent.

Frankly, i'm surprised there were so many people watching the Late Late. I thought it was my own guilty secret that i settle down on the couch to watch it regularly - i'm glad there's so many other viewers out there.

Nietzschean · 11-04-2006 12:31am

Contesticle wrote:

lets even cut this thread coz i bet that he s enjoying this moment of "popularity"
bleah

Uh huh, are you actually a tcd student? you sound more like one in playschool...

Agent Smith · 11-04-2006 12:37am

my dad called me and told me there was some guy from trinity on the late late show and asked did i know him...

ApeXaviour · 11-04-2006 12:38am

Contesticle wrote:

if they needed some one with a nice round face stating that "nuclear is good"(which i suppose he did) why choose a student?

Why necessarily reject someone because they are a student? Why not choose somebody based on their oratorical skills, interest in topic and knowledge of subject. I assume he qualifies under most of these. I dont doubt there's some connection present. He strikes me as the social climbing type, and sure why not, if you have the ambition.

Contesticle wrote:

the bad thing is that a person like McGuirk will have great chances of becoming someone important...
what a world..

He may. If it's public office you're thinking of however I'd be quite surprised. As long as there are people (like angry_banana say) willing to dig and reveal to all that his opinions and intensions are not actually compatible with the majority's, it won't happen. I see the SU election for him all over again.

Contesticle wrote:

we are going a bit off topic

You must be new here...

Contesticle wrote:

the question is not wheter atomic energy is bad or good, but why a person like McGuirk, which i personally regard as disgusting and evil

Rather harsh? Calculating, slightly deceptive and severely misguided are traits I'd consider his less than flattering ones. I wouldn't go much further though. I'm sure he has good one's too.

Contesticle wrote:

he probably has some important connection.

no doubt

Contesticle wrote:

lets even cut this thread coz i bet that he s enjoying this moment of "popularity"
bleah

I'd be somewhat flattered for the forum if he was. However I doubt there's a whole lot of popularity here. He's more infamous, like a home-grown gambino

Ron DMC · 11-04-2006 12:39am

Contesticle wrote:

the question is not wheter atomic energy is bad or good, but why a person like McGuirk, which i personally regard as disgusting and evil, which is just a student has partecipated to a tv show!
he probably has some important connection.
i told you, he is one of these sneaky person that without any ethical restraints will become a politician or something similar

I don't understand how anyone can form such an opinion of him. I know the guy, and he is in no way disgusting or evil. His political opinion may be somewhat more extreme than most, but that's no reason not to like him as a person.

I've no idea why they decided to have him on the show, but I'll watch it at two and find out. John does tend to know a lot of things about a lot of stuff, and he always has an opinion. He seems the perfect guest to liven up the late late.

wowy · 11-04-2006 12:40am

cuckoo wrote:

Frankly, i'm surprised there were so many people watching the Late Late. I thought it was my own guilty secret that i settle down on the couch to watch it regularly - i'm glad there's so many other viewers out there.

Just cos other people are doing it doesn't make it any better. You still oughta be ashamed!

Now to the issue-I don't see how people's personal opinions of whether he's an evil, heartless man who'll eat babies so as to get into power, are relevant reasons to prevent him from appearing on the Late Late. Especially considering they were discussing nuclear power-hardly an issue that would normally have the hacks here who dislike him up in arms. What you saw of him in the election is a side of him, but get this, he has a life outside of Trinity. I know, surprising, eh? Anyone consider that that may have had a bearing on him being asked to appear? Finally, if you don't like the guy-fine. A lot of people don't like him. But, is it not a bit pathetic to come onto a message board and then start bitching about him? I don't like Trevor Sargeant-I think he can't have a proper discussion cos if someone says something that he disagrees with he'll just rudely, bluntly and loudly interrupt them and return to his BS point about how we should all be growing crops in our gardens, and the people in high-rise apartments should have indoor crop nursuries, oh, and that driving cars makes you sterile. However, nobody here has batted an interweb eyelid about him being on it. Right, that's the end of my incoherent rant.

Pet · 11-04-2006 1:00am

Frankly, i'm surprised there were so many people watching the Late Late. I thought it was my own guilty secret that i settle down on the couch to watch it regularly - i'm glad there's so many other viewers out there.

I'd only watch the Late Late if I was in the mood for throwing rotten fruit at Pat Kenny's heinous image defiling my television screen. He makes me ill.

Agent Smith · 11-04-2006 1:04am

wowy wrote:

Just cos other people are doing it doesn't make it any better. You still oughta be ashamed!

Now to the issue-I don't see how people's personal opinions of whether he's an evil, heartless man who'll eat babies so as to get into power, are relevant reasons to prevent him from appearing on the Late Late. Especially considering they were discussing nuclear power-hardly an issue that would normally have the hacks here who dislike him up in arms. What you saw of him in the election is a side of him, but get this, he has a life outside of Trinity. I know, surprising, eh? Anyone consider that that may have had a bearing on him being asked to appear? Finally, if you don't like the guy-fine. A lot of people don't like him. But, is it not a bit pathetic to come onto a message board and then start bitching about him? I don't like Trevor Sargeant-I think he can't have a proper discussion cos if someone says something that he disagrees with he'll just rudely, bluntly and loudly interrupt them and return to his BS point about how we should all be growing crops in our gardens, and the people in high-rise apartments should have indoor crop nursuries, oh, and that driving cars makes you sterile. However, nobody here has batted an interweb eyelid about him being on it. Right, that's the end of my incoherent rant.

whats Evil about him? Its his belie

SOL · 11-04-2006 1:16am

When one of you becomes a director in a semi decent, right wing think tank then you can be on the late late. I was supposed to be making comment from the audience but then Trevor Sargent (bigot) doesn't really know how to shut his trap...

manonmir · 11-04-2006 1:29am

The late late show contacted USI on Friday as they were stuck for people to speak for Nuclear power. USI in turn went an phoned all unions in Dublin until they found someone. It's that simple.

Ron DMC · 11-04-2006 1:30am

agent smith wrote:

Worlds smallest political Quiz

I'm a centrist it seems.:)

1,000th post woot!!

ApeXaviour · 11-04-2006 1:52am

manonmir wrote:

The late late show contacted USI on Friday as they were stuck for people to speak for Nuclear power. USI in turn went an phoned all unions in Dublin until they found someone. It's that simple.

Thanks for that info. I was really wondering. Though why on earth would they have chosen the USI? Did they specifically want a student?

Seems I'm liberal according to that test. I'm actually kinda surprised, I've voted PD like.

Edit: BAH! bloody plank repeat has started earlier....

McGuirk on the Late Late Show

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