Get yourself some free software

http://www.download.com/

Great site with loads of free downloads for home , work, mobile phone etc.Just downloaded SmartFTP , a free FTP program .

Binary T-shirt

http://www.cashncarrion.co.uk/products/16104/685/

Dowcha Boy!

http://corkslang.com/

check it out (like)

you'll be flahed out after reading it.Like.

Philosophy - Brian Magee

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan_Magee

Good writer.Check out "The Great Philosophers" .Very readable.A good introduction to the subject.

The Enlightenment

http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~brians/hum_303/enlightenment.html

Fundamentalists take note

Haughey junior

I see the Napoleonic Complex is alive in well in the Haughey genes with Seán whinging about not getting into the cabinet like the other boys and girls....Give me strength...

Annoying radio hosts

10.00 Mooney Goes Wild on One
10.01 Brendan goes Wild in the Kitchen!

have you ever listened to it ?
groooooaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnn

Da Vinci Code - website

http://www.danbrown.com/novels/davinci_code/reviews.html

Dan Brown's website contains info on all of his books.Check out the photo section which has pics of all the main sites in DVC e.g. San Sulpice. The Louvre etc.

See links at top of page to : Secrets, Photo galleries, Da Vinci Code

Da Vinci Code - Court Case

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4754308.stm

The authors of 'Holy Blood Holy Grail' are suing 'The Da Vinci Code ' author Dan Brown for plagiarism.
I read both books.HBHG is a hypothesis, which is persuasive in parts but inconclusive.

Da Vinci Code was a great read: a work of fiction.It is undoubetdly based on HBHG but a lot of the information was out there before HBHG authors Baigent , Lee et al wrote their book.

Both are worth reading.

Morons

The scenes in Dublin on Saturday were a disgrace.It may not have been the wisest move to plan a Unionist march down O'Connell St. but in a free democratic society people have the right to march, protest and have their voice heard.Many of those who planned to march were relatives of victims of IRA violence.Others , e.g. those connected with the Orange Order, were more politically motivated. It was also unwise to have a Loyalist marching band in their regalia : such scenes acted as a red rag to a bull.

Events are well described elsewhere, but it was shameful to see the hooligans living up to Unionist stereotypes of nationalists as violent and intolerant.Battering the Gardaí with paving slabs, bottles and other missiles is unacceptable behaviour.These were vicious attacks by a hooligan element.Torching of cars, vandalism of property, looting of shops all followed.

The protest is believed to have been organised by Republican Sinn Fein , a minority dissident group who , in their newspaper , called for the march to be stopped. They succeeded in this goal. RSF are the political wing of the Continuity IRA, a terrorist group who do not accept the Good Friday Agreement and do not recognise the Irish parliament , Dail Eireann .Hardly surprising then that RSF members, whose placards were visible at the protest, do not have qualms about violently attacking the police force.

What was wrong with a peaceful protest against the Unionist march? by reacting violently, they have given Unionists a massive propoganda weapon.

Irresponsible but hardly surprising.

Blogs

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4747818.stm

interesting article from BBC website

The Brick Testament

http://www.thebricktestament.com/

The Old Testament ...in Lego

Has to be seen to be believed.
Sublime.

Kurt Vonnegut - quote :)

"The last thing I ever wanted was to be alive when the three most powerful people on the planet were named Bush , Dick and Colon "

Ferguson - Losing it ?

Man United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson has had some interesting things to day about the League Cup , the final of which United are contesting today against Wigan.United are desperate for a trophy after last year's under-achieving season and this year's early exits from the Champions League and FA Cup.Interesting then that in 2003 he dismissed the League Cup as being " just for the kids".This was reflected in the absence of big name first team players from United's games in the competition.Not this year though.The big guns are there for every game.How times have changed.

Another Ferguson pathetic excuse was that " it is harder to win trophies these days" because there's more competition.

This man would want to get his act together.

The midfield was non-existent against Liverpool in the Cup.United have not replaced Keane - hard though that might be - and along the way have made poor decisions in the transfer market e.g. Djemba Djemba .Also Fergie appears to have a soft spot for fellow Scot Darren Fletcher who I feel is not up to it.

Shopping list: 3 midfielders

CDs

Last few purchases: All good.

Morrisey - You are the Quarry
Amusing lyrics as ever.
Great song titles include "All the lazy dykes"
Bought the 2-CD version which has a "bonus collection of B-sides"

Ramones Anthology- 57 tracks €8.95.Bargain!
Patti Smith - Trampin'
Kate Bush - Aerial, her first in 12 years.2 CDs: First is a straightforward collection of songs.Great first track about Elvis.2nd CD is an extended experimental piece wiht birdsong etc.Takes a while to get into but very good overall.
Mojo magazine had it as No 3 of 2005
No 1 was Anthony and The Johnsons - I am a Bird Now
No 2 was Arcade Fire - Funeral

btw , according to Mojo, Arcade Fire did soundtrack for final scene of tv show Six Feet Under.

REM - Singles collected €7.99 in sale.
20 tracks... from Radio Free Europe , King of the Road, to End of the World as we know it..


Teenage Kicks - Various
2-CD <--- seems to be a :) pattern here ?

Undertones, Jam, Blondie, Clash, Jilted John , Buzzcocks, Madness ..etc etc
Music from my college years.Great collection
Remember The Ruts "Babylon's Burning" ? brilliant.

that should keep you going for a while

Kurt Vonnegut website

http://www.vonnegut.com/

Lists books etc

Kurt's back

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4724314.stm


Kurt Vonnegut says he's back writing again because of George W.Bush.Excellent.One of my favourite writers: he has an incredible imagination.He started as a science fiction writer but broadened it out later.btw I think it was Vonnegut who, when advising would-be writers, said "Don't use semi-colons.It just shows you've been to college".Like it.
Read Jailbird and Slaughterhouse 5 for starters.

Paris Hilton - for the uninitiated

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Hilton

Model, heiress, celeb...

Paris Hilton

I understand Paris Hilton is one of the most popular search terms on Google.Does this mean if I mention Paris Hilton in my blog that searchers for Paris Hilton might just end up here instead of at sites with pics of Paris Hilton? They would undoubtedly be disappointed to reading nonsense about Paris Hilton instead of viewing pics of Paris Hilton.it would also be very opportunistic and selfish of me to use the words "Paris Hilton" while not saying anything of substance about ..eh..Paris Hilton.But it might just clock up the hits...

More books

Current reading:

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell - Susanna Clarke.

This is my main reading at the moment. Highly praised novel in the fantasy genre, about 2 magicians in England during the Napoleonic wars.Well-written and very entertaining.Creates a world of its own with magic, fairies etc.

The New Fontana Dictionary of Modern Thought - Edited by Alan Bullock and Stephen Trombley (2000)

Reference book on all aspects of modern thought including entries on Sociology,Post-Modernism,Perestroika,Virtual Reality,Psychology,Mathematics,Darwin,Punk , etc.
Great book to dip into and I found myself following cross-references to other entries.
Got it from library but might purchase it.

House of Bush , House of Saud - Craig Unger (2005)

"The secret relationshipo between the world's two most powerful dynasties"
Very interesting.Good accounts of the arming of Iraq, Saudi involvement in arming the Contras etc.

Planet Simpson - How a cartoon masterpiece documented an era and defined a generation - Chris Turner.
Very good.A lot of hyperbole but plenty to laugh at and wallow in here for Simpsons Heads.Copius notes but no index unfortunately.

Recent reading

I recently read Jane Corbin's book "The Base" which documents how Al Qaeda prepared and executed the September 11th attacks.Compelling reading.See link on right.

The Matrix

http://whatisthematrix.warnerbros.com/

Good site on all things to do with the film The Matrix and sequels.

You can enter a High - or Low- bandwidth site: one for broadband users , the other for dialup.

Dick

"When people found out he shot a lawyer his popularity is now at 92%"
Vice-President Cheney, pictured left , grief-stricken after shooting a lawyer.

Picture Source: http://pekingduck.org/archives/2004_04.php

Lori's Blog

My cousin Lori now has a blog, see link on the right.This is impressive as she only heard about blogs a few days ago! Nice one Lori!

Broadbands back hooray hooray

Ah yes Smart Telcom's "Always On" broadband has returned from its OFF state.It was out - yet again - since yesterday evening .Another day without broadband.Its not magic..its Smart!

I live in Ballygarvan , a village in a rural setting in Cork and DSL broadband is not available so we are reliant on a wireless system provided by Smart telecom.Trouble is we have frequent outages which occur without warning .Smart have not provided an explanation for the outage.

Thanks to Kevin Murphy for tech support.

1916 stamps

Does anyone remember these ?
Stamps issued in 1966 on the 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising.I was reading an article today on the rising and they came to mind so I googled them in Google Images and found them.You can buy them on ebay.Might investigate that.There's something about them... very iconic.

Other jobs

I have been out of work for a few years following a Voluntary Severance deal where I was paid a lump sum and several years salary.This was indeed a good thing.However I am finding it difficult to get a job .My experience is in the telecoms/IT/project management area.I have been to several recruitment agencies and have had just 1 interview.Bearing this in mind , I have been reconsidering my career direction and have been thinking of possible alternative careers:

- Rock Star
- Babysitter
- Standup comedian
- Hired assassin

I have rejected Suicide Bomber as the career progression is a bit of a problem, celestial virgins notwithstanding...

btw did you know that origin of the word "assassin" is based on arabs who took hashish before ..eh.. going out on a job ? Interesting that. Hashashin.Assassin.
Now, where'd I put the hash ?

Lori

Lori , my cousin from Chicago, Illinois, is a great person.She works very hard , starting her day at 6am.If thats not bad enough , she has now taken to going to the gym at 3.30am.yes.AM.In the middle of the freakin' night.Her ascent to the treadmill is accompanied by the nightime yowlings of coyote .Owls , bats and other nocturnal mammals are her co-exercisers as she pounds the floor and floors the pounds.(<-- good one!) Hi to Tim the Torturer btw.Tim is Lori's fitness instructor or, Cardiovascular Co-ordinator I should say , and is responsible for terrorising her into peak physical condition.We wish him well.More later...

Great grub in Bishopstown Bar

Had our usual Friday evening meal in the Bishopstown Bar.Great grub as usual.Had the Bishops Steak Burger with mushroom and onions, and chips.Pint of Cashels draught cider also, tasty.Dad had the burger with mushrooms - lots of - no onions.Mum absent tonight so no order of chicken goujons.Goujon market stutters , shares crash...chickens survive....

Blogging Poster

Friday

Thank God its Friday.Actually Thank Allah its Friday.Lets not be discriminatory here. (Note to extreme Muslems: please do not burn down any embassies over the last remark.Lighten up, ok ?) Too much gargle last night.zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.head not good this morning.zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.Had coffee.Must go to shop now to buy papers in vain hope of seeing an ad for a job I might actually apply for.