My Interwebz will be blocked for my own good it seems. What starts as protection from paedophiles is going to be manipulated into blocking all kinds of sites. Remember Ireland is a democracy folks, where the government doesn't give a flying fuck about what the people want. This could be happening to you

Kind of sad that the ex soviet union is more free at some things than many of the West, isn't it?
I don't mention PRC because I see no point.

They're trying to push all kinds of different socialistic [in my opinion] stunts here too. Tits on TV, drinking in public, they did try to do some net restrictions once or twice, now they're trying to prohibit public smoking, which is more of a smoke screen. All in the name of someones liberty, surely not mine. Sadly it's kinda typical for them EU countries to go head over heels in social politics.
Once, the "no smoking" sign on the Statue Of Liberty was a joke, but now it's all over the world. If this is democracy at it's more developed stage, then i don't see many differences between it and what was going on 40 years ago [minus the repressions of course, but time will come for that].
Perhaps i just see stuff in the bad light though. ;P

I wouldn't read too much into that. Governments consider all kinds of things that have no possibility of passing. Sometimes it's purely to better establish a position against it and/or to determine the views of others on the matter. That said, it is something that is happening more and more. It's not impossible that such measures could be brought into effect.

No I think you are right. I think that people in countries who have comparatively recently converted to democracy are now seeing it for the big lie it is. Those of us who have had centuries of it have been de-sensitized by a gradual erosion of personal rights. What was once "for the good of the state" is now "for the good of the people". It's dictatorship but sold in a very nice way.
Quite frankly I think we should go back to having Kings and Queens. Don't like them? Cut their heads off and get a new one. With democracy you have to go through endless debates and forums and the opposition is just as bad as the ones in power.
I suppose you haven't been following Irish politics. There is a very good chance this will happen as Brian Cowan has been doing practically anything he wants since getting into power and my I add he wasn't even elected. Got in through the previous crook resigning. Just look at the c**t
edit: BTW do you honestly think that Lord Mandy is not thinking about this as the next step in 'protecting' IP's?

You are lucky, our goverment blocked YouTube and we can't reach it since 2008 lol. We can reach with other ways but it is blocked normally.

Suddenly Sealand doesnt seem to be like such a bad place to live ...

I think we had some democracy about 90 years ago. And some kings before that. I'm not a fan of any of those.
I'd prefer a decent government, that doesn't proclaim being right, when they're left [and no, i'm not referring to the leading party only]. I do understand that most people are somehow dumb, and it was so ages ago, when Plato [i think] mentioned it. We are not equal, we don't have the same tastes and needs. The gov't shouldn't serve us the same protein pill.
Makes me wonder, how it looked in ancient Rome. Wonder if they had a long forgotten proto-punk-like culture there, wearing "i hate plato" robes.. ;P

For a second there I thought Ireland had become a nuclear threat to the UK.

Really don't need another India and Pakistan.

I think he's referring to Cameron's gaffe yesterday about keeping Trident in case of a potential threat from China.
A bit more on topic, we got the Digital Economy Bill, seems like all countries are trying to restrict the internet.
Governments don't like things they can't control.

Dude's extremely creepy. That's not a face any country would elect.
As for Mandelson, you surely know about the digital economy bill and therefore are already aware that blocking sites isn't the furthest thing from their rotten little minds.

Blame Adnan Oktar/Harun Yahya for that.

I do and it's frightening. Whats worse is it passed. Now Lord Mandy is looking for more ways to restrict your rights.

His continued success is making me wonder if there's something in voodoo after all.