Light the red touch paper

Politics in general is interesting. Professional politics is even more interesting because most of the niceties of public due process is removed. This seems to be the case in University College Cork UCC.

Today's Irish Examiner has a front page article about mismanagement and bullying in UCC (The Irish Independent seems to have had in on Monday 25th of September, see the Examiner isn't always Munster focused. Former Professor Michael Mortell has called for Education Minister Mary Hanafin investigation into allegations of mismanagement, bullying and intimidation at the college made by Philosophy department head Prof Des Clarke (who is a member of UCC's governing body) with some allegations being directed towards Professor Gerard Wrixon.

As it happens Indymedia Ireland has a detailed article on it, including the newspaper articles, open letters from the professors, minister questions asked in the Dáil and some of the Health and Safety Authority report on University College Cork.

The current focus seems to have begun (or at least the straw breaking this camels back) with an apparent (covering my arse legally) victim of bullying in the university, Dr Stuart Neilson, fought back. I'll hold my hand up here and disclose that I know him and his family, but it's the new rounds of newspaper coverage which has me writing this.

What's worse is that the College seems to have lost its insurance because the level of claims against the university was deemed to be high. I think they still have public liability insurance so don't go falling off any steps.

The Indymedia Ireland article just gets worse and worse. Or at least more interesting.

take care,
Will


tags : University College Cork UCC Irish Examiner Irish Independent Munster Cork Professor Michael Mortell Michael Mortell Education Minister Mary Hanafin Mary Hanafin mismanagement bullying intimidation Professor Des Clarke Des Clarke Professor Gerard Wrixon Gerard Wrixon Indymedia Ireland Dáil Dr Stuart Neilson Stuart Neilson

Bill Clinton on Fox

I'm surprised that he didn't appear on the channel before, but You Tube has the first ever interview with Bill Clinton on Fox news. It starts off with his Global initiative, himself, George W Bush, the war on terror, the US news media, the ABC documentary, George Tennent and the CIA, the bombing of the Cole and US embassies, the 9/11 commission, Osama Bin Laden, al-Qaida, Carl Rove, Richard Clarke and helping the poor of other nations. The total interview is about 22 minutes.

Here is the full unedited interview (according to Fox) with Chris Wallace
Bill Clinton on Fox News Sunday (Part 1 of 3)
Bill Clinton on Fox News Sunday (Part 2 of 3)
Bill Clinton on Fox News Sunday (Part 3 of 3)

Interestingly, the conservative / right blogs only point here with comments about his blowing top and making jokes. I don't see their point.

I'm going to try to not blog about US politics... I really need to look closer to home for the short while.

Will

tags : YouTube Bill Clinton Clinton Fox news Fox Global initiative George W Bush Bush war on terror US media George Tennent Cole 9/11 commission Osama Bin Laden al-Qaida Rove Clarke Chris Wallace

well duh and uhoh

This weekend the New York Times published details from a partially declassified national intelligence estimate released in April, in the paper it says "the Iraq war has made the overall terrorism problem worse". Well, duh. In fairness Ze Frank does a much better comment that I could (and nice ass). George Bush has said that he'll release the full document as the quotes published (and declassified) were not representative of the document. Or maybe the bits he remembers...

... and later had to admit were wrong?

It seem odd, but from the bits of the US media leaking out this way, it's the comedy shows (Ze included) that seem to ask the same questions as the Irish media. However we actually expect the politicians to answer. Looking at this You Tube clip of the Colbert Report compares the usual media with itself. Then look at the Carol Coleman interview of George W. Bush, and remember that this is a soft Irish political interview.




tags : New York Times declassified national intelligence estimate Iraq terrorism Ze Frank George Bush media US media comedy Irish media YouTube Colbert Report Carol Coleman

A sloe day

The trees are heavy with sloes at the moment. I always thought that sloe gin was something distilled.

It isn't. It's actually made using a similar technique to flavoured oils. It's an odd idea. As TheChemist pointed out to me, you take something unpalatable as gin, mix it with something horrible tasting like sloes, and you get something really drinkable.

This is probably something which belongs on the Bubble Brothers site, but here is TheChemist's method for making sloe gin.

Obtain your sloes.
Obtain your gin
Obtain some empty clean bottles with seal-able lids

Half fill bottle with sloes
Add 1 Oz. sugar per 250 ml capacity of the bottle e.g. 3 ozs for a 750ml bottle Fill the bottle with gin

Shakes occasionally (once a day, then once a week or not at all ) Sample after 3-4 months.

Filter it thought a coffee filter to extract the fruit, use vacuum filtration if you can.
Re-bottle and drink at leisure.

It came to mind because of my cooking. More on that in the next post.


tags : gin sloe gin sloe distill method make recipe cooking filter drink

9 crimes and the animals were gone

Damien Rice is finally going to release new material. The album "9" is due for release on 3 November.

from the press release...
"Released through Rice's own label heffa new album 9 demonstrates the vast and diverse creative talent of Rice, who wrote, recorded and produced the record, as well as designing all of its artwork."

This probably means that he's finally recorded some of this promised rock-er number. But will we want a happy Rice? The next question to mind is, were any of these written for Renée Zellweger?

Tracklisting:
1. 9 Crimes
2. The Animals Were Gone
3. Elephant
4. Rootless Tree
5. Dogs
6. Coconut Skins
7. Me, My Yoke And I
8. Grey Room
9. Accidental Babies
10. Sleep Don't Weep

tags : music Damien Rice album 9 heffa Renée Zellweger Tracklisting

Wizards on a plane, and around again

Can you imagine the scene at Heathrow if security hadn't let her have it!

sourced from Guardian Books

JK Rowling, flying from a charity book reading in New York just days after the security clampdown, was confronted with a demand that she consign the unfinished manuscript for the seventh and final volume of the Harry Potter series to the hold.

Eventually security staff in New York to allowed her to take tne manuscript in to the cabin, unwrapped and bound together with elastic bands. The manuscript was largely handwritten and with no back-up copy.

Lost luggage would have been swamped with people hunting for what's considered the most valuable pile of paper at the moment.

In other news... Cracker is back after a 10 year break. Don't worry, Robbie Coltrane / Dr. Eddie 'Fitz' Fitzgerald hasn't changed too much. Cracker will be broadcast on Sunday October 1.

take care,
Will

tags :
airport security Guardian Books J.K. Rowling unfinished manuscript Harry Potter Cracker Robbie Coltrane Dr. Eddie 'Fitz' Fitzgerald

Things you didn't want to know about food allergies

Why do people think they are in their own soundproof bubble when they are discussing intimate details on the mobile phone...

"Hi Honey."
"You know that food allergy I have."
"Yeah swells up and I can't breath."
"You ate that stuff last night, didn't you?"
"Well next time brush you teeth and use mouthwash or something..."
"No I didn't swallow any."
"Well guess what's painfully swelled up after your blow job last night!"

Overheard Phone conversation


tags : food allergies allergies soundproof intimate mobile phone cell phone allergy overheard

Gigs and gigs

I still get mailed about gigs. So I'm sharing my feed...


September
Fri 22nd
Humanzi - Savoy Theatre (with Dirty Pretty Things)

Sun 24th
Emmett Tinley - Cyprus Avenue (free show)

Tue 26th
Mickey Harte - De Barra's, Clonakilty, Cork

Wed 27th
Mickey Harte - Instore FM Cork City

Thurs 28th
The Immediate/The Flaws/DC Pakt - UCC, Cork

Fri 29th Mickey Harte - Halfmoon theatre


October
Sun 1st
Simple Kid - An Cruiscin Lan

Wed 4th
Kieran Goss - Halfmoon theatre (9pm) a Lobby gig

Thurs 5th
The Frames - Everyman Palace Theatre

Fri 6th
The Frames - Everyman Palace Theatre

Sat 21st
God Is An Astronaut - Cyprus Avenue

Sun 22nd
Zero 7 (with Jose Gonsalez) - Savoy Theatre

Wed 25th
David Kitt - Cyprus Avenue

Thurs 26th
David Kitt - Cyprus Avenue

Fri 27th
James Yorkston - Cyprus Avenue

November
Sun 12th
The Answer - An Cruiscin Lan

Fri 24th
Fionn Regan - Savoy Theatre

Wed 29th
Bell X1 - Savoy Theatre

December
Thurs 7th
Josh Ritter - Opera House

Tue 12th
Joan As Policewoman / Joan Wasser - Cyprus Avenue

January
Thurs 18
Ray Lamontagne - Opera House


see Corkgigs for a better list...

tags : Bell X1 Clonakilty Cork Cork City Cork Opera House Cruiscin Lan Cyprus Avenue David Kitt DC Pakt De Barras Dirty Pretty Things Emmett Tinley Everyman Palace Theatre Fionn Regan Gig Gigs God Is An Astronaut Halfmoon Theatre Humanzi James Yorkston Joan Wasser Josh Ritter Kieran Goss Lobby Mickey Harte Opera House Ray Lamontagne Savoy Simple Kid The Answer The Flaws The Frames The Immediate UCC University College Cork Zero 7

Just when you thought he was safe

My family gets confusing at times. Death is a simplifier.
The son of my (step?)aunt's first marriage died last night.
He was a soldier. Engineering Corps of some type. He served in Iraq. Then he was transferred to Afghanistan.
Then he left the war zones recently and came home, only to die in a car crash.

Death is supposed to be a soldier's constant companion. You just don't expect house calls.

Death is a simplifier. There is a mother in mourning. He's family.

Will

tags : family
death soldier Iraq Afghanistan car crash

Dresses to kill, and cooks the same way

"It doesn’t do to bring your (relatively) new husband into A&E after he collapsed from your cooking." -- sliabh.net

tags : overheard chili sliabh

Push (Part three of 3)

Late but here...
Part 1 was posted on July 31Part 2 was posted on August 17

Scene three
(Lights up)
(On stage Elizabeth (Lizzie) Murphy, Evelyn Murphy and Sargent Philip Hayes.)

Hayes : I've got the results.
Lizzie : You could have told us over the phone instead of coming here.
Hayes : Yes. But regardless of the outcome of the tests, you are still facing charges. You could have run.
Lizzie : No I couldn't. He's my child I can't leave him.
Hayes : Lizzie. He isn't.
Lizzie : What?
Hayes : The results came in. He isn't your child. You're not his mother.
Evelyn : I'm sorry love.
Lizzie : It's okay. Are you sure?
Hayes : The D.N.A. Test is conclusive. You are not his mother.
Evelyn : So it's over. Is she going to jail.
Hayes : Not necessarily. You honestly thought he was yours. You demanded the test.
Lizzie : No I didn't. You suggested it.
Hayes : Not according to the report.
Evelyn : What?
Hayes : According to the report you ordered that a D.N.A. test be carried out to prove that the child was yours. The hospital didn't, so it had to be you. Officially.
Evelyn : Oh. Officially.
Hayes : It will count for reasonable doubt. Enough for me to suggest dropping the case to the D.D.P. To be honest, we've suspected that something has been going on at the hospital for a while. Rumors only. Nothing substantive. I honestly thought we had them.
Evelyn : You used her!
Hayes : Yes. I'm sorry. Thats why I'm trying to help her now.
Lizzie : It's over.
Evelyn : Yes love I'm sorry.
Lizzie : No it's over. He really is dead. At least I know.
Hayes : Sorry.
Lizzie : For a while I thought maybe. Just maybe he's still here. Then all this started. I've lost him again.
Hayes : If its any help. I thought it too.
Lizzie : But it's over. The doubts are over. I know now. Do you know what that means.
Hayes : um...
Lizzie : I can stop holding my breath. I can live again. Its over.
Evelyn : Love?
Lizzie : Mum. I'm sorry.
Evelyn : Why?
Lizzie : Johnny. My baby. Your grandson.
Evelyn : Yes?
Lizzie : He's dead. (starts crying)
Evelyn : I know love. I know.
Hayes : I'm sorry but...
Evelyn : Formalities?
Hayes : Eh. Yes. There are forms to be signed at the station and she'll have to surrender her passport until everything is sorted.
Evelyn : Come on love.
(start to exit the stage)
(sound effect : land line telephone ringing effect)
Hayes : Do you want to get that?
Evelyn : No. She's more important. She's my baby.
(Lights down while exiting. Keep sound effect playing)



Scene four
(sound effect : land line telephone ringing effect)
(Lights up)
(Dr Malcolm Mac Cambridge crosses stage to answer the phone on the desk)
Malcolm : Hello
(Sister Michael follows from same direction)
Malcolm : Yes. Good to know. Any idea when we'll get the paperwork on this?
(pause)
Malcolm : Thank you. Goodbye.
(hangs up phone)
Sister : Well?
Malcolm : We were lucky.
Sister : Luck had nothing to do with it.
Malcolm : I take it you swapped the samples?
Sister : Too risky. They simply expected to see a newborn child with the right blood type.
Malcolm : You swapped the ankle tags?
Sister : I made the ankle tags. One newborn is easily mistaken
for another if its not yours.
Malcolm : You planned this from the start? Right?
Sister : One should always have a backup plan. As soon as the fuss started I made sure that I looked after all the tags. Duplicates are easy to make, and put on.
Malcolm : So that's it for now.
Sister : No Malcolm. That's it for good.
Malcolm : What?
Sister : Things are changing. Attitudes about single mothers for a start. I don't think we'll be able to do this again.
(exiting)
Malcolm : Still it was good while it lasted.
Sister : Useful yes. Profitable yes, but I'm not too sure about good.
(Lights down)

End

So that's it. Let the commenting begin.


Tags fiction writing play stageplay childbirth stillbirth birth malpractice hospital postmortem1984

World tour followed by dinner

Shel Israel and Rick Segal have now finalised their travel arrangements of their world tour (chunk 1) and will be in Cork all day on the 17th of October. Pat Phelan is organising a Bloggers dinner for them to meet and greet Irish Bloggers and techies at Taste of Thailand on Bridge Sterry Cork.

I wanna go. Besides I promised Shea a pint for the last time he tried this, and I like to honour my promises.

eat up,
Will

tags :
Pat Phelan Rick Segal dinner traveling Shel Israel World Tour Chunk #1

Okay lads back in the truck

Slate answers a question I never wanted to know... How many cell phones can fit in one rear end?

Some of the quotes from the article has an icky effect; the medical term, "retained colorectal foreign bodies" for a start. However the term "recreational body-packers" got me (and poor June Thomas who has to read the article for the podcast). I assume that the professionals are the smugglers but outside of a very special movie career (and I don't mean Captain Jack Harkness) and the Jim Rose Circus, where can you get paid for it. Don't send me the details, but I'll happily blog the online recruitment advert.

By the way, "The [US] courts have held that anal cavity searches do not necessarily violate the Fourth Amendment". I'm glad I wasn't in court that day.

tags :
Slate butt cell phone rear end medical retained colorectal foreign bodies recreational body-packers body-packers podcast smugglers smuggling Captain Jack Harkness Jim Rose Circus US courts anal anal cavity searches Fourth Amendment

the dark shelf

Some day we will go in and the shelves will be dark and the counters empty. And the ghosts of old chefs (and old chiefs) will walk the aisles swinging their cleavers. And the old people will say "I used to work in here, and my father worked in Ford's. Some special few will say: I once had lunch with you.

Tags : overheard

Thank you Marilyn

I would like to thank Marilyn C. MacEachern, (R.I.P. for getting me out of my hole with "Push".

[it] "wasn't the end of a war. It was starting to live again."

It's worth reading about her. She may have died in 2002... but she lived.


Tags:
fiction Push writing

For strength, honour and cash

Last night I did something I promised myself I wouldn't do.

I went to the audtion for extras in teh Strength & Honour movie that Gillian posted about.

I did a movie one, a small student thing, and I said to myself that its dull to be at. I'm wrong about this of course. I should have talked to everyone on the set. The work isn't always interesting, but the people are. I went with WereLab (who hates this name and is asking for another... TheHoundOfDoom suits but I can't write it with a straight face). Here's hoping he gets it, and keeps his head. He needs it more than I do.

I know I could have applied for a bigger role (stop sniggering guys). I have 3 holidays left. I can't afford the time. Of course if I get laid off it's not an issue, but still.

take care,
Will

Tags: casting acting extras filming in Cork film production Strength & Honour Cinematic Endeavours

Love Angle - Music Dolly

I needed to see this for myself. Gwen Stefani has released a series of dolls based on her.

Sort of. They look like Bratz Dolls without the strange enlarged feet.

Just one question... why?


Gwen+Stefani L.A.M.B. music Love Angel Music Baby dolls Bratz

Push pushing back

If you've been waiting for the third part of the story... sorry to keep you waiting.

Scene 3 would be the Murphy family being given the results of the DNA test by the inspector. I can't ge the emotional hit points to work without sounding tacky.

I actually imagined this as a court room scene, but this scene keeps shifting around my head.

The epilogue however is in place. Part 3 of Push will be scene 4 and not scene 3. I'll type it up over the weekend and will post it when I have internet access again.

take care,
Will

tags :
fiction Push writing

Remixers - start your suites

Do you remember "Would You...(go to bed with me")? by Touch & Go? (available here

I'm asking because, along with most of the Irish public at this state, I heard the dance remixof Twink's phone call to her ex-husband.
I can see a better (censored?) dance mix, which has to include an oboe, flying in to the dance floors.

Think about it... Twink at number one in the charts. The ultimate revenge.


tags
Touch & Go Irish voice mail dance remix music Adele King Twink husband David Agnew revenge

Hear Dance Peter Kelly Dance

Forgot the link to Moriing Ireland's podcasts in yesterday's post. Scroll down to 06 September 2006.

Will

Dance Peter Kelly Dance

You know when you have over done it when the RTE Morning Ireland news presenters start giggling at you. At the end of "it says in the papers" (at 4 mins.22 seconds in) as written in the Irish Times by Miriam Lord; the Fianna Fail "Think In" at Westport Deputy Peter Kelly "provided the most alarming moment of the night" ... this year "he juggled empty bottles and did a lively dance routine with a full pitcher of water on his head". You can hear the presenters loosing it... along with most of the public.

tags : RTE Morning Ireland Ireland news
politics Irish Times Miriam Lord Fianna Fail Think In Westport Peter Kelly overheard

Warning - scary Japanese dance moves ahead

One of my favourite movies is "Perfect Blue". The plot starts as retired pop singer turned actress's sense of reality is shaken when she is stalked by an obsessed fan. The fact that she retires as a pop star because she is too old at 20 says a little too much about j-pop.

I'm writing about this because of Shanadoo. Shandoo Shanadoo are four Japanese girls Chika, Junka, Marina and Manami, in other words they are a j-pop group. The video of their "King Kong" song can be seen here. This went to no14 in Germany, where it was given great TV support.

It's apparently a cover version of a German/Swiss eurodance group E-Rotic's song, which was released in 2001, however while looking at the youtube video I noticed that it's also a cover of a Hinoi Team song, which features the same dance (and at least one of the members going by looks). The dance seems to be called the Para Para. Be warned, they are trying to get released over here.

Why do people make near perfect covers of the original instead of putting their own spin on it. In practice the spun covers get remembered, sometimes longer than the original.

tags :
Perfect Blue Japan j-pop Shanadoo King Kong music youtube E-Rotic Hinoi Team Para Para

If only stars had eyes

I know that this "trailer" for the Transformers movie is a fan made creation... but I wish it was the opening (pre credits / logo section) of the movie.




Transformers Transformers movie youtube fan created movie film opening

Family owned and opperated

Only true if there are a large number of Eastern Europeans in the family...

tags overheard