I write letters - internet censorship

Minister Sherlock et al,

I wrote endless letters to members of the former government expressing my opinion on their lack of governance and thought when I voted in a Labour / Fine Gael government, I could focus on growing my small business and would not have to put so much effort into communicating with ministers. Alas I was wrong. I probably should not be surprised.

However, your move to introduce a Statutory Instrument and respond with legislation to the High Court Judgment in the case of EMI and Others Vs UPC. is misguided to say the least. Last week several international websites blacked themselves out because of the same sort of censorship that you are trying to cast over this country. You are on Twitter so I expect you know about it already. If not, do the research. The worldwide protest paused the political moves for the moment. I am bewildered that a Labour minister for innovation would pull such a backward move, especially someone who appears to be able to use a computer.

Let's look at your press release:

could not grant an injunction to prevent infringement of copyright against an information service provider in the context of a transient communication

Because it is against the law. IRMA has already forced one ISP to ban a peer to peer site which was deemed unlawful in another court in the EU and you wish to open the floodgates and support their tiny complaints at the expense of our economy, knowledge, civil and human rights.

the Government is proposing to introduce a Statutory Instrument, to redress the situation highlighted by Justice Charleton, by providing for injunctions for copyright owners against intermediaries whose services are used to infringe their copyright.

Except that's not the whole truth. It is not only those copyrighted items that your Instrument will block but all the tetrabytes of open source and legal material that are free to share. Will judges decide that Twitter is treasonous? Will Green Tea be taken as libel? I find it difficult to credit that you do not see the problem here.

In granting such injunctions the Courts must take account of Court of Justice of the European Union Judgements. They require that a fair balance be struck between the various fundamental rights protected by the Community legal order and the principle of proportionality. That would include, inter alia, the protection of the fundamental rights of individuals who are affected by such measures, the freedom to conduct a business enjoyed by operators such as Internet Service Providers, the protection of private data and right of freedom of expression and information'.

People said it was a terrible day when the troika forced Ireland to accept reality but I was grateful. At last there would be oversight and the government of the day would not get away with the foreign bank transfers and swiss bank accounts that had been the norm up till then. There was no trust in ministers that saved anglo for their personal investments and those of the grassroots of their party. For the same reasons, I am glad that the EU forces this country to uphold its citizens rights when you and your government would trample all over them just as Fianna Fáil always did.

Putting in place immense censorship to protect a minority of business interests is abhorrent. And if the government will do that for the few, what will it do when people want a change. The police already beat seated peaceful demonstrators bloody and repeated and continuously violate international human rights laws for an oil company. Additional overwhelming powers is the last thing we should be giving to the state.

I thought this government was supposed to be to our country's benefit. That you would work for the good of society but "In the Thick of it" you act like your predecessors, rail at them in an empty Dáil and drink with them afterwards in a subsidised bar. What fools we citizens are to believe you could be different. We voted you in and you played us for fools. You will be known as a shortsighted, reactionary, right wing government if you go ahead with this instrument. Aside from the serious issues of civil liberties and the violation of human rights, you will cost us employment, jobs and investment for a law that will not change anything. Anyone with tech savvy can bypass Eircom's supposed block of The Pirate Bay and anyone with google can find out how. You will make life mildly inconvenient for some and at such a price.

Read some legal documents and rulings before you stunt all technological development and innovation


Mór Rígan
Voter and citizen

morrigan.reborn@gmail.com
http://morrigan-reborn.blogspot.com

Power corrupts

I've written before on the Shell to the sea campaign and the possible use of terrorist tactics by Shell to control the protesters in Westport. How can a government turn against its people like this, in a democratic country? Watch this



Eamon Ryan used to campaign for Shell to the sea. Now he is overseeing the process. It didn't take him long to sell out his principles when power beckoned.

It's really no wonder that the green parliamentary party manipulated its members into voting their continuing in government. Considering the string of broken promises, expenses revelations, green betrayal and putting their self-interest above the interest of the country, they will never get elected again. Although maybe Ryan will, when he joins the maFFia. Short term gains all. Foolish strategy. Seriously, read The Altruist in Politics or Politics: A Treatise on Government or even a first year text book or buy a clue.

Considering positions

I love that "to consider hir positions" means "resign" again. It's really the 80s again.

Mr Cowen said there were no circumstances in which he would consider his position, regardless of the outcome of the elections.

Having taken some time to consider my position, I have decided that the time is right for me to step out of international competition

After the latest revelations, and the underhand and secretive way in which moves by the leadership were conducted, I will have to consider my position," he added.

I would prefer to consider my position in that respect before I decide when it should be published.

I will consider my position with regard to a motion under Standing Order 29.

The are quite a few others that really should consider their positions!

Objectification

Top Irish chef, Neven Maguire, of MacNean's eaterie, stepped up to the plate yesterday to launch the 2009 Food and Wine Magazine Edward Dillion Restaurant of the Year Awards but the tasty treat that really got mouth's watering at the event was dishy model Georgia Salpa

Quoted in Liveline regarding the discussion of the PR decision to photo Neven Maguire with Georgia Salpa in a bikini. Apologies but I can't find the actual photo online.

Joe mentioned the normality of half-naked women used to promote events and I fired off an email,

It's not normal to have half naked women on the front of the paper.

Women are commodified in the media as sex objects and this is linked to anorexia, self harm, sexism, rape and rape apologists.

It's not ironic. It's despicable.

and ended up on the radio. I took umbrage at the blatant objectification of the model and tried to link it to the society at large. She is there as an object, without agency, to look pretty in a bikini. Why a bikini? Is it the sunny summer that we are not having?

I spoke about the male gaze, objectification and the patriarchy without using either of those terms as explanation time was limited. Not sure how I came across but a couple of callers dismissed the whole discussion as petty or said that the people who objected were just jealous of the model. I hate the "you're just jealous" meme. It's a straw argument used to derail and silence. It's classic derailing for dummies!

There were suggestions that one of the unreleased pictures was of one of the chef's eating food off the model's body. If so, they literally treated her as an object - a table. How utterly demeaning and sexist. It put me in mind of this post from Sociological Images.

It was a big pile of sexist privileged fail and it was jarring to go from feminist blogdonia to Irish radio. The podcast does not contain the whole discussion but it gives a good enough idea.

Then I saw Maman Poulet has a post on a similar theme - h/t.

Positive Options is a brand created to promote State-funded crisis pregnancy counselling services and to provide information. But in Ireland, this apparently means positing women as objects rather than adult humans with full agency.

To me, it says "shame on you, you mindless puppet, for not knowing that there are partisan anti-abortion agencies trying to counsel you". How is a poster like that of any use with the woman-as-object, woman-without-agency, woman-as-child imagery? I'm going to write to them to ask why they are using such ads to promote their service?

Latest blow to civil liberties coming soon to Ireland

Random drug testing on motorists. Nah it's an April July fools joke. That would be in violation of our human rights surely? From the IT

RANDOM DRUG testing of motorists will be a key part of the new anti-drugs strategy to be published in September, said Minister of State John Curran.

Alcohol will also be included in the drugs strategy for the first time, and there will be a designated minister dealing with drugs.

Mr Curran told the Oireachtas committee dealing with community affairs that illegal drug use increased from 5.6 per cent of the population in 2003 to 7.2 per cent in 2007 among the 15-64 age group, although greatest usage was among those under 35.

Right so because of the actions of 7.2% of the population, 100% of the drivers of Ireland have to deal with invasive tests. I don't think there's any breathalyzer for cocaine, hash or heroin. What is proposed? Blood, urine or a hair sample. I, for example, will only give blood if it's taken by a medical professional with my full informed consent. And I don't take illicit drugs!

John Curran, who I presume is responsible for this monumental fuck up, is confused. Mixing legal and illegal drugs in the same legislation is a stupid move because of the status of the outcome. What if a person has smoked a joint with the same intoxication as a glass of wine? Joints are illegal but the test is for intoxication. If the person is not intoxicated do the police just let them go or do they arrest for illicit substances. And that's just one of the problems.

Maybe Curran is just trying to entrap one of his FF colleagues that is a well known coke-head. Maybe this is what the government think is a tough stance on drugs? And maybe they are just wondering how many civil liberties they can take away before the people rise up and say "NO MORE".

Ireland is on a right-wing track and is legislating itself into a police state. Dev would be so proud. It's disgusting.

Off with its head

Democracy that is.

When a government uses an out-of-date statute to shut the opposition up, do we still have a democracy in Ireland?

The Irish Times and the Oireachtas Reports have more.

A GUILLOTINE on housing legislation allowed just one minute and 20 seconds for each of the 170 amendments to be dealt with, Labour whip Emmet Stagg told the Dáil in repeated criticism of end-of-term deadlines.

... Fine Gael deputy leader Richard Bruton also rejected the guillotine – the imposition of a deadline for the passage of legislation in the House – and said the Dáil was “entitled to debate the amendments properly”. He said “flashing guillotines everywhere is unhelpful to Dáil business”.

Mr Stagg said “the guillotine will allow one minute and 20 seconds for each amendment tabled. Our assembly is supposed to debate and correct legislation... What the Government is doing is unconstitutional, because there’s no case for the guillotines.”

He said it was not the function of the executive to make law and tell the Dáil to rubber stamp it in a couple of minutes.”

Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan said the Bill was initiated and discussed extensively in Seanad Éireann. It has been before the Dáil since the new year”

Mr Stagg: “Some 100 new sections were stuck into it one week ago. The Minister should not pretend that the Bill has been debated for a year.”

Lenihan is fiddling as Ireland bleeds.

Indemnity and the Catholic Church

I've been searching through The Oireachtas website and have found the compensation act. What I have no found is the deal with CORI, granting limited liability to the catholic church. The only reference is to confidentially of perpetrators as well as survivors.

In art. 28 of the 2002 Residential Institutions Redress Arts section 6 states

A person shall not publish any information concerning an application or an award made under this Act that refers to any other person (including an applicant), relevant person or institution by name or which could reasonably lead to the identification of any other person (including an applicant), a relevant person or an institution referred to in an application made under this Act.

and to be extra clear section 9 states

A person who contravenes subsection (1) or subsection (6) shall be guilty of an offence.

So were are left with "name a criminal and you become a criminal".

Now I'm sure the agreement with CORI and the gov has to be somewhere on the site but before I find it, I have some comments to make with regard to this indemnity.

Under the laws of the land, it is illegal to rape, torture, imprison without trial, make someone a slave and many other deeds by the Church of Evil. Now as more as I might deplore it the government indemnified the church against civil suits, but as far as I know, no government can indemnify a group of accused from criminal prosecution. I propose that people write to the DPP to demand indictments. Here are the contact details

Director of Public Prosecutions,
Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions,
14 - 16 Merrion Street,
Dublin 2,
Ireland.

Tel: + 353 1 678 9222
Fax: + 353 1 661 0915

dpp@dppireland.ie

Put the pedophiles, torturers, human rights violators and abuser in prison.

__

Other posts to read:


Church of evil
I write letters
The savage reality of our darkest days

Stupid internet connection

You know what pisses me off? I could get an unlimited broadband connection in one of the poorest countries of the developing world and a can't get a decent service in Ireland - formerly one of the richest countries in the world.

Get it together gov or it'll be dial up for you at the next election.