From Last Sunday's Observer
29/06/07 23:03 Filed in: General
Nonsense
[Highlights
mine]
I dare, double dare, fuckin' triple dare "Hugo Potter" to go around Hackballscross on a Saturday night, wearing a t-shirt visibly bearing the legend "Hackballscross is British."
I dare, double dare, fuckin' triple dare "Hugo Potter" to go around Hackballscross on a Saturday night, wearing a t-shirt visibly bearing the legend "Hackballscross is British."
|
iPhone Fever Hits America
Tomorrow
is iDay - the day that the American public finally
get the chance to get their hands on the new
wonder-gadget from Apple - the iPhone.
Here are a few predictions for what will happen over the course of the next couple of days or so.
Highly Likely
Highly Improbable
In the meantime, from the essential "Secret Diary of Steve Jobs":
"Woman trades her child for spot at front of iPhone line"
and from iPhone Matters
"Dinner in Cupertino, June 28th, 2007"
And last but not least, David Pogue's review of the iPhone for the New York Times:
Here are a few predictions for what will happen over the course of the next couple of days or so.
Highly Likely
- AT&T's network grinds to a halt as thousands of new iPhone owners try to access their Web 2.0 resources on AT&T's decidedly un-Web 2.0 EDGE network.
- The first loss of an iPhone to a mugger will happen within an hour of the first one being sold.
- Some socially-retarded geek will record in his blog: "Jeez, man. I got this iPhone, like, three hours ago, and I still haven't gotten laid."
- Paris Hilton's name will be ignored by the main networks for at least an hour.
- Authors of "What's Hot/What's Not" lists in newspapers and magazines will trip over themselves to declare the iPhone "soooo last Tuesday."
- All stock will sell out within the first hour, meaning that several people who were camped outside their local Apple Store for days will be turned away empty-handed.
- Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer will lock himself in his study with his Zune, and pretend to ignore everything to do with the iPhone.
- On Saturday morning, Bono will walk in to his local newsagent in Dalkey, yakking into an iPhone, the only one in Ireland.
- After gaining massively, based on several months of iPhone hype and supposition, Apple's share price will fall once the mythical gadget becomes a reality.
- Several complaints will be made about the device, regarding missing features that Apple never claimed the phone would have in the first place.
- Pacific Catch, the San Francisco restaurant featured in the first iPhone ad, will be booked out for the next year.
Highly Improbable
- During the three-hour closure of the US Apple Stores tomorrow afternoon in preparation for the launch, huge Post-its will appear on the doors of all of them, bearing the legend "We'll be back soon"
- At 6 pm, Steve Jobs will appear on giant screens in all US Apple Stores, and declare "Fooled you all!! There is no iPhone. We just wanted to see how much you would believe. Instead, we are going to offer 30% off selected educational software!"
- George Ou, Rob Enderle and David Maynor will all slaver over the device and extol its virtues on their respective blogs.
In the meantime, from the essential "Secret Diary of Steve Jobs":
"Woman trades her child for spot at front of iPhone line"
and from iPhone Matters
"Dinner in Cupertino, June 28th, 2007"
And last but not least, David Pogue's review of the iPhone for the New York Times:
It's All My Fault!
28/06/07 22:34 Filed in: General
Nonsense
I have a
confession to make. All this rain we have been
having for the last three weeks - it's all because
of me.
Here's why. Sunday 10 June was a nice day. We had been in Dublin overnight and came back home that afternoon. I nipped out to get a few bits and pieces from Lidl on Canal Road, and there I saw it. It radiated €24.99-ey appeal. My wife and I said that if either of us saw one at that sort of price, we should buy one. Now that we had a garden we could use one.
And so I did. I bought it there and then and paid for it in cold hard cash.
A barbecue.
I brought it home and patiently put its 100-odd pieces together. (Well, that's not exactly true. I put enough of it together that it can work safely and effectively. The rest I'll put together when I have time. Or not.) We cooked two striploin steaks on it that evening and they were divine. Th following morning, I wheeled it into the shed, and there it has stayed undisturbed ever since.
In the intervening three weeks, we have barely had a dry evening here in Port', never mind a sunny one, and therefore no chance to use our new barbecue. If I hadn't bought it, we would be melting in the sun by now.
Here's why. Sunday 10 June was a nice day. We had been in Dublin overnight and came back home that afternoon. I nipped out to get a few bits and pieces from Lidl on Canal Road, and there I saw it. It radiated €24.99-ey appeal. My wife and I said that if either of us saw one at that sort of price, we should buy one. Now that we had a garden we could use one.
And so I did. I bought it there and then and paid for it in cold hard cash.
A barbecue.
I brought it home and patiently put its 100-odd pieces together. (Well, that's not exactly true. I put enough of it together that it can work safely and effectively. The rest I'll put together when I have time. Or not.) We cooked two striploin steaks on it that evening and they were divine. Th following morning, I wheeled it into the shed, and there it has stayed undisturbed ever since.
In the intervening three weeks, we have barely had a dry evening here in Port', never mind a sunny one, and therefore no chance to use our new barbecue. If I hadn't bought it, we would be melting in the sun by now.
Un. Be. Lievable.
The above is apparently a real ad for Microsoft's iPod rival, the Zune. It purports to demonstrate the joys of "squirting", where one Zune user can transfer a music file to another via the devices' WiFi capability.
Fake Steve:
Best part is that the dopes at Microsoft creamed their jeans over it. Seriously, this has to be the lamest advertisement ever made. It looks like two dicks trading genital warts.
Some Tech Stuff
New
iPhone demo video on the US Apple
site. About 20 minutes long it's available in
three different file sizes and also for
download. Damn, it's one nice piece of kit.
"Folksomony" is the most hated web-related neologism, according to a report in The Register.
WordPress is fast becoming the favoured blogging platform of many Irish bloggers. [I use it for my Mac and Rugby blogs.] This guy is not impressed with WordPress's approach to security [via DF]
"Folksomony" is the most hated web-related neologism, according to a report in The Register.
WordPress is fast becoming the favoured blogging platform of many Irish bloggers. [I use it for my Mac and Rugby blogs.] This guy is not impressed with WordPress's approach to security [via DF]
Useless Advice
22/06/07 18:10 Filed in: General
Nonsense
From
RTE:
Given that the average motorist in Dublin this evening is travelling at the speed of a snail with a zimmer frame trying to cross a sheet of sandpaper, how are you supposed to "reduce speed"? Getting out and walking would actually increase your speed.
Motorists are being strongly advised to reduce speed and be mindful of pedestrians, cyclists & motorcyclists following heavy rain in Dublin this afternoon.
Given that the average motorist in Dublin this evening is travelling at the speed of a snail with a zimmer frame trying to cross a sheet of sandpaper, how are you supposed to "reduce speed"? Getting out and walking would actually increase your speed.
Ye Tangled Webbe
20/06/07 23:58 Filed in: Blogging
| General
Nonsense
And The Lesson For Today Is…
20/06/07 21:40 Filed in: Blogging
…don't fuck
with a high profile blogger like Damien Mulley.
The story starts here, then is followed up here, here and here, until finally we arrive at today's bizarre twist.
If you're a blogger, link back to today's post.
The story starts here, then is followed up here, here and here, until finally we arrive at today's bizarre twist.
If you're a blogger, link back to today's post.
The UnLaoised Groove Supply, Volume 13
19/06/07 22:21 Filed in: UnLaoised
Groove Supply | Music
It's only
recently that I have started to listen to Radiohead
to any great degree. I missed out on them initially
when they first became known, mainly because I was
living in rural France and didn't buy a single
album for nearly 18 months. By the time I had
re-established a music-buying habit, they were big
time and I wasn't really interested in big time
acts.
Their performance at Glastonbury ten years ago was seen as one of the great sets at the festival, and as Glastonbury is on again this weekend, I thought this might be appropriate.
Their performance at Glastonbury ten years ago was seen as one of the great sets at the festival, and as Glastonbury is on again this weekend, I thought this might be appropriate.
Linky Stuff
19/06/07 22:03 Filed in: General
Nonsense
Gallup survey reveals that a majority
of US Republicans doubt the theory of
evolution. Next week, Gallup
will poll their opinions on the existence or
otherwise of the tooth fairy and Santa Claus,
and the theory that babies are delivered by
storks.
New localised YouTube sites, including an Irish one.
The last thing I expected from a new Green cabinet minister was a call to have a clear and rational debate about nuclear power. Two cheers at least for Eamon Ryan.
This case of the body in the fish-shop freezer room in Galway just gets more bizarre by the day.
Taste of Dublin appears to have gone well, despite the awful weather. On Thursday evening, when it was being lashed by wind and rain, the name "Gastronbury" was coined.
Oh, fuck. Here we go again.
Damien posted a vid yesterday of Rufus Wainwright performing Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah", but i.m.h.o. it ain't a patch on Jeff Buckley's interpretation.
New localised YouTube sites, including an Irish one.
The last thing I expected from a new Green cabinet minister was a call to have a clear and rational debate about nuclear power. Two cheers at least for Eamon Ryan.
This case of the body in the fish-shop freezer room in Galway just gets more bizarre by the day.
Taste of Dublin appears to have gone well, despite the awful weather. On Thursday evening, when it was being lashed by wind and rain, the name "Gastronbury" was coined.
Oh, fuck. Here we go again.
Damien posted a vid yesterday of Rufus Wainwright performing Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah", but i.m.h.o. it ain't a patch on Jeff Buckley's interpretation.
"This Fat Bloke Walks Up To The Pearly Gates…"
18/06/07 23:46 Filed in: General
Nonsense
Some New Photos
17/06/07 23:23 Filed in: Photos
Happy Fathers Day
Tomorrow
(17 June) is Fathers Day (never sure where to put
the apostrophe in that, so I'm leaving it out.)
It's the first one for me, so I'm looking forward
to being spoiled for the day 
Anyway, to all the following blogging Dads, I wish the best for the day:
Kav
Tom
Maca
Rambling Man
Mick, Gonzo, et al
Frank
Willie Joe
Conor
And apologies and best wishes to all I have left out!
Anyway, to all the following blogging Dads, I wish the best for the day:
Kav
Tom
Maca
Rambling Man
Mick, Gonzo, et al
Frank
Willie Joe
Conor
And apologies and best wishes to all I have left out!
Wrap The Green Flag Around Me, Boys!
13/06/07 22:17 Filed in: Election
2007 |
Politics
Hopefully it will work, because political instability is not a desirable state of affairs.
Many on the (funda)mentalist wing of the Greens (and their buddies in the People Before Profit Alliance) are seething. Several of them were airing their views on the radio this evening. The issues that seem to exercise them most were the US military's use of Shannon and the co-location of private hospitals on public land.
The Shannon thing first. OK, so we all know that the US/UK invasion of Iraq wasn't a good idea, but they are in there now and are operating under a UN mandate. We can't turn back the clock, nor can the US just leave without clearing up the mess. Just deal with it.
Co-location: Now I'm not a fan of the PDs or anything, but I believe that Mary Harney has actually been doing a good job at Health. The problems in our health service will not be solved just by throwing money at it, but instead by using the resources we invest in the service more effectively. This means taking on the vested interests, tackling the inefficiencies, facing up to the unions, and enlisting the private sector in areas where they can do a better job than the public sector. Co-location is one of these areas. But the attitude from some quarters is that the private sector is intrinsically evil and must be kept away as a matter of principle. But if the way is made clear for the private sector to get beds onstream quickly, they will do it because demand for private beds is huge. And if private patients are in private beds, that means that public beds are freed up for public patients, leading to shorter waiting times. Locating private and public hospitals alongside one another also makes sense in that facilities can be shared, lowering the investment needed for the public service and also the cost to the private patients.
Deb-unked
08/06/07 23:09 Filed in: Blogging
| General
Nonsense
I was in
SuperValu yesterday and saw this on the magazine
shelves:
"Surely", I thought, "Blogorrah is onto this already." It had everything that ticks their boxes - vapid nonsense, a new publishing venture and a picture of one of Blogorrah's favourite Lovely Girls™ Pippa O'Connor. (See what reading Blogorrah does to you? You learn the names of all the "top Irish models." Incidentally, check out this guy's Bebo page, he's carrying something for the lovely Pippa.)
Anyways, they did not let me down. So it got me thinking, if a magazine about the Debs could be a success, so too could one about the annual First Communion circus. So here's where I make my fortune.
(Incidentally, the "Court Injunction" gag is based on a story I heard recently about a woman in Naas who demanded of a shop in the town that they withdraw from sale the same dress her daughter was going to wear on her big day. The woman had gone to Dublin especially to buy the dress, and was distraught that a local shop could have the cheek to source the same one.)
"Surely", I thought, "Blogorrah is onto this already." It had everything that ticks their boxes - vapid nonsense, a new publishing venture and a picture of one of Blogorrah's favourite Lovely Girls™ Pippa O'Connor. (See what reading Blogorrah does to you? You learn the names of all the "top Irish models." Incidentally, check out this guy's Bebo page, he's carrying something for the lovely Pippa.)
Anyways, they did not let me down. So it got me thinking, if a magazine about the Debs could be a success, so too could one about the annual First Communion circus. So here's where I make my fortune.
(Incidentally, the "Court Injunction" gag is based on a story I heard recently about a woman in Naas who demanded of a shop in the town that they withdraw from sale the same dress her daughter was going to wear on her big day. The woman had gone to Dublin especially to buy the dress, and was distraught that a local shop could have the cheek to source the same one.)
Gobshite Politics
07/06/07 23:47 Filed in: Election
2007 |
Politics
I
was chided by a commenter
the
other day for referring to Jackie Healy-Rae as a
'gobshite'. In truth, it was probably a bit
unfair to single out JH-R, because I tend to
consider
all Independent TDs as
gobshites.
Independents are a symptom of our clientilist political process. It is true that they are probably the hardest working politicians in the country, as they have to do as many favours as possible to as many constituents as possible in order tokeep their snouts in the
trough stay elected.
But we elect our TDs to Dáil Eireann to legislate for the whole state, not just for the constituency for which they are elected. And this is where Independents are at fault. During the 28th Dáil (1997-2002) the government sought to have Kerry included as an Objective 1 area for EU subsidy funding. They did this under pressure from Jackie Healy-Rae, who was supporting the minority government at the time. We lost a lot of respect in EU circles for that little stunt.
Independents are a symptom of our clientilist political process. It is true that they are probably the hardest working politicians in the country, as they have to do as many favours as possible to as many constituents as possible in order to
But we elect our TDs to Dáil Eireann to legislate for the whole state, not just for the constituency for which they are elected. And this is where Independents are at fault. During the 28th Dáil (1997-2002) the government sought to have Kerry included as an Objective 1 area for EU subsidy funding. They did this under pressure from Jackie Healy-Rae, who was supporting the minority government at the time. We lost a lot of respect in EU circles for that little stunt.
She's Starting To Move
Big changes
in the little 'un over the last few weeks. She's
getting around. Not exactly crawling yet, more
bum-shuffling, but she can still move. She's
getting down on all fours, so the crawling proper
will start any day now.
Needless to say, this brings new challenges. Aoife now has a more, erm, intimate relationship with the kitchen floor than heretofore, so that means that we have to be much more vigilant in terms of keeping it clean. We also have one of these shiny Brabantia bins. Aoife has discovered her reflection in it and has taken to high-fiving it.
Meanwhile, I have become Milton Man. We don't want to raise Aoife in such a sterile environment that she cannot develop immunity, but we want to be sure that she isn't going to pick anything up because of our negligence.
Needless to say, this brings new challenges. Aoife now has a more, erm, intimate relationship with the kitchen floor than heretofore, so that means that we have to be much more vigilant in terms of keeping it clean. We also have one of these shiny Brabantia bins. Aoife has discovered her reflection in it and has taken to high-fiving it.
Meanwhile, I have become Milton Man. We don't want to raise Aoife in such a sterile environment that she cannot develop immunity, but we want to be sure that she isn't going to pick anything up because of our negligence.
FF/Green Talks
The Greens
are insisting on a new form of
chauffeur-driven transport
if they
are to coalesce with Fianna Fáil
