Fireworks and Halloween today. Fireworks now, presumably, because they don't celebrate Guy Fawkes here in Ireland. Although to be fair, if anyone's going to celebrate Guy Fawkes, you'd think it'd be the Irish.

Today at work, I was given a tent.

Made a giant chicken stew.

full again

Having bought Stewart Lee - Stand Up Comedian from Amazon for only £3.97, I'm now watching Stewart Lee - Stand Up Comedian.

Pump tyres, bike, then bus to the airport.

In other news, Larry was in the office today.

Pivot tables are really good.

On not delivering: Before "Lazy Sunday" and "A Special Christmas Box" the guys from The Lonely Island (including Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone) used to make "The 'Bu". It was for a competition. Anyway, one month they couldn't make an episode so instead they filmed a song called "We didn't do The 'Bu this month". It inexplicably contains swearing and is 3 minutes long.

Skype's latest update makes it easy to set up your own premium rate numbers. I've set up Skype Prime services where if you call me for 50p a minute you might get a chance to ride a giant pig full of money. Or you can suggest a song and I'll sing you a completely different one.

Not sure how my old college still doesn't have wireless. Even the Oxford Tube has wireless, and it's a bus.

Chilly and damp.

London, England lost.

Approaching Oxford by night.

after the vacuum cleaner, the smell of dust

Anne Enright's The Gathering won the Booker last night. Note to self: leave a copy in flat for future tenants as obscure in-joke - narrator has same name as landlady. In other news, Turkey considers invading Iraq to fight terrorism.
And:

The Dalai Lama, for his part, seemed unconcerned about China's furious reaction to both his award of the congressional gold medal and his half-hour meeting with Mr Bush.

"That always happens," he told reporters today outside his hotel.

To think, they're now going to show me a second episode of Spooks, season six.

So, because of the Dutch, some of the €2 coins in circulation are fixed against the divine. Written in the milling is "God zij met ons" - God is with us. I should think these ones are worth more.

Slish Wood, Lough Gill. Opaque lake stretching out there into a fine misting of rain. Moss, bark and the goodness of trees.
Passing peaceful, back in the concrete of Dublin.

night out in Sligo

Off to Sligo for some hiking. I think it's in the west.

obscure

Found a great sun trap on the dock opposite work.

The Tories are kicking themselves for having released their latest policies under a creative commons license.

Yes, this is how to write a proper letter to The Economist:

SIR – While you devoted half a page to the faded reality of the old maxims, you ignored their euphony. Out of range of a wireless connection may be the only way to be out of people's minds these days, but it is not nearly as catchy. I would not update my clichés for all the bras in China.

Thomas Papworth
London

Back pain.

Just been to see the last night of Complicite's A Disappearing Number at the Barbican. Technically accomplished, many layered in choreography and projected imagery; and not quite as light of touch on the whole we-are-all-connected theme, but an astonishing production. The director Simon McBurney came forward at the end of the night and dedicated the performances to Mark Weil, of The Ilkhom Theatre in Uzbekistan - murdered in politicised circumstances on 6th September.

Not possible to make public what I learned today. In other news, Dublin has had excellent weather. Today was no exception.

waiting for some news.

Today's David Cameron speech without autocue was a good idea. Much more genuine. But still too posh and insubstantial for PM. Soft and lightweight would be good properties if he was being considered as a fleece.

Three words. Project Gotham Racing. (Yes, that's the streets of Asakusa.)

Radiohead announce launch of In Rainbows for download next Wednesday from their website at a price of your choosing. No really, it's up to you. UK gas prices approach $7.70 per gallon. Spooks season six expected in two weeks. In other news, you know it's scientifically true when there's a graph of awsomeness over time.