As the paving slabs go flying by

While I was in Dublin this weekend, I was nowhere near the riots.

The Dublin metroblog does a much better job than I could ever do.

So here is the preview of the auld Dubliner.
And the post view of the auld Dubliner, and again.

And pic 1 pic 2 pic 3 pic 4 pic 5

Endless time

My schedule spilleth over. Work can catch me, but missing appointments WAS just a phone call away.
Back in the time before mobiles, people dealt with other people more often, and if there weren't in, they weren't in.
People and animals get impatient or bored or tired. The sun goes to bed, so all outdoor work tends to cease.
Now we have machines..

Computers are always hungry for more input. How many blogs need more posts?
A problem keeps calling. Be it a DNA sequence, a code loop, a jigsaw puzzle or an engine.
The inanimate will wait, but because it can wait we keep trying to get it to work. The head space when you are inside a problem is timeless.

I know that when I get in that headspace the only thing which will pull me out of it is someone distracting me, or hunger saying "eat now".
You forget that human contact is needed. There is nothing in the human body which says "meet now" at regular intervals.

Perhaps there should be.

Will

Gig rising

As part of the Bud Rising events in Cork Humanzi and Channel One take on Cyprus Avenue on Thursday 23 February. Humanzi, who supported The Strokes this week in Ireland and are currently on a full UK tour, have just released a new single, "Long Time Coming", which went straight into the Irish Top 30 (they will be releasing their debut album this year). Both Humanzi and Channel One (along with The Things) have a song released on the "Violation 10" which comes out on the Sound Foundation Recordings (SFR) label this Friday 24 February.

Meanwhile up the road on the same night Delorentos will be entertaining the An Brog crowd with their beautifully balanced melodies and uplifting guitar strains. Delorentos released their debut EP at the tail end of last year and are currently making tracks freely available to fans via their website while they finalise details of their next single.

A guide to bad health 10 of 10

Q: Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle?

A : Hey! 'Round' is a shape!

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I have to thank whoever created these... but since they were fun please ask any questions and I'll see if I can get a guest author to give good bad advice.
E-mail or comment in...

take care,
Will

And the winners are...

Last night the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences a.k.a. the people who do the Academy Awards (a.k.a. the Oscars), have their awards ceremony.

Everyone knows about the Arts side (e.g. Best Picture) but remember, the Sciences part... Well here is the list of the winners of the Science and Technical awards. The actual Oscar (tm?) went to Gary Demos. To be honest, I want one of those.

take care,
Will

Overheard

We're talking about it. Well, she's talking about it and I'm denying all knowledge.

Happy Birthday to EU

The little group of nations has grown up... Last year a whole bunch of countries joined in, and today is the 20th anniversary of the
Single European Act. "Exactly 20 years ago today, European leaders
committed themselves to tearing down barriers to the free flow of
goods and services across the continent".

It ain't perfect, but it is home.

A guide to bad health 9 of 10

Q: Is swimming good for your figure?

A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.

Bane tube

Emily Bell wrote a piece on the value of media. (Short version of here piece, why pay £3 for a 30 second download when a 2 hour movie (film four) is now free to view)

I don't have a TV license. I don't have a TV.
When I moved house I decided against getting one.
Now I clearly have a PC, and I have a xboxcube-statiun hooked up to a monitor. Since I don't have equipment capable of receiving TV signals, (even if I did I don't have the standard coax cable needed for the socket in the wall) I'm not worried about the detector van finding something what isn't there.
I also have a bunch of unwatched DVDs (thanks for Dune) and unplayed games cause I don't have the time to sit down and devote hours of time to do so.

A podcast of the news is more useful to me than a 30 min broadcast. A mobile download of a "Fast Show" style clip is more useful as I can afford a 30 second downtime, but not a 30 minute one.

A little portable TV in gridlock would be more useful than wide-plasma-where-did-the -wall-go TV, but it's far from safe to do that.

"If a person is watching TV on a laptop/PDA that is plugged into the mains, then the place they are using it should be licensed" is a little weird to say the least. I does get rid of the loophole of a permanent portable (i.e. a mobile device which is always in place every night). I think the way to cover this would be multiple detections... But I suspect one "blip" and the letter is in the post.

My life is avoiding the issue with the inspectors, but I suspect I'm a lone voice in this. But one with an unwatched DVD collection and an ever increasing pile of the newspapers that come with it.

A guide to bad health 8 of 10

Q: Is chocolate bad for me?

A: Are you crazy? HELLO . Cocoa beans ... another vegetable!!! It's the best feel-good food around!

If not them, who?

Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell criticised what he said was a minority of journalists in the public broadcasting sector for wanting to be 'agenda-setters'.

The above is a coded (badly coded) way of saying that RTE (and everyone else is private) should be looking after what it says otherwise the minister will... And it's the "..." that is worrying.

In theory, the public interest should set the agenda. In practice it's the media. Simply because they are meant to be reflecting public opinion. (Reality TV is another subject).

If not the media, then who. I'm sure that any moralising minister would rather the media focus on his (or her) message than the dumb blonde seen leaving his (or her) room while the spouse was away, or the property tycoon dropping off a white envelope stuffed with €100 Euro notes.

I'm sure that a government would rather the media repeat their message rather then analyise the facts for "inaccuries".

I also noticed that these comments from Michael McDowell were repeated by RTE without comment on the morning news programmes. Sometimes all that needs to be done is allowing the message to generate it's own rope.

I wonder if the blogsphere is considered a "public broadcasting sector"?

take care,
Will

A guide to bad health 7 of 10

Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?


A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.

Waking the Living

I've been asked about my Aunt's wake. It's on Sunday.

She's decided to celebrate her 77th birthday by holding her wake. She also has cancer.

While I'm all in favor of having the kind of party thats hard to survive (eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow...), treating it as your wake is even more morbid than me.

I guess, deep down, that I'm a fighter. If I care enough about it, I'll fight.

Usually I fight dirty, but that's another story.

How can you get someone to fight for their life?

Overheard

"if the dead could say one word to the living it would be live" -- Tennessee Williams

A guide to bad health 6 of 10

Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?

A: YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!!!. Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?

A guide to bad health 6 of 10

Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?

A: YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!!!. Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?

A guide to bad health 5 of 10

Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?

A: Can't think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain...Good

Overheard

I am so excited, I mean thank god you can only see me from the waist up.

A guide to bad health 4 of 10

Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?

A: Well, if you have a body and you have body fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist about ...

The "advert" below was e-mailed out from Harry Bitsch the editor of Cockring (and no I'm not linking to it so there).

He also passed on details of Technology's steamier side from MSNBC. Interesting, even more interesting considering some of the moral laws being considered in the US, and the possible impacts it implies on technological advances. Boy are we shallow.

Anyway, on to the joke...

"Do you have feelings of inadequacy? Do you suffer from shyness? Do you sometimes wish you were more assertive? If you answered yes to any of these questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist about TequilaR."

"TequilaR is the safe, natural way to feel better and more confident about yourself and your actions. TequilaR can help ease you out of your shyness and let you tell the world that you're ready and willing to do just about anything. You will notice the benefits of TequilaR almost immediately, and with a regimen of regular doses you can overcome any obstacles that prevent you from living the life you want to live. Shyness and awkwardness will be a thing of the past, and you will discover many talents you never knew you had. Stop hiding and start living, with TequilaR."


"TequilaR may not be right for everyone. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use TequilaR. However, women who wouldn't mind nursing or becoming pregnant are encouraged to try it. Side effects may include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, incarceration, erotic lustfulness, loss of motor control, loss of clothing, loss of money, loss of virginity, delusions of grandeur, table dancing, headache, dehydration, dry mouth, and a desire to sing Karaoke and play all-night rounds of Strip Poker, Truth Or Dare, and Naked Twister."


Hic,
Will

Rocking the Lee (again)

I a terrible thing for me to admit that I have to use a Dublin music magazine to remind me about Cork Rocks.

I actually thought they died with most of the 2005 ideas.

An Cruiscin Lan on February 24 has My Remorse, Paradox and Opium Of The Masses join forces for Cork Rocks. Tickets €5 from UCC and Plugd Records.

In other gig news....
Saturday February 11 - The Marshals at Cyprus Avenue

Thursday February 23 – Humanzi, Channel One & Revere at Cyprus Avenue
Thursday February 23 – Delorentos at An Brog

Friday February 24 – Dirty Pretty Things, Mainline & Lotus Lullaby at Cyprus Avenue
Friday February 24 – Dave Couse & The Impossible at An Brog

Saturday February 25 – Nina Hynes at Cyprus Avenue
Saturday February 25 - Guillemots at An Brog

Sunday February 26 – Mr Scruff, Stevie G, Colm Kenefik & Billy Scurry at the Bodega
Sunday February 26 – Buck 65 at Cyprus Avenue, Cork

Thursday March 9 - Josh Ritter and Corb Lund at St Johns Church, Dingle

Sunday March 12 - Josh Ritter and Corb Lund at Everyman Theatre

A guide to bad health 3 of 10

Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?

A: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine, that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain. Bottoms up!