A Complete Explanation Of Everything

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Keep on rocking forever...

Yeah tomorrow, I'm going to throw the hammer down and put the pedal to metal, burn it up and hit the ferry to Roscoff in Brittany by five pm. I've got a heady eight days out of the office ahead, time to get a reality check...

I really like the open road, I don't get a chance to do it often because I've got a fifteen minute commute and Ireland's roads and traffic can't really conjure up the romanticism of the mid-west for example. There's a certain purity to it though and hopefully it'll act as the full blown mental laxative I'm aiming for...

But it probably won't, the mind will still be there, whirring away... Complicating and procrastinating as only it knows how...

Only one thing for it really...

posted by Christophe at 29.5.08 0 comments

Friday, May 23, 2008

Is love a mixtape???

Ok, I don't know who turned it on to me, or rather I can't remember... But I've just finished reading "Love is a Mixtape" by Rob Sheffield. It could almost be a companion book for the irreconcilably lovesick and music-struck, joining on the shelf, "A head full of blue" by Nick Johnstone and the classic, "High Fidelity" by Nick Hornby.

To me, it comes off even more self absorbed than the latter two but that's hardly surprising considering the subject matter and we can all feel the pain that Sheffield is attempting to work through, the book being his eventual catharsis. It's certainly very real and raw in spots but mostly it's an unidentifiable worldview for myself, somewhere the crimes against music that most Rap and certainly Hanson have visited upon the planet are forgiven. In some respects, I can't believe this guy is a music journalist or that we share a common love of: "The Hold Steady" (saw them recently in The Academy in Dublin, they were eccelente).

Listen, I'm normally a fan of fragmented pose, surrealism, existentialism, the whole nine yards baby and the more esoteric the better but this just panders after a short while. He's at his best dealing with his pain, the other visitations that break up the book serve to nauseate and flinch.

"A head full of blue", whilst not directly discussing the same subject, comes across the themes of loss, pain and moving on and perhaps it's clarity is rendered through the prism of a recovering alcoholic and a self harmer.

Maybe I'm being patently unfair but, "Love is a mixtape", is a book that will be left on a bench somewhere for someone else and won't be crowding space on my already overrun shelves and I can usually stand to reread a book, 900 million times.

Is love a mixtape? Love is many things, one of the central themes of Hornby's defining opus (and I mean defining in the sense that if women want to understand someone like me, it's pretty much all in there or was in there), was that music shouldn't be reduced to times and places, it cheapens it. A great song should be a great song in and of itself. And that's generally the way I relate to music.

There is the odd song that gets tied up in a time and a place, Toni Braxton's "You're making me high" for reasons that I'm not going to go into for example.

Love is ceding control of the decks to somebody else for periods of time, it sure ain't a mixtape...
posted by Christophe at 23.5.08 0 comments

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Elena

This is my best mate's first daughter, born 2 days ago.

posted by Christophe at 22.5.08 0 comments

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Best football photo of all time???

posted by Christophe at 18.5.08 0 comments

Chatting and gossiping with Liz...

"I was on the Late Late Show for the first time on Friday night - and it is probably the scariest thing I've ever done. It's a tough gig, especially when reactions will be both positive and negative. The negative ones are full on right now. I had some common-sense things to say about property advertising and the lack of fresh ideas or alternative options for sellers. I hadn't seen the show so I decided to Google it. On some property information websites I came across what I can only describe as hate mail. From what I can tell these sites offer advice and information of you log on and chat to to others. I've always wondered about those who chat and gossip online. They clearly have too much time on their hands, especially if they're talking about me. Enough said."

Liz O'Kane

Mail on Sunday

Sunday 18 May 2008


You know I haven't bought a newspaper ever with any regularity, I used to read the Indo years ago because my Dad brought it home from work... Then I worked in a newsagents and had access to alot of newspapers, I used to read the Sun and the News of the World on the morning break for the sheer hilarity of the rubbish inside... Nowadays, if I'm travelling I might pick up The Guardian world edition or something but really the only thing I could claim to buy regularly is L'Equipe whenever I'm in France, now there's a paper!!!

Basically, Liz is bemoaning the new media in this article, those who "chat and gossip online" and actually play a role in determining the content of these chipwrappers, she quite clearly sets her stall out as not wanting a critically engaged audience, who actively want to test her arguments and assumptions...

I suppose, it's the opposite of the academic tradition, when instead of welcoming peer review (let's call it unsolicited hate mail) you actually go out and say, let me say whatever the hell I want and in no hand or shape, should you be able to take me to task.

That's what these property porn programmes are all about, I'm the expert, I'll take you round and show you places out of your budget because you've already made your mind up that you're going to part with that bundle of cash. TV screens and newspapers work in one direction only, output... That's not going to be the norm from now on, Liz...

Those who: "chat and gossip online", effectively and who root their arguments on real fundamentals including statistics and references will play an increasingly important role and the one great thing about this whole adventure of the 'pin to date is it has settled an argument I used to have with certain party members when I was in the SP.

The battle of ideas is it online, is the internet important? Coloured by their experiences with Windymedia, which unfortunately has descended into alot of vilification and online recrimination, there was a definite school of thought that the web was fast becoming untenable as a conduit for discourse. I think the 'pin has succinctly proven, that if conducted as honestly and openly as possible and with a clear sense of purpose, real discourse will breath and create effectively.

The 'pin was an interesting coalescing of a number of factors that eventually gained a critical mass, the next generation of forums that Ireland and Europe will enjoy, will be very important for the creation of the zeitgeist that will determine the content and course of our society.

In short, we've cast these words into a void and they've resonated and grown stronger.

Liz, you're running scared...
posted by Christophe at 18.5.08 0 comments

Sunday, May 11, 2008

"They call me 'Hel"...

posted by Christophe at 11.5.08 0 comments

Friday, May 9, 2008

IAVI handles the truth...




"You can't handle the truth!

Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by
IAVI members.

Who's gonna do it? You? You, Journalists?

I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom.

You weep for negative equity and you curse the doom sayers. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: that falling house prices, while tragic, probably saved Estate agents livelihoods. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves livelihoods.

You don't want the truth because, deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall, you need me on that wall. We use words like honour, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said "thank you" and went on your way.

Otherwise I suggest you pick up a keyboards and stand at post. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to."


Auctioneers don't submit any private treaty sales results...

With gracious thanks to Duplex of thepropertypin.com...
posted by Christophe at 9.5.08 1 comments

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Shuffle that deck, Biffo...






















Mary Coughlan becomes Tánaiste, while also taking the portfolio of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

Brian Lenihan is the new Minister for Finance, while Batt O'Keefe becomes Minister for Education, taking Mary Hanafin's portfolio. She moves to Social and Family Affairs.

Pat Carey becomes Chief Whip, a move which sees Tom Kitt return to the back benches.

The new Minister for Justice is Dermot Ahern, while his position in Foreign Affairs is taken by Mícheál Martin.

Martin Cullen is Minister for Arts Sport and Tourism and Brendan Smith takes Mary Coughlan's position in Agriculture and Food.

Mary Harney retains her position as Minister for Health as does Willie O'Dea, who stays with Defence. John Gormley and Eamon Ryan see no change, remaining in Environment, and Communications Energy and Natural Resources, respectively.

Noel Dempsey, in Transport, and Eamon Ó Cuív, in Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, also stay put.

Well, I didn't see that coming... Batt O'Keefe to Education??? The knowledge economy in safe hands!!!

Micheal gets his just desserts for backing Biffo early and Ahern and Dempsey get shunted into the railings predictably enough, the Lenihan promotion I can't fathom and while Mary C was due for promotion this was beyond what I anticipated...

Obviously Hanafin has the worst draw and it couldn't happen to a nicer woman...
posted by Christophe at 8.5.08 0 comments

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Death of a chancer... RIP Patrick Bartholomew Ahern

Physically, he is still corporeal. Politically, he is dead.

For the time being.

Like a cigarette end that refuses to extinguish or a piece of dog shite on a shoe, he might be with us for some time yet and could yet enjoy a renaissance, a twilight in some form or other.

President of Ireland? President of Europe? It doesn't bear thinking about but the Minister for Finance sans bank account has pulled off similar miracles before. That famous line from CJH about his erstwhile lieutenant has echoed with damning schadenfreude from beyond the grave with increasing frequency and virulence these past few years, Charlie knew what he had visited upon the Irish people and laughed merrily.

Bartholomew began life as a humble civil servant in the Health sector, which he would later go on to dismantle and throw as the proverbial bone to the hound dog Mary Harney, in an ideological sacrifice that cramped space at the Cabinet table but made Fianna Fail's life easier all round. Let her eat health was undoubtedly the cry, an effective maneuver that removed the only threat to standards in office in real terms being dragged up politically.

My abiding memory of Bertie was during the last election but one, hordes of supporters around him and camera crews pushing and jostling at whatever hotel the Fianna Fail machine was holed up in at the time, an interview just finished, positive news flowed in about a close seat. For a moment, forgetting himself, he let out a quick "Yeow!" and gave a little jump for joy... The type of celebration not out of place say when Houghton scored against England in '88 or against Italy in '94 but there was a glint in his eye that spoke volumes, this wasn't a victory for the common good, this was private, this was personal.

He had his achievements such that he would point to and those that his supporters would dredge up, the peace process for example. There is some merit in the fact that the Irish brothers are not currently shooting the arses off each other and it's true that the Blair / Ahern double act of insincerity and wide smiles played a significant role but more than anything, fortunate circumstance seems to have ridden and salvaged a destiny for Patrick Bartholomew. The consistent fact that the North was an expensive proposition for the United Kingdom and that the leaders of the provisional movement finally realised that outright victory was impossible in the modern era allowed Bertie to push at an open door. The situation on the ground as it pertains today in the North is however vastly more complicated than the outgoing Taoiseach will own but it's in his nature, to think this achievement cannot be undone.

So what led to Bertram's grand departure, if anything, internal politics and much like any autocratic dominion, when Il Duce calls time, it is only a matter of time before, Et tu Biffo? must be uttered. In time, I'm sure it will out that pressure was brought to bear on the legend of Drumcondra in a most unseemly way, thoroughly undignified but par for the course for an outgoing leader of Fianna Fail.

Tonight however, it's time to pull out the smokes and leave the daggers aside and have a few in Fagan's in honour of the man, the memories and the misquotes. And if all the patriots are still alive, not having taken their leader at his behest and committing suicide for a bit of economic rationality, perhaps you'll join me in raising a glass of bass, to the Minister for Finance sans bank account...

Thanks Bertie, you consistently reinforced my conviction in the surreal.
posted by Christophe at 6.5.08 0 comments

Friday, May 2, 2008

Archive Foxy Bassplayer of the Month - May 2008

This month's delectable bassiste features Amanda from Stellastarr*. Check out the tunes here, at their myspace, particularly, the ace track - "In the walls"...

Here is the extremely talented and gorgeous Amanda however!




































posted by Christophe at 2.5.08 0 comments

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Six random six meme...

Mmmm, taggage...

Here’s how it works:

Link to the person that tagged you.
Post the rules on your blog.
Write six random things about you in a blog post.
Tag six people in your post.
Let each person know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
Let the taggee know your entry is up.

Random thing #1 - The first major gig I went to was The Beastie Boys in the RDS in 1995...






















Random thing #2 - The first CD I purchased with my pocket money was: Green Day - "Dookie"...






Random thing #3 - I fucked up my leaving certificate.

Random thing #4 - I used to have an eyebrow piercing and dyed red hair.






Random thing #5 - My favourite age was 19. I drank about ten pints of guinness on my birthday and became catatonic.






Random thing #6 - My favourite book is "Nausea" by Jean-Paul Sartre.

I'll tag Marcas (he needs the content), handily Jenna has already filled out 100+ of randomness and I guess I'll tag Lucy (although I'm mad at her for having the temerity to attempt a relationship) and I guess, I'll get lifewithouttoast in on the act, because Matt, Babs and Becca = three peeps and I'm done!

Yay!

posted by Christophe at 1.5.08 4 comments