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POPSThe 10 Weirdest Facts about American Presidents 7. Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president, was reported to be a very interesting character. When not having his head massaged with Vaseline during breakfasts in bed or riding his own mechanical bull, he was ringing the White House doorbell and then running off to hide. 8. So far, all American presidents have claimed ancestry limited to one or more of just seven nationalities: Dutch, English, German, Irish, Scottish, Swiss, and Welsh. 9. Grover Cleveland was the only president to openly admit that he had fathered an illegitimate child. 10. There were four presidents who were not actual presidents of the United States: Sam Houston, Mirabeau Lamar, and Anson Jones were all presidents of the Republic of Texas. Jefferson Davis was President of the Confederate States of America.
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POPSArt of the DEAD: Ancient Irish High Cross Art
"About 200 of them survive, in varying condition, many of them decorated with scriptural scenes. This iconography, some of it simple, some of it ingeniously complex, has been meticulously explored by archaeologist/art historian Dr Peter Harbison in his definitive three volume study, The High Crosses of Ireland (Bonn, 1992). It is a major work which is yet to be published in Ireland. In it Harbison has identified ancient Christian Rome from AD 400 onwards as the most likely inspiration for the Irish crosses, "but the figure sculpture may have come to our shores largely through the filter of the empire of Charlemagne and his sons in central Europe". The compositions for the biblical panels on the Irish crosses are often similar to those found on frescoes in continental churches. " During the past 20 years or so, several of the high crosses have been moved indoors in an attempt to prevent further erosion. One of the first to be relocated was the cross at the Rock of Cashel which was re
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POPSRape in Ireland: Females at fault!!! I'm very disappointed in the attitude still about rape in Ireland. Even more surprised that other females blame the victim equally with the males. So don't expect sympathy from your sisters. The one ray of sunshine is that the younger the questioned, the more sympathetic the answer. Older people always find it harder to understand the dress of the young. They forget the 60's when we wore even less or none.
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POPSBest Documentary EVER: Never shown in USA !!! Amnesty International has publicly confirmed that a fear of violence directed at their staff forced the organisation to withdraw 'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised' from their recent film festival in Vancouver, Canada. In an article in the Guardian newspaper (http://www.guardian.co.uk/venezuela/story/0,12716,1090788,00.html), an Amnesty spokesman said the organisation had been forced to pull the film after staff at their Venezuelan office expressed fears for their safety if the film was screened. Prior to this, Amnesty has received a series of representations alleging that the film had distorted key events. These representations were rejected. The film was only pulled after the safety fears were raised. The Guardian confirmed that the campaign to halt screenings of the film is connected to opponents of the Venezuelan government.
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POPSOffical: Ireland ranked Friendlist Place in World-Lonely Planet "The British have rarely been complimentary about the Irish down the centuries. There have been the Irish jokes, insulting nicknames and the attitude that much that went on the neighbouring island was simply beyond the pale. Perhaps the greatest insult of all was that the Whigs called their political rivals Tories, after a type of 17th-century Irish rebel." "The Irish have further reason to smile after claiming a place in the Lonely Planet list of the world's 10 best brewery headquarters, thanks to the St James's Gate building in Dublin, leased by Arthur Guinness in 1759. "If you don't know what it is that makes the Guinness brewery Ireland's number one visitor attraction, you must be under 18," the book says. "The syrupy black nectar is so good the Guinness executives are almost forgiven for touting a brewery tour that does not actually let you into where Guinness is brewed." ...Independent
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POPSDublin Zoo: Nature's Way is Best Way I was reminded of this while visiting last week. I'm a member and had been informed of this in our newsletter. In the brand new extensive Zoo area, two new caves have been born. I love visiting my relatives with my grandchild.
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POPSPaddy Wagon “Hey,” said a new arrival in the pub, “I’ve got some great Irish jokes.” “Before you start,” said the big bloke in the corner, “, I’m Irish.” “Don’t worry,” said the newcomer, “I’ll tell them slowly.”
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POPSHolloween in Dublin. Today... Gays, drink, money, Amnesty. NO religion! When I saw this photo in the Irish Times of the fun in Temple Bar, Dublin, it was the first time that I knew of the event. Temple Bar was the oldest part of Dublin and has been completely restored. Yet an old fella like me would have stood out with all the young people who flock there. I'm reminded of great Irish traditions that went to America and are now returned, repackaged and better and in some cases even better than left your shores. We've commented here on ChipMarks about Halloween and pumpkins. Well the biggest of all is St.Patrick's Day. That now is celebrated throughout the world, Russia, China, you name it. I'm not sure but I think you invented it. A decade or so ago it was a pitiful affair. Now it would rival any similar event in the World and now not just in Dublin. Spilling out from this are numerous other events throughout the year. That photo gives you an idea of the standard. At times you would think you were in South America. I'm guessing but I think quite a few
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POPSNewgrange Winter Solstice LIVE!!! Solstice 2007: Heritage Ireland are proud to present a "live" webcast of the winter solstice at Newgrange. The live stream will begin at 8.30 am on 21st and 22nd December 2007. To view the webcast you will require Windows Media Player. Click here to check your system. The following link will open a pop-up window to display the webcast. If you have problems opening this link, please ensure that you have got pop-ups enabled. View the webcast.
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POPSF*** Politics! Why the f*** did I clip this? I like the word friggin' much better. .:) Anyway! I saw someone wearing a t-shirt that said "F*** the President" and wondered if it was legal? (With letters and not asterisks though.) The f-word does seem to be becoming more and more acceptable as common language nowadays. Do I like it? Naaa, I guess I must be friggin' old-fashioned, but I loved the t-shirt though. *LOL* In 1971, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that the mere public display of fuck is protected under the First and Fourteenth Amendments and cannot be made a criminal offense.
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POPS100+ countries adopt cluster bomb ban in Dublin This despite the absence of the United States, China, Russia, Israel, India and Pakistan -- all major cluster bomb stockpilers and producers. Supporters said they hoped the treaty would pressure them to change track or shame them into not using cluster bombs. "We all know that there are important states not present, but I am convinced that we will have succeeded in stigmatising any future use of cluster munitions," Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said.
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POPSForemost Irish Singer/Songwriter DIES. Read of an exception life This was an exceptional Man. He left school at 11.5 years. He was severely dyslexic. He could not READ nor WRITE with difficulty signing his name. Despite this, he was an exceptionally talented song writer. He had a most unusual voice and was best in duets particularly with his daughter. It was while working as a labourer that he came in contact with asbestos that has now killed him 35 years later. He knew he was dying but thought he had longer. Please go into his site and hear his new single for a flavour of how much poorer we are for his passing. If sufficient interest is shown, I'll post further clips on Christie.
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POPSPalestine: The State History Forgot Is it a joke of history that before there was the states of Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Syria, etc there was Palestine? Now they all exist and Palestine doesn't yet. You will read that there never was a Palestine from a certain quarter and how can you miss what you never had. How you know they are lying! They'll say that as they are all Arabs that there's enough room for them all. It's like saying that the Scots Welsh and Irish are all Celts and one state would do them all! Yes, there was a time when such thinking was regarded as valid. If we had the Age of Imperialism back then the Brits might validly have a claim on the USA and most of the rest of the world. In the present imperialism, if the existent holder of the gunboat diplomacy role, the USA, decided to sort out Palestine's present difficulties it could in a breath. Hopefully in a more honourable fashion that the last gunboat holder did.
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