Archive for February, 2008

Bertie on broadband – Bertie does not know where Cavan is

Friday, February 8th, 2008

Link

The Taoiseach: As for broadband, while I do not know who incorrectly informed Deputy Kenny, technology companies such as Google, Apple and Dell all continue to expand and invest—–

Deputy Enda Kenny: I will provide the Taoiseach with the figure. Ireland is placed 33rd of 35 countries.

The Taoiseach: —–and are moving to higher rate of advancement in Ireland with huge investment. Moreover, none is even thinking of pulling away from us because of broadband. They continue to develop their capacity within Ireland, of which we should be proud, as well as of our young qualified engineers who go through our excellent education system. In addition, they all use this country as their research and development base.

Deputy Seymour Crawford: Not in County Cavan.

The Taoiseach: I am talking about the Republic of Ireland.

Deputy James Bannon: It is patchy throughout Ireland.

Deputy Dermot Ahern: Fine Gael is patchy throughout Ireland

The Taoiseach: While the House can discuss County Cavan another day, I am discussing the Republic of Ireland and Members should keep to that.

A Member: County Cavan is not in the North.

The Taoiseach: These companies are increasing their investments and operate their European plants using the high quality people who work here. This is happening everywhere. Deputy Kenny may take a certain satisfaction from the international economic downturn.

Want to advertise on your Irish blog?

Friday, February 8th, 2008

train station, florence
Photo owned by michale

I’m getting more and more requests from individual companies and advertising networks about advertising on blogs or sponsoring blogs. Instead of forwarding on the emails to bloggers or pointing the advertisers to a few blogs that might interest them, I thought I’d compile a database of bloggers who are interested in running adverts on their blogs or doing sponsorship on their blogs. I’m not a fan myself of ads on personal blogs but that’s just me.

If you want to be listed as a blogger interested in talking to advertisers then go fill in this form. I’ll also put a page together listing blogs that are interested in advertising. Every part of the form is mandatory and if you want to be listed you have to be willing to share your traffic statistics of your blog.

● Fluffy Links – Friday February 8th 2008

Friday, February 8th, 2008

Fluffy

If you’re coming to the Blog Awards on March 1st, please register. 25 people regged so far. Most of them have not been before, this is great.

Nialler points out that Holy Fuck have remixed Paper Planes by MIA. Such a great band name. Guarantees it won’t get on to 2fm.

Like rain on your wedding day. Rob pointed this out. Cix.ie’s big red door for competent people.

Last chance to register for the Blogger’s Dinner on March 2nd in Cork.

Johnny Beirne has a personal blog now. He also has bifluffyionic eye.

Sinéad’s fluffy Intel bunny suit.

MaxRoam’s party at 3GSM is going to be a blast. If you are in Barcelona around that time, try and get there.

Kottke points out another reason why Matt Webb rocks. This end of year post from him really got me thinking about technology and made me realise I’m such a novice.

Via Twenty Adopt a child that matches your blood and tissue types, just in case you need a new liver or kidney. It’s the new in-thing!

Speaking of the King, what he’s do if he won the Euromillions. Two words: Assassination Market.

The song you hear at least once in some awful bar each weekend. Play it loud in the office now.

Fluffy pics

Friday, February 8th, 2008

Claire.

John.

The Waiting Game wins Best Blog at the Digital Media Awards

Thursday, February 7th, 2008

Congrats to Feebee from The Waiting Game for winning Best Blog at the Digital Media Awards.

In Dublin (again)

Wednesday, February 6th, 2008

Up to my neck in meetings. The fluffy links and the torturing of poor souls will return on Friday.

Crowdsourcing Irish Grannies – Send in your recipes

Wednesday, February 6th, 2008

Via Kieran and via Eoin is a new website that will be used to create a book and some money will go to charity. Mercier press have done Our Grannies Recipes.

The blurb:

A site that gathers together the recipes that have been favourites of Irish families for generations. Using the recipes posted on the site, Mercier Press will publish a book called Our Grannies’ Recipes in October 2008 as a hardback priced at €14.99. For every copy sold Mercier will donate a royalty to Age Action Ireland

Nice idea.

Hilary Clinton on Desperate Housewives

Wednesday, February 6th, 2008

● Fluffy Links – Wednesday 6th February 2008

Wednesday, February 6th, 2008

Fluffy

So there’s a bloggers dinner in Cork on March 2nd. If you’re in Cork, do try and go. I was organising it but Alexia is now the boss of this. So chat to her about it.

Sweary is writing eurovision songs again.

Fluffy! Matty! Badgey!

Fluffy Kitty!

Fluffy Pancakey!

Yikes. LetsHost.ie are getting undue attention.

Thrillpier suggests ways of improving Phantom 105.2fm. I agree with 2, 3, 4, 6 I think 14 should be part of the Government’s Finance Bill. 12 is really annoying. I actually switch off the station for some newsreaders in particular who flub every line. Most annoying.

MGMT – Time to Pretend (original vid does not allow embedding, eejits)

Neuromancer (The Book) Concept Design set to DJ Krush- Road To Nowhere:

Mary Hanafin launching Internet safety classes for parents and teachers

Tuesday, February 5th, 2008

From a press release. Mary Hanafin launched a new Internet safety programme for kids, parents and teachers today. It seems to have a heavy slant towards social networking sites:

This new initiative focuses on promoting safer and more effective use of social networking websites by children in Ireland

What will be done:

· Nationwide Internet Safety seminars for parents
· Nationwide in-service training for SPHE teachers
· Classroom resources for use in teaching the SPHE curriculum to first, second, and third years in post-primary schools
· Nationwide Social Networking workshops for primary and post-primary teachers

More of the blurb:

This new programme has been developed by the National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE) in partnership with the Social Personal Health Education (SPHE) Curriculum Support Service and the National Parents Council – Primary (NPC)

This is good:

One of their key recommendations is that parents and professionals need to acquire a better understanding that children and young people live in a world of ever increasing sophistication of technological means. The findings recommended that measures be taken to close the widening gap between parents, teachers and children in relation to the use of these new technologies and to Internet safety awareness and safe practice.

That’s the best bit: “measures be taken to close the widening gap between parents, teachers and children”, they should do that for everything, not just Internet usage. If they do this right I’d be delighted. It might make parents and teachers less technophobic too.