Humans should define ‘reasonable’

By BostonIrish.com... (not verified)
December 5, 2011

by James W. Dolan
Special to the BIR
The recent Boston Globe series on OUI cases illustrates the significant disparities that arise as judges, jurors, and everybody else grapple with the notion of what is “reasonable.”
In a criminal trial, the standard of proof is beyond a reasonable doubt. What may be a reasonable doubt for some, may not be for others. The most celebrated illustrations of that fact are the O.J. Simpson case and, more recently, the Casey Anthony verdict.

Pope John XXIII and the case for his long-delayed canonization

By Staff
December 5, 2011

by Bill O'Donnell
Is Pope John’s Case Buried—What in God’s name is happening at the Vatican and the long-delayed canonization of Pope John XXIII? The case for Pope John, who died in 1963 and was beatified in September 2000, remains in some ideological backroom queue while Pope John Paul II has been fast-tracked for sainthood by the current denizens of the Vatican Curia.

Ireland offers plenty of help for roots-searchers

By BostonIrish.com... (not verified)
December 5, 2011

by Judy Enright
Special to the BIR

Is it because this country is such a grand melting pot that so many of us are engaged in the search for our roots? There are, of course, a number of sensible reasons for learning about your past: ancient traditions that might be lost if you didn’t learn about them; or genetic medical conditions in the family that you should know about and watch for.

Doug Lamey's heart, like his music, are sited firmly in Cape Breton now

By Sean Smith
November 14, 2011
Sean Smith

On one recent early autumn evening, a severe rainstorm with winds of up to 70 mph battered the 150-year-old house in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, that Boston-area fiddler Doug Lamey now calls home. In a couple of months, the rain will be replaced by an even more generous helping of snow, ushering in what is likely to be a long, cold winter – one that in comparison will make Massachusetts resemble a Caribbean idyll.

And for Lamey, there's no place he'd rather be.

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A Whale of a Tale

By R. J. Donovan
November 14, 2011
R. J. Donovan

Herman Melville's "Moby Dick" has long ranked as one of the great novels of English literature. Written in 1851, the classic tale follows the tyrannical Captain Ahab in his relentless pursuit of the great white whale Moby Dick. Despite having already lost a ship and a leg to the illusive sea monster, Ahab is hell-bent on revenge at any cost. The story is narrated by Ishmael, a sailor who unwittingly signs on to Ahab's ship, the Pequod, departing from Nantucket. The state of Massachusetts has so long been associated with the tale that in 2008, our House of Representatives named Moby Dick as the state's official epic novel.

Irish Look Into Facebook Complaints

By Bill O'Donnell
November 14, 2011
Bill O'Donnell

The popular social network Facebook has 600 million users across Europe but that hasn't stopped an Irish agency from auditing the internet phenomenon. The Irish Data Protection Commission has agreed to audit Facebook following complaints about privacy issues from the tiny Europe-v-Facebook group. The complaints stem from an investigation begun by a concerned Facebook user, Max Schrems, an Austrian law student who believes that Facebook is collecting and misusing his personal information.

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Harsh financial measures are succeeding in Ireland

By Joe Leary
November 14, 2011
Joe Leary

European and American business leaders are praising Ireland's government for setting a courageous course to return the Irish economy to financial prosperity in the years ahead. A balanced mix of increased taxes and reduced spending has both European Union (EU) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) leaders pointing to Ireland as a superb example of fiscal prudence as the country fights to restore its economic health.

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