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Yes, I've done it! The
O'Byrne Files©
has reached its fourth edition. I've weathered the dot-bomb, the great server crash of
2001, a savaging from the 'celtic tiger', the legal threats and the advertising slump. When I reached the
second edition I was really anxious, cos I'd doubled the version in one
step. I thought, blimey, to keep this up, well, er... by the end of the
decade I'll have to be on version ninety! (Or something.)
And now I look forward to a bright future, to a time when people will have
silicon chips inside their heads like that professor in Warwick and the
Boomtown Rats song. And Dublin will be a wonderful melting pot of humans,
extraterrestrial aliens and robots that are always "on the look-out for a
bit of crack". The LUAS transport system will finally have been completed,
only to be replaced by fancy pneumatic tubes that suck you up and shoot
you to your destination around town, only the tubes will have to be dug up
twice a week because they're only on top of the other tubes. Commercial
adverts will be pumped directly into our brains while we sleep, making us
drink Cider which will be manufactured "on site" - actually inside our
bodies - by miniature nanotechnology machines that you download off the
net onto your Bio-Nano Machine Generator, and there will be virtual Irish pub
holodecks everywhere, and lovely noodle bars for takeaways, just like in
"Blade Runner".
Welcome to my
bit of the cyber world
. . I hope you find some odd reason to stay awhile. I've now advanced to a
fourth edition
with a bit more added fun. You
may even get as far as My Hillwalking
Theory! If this mountain stuff is of interest, you could
study my Hillwalking Slang and
Jargon Dictionary! If 'dictionaries' are your
'thing', then there is a favourite, (and apparently quite popular!), my
Dublin Slang Dictionary and
Phrasebook. In addition there is a dating dictionary, some
engineers'
terminology explained, Planner jargon
translated,
definitions that depend on gender, and a Guide
to the meaning of some 'new' words, and in time, maybe more . . .just let me have
the idea and I'll get on with it!
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So then, what is there to find
around here
. . . . .
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A humour section - it's
good to laugh! I've tried to put together a mixed bag of
stuff I like, and as for the planning
humour, that is stuff that I know about, and the tribunals may
never discover!. There is even a collection of stuff on the lighter side of computers,
the net etc. If you know what I find funny, then you will know me
better.
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Genealogy - As this is
supposed to be the 'O'Byrne Files' there has to be some stuff about the
'O'Byrnes'. I've included an account of tracing my 'roots'
and will continue to add more to my Genealogy page when I get the chance.
There is also the collection of "O'Byrnes' on the
web". If you are an O'Byrne, and on the web, let's
link up! You may be able to give me some help at
obyrne@dublin.com. So watch this
space!
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A bit about Ireland, Dublin and Dubliners , and
again, there's
My guide to Dublin Slang and the use of English for those
unsuspecting English speaking
foreigners who come to Dublin, expecting to readily understand what is
going on! I appreciate the feedback, support and reaction
the Dublin Slang page has generated.
Those people at Doras
must be getting fed up with it though as they've down-graded their
rating from 3 to 2 shamrocks! Should I seek a re-count?
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A special interest, which is sometimes also a
worry is our
environment. I have had the privilege to meet and work with
many wonderful people concerned about the same things - it can only give
some hope!
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Advice - none of us can help trying to
dispense some. Some of has led me to coming up with some of
my own laws of life, the universe and everything!
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Links - Be honest -
This is what makes homepages really interesting and worth visiting
I've found that you can get to know a little about someone
from links. If only we could know more! (look
out for cookies though! These can be unwanted, may slow you down, crowd
your hard disk with crumbs, and may help Big Brother keep an eye on
you!) You have been warned!
I'll include some for the trawlers /magpies, and some for the
surfers( perhaps even the raunchy
stuff!). The list is quite long so the page may be
slow.
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Personal Stuff
- a bit about me,-
not too personal though - got to keep some secrets and I do not want
this page to get an over 18's only rating! Some of my humour already may
be close to offending those of a sensitive disposition. There's
also a bit about, my interests, hobbies and perhaps most important,
that which really bugs me! In some cultures what
I do would be considered normal. Photographs - they
reflect my interests, and I like experimenting with scanners!!
You can see that I do not have a good one, and I have
yet a lot to learn!
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From time to time there will be a few extras. My
interest in hillwalking means I have a passing involvement in the annual Blackstairs Walk of the
Wayfarers Association. Read the report of the
1998 organiser
here! It seems it is the only report ever written. If you took part in any Blackstairs Walk, why not send your views/ impressions to
obyrne@dublin.com. The 2005 Wayfarers
Association Blackstairs Walk took take place on Saturday May 14th, -
so on now for 2006 and probably May13th.
A separate ' homepage has been constructed.
If you are considering joining the best hillwalking club in the
Dublin area, the
Wayfarers
Homepage is here for you to have a look! (Say I told
you about them!) Watch
this space for further information.
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Finally, in recognition of the
dangers of developing homepages, I present my 13-Step
Homepage Developers Recovery Program for consideration
Remember though some people
really need to learn that just because something is on the Internet
doesn't mean that it is true, |
The O'Byrne Files
©
