Damien Mulley

Denise Howell announces the “This Week in Law” podcast.

Via a quick comment from Marc is news that Russell Beattie has left Yahoo. His notebook doesn’t seem to be coming back though. Shame.

Can’t believe the dog survived.

Ice Cube is back. No no, not that one. Maybe we should call him Ice cub instead.

Top Gear play Darts:

In the same vein, launching a car off an 18 storey carpark into a river:

What’s going on?

Hope everyone has fun at the big wine event tonight. I’ll be stuck in college learning the OJ defense. (This is slightly different to the Chewbacca Defense.)

Damien Blake has suggested bloggers have a “Stop the Carnage Week” this week where we share our ideas on what should be done to stop the constant deaths on our roads. Twenty has already started.

Damien suggests:

• Write a post on your own blog
• Tag it with “roadsafetyblog“, link to his post or add a comment with the link
• If you don’t have a blog, you can comment here
• Most importantly, we need your suggestions on how to improve things

I’ll prepare a report on the submissions, and forward it to the Minister, Taoiseach, Road Safety Authority, Insurance Federation and every member of the Oireachtas.

I’m sure people are sick of this talk about road safety already with every paper and radio station discussing it but if a blog post can make you even a slightly safer driver it could be the difference between life and death. Unlike a lot of those crappy memes going about, this is worthwhile. Also see the Road Deaths Map.

My own suggestions:

• Courses like the “Ignition” course that Hibernian Insurance offers should be mandatory. It certainly made me a safer driver.
• Driving Instructors need to pass certain criteria before they can teach.
• Everyone should have to sit a certain number of driving lessons from qualified instructors.
• If there isn’t a reasonable drop in road deaths of young people then speed restrictors/monitors should be added to their cars. A work colleague was telling me today of devices that can text parents to let them know their kids are speeding. Speed is fine for motorways, not for crappy roads that are in the majority of this country.

Have seen this a few times already but here’s the trailer for Old Boy. Few years old now. Korean cinema is really kicking ass of late. Apparently there’s going to be a US remake with Nicholas Cage. God. Warning, movie contains over-the-top violence and fuckedupness.

Nailbomb was a side-project of Max from Sepultura and Alex Newport from Fudge Tunnel. They released two albums. A studio album called “Point Blank” and a goodbye world live album called “Proud to Commit Commercial Suicide” which was a fuck you to the record companies who wanted to make money from the band when all they wanted to do was have fun.

Press release from eircom. 100 more exchanges to be enabled. Wimax in 5 urban areas to address line failures on existing exchanges and Setanta sports for all eircom broadband customers.

120k more people to get broadband through the upgrading of 100 exchanges and roll-out of WiMax. Free Setanta Sports via broadband for all eircom customers too.

An additional 100 telephone exchanges in communities across the country will be DSL enabled. The exchanges are located in all 26 counties and this further investment will be completed during 2007.

Furthermore, eircom is committing to take all broadband orders placed within the five urban centres of Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford and Galway. In total, 120,000 extra telephone lines will now be able to support broadband due to these initiatives.

To help achieve this target, eircom will commence the rollout of WiMax technology during 2007 to overcome difficulties that arise when providing broadband over some telephone lines. WiMax will be used to supplement existing DSL service in these five major urban centres. The introduction of WiMax will ensure all potential customers will be able to receive broadband. Today’s announcement follows extensive WiMax trials that have been conducted by eircom in locations across Ireland during the past year.

I’m off to find out more information.

Update:
Wimax is only available after you place a “broadband” order with eircom. Rollout from Jan 2007. You can’t apply directly for this product. There will be an install fee. Prices will be same as DSL. Speeds not announced yet. Setanta is available to existing and new customers from Jan 2007.

List of Exchanges to be enabled in next year:
Cavan
Kilnaleck
Mullagh
Killeshandra

Clare
Clonlara
Tiermaclane
Milltown Abbey

Cork
Whitegate
Castlemartyr
Leap
Cloyne
Balineen
Ballyclough
Kildorrery
Ballygarvan
Timoleague
Ballinaclashet
Kilworth
Doneraile
Lombardstown

Donegal
Raphoe
Carrigart
Convoy
Mountcharles
Muff
Fahan
Greencastle
Quigleys Point
Kilmacrenan
Killygordon

Dublin
Garristown

Galway
Turloughmore
Dunmore
Rosscahill
Monivea
Kinvara

Kerry
Lixnau

Kildare
Carbury
Nurney

Kilkenny
Kilmacow
Knocktopher
Goresbridge
Mullinavat
Freshford

Letterkenny
Manorcunningham

Limerick
Rathkeale
Patrickswell
Pallaskenry
Cratloe
Cappamore
Glin

Laois
Rathdowney
Durrow
Ballylinan

Longford
Ballymahon

Mayo
Balla
Kilkelly
Louisburgh
Ballindine
Shrule
Newport
Charlestown

Meath
Summerhill
Wilkinstown
Julianstown
Nobber
Balrath

Monaghan
Inniskeen

Offaly
Rhode
Kilcormac

Portlaoise
Ballybrittas

Roscommon
Frenchpark

Sligo
Castlegarren
Cliffony

Tipperary
Kilsheelin
Borrisoleigh
Dundrum
Ardfinnan
Newcastle

Wicklow
Roundwood
Glendalough
Dunlavin

Wexford
Ferns
Ballynabola
Camolin
Killurin
Fethard
Castlebridge
Ballywilliam
Broadway
Killinick
Duncormick

Westmeath
Killucan
Castlepollard
Tyrrellspass

Waterford
Annestown
Ardmore
Aglish