Jolly Holly Holiday

Hullo!

Just thought I'd put up a little post to excuse myself from the blogosphere for the next three weeks. Today is Wednesday 18th June. On Wednesday 9th July I'll be back to comment on other people's posts and maybe even write one of my own! If I get to a computer between now and then I might say "Hullo" again from my travels! I'm not going too far away, but I was planning on switching off the fellytone and not frequenting net-cafés with much regularity. Although I think I commented on someone's blog last night (half asleep, can't remember who, oh the shame) that it is getting addictive, this blogging lark.

I know Damo would recommend that I set up a little timer-thingie to let posts go off every now and then while I'm away, but I'm not clever enough to have worked out quite how to do that one yet. I'm sure I'll get off my fat bum and learn how at some stage. Probably.

Can I just say though, in light of Rosie's shitstorm in an espresso cup, I have really enjoyed many, many people's blogs since I started looking into this murky pool a few months ago. Taking my first holiday since starting a blog has brought that into perspective. I started out a little clueless but have learnt so much from everyone - check my blogroll! They're all brilliant. Some have been around for ages, some are recent converts like myself (only doing it much better than me!). I agree with Rosie that some of them are not the best, but I cannot comment on Damien's awards because I am too new a visitor to this murky pool of fun. There is a lot of back-slapping yes, but being totally honest, when people started commenting (and even complimenting) on my blog the grin on my face would just not leave. Thank you Darragh for being my first comment dropper!

I look forward to catching up on all the scandal in three weeks or so...

My nomination for Blogpost of the month, June

It's a moving post and worthy of publicity, in line with the increased campaigns against drink driving in recent months.

Aidan Walsh's blog: Faoiseamh

oh NO!

So, the country is voting No.

Let's see how this effects us all in the long term... Thanks are flowing in from the UK already - just take a look at the comments on a number of Sky News articles! I never watch Sky News at home because it's just so tabloid, but it is up to date online, if totally biased sometimes.

[edit: thanks to comments on Twenty's site, I just saw more praise from the rest of Europe on the RTE Lisbon page.]

Will it really effect us at all, in our day-to-day lives?! I'm not so sure that the people of Europe will start shaking fists at us. Will a realistic business decide not to trade with an Irish firm, just because our public voted against a treaty that would ultimately only make life easier for politicians?! I don't know - I hope not, I doubt it. Not if they were practical businesspeople. You do business with people for a profit; relationships are built up on synergy rather than political agenda.

Right?

Update:
Conspiracy Theory #1:
That the govt. put in a half-arsed attempt to back the "Yes" side just to be seen to be backing it, while secretly strategising that the "No" campaign would be stronger, thereby looking good in the face of their EU/EC peers all the while getting what they really wanted...

Hooray for more Entrepreneurship on the Telly!

I heard on the radio yesterday that Mr Penny Apples is going to be the Mick going "You're Fired" on TV this year! Hooray!! It's just what The Apprentice franchise needs, new blood. I hope it's not PANTS, because I have huge admiration for Bill Cullen. Just read this... And then this...

Jazz Biscuit blogged about it yesterday too...

The Apprentice (UK) was good for the first couple of runs but in my opinion is gone very stale, as I think all reality tv programmes get. (Big Brother anyone?! No? Didn't think so...). The US one was ok... Hopefully the Celtic Tiger Cubs gagging to get on and show off their clever-stuff will make at least the first Irish run interesting.

Hopefully.

Opinion?

Pop Up Ad Marketing

Pop up ads. You know the ones I mean. You're having a casual surf, reading the news or the gossip, something that's up to date in terms of content, and POP goes an ad. That's not blocked by your pop-up blocker. The makers of the ad have kindly put in a big X to help show you how to CLOSE the WINDOW because you may NOT actually be interested in whatever promotion they happen to be running at the time.

And when you click the X, what happens? You are brought to their website. You click the "CLOSE" and what happens? You are brought to their website.

How irritating is that? I know it'll go away after a few seconds but I just hate it when I try to scroll away from it - and it follows! Very clever designing, hats off, but go away!!

It has happened to me most recently on independent.ie and entertainment.ie to name but two, and it is just irritating! Most of the time, these ad campaigns are organised by agencies, rather than the company themselves. So you can't blame Aer Lingus or HB Ice-Cream, or Heineken - can you? They think they're getting lots of hits on their websites as a result of this uber-expensive (no doubt!) campaign, when really it is just the pee'd off public trying to get rid of the ad off their screen when they're perusing the newspapers on their teabreak! Grrrr. Is that an unethical business practice or what? I think it's wrong. Would be interested in hearing what everyone else thinks.

Scarey Facebook Skit from BBC

Cheers for the eyeopener Niall!