Microlog
77 Microlog entries tagged with ‘currentaffairs’
Sherlock agrees to attend debate with organiser of anti-’SOPA’ petition
That’s after he initially refused to attend if Simon McGarr wasn’t removed from the panel, accusing him of “causing some reputational damage to this country by deliberately misinterpreting the [new legislation] as SOPA” (which wasn’t the case, and he knows it, but howandever). Shame I can’t attend the debate this afternoon; seems like the hashtag is #DRF2012 so I can follow things on Twitter later. Current Affairs ·
Barack Obama’s presidency, three years on - is it time to give up hope?
The Guardian’s Jonathan Freedland on the diminishing expectations for change. I’m reserving judgement till next year, if/when Obama gets re-elected; then we’ll know if he can forgo political expediency and show his ‘stomach for a fight’. Current Affairs ·
Ireland has done what the IMF wanted, but where is the reward?
It’s lovely that the bureaucrats and politicians think of Ireland as some kind of grand economic experiment. But, y’know, there are real people here, a few million of us actually… Current Affairs ·
As it happened: The Dáil debate on the ‘Irish SOPA’
In which Junior Minister Sean Sherlock attempts to defend his proposed through-the-back-door copyright legislation. “The best way of dealing with copyright infringement issues is on a case-by-case basis by means of a judicial process,” says the minister. Alas, if only the judgements made so far weren’t fundamentally flawed… Current Affairs ·
Marco Ament on ‘the next SOPA’
The web censorship bills might be shelved for now, but will no doubt return in this or some other form — unless there is an aggressive push for campaign finance reform, and a recognition that unless we stop giving money to the MPAA et al, they will keep coming back. Current Affairs ·
Why SOPA and PIPA Must Die
Waxy.org’s Andy Baio on his personal reasons for opposing the web censorship bills. Also: Matt Haughey outlines how they could be used to silence important web resources such as MetaFilter with a chilling story. Current Affairs ·
Dan Gillmor: Stop Sopa or the web really will go dark
The journalist and author of We the Media fame makes the case in The Guardian for net neutrality and electronic freedom (be sure also to check The Guardian’s SOPA page). Current Affairs ·
A SOPA/PIPA Blackout Explainer
Wired’s Threat Level blog lays it all out in point-by-point form. Current Affairs ·
Dimensions
A simple way to put distant things or events in a more local, easily comprehended perspective. Cue a thousand school projects! Interesting ·
Howard Zinn: America’s Blinders
The radical historial tells it like it is. Arts & Culture ·
Photos from the scene of the Boxing Day shooting in Toronto
It happened at one of the busiest downtown sections of Yonge Street, outside Sam the Record Man. I’ve been there. Pardon my self-absorption, but it’s scary to think that my own path in life crossed with a gang shooting, however many years separate. (Joey DeVilla has more background on the event, with related statistics.) Arts & Culture ·
US troops seize award-winning Iraqi journalist
War zone or not, there’s no excuse for this. Hell, in any other context it’d be attempted murder. Good luck getting an apology out of ‘em. Arts & Culture ·
How planespotters turned into the scourge of the CIA
This is a great story. Makes my heart warm, so it does. Arts & Culture ·
Mo Mowlam: A moderniser, but never an apparatchik
Arts & Culture ·
Mo Mowlam, former Cabinet Minister, Labour party stalwart, thoroughly decent person, has died
Why do all the good ones have to go? Arts & Culture ·
Israel begins Gaza Strip pullout
Also, readers give their views (most of which are typically blinkered). Arts & Culture ·
Robin Cook: 1946 - 2005
You never expect these things to happen. At least he went out while he was living the life he wanted. Arts & Culture ·
Where did all the money go?
Not to the Iraqis, that’s for sure; it was their money in the first place! Arts & Culture ·
Police Debate if London Plotters Were Suicide Bombers, or Dupes
Or, it could be one big double-bluff. But some good points made all the same. Arts & Culture ·
Dozens killed in Egyptian blasts
With this, on top of the bus bombing in Turkey last week and the attacks on London, the western hemisphere’s going crazy lately. Arts & Culture ·
Man shot dead at Tube station
Breaking news here: bomb suspect shot at close range by plain-clothes police at Stockwell station. (The BBC News site has more info.) Arts & Culture ·
NHL and Players Reach Agreement [c/o Airbag]
I hope a clause in that agreement was ‘no more whiny bitching about money.’ Arts & Culture ·
Two gardaí hospitalised after Dublin stabbing
This happened just around the corner from me. The garda helicopter was hovering over the house for ages last night. Arts & Culture ·
London bomb suspects: key facts
Busy day today for the anti-terrorism hunt. Those Brits sure do work fast. Arts & Culture ·
Roundup of Guardian Newsblog coverage of the terror attacks on London
Arts & Culture ·
Patriot Act Critics Laud Vote to Limit Use
It seems the Democrats have finally grown some balls. Arts & Culture ·
Zimbabwe state media have criticised the recent election in the United Kingdom, saying it involved fraud
Do I even need to say anything? Arts & Culture ·
Good Barbelith discussion on George Galloway’s election victory
I’ve considered asking to join Barbelith, but I don’t have the time for it. Reading it will have to do. Arts & Culture ·
How the Guardian decided its leader line
What an insight, and from the editor himself. He’s even got an e-mail address right there on the page. I spent ages recently searching for an e-mail address for the editor of the Daily Telegraph and do you think I could find one? Not on your nelly. Arts & Culture ·
Aids groups condemn South Africa’s ‘Dr Garlic’
Benitha’s been telling me about this quack for months. What are the odds she reaches for the antibiotics at the first sign of a cold? Arts & Culture ·
Mugabe gets two-thirds majority in disputed election
Arts & Culture ·
The Guardian’s Editor briefing of this week’s general election in Zimbabwe
Arts & Culture ·
Opposition fears Zimbabwe vote is already lost
Considering Mugabe and his Zanu-PF cronies, it’s amazing how people can be so unscrupulously selfish. Arts & Culture ·
Ireland has apologised to a Nigerian student deported months before he was due to sit his final school exams
This story has been all over the news here. There are, of course, two sides to this, and a lot of the ‘facts’ can’t be substantiated. But what is clear is that this man had a job and was going to school, which is more than I can say of many who were born here Arts & Culture ·
Five MPs from South Africa’s ruling African National Congress have received fines of up to $14,000 and suspended jail terms for corruption
Good news! Maybe now more people will see that the ANC is no longer Mandela’s party. Arts & Culture ·
An Israeli court has charged Mordechai Vanunu with violating the terms of his release from jail last year
“Israel insists Vanunu still poses a security threat.” Is that so? And here I was thinking anything he does know is from almost 20 years ago, and therefore hopelessly outdated. Arts & Culture ·
Why South Africa does not criticise Mugabe
Arts & Culture ·
Zimbabwe’s opposition criticises South Africa’s President Mbeki for saying that this month’s elections would be free and fair
Free and fair?! Ha! Arts & Culture ·
Complacency Kills, by Joe Sacco [c/o MetaFilter]
Be warned: it’s a 36MB PDF file. But it’s worth every byte. Arts & Culture ·
Soldiers shocked by pupils’ letters
It’s heartening to know that at least some children are learning to think for themselves. Arts & Culture ·
South African President Thabo Mbeki has said the US was wrong to describe Zimbabwe as an “outpost of tyranny”
For once the Bush Administration is right about something. And come on, Mbeki: ‘quiet diplomacy’? Refusal to rock the boat, more like. He should be ashamed of himself. Arts & Culture ·
The African National Congress says it will drag South African anti-corruption investigators to parliament, accusing them of smearing MPs
Here’s my take on all this: the ANC should be ashamed of themselves for squandering the world’s goodwill for their own profit. Arts & Culture ·
The US is standing by its claim that Sudan is committing genocide in the Darfur region, despite a UN report stopping short of using the term
Say, here’s a neat idea! Why don’t we just skip the semantics, and actually DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. Arts & Culture ·
Mary McAleese has said she is “deeply sorry” for the offence her remarks comparing Nazi hatred with Northern Ireland have caused
Oh for fuck’s sake. It’s childishness like this that is indicative of the major problems Ireland faces in terms of reconciliation. Arts & Culture ·
Fox News gets a well-deserved cock punch from Vanity Fair’s Judy Bachrach
Arts & Culture ·
Forty South African members of parliament, past and present, were to be charged with fraud in the biggest corruption scandal in the country’s post-apartheid history
Arts & Culture ·
Israel’s new road plans condemned as ‘apartheid’
One should be careful when using the word ‘apartheid’ in this situation, because it is a loaded term, and the circumstances in the Middle East are different to those in South Africa, even if the effects are barely distinguishable. Arts & Culture ·
Why the Irish Republic is deporting its own citizens
Arts & Culture ·
Mbeki turns Aids row into race issue
Arts & Culture ·
Scottish ministers back public smoking ban
Arts & Culture ·
Leftwing looters raid shops
Arts & Culture ·
“If you want to understand why Democrats keep losing elections, just listen to some coastal and university town liberals talk about how conformist and intolerant people in Red America are. It makes you wonder: why is it that people who are completely closed-minded talk endlessly about how open-minded they are?” [c/o kottke.org]
Arts & Culture ·
Regarding the election results, Greasy Skillet says it all
Arts & Culture ·
Morgan Tsvangirai cleared of treason by Zimbabwe high court
Arts & Culture ·
Bus driver in Wellington Quay accident charged with dangerous driving
Arts & Culture ·
Murder rates fall in South Africa
Arts & Culture ·
Afrikaner apartheid critic Beyers Naudé dies at 89
Arts & Culture ·
The Words Speakers Use [c/o del.icio.us/magnetbox]
Arts & Culture ·
The proprietor of Satan’s Laundromat is arrested, along with countless other bystanders, for pretty much nothing [c/o kottke.org]
Arts & Culture ·
The government of Zimbabwe may be planning to use food scarcity as a political weapon in next year’s elections
Arts & Culture ·
South African white supremacist Eugene Terreblanche has been released from prison after serving three years of a five-year term for attempted murder
Arts & Culture ·
“Every minute, two people are killed in conflicts around the world.”
Arts & Culture ·
Lynndie England, Meet Breaker Morant
Arts & Culture ·
I’m so bored by the whole protest thing that I couldn’t even be bothered to write about it properly, so here’s a link instead (and what the hey, here’s another one)
Arts & Culture ·
More on the Dublin bus crash incident; findings to be published in six weeks
Arts & Culture ·
Five dead, 17 injured in Dublin city centre bus crash (more on this from the BBC)
Arts & Culture ·
The Red Cross calls bullshit on Israel’s security ‘fence’
Arts & Culture ·
South Africa election date announced
Arts & Culture ·
US authorities have refused to let five Cuban Grammy Awards nominees travel to Sunday’s ceremony in Los Angeles [c/o A Whole Lotta Nothing]
Arts & Culture ·
Oops, they did it again: US apologises after children die in bombing meant for Taliban chief
Arts & Culture ·
Halliburton Clinches Colossal Contracts
Arts & Culture ·
‘It was punishment without trial’
Arts & Culture ·
Breaking News: Power disaster hits North America (more links here)
Arts & Culture ·
August 15th is Fair And Balanced Day [c/o honan.net]
Arts & Culture ·
Andy Baio’s first-hand account of events following the Santa Monica Farmer’s Markey tragedy one week ago
Arts & Culture ·
The Guardian interviews ultra-conservative racist Ann Coulter (plus some responses prompted by the article)
Arts & Culture ·
American war with Iraq: the justification process
Arts & Culture ·
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This page lists all Microlog entries by MacDara Conroy tagged with ‘currentaffairs’. You will find many more entries sorted by month and by category in the Archives.
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