Art, media, opinion and ideas
A defining point in the EU Data Retention saga (what an alluring set of words) will come next Tuesday/Wednesday, when the EU Parliament will vote on the latest version of the planned European law to force data retention on every member state. The last we heard of this matter, the parliament had produced a minimalist version of the Commission’s Directive.
George Best is being buried today in Belfast. He has been granted, if not a state funeral, then certainly a public one. He was a genius- footage of him playing shows the impossible.
The law is an ass, some say. That may be the case sometimes. But it is safe to add that legal websites are always arsey to work around.
Well, that was an exciting day. By noon, it looked like I'd be speaking on behalf of Digital Rights Ireland on UCD FM. By 4ish that has switched to appearing with Dick Doyle, CEO of IRMA, on the Last Word on Today FM, discussing IRMA's announcement of new legal action against uploaders.
I write in reply to your letter dated the 12th October 2005 received her[sic] on the 17th ult. Please be advised that no definite decision has been made on whether to proceed or not with the above proposal.
Following strong representations from the Bar Council to the Judiciary and the Courts Service, the latter has scaled down substantially the arrangements for practitioners put in place by them at the beginning of term. The Bar Council has made known its total opposition to the pod system and the restrictions on the issue of security cards to members' secretaries.
After a mere three month hiatus, the editor now has broadband again. Those stories I published here, as I couldn't meaningfully access the main tuppenceworth site will be republished over there. In addition, there are a significant number of people who sent me items which I will be responding to in the coming week- or next weekend at any rate.
A touch of Tabloid in that heading, but the compression was needed. Basically, in their latest newsletter to barristers, the Bar Council of Ireland has said that the restrictions on access to the Four Courts complex, introduced on security grounds, are unacceptable. They say that they have conveyed the very strong negative reaction to the 'pod' systems of access from their members to the Courts Service.
If you're interested in the idea that people shouldn't be watching where you go during your day. If you don't think that the state has any good reason to track who you call or email or, possibly, which websites you look at.
And if you were wondering why I was looking for a Parliamentary Question, see TJ McIntyre on the Digital Rights Ireland website for more details. He's very interested in what the Minister for Justice has to say on the use of new Data Retention laws. He might even be more interested in what he doesn't say.
Recent Comments