Celtic Streissand Effect

Somebody probably still remembers Novaya Gazeta, and Anna Politkovskaya. The latter was murdered about a century ago, and the paper itself has met some hard times in Russia. Politkovskaya wrote many articles in Novaya Gazeta about some probable mischiefs from Russian government's side in Chechen War. Murderers were never caught, but she got a lot of attention for her articles. Russia still doesn't really excel on the transparency level.

Then there was this website based solely on donations, and they torrented US diplomatic cables around the web. Julian Assange is wanted in the USA for spying (or maybe not), and in the Sweden for a (alleged) rape. Wikileaks produced papers that showed that everything is not so black and white in war, and probably never will. USA government was not very happy with this issue, but seems that Julian Assange is too liked person for drone attacks.

Then there is Edward Snowden. Also a hero of free speech, but unfortunately plenty of times confused with Julian Assange as seen on John Oliver show. Snowden is still alive, and the leaks are still out there.

In Ireland, you would not except that kind of silencing would go through unless it's blasphemy which is still a crime in Ireland, except it just completely did. It seems that the local court has just decided that local media should not give out any information about Denis O'Brien's involvement in local corruption (alleged, or not). When a member of the parliament Catherine Murphy brought this (alleged) suspicion up in the Dáil (Irish Parliament), no local newspaper dared to published her speech, although it should be normal journalistic process just to quote somebody.

Irish High Court decided that his past should not be reported in newspapers at all. It started when RTE was about to bring out some old stuff from his past, and his lawyers just run in there, and for some odd reason actually won the hearing. Except for broadsheet.ie which still loans MP Murphy's speech from the Dail. 

Hopefully Mr. Denis O'Brien and his lawyer's will hear about the Streisand Effect. It usually ends up when trying to shut up people in the internets that the voice actually gets louder.

Related stories:

Channel Four blog (including passages from MP Murphy's speech)

RTE fights back next month

New York Times covering the Clash

Even BBC is covering it (Loyalists will love this)

Celtic Tiger Might Take a Great Leap for Equality Today

This is a great moment to live in Ireland. You can see, hear, and feel the history being made. Referendum will be held today to decide what should be the age of presidential candidates. Important as well, but also the vote for Marriage equality will be cum in actum.

Posters of "Yes" and "No" side

As it is kind of obvious that equality includes the idea of similar rights for everyone, as well as similar obligations. There should only be a need to inspect why Ne Doit Pas -side seems to be steaming against equality. 

My favourite bully group, Iona Institute, has been publicly advocating against equality by saying it is inequality. Let's take a moment to look at the work of these great minds.

Reasoning is that a mother can't be a father, nor a father cannot be a mother. I don't think anyone has even tried regenderize (I don't know if that is even a word, but I'll let it be here for a while. Maybe it will grow some root) parents. On a grass root level the no-side has been vigorously handing out leaflets explaining why you should vote no in bullet points. The point seems to be that it is redefining marriage, and that even the Bible says something about something. I just fail to see what is the downside of Marriage Equality. Is there going to be a flood, or a swarm of grasshoppers raining from the skies? 

This is probably how they see themselves:

(excerpt from Iona Institute's Bible)

When I go through Iona Institute's established view points. I see this:

(excerpt from Iona Institute's legal division)

You kind of know that things have gone too far when a lobbyist group starts posting news about two heterosexual men marrying each other. It is like taking everything that you can find, and just keep throwing them at imaginary enemies. Well, why not. They seem to be in good terms with a special kind of imaginary friend. 

This is what was happening on O'Connell street yesterday:

I was too lazy to edit this video. Anyways, it seemed so appropriate that people were singing Queen. They also sang John Lennon's Imagine.