A blog about things that interest me, politics, news, media, architecture, development, environment, local history, secularism, web, dublin ireland, tara

Contact me at expectationlost@gmail.com

Thursday 31 January 2008

Save Tara vs M3 protest update

The scene of ???struction at Soldiers Hill Meath.

I haven't been following the issue at Tara/M3 very much lately it just seems doomed (M3 route likely to open ahead of 2010 deadline), although when people reference the nature reserve in California that had roads and lamp posts installed yet was saved from development it does hearten me, as does the video of people still disrupting the work of the construction sites.

See in this video how to handle constructions workers who misdirect their aggression.(Skip to 13 mins).

You get paid either way so why are you trying to run me down, huh?

More videos

The protest haven't been getting very much coverage even by the tabloids in alarmist way. You wouldn't know it but they have been people standing in front of bulldozer every other day for weeks, disrupting work for hours until the police come take their names and they leave voluntarily, today people locked on to a bulldozer and had to be cut out they were arrested. You can follow updates from the direct actioners and campers at their blog at http://www.tarapixie.net

What was left of the Lismullin Henge has been destroyed and covered over.

Here's more photos of Tara/M3 sites on 27th to January 08 and 28th jan via MNiB

There seems to be some people and environemtal NGO groups lobbying to get UNESCO conservation for Tara but it just doesn't suit the government to submit it, they are the only body that can. (Irish Times: State fails to use heritage site register). Email them.

Excellent letter to the Indo debunking the myths about "best archaeological practice".

Debunking Tara debate myths

Wednesday January 23 2008

It seems times haven't changed since former minister Michael Smith bravely faced, with "no practical evidence", a decision to act on allegations of planning corruption and untoward pressure being put on councillors on re-zoning.

All communication with the government on the M3 planning tribunal explaining the errors made during the process has also been met with anger and denials based on the following incorrect facts.

1. The decision was made with the best archaeological advice -- incorrect. both the Discovery Project and Conor Newman objected at the tribunal

2. It is further from Tara than the old N3 and therefore better-- incorrect. The intrusive 52-acre Blundelstown Interchange is the same distance from Tara. The Lismullen monument is just over a mile from the Hill. The motorway is a mere 20 metres from Rath Lugh. Does this sound better?

3. It is good to excavate. Let me quote from the Time Team in 2003 when they revisited Athelney, in Somerset, after 10 years. Looking at the new geophysical survey, they extolled the advances in the technology since their first visit in 1993. They remarked: "In a few years we won't need to dig".

Sadly this is now looking too late for Tara. There is still time for our politicians to take a stand, based on their own personal consciences, and bestow the greatest gift they can to their grandchildren, a remodelled Lismullen national monument interpretive site and an pristine, intact valley.

PAULINE BLEACH
SALTHILL, CO GALWAY

Tuesday 29 January 2008

Google Map API Crib links

A list of links how-to's and example I used to make my Tara landscape Google map APIs( as a reference for me). Tara Hill Skryne Valley Google Map

Made possible mainly by GeoXml and labeledmarker examples of which I found at Googlemapsbooks.com and some examples at uwmike.com/maps/ and lots of detailed basic howto at Mike at Blackpool Community Church Javascript Team!? Also Mapki API reference page and the Google map API and Google Map API discusion groups

Del.ico.us is good way to find examples by searching the bookmarks of people who bookmarked the same thing as you

Googlemap infowindows are functional but clunky.

Monday 28 January 2008

Yahoo Pipes GeoNews Ireland

testing to see if I can embed a geoannotated news rss feed into my blog Irish Examiner breakingnews Yahoo Geopipe feck yahoo pipes doesnt offer embedding(although I could put it in an frame), I'll should just try georss and yahoo map api, hmm need a server access for that, sure everybody outputs the result to googlem maps anyway.

Back to google maps thanks to nearby.org.uk



  
 

okay so got that working its pretty simple but making it usable for an Irish website its what I want to do, so I can put it in the corner and a small list of ths stories below from the same rss feed and be able to click those links with a # tag and have a small icon where you can some down to street level which would make it useful for local blogs.Anyone know how to do that?