Archive for January, 2009

National Broadband Scheme Launch

Friday, January 23rd, 2009

The Department of Communications invited me along to the launch of the National Broadband Scheme yesterday after I emailed them and asked them to invite me. Like the people who nominated themselves for blog awards, I was shocked and surprised at getting invited.

And the scheme? Lovely use of numbers to talk about this major investment. Minister Eamon Ryan talked about how all these new people on broadband will lift the whole economy in these dark days

He talked about his own web company he ran from his bedroom on dialup 10 years ago and I thought that’s exactly the speed some people are getting now and will still get with a mobile dongle at the edge of a broadband scheme area. Working from home is great though, pants being optional is fantastic. Wearing suits all day must be a killer for the Minister.

Anyway, if the vision of a nation of small businesses operating online is to come true then they’ll need something a damned sight better than a 3G dongle. I know some businesses do operate using one but they can basically handle email and very light web surfing. An office with 5-6 computers though? And only allowed one connection? Or do they pay for 1 per computer? 100 euros a month for a connection that a business in Dublin can get for 20 euros.

If you can’t get a 3G signal then they’ll give you a satellite dish and you still pay €19.99 per month for about 1Mbps down and a 15 Gig download limit. 8% of those under the scheme will get this and I’m sure given the cost of it, Three and the Department will do their best to give you a dongle when a satellite dish might be better.

This is the reality of rural life and broadband. Let’s see what Dave’s story is like in a year or two years or three years.

And for those in areas that the Department said are already covered? Yesterday the tone was polite but they were still saying “tough shit”. The Department said that they can’t subsidise people where there are line of sight issues with Irish Broadband or Digiweb or line failure issues with eircom. These apparently are technical issues and are up to the providers to sort out. The Department said the EU won’t let them subsidise, which again I’d argue is not correct. Once a statement from said ISP says they can’t supply to that person, then they can be subsidised. That’s what I read in the docs the EU sent to the Department.

So, for those who will still be shafted, one way of getting broadband is to find a friend who is in an NBS area and will be getting a dish not a dongle. Then have this friend either order another connection for the barn next door or get your friend’s neighbours not interested in a broadband connection to order one. A satellite installer will happily move it and reinstall it to your place.

Read more about NBS here.

Lakota are stupid motherfuckers

Thursday, January 22nd, 2009

They spam me and other bloggers and some music journos with their new newsletter. I take umbrage for being spammed and they explain how they live in a reality distortion field:

Have a read of the actual email and you might notice we’re actually one of Dublin’s more reputable music PR companies offering you some news and a few odds and ends of some of our artists. Spam nothing, we put you in our address book as readers of yer blog.

Obviously the shared brain cell was going for the NCT today. Byes.

Update: Lakota don’t seem to be able to get their story straight.

First this explanation:

I merely supplied our new, young intern with some addresses for blogs that may be interested in what we were offering. It was intended to offer Irish bloggers free tickets, mp3s, and videos before other people get them in the media.

Then this explanation:

Our new, young intern was entrusted with the job of updating our database of contacts.
We deal with press, radio and blogs in general. Rather than request emails from people and seek approval for sending them a newsletter, he swiped them from somewhere.

It’s also been pointed out to me that they put me on the guest list for Halfset so I’ve happily removed the Halfset video from this blog and will not mention the band here again.

And I do not take lightly threats of legal action from their supporters in the comments of this post.

Fluffy Links – Wednesday January 21st 2009

Wednesday, January 21st, 2009

The first meeting of bloggers and PR people is tonight. It’s booked out though but the next one is open now if you want to go. Remember. Blogger. PR person. Unfortunately some people wanted to come along to ask people to teach them how to blog. Wrong event.

The Sentinel is far too subtle for me.

Adrian Weckler posted two posts yesterday, one on tips if sending in photos to the press, the other on how to write a good press release. If you ever want to get in the press or are in the press and want more coverage, Adrian just showed you how.

New Blog: Kevin Dunne.

OSS BarCamp March 28th, Dublin.

Transparency in TD expenses? Could it really be?

Get some Villagers tunes!

Remember Sunstroke with these lads and Soundgarden?

Fanmade vid for Creature of the Wheel:

ComReg and eircom go to Court

Tuesday, January 20th, 2009

Or it looks that way. Looks like eircom didn’t like this recent ComReg decree on leased lines and so are going to Court about it and (put a cushion on the floor for the jaw) Comreg are going to defend.

This quick clip shows the previous relationship they had:

Vids from the Blog Awards Hotel

Tuesday, January 20th, 2009

I went up to the Blog Awards Hotel today (Cork Airport International Hotel) to take some videos in order to show a few people what it will be like.

This first video is how it looks as if you are looking out the main door. Check-in for the hotel is on the first floor.

This is how it looks behind the stairs in the coffee/meeting area. Check out their hair salon!

We’ll have access to this whole area before and after the Awards ceremony.

This is the cloakroom/registration area:

And this is the area outside the function room:

Fluffy Links – Tuesday January 20th 2009

Tuesday, January 20th, 2009

Good luck to the youngfella Obama today. You’ll go far kid.

Been up half the night with the Blog Awards stuff, so the Fluffy links are weak today.

If there is only one post to read today, read this piece taking Brenda Power to task for her attack on the character of Tony Gregory. Dead men can’t argue back.

It is vital to the democratic process that political parties are not restricted from distributing information and contacting the public.

A very reactionary statement from the Green Party after they spammed people. That kind of justifies walking into your home if your door is open and dropping in a leaflet. They won’t be stopped if it’s for politics.

LinkedIn and Facebook Groups for PR in Ireland.

It’s long since dead but I was a great fan of The Parking Lot is Full.

Via Bookslut:

Former British ambassador to Uzbekistan has released his new book The Catholic Orange Men of Togo and Other Conflicts I Have Known free online after the threat of a libel suit by “mercenary” Tim Spicer scared off his publishers.

Get it here.

Via TJ. Someone in eircom on piracy:

Think of it as helping the health and good living of rich cocaine-sniffing rock stars by leaving them with less free money to spend on sex and drugs.

Not that U.N. Declarations matter much but interesting to see the U.S. Oppose one on banning countries making homosexuality a crime. The Vatican also opposed it.

Really interesting tactics the Heathrow protestors are using. Buy land, split it, make compulsory purchases a bit tougher.

Via Jim Carroll:
Errors – Pump

Today is “Complain to 2FM about Rick” Day

Monday, January 19th, 2009

As mentioned on Allan’s blog, today is the day to complain to RTE if you want them to reinstate the real Rick O’Shea show and reverse their no chit-chat policy.

If you want to complain, simply email complaints@rte.ie
They will read it and so far they’ve replied to all emails. You might not think one email or a dozen pople emailing will make an impact, but it will.

I emailed RTE not because Rick is the Bloggie and Webby MC guy but because his show got me listening and texting and interacting and roaring with laughter or shock at what people said on-air or by text. Some of the shows were quite touching too. But now all those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.

Of hopes and dopes

Monday, January 19th, 2009

I want this as a poster, as a t-shirt and as an election manifesto:

Hopes and Dopes
Click on the image to get the full sized image or go here.

Fluffy Links – Monday January 19th 2009

Monday, January 19th, 2009

Phil has now moved over to IcedCoffee.ie.

If you’re old(er) like me then TeenCamp is humbling, yet kids much younger are now blogging in Ireland. We have Eyes of a Child and the lovely blog from a young girl I met at TeenCamp who wants to grow up to be a teenager one day. Her blog is called Girls Thoughts.

Suzy points how far the Government went to make sure Niall Crowley and the Equality Authority couldn’t do their job.

WTF moment. Paul can’t get decent marketing folks. 19 CVs he’s gone through. Hire Niall, he gets it.

Dave Kelly did a survey on mobile phones and their cameras and their web usage. Results are here and here.

Interesting Irish site on statistics about Ireland. Status Ireland.

New blog (at least to me): Yellow Roman Candles.

Bespoke Communications have a new blog. Nice to see a PR firm with an RSS feed and real blog.

Congrats to Brian Honan and his new book which you can pre-order.

Not just the blog awards that the mentalists come out of the woodwork to complain about. Choice Music bitchathon and on and on.

Great advertising for a hairdressers. Inspired.

PETA proves once again how mental they are.

Dirty Epics – We’re Coming Up

The above video was directed by Vincent Gallagher, an upcoming TV and Film director from Dublin. He received the title of Best Undergraduate Short in the Drama category for his final year comedy ‘Bright Idea’, awarded by the Royal Television Society in London. His films have also been finalists in the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival, the Kerry Film Festival and the Kodak Student Commercial Awards. This is another of his videos:

Redneck Manifesto – ‘Hibernation Statement’

TeenCamp – First vid

Sunday, January 18th, 2009

Ben in a “should give up the day job” presentation: