Monthly Archives: February 2013

SBPGavin

Gavin

Gavin Sheridan (above), known as the FOI-nator for his repeated requests for documents under the freedom of information act, will today learn if Nama and Anglo/IBRC are considered ‘public authorities’ under an EU directive, known as Access to Information on the Environment (AIE) Regulations.

It’s been a three-year campaign for Gavin, who told his story in the most recent edition of the Sunday Business Post magazine (above), saying:

“Without adequate access to information, all citizens do not have proper freedom of expression, and we all suffer as a result. If we really want a reformed Ireland, and to learn from the lessons of the past, we must make a decision: secrecy or transparency? And if we choose the latter it must come from the top down. Anything less and we are doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past.”

 

Fair play though. In fairness.

More here.

Update:

 

Nama Loses Information Appeal (Irish Times)

soap

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYDfrqkjugc

Wikipedia sez:

At temperatures below about −25 °C (−13 °F), bubbles will freeze in the air and may shatter when hitting the ground. When a bubble is blown with warm air, the bubble will freeze to an almost perfect sphere at first, but when the warm air cools, and a reduction in volume occurs, there will be a partial collapse of the bubble. A bubble, created successfully at this low temperature, will always be rather small; it will freeze quickly and will shatter if increased further.

That’s what we thought.

Previously: What Happens When You Throw Boiling Water Out The Window On A -41°C Day?

yahoo

 

pensions

The Government plans special legislation to cut the pensions of the highest-paid former public servants by some 5 per cent.

Although the move is part of a general cut in all public pensions above €32,500, the greatest reductions will be imposed on senior figures who held high public office and those who led State and other public institutions.

Those affected by the measure include former taoisigh Bertie Ahern, Brian Cowen, John Bruton and Albert Reynolds and many members of the previous government.

Mr Ahern and Mr Cowen will see their pensions cut to €142,655 from €150,163 under the move; Mr Reynolds’s pension will drop to €141,513 from €148,961;and Mr Bruton’s pension will fall to €134,728 from €141,819.

How will they get by?

Former top public servants face 5% pension cut (Arthur Beesley, Martin Wall, Pamela Duncan, Irish Times)

(Laura Hutton, Eamonn Farrell/Photocall Ireland)