John Browne

Mark Webber at the European grand prix. He walked away. If you look closely as he launches through the air he hits the overhead dhl sign.

Well I’m on my way to dublin for my six week eye checkup tomorrow morning. It’s been six weeks since I got my eyes lasered, and guess what?? I can see!!!
I found the procedure itself absolutely horrendous. All that poking and proding at the eye, with me fully consious watching it all. The worst bit is smelling the burning after the laser fires. It’s a little offputting. The procedure is very quick. In and out in 20 mins, both eyes done.
The day after I had 20 20 vision, hopefully after the 6 weeks everything has stuck together and i’m still 20 20. I guess I’ll find out tomorrow.

Update: I can still see! All good at the checkup.

Test post from the auld mobile…..

The final results are in Alan Kelly was elected on the 8th Count. Below are how the transfers went.

Ireland South Transfers as of Count 8.

I was wrong About Sinnot, It’s bye bye Ferris. Transfers for count 7 is below.

Euro Elections Transfers After Count 7

Updated for count 6 and the Elimination of Colm Burke. Looks like there were significant numbers of transfers to Alan Kelly and Sean Kelly will now have a surplus of 10180 to distribute bye bye Kathy….

Euro Elections Transfers After Count 6

Below is a Graph showing the transfers in the Ireland south / Munster Euro election constituency up to count 5.

Graph of Munster South Euro Transfers Count 5

Allocaton of Seats in the EuroElection in Ireland based on Political Party from 1979 to 2009.

Euro Election Seat Allocation Rep of Ireland '79 to '99

National trends For all the Political Parties in the Euro Election from 1979 to 2009 using first preference votes.

National Euro Election 1st Preference % '79 to '99

Additional graphs will be updated as I generate them by constituency.

Ireland Euro Election Electorate and votes

Trends Ireland South/Munster

Trends Ireland East / Leinster

Trends Ireland West / Connaught Ulster

Trends Dublin

With 4 of the 5 Electoral Areas in County Limerick Having declared, below are the trends of the percentage of  1st preference votes for all the main political parties from 1999, 2004 and 2009. This Post will be updated as more results are made available.
Updated 23:30 Final Results are in

Limerick County Council Party Trends '99 to '09

 Adare (7): Tomas Hannon Lab, Patrick Fitzgerald IND, James Cavanagh FF, Leonard Enright FF, Rose Brennan FG, Richard Butler FG, Leo Walsh FG.
Kilmallock (5): Mike Donegan FF, Eddie Ryan FF, James Heffernan Lab, Mike Houlihan FG, William O’Donnell FG.
Castleconnell (7): Eddie Wade FF, Noel Gleeson FF, Brigid Teefy Ind, Mary Jackman FG, JohnEganFG, Mary Harty FG, Michael Sheahan FG .
Rathkeale (4): John Sheahan FG, David Naughton FG,Stephen Keary FG, Kevin Sheahan FF.
Newcastle Wst (5): Michael Collins FF, Francis Foley FF, Liam Galvin FG, Patrck O’Donovan FG, Jerome Scanlan FG

Below is the current declared make up of the council as well as histrical make up of the council.

Limerick County Council Seats

Limerick County Council Seats 2009

Limerick County Council Seats 2004

Limerick County Council Seats 1999

Limerick City Council Results and trends are available here

Limerick City Council % Trend '91 to '09

Above is a chart showing the trends for all the Political Parties in the Limerick city council Local Elections. This is based on first preference votes.
The 2009 Numbers are from Tallies provided by fiannfuddy on Politics dot ie.
The 2009 Numbers have now been updated with the final first preference results.
The overall trend is showing a decline in Fianna Fail support in the city at every election sine 1991.

The chart is a total of all the votes cast in all the wards in Limerick City and plotted as a percentage of the total number of votes cast. Limerick city changeds from 4 wards to 3 in 2009.

Below is the current makeup of the Limrick City Council.

North (6): Maurice Quinlivan SF, Kathleen Leddin IND,  Tom Shortt Lab, Michael Hourigan FG, Cormac Hurley FG, Kevin KielyFG.
South (7): Pat Kennedy IND, Joe Leddin Lab, Orla Mcloughlin Lab, Maria Byrne FG, Ger Fahy FG, Jim Long FG, Diarmuid Scully FG.
East (4): Kieran O’Hanlon FF, John Gilligan IND, Gerry Mclouglin Lab, Deins McCarthyFG.

Limerick City Council Seats 2009

Limerick City Council Seats

Charts Below show theMake up of Limerick City Council from the 1991, 1999 and 2004 Local Elections.

Limeick City Council 2004

Limerick City Council 1999

I went to see Watchmen on Saturday night. I have to say I didn’t get it. I’m assured that it was faithful to the comic book but I haven’t read it so I can’t tell. It was as 2 dimensional as comics graphic novels get so I’ll take Mikes word for it. For fucks sake the baddie might as well have had I’m the big baddie tattooed on his forehead. I like movies with explosions, actually I love explosions but the ones in this movie were a bit blue and stupid, even for my taste (and I liked Die Hard 4). At 2 and a half hours it was way too long. I think the movie may have been tainted by the fact that the students behind me kept giggling at the sporadic sex scenes. Some of the violence seemed to be a bit gratuitous just for the sake of it. Definitely deserved an 18s cert, I don’t know why it got a 16.
I think the movie was best summed up by a couple of guys I overheard on the way out of the cinema. They summed it up nicely by saying “Did ya see yer mans blue knob?”

Rating:- Don’t bother. Wait for TV not t pick it up.

With all the talk about Zombie banks I can’t help but wonder how many of our banks have actually joined the ranks of the undead. The more I read in the papers the more I have this sinking feeling that they’re all Zombies. Just looking at some of their current share prices (AIB 39cent, BOI 19cent, IL&P 63cent, Anglo nationalised) and the downgrades they’ve received from the big international banks and rating agencies, it looks like investors have no confidence at all in our financial institutions.
Given that the governemnet is underwriting these banks and that it’s own financial position is arguably in worse position one can’t help but wonder if we’re living in a Zombie country.
In modern mmythology and by that I mean the movies, Zombies seem to be created by bizarre rituals performed by high priests in secret ceremonys and the zombies then go on to create other zombies by taking their pounds of flesh. Does this seem familiar to anyone.
It would seem that the glib metaphore of the Zombie is becoming more and more apt every day when applied to our current financial predicament.
In watching the tv the other night I happened upon a well known fantasy programme in which zombies were running amok. These Zombies were described as “slow moving dimwitted creatures who are dangerous in numbers and can only be stopped by means of decapitation or severe cranial damage inflicted by bludgeoning”. Hmm maybe they’re on to something here.

In the immortal words of the Queen of Hearts “Off with their heads”

I haven’t done an update in ages.
Photos have moved to www.johnbrowne.ie/pixelpost and this blog will be moving to www.johnbrowne.ie/wordpress as soon as I do up a new splash page for www.johnbrowne.ie. I shall start posting again aswell soon.