Still alive

I've done the 400 miles.

I'll get around to putting up the days events in order (which is hard since the days tended to merge apart... it feels like I've been away for a month!).

Yesterday was a "rest" day. A lot of sitting down and pottering. Just as well I was away from work sinc eht ephrase "hard of thinking" could have applied all too well.

Anyway, for those interested, the collectors got €7500-ish on the streets and Motorola stumped up another €10,000 for the Marie Keating Foundation.

I'm off for tea and a clear head.

take care,
Will

Well I'm off

I'm about to head off to the great wet yonder... the rest of Munster.

The Tour de Munster means I'm going to be away from my warm computery friend. I don't know if I'll be able to get to a web cafe along the way.

I don't know if I'll be walking like John Wayne or Julian Clary after the 400 miles.

I do know that I'll give you guys the readers digest version.

"Went down hill. Went up hill. Oh it hurts. The pain. The chaffing. Oh the humanity. What still climbing"
-- The Libarian is standing behine my as I type. Poking fun and sharp objects at me.

That's what is NOT going to be here.
It should be however.

OK I'm moving...

take care,
Will

Overheard

Your humour has brought me a tear to my eyes, or I've been knee'ed in the groin.

Odd and oldly new

Microsoft are cutting back? Well it appears to be so. According to this article in Electric News, Microsoft are offering a cut back version of XP to Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and two other unspecified Asian countries.

"The pared-down version has retained a number of XP's standard features but differs in many ways from the full-price version. The home network option has been eliminated, graphics will be at a lower resolution and users will only be able to run three programmes simultaneously."

However it will have windows media player 9.
Read the article for details.

In other news, Agatha Christie will be making her way to your computer screens. According to Just Adventure, "Lee Sheldon has been hired by The Adventure Company (TAC) to write and design the first game under their recently acquired license for five games over the next six years based on Agatha Christie novels."

So expect M. Hercule Poirot to check your little grey dust bunnies between your keys.

take care,
Will

On the radio

"So what's you party piece?"
"I don't do anything, honest."
"No come on, what do you do after a few drinks?"
"Fall down."

News dump

Gentle reader,
Some news for you... Some of it old, some of it new.

Very new news. Snow Patrol is this week's number one in Ireland.

Also The Bodega have dropped their prices on minerals by 25% "which is a welcome development and one I hope we'll see much more of in Cork!" (Thanks for the info Dodgy)

This week the leaving cert results come out. Wednesday will be a challenge in town. Perhaps come quality DVD time is called for.

Taken from Hotpress but I don't think they'll mind. Brendan Bell at BBC Radio Ulster would like it known that he's actively looking for folk and traditional artists to review and/or interview on his 'Arts Extra' show – so if you could do with a plug, feel free to contact him directly on or by telephone at 048 90338091.

Very old news, but it might be of interest. The George Murphy single "The Moon going Home" is the song John Spillanne wrote for him to sing at the Eurovision. Murphy was knocked out before he had a chance to perform it. Would it have gotten more than 7 points?

Alphastates have a new single "Last Day Of Summer" due out on August 27.

Bonnie Prince Billy releases a new single, "Agnes, Queen Of Sorrow", on 27 August.

The Devlins released their 4th album, Waves, on August 6.

Cork DJs Greg Dowling and Shane Johnson have released a new single, Hey Mr California, on Dublin-based deep house label Blusoul.

The Frames announced a major headline gig to finish the summer. They will play Marlay Park, Dublin on Saturday 21 August with special guests including Supergrass, Bell X1, Idlewild and Halite.
The Hansard family release their new single the day before. Their Burn The Maps album is due out on September 17.

Mark Geary releases his new album, Ghosts, on 27 August. Written and recorded in the U.S., France and Ireland and touched by the frequently used Odlum brothers Ghosts is more on the upbeat and melodic side of Geary's work.

Halite release their second album, Courses, on October 1. Which is the day they play Cork.

Dublin based Large Mound released their second album, "Go Forth And Amplify", on this Wednesday 11 August.

Damien Rice released his B-Sides collection on Friday 13 of August on his own DRM label.
While there are no new songs on it, B-Sides collects the additional tracks from his last 4 international singles. In addition the UK radio edit version of "Cannonball" will be included on the Irish version.

Saucy Monky tour Ireland again in support of their new album Turbulence. On Friday September 10 they play Connolly's of Leap, West Cork and on Saturday September 11 they hit The Lobby. Yes I like them and if I'm able I'm intending on going.


Take care,
Will

Info Dump

Info Dump
Gentle reader,

Another Info Dump, with my usual opinions of what is good and worth seeing...
In chronological order...

August 18
Andy Irvine appears in the Lobby with friends. Lots of friends. James Fagan & Nancy Kerr and Kate Burke & Ruth Hazleton, two very talented duos. James is from Sydney and plays a mean bouzouki, while his partner, Nancy is a fiddle player and singer. Kate & Ruth, from Canberra, play guitars, bouzouki and fiddle.

August 20
I have to admit as interesting as this one sounds, I'm not that interested. Steve Wickham, best know for playing with The Waterboys, will be performing at Sirius Arts Centre with his brother Henry Wickham. I think it's blues and not folksy. If someone is going to this, let me know what it was like.

August 20, 21 and 22 (Friday - Sunday)
Kieran Goss Tickets €20. He's taking over the Lobby for the entire weekend.

September 3
In the Everyman (I assume the Theatre, not the bar, but it's possible) as part of Cork Folk Festival 2004 Peadar O Riada, John Spillane, Paddy Keenan & Tommy Sullivan, Jimmy Crowley, & Noel Hill perform in "Celebrating 25 years". This Friday starts at 8pm for €20.

September 4
A little different, so here's the mention. As part of the Cork Folk Festival 2004 South Parish Community Centre has a set dance workshop between 10.30am and 2.30pm.
And An Crúiscín Lán celebrates "Songsmiths" at 8.30pm with John Leo Carter, Katell Keinig, Paul Tiernan, Mary Greene, Gavin Moore and Tommy Sullivan

September 5
Alphastates play Club One in Cork city.
More from the Cork Folk Festival 2004; Everyman Palace 8pm: Mary Black, Pat Crowley and Bill Shanley + Laoise Kelly and Steve Cooney + Jackie Daly and Seamas Creagh.
A bit more fun seems to be the Cork Singers' Club with Ron Kavanagh at 9.30pm in An Spailpín Fánach.

September 8 and 9
Bic Runga returns Cork (most of her album was written in West Cork) this time in An Crúiscín Lán. Any idea if this is a return visit? Sussex-born Tom Baxter is her support.

September 10
Saucy Monky tour in support of their new album Turbulence. On Friday September 10 they play Connolly's of Leap, West Cork.

September 11
The Kittser, David Kitt gets to the Vault. Feels like he's been away for a while... I'm guessing that there is new material to try out again.
Saucy Monky tour in support of their new album Turbulence. On September 11 They hit The Lobby.

September 19
Mark Geary gets the run of the Everyman Palace Theatre on Sunday.

September 25
Bell X1 do another run in Clon at De Barras...

September 26
and then Bell X1 finish the weekend off in the Opera house.

September 30
I know her name from somewhere... Marion Horgan launches her first book in the Sirius Arts Centre, Cobh. It's a collection of poetry, songs and prose relating to her childhood memories, schooldays, people and places in Cobh.

October 1
This Friday sees Halite playing in Cypress Avenue.

October 7
David Kitt returns to Cork in less than a month, this time in UCC (well I assume that University Of Cork is UCC).

October 10
James Yorkston & The Athletes – An Cruiscin Lan, Cork

take care,
Will

With their evil little eyes

The link says it all...

When Hamsters Attack.

The bits I like best are the "Top 11 ways to avoid Hamster Attacks"...

9) If you are attacked by a hamster, curl up into a ball and lie motionless on the ground. Most hamsters don’t live past the age of three, so be patient. Chances are you will outlive them.

I understand that it's got something to do with Dave Pilkey's "Captain Underpants" books.

take care,
Will

Music to your ears

I'm sure it's old news by now...

Boing Boing pointed out on the Music (for Robots) MP3 blog, there has been the first sighting of a sea change.

Warner Brothers Records contacted the blog to support it. Is this a sign that the majors want to use the blogsphere as a marketing tool (well duh), or is it that the realise that they are going to come off as fake, and let the real fans promote the stuff they like.

If you can't stop them, help them convert others to your cause...

Music (for Robots) is an odd mix of old archive and new and unusual stuff.

Bit like my collection...

take care,
Will

400 miles ahead

Gentle reader,

I've written about cycle training...

Well the web site is now live.
The Tour de Munster is a 400 mile (600KM) trip of scary cycling.

It's a sponsored cycle for The Marie Keating Foundation (that's breast cancer for those who don't know). So if you feel rich, or want to encourage me to try to do something stupid, let me know and I'll hunt you down for a donation!

take care,
Will

400 miles! What was I thinking!

Quotable

"It's important to collect good enemies as you go along." - Molly Ivins

Definition

Programmer: A biological system designed to convert coffee and cheesies into code.

Sometimes I just love taglines...

Will

mea culpa

Of course something that does'nt crap out while editing it helps.
Sorry for the multiple posts, should be tidied up now.

Will

mea culpa

I'm terrible at this.
I guess one of the problems I have with keeping a blog is the immediacy of the thing.

The aim of a blog is to simplify the technology so that it's quick and easy to do. But I like to think out articles as opposed to entries. By the time I have figured out what I want to say, I'm miles forma keyboard and heading towards the land of nod.

I suppose this is a mea culpa for a lack of entries this week.
I'll try to not try harder, and actually do something.

Will