Archive for the ‘irishblogs’ Category

Uh and oooh

Wednesday, August 23rd, 2006

Uh: What the fuck like?

Oooh: Nice one.

Nice Google GMail Hack – Play MP3s from other locations on your site via their player

Wednesday, August 23rd, 2006

Copy a bit of html and listen to music from any site with this Google mp3 player. I got the below mp3 from Nialler’s review of a band called Annuals. Deffo remind me of Arcade Fire. That’s a good thing despite the saturation of cool people liking them.


The song is called Brother and it’s by Annuals

Story with Barcamp Ireland?

Wednesday, August 23rd, 2006

Hey y’all. What’s the story with Barcamp Ireland? T minus 1 month and counting.

Blog Migration Day on blogday – Anyone interested?

Wednesday, August 23rd, 2006

Claire is involved with BlogDay which is on August 31st. Claire suggests:

On the 31st do a post linking to 5 new blogs with a little introduction to each one. Then leave a comment on those 5 blogs letting the authors know that you have recommended them.

I was thinking though that the Linux Geeks have their Linux install fests, I wonder could there be a Blog Migration Day? I’ve encouraged a few bloggers to get blog hosting packages with hosting companies before but I was wondering would people be interested in a day devoted to moving blogs over from blogger or blogspot to their own domain names and maybe using wordpress to blog? Buy the packages and then get training on one day. Maybe Tom could provide the training?

Now if there was only some hosting company that had some special offer of giving free training as well a doing the actual move over to the new platform as part of a blog hosting package. Naturally to make it worthwhile there’d have to be a min of 20 people signing up for an offer like that so it’d be up to the bloggers themselves to drum up business.

Anyone switched to a VoIP setup? Contact me

Wednesday, August 23rd, 2006

I’m looking for stories of people who switched to VoIP once they had broadband installed. Either getting a new number or transferring over their old landline number. Not looking for those that use Skype. Are there people out there who have done this?

uPlayMe – Test driven by Damien

Tuesday, August 22nd, 2006

I was very recently given an invite to a social networking site/app based around your musical tastes. It’s called uPlayMe. The install was easy enough, it feels like a java app but it’s actually using the Net 1.1 framework on Windows. No Tom, no Mac version yet but they tell me Mac support is on the way. It’s currently in Alpha. It installed quite quickly, asked a tiny amount of information like age, gender, email and password and that was it.

UPlayMe Screenshot

It scanned just ten songs from my recently played list in iTunes but you can set it for way more. No Winamp support yet but there is support for Windows Media Player. I’ll play around with it more and add more songs and hopefully more people will come along.

uPlayMe was founded by Dan Pelson and Bo Peabody, both of who have been around the Internet block a few times. Amongst other ventures, Dan founded Bolt.com in 1997, one of the social networks around. Bolt is still going. But he’s been a net entrpreneur since 1993. Bo founded Tripod way back in 1992, which he sold to Lycos for $58 million. He’s currently a co-founder and managing general partner of Village Ventures, a fund with more than $250 million under management.

Dan was kind enough to answer some of my questions:

DM: Is there going to be Winamp support?

Yes, Winamp will be available at a future date. The goal is to have every media player and device supported either by us directly or through the APIs. Right now, we offer support for iTunes, but soon we will offer support for Windows Media Player, among others. We will also offer a MAC OS version. The Windows Media Player and Mac OS versions will be available within a month or so


DM(channeling Marc Canter): Will there be open APIs for this?

Yes, the application has been designed to be very modular and offer ease-of-integration with third party applications, whether they’re proprietary video players, wireless (mobile) devices, etc. Our goal is to make it simple for any platform (or website, for that matter) to have their media assets integrated into a uPlayMe profile.


DM: So how will uPlayMe make money?

Right now, uPlayMe is dedicated to building a great product and increasing our user base. Revenue will be driven by standard sponsorships, text-based ads and a bidding system that allows marketers to associate their ads with songs, artists, and genres. In addition, we will offer a promotional system (“Faux-files�) that will allow artists and media companies to generate attention for their media assets by associating with other songs, videos and more.

uPlayMe is still just a wee baby but hopefully it’ll grow and gain more features as the userbase grows. Download it yourself and try it out. Pity there isn’t a blog for the development team so feedback can be given. Til then leave feedback on your own blog. Thanks to Alan for letting me know about this.

Expenses for TDs and Irish Senators

Tuesday, August 22nd, 2006

The expenses for TDs and expenses for Irish Senators were taken from a 230 page document I got from the Oireachtas. God bless the FOI process. I think the Examiner or Indo were the ones to first request this and so all I did was rerequest it and the really helpful people in the Oireachtas Press Office went and got it for me. Thanks to those in there! You can download the document and the other accompanying documents here. I’m certain that a lot of the information in those documents can be analysed and patterns taken out of them. Anyone want to do a google map plotting the amount of time present in the Dáil compared to mileage expenses claimed?

TD Expenses for 2005

Tuesday, August 22nd, 2006

TD Expenses for 2005.

Bernard Allen

 61,274 

Barry Andrews

19,826 

Sean Ardagh

46,359 

Liam Aylward

 18,315 

Niall Blaney

62,682 

Dan Boyle

42,080 

Martin Brady

 33,689 

John Brady

59,031 

Pat Breen

62,083 

James Breen

64,150 

Tommy Broughan

22,823 

Richard Bruton

19,906 

Joan Burton

17,886 

Joe Callanan

38,322 

Pat Carey

41,272 

John Carty

58,581 

Donie Cassidy

 53,134 

Michael Collins

55,252 

Paul Connaughton

 17,776 

Paudge Connolly

46,657 

Joe Costello

41,706 

Simon Coveney

 25,748 

Jerry Cowley

58,078 

Seymour Crawford

52,172 

John Cregan

66,311 

Sean Crowe

27,666 

Ciaran Cuffe

35,753 

John Curran

25,657 

Noel Davern

 66,440 

John Deasey

46,919 

Jimmy Deenihan

51,359 

Tony Dempsey

30,207 

John Dennehy

79,429 

Jimmy Devins

43,347 

Bernard Durkan

32,392 

John Ellis

58,431 

Damien English

32,786 

Olwyn Enright

46,078 

Martin Ferris

63,329 

M Finnernan

56,092 

Dermot Fitzpatrick

22,389 

Sean Fleming

 51,037 

Beverly Flynn

48,638 

Mildred Fox

16,380 

Eamon Gilmore

37,412 

Jim Glennon

49,369 

Paul Gogarty

32,601 

John Gormley

45,408 

Noel Grealish

 37,211 

Tony Gregory

26,282 

Marian Harkin

40,355 

Sean Haughey

34,264 

Tom Hayes

44,369 

Seamus Healy

30,662 

Jackie Healy-Rae

 58,658 

Michael Higgins

40,771 

Joe Higgins

18,903 

Maire Hoctor

46,643

Philip Hogan

55,138 

Brendan Howlin

38,480 

Joe Jacob

62,486 

Cecilia Keaveney

 51,346 

Paul Kehoe

53,496 

Billy Kelleher

55,922 

Peter Kelly

64,485 

Enda Kenny

45,839 

Seamus Kirk

47,987 

Michael Lowry

75,501 

Kathleen Lynch

52,677 

Padraic Mc Cormack

55,339 

Jim Mc Daid

49,477 

Tom Mc Ellistrim

26,078 

Shane Mc Entee

35,852 

Finian Mc Grath

28,463 

Paul Mc Grath

44,979 

John Mc Guinness

 48,687 

Paddy Mc Hugh

53,389 

Liz Mc Manus

24,247 

Dinny Mcginley

 70,021 

Gay Mitchell

23,319 

Olivia Mitchell

24,091 

John Moloney

42,982 

Arthur Morgan

49,980 

Michael Moynihan

60,115 

Donal Moynihan

42,387 

Breda Moynihan-Cronin

 45,804 

Michael Mulcahy

32,941 

Gerard Murphy

42,071 

Catherine Murphy

20,664 

Denis Naughten

58,104 

Daniel Neville

54,310 

Matthew J. Nolan

46,576 

Michael Noonan

40,659 

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

29,686 

Caoimhinn O’Caolain

54,826 

Charlie O’Connor

36,804 

Liz O’Donnell

28,659 

Denis O’Donovan

62,959 

Fergus O’Dowd

43,787 

Sean O’Fearghail

34,204 

Noel O’Flynn

53,003 

Rory O’Hanlon

13,373 

Ned O’Keeffe

67,595 

Jim O’Keeffe

57,911 

Fiona O’Malley

14,035 

Brian O’Shea

39,179 

Jan O’Sullivan

45,731 

Seamus Pattison

48,420 

Willie Penrose

39,212 

John Perry

46,338 

Peter Power

33,848 

Ruairi Quinn

18,615 

Pat Rabbitte

22,983 

Michael Ring

50,315 

Sean Ryan

18,773 

Eamon Ryan

22,316 

Eoin Ryan

14,710 

Trevor Sargent

 29,103 

Mae Sexton

50,374 

Joe Sherlock

33,594 

Roisin Shortall

29,985 

Michael Smith

 42,324 

Emmett Stagg

38,066 

David Stanton

 44,160 

Billy Timmins

41,098 

Liam Twomey

55,103 

Mary Upton

22,171 

Jack Wall

30,473 

Dan Wallace

61,021 

Mary Wallace

30,929 

Joe Walsh

56,973 

Ollie Wilkinson

33,594 

M J Woods

42,578 

G.V. Wright

15,588 

 

 

 Government Bods

 

Mary Harney

 17,776 

Seamus Brennan

 24,125

Sile De Valera

 17,776 

Charlie McCreevy

3,481

Bertie Ahern

6,349 

Pat "TheCope"Gallagher

17,776 

Michael Ahern

 21,762 

Frank Fahey

9,629 

Willie O’Dea

 9,629 

John Browne

17,776 

Brian Cowan

17,776 

Dermot Ahern

24,125 

John O’Donoghue

 24,125 

Batt O’Keeffe

17,776 

Mary Coughlan

17,776 

Tom Kitt

15,978 

Noel Dempsey

23,428 

Dick Roche

9,629 

Michael McDowell

 9,629

Martin Cullen

17,776 

Micheal Martin

17,776 

Ivor Callely

9,629 

Sean Power

17,776 

Eamonn O’Cuiv

17,776 

Brendan Smith

17,776 

Tony Kileen

18,251 

Noel Ahern

8,888 

Brian Lenihan

9,629 

Conor Lenihan

17,776 

Mary Hanafin

15,237 

Tom Parlon

9,629 

Tim O’Malley

5,185 

 

Expenses for Irish Senators – 2005

Tuesday, August 22nd, 2006

Below is a list of expenses claimed by Senators for 2005.

Senator
James Bannon

€49,589 

Senator
Eddie Bohan

€17,519 

Senator
Paul Bradford

€50,345 

Senator
Cyprian Brady

€26,845 

Senator
Michael Brennan

€48,272 

Senator
Feargal Browne

€54,233 

Senator
Paddy Burke

€61,099 

Senator
Ulick Burke

€33,775 

Senator
Peter Callanan

€57,710 

Senator
Paul Coghlan

€55,368 

Senator
Noel Coonan

€48,636 

Senator Margaret
Cox

€61,429 

Senator
Maurice Cummins

€53,348 

Senator Brendan
Daly

€52,147 

Senator
John Dardis

€21,437 

Senator
Timmy Dooley

€39,976 

Senator
Geraldine Feeney

€56,119 

Senator
Frank Feighan

€43,862 

Senator
Michael Finucane

€44,619 

Senator
Liam Fitzgerald

€18,648 

Senator
Camillus Glynn

€49,277 

Senator
John Hanafin.

€45,105 

Senator
Brian Hayes

€27,080 

Senator
Maurice Hayes

€27,082 

Senator
Mary Henry

€19,474 

Senator
Jim Higgins

€33,216 

Senator
Brendan Kenneally

€47,601 

Senator
Tony Kett

€34,996 

Senator
Rory Kiely

€58,616 

Senator
Michael Kitt

42,676

Senator
Terry Leyden

€47,951 

Senator
Donal Lydon

€56,642 

Senator
Marc Mac Sharry

€44,838 

Senator
Martin Mansergh

€32,102 

Senator
Michael Mc Carthy

€80,827 

Senator
Derek Mc Dowell

€19,027 

Senator
Joe Mc Hugh

€51,881 

Senator
John Minahan

€31,072 

Senator Paschal
Mooney

€50,568 

Senator
Tom Morrissey

€24,491 

Senator
Pat Moylan

€35,295 

Senator
David Norris

€18,319 

Senator Francis
O’Brien

€43,818 

Senator Kathleen
O’Meara

€34,041 

Senator
Labhras O’Murchu

€46,897 

Senator
Ann Ormonde

€31,869 

Senator
Mary O’Rourke

€39,110 

Senator
Joe O’Toole

€21,007 

Senator
Kieran Phelan

€43,474 

Senator
John P Phelan

€39,869 

Senator
Fergal Quinn

€7,224 

Senator
Shane Ross

€19,119 

Senator
Brendan Ryan

26,204

Senator
Eamon Scanlan

€49,993 

Senator
Sheila Terry

€28,262 

Senator
Joanna Tuffy

€9,130 

Senator
Jim Walsh

€48,143 

Senator
Kate Walsh

€22,513 

Senator
Mary White

€15,039 

Senator
Diarmuid Wilson

€42,810 

 

Fluffy after all this time – Fluffy links August 22nd 2006

Tuesday, August 22nd, 2006

“They’re Amazon. You’re Easons. They have a future. You do not.” Welcome back Richard Delevan.

Ad for BBC World. Map manipulations.

A Getting Things Done Firefox Extension for GMail.

Edward R. Tufte on Information design. If you are into designing anything that people will use to get information, then consider buying his book.

Gerard Manly Hopkins, set to music. I’m a big Hopkins fan so this looks quite interesting:

I am all at once what Christ is, ‘ since he was what I am, and
This Jack, joke, poor potsherd, ‘ patch, matchwood, immortal diamond,
Is immortal diamond.
Cloud-puffball, torn tufts, tossed pillows ‘ flaunt forth, then chevy on an air-
built thoroughfare: heaven-roysterers, in gay-gangs ‘ they throng; they glitter in marches.

56% of all Danes are now ready to completely drop their fixed line phones in favor of mobiles.

The 9/11 Commission Report done in graphical novel fomat.

Apparently the below scene from Stormy Weather which features Cab Calloway and Nicholas Brothers was Fred Astaire’s favourite tap dance routine.