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
Oxfam insist you don't buy your 6 year old niece a Black & Decker for Christmas 2006-12-06 12:58:00
A very nice lady from Oxfam asked us personally at In Fact, Ah (and I'm sure many other blogs) to post this video about their Christmas
campaign. You can buy all sorts at their online Oxfam Ireland shop.
What's the worst present you've received from Santa or some other overweight person?
tags:oxfam Read more:Black
, Decker
Wiially Wiially Excited 2006-12-08 10:53:00
Queue forms outside HMV on Oxford Street last night at 11pm before the Wii goes on sale.tags:wii
I fink these are links 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Via the lovely Miss Fence.Stop press. I agree with the government on something for once.Bloggers avec frontieres.Francie agrees with the Guardian. Snow Patrol rock. Or something.Blogorrah's obsession with Rosanna De Burgh continues unabated.tags:links
Serial Killers 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Christmas is a time for giving, eating, being merry etc. etc. etc. ad nauseum. The cynic in you may view Christmas as a period of decadence and rampant hyper-consumerism. But even the most hardened cynic couldn't equate Christmas with serial killing and the attendant morbid fascination that grips society when they realise a crazed murdered is on the loose. The recent murders in Ipswich have thus piqued my interest in serial killers.A quick search of wikipedia gives a country-by-country breakdown of serial killers. However, I must admit that with the ability of the authorities to monitor internet usage I was quite anxious about typing Jack the Ripper or Son of Sam into search engines for fear of a knock on the door. Fearless, I began to read about all the famous, mostly white middle-aged male, serial killers.Jack the Ripper is known worldwide, but was never caught. Police were unable to ascertain how many people he did untilmately murder, but were pretty sure he had some sort of medica Read more:Serial
, Killers
Touring the circles of hell 1970-01-01 00:59:59 My liver hurts, alcohol is forcing its way through pores in my skin and I can't find the paracetamol. Such are the hazards of binging on booze at this time of year. And it's not my fault either. Organisations and people have conspired to make me consume so much. During this libationary period, one can instantly feel the upsurge with the completion of the first drink, from which point you enter the third circle of hell where only the binge drinkers go to receive their punishment.Part of that punishment is to be reminded the next day, by both verbal and pictorial means, of the previous night's attempts to sing songs while pointing simultaneously at a 14" screen and all the while pretending to yourself that the group of associates facing you hang on your every note. Some refer to this activity by its old Japanese name, karaoke.In this third circle of hell, your fellow debaucherers may follow you in the corridor and tease by singing the Gerry & the Pacemakers classic hit "You'll ne Read more:Touring
, circles
ATP Versus the Fans 1970-01-01 00:59:59 At last, the tickets have been purchased. Butlins holiday camp in Minehead, Somerset beckons for me and three others from May 18th to May 20th.The event? It's All Tomorrow's Parties where 6,000 attendees get to watch the artists they have voted for to appear on stage. This terrific concept of allowing the fans to decide who plays has already resulted in Modest Mouse accepting an invitation to play.We've booked a 4-bed chalet for three nights with self-catering/lounge facilities. Pipe and slippers are optional. Well, there are two post-30 year olds in the group! And all for only £147 each.My choices have been submitted and are as follows:1 The Shins 2 Wolf Parade 3 Belle and Sebastian 4 Bert Jansch 5 Death Cab For Cutie 6 Eels 7 Iron & Wine 8 Postal Service 9 Tapes and Tapes 10 Interpol It's still early days in the voting but the latest chart of votes goes like this ... 1 Arcade Fire 2 Modest Mouse 3 Apples In Stereo 4 Bjork 5 Pavement 6 PJ Harvey 7 The Flaming Lips 8 Gods
Top Ten of 2006 1970-01-01 00:59:59 In Fact, ah are proud to bring you this year's definitive top ten albums of 2006. The list is a result of a voting process where each contributor listed their top ten. These were then distilled into a composite top ten which, I suppose, reflects our collective tastes. Each contributor's top ten is then listed. The fact that each of us chose a different favourite album is testament to the varying tastes among us. The fact that Francie chose Westlife as his number 10 may be a joke, but he's not messing about his number one. Consequently, i've chosen a video for Snow Patrol which, I feel, is quite apt. Sorry Francie, couldn't resist. Top Ten
for 20061. Tapes'n'Tapes ("Insistor" Music video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5g2eUh7TWE) 2. The Raconteurs ("Steady As She Goes" Music Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZYQr3Ivg6w) 3. Asobi Seksu ("Thursday" Music Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=222pjp-sEuw) Review here4. TV on the Radio (Live on Letterman,
Blogger drinks meet-up tomorrow in Dublin 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Open invitation to anyone interested in joining myself and a few other bloggers in the Market Bar tomorrow
evening from 7pm onwards. We have a group of people coming along, but the more the merrier. I swear it'll be a hoot. Drop me a mail and I'll forward you my mobile.tags:drinks Read more:Blogger
, Dublin
Gigs 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Excellent, springtime now affords me the chance to tick boxes for the two bands at the top of my wishlist to see live. I was already chuffed to have landed tickets for Explosions In The Sky's now sold out London gig at Koko in March and now And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead... have announced a date in the Temple Bar Music Centre on Feb 13th.I KNEW I should have asked Santa for a pair of those cool customised earplugs for Christmas, it's going to be a noisy 2007!tags:music
The Biscuit Tin 11 Xmas Special 1970-01-01 00:59:59 It begins, the great Christmas binge where we all eat too much chocolate, overdose on fizzy drinks, and mop up ridiculous amounts of booze...all in the name of our Blessed Lord's birthday. Christmas biscuits are a strange phenomenon. They only come out one month a year and a simple tin box seems to inflate the price three-fold. There is one biscuit that stands head and shoulder above the rest at Xmas
time though, and that's the incomparable Chocolate Kimberley.At this juncture I must confess something. I no longer eat these because i'm a vegetarian and they contain Gelatine which is in animal derivative. Some of you may say that this would preclude me from reviewing these biscuits. I disagree. I've eaten enough of them over the years to adequately recall their taste, texture and construction. Seperated at birth? A regular Kimberley and Zippy from Rainbow.Chocolate Kimberleys (CKs) are probably the most burgeois biscuit in the Jacobs stable. Demand for them became so great in the ea Read more:Biscuit
, Special
Pinochet / Techno Pi 1970-01-01 00:59:59 To my memory, this year's most derided musical release had to be Damien Rice's 9. A victim of his own success it wasn't just the Irish who revolted, Pitchfork awarding the album a laughable 1.9 out of 10. I guess Damo can console himself that he ducked the treatment meted out to Jet in a peculiar review. Closer to home, Sinead and Twenty didn't exactly greet Rice's album enthusiastically either. It seems we're endowed (burdened?) with a plethora of haranguing singer songwriters in this here Emerald Isle and I'm sure everyone is familiar with the backlash their ilk has encountered in recent times. It seems there's only so much Emeral Angst listeners can stomach. I think it'd be reasonable to surmise that throughout music circles in Ireland if anyone bothered to worry about Rice's album for a minute they'd feel a twinge of bitterness. Bitter because it seems like it's the singular Irish record to gain coverage in respected international music editorials such as pi Read more:Pinochet
, Techno
How Saddam I? Not very 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Meting out punishment is no easy task. Just ask the newly-installed criminal justice system in Iraq. Its decision last night to execute Saddam
Hussein was a hugely symbolic one, even more so than the toppling of his statue almost four years ago. But if its closure the new Iraqi entity is looking for, they'll have to try a bit harder. Thousands of hardcore Ba'athist followers will not have to jump through the same circus hoops erected by the US government and will certainly not have a noose tied around their necks.Deciding not to trial Saddam for all of his crimes against humanity can only leave uncertainty where answers were once expected. Capital punishment is being shown for what it really is, a terribly ineffective and shallow means of righting wrongs and exacting revenge. Like Bin Laden before him, they've let a terrorist escape once again. But it's the fillip that Bush needs in what can only be described as a terribly smelly anus horribilis for neocons all over the world despe
The Biscuit Tin 8 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Some biscuits are like a member of the family. They seem to have been around for as long as you can remember, you take them with you on trips and they're always there for you. McVitie's Chocolate Hobnobs are one such example. A stalwart of a biscuit which manages to employ rolled oats without tasting like those insidious Kellogg's Nutrigrain yokes. Add the McVitie's chocolate to the mix and you have a formidable opponent for any challenger.Any biscuit enthusiast who frequents Tesco will undoubtedly be aware of the glut of double-pack Chocolate Hobnobs that flooded the market about 6 months ago. In terms of value for money you cannot get much better than the double-pack. Any enthusiast will also be aware that the relatively new cardboard tube packets of Hobnonbs (pictured) are a regrettable development in the McVitie's stable. Not only do you get fewer biscuits than the regular plastic pack, but the excess packaging is completely unnecessary given that Hobnobs will hold their fresh Read more:Biscuit
The Biscuit Tin 5 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Cadbury are a well established confectionary giant who oddly have not enjoyed such notoriety in the biscuit world. Their greatest asset is their chocolate which would seem concomitant with dominance in a market which is slightly less violent than the drug and arms trades. Not so. Ridiculous excuses for biscuits such as the paltry 'Fingers' collection (basically insipid little miserly sticks of biscuit covered in chocolate) have made them the laughing stock of people in the know. Other forays into the luxury market have produced mixed results. But now Cadbury, as if a sleeping giant awakening from a lengthy slumber, are beginning to have an impact. Leading the charge are the Chocolate Shortcakes. Opting to purchase a hitherto unknown biscuit can be a thrilling, yet frightful, experience. You may stumble upon a gem that will fit nicely into your ever increasing armoury of possible purchases. On the other hand, you may be left crying into your tea because you fell for another gimmick li Read more:Biscuit
Too many hogs 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Image from Flickr user LeoL30 under CC Attribution, Noncommerical and Share Alike licenseHark, hark!Those crazy Chinese - don't they know that 2006 was the year of the Pig and not 2007? Well, it was for me anyway and that's all that matters. Not that I've transmogrified into a beastly hog shape (not entirely), but I've eaten rather a lot of the damn swine. What chance do us carnivores stand when the most ardent vegetarians get weak at the knees with the whiff of frying bacon? This year I'll be setting thousands of pigs free from their farm captors in the hope that the supply of back bacon is curtailed enough to take temptation out of sight at the corner store.No doubt you've also spotted my negative feelings towards the passing of another year, as referenced by the word play in the post title. Every year I have to come to terms with the gloomy realisation that another notch on the Gregorian solar calendar means that the sum total of my earthly years is increased by one; it's my
Cheltenham Part 1 - Gold Cup 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Image from Flickr user Jimmy Six Bellies under CC Attribution, Noncommerical and No Derivative Works licenseFrancie is quite the expert when it comes to the nags and he's getting excited about Cheltenham
already! He learned the gambling game when he came out of the Priory last year. Well, he had to occupy his mind somehow while off the grog. Don't even ask about his addiction to Sherbert Lemons - it's worse than all of his other vices put together!With the glorious racing festival that is Cheltenham only 11 weeks away, a lot of would-be contenders for the major prizes showed their credentials over the Christmas racing schedule. Here at In Fact, Ah we bring you a few ante-post tips on each of the main races for the festival.First off, the showpiece, the Gold Cup
.In the King George at Kempton on Stephen's Day, Kauto Star showed why he is currently as low as 6/4 with some bookies to win this showpiece event .With Ruby Walsh onboard, he clattered both the fourth last and final fence a
Good grief - they're letting El Commandant P loose on the wireless 1970-01-01 00:59:59 For anybody wishing to hear dirty biscuit talk, then tune into Newstalk106 tomorrow (Thursday 4th) at around 2.45pm.Watch out Moncrieff - El Commandant P has been looking for a post-lunchtime slot on the radio for years.tags:newstalk106
Berlin Bashed 1970-01-01 00:59:59 My recent trip to Berlin
for New Years provided me with an opportunity to exercise my new toy a Fuji digital camera. It's really good in low light and easily pocketable, so I'm looking forward to some good gig photos during 2007. Anyways, here's a few photos and words regarding the Berlin trip.A bust of Karl Marx at Strausberger Platz on Karl-Marx Allee. This 90 meter wide boulevarde (Stalinallee until 1961) was the greatest flourish of the East German Government's pomposity. The boulevarde was built from scratch between 1952 - 1965 from a blank canvas of utter deriliction along the artery where the Soviet Army grinded their way into Berlin during WWII. The gargantuan apartment blocks lining the Allee on both sides were known as Volkspaläste (People's Palaces) as they offered conveniences such as running hot water, central heating and lifts. A 2KM walk along this boulevarde can really immerse you in the awe that the East German government tried to project upon its citizens and
Massive ROI from reading this post 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Hilarious video on MyTube or YouSpace (can never get that right)that explores the relationship between media owners, ad agencies and clients. Eerily close to how things really are. The clincher was the clip with the Fat Boy Slim music.tags:advertising
Listen again to the Newstalk biscuit interview 1970-01-01 00:59:59 For those of you who missed El Commandant P's performance on the Moncrieff show earlier this week, here's an opportunity to listen again to the most talked about interview
in the biscuit world since ... well, ever. Right click here, and Save Target Astags:biscuits Read more:Listen
First and only independent Irish football podcast on the internet 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Over at Okeydokefootball.com, ex colleague of mine JJ Worrall and his friend Mark Vance discuss the weekly happenings in the football world. A new episode gets sent across the Int0rweb every Thursday night in what they claim is Ireland's first and only independent
football podcast.Think Dunphy and Giles with even freer tongues. Fantastic stuff. tags:okeydokefootball Read more:First
, Irish
2006 Live Sets Ahoy 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Via Philip Sherburne I learned Cocoon Styled have gathered together a truly gigantic digest of links to bootleg recordings of techno sets from all over the world in 2006. There are many sets linked to for each artist featured including the likes of James Holden, Dominik Eulberg, Shinedoe, Magda, Miss Kitten, Adam Bayer, Richie Hawtin, Andre Galluzzi, Ricardo Villalobos, Tiefschwarz and many more. Go take a look, I hope your broadband connection is feeling healthy today.In light of my recent mention of Ricardo Villalobos' 2006 release Fizheuer Zieheuer, the mix available at Cocoon Styled from his set at Fabric's 7th Birthday Party (Part 2) begins with this track and continues with an interesting upcoming release from Villalobos: an 18 minute remix of Dubstep star Shackleton's brooding, 9/11 musing track 'Blood On My Hands' focusing on the vocal:"When I see the towers fall,It cannot be denied that,As a spectacle,It is a realization of the mind.You see, I'm standing on a mountainto
Dublin Arcade on Fire! 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Arcade FireThe Olympia TheatreMonday 5th March 2007tags: music Read more:Dublin
Irish Drivers Roundabout Way of Thinking. 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Here's a post from Francie, who incidentally has a driving record just slightly better than that of Richard Hammond :-)Irish
drivers, don't you just love them? For a majority of them the rules of the road is a once-off document that is studied prior to their driving test, and then banished from their memory following a successful pass. On a recent drive from Dublin to Sligo, I once again experienced the stress involved in driving on our national road network. The majority of this nation has a distinct lack of understanding for the rules of the road. Many drivers are a time-bomb on our roads waiting to go off; it's no wonder road safety is such a high topic in the news. Why don't people understand that the outside lane of a dual carriage-way or motorway is for overtaking, and drivers should only enter this lane whilst in the process of overtaking another vehicle and then re-enter the inside lane until they need to repeat this process? That means that no, you cannot hog this lane f Read more:Drivers
, Roundabout
Illegalise Alcohol, Jail Alcoholics 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Now that course of action is not something I'm in favour of. I regularly consume drugs of all manners. I've been a regular consumer of many drugs for most of my adult life, over 10 years or so now. I've chosen to subject myself to alcohol, nicotine (on and off) and caffine among other drugs, and continue to do so. The directive in the title of the post does however seem to be a sound, reasonable and entirely logical extension of the argument I get from most people who I talk to about the prohibition of certain drugs by law. Of course this perfectly logical extension of their argument is wholly unpalatable to a vast majority of the argument's purveyors.I would (genuinely) love to hear a rational, lucid and coherent argument from someone that alcohol and its stablemate legal drugs should remain sanctioned for use under the law while others drugs, cannabis for example are prohibited. My position does also advocate the legalisation of all drugs including those classed as "hard'. Read more:Alcohol
Vote early and vote often 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Nominations are open for the Irish Blog Awards 2007. The date this year is March 3rd and, like last year, the event will take place in the Alexander Hotel.If you like biscuits, you're from Sligo, waste a considerable amount of time coming here or just get all moist (sweaty) thinking about the amount of testosterone that flies around here, then take two minutes out of your busy schedule to go and vote for us for Best Group Blog and/or whatever else takes your fancy. At least this is one instance where e-voting got off the ground in Ireland. And it didn't cost 50 million Euro!Francie said he's going to go on a blind date with the Bebo award winner. We will be checking beforehand that she's at least 16 years of age.tags:irishblogawards
Kid Beyond 1970-01-01 00:59:59 For anyone out there distraught at missing out on Arcade Fire tickets this morning, despair not. After all, it was just Arcade Fire, not let's say, Kid Beyond and his truly amazing application of Ableton:tags: music
iHype 1970-01-01 00:59:59 Friend of the Irish blogosphere and former Microsoft evangelist, Robert Scoble gives us the lowdown on the Apple iPhone. tags:iphone
Recommend Site To A Friend
