Owner: In Fact, Ah URL:http://www.infactah.com Join Date: Sat, 19 Aug 2006 09:31:45 -0500 Rating:1 Site Description: An Irish blog that discusses life, the arts, politics and anything that's trivial enough to disseminate to the big InterWeb. Irish Blog Awards nominee in 2006, more fact less fiction. Site statistics:Click here
Shock and Awe 2006-11-08 23:23:00 Quite a day in American politics, I think it's been a larger turn around than most anticipated, particularly after the latest pre-election polls signalled a strenghtening of the GOP's support. The building expectation and optimism of the Democrats over the past number of weeks seemed like it may have been founded in quick sand as was the case in the previous Presedential race.But not this time. Virginia is left to call at the time of writing, with the Democrat Jim Webb 7,000 odd votes in front in a ballot of 2.3 million plus. I'm not going to be waiting up tonight to see the result of that one. If things fall in Webb's favour, that would really dot the Is and cross the Ts on the Whitewash headlines.I did watch until about 1a.m. this morning as the polls were closing across the Eastern states. Across Sky News, CNN, MSNBC, FOX and Bloomberg there was one common thread that really struck me. The amount of time spent discussing blogs on all broadcasts (both the actual news coming throu Read more:Shock
Another Black Day 2006-11-09 00:37:00
The internationally accredited Palestinian Centre for Human Rights in Gaza does truly vital work in the most difficult of circumstances. In the face of such impunity impartial documentation of Human Right's violations is a small victory. Their press release from midday today:
In a Form of Systematic Massive Killing, IOF Kill 18 Palestinian Civilian, Including 8 Children and 6 Women, and Wound 55 Others in Beit Hanoun
1. Fatema Ahmed al-"Athamna, Aged 70;
2. Sanaa' Ahmed al-"Athamna, Aged 30;
3. Ne'ma Ahmed al-"Athamna, Aged 55;
4. Mas'oud "Abdullah al-"Athamna, Aged 55;
5. Sabah Mohammed al-"Athamna, Aged 45;
6. Sameer Mas'oud al-"Athamna, Aged 23;
7. Fatema Mas'oud al-"Athamna, Aged 16;
8. "Arafat Sa'ad al-"Athamna, Aged 17;
9. Mahdi Sa'ad al-"Athamna, Aged 13;
10. Mohammed Sa'ad al-"Athamna, Aged 14;
11. Sa'ad Majdi al-"Athamna, Aged 8;
12. Mahmoud Amjad al-"Athamna, Aged 12;
13. Malak Sameer al-"Atha Read more:Black
Rummy, me ould segotia 2006-11-12 15:46:00 We all shed a tear when Donald Rumsfeld rode off in to the sunset. But only after watching some of his finest moments on the CBS's Late Late Show.
tags:rumsfeld Read more:Rummy
PlayStation Cops 2006-11-13 10:42:00 RTE News are this morning claiming that the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) have voted unanimously to co-operate with the new Garda reserve force who entered stations for the first time this weekend. This represents quite a u-turn for the AGSI and the Garda Representative Association (GRA) are set to ballot their considerably larger membership on the same deal offered to the AGSI soon.
Just over 6 months ago the AGSI's annual conference was informed that the new reserve force were nothing more than "PlayStation
Cops", that the reserve force represented a "morale shattering measure", and most surreally comical of all: that the reserve force "has the potential to be the most divisive thing to hit communities since the Civil War". The best comedy writers in the world couldn't come up with gold like that.
In essence, the main beef the Gardai had with the reserve force was the fact that they would receive far lees training than regular Gardai and that this lack of tr
Music 2006-11-13 23:19:00 Web2.0, social networks and online media. They're becoming more and more a part of the content of everyday life than some would like to even admit. A work event I attended only served to reinforce this notion. So let's embrace, utilise and discuss. This post and future posts on In Fact, Ah will attempt to analyse the best of breed.
Guide to streaming free music online
1. MySpace - www.myspace.com
Strictly considered a social networking site, MySpace has evolved to become one of the leading sources for listening to music online. It's a fantastic way for emerging musicians and bands to publish music when doors at record companies seem firmly shut. If you believe it, this medium unleashed the likes of the Artic Monkeys and Lily Allen who would otherwise still be singing to herself in her London flat.
Somebody at a party recently mentioned to you that they liked Scott Matthews? Never heard of him? Go check out four songs from his stupendous album "Passing Stranger" on his M Read more:Music
Westlife come up smelling of Rosy yet again 2006-11-14 10:49:00 Francie says you can't beat a bit of Westlife
. I blame the low cloud density in the North West myself for his crazy taste in music.
Now many of us say we hate their music, and for valid reasons. It's not deemed awe-inspiring stuff by many, but you have to admit that they're good at what they do. And notching up their 14th UK number 1 yesterday with a cover (yet again) of Beth Midler's ballad, "The Rose' proves that point.
I must admit I do like to listen to the odd bit of Westlife now and again. Maybe it's the Sligo link that makes me do it. But sales of 35 million records worldwide, and now standing only behind The Beatles and Elvis for most UK number one singles, are feats you have to admire.
tags:westlife
End of an era 2006-11-15 15:05:00 Francie has a tear in his eye ...
Tonight sees the last soccer international to be played at Lansdowne Road before the bulldozers come in to make way for a new 50,000 seater stadium. Hopefully our Boys in Green will ensure they go out on a high with a resounding victory over European minnows San Marino.
While Lansdowne is being re-developed, both the Irish soccer and rugby teams will play their games at GAA headquarters. And in preparation for this, Croke Park has begun installing state-of-the-art floodlights. The €5million system will be twice as powerful as those being used tonight at Lansdowne Road. With a lux measurement of over 2,500 per square metre, the floodlights will be up there with the best in the world. Basing their research on cricket grounds, Croke Park officials wanted to ensure the lighting system would be suited to hurling. Hopefully our Boys in Green, in both codes, will shine as brightly in their new home.
tags:lansdowne
Planet Earth 2006-11-19 21:01:00 It took four years to make and has managed to even convince this ambivalent naturist. Damn it, I don't even like cats or dogs. But it's the drama, the score, the tension, the comedy and the narrator's dulcet tones that have me hooked.
Attenborough, as ever, is in top form. It's no easy task to be able to narrate in symmetry with what's happening on screen.
Tonight, episode nine of 11 airs at 9pm on BBC One. The show is part of the BBC's trialling of the HD format. I can only imagine what it looks like in HD on a large screen.
The score too is something to enjoy. George Fenton, its creator, has previously composed scores for Ghandi, The Wind that Shakes the Barley and Dangerous Liaisons to name but a few.
You can buy the series on DVD from Monday November 27th at Play.com.
Watch a clip from last week's episode that featured a battle between elephants and lions. Stupid elephants can't see very well, something which gets them into a spot of bother.
tags:planet earth Read more:Earth
, Planet Earth
Storm in a 32 AA cup 2006-11-20 23:37:00 Love it. I really miss the heady days in the Irish blogosphere when all it took was a post about "Sex and the City" to get people worked up. And if I learned anything back then, it was that posts about gender get people worked up.
Cue James Corbett. After Damien Mulley suggested that a list of expert list of Irish bloggers be kept, Eirepreneur drew up a list of bloggers he considered "experts" in their field. What's the beef? Well, there were no women included!
Cue Annette Clancy. The blogging award-winner suggested that men were the gatekeepers of the Irish blogosphere. Mulley didn't agree. Goldbach podcasts and blogs about it. Another Irish blog award-winner Gleeson sides with Clancy.
Bottom line? Ditch these lists of "experts". If journos really want to find experts from the Irish blogosphere, let them do the groundwork and decide for themselves who they want to interview. Lists are elitist and not like blogrolls as James Corbett maintains. I'll show you mine if you'll show me y Read more:Storm
Serena Crawdaddy Explosion 2006-11-22 10:08:00 Oslo's Serena
Maneesh play Dublin tomorrow (Thur 22nd Nov) night at Crawdaddy. The Northern Europeans' debut album has made waves across the indie world, in particular they are one of Pitchfork's 2006 darlings.Having toured America and Europe extensively already this year it's heartening to see them make the Dublin pitstop. In their 2006 travels so far they've been supported by such up and coming things as Asobi Seksu and Film School. Luckily they've kept up the strong openings with their support for the Dublin gig which comes from our own Butterfly Explosion
. Certainly a night not to let slip under the overloaded gig radar that is November.tags: music, butterfly explosion
Internet users set to save on alcohol and cigarettes 2006-11-22 21:37:00 An expected ruling from the European Court of Justice this week will allow Internetusers
to avoid paying duty on cigarettes
and alcohol. The decision to allow the sale of these goods online means that users will only be required to pay the duty owed to the country of sale. This may result in the Irish government losing millions in income from excise duty.
Ireland is the most expensive country in the EU when it comes to paying excise duty on wine and second costliest for buying cigarettes. In some Eastern European member states, 20 cigarettes can cost 75c.
In Fact, Ah is surprised that this story is not being given any coverage in the Irish MSM. Let's all get pissed.
tags:duty Read more:Internet users
The Biscuit Tin 9 2006-11-23 10:43:00 Due to popular demand...Jacob's are a household name in Ireland. We all know about Fig Rolls, Kimberley Mikados and those useless Cream Crackers which only viewers of The Afternoon Show eat. Many of us were brought up on Jacob's biscuits which is probably a result of the "Buy Irish" campaigns of the 1980s and early 90s. Now, however, we don't really give a fuck where our biscuits come from as long as they are lavishly packaged and instil in us a feeling of regal splendour. So, in response to this Jacob's have come up with Oat Crumbles.According to checkout.ie Oat Crumbles "are being received extremely well by consumers" and they can confirm that "they are indeed yummy". Yummy? Forgive me if I don't take the word of a bunch of marketing yuppies as gospel, I had to find out for myself. Oat Crumbles (OCs) come in two varieties; chocolate & raspberry and chocolate & pecan. Jacob's have to be commended for including raspberries and pecans, two ingredients sadly lacking in the biscuit Read more:Biscuit
The Occasional Diary Entries of German Director Werner Herzog 2006-11-24 13:31:00 Dear Diary
: Calisthenics, shower, and breakfast. Then I water the garden because it is dry. After the water I put fertilizer into the soil. I feel the flowers growing stronger the more I talk to them. Accidentally with my trowel I kill a flower. The world is chaos. I am unsuccessful at crying.
Dear Diary: Today my car is stolen from the driveway. I am not surprised.
Dear Diary: Work all day, a short break, and then dinner. Routines please me because they put order into the day; without order, there is chaos and violence. But for dinner I make a cheese sandwich and I hate it. I want to spit on it and see what it does. But I eat it anyway. Everyone dies, but for now I must live.
Dear Diary: Because my new film is coming into theaters, I am with a studio executive this evening for dinner. Outside the restaurant are trees with lights in the branches. This is popular in Los Angeles. Most people, I think, find them pretty. But all I can do is stare, all I can think of is the night I wa Read more:German
, Director
Howzat! 2006-11-24 13:16:00 Hands up cricket fans of the blogosphere?
While spending a late summer in Perth in Western Australia I was indoctrinated by some of my good Aussie mates. I was a reluctant victim, but I have to say, I got hooked to the extent I maintain a passing interest in the sport ever since. I got a good grounding in the game from my Australian associates and I can say with my head held high, it's a game I admire for its highly developed tactical elements and large amount of skill.
Tom has a great post on The Ashes which started yesterday. He covers the English social phenomonon that was the last Ashes series with some very useful analysis. For non-plussed readers there's even an Irishman on the fringes this time around if an excuse is required to pass comment down at the pub this weekend.
Unfortunately unless as in my case you're sat down on the couch before lunchtime with a carton (as they call it) of 24 beers and a gang of mates and forced to watch, you'll likely pass cricket and The Ash
Thursday 30.11.06. Read it. 2006-11-30 01:05:00 - Shock jock O'Reilly declares the iPod to be a threat to American national security
- Cyber Monday sets new record
- Not to be outdone by rivals, Ryanair to offer duty-free Polonium 210 on flights to Moscow. Okay, so I made that up.
Shameless ...
tags:virtual earth Read more:Thursday
Hallelujah! England have seen the light 2006-11-29 23:59:00
Written by Francie and Colm
Andy Robinson's "resignation" today will have caused many England
fans to exhale. But he didn't leave before making his excuses. In a statement he said: "The current structure and system for developing elite rugby players and performance in the international arena is not working".
Robinson may have a point. The physical demands being asked of England players in the Guinness League are causing more injuries and more tiredness. England supporters often look lustfully over the Irish Sea at a system that puts players and their game schedules first.
His obituary will read as thus - he has filled the post of England Head Coach for 22 test matches. His record stands at won 9 - lost 13, seven of them in a row, equally a losing streak record. The last straw came with Saturday's defeat to the Springboks, a game England lead 14-3 at one stage.
With talk of replacements such as Warren Gatland and former playing legend Martin Johnson been touted, Twickenham's bi Read more:Hallelujah
, light
The Biscuit Tin 10 2006-11-30 11:11:00
Did you ever eat jam sandwiches when you were younger? I used to eat rhubarb jam sandwiches. They were shit. Just as Jammie Dodgers are shit. You simply can't put jam alone in the middle of a sandwich and try to pass it off as something delicious. Now, you can liven it up by adding cream. Conversely, you can add peanut butter, a phenomenon found solely in the US, and make your nation look even stupider.
Quite simply, Burton's biscuits have managed to take two of the most nefarious faux pas of biscuit baking; shoddy pastry; and gooey, artificial, coloured sugary crap, and fuse them. The result: a biscuit that appeals only to the kind of people that listen to Keane while flicking through an Ikea catalogue.
A Jammie Dodger won't fit into an espresso cup and dunking one ruins a good cup of tea. The pastry, due to it heavy reliance on sugar, doesn't melt well at all. As for the jam, the pastry inhibits any hot liquid access to it which is a shame because that fusion could prove int Read more:Biscuit
Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii 2006-11-30 14:14:00 Yesterday the onion had brilliant stories as ever, but one gem in particular caught my eye. It's a comparison of the Wii and the PS3.
In fairness though, I have to admit, I do want one.
tags: Wii
Dear Santa... 2006-12-04 11:35:00 God bless this post-necessity economy...
Click
tags:[Electroplankton] Read more:Santa
, Dear Santa
Honk 2006-12-04 11:34:00 I'm a little surprised considering the prolific introspective mental thrashing that goes on in Irish society over road deaths that I've never seen this idea suggested here.
I mean, teach driving in schools? Put speed limiters on cars driven by provisional licence holders? Very radical ideas indeed.
So much so that we don't seem to be implementing any of these relatively tame and reasonable suggestions which have been put forward.
Denmark on the other hand is clearly an ideas country.
tags: danish bikini bandits
Dear Santa... 2006-12-04 11:35:00 God bless this post-necessity economy...
Click
tags:[Electroplankton] Read more:Santa
, Dear Santa
Turned off by Turner 2006-12-04 23:55:00 Tonight, an actual painter, an artist in the traditional sense of the word, won the Turner
Prize. Tomma Abts became only the third painter and the first woman to claim the £25,000. My recent visit to the Tate Britain involved shuffling quite quickly through Abts' exhibition. The fact that her squiggly lines held about as much appeal as gouging my eyes out with vinegar-dripping finger tips did might explain why I dismissed her efforts."Often I start off with something, I don't really know what it might be ... it tells you afterwards what it is" says Rebecca Warren, one of the four Turner prize nominees, whose work is on display in the Tate Britain. This is certainly the idea you get when walking around looking at these exhibitions. Warren's sculptures look like they were made during sos by junior infants. One of the four exhibitors did catch my eye because it appealed to my unrefined, simplistic ways of breaking art down into something meaningful. The creator, Phil Collins, made a d
Blogorrah - this time it's personal 2006-12-05 21:19:00 Not to shy away from a fight (think small, greying man from Kildare), Blogorrah has had the gall to insult the homeplace of most In Fact, Ah contributors. In a recent post, John Ryan's pet project labelled Sligo the Shitest town!This comes only a week after Blogorrah posted photos of Ronan O'Gara's hand down the top of a Sligo woman in Copper Face Jacks!
So El Commandant P, Padraig, Francie and Caheny. You've stood shoulder to shoulder in the shithole that is Markievicz Park to support Sligo. Where are your voices now? That shower were gushing with praise for your fellow countywoman Aine Chambers (come back Aine, we miss you) back in April.
I urge all Blogorrah blog readers to use that old Connaught-originating tactic of boycotting. You can get your fix from somebody who truly has their finger on the pulse over here at Social Dublin.
tags:war
Recommend Site To A Friend
