Will Bush get cool t-shirts?

You know those people the people who go around telling the world that they are anti-war that George W Bush is a neo-liberal neo-con (as if those 2 things were actually bad) warmongering, devil, oil hungry, racist, fascist, Texan bla bla bla. Lets talk about their poster boy Che Gureva. In 1965 Che and Castro decided to send the Cuban Army into the Congo to over throw the government. In 2003 George Bush sent in the American Army into Iraq to over throw the government. But of course there is no comparison there now is there. Seriously there is none. George W Bush wants to and is in the process of installing a democratically elected president Jalal Talabani. To give the people a real chance of shaping their future giving them freedom and not let them fall into the hands of fascist that want to bring Iraq back to the middle ages, save for a few hiccups hiccups that need to be corrected and the fact Bush couldn't plan a piss up in a brewary. Che on the other hand supported a guy called Laurent-Desire Kabila.

This is what human rights watch have to say about him

During his nearly four years in power, Kabila regularly and ruthlessly violated the human rights of the Congolese people, killing, torturing, imprisoning, and causing the "disappearance" of any who he thought threatened him or his regime. Among those who suffered most were political opponents, leaders of civil society, human rights activists, and journalists."

He also tried and failed to start a revolution in Panama and went to fight in Bolivia where he died. Of the Bolivian’s he said “The peasant masses don’t help us at all” not exactly the words a leader of the people fighting the popular fight more like the leader of a revolution that is not popular. Unlike in Iraq where 129,700 have joined the Iraqi Army and where 72% of the population voted in the Election brought about by the US.

Also Che was known as the Butcher of the Cabaña where is reported to have killed hundreds of prisons “enemy’s of the revolution” read people who have a different opinion. During the Cuban revolution 1 in 17 people in Cuba were political prisoners. Do you see Bush doing this? No of course not, neither do I see the people that disagree like Howard Dean, Cindy Sheehan and Naom Chomsky spending time in prison. But would Che or Castro extend the same right to free speech to his people? Of course not. You can read a list of the people che order to be killed here. His labour camps were used and are still used to “house” dissidents, homosexuals, AIDS patients, Catholics, Jehovah's Witnesses and Afro-Cuban priests. But of course none of this matters because Cuba has a great health service.

Che was an advocate of Nuclear war speaking after the Cuban missile crisis he said.

“If the rockets had remained, we would have used them all and directed them against the very heart of the United States, including New York, in our defence against aggression.”

Also after killing his first person this is what he wrote in his diary.

I ended the problem giving him a shot with a .32 pistol in the right side of the brain, with exit orifice in the right temporal. He gasped for a little while and was dead. Upon proceeding to remove his belongings I couldn’t get off the watch tied by a chain to his belt, and then he told me in a steady voice farther away than fear: Yank it off, boy, what does it matter. I did so and his possessions were now mine.

Not the nicest thing to say certainly that kind of cold blood sentiment would not be gone a miss from a psychopathic serial killer. Then again maybe that is what Che was a psychopathic serial killer and if I want to make a few bob I should head down to Shannon Airport and try and flog a few Mara Henley T-Shirts there might be a few willing buyers in the peace camp.

After Che was executed in Bolivia the guards removed his Rolex watch. How many working class people do you know with Rolex watches indeed how many middle class people do you know with Rolex watches. Not many I wager. Not exactly a model of class solidarity now is it.

Che enjoyed war purely for a love of violence and adventure while in Guatemala he wrote “It was all a lot of fun, what with the bombs, speeches, and other distractions to break the monotony I was living in.”

As for his ideas about running the country the San Francisco Gate offers us this.

The great revolutionary also had a chance to put into practice his economic vision as head of the National Bank of Cuba and of the Department of Industry of the National Institute of Agrarian Reform at the end of 1959 and, starting in early 1961, as minister of industry.

This period saw the near-collapse of Cuba's sugar production, the failure of industrialization and the introduction of rationing -- all this in what had been one of Latin America's four most economically successful countries since before the Batista dictatorship.

This can not be simply explained away by the American embargo of goods that came into being in 1961 as much of the crops were bought by the Soviet Union which took the economic place of the US.

Che Gureva was an evil man who cared little for human life. So next time you are wearing a che t-shirt and calling Bush a evil warmongering so and so, think about the man not the myth and thank what ever divine entity you want that you are protesting against Bush and not Che. Because have no illusions about it. Che would kill you.

And if you have no problem supporting and sporting Che T-shirts. I really can’t see your problem with George W Bush

New Simpson Movie Trailer

This made me laugh more in 90 seconds than most entire new episodes. Judge for yourself.

EDIT

It seems that Fox has clamped down on the Youtube for showing the trailer and it has been removed. You can still catch it here on Quicktime

Vincent Browne has a dig at Mr Myres

I got a feeling this is a dig at Kevin Myres. Over his 1916 views

Storn

Remember Storn the lads with the perpetual motion machine. Well they have picked there team it seems.

Drunken middled aged Tories

I had the weirdest conversation yesterday. I havee recently moved to England to do my PhD and my self and a friend went to a bar for a pint. Anyway we some how started chatting to this middle aged women.

It started off by her telling us about her evening. She got back from work at about 6 and sat down exhausted to have a drink and a fag. Then her 12 year old son rang up from boarding school wondering was she coming to his show. She went what show. Seemingly her son was in the school production of West Side story. So she had to get up and go to the show. Now you really have to wonder why someone sends a 12 year old son to a bordering school that is near enough that you can go to a school play see it and come back to go drinking in a pub by 10. She was quiet drunk so must have been in the pub for a while. She said the show was terrible, her friend had to point out her son who was the only boy in a dance troop dressed up in a tight costume which she thought was stupid. And she was not impressed by his performance. Myself and my friend both found it strange that a mother would not think what ever her 12 year old son did was amazing.

My friend then asked her what were the guards called out side Buckingham palace. (we had just been at a quiz and it was a disputed question. So we talked about that and that brought up the Irish guards. And how great Tim Collins was, how her first husband died in the Falklands and how Tim Collins was fucked over by a yankiee taxi driver. How all the boys in the army loved him. Her husband then said that he talked to a guy who worked under him. Who said he was a very tough guy. To which she replied that was great. So then she talked about how she went to the same university as we are in. She did History and English and is a solicitor started telling us about Henry the 8th and how he thought the Irish were all monkeys. She also said we oppress women and that she would hate to live in Ireland.

Then she asked me was I from northern Ireland. I said no I am from the south. And she started talking about Northern Ireland. (Oh dear I hear you say) So she was asking me about and I told her my view about it. And I said well what ever the people vote for is fine by me. Then her husband said his grandmother was from Killarny and was it very nice. And I did my bit for the Irish tourist board. He then asked where was the Irish guy from who won the Nobel prise beginning with T. I went Trimble. He went ya where is he from. I said he I think somewhere near Belfast. Then the women went . Ya he fucked up the whole process and “your boys are still fighting.” I went they are not my boys . She went yes they are your boys. Why does Ireland want Northern Ireland. And I said we gave up our claim she didn't believe me.

That was the only time I have ever been basically called a terrorist. Anyway then she went on about Scotland and how she loved the Scottish national party because that would mean that those fuckers would piss off as they are taking all our money. We said but what about all the gas they supply. Her reply was that they did test in the west country and there is more there then in the entire North Sea. We tried to point out that if there was there would be pumping it. But she wouldn't agree. And said that the reason for the Falklands war was oil as well.

Then here husband asked me what do I think of trade unions as she hated them and he was a socialist. I said they are needed but sometimes the leaders get a bit power hungry and try to influence more then their workers conditions. To which she said they are all so and so's and he (the husband) was a Labour supporter. Which he replied “see she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. See I am glad I knew my mother, she was raised by a nanny. I had a mammy she had a nanny.” At which point the women hit her husband and said how dare you talk about my personnel life in public.

At which point we made our excuses and left. As we walked away she said "Nice to meet you you scientist are the future". Once we left the pub we bust out laughing funniest conversation ever in away. And Another reason not to buy the Daily Mail.

Kiwi Kids to use sms lingo in Exams

The New Zealand Qualifications Authority has announced that 'txt speak' will now be acceptable language to use in state exams. Obvioulsy this has spurred furious outroar from academics and teachers alike even in light of the Authority's continued discouragement of the use of such language. I worry that we are witnessing the next evolution in the use of English, and it is not to its benefit. Will we witness a snowball effect as other states follow New Zealands example and what will be the fate of spelling and grammar if this is to seep into published word?

Waste

Waste of Time, money, Mentos, Coke or life. You decide.

Anti-Semitism is the Cool racism

At this present time people are dying in war in Dafur. Far more then died in Lebanon and depending on what estimate you use equal or greater then in Iraq. But do you hear as much about it in the media. Do we see protestors marching to demand that the Irish government do something to stop the slaughter in Dafur? Do we see people demanding that Irelands stops sending weapons to Sudan.? Of course not because there is simply nothing in it for people to be against that war. How can you call Blacks, Neo-cons or imperialists or Zionists. It is simply not fun is it.

In the recent conflict in Lebanon about 1000 people died. In Dafur it is estimated that 400,000 people have died. Lets look at those figures again. Dafur 400,000. Lebanon 1000. So for every person that died in Lebanon 400 died in Dafur. Now surely that means the Dafur should get 400 times the coverage, 400 times the protests, 400 times the number of vigils, 400 times the student societies. Where is the Dafur Solidarity campaign?

I have been wondering this for ages now and I think I have figured it out 1 Palestinian is not equal 400 Africans. 1 Palestinian shot by an Israeli is worth 400 Africans shot by Africans. It is good to be anti-Israel. You get use funky catch phrases like Zionists and get to go around with a sense a false sense of pomposity that you somehow are more righteous person then everyone else as you agree with George Galloway’s PR spin.

You get to read in the English Independent Professor Ted Honderich: ‘Palestinians have a moral right to terrorism’ and feel see I am taking the intelligent view. Never realising that if you think someone has the moral right to blow children up you give the parents of the children the right to fight back. As Golda Meir said to Saddat “We can forgive you for killing our sons. But we will never forgive you for making us kill yours”. But of course few see that argument. The right to defend ones self, the right to not recognise a political party whose constitution calls for your destruction, the right to search people at your own border crossing with the strongholds of that said party is not normal is it.

When Dr Zion Evnory, the Israeli ambassador to Ireland, came to talk in Galway he was interrupted by people shouting “Free Palestine”, and “Death to Israel” at the point when he mentioned Hezbollah firing missiles from Civilian areas . Here is what noted Zionist puppet Human rights Watch have said about that claim

“Hezbollah fighters have attempted to store weapons near civilian homes and have fired rockets from areas where civilians live”.

Whether you believe it justifies Israeli policy it certainly is not as crazy as to justify the call for the extermination of a country. Why listen to someone when you can be a robotic brain-dead follower spotting out sound bits of moronic hate speech. Why instead of listening to someone bring someone of the opposing view like lets say Ibrahim El Moussaoui head of political programming at Hezbollah’s television station Al Manar. And then pretend to speak in the language of democracy (From Galway Advertiser)

Niall Farrell of the GAAW said Mr El Moussaoui had been invited to speak to “give the people of Galway the opportunity to hear Hezbollah’s side of the story”.

People want to give the people of Galway Hezbollah’s side of the story but not Israelis. What is the betting that the people who shouted Death to Israel will be hanging on Mr Moussaoui every word in silent reverence?

In this world shout out Death to Palestine you are quiet rightly named a racist shout out Death to Israel you’re called a liberal. Go fig.

Late Late in Legovision

With Pat Kenny with personality.

Anti-war my ass

The Galway Alliance Against War has invited a member of the terrorist organisation Hezbollah to speak at a function of their's. The supmere irony of this is not lost on me.

Saddam Hussein sentenced to death by hanging

Saddam Hussein has been convicted and sentenced to death by hanging for crimes against humanity. The Baghdad court Sunday also handed down death sentences to two of Saddam's co-defendants, Barzan Ibrahim, who is Saddam's half brother, and Awad Hamed al-Bandar, the head of Iraq's former Revolutionary Court. Saddam's deputy and former vice president, Taha Yassin Ramadan, was also convicted but sentenced to life in prison. Three other party officials, including a father and son, were convicted of torture and premeditated murder and sentenced to up to 15 years in prison. A former Baath Party official was acquitted for lack of evidence and immediately set free. They were all charged in connection with retaliatory murders after a 1982 assassination attempt.

CCTV

Why do so many people on the left want more comunity police on the streets who recognise the people from the locality but not CCTV that can recognise people. Seriously what is the difference? Other then the fact that the police can act if immediatly?

Dinner or lack there of

I was working late tonight so didn't get to buy any food. So I just raided my cupboard.

First up i just heated up some Tuna with pesto olive oil and chesse.

And then I had super Noodles.

Not quiet Sea bass but still good.

Dinner

Today I watched the match between Chelsea and Barca at a friends house with bear and pizza. So didn't really have much dinner but I did finish off the rest of the Sea Bass. By frying it with a bit of Thai fish sauce and a dolup of Tomatoe pesto

Oscar baiting

CK normally handles movie related posts here on the Dossing Times, however I feel compelled to write a quick note on Oscar baiting.

I recently went to cinema here in Sydney (shameless location plug, i know) to see the Departed and Children of Men, both highly recommended, especially the latter. However both trips were tarnished somewhat by having to sit through a trailer for Clint Eastwoods new movie "Saving Private Ryan Phillippe" or, as the studio is calling it, "Flags of Our Father". When the trailer finished my friend turned to me and commented that "Clint is trying very hard to win an oscar".

I am also of the opinion, for example, that Sean Penn will not take on a role unless it affords him a shot at an oscar. With Sean this means he'll gets to shout alot which is pretty much all he's good at. Clint also strikes me as an Oscar hunter.

I just get that odd feeling that trying to win awards was the directors, actors etc. biggest motivation more and more. Its hard to quantify, but its a similar feeling I get when watching that overly sentimental Home Make Over Tv show, where you just know the ultimate goal is to make the family cry (You know the show, its basically Pimp my House). Ok, they're doing a good thing, but the ulterior motive just sours it for me.

Of course trying to win an Oscar has been around for as long as the Oscars. However is it me or is it getting more shameless and more frequent? It just seems rather backwards to me.

They're putting the cart before the horse as my Grandfather would no doubt comment.

Dinner

Yesterday I was in a fishing village and bought myself a sea bass fish. Note to self ask the guy to fillet the fish for you.

Anyway with my murdered Fillets. I did the following. However with a few modifications. 1. I used a red wine instead of white. Why you ask. Well that is all I had. Also I added garlic pepper to the mushrooms.

Very yummy but expensive. Finished with so various cheeses with some wine. Cheshire and Wensleydale with Cranberries.

Today's dinner

Today I had.
Smoked Haddock in a tomatoeish sauce with My flat's mates mums Rice.

For the rice.
Take some cinemon a small bit,
A clove of garlic.
About half a small onion,
Olive oil,
half a cup of water.
Mixed herbs
and 1/2 a chicken stock cube
salt and pepper

And all of the above to a pot and bring to the boil.
Next add rice and cook as normal.
For the Haddock.

Take the smoked Haddock, ¼ pint of milk, chives, some cinnamon salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Then let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Take some tomatoes from a tin of tin tomatoes. About 2 table spoons and a bit of oil. And heat it up for about 2 minutes.
Add this to the fish.
And serve.

This Week I have mostly been Eating

I have been lacking in inspiration for what to write. So I am going to write here what I am going to eat all this week for dinner. Anyway today .
I am eating a saddle of Lamb coated with stuff.
To make the stuff. I have blended in my blender
1 crust of bread
A nice bit of mint sorry for lack of measurement I would say a table spoon
Black pepper just a pinch
Red Wine
Crushed Clove Garlic
Sweet Chilli dipping sauce
Basil about a tea spoon
and a wee bit of soy sauce.

And then I have spooned the stuff on to the lamb and spread it over the lamb.
Then put it in the oven at 230 degrees.
It is currently in the oven so I will tell you when it is done what it is like. I am serving it with mash. It was in the oven for about 40 minutes
Update: Just finished it. MMM dahm tasty I will have to make it again some time. Could have used spring onions in the mash but I had none.
Anyway I have Haddock in my fridge so I will come up with something to use that tommorrow.

Mobile masts

A democracy isn’t it great. It allows all types of people to run for election whether they are right or wrong. Take this for example. Last weeks Nenagh Guardian (Free reg regd) reports that

A group lobbying against the erection of mobile phone masts are considering running a candidate in North Tipperary in next year’s General Election.

The group, known as B.E.S.T. (Better Environmental & Safer Telecommunications), held a meeting in the Abbey Court Hotel in Nenagh on Saturday last to discuss running candidates in a number of constituencies.

Now firstly I would like to state all the scientific evidence that supports the belief of some people that mobile masts harm people.

As you can see from the above list there is massive amounts of data to support this claim. As you can see I have linked to no studies because well there is no studies, certainly none that I can find from good sources if anyone can point me to one please do. I could say that this is rise in Anti-mobile masts groups due poor science education in the country especially physics but however true that might be it is a cheap shot.

There has been numerous studies done that have not been able to prove any connection. And the basic reason is this.

The inverse square law.

I is the intensity P is the power and r is the distance from the mast. Basically the power decreases by r^2. So the further away from the mast you are the less the intensity. And this value decreases by a lot. The average mast would be lets say 10 meters high. That means the intensity at the bottom of the mast has dropped by a factor of 100. (Technically there would be no signal at the bottoom of the mast as the angle of output means a few meters around the mast get no power anyway) Now a mobile mast has maximum of 16 channels but seemingly 4 is typical. So lets take 16. Now each channel is going to be connected to a phone so that a mobile phone is going to broadcasting a signal equal to the power being sent to the mast. So basically the power that your mobile phone emits at is going to be at a maximum 1/16^th of the power of the base station. So for you to get more microwave energy from the phone mast at full power that you are standing under then you phone, your phone would have to be about 6 meters from you.

How close is your phone from you right now? How many other phones are also within 6 meters of you? Are you right beside a mobile mast?

But I suppose that does not matter masts look dangerous, microwave radiation has the word radiation in it and people use words like cumlative dose which sounds technical so people believe it. And when do we let facts get in the way of a good scare story.

Hot Fuzz Teasers

The Teaser from the Hot Fuzz the new film by the Spaced Shawn of the Dead guys. Note the referance to the previous film.

Vincent Browne Shut the feck up

Yet again Vincent Browne is going on about how the media is not doing enough about inequality

In the coming election campaign, not a single newspaper, radio station nor television station among the mainstream media will campaign for a radical restructuring of Irish society to achieve a far greater level of equality than exists

For feck sake Vincent you have your own magazine, your own radio show, a column in the newspaper of record and a column in the leading Business paper what more do you want? You are Ireland's leading commentor no one else has this level of exposure to write their views. Maybe you should be the one doing more.

The report stated: "Excluding social transfers [ such as unemployment benefits, child benefits and pensions], the risk of poverty rate would have been close to 40 per cent [ of the total population]". The report states that, without social transfers, nearly all old people (87 per cent) would be at risk of poverty.

The realisation that two in five people in this massively wealthy society are dependent on social welfare payments to keep them out of the "at-risk poverty" bracket, and that nearly all old people here would be at risk of poverty were it not for social welfare payments, is shocking

1. Why are you highlighting Excluding social transfers surely that is what you want more of?
2. How many times do I have to go on about "at-risk of poverty" and how it is a made up figure. See this is why we need more people doing science in this country. So people can look at statistics not the actuall scare headlines that go with them but the actually numbers and how they are calculated. And see that being "at-risk of poverty" does not mean you are poor or even in danger of being poor it means that statistical your income is 60% of the median. The median can be quiet high (and in Ireland it is) and in other countries quiet low (as Germany) thus the amount of money to put you at risk of poverty in Ireland in Germany means you are not at risk of poverty. Even someone with less money in their pocket in Germany (even taking into account cost of living) then someone in Ireland can be considered not poor but the person in Ireland could be "at-risk of poverty". How does that make any sense.

Fianna Fail Bloger on the Radio

Damian Blake of Fianna Fail shows how blogs get you noticed especially when you go against the Fianna Fail party line

That will show them pesky Israelis

The Irish Times Letter's page is always a source of ammusement. Today is no different. Cathal Kerrigan suggests

I wish to propose - in all seriousness - that any boycott of Israel should include a ban on its participation in the Eurovision Song Contest in May 2007.

As Dana International was clearly a Mossad agent I think this will bring the nation to it knees.

Thinkhouse PR posts

Google Seems to have banned this post from Damian so here it is.

Hi everyone in Thinkhouse PR! As promised, here is my formal complaint to the Data Protection Commissioner for being repeatedly spammed by you on behalf of your clients. Just so you know I’ve also, as promised, contacted Three, Imagine and Ben and Jerry’s Ireland and asked them to investigate why I am getting spams about their products from you.

I’m writing to make a formal complaint against Thinkhouse PR for continually sending unsolicited emails to one of my email accounts despite being asked not to. The email account in question is info [at] irelandoffline.org a part-time non-commercial voluntary group.

Enclosed are 5 sets of documents. Thinkhouse contacted info@irelandoffline.org (which is shared with a colleague John Timmons) initially on behalf of their client Imagine who were releasing a new broadband product. We did not ask to be put on further email distributions for Imagine or for anyone else.

Despite this, on Fri August 4th Jane McDonald from Thinkhouse sent an email promoting an initiative from Ben and Jerry’s. (See document No. 2) Ben and Jerry’s are a client of Thinkhouse. My reply to this unsolicited email is at the end of the document.

Jane McDonald replied to this (see document No. 3) and gave the excuse that there was some kind of slip and my email address was put into a personal circular. I would not consider it was a personal mail. Jane seems to suggest that Thinkhouse are aware of spamming laws.

On August 18th Thinkhouse PR sent me another mail, a press release for the mobile phone operator “3”. (See document no. 4. This document is the back and forth communication between myself and Thinkhouse PR.) At the top of the document is a communication from Jane McDonald telling me once again I’m off everyone’s list after I again requested it. Jane also admits to using my email address without permission to add me to their mailing lists.

On August 22nd (see document No. 5) Andrea Horan from Thinkhouse PR again sent me a PR, this time for another of their clients. This one for Moviestar.ie.

I wish for the Data Protection Commissioner to investigate this and carry out a prosecution if needs be. I am willing to travel to Dublin, I am willing to make a written statement and I am willing to testify in Court if the need arises. Thinkhouse PR is contravening the Irish Spam Legislation and it is totally disregarding my repeated requests to stop being sent information. I have also asked for my contact details to be removed from their systems and this has been disregarded too.

Please contact me on receipt of this complaint. Contact details are above. Regards, Damien Mulley

And you thought Gitmo was bad.

Peter Andrea and Jordan sing A whole new World If you think you are hard enough.

Oh Dear

What kind of person do you need to be to govern Russia? When you can come out with this shite.

After that, the press was ushered out, and the president apparently thought the microphones had been turned off. “Say hi to your president,” Putin said. “He turned out to be quite a powerful person! Raped ten women! We're all amazed. We all envy him!”

"Fixing" the News?

Those of you who frequent this blog will no doubt be aware of the high esteem we hold Jon Stewart and the Daily Show in. Those of you who didn't know this now do (have a cookie to celebrate!). In it's early days one of the shows slogans was, "When News breaks....we fix it"! Here's what they meant by it.

Terror at the Movies

On the 5th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, United 93 and World Trade Centre have reached our screens but what purpose have these movies in telling these events?

Mild Spoilers

The context of each movie and the scale of the commentary each makes on the events of 9/11 are somewhat paradoxical. World Trade Centre is set amidst the heart of the disaster; it fleets to different spots on the globe as the events unfold, sees marines return to duty and sees the main protagonists entombed in what was to become Ground Zero where Bush was to make a pledge for vengeance days later. However in this movie, Stone proposes no theory behind events, does not accord blame, Bush is glimpsed fleetingly on a TV screen and terrorism barely earns a mention. You are dragged into the raw reality of the moments of crisis and claustrophobic waiting endured by the men and their families. Equally, United 93 tells an intimate story, the real life events have no footage or monumental destruction to commemorate their tragedy. It is a story of heroes so the movie has no time for who or why this blind fear and tragedy has struck the nation, it must simply be dealt with.

World Trade Centre is the far more melodramatic of the two but not unnecessarily so. It would be easy to disregard it as over sentimental theatrics. However, these are the moments in life when we are stretched and when the luggage we carry around unnecessarily with us every day has to be forgotten. This is when you get to talk in Hallmark abstracts about human nature because these are the times when it flourishes. Maybe at the offset you will flinch or grimace at the sight of an officer returning to the police department, a trail of tears running a river through his dusty face. But spend the rest of the movie gasping for air with the men and step back from all that has happened since. 9/11 has come to mean so much more than the events of a day. The attacks have been drowned out by the war on terror, WMD inspections, failed UN resolutions and airport security checks. If we are going to do justice to the victims or somehow try to portray what happened on the day then give it the respect it deserves. Bush-bashing and fervent reminders of the countless undocumented loss of life elsewhere has its place but it should not be used for mudslinging to undermine a reminder of what people went through.

United 93 strives for the same effect but is an entirely different creature. There is no glazed cinematography or stylistic director trademarks. There are no establishing shots revering New York offering any sort of numbing agent for what you know is to come. The camera keeps you level with the people aboard the plane, the air traffic controllers and officials dealing with the crisis from outside. I have talked before about movies serving as a means of escapism but this movie traps you right to the dieing moments of the last shot. You meet the hijackers, you almost get to know them better than the other passengers, sharing in their anxiety and watching them say goodbye to their families. There is no relief or let up, each scene progresses so that you feel more tense and uneasy. How many other films can instil such dread when we have known the ending for 5 years?

Both movies admirably shoulder the responsibility they are laden with. There was no option to base the film closely on the facts or play with the truth. Equally though in constructing the story they wanted to tell, these filmmakers have had to dip into a story half told, or really we don’t know what percentage we’ve seen. In choosing how to depict what we know, they have clung to the one definite in all of this- people are resilient and in all of our uncertainty, if we can't know for sure what matters what we always have is what we do. The people caught up in this ill-fated day did well. We shouldn’t need such a crisis to shock us into being decent whole people.

Unique Idea

I just turned on my MP3 player and listened to the Stone Roses to I want to be adore and I was overcome by this compulsion to write to create to put down something unique that has never been committed to paper before. And so this is it my piece of originality that I am inflicting on the world. I know that this sentiment is in itself nothing original, the quest to create something original has been written about so many times. But never has it been put in these exact words. That is the uniqueness of it.

Now I do not have the writing talent, nor do I have the musical talent to create something like the Stone roses could, in fact my abilities are probably pretty average. But I still have that desire to create something original. I am currently doing a PhD in physics because simply put I love physics and it influences they way I think on pretty much everything. Not to sound totally ponce but it sometimes lets me see the beauty in things that in them selves pose no traditional beauty. One of these things is lights in a night club. I can just stare at them transfixed by them. Marvelling at all the physical processes that is needed to create them and allow me to see them. Just watching the simplicity of such an un-simplistic system. Thinking of all the great minds through out history that were needed for me to be able to stand there and know how it works. The way the light changes, the equations that govern this. The simplicity of its genius. I could wax lyrically about those lights for hours and after a few drinks possibly longer.

But physics lets me see in levels that many people cannot. Simply listening to my music (I am the resurrection Stone Roses now.) Just thinking of the physical process’s, my ear vibrating, the ear phone vibrating, the electrons moving in the circuits in seemingly random motion but governed and indeed the idea at on point in time a guy moved his arm up and down and struck a drum, which caused a sound wave to move through the air from the drum to a microphone where it was recorded for eternity. In my minds eye I can see the drum the cover of the drum changing morifing, due to the pressure excreted by the drum stick. The drum releasing some of the energy in the form of a sound wave. That same sound wave that now over 15 years later is causing my ear to vibrate.

Just seeing the world in all that complexity and also seeing it in its simplicity is awe inspiring. And I guess that is why I am doing a PhD in Physics. The idea that me little old me Simon from Tipp can place into the world one unique idea something that explains something or creates something new however trivial. That is the beauty of research, that is the beauty of an Unique idea.

Suduko

Do you find Suduko hard? Maybe you should try the Limerick Leaders one. They give you a wee hint. ;)

Cider Renaissance

The UK branch of the Bulmers brand, Magners, is reporting substantial increases in the popularity of cider, so much so that the company cannot meet demand. The reversal of fortune and perception of the brand is due to what the British Independent reports is the marketing success of the decade.

For my female readers.

Here are two fashion /Beauty blogs to check out. Beaut and Style Treaty.

I have talked about male beauty products before here. Marketsexuals.

Deliever us from Evil

This is causing a stir on liveline

Ban all donations

I think I once said that there is nothing wrong with corporate donations. My argument was that the corporate donation does not make a politician corrupt, the politician makes the donation corrupt. But with the revelations from Bertiegate and Tim O’Malley’s details of Labour and Fine Gael donations, I have changed my mind. Corporate donations should be stopped but not just corporate donations. All donations.

Continue reading ‘Ban all donations’

Youtube to be bought by Google

Youtube, the phenomenally successful site for sharing videos, is to be bought by Google in surely what will serve to be a classic case study in asserting dominance in a market place.

Youtube, which has become a staple feature of browsing online is in fact less than a year old and will be bought for the princely figure of $1.65 billion, It’s co-founder, Chad Hurley, contends Youtube will maintain its independence and identity to a significant degree.

Me in the Irish Times

Just realised I got a mention in the Irish Times on Saturday. Can read the part I am in here.

North Korea has the Nuke

Great isn't it. I suppose it is America's fault because they have them. But in all seriousness maybe it is. Maybe if more attention was put on North Korea then Iraq this would not happen.

Air Blade Technology to the rescue

Find here the link to an article which is really not worth reading beyond the first paragraph. I'm sure its important to someone, but certainly not to me that, James Dyson of vacuuming fame, has applied his technological expertise to the world of hand dryers so as to help us overcome emerging from pub bathroom facilities with damp hands.

Please Stop the Pain

From RTE.

Pitt hires Beckham to teach his son

Summer Movie Review

Each of the movies below were some of the most hyped and likely to be most successful movies of the year (in the case of Pirates it seems of all time!). When and where we saw them might serve as benchmarks for different events or stages of our summers. Perhaps our summers are never as life changing or the journeys of growth so often depicted in movies but for me the movies themselves are the best vehicle of escapism we allow ourselves. That and a six month trek to New Zealand of course! Highlights of the summer not included in my preview list from last May include the noir high school drama ’Brick’, Al Gores’s documentary ’An Inconvenient Truth’, ‘Dave Chapelle’s Block Party’ intermingling the music and organisation of Chapelle‘s free Brooklyn concert, ‘The Science of Sleep’ from the director of ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’, Tommy Lee Jones directorial debut ‘The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada’ and ‘Monster House’ the best and most original of the summers spate of animated movies. Below is a short review of each of the movies I listed as worth our viewing time this summer:

Mission Impossible III

Fans of Alias, J.J Abrams’ now retired spy drama series will know that Mission Impossible III was effectively a 2-hour episode of the show. From telling a section of the story in flashback, double crossing and triple-crossing within the organisation to characters being lifted directly from the show there is an over boding sense of familiarity. Cruise selected Abrams as director having watched the first 2 series of Alias, which contains some of the best hours of television I’ve ever seen, so I can’t help feel disappointed at the outcome of the movie, lacking the tension, tight structuring and complexity of Alias. There is spectacle, thrills and a bridge set kidnap attempt will surely be one of the action sequences of the year but these glimmers are strung together by slivers of character, over long exposition and a saccharine sweet ending. Philip Seymour Hoffman is excellent in his role but as with Kevin Spacey in Superman, discussed below, you can’t help but wish he was put to better use. Far superior to its predecessor and absolutely worth an evenings viewing on DVD, this movie is beleaguered by unfulfilled potential.

X3: The Last Stand

Many people have been disappointed by the third instalment in the X-Men series. More lumbering and fractured than Bryan Singers’ work, the movie did seem to loose some of its epic feel. The story of Dark Phoenix was one of the most dramatic and popular in the X-Men comic book series, here it effectively bookends the movie and feels under-developed. Nevertheless, the movie remains strong on story, numerous as they are and respectful of the core characters. Each of the stunt sequences and effects are necessary, glorious eye fodder and tied to the story with the build up to and confrontation between Wolverine and Phoenix on Alcatraz being a highlight of the year for me. Nacho Libre

‘Nacho Libre’ was a surprise gem. Produced by Nickelodeon your are unprepared for the strangely engrossing hybrid of Laurel and Hardy buddy slapstick, the look of chop socky martial arts movies and the feeling you are watching a period Mexican movie. The result is that what could have been an over familiar, seeming retread of the story line of ’The School of Rock’ is given a feel good, broad based humour and affirming story.

Superman Returns

I have already reviewed Superman Returns (here). I would also recommend reading Empire Magazines excellent online review. No movie this year has been made with such respect and care and we were presented with the most grown up comic book adaptation yet produced. Not since Sleepy Hollow have I been so drawn into a movie world by its look. The cast are pitch perfect, the nods to previous Superman incarnations wink knowingly at fans and I want to gush endlessly about the awe this movie from the opening trill of its score stirs up.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Mans Chest

If the summer belonged to one film, it was Pirates of the Caribbean and not unjustifiably as Dead Man’s Chest is the most fun we have had at the cinema this year. Topping every chart and box office poll imaginable, these set of characters with Captain Jack Sparrow affirming his movie icon status and a sense of adventure not seen since Indiana Jones have developed a loyal and enthusiastic fan base. All the elements were in place to recreate the magic of ’The Curse of the Black Pearl’ and though this follow up is certainly not on a par with the first Pirates, it is not so much that is disappoints- it is still rip-roaring and sets the stage for a fascinating conclusion next summer.

Miami Vice

I don’t have a lot of respect for people who sit through and pin point mistakes and minutiae plot point failings in movies. Maybe it is some deep set need to affirm their intelligence and people are entitled to their opinions but for me it just seems to instil a pettiness that proliferates in the world I use movie watching to escape. Anyway I’m sure such people would have a field day with Miami Vice, which does suffer from a coherency of plot and a logical progression. However even to judge the movie as a whole with the gravitas a Michael Mann movie is usually partnered with, I was unable to feel the seriousness and intensity that was so desperately being churned out on screen. None of it is believable or gripping. Fox and Farrell play a well established team, Mann intentionally dipped into their story at a stage where they knew each other so well there was little need for dialogue between them or any form of exposition of their working relationship- it is never really made clear if they are even friends. The monotones of the LA backdrop seem to seep into the characters and atmosphere of the movie, not leaving you with any strong feelings towards the movie, just merely one of indifference. Even movies that are reviled leave a mark, Miami Vice however will not.

Timing and release dates have meant that I have not seen ‘The Sentinel’, ‘The Da Vinci Code’ or ‘The Omen‘. If anyone reading has seen and would like to comment on these movies, please do. I have yet to see ‘World Trade Centre’ but I intend to.

Ali G in Northern Ireland

Not a big fan of Ali G but this is really good

New Lost

Richard got a job.

Congrats Richard on getting a new post with the Mail group. Now I wouldn't buy the news paper due to its previous and somewhat still anti-Irish editorial direction in the UK. Call me petty but hey that it is my right in a free market. But I might just give it a quick read in the newsagent now.

Bertiegate

Bertie’s 12 Apostles?

Ok, here is a quick list of the guys on the list and what Google reveals about them. I think most of these people are right as they seem to have connections to Bertie, but that could be just a coincidence, so some people may not be the people. If anyone knows if I am wrong or knows other details, let me know. (Updated 23:00)

Continue reading ‘Bertie’s 12 Apostles?’

The indo don't do maths.

From the Irish Independent.

As well as beating the males in Junior and Leaving Cert exams, females do better in most areas of higher education, according to a survey carried out for the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC). At undergraduate level the female/male enrolment ratio is 59:41, females also get 54.7pc of the first-class and two-thirds of the second-class honours degrees.

Ok just a quick note. If the ration is 59:41 that means that 59% of students are female. Now that means that 59% of first class honours should be awarded to females. But no it is 54.7% so in fact females are preforming slighly lower then males at first class level.

Very Clever

Open Letter to Eamon Gilmore

Dear Eamon Gilmore,

How ya doing. Just a quick tip for you: if, as you say…

The mission of the Irish Labour Party is not just to change government but to change Irish society and to make Ireland a fair place to work and to love

How about starting to make Ireland a fairer place to love by reversing the party’s decision not to support gay marriage. Until that time, don’t use the word “love” in the same sentence as the word “fair” without prefacing the word “fair” with “not”. Ok.

Regards, etc., etc.

Penn and Teller

I have been watching Penn and Teller these last few weeks. Great stuff. Here is one show about anti- gm food campaigns and organic and why it is bullshit. Whether you agree with the issues or not and the show does gloss over some points. You have to admit sometimes like the programme title suggests they can spot the bullshit a mile off in an argument. (I think the raw food people are the best in this)

The worst film or all time.

And it has been made yet.

Irish Election posts

What Labour Gael need is more Richard Brutons

Considering that we now have Labour Gael is it time for them to act coherently. Looking across the front benches of Labour Gael you see many faces that you do not know, and many you do know yet you don’t know why you know. Put simply the Labour Gael front bench is largely unknown by the general population. Now one thing they need to do is be more vocal, outspoken and get the message out. But another thing they need to do is create a shadow cabinet.

Continue reading ‘What Labour Gael need is more Richard Brutons’

Be Afraid.

One of the main points in Michael Moore’s movie Bowling for Columbine was that the media was making the people scared. We see this already in the media where newspapers come up with scarce mongering headlines to grab attention. But Fine Gael love to do it as well. Here is a site of there’s I came across. http://www.safestreets.ie/. With its blood red banner and alarmist text it screams be afraid be very afraid. But if as they say

Anti-social behaviour is hurting our society. Every day, in every neighbourhood,

Why do they need a photo gallery of Anti social behaviour? Surely if it is in every neighbourhood people know what it looks like?

EU Justice.

From the Irish examiner.

IRELAND will refuse to give up its veto on justice issues, Tánaiste Michael McDowell said yesterday as he accused the European Union of constantly trying to extend its power. The Justice Minister will stand shoulder to shoulder with Germany and Britain against extending EU power in the areas of justice, immigration and police co-operation when the issue is discussed for the first time today.

Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso insists that dropping the veto is essential to ensure EuropeÂ’s security in the fight against terrorism.

So basically 2 of the 3 countries in Europe who have had to deal with significant terrorism do not think it is a good idea? Emm maybe that suggests that it is not a good idea or is needed to fight terrorism? I mean surely if this is needed to fight terrorism Ireland and especially Britain would be massively in favour of it.

Is Pat Rabbitte a Fine Gael Mole

The thing I remember most from the 2002 election campaign was Ruari Quinn’s platform. The message was simple Labour were an independent party. They had a set of polices and whoever implemented they would go in power with. It was a brave strategy that many criticised yet due to its honesty lead to Labour gaining 3 seats against a powerful Fianna Fail tide, which was some achievement. However, now instead of an strong dynamic Labour Party we have:

Continue reading ‘Is Pat Rabbitte a Fine Gael Mole’

Thai Coup blogging

The excellent Screen Shots blog has a list of Thai bloggers providing on the ground news. There is reports that message boards and foreign news sources are being blocked. I guess the first rule of a coup is control the message. But the blogs are still going strong.

McCain on Geneva Convention

Great piece by John McCain here. I would invite everyone to read it. Here is a great line that sums more or less my up my view on Torture.

Fighting for our security alone makes this fight just. Fighting for the security of other nations as well makes it generous. Fighting for the ascendancy in the world of our values makes it noble. That is the burden and the honor history has offered us. So let us take care, just as we take care to minimize civilian casualties while our enemies deliberately kill the innocent, not to provide our critics with an excuse to doubt how seriously we take our obligations to abide by our values even in times of war, no matter how cruel, difficult or unusual that war.

Pope-gate

The old saying goes that you learn something new everyday...and in the last few days the Pope has learned just how easy it is to offend the Islamic world. In an attempt to open dialgue on the reasonableness of faith and the merits of blood shed and jihad the Pope referenced a 14th century emperor who was a little unkind to the Muslim faith.

The Popes actions were certainly unwise...a little careless even. The whole furore over those infamous Danish cartoons vividly illustrated just how sensitive the Muslim world is to any percieved slight on their faith. Open and frank discussions are frankly a non-starter. Certainly, Western values and practices should be left at the door in any "discussion" on Islam if offence is to be avoided.

However, were the Pope's action really that unreasonable? What exactly did he do that created such offence and has resulted in him issuing a public and personal apology today? Forgive me, but I just can't see it. Are all unkind words on Islam forbidden, even if the context is merely to point out that someone else uttered them? That is in effect what the Pope has done.

Once again a claim that Islam is not a peaceful faith has prompted the threat of violence from some quarters, the charge of offending the Islamic faith from others and a blanket refusal to accept any form of critical dialogue. Of course the irony in this reaction remains, but by now it's getting a little tiring.

Today the Pope has issued a personal and public apology for any offence caused by his comments. However, the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood have since stated that this apology is insufficent as it is not a 'clear' apology.

It is high time Muslim leaders stood up and were counted. The Pope's speech and its infamous quotation was greeted with prompt and loud calls for an apology for the offence caused. However, where are the similar reactions to the angry mobs who, in the name of Islam, burn effigies of the Pope and threaten violence to all who criticise Islam? Is it really the case that the former causes the greater offence to Islam?

The Second Biggest day in Irish Sport

The second biggest day in Irish Sport (beside the obvious Hurling final) the all-Ireland football final is on. RTE are tracking it online.

COME on MAYO

What a game it looked like Mayo were going to be trashed being 12 points down but then they started to come back to bring the margin down to 6 points. With one of the goals coming from a point attempt hitting the post and coming down to a mayo guy. at half time. 3:8 Kerry 3:2 to Mayo.

Carbon Tax is wrong on IrishElection

One of the main policy platforms of the Green party is the introduction of a carbon tax. The purpose of the carbon tax is that by putting a certain amount of tax on carbon emissions that people and industries will change their attitudes, emit less carbon emissions and invest more heavily in renewable energy sources. Now it sounds great doesn’t it? But in reality it will do feck all to achieve any of the aims of Carbon Tax and will punish the poorest hardest.

Continue reading ‘Carbon Tax is wrong’on Irish Election.com

Anti masturbation flakes

Here is an interesting thing that will probably result in me getting loads of strange hits from Google.

But seemingly Kelloggs Corn Flakes were invented to stop people masturbating. Seemingly the founder created Corn flakes as part of a antaphrodisiac thing.

Knew there must be a reason for preferring Weetabix. :)

The Boss on TG4

Just catching Bruce Springstein on TG4 doing an Acoustic gig. Check it out.

Taxing Attitudes

A while back it was reported in the Irish Times that the ESRI urges less spending, more taxes. Now I know what you are thinking: an economic policy unit coming out in favour of new taxes must have hit their heads. But no, they were not talking about raising tax for equality or other such stuff; they were calling for a raising of taxes in an effect to change people’s behaviour. But does it actually work?

One of their calls was for increased tolling on the nation’s roads. The reason being that it would reduce the demands on the nation’s roads and help reduce the congestion. But the line that I picked up on is:

The Government will have to introduce measures to change how citizens use infrastructure being built under national development plans,

There are two ways in which the government controls what people can do: either through the law or through taxation. I think everyone will agree that the laws are what is there to allow a coherent society function, be they smoking bans in pubs, age of sexual consent, etc. But what of the government trying to change the attitudes of people on matters that the government does not deem important enough to legislate against?

Changing people’s opinions on something is not as simple as “slapp a tax on and it will change people”. The classic example is the plastic bag levy. By putting a 15 cent tax on a plastic bag, people started carrying their groceries without plastic bags and began to realise if you buy a paper and a bottle of coke, what do you need a bag for? Overnight, the plastic bag consumption in Ireland dropped. People also started carrying bags with them—sometimes eco-friendly bags, other times plastic—and re-used them over and over again. The change was remarkable and all for a tax of 15 cent. But the times are changing and there is much talk of the need to up the tax as it is losing its effect. But the financial aspect of the tax was never the cause of the change: the cause of the change was the fact that people were forced to think about the plastic bag. Previously it was a kind of instinctual thing to get a plastic bag. The effect of the tax was to make you stop and think about what you were doing. When you stopped to think about it, you realised that you didn’t need the bag anyway. Hence why it worked.

However now the plastic bag tax has come part of everyday life, people are used to it and instinctually hand over money for the bag. If this value is increased by a small amount then the tax is not breaking the mindset of people. The value at which the tax changes to a small amount to a amount that makes people change their minds is subjective to the person. To some people, 50c would be make them change, for others a euro would be the required amount. When the tax was introduced, the change from 0c to 15c was an infinite increase in the value of the bags and a similar increase in the physiological impact. While an increase of 15c to 30c. Is only double and the impact on people’s actions is little.

So what of attempts to alter people’s perceptions? For instance, Branedy’s suggestion that scientists get tax free status:

If Ireland can support the Arts and Music with a tax free environment, but is now worried about Science, Mathematics and Research. Why not grant the same favor to Scientists, Mathematicians and Researchers? Since there are fewer Scientists, and Mathematicians, than there are Artists and musicians, and in generally they make less money, and hence pay less taxes anyway, why not support them, and make it entirely free of taxation.

Now, being a physicist, I think it is a great idea. But what of the idea? There is much talk about the country’s need for more scientists and that the wages are not decent enough to encourage kids to take up science in University. And this would have the effect of changing people attitudes towards science. Wven if the wages did not match that of the other industries, the effect would be similar to the plastic bag tax. The attitude would be changed even if the financial situation changed little. People would perceive themselves as being better off. Perception is everything.

Now I know I have rambled on a bit here and if you are still reading this then sorry for making you think that maybe I have a great point somewhere . I don’t really. Just that if the government want to use tax as a method to alter people perceptions on living in the countryside, plastic bags, science SUVs, etc., it is not the financial aspect of the tax that has the biggest effect, it is the physiological effect of a person being forced to change their daily routine. Simply increasing tolls will not do this. Varying tolls however where the toll rate changes during the course of the day can have this effect because it will force people to consider their journey and think “do I really need to travel at 5pm when I can travel at 6pm for free?” So far only the Greens have picked this up.

Intelligent Design

Great piece from the Kansas City Star about Intelligent Design. The money quote for me.

In his book, Darwin’s Black Box, Michael J. Behe coined a term: “Irreducible Complexity,” which he defined as: “A single system composed of several well-matched, interacting parts that contribute to the basic function, wherein the removal of any one of the parts causes the system to effectively cease functioning.”

Irreducible complexity implies that God resides in the “gaps” of our knowledge. Science students who are introduced to the idea that God is only present in what we don’t understand, i.e. the mysteries of the universe, are left with difficult issues to resolve. If God is found in the mysteries, as their understanding of the natural world grows, then God (the mysteries) gets smaller. Faced with this appalling conflict, many students will reject knowledge. Others have a crisis that causes them to lose their faith and beliefs. This completely contrived conflict should not be going on anywhere in public education

Also a good show from the ever brilliant and libertarian. Penn and Teller.

Sudan man forced to 'marry' goat

The strangest headline I have read in a long while from the BBC . Sudan man forced to 'marry' goat

10 Dimension

A great flash animation of how 10 Dimensions work. Hat tip (Green La Girl)

Farewell and thank you

My childhood officially ended last Monday at approximately 1.30am local time here in New Zealand when having watched Michael Schumacher win his 90th Grand prix, my boyhood hero and idol of the last 13 years announced his retirement from the sport at the end of the year. Every since I've had a strange empty feeling that I just can't shake off.

I can't say with certainty why motorsport, in particular Formula 1, evolved from mere cars going round in cricles, to defeat all other sports and capture my imagination as strongly as it has, but I am sure that Schumacher is a primary reason. For me his performances against the superior Williams and Mclarens in the mid to late 1990s were magical. This was my favourite period of Schumachers career, although his most successful would come in the new millenium. I wish I had the words to explain how it felt to watch this man work miracles as the under-dog every forthnight. His performances in the wet were simply remarkable. When he finally sat into the best car he began an unprecedented period of domination which ultimately resulted in a series of rule changes to make the sport competitive again. He has been the Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong and Roger Federer of motorsport for the last 10 years.(Indeed Tiger said today that Schumacher is the greatest active athlete on the planet)

Schumacher is the most successful driver in the sports history holding all but the most inane records. He is also its most divisive driver. The phrase "you either love him or hate him" has never fitted more perfectly. With a number of controvercial moments such as championship deciding collisions in 94 and 97 and the "parking" incident in Monaco this year, it is fair to say that he is the hero to the minority of fans. However Schumacher's mere presence got the pulse racing and a cursory glance at the memorable moments in the sport over the last 10-15 years will reveal Schumacher involved in well over 90%.

Schumacher has been the sports yard stick for longer than any driver in its history. In 15 seasons in the sport he has failed to finish in the top 3 of the championship on only 2 occassions; once during his second full season in 1993 when he finished fourth, and again in 1999 when he missed 6 races due to a broken leg and finished 5th. He has also won at least one race in each of the the full championship seasons he has competed in. A remarkable level of consistency in a world where every thousand of a second is vital. During that time he has won the World Championship or been part of the championship battle in 10 of those seasons. His absence will leave a huge hole in the sport and I can't imagine how strange it will feel to watch races without Schumacher.

It has been a privilege to watch this great man compete and although I am saddened by his announcement I wish him all the best in his retirement. His example has sparked a passion and obsession in me that anyone who knows me, including Simon, can attest to and will remain with me for life. For that, I thank him.

I have searched Youtube for a fitting video tribute to the man. These two videos are my favourites, a great example of the excitement he generated and his ability against the odds. They are clips from the qualifiying session of the 1996 Monaco Grand prix where Schumacher, driving a pig of a Ferrari,(described by Eddie Irvine, his team mate as "An accident waiting to happen") goes for pole position around the ultimate drivers circuit against the vastly superior Williams (Commentary by Ben Edwards and Jon Watson).

Part 1

Part 2

McDowell and the electorate.

Richard has some interesting pieces on McDowell. But just one quick point.

The PDs are probably the DailÂ’s laziest party when it comes to building constituency support and theyÂ’ve nobody to blame but themselves for being ghettoised in fashionable postcodes.

One I don't think Longford/Roscomman have ever been called fashionable. No offence to Longford or Roscomman people I know some they are cool but you know what I mean. But also 4 out of the 8 PD TD's come from places with out post codes. Unlike the Greens for instance where only 1 out of six comes from non-postcode land. We do exist outside the pale you know Richard. :) But here is a great line.

In truth, despite the image, the rich are the last people who need the PDs. Where there’s money, there’s always a way to keep it – as the scandals and tribunals of recent years confirm. Government waste and spending – the politics of the taxpayer-funded giveaway – are most lethal for the small businessman and ordinary taxpayer who get squeezed hardest by the drop in opportunity, competitiveness, and openness. Left-wing politicians like to speak in the name of the poor, but the economics of state dependency leave vulnerable individuals tied to an impersonal and incompetent welfare system.

And this got me thinking for an Irish Election post.

Richard Waghourne inadvertently points out why McDowell and the PD’s will always struggle in there present guises to win over the electorate. And indeed this goes for Labour and the Greens as well.

McDowell may have indulged himself in a little Latin yesterday, quoting Virgil to declare that ‘fortune favours the brave’,

Now picture this, could you ever ever I mean seriously ever see Bertie Ahern quoting Latin. Now I am sure he knows a bit but would he ever do it. Even quoting Carpe Diem or some other well known saying from a movie. Of course not. He is far to clever for that. Now I know it might seem to some people an oxymoron that not using Latin makes you clever. But Bertie knows the electorate.

Continue reading ‘Carpe Bertio’

Sinn Fein not the Answer

You know sometimes I have to wonder do Sinn Fein actually get the irony of their existence. Take this statement More prisons and bigger prisons not the answer — Ó Snodaigh.

Sinn Féin Justice spokesperson Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD said that ‘more prisons and bigger prisons is not the answer’. Suggesting Minister McDowell was posing as tough on crime rather than dealing with the problem,

So McDowell is posing as tough i.e. he is not really tough. Coming from a party who thinks that putting Black and Decker drills through teenagers knees because they did a bit of joy riding really does not say a lot on whether or not McDowell is tough on crime at all.

Continue reading ‘Sinn Fein not the Answer.’

You thought Brian Kennedy was bad III

On the day the we remember the deaths of thousands in New York. We have to remember their is still stuff to laugh about in life. Like the 80s

And Funky Town

The Office

I must confess I did not think that the American Office could work. For me the best part of the original Office was the stuttle touches around the Tim and Dawn story the smiles and the looks and I just did not think that an American drama could get it. But as usual I seem to have been wrong. You can see some other parts of the American Tim and Dawn. Jim and Pam here.

Including the beautifully shot season ending. By the way I know I am an old romantic but feck it. It's my blog and I can do what I like. Now to get my macho image back here is a clip of the alternative ending to Rambo.

A Hitichhikers guide moment

This really is not funny but it is. Sorry, we have just knocked wrong house! - By DAVID HURLEY

THE National Roads Authority have admitted "questions need to be answered" after a cottage was mistakenly demolished this week without the knowledge of its owners.

The house, near Annaholty, Lisnagry on the Limerick/Tipperary border. was knocked to the ground this Monday by contractors.

one of the best music videos of all time

Irish Election post on the big story

So I was checking out Irish Election as I do. And there was the headline Mary Harney Resigns. Dahm that came out of the blue and I guess got most people by surprise. But is it election suicide or pure genius. Continue reading ‘The Queen is dead long live the ????????????’

More Republican Emails with a twist

I am still getting those emails from the republicans but just for a change I will change the email into an Irish Context. Changes in bold.

Thank you for your support and dedication of our Fianna Fail candidates.

So many Dail candidates are under attack and in desperate need of support, and our resources are stretched thin. Because of your contributions, we can now help a few more Fianna Failers that need immediate assistance. But we still have a long way to go before Election Day.

I am sure I will have to call on you again for help next Summer, and I know you will be ready to help fight back against the Blue Shirts. The Socialists and hippies 527's(no idea what this refers to) will stop at nothing to take-over the Dail. They have no regard for the truth or the reputations of hard-working, dedicated men and women running for the Dail. Together, we will continue to fight back.

Please remember to help your local Fianna Fail candidates by volunteering, putting a sign in your yard or by talking to your friends about the candidates. On our website Fianna Fail.ie, we have the contact information for campaigns across the country. To find out more, go to this link, click on your county and locate your district. Then call or email the campaign and find out how you can get to work! Volunteers are a vital part of campaigns and they need you. Be sure to bring a friend, family member or neighbor along with you to help.

Your support of Fianna Fail and our Dail candidates in every County is essential. Election Day is nine short months away and we have a lot of ground to cover. I know you will continue to work hard alongside of me, the Fianna fail committee and local Fianna Fail campaigns right up until June Thank you again.

Can you imagine this email being sent out. Neither can I. But that is america

Torture

Is it any wonder that 24 comes from the Fox Broadcasting Network. How many times has a scene involved Jack Bauer going. We don’t have time and proceed to electrocute some prisoner to get the vital information out of him of where the bomb is planted and it usually works Jack gets the info. Says the day and then gets fucked over by bureaucrats. The End. But what of torture itself can it be justified.

Many people who are against torture will point to examples of the Guilford Four who were tortured into confessing that they had blown up a pub in Guilford. Not only was the result of the torture that innocent men and women went to prison but also that the guilty got off and probably murdered again. The pressure their was coming from a desire of the British people to have somebody to blame for those attacks. It was a media frenzy someone had to pay, and they need not have been the actual perpetrators. It is clear to most people that torture in that case was totally immoral and unjustified.

But what of the Jack Bauer example where it is a race against time to get the information to save lives. What is human rights vs thousands of lives? Around the time of the terror plot in London. It was stated that the information that stopped the bomb attack may have come from torture carried out in Pakistan. This was greeted by many conservative pundits as proof finally that they were the ones that had the metal to fight the war on terror and that the uber-liberals didn’t have the balls to defend the world from terror and it made sense I mean it works for Jack Bauer.

But a few weeks later it has emerged that maybe it was not Jack Bauer that saved the day maybe even their was no day to save. According to the New York times (hat tip Andrew Sulllivan) the terrorist had not bought plane tickets, did not yet have passports and had no bombs made. Not exactly a Jack Bauer situation. Firstly did they knew what stage they were at? The answer is yes due to the fact that they had camera’s installed in the flat. They were watching them al the time. They knew exactly what they were doing and what stage they were at. They got the tip off from locals in the area.

So where did the torture of a man in Pakistan come into all this? Not entirely sure why but I wager that is caused the British police to act before they were ready. Not sure if they had got all the suspects or not. In the end it seems that they were right in the first place. The terrorist were not about to attack and they may have lost leads on other terrorists.

So what did Jack Bauer style tactics give them?

But what of torture itself is it ever justified. Can it ever provided the information that is needed. That is very debatable. Torture someone and they will tell you what you want to hear. It may not be the truth but you will get what you want. This info will always be highly suspect and never trust worthy. Acting on it as the British may have can actually mess up your operation of real significants.

But to me the most important reason not to commit torture is this. Tony Blair summed up the war on terror for me in this sentence. “this is not a war of civilisations this is a war for civilisation”. And how can we ever win that war when we abandon civilisation and engage in the brutal savagery that the enemy would like to inflict on all of us.

A new Award

The El Blogador Award for Excellence in Irish Nationalism 2006. Vote now for the person you think deserves it. Very interesting idea alright. I will have to think about it.

Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin Dies

From Sydney Morning Hearld.

Television personality and environmentalist Steve Irwin has died after being stung by a stingray while filming off north Queensland.

Known worldwide as the Crocodile Hunter, the 44-year-old was famous for his enthusiasm for wildlife and his catchcry "Crikey!"

The Queensland Police Service issued a statement saying Irwin collapsed after being stung at Batt Reef, Low Isles, off Port Douglas about 11am. He had been filming a documentary.

Tough S**t

From the Sunday Indo House-price hell, or Connacht: that's the tough choice faced by many true-blue Dubs

What a load of crap. Do you hear that playing in the background the smallest violin. No Well maybe that is because it is so small it is sub sonic. How often do we read an article headed Job hell, or Dublin: that's the tough choice faced by many true-blue and gold Tipp people.

Never? Why is it that it is shocking that Dublin people have to move outside Dublin but utterly normal for country people to move to Dublin. People from the country move to Dublin because they have to. We don’t complain but when it involves Dublin people going beyond the DART line it is a tragedy akin to the Cromwelian invasion.

AS for the likes of David in Artane.

Yes, if I was offered the same job, with the same promotion opportunities and the same salary. I am not able to get on the property ladder. At least if I moved West I might actually be able to make a purchase and get some value for money, plus it would probably do me the world of good to get some clean, fresh country air.

Who basically want the same money but have to spend less. It doesn’t work like that David wages are lower because the cost of living is lower. You don’t need the same salary to have the same amount of money in your wallet. But people always look at the bottom line.

As for the various people going on about the poor infrastructure. How long do you queue in traffic again in Dublin? A lot less then the rest of the country I would wager.

As for Rebecca from Booterstown

"People in rural Ireland don't like Jackeen blow-ins moving into their towns and villages and upsetting their little lives.

We have little lives is it. How nice. I will think of that as I go to work with a nice fast commute as you are stuck in your little car in your massive tailback with your little mind.

Back and to the left.

Considering that Science that gets covered in media in this country tends to be of the perpetual motion type so I thought I might go through some science more often. Now I could just go on about major discoveries but the likes of New Scientist already do that. So I think I will just talk about random bits of physics.

Anyway think of the Kennedy Assassination and you think “back and to the left”. This is supposed to show that Kennedy was shot from the front, as the head went back and to the left and I will admit I used to believe that as well. However when I thought about it back and to the left actually disproves the theory that there was a gun man on the grassy knoll.

It is possibly difficult to explain this but here goes. For back and to the left from the Grassy knoll to be true the bullet would have had to stay in the brain for momentum to be conserved. However the bullet didn’t it left the brain. Now the bullet is going to lose very little energy on entering the brain the pressure on the point in the head that it hits is great and offer little resistance to take momentum. Imagine trying to push a slab of butter with a slowly pushed spoon and a hot carving knife at speed and you get the idea . Indeed it would pass through without losing all its momentum.

However on leaving the brain the bullet is going to drag a lot of Brain matter with it. This is going to be spewed out in the direction of the bullets path. Newton famously said that for every action there is a equal and opposite reaction. This is how rockets work. By pushing the jet fumes down the rocket feels the opposite effect and goes up. The same thing happened with Kennedy’s brain.

The matter leaving in the direction of the bullet would cause, by Jet propulsion the head to go in the opposite direction. So what was back and to the left of Kennedy and thus the path of the bullet? The book depository.

Now maybe there was a gunman on the grassy knoll, but one thing is for certain that back and to the left shot was not from there and considering that tends to be the only shot attributed to him/her it is highly unlikely that anyone was there.

Also the big part of the magic bullet theory that got me. The bullet stopping in mid-air seems to be false. Dahm you Oliver Stone

US arrests 15 aliens in Roswell working for U.S. military

The truth is out there. Hat tip register.