Archive for the ‘irishblogs’ Category

Best Blog Award still up for sponsorship

Thursday, February 15th, 2007

The Best Blog Award for the night is still up for grabs. Despite past interest, there doesn’t seem to be much now. Go on, make a bid. Also, we’ll have an official podcast of the event (and many unofficial ones) and we’re looking for sponsorship for that too.

p.s. Insomnia sucks

Fun thing to do on Valentine’s – Pipe Organ Happy Hardcore

Wednesday, February 14th, 2007

News from Nialler9:

If you are looking for something different to do tonight, you’re in luck. Something very cool sounding is happening in Christchurch Cathedral and it’s FREE in.

Paul Ayres performs Happy Hardcore tunes as recognisable and playable music on a pipe organ.

And also on the Valentine’s theme, via Kottke, a Wii themed Valentine’s card.

Fluffy Links – February 14th 2007

Wednesday, February 14th, 2007

Via Rowan Jeff Han and the coolest user interface I’ve seen in a while.

Dunkin Donuts tells you how to order their coffee.

Spam t-shirts.

Arcade Fire do cover of “Guns of Brixton”.

Well done Jenny Ring. He work to be displayed in the Tate Modern.

Silly laws and regulations?

Via Phil. Badly Drawn Boy in Belfast:

BT Ireland next to exit consumer market?

Wednesday, February 14th, 2007

Via the Indo

Sources close to the company said yesterday that BT Ireland is over-staffed and is likely to reconsider its position in relation to residential telecoms services, including fixed-line telephony and broadband services.

Market commentators said yesterday that if BT did decide to pull out of the residential market, it would be a blow to Ireland’s telecoms industry.

Recently, telecoms firm Magnet Networks confirmed it would not be offering Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) broadband services in the future and the Government has scrapped its group broadband scheme for rural areas.

Labour understand this online thingy, I do believe

Tuesday, February 13th, 2007

As broken by IrishElection earlier Labour have launched a new website, a bit like Obama’s site with his video saying he is going for President. It actually impressed me as it is Pat Rabbitte looking comfortable and “But are you happy?” is the phrase of the election. It is the new “A lot done, more to do.” I think they might just have beaten FF to the punch on this. It’s a pity I could not get to the conference on Saturday as it feels like they got it right and came up with a campaign that might interest people. 5 simple steps and one great catchphrase. Lets see how strong it stands up to scrutiny now. Well done for putting this on YouTube too. Blogs, YouTube, Flickr. Social networking site next for Labour? I expect Google Ads from all the parties too.

Business Advisory Group – Share IT – Free training for startups

Tuesday, February 13th, 2007

The other, other, other project of mine. After my second BarCamp I started to think that there were so many people there asking the same questions that were asked at the first BarCamp. Whatever is happening between the Enterprise Boards, and EI and other groups and blogs there appears to be a slight knowledge gap of some sort. To fill that gap I’m helping to organise training sessions run via the BusinessAdvisory.ie website called Share IT (name may change if it is already in use).

The idea is that trainers will train startup people, small companies and individuals in areas the trainers have experience in and which is of benefit to the people. All training is free, the trainers volunteer their time to do an hours training and pay their own expenses to get there. More details on this whole idea here.

The first training day will take place in Cork on March 24th in UCC. You have to apply to attend this as spaces are limited. See more on the BusinessAdvisory.ie website. Yes, don’t worry Dublin people, there’ll be one there in April sometime. Hopefully these will start going around the country.

Trainers will always be required so if you are willing to give an hours training in areas that startups need some training in, then leave a note over on the site.

The Business Advisory project itself stems from this idea here and hopefully the “advisory board” will start to take shape during the summer.

Big thanks to Walter, Jenny, Krishna, Conor, Laurence, Richard and Donagh for giving up their saturday and traveling to this.

Also thanks to TJ, Piaras and Joe who are volunteering to do sessions at the Dublin Share IT training day.

Fluffy Links – February 13th 2007

Tuesday, February 13th, 2007

Get 10% off Amazon UK DVDs by opening up an Amazon DVD rental account and then closing it again.

When big stars come to the Carrigaline shopping centre, there is no surprise that chaos should ensue.

Lawrence Lessig Rocks. Here’s a typical Lessig presentation. 457 slides in 30mins .

The Blog Awards Browser.

Prankster puts up No Parking signs in a neighbourhood. Cars get ticketed and towed. Owners not so happy.

Slashdot: EU considering forcing iTunes to take returns. If you can do it with Amazon…

That NDP money for IT in Schools? Seaghan Moriarty unspins it and displays the real facts.

Shel Israel. Five more corporate blogging tips.

Barrow, Alaska.

Not fluffy enough for fluffy links – Monday February 12th 2007

Monday, February 12th, 2007

Want to sponsor Best Blog at the Blog Awards? There’s an auction for it.

With the blog award voting up and running, wouldn’t it be fun to see Presdential Campaign style videos released where people solicit votes. Can you imagine attack ads? “Voting for In, Fact Ah is voting for communism.” 🙂

Balcony TV got shafted by YouTube. Never trust a free hosting service. Always have backups ready to go back online. Lesson learned?

Bruce Schneier gave a talk at the ACLU New Jersey Membership Conference: “Counterterrorism in America: Security Theater Against Movie-Plot Threats. It is now on Google video:

1Million to run RockTheVote.ie?

Sunday, February 11th, 2007

Suzy mentioned RockTheVote.ie yesterday. It is mentioned in the Tribune today:

Cosgrave told the Sunday Tribune that the campaign will involve “everything you could ever imagine, ” but repeatedly stressed that he has “no interest in party politics.” He and his colleagues hope to raise around Euro1m and will also involve high-profile people from Ireland’s sport and music communities to spread their message after it launches on 2 April.

Currently, Rock The Vote has “one main guy” as a financial backer and several other smaller funders.

Cosgrave has calculated that it will take Euro7 to mobilise each voter. The project aims to increase voter turnout by 100,000 people.

100,000 people? In a month? As Suzy points out:

However Rockthevote.ie with lots of money and no sense it seems are launching in April 07 – that’s one month before the general election folks.

I’ll remain a little sceptical on that so.

Corruption

Saturday, February 10th, 2007

Just watched Syriana for the first time. I actually liked it. But maybe it was because it was the first time in a while that I watched anything. 🙂

and a quote from it:

Corruption is government intrusion into market efficiencies in the form of regulations. That’s Milton Friedman. He got a goddamn Nobel Prize. We have laws against it precisely so we can get away with it. Corruption is our protection. Corruption keeps us safe and warm. Corruption is why you and I are prancing around in here instead of fighting over scraps of meat out in the streets. Corruption is why we win.