MAPS.GOOGLE -- If you use Google on a virtual flight across the USA, you get a window seat that lets you see stunning landscape and architecture. The amazing power of Google Maps flies you above the country. You get the perspective of a passenger in an aircraft traveling between 12,000 - 25,000 feet. I used this technology to "fly" across the States before finishing my morning coffee. Thanks to tour guides using Irishblogs (like Gavin Sheridan) who have posted screen shots of several places worth visiting again, my flight from Ireland took me over the east coast to the west coast of America.
Continue reading "Google Sightseeing" »
KILKENNY -- We lost Chuckie to ill health the same week we listened to reports of the death of Pope John Paul II. We think Chuckie would be welcome in a holy place because his gentle nature represented charity and compassion. He never snarled, never took an aggressive position, never asked for much. He politely waited for food and would even defer to cats who insisted on having his dinner (unless it was liver). Chuckie was a rescued Pomeranian--he would have been put down by the pound if we hadn't claimed him around two years ago. He showed us things we never knew dogs could do. He could smile. He could hop down steps instead of walk down them. He would patiently sit outside on a lead--sometimes for 15 minutes at a time--without barking at us to hurry up. He wouldn't eat if he was unwell because he didn't want to soil anything. That proved to be part of his demise--he refused food and water in his dying days because he couldn't stand up without our support. So Chuckie passed away under my hands. He was put to sleep when he told us it was time.
Continue reading "Pope's Dog" »
THE ATLANTIC -- Bernard-Henri Levy, "In the footsteps of Tocqueville", enjoys several Tocquevillean moments on his journey across the States. He recalls several incidents in the May 2005 edition of The Atlantic Monthly.
Continue reading "Loitering with intent" »
3M -- On April 6, 1980, a remarkable new technology arrived in stationery stores around the States. It was simple and environmentally-friendly. It needed no semi-annual upgrades. It worked better than advertised. It was the Post-it Note. We celebrate 25 years of progress by observing the Post-It Note in the college classroom.
Continue reading "25 years of Post-It Notes" »
RTE -- We have a podcast from Liam Burke and 22 MB MP3 file of the 23 minutes that David McWilliams gave over to blogging on The Big Bite. The coverage produced an excellent set piece and some cool Flickr photos that introduce mainstream audiences to Irish weblogs. McWilliams drew answers from six bloggers cited below who have around 12 years of blogging between them and they provided meaningful responses to a variety of questions. We've written time cues below next to the questions posed by David McWilliams, the mainstream journo who should be blogging. On the day The Big Bite aired, this blog recorded nearly 500 more visitors than on the previous Tuesday. However, most of those extra visitors came in search of pictures of Pope John Paul II wearing Bono's sunglasses. Fewer than 15 came looking for "Irishbogs". On to McWilliams' questions:
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WE HAVE AN INFIRM Pomeranian on our hands in Kilkenny and it's a traumatising event. Chuckie the polite and deferential male Pom that we adopted nearly a year ago is acting like an 84-year old person who can no longer walk a few strides at a time. A local vet says Chuckie is around 10 years old. A stethoscope says Chuckie has a weak heart. Creaky joints say Chuckie has arthritis. All together, these conditions have reduced a once lively fluffy dog into a snoring piece of fluff on the middle of our sitting room floor. Perhaps it's time. "How do you know when it's time?" asks Hilary Brown, Owner, VetPet Partners veterinary e-list .
Continue reading "How do you know it's time" »
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