Funferal » Society and culture http://funferal.org/blog engraved and retouched and edgewiped and pudden-padded Tue, 07 Feb 2012 06:08:26 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 From the archives – divorce referendum coverage http://funferal.org/blog/2012/02/07/from-the-archives-divorce-referendum-coverage/ http://funferal.org/blog/2012/02/07/from-the-archives-divorce-referendum-coverage/#comments Tue, 07 Feb 2012 06:08:26 +0000 Andrew Ó Baoill http://funferal.org/blog/?p=1543 I’ve been ‘rescuing’ various pieces from my (primarily cassette-based) archive of content from my days at Flirt FM. One little nugget is this compendium of interviews and audio from the count following the divorce referendum in 1995. As a recap (or tutorial for those not in the know), divorce was illegal in Ireland until 1996, and deemed unconstitutional under the language in the 1937 constitution that gives special status to marriage:

The State pledges itself to guard with special care the institution of Marriage, on which the Family is founded, and to protect it against attack. (Article 41.3.1 (as amended))

A previous attempt to amend the constitution in the 1980s, to allow for divorce, had failed, and the 1995 referendum was carried by a margin of only 9,114 votes, out of 1.6 million cast. The voters in Galway-West voted against the proposal by a margin of about 52:48.

Divorce referendum 1995 – Galway-West Count

]]> http://funferal.org/blog/2012/02/07/from-the-archives-divorce-referendum-coverage/feed/ 0 New research survey on community radio in Ireland http://funferal.org/blog/2012/02/06/new-research-survey-on-community-radio-in-ireland/ http://funferal.org/blog/2012/02/06/new-research-survey-on-community-radio-in-ireland/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:29:39 +0000 Andrew Ó Baoill http://funferal.org/blog/?p=1541 CRAOL, the Irish community radio organization, has sponsored a survey investigating how the public views the mass media, and exploring their knowledge of community radio. Among the key findings (with both positives and negative implications for the sector):

  • Nearly 80% of all adults in the Republic of Ireland agree that news and current affairs is sometimes biased towards the views of its owners
  • 3 in 4 adults worry that individual people or businesses have too much ownership of the media.
  • 84% feel that community radio would add to the diversity of content available to them as listeners
  • Only 39% of those surveyed were aware that communities can set up their own community radio station.

News – Current Story in Full.

]]> http://funferal.org/blog/2012/02/06/new-research-survey-on-community-radio-in-ireland/feed/ 0 Unless… http://funferal.org/blog/2012/02/05/unless/ http://funferal.org/blog/2012/02/05/unless/#comments Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:23:26 +0000 Andrew Ó Baoill http://funferal.org/blog/?p=1538 The Change.org people have been touting a Nicholas Kristof piece about successful petition drives on their site. His first example is of a petition by a fourth grade class, looking for changes in how a movie (of a Dr. Seuss book) is promoted – “Don’t lose the environmental message!” A great example of the importance of action – the class petition ‘gained legs’ and garnered over 57,000 signatures, leading to action by Universal, including some of the specific actions requested by the class. A good example, too, of a teacher who helps his class learn, by doing, about engaging with the world.

Environment Petition: Universal Pictures: Let the Lorax Speak for the Trees! | Change.org.

]]> http://funferal.org/blog/2012/02/05/unless/feed/ 0 The interplay of copyright and creativity – a Storify collection http://funferal.org/blog/2012/02/04/the-interplay-of-copyright-and-creativity-a-storify-collection/ http://funferal.org/blog/2012/02/04/the-interplay-of-copyright-and-creativity-a-storify-collection/#comments Sun, 05 Feb 2012 04:42:40 +0000 Andrew Ó Baoill http://funferal.org/blog/?p=1530 I’ve recently started playing around with Storify. In the piece embedded below, I’m gathering together various different snippets concerning the interplay of copyright and creativity.

Storified by Andrew Ó Baoill
Mon, Feb 06 2012 01:43:55 ·
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Copyright and creativity

The interplay between copyright and creativity – the extent to which legal tools for enforcing copyright help or hinder the creative process – is a live issue, with the recent defeat of SOPA in the United States, and the debate over ACTA in the EU.

  1. Many scholars of copyright stress the importance of a permissive approach to appropriation and reuse, if we are to continue to have space for the emergence of new creative voices. From Lawrence Lessig, who has written on the importance of Remix, to Patricia Aufderheide’s work on strengthening Fair Use, there is a strong intellectual current pushing for a copyright regime that facilitates and protects new ways of using and exploring the act of remix, collage, and creative appropriation. That current is at odds with the strong lobby of the industries founded on intellectual property, on maintaining control of libraries of creative work, locking it up like De Beer’s diamonds, to create an artificial scarcity, and releasing it in drip-feed fashion, in a time and manner that maximizes financial return.
  2. EU leaders have approved the ACTA treaty – which implements SOPA-style provisions, but implementation may be challenged by the European Parliament, with leaders there charging the European Commission with ‘bad faith’ in the negotiation process. The protests and challenges have attracted the attention of the EU Observer – chronicler of activities in the EU institutions – and the New York Times.
  3. It can be amusing to see professional politicians shot down over copyright violations, particularly the use of popular music in their events and promotional materials, but for a proponent of permissive copyright laws, the legal issues at play can be unclear. Where a politician simply doesn’t bother to license music, the situation is clear – just as when any event organizer doesn’t pay licensing fees. But what professional operator is going to overlook that detail these days? This piece from the NY Times illustrates that the legal dispute usually involves not copyright law (which, in the US, is primarily focused on the market for a work, and the revenue accrued) but issues of reputation and endorsement, which are bundled with copyright law (under author rights) in some other countries, but in the US involves use of trademark law and, in some cases, charges that the association with the politician (even if they have paid a blanket licensing fee) can damage the original market for the work. (In this case, then, you have someone who falls foul of an element of the Fair Use test, without having asserted Fair Use!).
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    “
    Andrea Saul, a spokeswoman for Mr. Romney, said the campaign had stopped using K’naan’s song out of respect for his political views, even though the campaign bought blanket licenses from two public-performance societies — Ascap and BMI — which pay royalties to members.

    Experts on copyright law said such licenses, usually bought by restaurants and other businesses that play recorded music, do protect the campaign from many copyright complaints, but a politician can still be sued under the federal trademark law for false advertising if the use of the song implies that the musician has endorsed the candidate.

    Romney and Gingrich Pull Songs After …
    Wed, Feb 01 2012 17:25:08

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]]> http://funferal.org/blog/2012/02/04/the-interplay-of-copyright-and-creativity-a-storify-collection/feed/ 0 Why Phil Knight’s eulogy of Paterno was so problematic http://funferal.org/blog/2012/01/28/why-phil-knights-eulogy-of-paterno-was-so-problematic/ http://funferal.org/blog/2012/01/28/why-phil-knights-eulogy-of-paterno-was-so-problematic/#comments Sun, 29 Jan 2012 04:38:07 +0000 Andrew Ó Baoill http://funferal.org/blog/?p=1525

In Knight, we also have someone who pays college coaches a fortune so “student-athletes” can wear and by extension advertise their products. We have someone who ploughs millions to the University of Oregon football program funding state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, while the school endures terrible cuts. We have someone who I would argue represents the corrupting of amateur sports and by extension the corrupting of Joe Paterno and Penn State. By defending Paterno, Knight is doing little more than defending himself and the kind of moral relativism he’s brought to campuses around the country.

via The Final Insult: Nike CEO Phil Knight Eulogizes Joe Paterno | The Nation.

]]> http://funferal.org/blog/2012/01/28/why-phil-knights-eulogy-of-paterno-was-so-problematic/feed/ 0 Why no cafe bars? http://funferal.org/blog/2012/01/28/why-no-cafe-bars/ http://funferal.org/blog/2012/01/28/why-no-cafe-bars/#comments Sun, 29 Jan 2012 01:12:34 +0000 Andrew Ó Baoill http://funferal.org/blog/?p=1521 The Irish Times reports on a forthcoming government report on alcohol, and the numerous suggestions made in it, including more stringent rules around advertising (none on TV before 9pm, no outdoor advertising, no sports sponsorship), minimum price floors (and bans on discounts for bulk purchases) and more aggressive health monitoring.

I was disappointed though – if not surprised – not to see mention of cafe bars. The report claims that pubs “make a greater social and economic contribution, and exercise greater control on alcohol consumption” than do off-license premises, and also recommends increase in the number of Youth Cafes, and of their hours.

No mention, though, of the value in building out smaller pubs that might be required to make some part of their revenues from non-alcohol sales. That short-lived idea was successfully killed off by the the vintners some years ago, and their sign-off was sought for this report, so it’s not surprising, but it is a shame.

]]> http://funferal.org/blog/2012/01/28/why-no-cafe-bars/feed/ 0 Reducing US spending? Cut the military budget http://funferal.org/blog/2011/10/05/reducing-us-spending-cut-the-military-budget/ http://funferal.org/blog/2011/10/05/reducing-us-spending-cut-the-military-budget/#comments Thu, 06 Oct 2011 01:09:46 +0000 Andrew Ó Baoill http://funferal.org/blog/?p=1484 From Just Foreign Policy: FCNL has established a toll-free number: 1-877-429-0678. Urge your Rep. and/or Senators to press the Supercommittee to end the wars and cut the military budget. In talking to your Rep., urge support for the Lee-Campbell bipartisan letter to the Super Committee on cutting military spending.

]]> http://funferal.org/blog/2011/10/05/reducing-us-spending-cut-the-military-budget/feed/ 0 Austin Airwaves seeks support for its Borneo project http://funferal.org/blog/2011/09/22/austin-airwaves-seeks-support-for-its-borneo-project/ http://funferal.org/blog/2011/09/22/austin-airwaves-seeks-support-for-its-borneo-project/#comments Fri, 23 Sep 2011 03:13:45 +0000 Andrew Ó Baoill http://funferal.org/blog/?p=1479 Jim Ellinger of Austin Airwaves does great work supporting community radio near and far. Their most recent project involves supporting the establishment of community radio on the island of Borneo. They’re looking for donations of equipment and cash. Check here to see if you can help.

]]> http://funferal.org/blog/2011/09/22/austin-airwaves-seeks-support-for-its-borneo-project/feed/ 0 Marking Bloomsday http://funferal.org/blog/2011/06/16/marking-bloomsday/ http://funferal.org/blog/2011/06/16/marking-bloomsday/#comments Thu, 16 Jun 2011 21:21:27 +0000 Andrew Ó Baoill http://funferal.org/blog/?p=1456 Two different suggestions today from Labour politicians about appropriate ways to mark Bloomsday. Joe Costello notes that Ireland has one of the lowest numbers of public holidays in Europe (9 per year, only exceeding the 8 of England and Wales) and suggests that making the day a holiday could provide cultural and economic benefits (through providing a focus for literary tourism, perhaps by introducing a literary festival):

I believe that the extraordinary literary tradition of this country should be marked by an annual public holiday around which a major festival of literature would be developed.

A public holiday to celebrate our literary heritage could also be extended to Northern Ireland because of its rich literary tradition too and could become an all island festival of literature and culture.

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin pushes in another (though not incompatible direction, in noting the high level of problems with literacy in many parts of Dublin, and calling for a ‘culture of literacy’:

“Dublin has a rich literary tradition and is recognised the world over because of the brilliant writers we have produced. In addition, Dublin is also a Unesco City of Literature and we are home to the prestigious International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. It is now incumbent on this Government to ensure that we build on these traditions by greatly enhancing our children’s capacity for literacy.

“I believe that fostering a culture of literacy in this city would the most fitting tribute to our great literary giants. It is my hope therefore, that when we celebrate Bloomsday in years to come everyone on this island can truly appreciate the literary genius of Joyce and just maybe inspire a child to create a masterpiece of their own.”

Today’s Galway Advertiser also has an interesting piece from John Morley, providing a sketch of Joyce’s connections with Galway, via Nora.

]]> http://funferal.org/blog/2011/06/16/marking-bloomsday/feed/ 1 A tale of two news stories http://funferal.org/blog/2010/11/30/a-tale-of-two-news-stories/ http://funferal.org/blog/2010/11/30/a-tale-of-two-news-stories/#comments Wed, 01 Dec 2010 04:08:34 +0000 Andrew Ó Baoill http://funferal.org/blog/?p=1437 Compare and contrast:

There are fears of (more) deaths, particularly of pensioners and the homeless, as Ireland undergoes below-freezing conditions. (That’s not a metaphor for the economy!) Local authorities are struggling to keep roads gritted, with limited budgets available for this purpose (and effect still being felt from repair costs after last year’s record freeze):

Concerns have been expressed about the fate of homeless people in the sub-zero conditions. The Homeless Agency said rough sleeping was being strictly monitoring on a daily basis to ensure there was sufficient bed capacity in emergency homeless accommodation.

At the same time, the manager of Ireland’s soccer team has agreed to take a 5% cut in pay, reflecting the stresses faced by the FAI:

Giovanni Trapattoni said yesterday he had agreed to take the cut, believed to be in the region of €100,000 per annum, after speaking with FAI general secretary John Delaney in Milan last month. … When the reduction is applied to the pay of Tardelli and Fausto Rossi as well as Irish members of the coaching and scouting staff like Mick Martin and Don Givens, the saving should amount to something in the region of €160,000. It is estimated a third of that saving would accrue to businessman Denis O’Brien, who currently pays half of the management team’s major salaries

Not coincidentally, “The Irish Sports Council has contributed €17 million to the FAI since 2004″ – that’s about €3m a year. The ISC is the state body charged with distributing funds to individual governing bodies in sport. The funds provided were earmarked for projects on increasing participation in soccer, and we’re promised that the funds were matched 2:1 by the FAI, but really these things are a matter of shuffling around funds – O’Brien might not have provided his funding for programs aimed at serving previously under-reached groups, but even without that €1.6m, it’s interesting to think about what quality of coaching you could get for €200,000 a year. Would it really be so deficient that it’s worth it for the FAI to continue to increase its €50 debt?

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