Channel 6

Looks like Ireland’s newest TV channel, Channel 6, is something to look forward to with ingenious programming that includes the likes of FRASIER, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, LAW & ORDER, CSI, SEX & CITY and DHARMA & GREG. Humm, just where have I seen all those shows before?

Dave’s Rants has some interesting suggestions as to why it is called Channel 6, seeing that we currently only appear to have four other TV stations: RTE1, RTE2, TV3 and TG4.

Luke Rhinehart: The Dice Man

I generally get most of my books from second hand book stores. I love those shelves of used books and the stuff you can find on them. Most of my favourite writers are now out of print or hard to find. I also admire old paperbacks and do buy books for their covers, even if I never read them afterwards. Given a choice most of the older editions look much better than their modern counterparts. And even if I can’t find a great looking old paperback and opt for current versions of a book, well, then it’s still a good bit cheaper to purchase those than to go for the full priced ones.

And every once in a while I also come across some madcap inscriptions like this one:



I got a good chuckle out of this when I started reading the book on a plane. It’s ironic that this was found in a novel dedicated to living your life randomly and experiencing the thrill of life by making often subversive decisions.

Good for you, unknown reader!

3 is a lonely number

Am I the only one who thinks that if you name your company “3” you gotta be extra careful how you word your ad campaigns?

“Now all 3 customers can roam the UK at no extra cost.”

Then again maybe it is indeed an accurate description of their current client base as I have yet to find a single person who actually subscribed to their network.

The reason why Baywatch was not filmed in Ireland

I got this link via The Blog That Should Not Be: It features a bunch of frozen models wearing some rather ridiculous looking Irish Flag Swimwear. You gotta check it out! It’s hilarious.

A Day at the Matches

Went to see the Heineken Cup Quarter Final Rugby match in Lansdowne Road between Munster and Perpignon on Saturday. For the last couple of years I have heard about the fun that can be had on those rugby events, so I thought it was about time I’ll try and see what it’s all about.

Well, to cut to the chase: a completely disorganised mess is what it’s all about.

My ticket was for the East Terrace 3 section. When I arrived, the entrance was like an overbursting bottle neck with people pushing and shoving to get in. The gates to that section ended up closed and I was asked to move first to entrance ET2, then ET1, then to some seated area.

Needless to say anytime I arrived at those gates the orderlies knew nothing about those arrangements. There was no co-ordination or dialogue whatsoever between the people in charge, some of whom were quite obviously at the end of their tether and reaching a state of panic in front of the masses.

When I finally was allowed to enter the Terrace rude security personnel instructed us to move to other areas when no movement was effectively possible and people (including some obviously frightened young’uns with their dads) were already seriously squashed and unable to move anywhere.

A little bit of info about me: I am 6’4. I’m the guy who blocks other people’s views. I’m simply not used to not being able to watch what’s in front of me. Yet, after just a few minutes into the game I caught myself watching the action on the stadium screen as I couldn’t see a frigging thing otherwise. The only difference between my watching the match in a pub and in the stadium was that I was drenched and frozen from the rain and did not have a pint in my hand.

Needless to say I left just a quarter of an hour into the game. Initially I thought it was just me being overly critical, but most of my buddies – all hard core rugby fans – soon joined me after the first half. They all agreed that this was the worst it has ever been!

This really is a recipe for disaster: With gates being closed down in front of the spectators and quite obviously way more people on the grounds than should have been allowed in, a minor incident could have easily turned into a tragedy of giant proportions.

Well, Munster won 19:10 and will play Leinster in three weeks time in an all Irish semi-final. If last Saturday was Bedlam attending the next match will be a masochistic delight. Based on Leinster’s amazing performance against Toulouse, I’d say they will kick Munster’s arse. And if I watch it, I’ll do so from the comfort of a bar stool.