To lighten the tone, here's a special xmas episode of the FKN news.
I think we all need a laugh after the miserable year that we've had so far courtesy of FG/labour.

WARNING:
If you are easily offended, very religious, lacking in a sense of humour, overly serious, or alternatively, pride yourself on how highly intellectual and sophisticated you are then might I humbly suggest you don't click on the video. You probably have better things to be doing!

Best wishes
wageslave (personal capacity)

Below we reproduce a handwritten communication we received from one of the members of the Peace Team that sabotaged a US troop transporter at Shannon warport last Tuesday morning, 20th December 2011. We have verified that this person participated in this action.

Shannon Links: Timeline of activity: MASS ANTI-WAR TRESPASS AT SHANNON WARPORT | War Monitoring continues while Dubsky trial starts Mass Demonstration at Shannon Warport | Peace Activist VS US Military Jet | Another 5 go airside in Ploughshares action at Shannon Airport | Good Friday Resistance at Shannon Airport | Mary Kelly Trial
Related Links: OPPORTUNITY MISSED - Pentagon Documents reveal U.S. military were willing to abandon Ireland as a... | Do some deaths matter more than others? | New study on Iraqi deaths | RTÉ & Iraqi civilian casualties | “Why did you kill my brother? We’re not terrorists. We didn’t do anything to you”

Fair Hotels is an initiative of hotel workers employed in Fair Hotels throughout Ireland and trade union representatives. Hotels listed on www.fairhotels.ie were invited to participate in the Fair Hotels campaign by their own staff and their staffs' representatives. Each of the hotels listed on www.fairhotels.ie has agreed to participate. Our objective is to support and promote quality employment in the hotel industry in Ireland.

Related Links:
Fair Hotels Website | Siptu Fair Hotels Iniative (from Cedar Lounge Revolution) | New Ethical Template for Quality Jobs (from Mandate.ie)

Who's Endorsing Fair Hotels:
IUF - Uniting Food, Farm and Hotel Workers World-Wide | Irish Congress of Trade Unions | Trade Union Congress | Fairtrade Mark Ireland | National Women's Council of Ireland | Consumers Association of Ireland | Lynch Hotels | Irish Federation of University Teachers | Migrant Rights Centre Ireland | Immigrant Council of Ireland | Community Platform | Sport Against Racism Ireland | Hotel Solutions

The Occupy movement has grown steadily in the past 4 weeks in Ireland. It is part of the global Occupy movement. As to what it is about is best summed up by the OccupyGalway statement:

Occupy Galway is part of the international movement against austerity measures imposed on ordinary people around the world. We are all part of the 99% who, so far, have been subject to economic inequality and social injustice from the 1% who control the world's resources. We, the 99% demand:
1 - The removal of the IMF and ECB from all Irish financial affairs;
2 - That the national debt imposed on Irish people from the bank bailouts be lifted;
3 - The return of Irish resources (gas, oil, forestry) to the people of Ireland;
4 - Real particpatory democracy.

THIS IS NOT A RECESSION, IT'S A ROBBERY!!!

Related Links: Tahir comes to Spain |helicopters, gunshots, riot vans screaming, armed cavalcade blocked and turned away... M15 > J15 |The American Revolution is underway, #occupywallstreet takes it to the belly of the beast | Occupy Dame Street - Oct 8th - Bring tent | Occupy:#OccupyDameStreet | #OccupyCork | #OccupyGalway | #OccupyBelfast | #OccupyWaterford | #OccupyLetterkenny Other Links: An Analysis Of The OccupyWallStreet (OWS) Movement in USA
UK Occupy: News review with Occupy Bristol | As the Occupations go Global, Nine are Ongoing in the UK

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ROCKY ROAD TO DUBLIN

"it shall be for the house (Dail and Senate) to determine the appropriate balance between the rights of persons and the public interest..." Okay this is pretty basic - A referendum is needed every time a government wishes to change our constitution - this is because the constitution theoretically exists to protect people from the excesses of any government i.e. any elected government can only work within the confines of what the constitution sets out. This means the constitution belongs to the citizens (i.e. us) not the Government. Whatever government is in power has to get our permission to change it. Lots of things in our constitution are outdated and need to be changed BUT and it's a big BUT we should be really careful of letting it be changed for trivial issues.

External Related Links:
Eight Former Attorney General Oppose Referendum | Dail Technical Group urging referendum No vote | Vote ‘Yes’ for political kangaroo courts | Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) in warning over 'kangaroo courts' | Green Party urges No vote | Vincent Browne: Why I will vote ‘no’ to this flawed referendum | Mary Davis (presidential candidate) to vote against 30th amendment

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