New Apple Goodies
Lots of shiny new
goodies were unveiled by Apple yesterday, most
noticeably a refresh of the iMac, the entry-level
MacBook, the Mac mini, and a new mouse called
the Magic Mouse.
The iMac in
particular looks like a significant upgrade. Screen
sizes have been increased from 20 and 24 inches to
21.5 and 27 inches. The screen is now a backlit LED
model, and the aspect and resolution of both now
support full HD capability. In addition, there is a
video port that allows for both an input and an
output signal, so you can either hook up another
monitor, or use the iMac as the monitor for another
computer or some other source such as a Blu-Ray
player. (As Jeff Mancuso points out, the new iMac is
$100 cheaper than the ageing 30" Cinema Display
from Apple, and has the additional benefit of a
free Mac (link via Daring
Fireball.)) Processor power has been
upgraded too, as has hard drive capacity. There
is now an option for a quad-core iMac, for the
first time ever.
This is a good time to give the iMac a significant upgrade, as it coincides with the release of Windows 7. There are going to be a lot of potential XP/Vista upgraders in the market, and so this is a good time to try to get more switchers over to the promised land.
So will I be treating myself to a shiny new iMac for Christmas? Not a hope! My three year old 2.16GHz Core 2 Duo iMac is doing just fine, and I hope that it will continue to do so for a good while yet.
But in the meantime, we're off to Birmingham at the weekend, so I'll try to get into the Apple Store in the Bullring, and hopefully get to play with one of these gorgeous new machines.
This is a good time to give the iMac a significant upgrade, as it coincides with the release of Windows 7. There are going to be a lot of potential XP/Vista upgraders in the market, and so this is a good time to try to get more switchers over to the promised land.
So will I be treating myself to a shiny new iMac for Christmas? Not a hope! My three year old 2.16GHz Core 2 Duo iMac is doing just fine, and I hope that it will continue to do so for a good while yet.
But in the meantime, we're off to Birmingham at the weekend, so I'll try to get into the Apple Store in the Bullring, and hopefully get to play with one of these gorgeous new machines.
|
Munster v Treviso
18/10/09 22:22 Filed in: Sport
So, I got my ticket
for the Treviso match through the Supporters' Club
lottery (tho' in fairness, I don't think it was all
that much of a lottery. If you applied for one, you
got one.) We went to Cork for the weekend, so I
scabbed a lift to Limerick from Mr & Mrs
Munstermad.
To say that the first thirty minutes or so were worrying would be understating things a tad. I had to rub my eyes a couple of times whenever I looked at the scoreboard and saw Munster 0, Treviso 10. But, in truth, the scoreboard told no lie. Munster were second best in the opening quarter if the game. The scrum was a shambles, and there was little or no shape to the team overall. ROG's crisis of confidence when addressing the dead ball clearly hadn't been resolved.
Munster started the match with only one of the regulars in the front row. John Hayes was out due to suspension and Jerry Flannery was lost to injury. Marcus Horan went off midway through the first half, so we had our second choice front row in its entirety. They did manage to steady the ship, but I never felt confident at scrum time, especially on Treviso's put in.
Thankfully, things turned around as the first half drew to a close. First, Paul Warwick got over after a sustained period of pressure in Treviso 22. This was followed on the stroke of half-time by a wonderful cross-field kick from Keith Earls down the gullet of Ian Dowling (on for Doug Howlett, who had pulled a hamstring). The video ref had to take several looks before he decided that Dowling had not lost control of the ball before grounding it, but in the end awarded the five-pointer.
The second half was all Munster. Denis Leamy was in shortly after the match resumed, and another four were to follow, scored by Denis Fogarty, David Wallace, Ian Dowling (his second of the afternoon), and late on Jean de Villiers opened his account.
That's it now for the Heneken Cup till December, when we welcome USA Perpignan to Thomond. The Catalans are a tough bunch, and although they were beaten by Treviso in the first round, they came back to see off Northampton at the weekend.
To say that the first thirty minutes or so were worrying would be understating things a tad. I had to rub my eyes a couple of times whenever I looked at the scoreboard and saw Munster 0, Treviso 10. But, in truth, the scoreboard told no lie. Munster were second best in the opening quarter if the game. The scrum was a shambles, and there was little or no shape to the team overall. ROG's crisis of confidence when addressing the dead ball clearly hadn't been resolved.
Munster started the match with only one of the regulars in the front row. John Hayes was out due to suspension and Jerry Flannery was lost to injury. Marcus Horan went off midway through the first half, so we had our second choice front row in its entirety. They did manage to steady the ship, but I never felt confident at scrum time, especially on Treviso's put in.
Thankfully, things turned around as the first half drew to a close. First, Paul Warwick got over after a sustained period of pressure in Treviso 22. This was followed on the stroke of half-time by a wonderful cross-field kick from Keith Earls down the gullet of Ian Dowling (on for Doug Howlett, who had pulled a hamstring). The video ref had to take several looks before he decided that Dowling had not lost control of the ball before grounding it, but in the end awarded the five-pointer.
The second half was all Munster. Denis Leamy was in shortly after the match resumed, and another four were to follow, scored by Denis Fogarty, David Wallace, Ian Dowling (his second of the afternoon), and late on Jean de Villiers opened his account.
That's it now for the Heneken Cup till December, when we welcome USA Perpignan to Thomond. The Catalans are a tough bunch, and although they were beaten by Treviso in the first round, they came back to see off Northampton at the weekend.
The Weekend In Sport
11/10/09 21:56 Filed in: Sport
So it was an eventful
weekend of sport. Well, from a rugby and football
point of view at least.
It all started off with Leinster falling to a shock home defeat to London Irish on Friday night. I didn't see all of the match, but it appears that the Exiles just didn't allow Leinster any space, and also dominated the line-out. Maybe Leinster, having scalped Munster the seekend before, thought they were invincible, and then got taken down by a sucker punch. In the pool stage of the Heineken Cup, the minimum required to advance is to win your home games, and then see what else you can pick up. These can be four-try bonus points at home, losing bonus points away, or better still an away win. Losing your home games makes it all the more difficult to keep your qualification destiny within your own hands.
Saturday evening saw Munster away to Northampton. Again, I didn't see this match (for reasons that will become clear sson), but we have it in the Sky+ can, so I'll have a look at it during the week. At one point, it looked like Munster were dead and buried, but they fought back to stay within seven at the end, and came away with a losing bonus point. They could have taken four points away at the end, but just couldn't make nearly five minutes of sustained pressure on the Northampton line count at the end of the match. They welcome Treviso to Thomond Park next Saturday, and I will be there.
The reason I didn't see the Munster match was because I was on my way to Croke Park to see Ireland take on Italy in the World Cup qualifier. This is the first soccer international I have been to in ages. Herself and I used to go to nearly every home game in years gone by, but the move to Port and the arrival of the wee 'un put a stop to that. But my father in law was going and he had a spare ticket, so I went with him.
What a match! On paper, Ireland should have been hosed by the World Champions, but they came out with the intention to win. Eight minutes in and they were one up. The Italians finally woke up and started to take control of the game. The way the Italians moved the ball around just showed the gulf in class between the two sides. But what Ireland lacked in class, they made up for in spirit and intent. Italy got one back in the twenty-somethingth minute, and it looked at that point that Ireland were going to be taken apart. But they held on, and in the 86th minute, pulled ahead once again. All of us there were on our feet, hoping, praying that they would be able to hold on for the greatest win in Irish football history since… well, since the last one. But it was not to be. In what was almost the last kick of the game, the Italians equalised for the second time, sealed their place at the World Cup in South Africa, and broke Irish hearts. Still, if we were offered a 2-2 draw before the game, most would have taken it. But, what could have been?
Here's my video of Glenn Whelan's goal:
It all started off with Leinster falling to a shock home defeat to London Irish on Friday night. I didn't see all of the match, but it appears that the Exiles just didn't allow Leinster any space, and also dominated the line-out. Maybe Leinster, having scalped Munster the seekend before, thought they were invincible, and then got taken down by a sucker punch. In the pool stage of the Heineken Cup, the minimum required to advance is to win your home games, and then see what else you can pick up. These can be four-try bonus points at home, losing bonus points away, or better still an away win. Losing your home games makes it all the more difficult to keep your qualification destiny within your own hands.
Saturday evening saw Munster away to Northampton. Again, I didn't see this match (for reasons that will become clear sson), but we have it in the Sky+ can, so I'll have a look at it during the week. At one point, it looked like Munster were dead and buried, but they fought back to stay within seven at the end, and came away with a losing bonus point. They could have taken four points away at the end, but just couldn't make nearly five minutes of sustained pressure on the Northampton line count at the end of the match. They welcome Treviso to Thomond Park next Saturday, and I will be there.
The reason I didn't see the Munster match was because I was on my way to Croke Park to see Ireland take on Italy in the World Cup qualifier. This is the first soccer international I have been to in ages. Herself and I used to go to nearly every home game in years gone by, but the move to Port and the arrival of the wee 'un put a stop to that. But my father in law was going and he had a spare ticket, so I went with him.
What a match! On paper, Ireland should have been hosed by the World Champions, but they came out with the intention to win. Eight minutes in and they were one up. The Italians finally woke up and started to take control of the game. The way the Italians moved the ball around just showed the gulf in class between the two sides. But what Ireland lacked in class, they made up for in spirit and intent. Italy got one back in the twenty-somethingth minute, and it looked at that point that Ireland were going to be taken apart. But they held on, and in the 86th minute, pulled ahead once again. All of us there were on our feet, hoping, praying that they would be able to hold on for the greatest win in Irish football history since… well, since the last one. But it was not to be. In what was almost the last kick of the game, the Italians equalised for the second time, sealed their place at the World Cup in South Africa, and broke Irish hearts. Still, if we were offered a 2-2 draw before the game, most would have taken it. But, what could have been?
Here's my video of Glenn Whelan's goal:
Munster Whitewashed
05/10/09 22:22 Filed in: Sport
So, Saturday evening,
in the midst of all the hoo-haa surrounding the
Lisbon Referendum, Munster only go and get
themselves beaten 30-0 by Leinster. As a Munster
fan, I should be absolutely devastated and afraid
to come out of the house, lest I happen to meet a
blue-clad Foxrock boy called Christian or Fionn.
But, you know what, I'm not. Of course, I'm disappointed that Munster were well beaten, but it's not the end of the world. And just because Leinster are the Heineken Cup champions and have beaten Munster twice on the trot, doesn't necessarily mean that the earth is going to stop spinning on its axis. This time last year, Munster were the Heineken Cup champions and also whitewashed Leinster in the same fixture.
What it does mean is that we now have two of the strongest teams in Europe here in Ireland. Leinster have come a long way in the last few seasons, and at last are the equal of the men in red. As an Irish rugby fan, this is exactly the sort of situation we should welcome. There is now genuine competition for places in the national squad, and the twice-annual (at least) meetings of these two sides have become high points of the Irish sporting calendar.
OK, we lost on Saturday. But we did the same to them last year (in their paddock, it should be said - sorry, couldn't resist) and they went on to win the Heineken Cup. We'll beat them again at some point in the future, and they will beat us again. There is a very good chance that one or other will bring home the Heineken Cup to Ireland again this season.
There is one unanswered question from Saturday's match, though - wtf happened between John Hayes and Cian Healy? I didn't see the incident (not getting all Wengerish or anything - I didn't see the match at all), but I was shocked to hear John Hayes getting a straight red card. In all the times I have seen him play, I can't recall him even getting a yellow before this. No doubt all will be revealed at the disciplinary hearing at Ravenhill tomorrow.
But, you know what, I'm not. Of course, I'm disappointed that Munster were well beaten, but it's not the end of the world. And just because Leinster are the Heineken Cup champions and have beaten Munster twice on the trot, doesn't necessarily mean that the earth is going to stop spinning on its axis. This time last year, Munster were the Heineken Cup champions and also whitewashed Leinster in the same fixture.
What it does mean is that we now have two of the strongest teams in Europe here in Ireland. Leinster have come a long way in the last few seasons, and at last are the equal of the men in red. As an Irish rugby fan, this is exactly the sort of situation we should welcome. There is now genuine competition for places in the national squad, and the twice-annual (at least) meetings of these two sides have become high points of the Irish sporting calendar.
OK, we lost on Saturday. But we did the same to them last year (in their paddock, it should be said - sorry, couldn't resist) and they went on to win the Heineken Cup. We'll beat them again at some point in the future, and they will beat us again. There is a very good chance that one or other will bring home the Heineken Cup to Ireland again this season.
There is one unanswered question from Saturday's match, though - wtf happened between John Hayes and Cian Healy? I didn't see the incident (not getting all Wengerish or anything - I didn't see the match at all), but I was shocked to hear John Hayes getting a straight red card. In all the times I have seen him play, I can't recall him even getting a yellow before this. No doubt all will be revealed at the disciplinary hearing at Ravenhill tomorrow.
Job Done
04/10/09 22:22 Filed in: Politics
| Lisbon
Treaty
After the debacle of
June last year, the Irish electorate came good and
ratified the Lisbon Treaty by a decisive margin on
Friday. The final result was over two-to-one in
favour of the Treaty, a massive turnaround from the
53-47 rejection last year.
Some No campiagners were saying yesterday that this was a 1-1 draw, but it would be better to look on it as a fixture played over two legs, decided by the aggregate score. On that count, the Yes side win decisively with a total vote over the two referendums of 1,966,719 versus the No side's 1,457,021.
The Treaty was rejected last year because the politicians, government and opposition parties alike, were caught napping. They thought that they could use the referendum campaign as an opportunity to introduce their local election candidates to the electorate. They completely underestimated the dedication, ability and resources of their opponents, and allowed them to set the agenda. By the time they had come up with a strategy to counter-attack, it was too late.
This time they approached it with the hard lesson learned. They did not allow the pace to be dictated by the opponents, and they managed to skilfully and calmly refute the arguments of the No campaign. The civic society groups played their part, bringing people onside who might otherwise have been tempted to use the referendum to register a protest vote against the government.
There are many who should be singled out for praise, but I am going to name a few that I think made a difference:
Michéal Martin, who was the main face of the goverment's campaign. Always well-briefed, he was able to get the point across without ever allowing himself to be dragged into a slagging match.
Enda Kenny and Eamonn Gilmore, who persuaded people that this referendum was not an opportunity to take a pot-shot at the government.
Marian Harkin, MEP for North-West, who helped raise awareness that this was a pan-European issue, and not just about Ireland.
The civic society campaigns, such as We Belong and Generation Yes, who reinforced the notion that this issue was bigger than politics.
Michael O'Leary, who gave us all a laugh, especially the full page ads in the Irish Times, exhorting us to vote yes so that we would "p*ss off Joe Higgins, Sinn Féin and Patricia McKenna."
Now, it's all over, so let's get back to the serious business of getting the country back on track.
Some No campiagners were saying yesterday that this was a 1-1 draw, but it would be better to look on it as a fixture played over two legs, decided by the aggregate score. On that count, the Yes side win decisively with a total vote over the two referendums of 1,966,719 versus the No side's 1,457,021.
The Treaty was rejected last year because the politicians, government and opposition parties alike, were caught napping. They thought that they could use the referendum campaign as an opportunity to introduce their local election candidates to the electorate. They completely underestimated the dedication, ability and resources of their opponents, and allowed them to set the agenda. By the time they had come up with a strategy to counter-attack, it was too late.
This time they approached it with the hard lesson learned. They did not allow the pace to be dictated by the opponents, and they managed to skilfully and calmly refute the arguments of the No campaign. The civic society groups played their part, bringing people onside who might otherwise have been tempted to use the referendum to register a protest vote against the government.
There are many who should be singled out for praise, but I am going to name a few that I think made a difference:
Michéal Martin, who was the main face of the goverment's campaign. Always well-briefed, he was able to get the point across without ever allowing himself to be dragged into a slagging match.
Enda Kenny and Eamonn Gilmore, who persuaded people that this referendum was not an opportunity to take a pot-shot at the government.
Marian Harkin, MEP for North-West, who helped raise awareness that this was a pan-European issue, and not just about Ireland.
The civic society campaigns, such as We Belong and Generation Yes, who reinforced the notion that this issue was bigger than politics.
Michael O'Leary, who gave us all a laugh, especially the full page ads in the Irish Times, exhorting us to vote yes so that we would "p*ss off Joe Higgins, Sinn Féin and Patricia McKenna."
Now, it's all over, so let's get back to the serious business of getting the country back on track.