[ILUG] ireland offline 'strike'

[ccostelloe at flogas.ie]

> I'm simply trying to politely explain to you why I think > the blackout is a waste of time and resources that could > be better spent elsewhere. And I'm commenting, rather than > taking up my own campaign on this, in the hope that perhaps > you'll use those resources in the right direction.

I have to agree with Adam on this, though not for reasons he may like: the blackout idea may appear dumb - I doubt many will even think of not dialling-up on the day, and it is very difficult to see how a commercial web site could support it without it appearing self-contradictory, but the idea has already received coverage in the media, which is the real trick.  The coinage of politicians is votes, if it's not a "big" public issue that may sway voters, then there is no point writing to them.  Keeping the momentum up may be harder: a champion in the opposition is now needed to ask embarrasing questions in the Dail about the dilly-dallying of the minister and Etain.

It's actually irrelevant if it's not a success on the day: Offline can claim it as a success afterwards anyway, no-one will believe Eircom if they say it was not supported (no-one will believe them by definition), and Offline can get more coverage after the event, even if they have to tell some white lies.

Ciaran