“Sinn Fein’s Arder Carson said that it was his democratic right to choose not to be painted…”

Or, indeed, not to wear clothes…  ANYhoo…  On Thursday The Belfast Telegraph reported Sinn Féin’s ‘farcical’ attempt to prevent Belfast City Council granting permission for local artist and political cartoonist Brian John Spencer to “sketch the Council Chamber and the Council meeting in January”.  At a Council Strategic Policy and Resources Committee meeting in December 2018 a Sinn Féin motion rejecting the request – which “would involve Mr Spencer being allowed access to the Chamber for a couple of hours …

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Je Suis Charlie

Via the BBC coverage of the attack on the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in which 12 people were killed, an eloquent cartoon from the New Yorker. Pete Baker

OFMDFM: “We welcome our friendship with the Peoples Republic of China…”

In the Irish Times, David Adams takes issue with the Northern Ireland First and deputy First Ministers’ “kowtowing last week to a visiting delegation from China”.  On Slugger, Patrick focused on some of the propaganda aspects of the visit, and the OFMDFM press releases during the visit should probably be noted at that point.  From the Irish Times article Yet one either believes in the inalienability and universality of fundamental rights, or one does not. It really is that simple. If the former is …

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Does Glenn Beck really have blood on his hands?

Here’s a question for you: In continuing to employ Glenn Beck, does Fox News really have blood on its hands? Beck peppers his ‘libertarian’ populist screeds with conspiracy theories, and in one recent case, a nutcase – claiming to be inspired by him – is targeting liberals for assassination. Many of his followers are plainly deluded, and he doesn’t seem to apply any standard of evidence gathering to his journalism. Depressingly, it appears that followers of pundits such as Beck …

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“I Spit on Your Grave”

It’s not quite a return to the days of the Committee on Evil Literature, but the recently [2008] rebranded Irish Film Classification Office (IFCO) has blocked the re-release in Ireland of the controversial 1978 horror movie “I Spit on Your Grave”.  The re-release of the original was timed to coincide with the release of a 2010 remake. Despite appearing at the time on a list of 72 films, drawn up by the UK Director of Public Prosecutions, which could have caused retailers to be prosecuted under the Obscene Publications Act – …

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NI Fahrenheit 45 101 – Fire Service seek to burn a blog

“I just want someone to hear what I have to say. And maybe if I talk long enough, it’ll make sense.” I didn’t expect to return to my costing 11th bonfires blog series until a final entry bringing together all the drains on the public purse. However I’m forced to revist the topic today as the first entry in the series attracted an unexpected response from the Freedom of Information Co-Ordinator [sic] at the NI Fire and Rescue Service. I  …

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PSNI’s media message/massage/pummelling

Last week Rusty noted how journalist Eammon MacDermott had property confiscated by the PSNI as part of an investigation into armed republican activity in Derry. While some may think the fact he was an ex-prisoner could have influenced the PSNI reaction, British policing has a long history of heavy handedness when it comes to freedom of the press in Ireland. Back in 1999 Ed Moloney faced gaol over refusing to pass on interview notes with William Stobie. Moloney won the …

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