So, I’ve spent the week in Dublin until now, but may well leave the pale if this mythical heatwave I’ve heard about materialises. I’m not holding out hope, which is good, cause if it does happen, i’ll be doubly surprised and happy, if only because it will give my tomatoes the last burst of heat and sun they need. And once that happens, I’ll be pouring over the recipes on Italian Foodies with which to use them (you’d think almost 100 cookbooks would suffice, but no.)

Home Grown Tomatoes

The inclement weather has however given me a chance to catch a lot of the US Open. I don’t claim to live and die by the fall of a tennis ball, but it sure beats re-runs of Judge Judy. And my better half is quite the fan, so it keeps here from going loo-la. It’s closing quite funny watch the Murray games (he’s playing Cilic as I type) and hearing the Sky Sports commentators claiming him as the second coming.

I’ve also managed to get another run to IKEA under my belt (Verdana or otherwise), and have yet again gotten away without buying half the store, but I would have to admit that it had more to do with finances than it had to do with willpower. I did however pick up a new lamp which lead me down to the local hardware store to get a new bulb. I was surprised at the amount of non-CFL lights you could still pick up despite what I thought was a nationwide ban on their sale.

I’m also looking forward to seeing what tomorrow’s Apple event brings, but to be honest, I’m not expecting anything revolutionary. I reckon cameras on iPods will be the biggest announcement if it happens. It’s sure a long way from the humble Sony walkman, but it reeks of Apple thinking “iPods are getting stale, what can we smack on it next?” if you ask me.

Well, that’s it for me now I reckon. This post already reeks too much of braindump on a page, but hopefully the quality of my writing will improve once I transition back from thinking in 140 character chunks…

I’ve been reasonably active on my Twitter account, but finding the time, energy or inclination to write a full post has been beyond me. Course, I got my hosting bill from Blacknight the other day, which served to remind me that having my own domain isn’t some divine and free right bestowed on my by virtue of my Irish passport. So I figure if I’m paying, I might as well make a bit of time to rant here.

Lets start off light though. Maybe one post a week.

PS If anyone actually notices or cares, yes, those are Google ads to the right. I have this romantic notion that Google are going to send me a cheque for the price of a new MacBook Pro and the ads are my tiny way of helping that along (I can dream). I know many people don’t believe in the idea of having ads on a personal blog, but I figure since they’re marked as ads, and aren’t too visually appaling, it’s fair game to leave them up. If they help you find something useful, go ahead and click them, it’s not like it’ll cost you. On the other hand, if you don’t like what they’re selling, just don’t click them. Unless you see an ad for Cóir or something, then leave a comment, cause I don’t want that crap on my site.

Seriously, what a great idea. Not entirely sure what countries this will work in, but the UK & Ireland can get it anyway.

Mum sends stripper to teenage son’s school

By Lester Haines

Published Thursday 8th November 2007 15:32 GMT

A Nottinghamshire lad had a “birthday to remember” after a stripper turned up at his school, burst into his drama class and proceeded to flaunt herself like a two-buck hussy as shocked teacher and students looked on.

According to the Telegraph, the clothes-shedding strumpet was dispatched to Nottingham’s Arnold Hill School and Technology College at the behest of the boy’s mum, who also asked his teacher to film the event.

The stripper entered the classroom halfway through the lesson, and then, as a fellow pupil recounted to the Daily Mail: “She asked the lad to stand up, which he did, and told him he had been a very naughty boy because he hadn’t been doing his homework. Then she put on some Britney Spears music and got out a collar and lead from her bag and told him to put them on.

“No one could believe it. Next she ordered him to get on all fours, led him around the classroom and hit him 16 times – once for each year – on the bottom with her whip. Then she took off some clothes until she was down to her bra and pants, pulled out some cream, put it on her buttocks and told him to rub it in.

“To be fair to the teacher, you could tell she was just stunned – and when the cream came out she told the stripper ‘That’s it. That’s enough’.”

It apparently was enough for the honoured guest of this show, since he “ran out of the classroom while the stripper calmly packed her bag and left”.

A spokeswoman for Nottinghamshire County Council said no one had been suspended and the police were not involved. She added: “We and the school are investigating into the situation.”

And in case you’re wondering what kind of parent would subject their offspring to this kind of humiliation, the mother in question told the school she’d actually ordered a gorilla “through an agency”, but got the cream-loving dog-handler instead. ®

Sound is a must-have for this link!

It’s got it all, funny concept, important message and disturbingly catchy tune…

He’s been getting some serious coverage for it, in everything from the Sunday Tribune (including a photo from one of my posts) to 2FM, the Star and beyond.

So, fair play Niall and I’d encourage you to check it out..

Seriously, it’s like drawing a moustache on the Mona Lisa, or sticking a Happy Meal in the Last Supper. The latter I could actually see McD’s trying to do.

Anyway, Judge for yourself.

God Awful Version

Original Masterpiece of Auditory Gold.