Tell The Irish News Hands Off The Internet

We have reason to believe that efforts are being made to close The Pensive Quill website down.

We host no illegal content, we are breaching no law in the United States (where the site is hosted), and, as has been well documented, there is absolutely no legitimate reason for such a pursuit. Any effort to close The Pensive Quill website is politically and/or personally motivated, by those seeking to hide their unethical behaviour. These actions are pursued by the Irish News and its reporter and associates.

We are therefore seeking to create mirror sites, and additionally, we invite third parties to mirror our site in its entirety. We invite those third parties, outside of the UK and Ireland, who can offer support, to contact us directly.

Any effort to prevent the disclosure of the Irish News’ willful and ill-advised pursuit of The Pensive Quill in order to cover-up the unethical behaviour of its reporter cannot, and will not, be allowed to succeed.

These legal tactics and letters are issued like confetti in order to police the web and the media behind the scenes; the sad fact is many outlets and individuals are intimidated into silence and comply, which enables the success of censorship. The wider public is not aware of this as the fear of being sued and dragged through court keeps people silent.

We are not going silently into the night over this, and in exposing what the Irish News and its reporter are doing here, we hope that it lifts the lid on the prevalent scare tactics employed and frees up discussion on their use across Ireland north and south.

We also intend by taking a stand against this to demonstrate that refusing to comply with the demands of censors weakens the power of the bully. Much like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, we intend on pulling the curtain back to demonstrate the Wizard has no more power than what is freely given to him. We refuse to give any censor power over us.

We will not be intimidated into silence.

Thank you

THE PENSIVE QUILL



Action Request

Please stand up against the Irish News' attempt to police the internet and suppress freedom of speech. Reproduce these articles across the web:

NUJ Wiki Dump

NUJ Vindicates Boston College Researcher

What Price Justice

The Weird World of an Irish News Journalist

I Have a Right to be Angry

Are you being Gagged?

True to Their Words

Invertebrate Journalism

Reporting to London

Not Censored by the Irish News

2nd NUJ Complaint Filed: As Sure As Day Follows Night

Do-It-Yourself Irish News Critic Kit

Irish News NUJ Chapel Rule 24 Complaint

Anthony McIntyre Response to Irish News NUJ Chapel Complaint on Behalf of Allison Morris





Background

We believe the origins of the first subpoena of the Boston College Belfast Project Oral History Archives were set in motion by Irish News reporter Allison Morris, who conducted an interview with former IRA volunteer Dolours Price. Dolours was heavily medicated and being treated for a variety of ills at the time. Her family objected to the interview and requested it not be published. The Irish News restricted what they published. However, 3 days after the Irish News story ran, a friend and colleague of Morris’ at the Sunday Life tabloid, Ciaran Barnes, ran a front page spread containing everything the Irish News left out.

In Ciaran Barnes’ report, he implied that he had heard Dolours Price’s Boston College tapes. US Attorney Carmen Ortiz's office subsequently submitted both Morris and Barnes’ stories as evidence to justify the first subpoena. Barnes never had access to the Boston College tapes and we believe it was Morris’ interview he based his report on. The PSNI did not seek Morris’ notes or records until after it was pointed out in court documents that they had never approached her or Barnes, 16 months after the original publication of her interview. She and the Irish News told the PSNI they retained no material; the PSNI accepted this and did not pursue the matter further.

Barnes and Morris brought a Code of Conduct complaint against Anthony McIntyre in their union, the National Union of Journalists. The NUJ’s Ethics Council railroaded the complaint against McIntyre and suspended him for 6 months. He appealed this and the NUJ Appeals Tribunal tossed everything out, completely vindicating him.

Neither Morris nor Barnes attended the appeal hearing, suggesting that the objective all along was to discredit him in the middle of the source protection/1st and 4th Amendment battle to protect the confidentiality of the oral history archives against government incursion, adding stress and pressure in an attempt to break him.

Immediately following the Ethics Council verdict being over-turned, Morris attempted to re-try her complaint on a legal blog, and was caught in an astounding lieThe Pensive Quill documented this and other questionable behavior around the Irish News and its reporter Allison Morris. The Irish News’ Editor Noel Doran began to contact The Pensive Quill in an obvious attempt to lay groundwork for a legal case. A solicitor’s letter from Johnsons then arrived demanding that The Pensive Quill remove all its material about Allison Morris.



With thanks to The Expendable Project for the wording used in the clarion call for action - their request for mirror sites was used as a template.



Stand Up Against The Irish News Censorship of The Pensive Quill



Tell The Irish News Hands Off The Internet

We have reason to believe that efforts are being made to close The Pensive Quill website down.

We host no illegal content, we are breaching no law in the United States (where the site is hosted), and, as has been well documented, there is absolutely no legitimate reason for such a pursuit. Any effort to close The Pensive Quill website is politically and/or personally motivated, by those seeking to hide their unethical behaviour. These actions are pursued by the Irish News and its reporter and associates.

We are therefore seeking to create mirror sites, and additionally, we invite third parties to mirror our site in its entirety. We invite those third parties, outside of the UK and Ireland, who can offer support, to contact us directly.

Any effort to prevent the disclosure of the Irish News’ willful and ill-advised pursuit of The Pensive Quill in order to cover-up the unethical behaviour of its reporter cannot, and will not, be allowed to succeed.

These legal tactics and letters are issued like confetti in order to police the web and the media behind the scenes; the sad fact is many outlets and individuals are intimidated into silence and comply, which enables the success of censorship. The wider public is not aware of this as the fear of being sued and dragged through court keeps people silent.

We are not going silently into the night over this, and in exposing what the Irish News and its reporter are doing here, we hope that it lifts the lid on the prevalent scare tactics employed and frees up discussion on their use across Ireland north and south.

We also intend by taking a stand against this to demonstrate that refusing to comply with the demands of censors weakens the power of the bully. Much like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, we intend on pulling the curtain back to demonstrate the Wizard has no more power than what is freely given to him. We refuse to give any censor power over us.

We will not be intimidated into silence.

Thank you

THE PENSIVE QUILL



Action Request

Please stand up against the Irish News' attempt to police the internet and suppress freedom of speech. Reproduce these articles across the web:

NUJ Wiki Dump

NUJ Vindicates Boston College Researcher

What Price Justice

The Weird World of an Irish News Journalist

I Have a Right to be Angry

Are you being Gagged?

True to Their Words

Invertebrate Journalism

Reporting to London

Not Censored by the Irish News

2nd NUJ Complaint Filed: As Sure As Day Follows Night

Do-It-Yourself Irish News Critic Kit

Irish News NUJ Chapel Rule 24 Complaint

Anthony McIntyre Response to Irish News NUJ Chapel Complaint on Behalf of Allison Morris





Background

We believe the origins of the first subpoena of the Boston College Belfast Project Oral History Archives were set in motion by Irish News reporter Allison Morris, who conducted an interview with former IRA volunteer Dolours Price. Dolours was heavily medicated and being treated for a variety of ills at the time. Her family objected to the interview and requested it not be published. The Irish News restricted what they published. However, 3 days after the Irish News story ran, a friend and colleague of Morris’ at the Sunday Life tabloid, Ciaran Barnes, ran a front page spread containing everything the Irish News left out.

In Ciaran Barnes’ report, he implied that he had heard Dolours Price’s Boston College tapes. US Attorney Carmen Ortiz's office subsequently submitted both Morris and Barnes’ stories as evidence to justify the first subpoena. Barnes never had access to the Boston College tapes and we believe it was Morris’ interview he based his report on. The PSNI did not seek Morris’ notes or records until after it was pointed out in court documents that they had never approached her or Barnes, 16 months after the original publication of her interview. She and the Irish News told the PSNI they retained no material; the PSNI accepted this and did not pursue the matter further.

Barnes and Morris brought a Code of Conduct complaint against Anthony McIntyre in their union, the National Union of Journalists. The NUJ’s Ethics Council railroaded the complaint against McIntyre and suspended him for 6 months. He appealed this and the NUJ Appeals Tribunal tossed everything out, completely vindicating him.

Neither Morris nor Barnes attended the appeal hearing, suggesting that the objective all along was to discredit him in the middle of the source protection/1st and 4th Amendment battle to protect the confidentiality of the oral history archives against government incursion, adding stress and pressure in an attempt to break him.

Immediately following the Ethics Council verdict being over-turned, Morris attempted to re-try her complaint on a legal blog, and was caught in an astounding lieThe Pensive Quill documented this and other questionable behavior around the Irish News and its reporter Allison Morris. The Irish News’ Editor Noel Doran began to contact The Pensive Quill in an obvious attempt to lay groundwork for a legal case. A solicitor’s letter from Johnsons then arrived demanding that The Pensive Quill remove all its material about Allison Morris.



With thanks to The Expendable Project for the wording used in the clarion call for action - their request for mirror sites was used as a template.



63 comments:

  1. Recently I stopped buying the Sunday World. I stopped buying it because I knew some of what was being written was total lies. It never bothered me stopping this paper, it never bothered me because I found it dreary, depressing and totally precarious in relation to the truth.
    The Irish News was different though, I can't remember ever passing a day without buying and reading this paper.
    Reading the Irish News daily comes as natural as flicking the kettle switch each morning in our home. Recently though I feel it has been tainted. I no longer read anything written by Morris or Barnes and this is not because of anything I have read on this site but because there is a wide and general belief that these reporters behave quite unethical.
    I think when the campaign to save TPQ kicks off it might be good idea if someone could campaign to save The Irish News!

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's great to see you have everything in one post Anthony.

    "In Ciaran Barnes’ report, he implied that he had heard Dolours Price’s Boston College tapes."

    Been trying to find that piece , are you on about the Morris tape?. which magically fell onto Barnes Desk.? which he used to imply it was a recording he heard from a Boston College tape, although he was shrewd enough not to Mention "Boston College".

    Keep up the good work, Every follower of TPQ is 100% behind you.

    Maybe the Irish News will Realise they have a Reporter who will bring them nothing but grief and possibly being sued, Now , wouldn't that be a one off!.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Nuala,

    I think the Irish News has gone off the boil for quite some time. As for the Sunday World, I never read it. I had to write a piece a while back about the way it was smearing TC.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Small wonder the paper wants us censored - the traffic the site is taking each time the issue is raised is enormous. The blog piece that we reproduced from elsewhere had taken only about 200 before it was removed. That was what sent them scurrying off to the Ethics Council in the first place. Now with their hounding and bullying the message they don't want out is spreading like wildfire. We have been taking calls from the US all day about it. There is a sense of disbelief there that the censor lawyer's letter was issued.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Michaelhenry,

    it will be easy found. If it comes to that we will have everything in place and ready to go. Already it is being mirrored. So, the area they need to douse is going to be far too wide.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Mackers
    The Irish News has always been part of our daily lives. If I miss it in the morning I'll read it at some time, even in bed.
    Maybe I just don't want to admit what's been happening for such a long time.
    I agree with MichaelHenry, there are some great journalists in that paper, just a pity they are being dragged down by a few

    ReplyDelete
  7. Nuala,

    I grew up with the paper as much a part of the house as the furniture. I remember in August 1969 racing back form the shop with it to tell my da about the killings in Belfast. I blurted it out to him before handing him the paper. I read it through my time in jail. I recall being a 16 year old in the Crum and waiting on it every morning, and being disappointed when it was not allowed in because the censor blocked it as it had made a mention of something in the Crum.

    I read it in Magilligan and throughout the Kesh days, and brought it back into Maghaberry every night when on work out.

    And yes, there are some very good people there, even if the NUJ chapel behaved abysmally and pushed what we can now see is a clear managament censorious line.

    I am totally disappointed with the editor who has failed lamentably to cope with a critique. Would any of this be happening had they not proceeded with their baseless complaint to the NUJ? Who would have known any of it?

    And then the way the editor only wanted to talk to us as a means - in my view - to prepare a legal assault.

    The editor has given us his account. I don't buy it. I simply exercise my right not to believe him. I am free to believe or not to believe. He can hardly claim to have a right to inflict his belief on me. I am not saying he is lying, but simply that he is wrong.

    The more the paper has sought to silence, the greater the noise it meets by way of response.



    ReplyDelete
  8. And of course the editor was offered a full right of reply which was much more generous than what he did with the coverage of my appeal outcome. Squeezed into the corner of page 10. In fact I think it was wee marty who rang mt to tell me there was nothing in it about my appeal: which I reckon was what the paper wanted - nobody to notice. And the editor told me on the phone that he stood over it as a professional way of doing business.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I know how it feels to be dragged through the courts for blogging. If someone can show me how to mirror this blog, I'll do it ASAP.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Censorship is wrong plain and simple...It deeply saddens and concerns me that the attempt to censor on this occasion is coming from people who should know better.

    'Defamatory and abusive content.'
    What was considered abusive or defamatory? Have they given any evidence to substantiate this claim? I'm a firm believer in put up or shut up and you have placed the ball well and truly in their court.

    With regard to this situation I have no axe to grind either way however this scenario reminds me on when Derry City Council in cahoots with community quangos tried to ride rough shod over residents in the area and then attempted to censor their views. We found it difficult to get our opinions published outside of Eamonn McCann's column in the local paper, as the political spin doctors were out in force against us. It took the set up of a website to circumvent the virtual media blackout. Not only did the website allow residents the opportunity to state their position but they like yourself were able to substantiate everything with the documents that these politically backed community quangos did not want published. In the interest of fairness we made all those involved aware that their contribution would be published should they feel the need to respond.

    What we later discovered was that the groups in question changed the format of their minutes so
    that comments could not attributed to individuals, individuals including local councillors and Mlas.
    In fact one of the groups, the neighbourhood partnership group funded by the DSD went on to challenge the DSD over providing information to residents via the freedom of information channel. Yes it's true this group funded by public money and allegedly working for the great and good of the community challenged their funders over a legal requirement.

    We were later informed that the council's chief executive mentioned to our legal agent the possibility of taking us to court over the content of the website. The message sent back via the same gentleman was “go ahead take us to court but be mindful of and old saying...you can't take knickers from a bare ass!” As a small and somewhat demonised residents group we welcomed all publicity, even if it meant going to court as we had right on our side. Needless to say this never happened.

    People will go to great lengths to censor the views of other people... have made copies of the articles in question...

    ReplyDelete
  11. Alan,

    thank you.

    we will shortly issue a user friendly guide on how to do it. For now you and anyone else can do the following. Copy and paste the articles linked above to your own blog or website prefaced with a short statement that you are doing so in protest against the Irish News attempt to censor TPQ.

    Also distribute the link to Cryptome which is mirroring for us.

    http://cryptome.org/2013/09/tpq/tpq-defies-censors.htm

    Much appreciated

    ReplyDelete
  12. AM
    I am computer unfriendly, I will have to set up a blog 1st and then rely it through in course

    ReplyDelete
  13. Republicans will not be censored. Remember when we had nothing but toilet roll we used that to get our message to the outside.

    We sent those wee squares across the world to highlight our plight and this was done with the help of our people, all united in getting the message of the H-Blocks to an incognizant world.

    Tonight I contacted 43 Republicans about the threat to free speech and asked each in turn to do likewise.

    The world wide web is todays equivalent of the wee sheet of toilet paper. Lets get the message out there.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous Activism Forum.

    Just make yourself a member and mention any organisation who is threatening or giving harassment.

    Annonymous

    ReplyDelete
  15. Mickey,

    good on you mucker taking a stand against censorship! I don’t think it will come down to the quill part two as the Irish News will get tired of the various quills that will pop up all over the web.

    Dixie

    great analogy now all you need to do is explain to the brains of the Irish News how the internet works and how it allows the ordinary people or at least those who can afford a computer to have a say.
    As that former we sheet of paper will be an unending sheet of quills so good luck to the Irish News.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Mackers,
    In Armagh we only got a few copies of the paper and you usually had to wait until it circulated the wing. Sometimes you would get bits of breakfast or lunch or half the pages glued together due to spillage, but we waited patiently for it anyway.
    Sad when things come to this but the measure of integrity you give is not always what you get back.
    It may be cold comfort in the midst of all the lies, spin, deceit and insults but when the dust settles every dog has its day!

    ReplyDelete
  17. (Apologies for a bit of geekery here, it isn't hardcore, so bear with it. Or look away now!)

    If you want to mirror a site, any site there are utilities for it.

    (Being a *ix person, I use wget. It is easiest, if you too are a *ix person, you'll already know this. If that makes no sense to you, ignore this bit in brackets.)

    If you are a Windows-type, you can download wget and run it from the command prompt. You can get it at:

    http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/wget.htm

    Now (and this is from old, old memory) if you type 'cmd' in the wee run box in Windows, you will get a black screen (a DOS-like one, I'd call it a shell.)

    From here you can run 'wget -mk thepensivequill.am' and that will mirror the whole thing at the time when you run it.

    Well, that is the executive summary, I can give anyone more details if they want. But it is that easy. One command :) Share and enjoy.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Stray:

    Very valuable information and thanks for it.

    My Q is, If I downloaded "wget" and Ran it from the command prompt, Does that mean the complete TPQ site is downloaded onto my Hard drive(s).
    I no longer have a website. would that mean I have to create a free BLOGGER site and point wget to it, Although I would have to Create the Free Blogger site in the USA.

    any help would be appreciated.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Tain Bo-

    I know you have responded to me a few times and I never made a reply-but
    sometimes the time is not there or you know I don't have to comment because what you have wrote is enough but I never miss a word-

    When I first read AMs post on the NUJ and Irish News I just knew he was a 100 per cent right-[Has to be a first time for AM to be right
    lol-]-I will always be on the side of those who I think are in the right-everyone else has their own thoughts but only I have my own-good luck to you and yours old hand-

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anthony

    I am sure you are reluctantly entering this fight but seem determined to see it through to the end on principle.

    I would love to see the Irish News step back from the brink of a costly process for both parties - i doubt you could cover their cost nevermind damages if they did win.

    In fact the only possible winner looks to be the legal team the Irish News are employing.

    When the option for a full right of reply is there it seems like an option that could save face and finance for the Irish News.

    I sincerely hope they pursue a deseculation of conflict option rather than resort to the rich man's playground of libel lawyers and court cases.

    I would genuinely like to hear the views of Mr Doran that are obviously strongly held. Hearing them via censored court reports after silencing your website would make it harder to listen with an open ear and respect them.

    Hope you both can resolve this in a manner that reflect your and his longertem commitment to free speech and addressing difficult, disputed or controversial topics.

    As is clear the IN is mainly a respected publication by your readers. Your own comments reflect you also have held it with regard.

    Surely there is a resolution that doesn't necessitate legal action and diminishment of either parties reputation - even at this seeming late stage?

    I hope this is sought rather than a course likely to only result in a profitable business based on libel tourism becoming even more profitable possibly at the cost of journalists salaries - if they lose or win but cannot obtain blood from a financial stone such as yourself the esteemed Mr Tweed will still require his likely very high fee to be paid.

    Escalation seems destined to bring nothing but trouble and wasted time to both your doors.

    Compromise not conflict. It can be done without being compromised when there's a will.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Mickey,

    thanks, but honestly mate, no explanation is necessary I know you will always answer if you feel the need to reply.
    In my book Mickey you are part of the character of the quill and I am sure we will continue to disagree but as always I give you credit for staying the course even under some heavy flak at times.

    That had me in stitches and you may well be right it might be the first time Anthony is right, too funny, I will leave that accolade for the man himself to answer if he can stop laughing.

    Best a luck

    ReplyDelete
  22. itsjustmacker: Yes, the whole thing would be on your local machine's hard drive, so you would either have to upload it to your free web space (if your ISP gives you some, but that might mean different legal standing, and you'd need to make sure you had enough space.) That wget brings _everything_, images and all, and also makes it point internally, so you have a complete copy, with nothing existing elsewhere (this means if an image was removed elsewhere on the net, your copy would still be visible.)

    Now, could you upload to Blogger? That is a good point. I'd have to investigate Blogger and see how the upload tools work. There could well be an easier way. (For me, as I run my own (multiple) servers, I don't need to worry on any of that. So if there is an easier way for Windows/non-owning-their-own-server sorts, I am sure someone will say.)

    On another note, if it isn't possible to instantly upload to Blogger, it wouldn't be hard (for me) to write a script that could make it importable. *shrug*

    ReplyDelete
  23. Kev,

    who wants to be involved in these things? We are entering the fight because it is unwise to let a bully prevail. They only come back to stomp all over you even more.

    I'd much rather be focussing on other things rather than deal with this, but we will see it through come what may. What choice do we have other than buckling in the face of bullying? That is not going to happen.

    The attempt at censorship is already floundering because of the mirroring and reproducing that is taking place. So it doesn't really matter whey they do. Say they manage to commit me to prison: as Dixie pointed out we got the message out from barren H Block cells where neither writing paper nor pens were allowed. I would write about them from jail. How do they actually censor me in such a vast democratic space as the web? I am absolutely certain that we can show the Irish News a determination to write that its determination to censor cannot prevail over. Do they hope to have me locked in a cell incommunicado with no access to writing material or means to get it distributed? I have a strategy for dealing with that.

    Were I to feel we were wrong in our treatment of either Morris or the Irish News I would pull the lot of it. In those circumstances it would be the right thing to do. But the editor, lacking the ability to forcefully persuade is now seeking to use force to persuade. He has had every opportunity to make his case, has failed to do so, and has reached for his wallet and the censor lawyer.

    He will pluck feathers from a frog before he gets a cent from us. There is nothing in the purse, we are in debt up to our eyes. So what will decide the outcome? A simple determination not to be bullied by the censor; the willingness to hold firm regardless of what is fired our way. But most of all at the end of it all very act of continuing to write what we are writing now. That brings all their efforts to nought.

    Compromise to Doran is 'you do what I tell you and that will be it resolved.'

    Not going to happen.

    We have offered him a full right of reply. I doubt he has the fortitude to take it up.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Yesterday saw the highest number of page visits in the history of the site. People don't like censorship.

    ReplyDelete
  25. AM

    Like others I read the Irish News almost everyday, - more out of habit than anything else - but having read those communications between yourself and Neil Doran that you posted, and given the shenanigans re senior reporter Alison Morris, Im seriously wondering what it is exactly Im subscribing to in buying the Irish News every day. I, for one, wont be buying a copy tomorrow and I dont intend to do so ever again. If the IN do make any attempt to close down the PQ I think we should fight fire with fire and initiate a boycott of the paper.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Stray:

    Ive been on the site for wget. There is no *.exe file. It just shows super-3.30.0-tar.gz.

    sourceforge wget

    any help would be appreciated, when a download tar.gz nothing will open it. Its open source and I think it may be linux.!!!!!!!!.

    Anthony:

    Nice to see some people are taking an interest.

    ReplyDelete
  27. It'sjust,

    tar balls are linux (easy to extract...)

    This might help.. website copier

    Or this How to unpack a tar file in windows

    ReplyDelete
  28. itsjustmacker:

    This link gives you an exe file to run:

    http://sourceforge.net/projects/gnuwin32/files/wget/1.11.4-1/

    I'd go for the second one on that list. Hopefully that should work. (I have no access to Windows machines, alas, just an old hacker stuck in his ways.)

    I'd be surprised if winZip doesn't open tar.gz files (which is my preferred archiving format, tar standing for Tape ARchive (that is how old it is from!) and gz is a compression algorithm, but I digress...)

    The good thing about wget is that it converts the links, consider my mirror:

    http://venusastarte.com/thepensivequill.am/

    If you hover over any of the links you'll see they all start with 'venusastarte.com', so all on my West Coast US server.

    Give it a go, I'll be about some of the afternoon, but have to go fighting later on. Take the boy out of the Province, but not the etcetc...

    ReplyDelete
  29. Robert,

    as far as I can see the editor of the Irish News was never inclined to genuinely discuss the matter. His idea of discussion was to get me to agree to censor the blog otherwise he would take legal action. It was a shielded ultimatum. If he wants us censored he will have to do it himself and then we will circumvent the censorship.

    They had the audacity to send a censor lawyer after us and at the same time demand we not publish the fact. Well that sort of blew up in their faces.

    They must think they have judicial authority issuing their orders 'not for publication.' We decide what is for publication, not the Irish News or the censor lawyer. We are threatening you but you are not allowed to tell anybody is not going to work here.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Don't be getting shut down, I enjoy reading the posts from you and your contributors. I don't agree with it all, but I feel beeter for reading it.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Just hoking through a few bits and bobs that've been buried at the back of the wardrobe (another forlorn attempt at a clear-out being made) and came across the first edition of Fourthwrite. Reading it here as we speak and already the first thing to jump out at me is to be found in the final phrase in the editorial - "let us be done with censorship". Anthony and Carrie that was 2000, thirteen years on and your message has never changed. People like myself have nothing but respect for you guys and I just want to express mine and my full support for you's here on the Quill. As someone who's not only availed of the opportunity to write my thoughts and perspectives down but has been actively encouraged and prompted to do so by your good selves to begin with then of course anything I can do to help is not even an ask at all

    ReplyDelete
  32. An idea would be to pick a date about 4 weeks from now put it out everywhere through blogs, forums, facebook,twitter etc and ask every republican here in Ireland to boycott buying the Irish News for a week or 2, contact all the groups out there from societies/RNU/32s/IRSP/RSF/Eirigi independant republicans and whoever else believes the Irish News are gonna try and quash TPQ with their unlimited bank balance and bully boy tactics and lets just see how much this boycott makes noel doran look again at his foolish persecution of AM and the quill and how much it would affect his paper and his bank account if he carried on with this legal action, people would be surprised if we all pulled together to actually put this into practice, if you take the anti internment march that was up in Belfast recently, there were 5000 people on the falls road at one stage regardless of others estimation,if those 5000 people decided to support this boycott then i make it and i hope im right here lol that over a 2 week period they would go to the loss of £70,000, you put that into context of a longer period of time and the Irish News and noel doran will will be clasping their heads in their hands wondering why they ever decided to get involved in allison morris and her cohorts debacle,Aas i said only and idea,,right is on our side, support AM and TPQ

    ReplyDelete
  33. Wee bit of good news-

    According to twitter-[don't laugh]-
    Colonel Ted Loden the company commander of the Bloody sunday paras has been shot dead in Nairobi
    during a robbery whilst visiting his son-

    According to me that's one less bastard in the world-

    ReplyDelete
  34. Stew that's a brilliant idea and one worth looking into by all concerned

    ReplyDelete
  35. Kev,

    bending at the knee and obliging censorship would be a foolish endevour. I wouldn’t look at it as so much as saving a blog but as an unhealthy precedent if the Irish News is granted the power to eliminate what it does not like what next for News Papers?
    Will they feel free to dismantle any blog they feel is not toeing their line?
    I paid for my computer I pay for my internet service so why should I agree with the Irish News and read only what they deem as fit for publication that in a manner defeats the purpose of the internet.

    As a long time reader and commenter I will support the stand the quill has taken.
    The Irish News attempt at enforcing censorship is a bigger issue than attempting to silence a blog and should be opposed at all lengths.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Anthony,

    'They must think they have judicial authority issuing their orders 'not for publication.'

    The extrajudicial nature of that instruction had caught my eye. Seems to me that the words spaghetti bolognese would have conveyed as much legal authority and as it has turned out proved as equally ineffective.

    'We will simply play whackamole with him.'

    That description, which had me howling with laughter, sums up the enormity of the task facing the censorial mob. This is a fantastic forum that I trust they will find as portable as Gutenberg's press and you an illusively 'Pensive Pimpernel'.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Robert,

    thanks for your kind description of the site. The Pensive Pimpernel has an attractive feel to it. Maybe yet ...

    We get all sorts of everything here ranging form the serious to the bizarre, the constructive to the nihilistic, but I think we do provide a service and we facilitate all points of view.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Frankie:

    Thanks for that link , mirroring as I type.

    Stray:

    Clicked on your link , worked fine.

    I use win rar pro, It extracted everything perfectly, NO *.exe in the package.

    I then went to your second link and downloaded the one you sugested, extracted and clicked on Setup, all went well untill I clicked on programs and went to open the *.exe, The only thing visible was the uninstaller. But not to worry, I have the program from Frankie's link and it is working as I type.

    Thanks for your Help.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Back in the ring again. You never choose to fight the wee guy, always the big bruisers. Threatening you is like waving a red flag to a bull especially when you think you are right. And you have a great corner man/woman in Carrie. Remember the old Ali maxim: Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.

    ReplyDelete
  40. itsjustmacker/Frankie:

    Ah, httrack, I remember that. I grabbed their source from svn...and boy, I thought I was old school, but I'd never write that sort of thing in C...

    I presume the windows variant comes pre-built, and you don't need to compile it from source.

    Wait, I am digressing again. Glad you got it sorted, Windows isn't my bag, sorry.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Stray,

    I stopped using Bad Billy Boy Gates a good while back..Migrated to Ubuntu a few yrs ago, discovered Backtrack and now use Kali-Linux.

    Back to the subject in hand..I'm going to 'mirror' this site tonight several times..

    It'sjust..Glad to be of service.

    What I find laughable is the British Gov. couldn't silence Blanket men, what makes The Irish News and their team of lawyers think they'll be successful? Fella's you are fighting a losing battle..The TPQ will continue in some format (unless Anthony & Carrie decide to pull the plug themselves..)

    Are Fido & Daniel different cheeks of the same arse? I don't know. But for a youth worker to bring kids into an adult debate is very low. What they (Fido & Daniel) should do Is eat some humble pie and say "Sorry' to Anthony, Carrie and their kids..

    A question for Noel Doran & Ms Morris..Why don't you both take Anthony on in his own back yard and put your argument here on the TPQ? If I was in your position..I would.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Stray : Frankie:

    This one is one hell of a slow program 7h 45m to mirror 2,42 GB and still running.

    I had Ubuntu but din't like it one bit. shutting this thing down now, will continue the Mirroring tomorrow at some time.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Pauline mentioned earlier about residents in galliagh had to set up a website to get round media censorship in Derry.

    www.galliaghresidents.co.nr

    For some reason those in 'positions of authority' didn't like publication of documents, or the pointing ot of their double standards, or having the micky taken out of them Kinda reminds me of something!

    Keep up the good work!

    ReplyDelete
  44. Anthony, Carrie & TPQ family,
    Know that you have supporters around the world. I nothing but have the utmost respect for your courage and integrity.
    Am doing as requested with said articles.
    Was wondering if you have you tried Cryptome? They might publish the legal letter along with the articles mentioned if also given a synopsis of the ramifications of the Irish News/Boston College insanity.
    Be strong,
    ragman

    ReplyDelete
  45. Just returned from the Leitrim hills to re-supply my dwindling stock of waterboots, the damage the back legs those fuckin sheep do is unbelievable,my visit to TPQ this morning was like a fix to a truth junkie,so it was with more than a tinge of sadness and anger that I read how those who control and work for the Vatican Times aka The Irish News are still pursuing a despicable and personal vendetta against Anthony/Carrie and the open and frank debating forum that is TPQ ,as a daily reader of bits of this castle catholic production I have followed its antics on a daily basis for over forty years now , more for what was not said than actually looking for information, or the truth, anyone seeking the truth about norn iorn affairs and further afield would need to be a member of the legion of Mary or a stoop /stickie to buy some of the pro brit crap that emanates from that publication,having said that there have been some great commentators in this paper over the years Susan Mc Cann was an example,I have been buying this paper before the present editor and a few commentators were employed and hopefully will be there when then get shafted as they usually do,there is usually so much quisling $inn £ein and religious crap thrown in with the liar Morris,s garbage that its hard to find a clean piece to wipe ones arse with, Pauline stated in an earlier comment that" censorship is wrong plain and simple"I ,d go as far as saying that its fucking dangerous, we need only look at the example of the so called big two parties in power here and their methods of control,censorship being a key component. the Red Sky affair would never have seen daylight had arch bigot Mc Causland gotten his way ans Q$£ have made censorship into a dark art in the manner of the brit bosses. so Anthony a cara they may hack at the tree trunk but the roots are firmly planted and new shoots will keep sprouting, my advice is fuck them write away a cara...

    ReplyDelete
  46. Sitting reading this as its unfolded thinking what can I do beyond a few words posted here. So as from today as an individual protest I wont be buying the irish news, and I'll be telling the family they are to do the same. if the irish news sorts itself I may think again, might be only a few shillings from the back arse of here to them, but when you hit businesses in the pocket it can help to make them change their tune.

    ReplyDelete
  47. Eddie,
    Fair play to you! You are sincere in all your dealings and I expect you expect a bit more from your daily read.
    I bought the Irish News this morning but I would be quite happy to go along with Stew's suggestion of boycott!
    Itsjustmacker provided a better alternative for me, let them know they cannot be absolved from everything just because the paper has been part of our daily lives.
    Censorship is up there will all the other underhand low level gimmicks and should not be tolerated.

    ReplyDelete
  48. Felt odd not buying the Irish News this morning for the first time I can recall.

    It's a good paper with some excellent journalists and articles and I will miss it.

    However, I cannot in good conscience purchase it whilst it is involved in attempted censorship against this website.

    Recalling Anthony's previous battle with another publication I am sure this fight will go the distance but would much prefer some sense from The Irish News and a deseculation of needless hostilities.

    ReplyDelete
  49. AM-

    Is it my dopy lap-top or my eyes or
    whatever but is the site called the Quensive Quill-

    Bought the Irish News this morning and lighting has still has not struck me-

    ReplyDelete
  50. SeamusMc,

    it may only be a few words posted that seem lost in the vastness of the internet but there is a building solidarity growing against censorship.
    Even if we only post a few words opposing censorship they all add up to one voice defending the right to free speech.

    ReplyDelete
  51. Kev cant say that I agree with you a cara re the good journalism,the paper has some excellent commentators,and some crap ones, the stringers or journalists are a match,if the Vatican Times was not dispensing the latest who fell of the perch details with subsequent memorials which is a nice little earner I must add, and the weekly god shite which has to be paid for,then the monoply this paper has in nationalist areas would be severely diminished, it is indeed a useful paper I use it for washing the windows and keeping worms in,I for one remember how this establishment publication treated republicans in the darkest days,and Gorbels Gibney is now testimony just how fickle that papers principles really are. its a case of whatever which way the wind blows just the same as the shit that passes for political representatives here.

    ReplyDelete
  52. Michaelhenry,

    your eyes are fine. Stay tuned

    ReplyDelete
  53. I think a boycott has to be a personal act rather than an organised effort because in many ways it too becomes an act of censorship. The anonymous pressure of the group kicks in and people who do buy it feel under pressure not to. I think people should be allowed to both read and write what they like. The more widely they read the better. I was not pleased when Peter Robinson called on people not to read the Irish News because it asked him the type of question the media should ask politicians. I personally would not call on people not to read something.

    ReplyDelete
  54. Include a comment here and they'll soon get the message...

    https://www.facebook.com/IrishNewsLtd

    ReplyDelete
  55. I choose to boycott the Irish News and choose also to stop reading it.. Your position in relation to boycott is not only typical Mackers but also admirable.

    Therefore, Mackers I am submitting my weekly stargazing piece as prt of my CV for a not too distant job vacancy or three at the Irish News.

    This present matter will go beyond viral with or without any assistance and sadly the outcome will be more detrimental to the long "established" news publication.

    There will also follow endeavours extra-ordinaire to shut the gates long after the horse has bolted but too little too late. There will be a massive implosion within the Donegall Street "Fiefdom". The implosion will bring about a new change - yes, new faces in the same places. Even a blind man on a galloping horse can see this one coming ..

    Irish News: Job vacancies page for some will make the saddest reading soon .. ..

    ReplyDelete
  56. Re-my post , Email to Irish News.

    I would just like to state that this Email was sent to me , and , I assumed it was sent to The Irish News as well.

    I received another one this afternoon, asking if I have forwarded the original one to The Irish News, I hasten to say, I was astonished at such a request.

    I have to state , I have no intention of forwarding such an Email to the Irish News, Which would leave me open to Criminal Charges , and , Annon ymous should know this.

    Sorry Anthony , But, I don't fancy getting charged with Threatening to bring Irish News Web site down.

    ReplyDelete
  57. Itsjustmacker,

    I read your earlier comment and did not see it as a threat to bring down the Irish News website. Had it have been construed as such I would have asked you to reword. It would be daft trying to bring a website down in the middle of a battle aimed at stopping them bringing this one down.

    We do allow for the occasional rush of blood to the head here. But to put your mind at ease I have removed the comment.

    ReplyDelete
  58. Anthony:

    I should have stated that it was sent to me in my original post, by "Annon" "ymous" with numbers after the "Surname", sounds Greek to me! ,You didn't have to take it down because I have not forwarded it to the Irish News Editor , but I will stand by your decision.

    ReplyDelete
  59. Itsjustmacker,

    I removed it not because it was advocating Jihad against the Irish News, which it wasn't, but to save you any concern. It is done now.

    ReplyDelete
  60. Frankie, that e mail address didn't work. It bounced back

    ReplyDelete
  61. It'sjust,

    I read the email before you pulled it. And to the person/s behind it, 'you' don't need the number's talked about to bring down a site. All you need is a 'rogue trader' and you can crash any website . I wouldn't advise it. Ethically it's wrong and also illegal.

    If anyone thinks that by flooding The Irish News with loads of beacons , helps AM's case in any way, think again. It actually goes against what AM is standing up against (censorship). And play's into the hands of Noel Doran & Co..

    Best bet is simply, if you agree with AM's stand, then don't by the paper & don't read it.

    ReplyDelete
  62. from Michaelhenry

    michaelhenry said...

    Like Fionnuala I read the Irish news daily-I also read the newsletter daily even though you can read most of it on the web-there are some good/great journalists/commentators in the Irish News paper and they should not be tainted by the mistakes/bluffs/threats of the editor and its XXXX reporter-most of us like the news and want to know whats going on or what somebodys point of view is-what we don't need is the constant lies from a few that shines a dark light on a otherwise bright news outlet-

    If a switch is pulled AM-how do we find the Quill mark 2-just asking because I mostly have not got a glue how the lap-top works-

    ReplyDelete