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Cancellara gets the show on the road with a superb showing in the Prologue (7/4f) , Wiggins 2nd @7 secs, but has 10 in hand on Cadel.

1st proper stage 2moro, one for the 'classics type riders, Sagan 7/4f, Gilbert 3/1 2nd fav.  Gilbert would be my bet in front of his home fans, for on outsider Edvald Bosan Hagan @14's or even Cancellara again @ 33's.

Love to see Wiggins do it, looks like Cadel is his only real opposition.

Anyone watching?  It's the show that Homeland was based on, it's compelling stuff and only getting going.

No getting away with it anymore, i've never seen worse, each game more putrid than the last.

Hopefully the unmerciful hiding that we thought Cork might deliver wont be delivered this weekend.  As regarding the Armagh team, the team that finished v Cork should be near enough our starting team, I'd really like to see Dyas drop back to 7 and F Mo dropped, I think he is a bit of a liability.  I'd be very suprised if Kingham gets the nod again, but with our options fairly limited and the performance of Mal Mackin v Cork I'd imagine he might get a chance at 14, if he doesn't take it I reckon he'll not feature again.  Because of the need for physicality we might see something like:

Geoghan
Mallon, donaghy, McKenna
Duffy, McKeever, Dyas
Vernon, Lavery
A Duffy, Mackin, MOR/Forker
Campbell, Kingham, C Rafferty.

Noticed the individual betting on number of stages wins (Bet 365) - Cavendish 6/5 to win more than 2.5.  that's a mighty tempting looking bet.  Hard to know his enthusiasim for the Vuelta after finally winning Green in France, but he won 3 stages here(& the points) last year and hardly looked like he was trying.  also seems that Hushovd has been pulled from Garmin's team as well, even less competition in the sprinting that is well below the quality of the TDF and Giro.



Cavendish won today's Olympic rehearsal in London, might have to take a trip to the CU for the above.

Doubt Wicklow will be filling their pants at the thought of coming to Armagh.  Cant say I know much about Wicklow bar having a large and useful MF and Leighton Glynn.  A game we'd be expected to win, but if we take it lightly we could come a cropper very easily.

Funniest cartoon I've seen in a long time, allegedly for kids, but I find it hilarious.  Undoubtedly a lot of you would hate it, but its very good.  Mike Roth of Beavis & Butthead fame is involved in some way or another.

Any time I try to update my ipod I get a message about it being corrupted and returning it to factory settings which means I'll lose everything i've saved to it.  I have all my tunes saved on my Windows media player as well, if I restore the ipod is there a simple way to get my music back from the media player to the ipod??

[as I need administrator access??]

I downloaded this this evening, after a scan it identified 118 problems but cannot fix them as I need administrator access?? or be able to run the scan again as an administrator.  Anyone know what I can do?  This is just a home laptop.

Anyone been reading this 'i' newspaper from the Independent(UK) stable?  Have to say it's a fantastic paper, broadsheet quality in tabloid format and only costs 20p/30c.  I ws never a fan of the Independent as I always found it a bit preachy, but bar a daily one page opinion piece which annoys me most days for some reason it's a great(innovative) format for a newspaper.  Less opinion more presentation of facts in short sharp format, some of the stories do leave you feeling you want a bit more thou.  The Sport is great bar bastardised racing pages    

I guess I have the shuffle function on the ipod to thank, CD's that were gathering dust on the shelves for years are now getting a song out in the shuffle.

As for rediscovering - the band in question is Pulp, would have found them 'ok' when they were in their pomp (obviously ok enough to buy their CD in the first place I suppose), but think it rarely got a play.  I've been listening to them flat out lately and it's great stuff.  Rediscovered another wee gem in Appetite for Destruction by GNR, fine album

Interesting already to read some of the scare stories that the No camp are already firing out.  It will hardly raise an eyebrow in NI as we've been used to full blown PR, makes it seem all the stranger as to what people actually fear - Suppose it's the big parties that ultimately have something to lose, it'll make little difference to the man in the street.  The Tories seem to be just continuing their Election campaign of lying and hoping they're not caught out.

Votes referendum: Cameron and Clegg set out views

Prime Minister David Cameron: "AV would exaggerate the inherent biases in the current system"
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Related Stories

    * In full: Cameron voting speech
    * In full: Clegg voting speech
    * AV referendum: Where parties stand

Prime Minister David Cameron and his deputy Nick Clegg have both made speeches on how the UK elects its MPs - from opposite sides of the debate.

They are setting out their arguments ahead of the 5 May referendum.

Both stressed they would work together regardless of the result - the PM said it was not a "coalition breaker".

Mr Cameron argued the existing system allowed voters to "turf out" unpopular governments while Mr Clegg said it ignored "millions of people".

If the public votes for change on 5 May it will mean an end to Britain's traditional "first-past-the-post" voting system, which would be replaced by the Alternative Vote (AV).

AV is not a form of proportional representation, as the Lib Dems have traditionally demanded, but a preferential system, in which voters rank their choices.

Those who want change claim it will mean an end to wasted votes and ensure that all MPs have the backing of at least 50% of their constituents.

But opponents say it will produce freak and unrepresentative results and lead to more hung Parliaments.

Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg were arguing their respective cases a day after Parliament approved legislation paving the way for the referendum to be held on the same day as devolved elections in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and local elections in parts of England.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg: "First past the post is not working. It is out of date"

In his speech, Mr Clegg claimed the current voting system created "jobs for life" - claiming most of the MPs caught up in the expenses scandal had been in safe seats.

"When a system makes corruption more likely, it should be changed," said the deputy PM.

He said elections boiled down to parties trying to get their own vote out in marginal seats - leaving vast swathes of voters ignored and constituents being "taken for granted" and many voters had "given up caring".

A switch to AV would mean politicians had to work hard to appeal beyond their core supporters and it would put an end to tactical voting, he said.

He said the referendum was a "once in a generation" change comparable to the emancipation of women adding: "First-past-the-post was perfect for a time when the choice was only ever between two parties, but that hasn't been the case for a long time."
'Scare stories'

He dismissed the argument that it would lead to more hung parliaments: "Australia has had AV for 80 years and they have had fewer hung parliaments than we have had with first-past-the-post."

Questioned after the speech, he said AV make politics "a less tribal, a little less partisan, a little more open minded".
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WHAT IS ALTERNATIVE VOTE

Under the AV system, voters rank candidates in their constituency in order of preference.

Anyone getting more than 50% of first-preference votes is elected.

If no-one gets 50% of votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their backers' second choices allocated to those remaining.

This process continues until one candidate has at least 50% of all votes in that round.

    * Clegg v Cameron: AV face-off

In his speech Mr Cameron said, if AV was used, "we may have to buy and install electronic voting machines to make sense of all the different outcomes and possibilities".

But Mr Clegg said in Australia, which uses AV, votes were counted by hand. Reports it would cost millions to administer AV were "wildly inaccurate", Mr Clegg said, adding he hoped the No campaign would not "create a whole barrage of scare stories and myths about this".

Mr Clegg, whose party backs the "single transferable vote" system, described AV as a "miserable little compromise" during last year's general election campaign, when Labour announced it would hold a referendum on AV.

He said that had been a specific response to a question about a "very last minute" suggestion from Labour, after 13 years in power, which everyone knew was an "empty gesture". He argued AV was "a small change which will make a big difference".

In his speech, Mr Cameron said the coalition had worked well together but there was a "real difference of opinion between us" on this issue.

He said AV was hard to explain, would lead to results that were "unfair" and a political system that was "unaccountable".
Continue reading the main story
NICK CLEGG'S VIEW

    * Current system means millions of votes ignored - many don't vote
    * It leads to MPs in safe seats getting "jobs for life" - some linked to expenses scandal
    * It was only good for a two-party system which no longer exists
    * AV means parties have to reach out beyond core vote - broader appeal
    * AV means no wasted votes and end to tactical voting
    * AV is simple and fairer
    * It keeps the link between votes and constituencies
    * It's a once-in-a-generation chance for change

    * In full: Clegg voting speech

Under AV some votes counted for more than others, he said - as those who voted for less popular parties would see their second, third or fourth preferences counting towards the result.

"If you vote for a mainstream candidate who is top of the ballot in the first round, your other preferences will never be counted," he said.

"I don't see why voters of the BNP or Monster Raving Loony Party should get their votes counted more times than supporters of the Conservatives or for that matter, Labour or the Liberal Democrats."

"The principle of one person, one vote is what makes our democracy fair. AV flies in the face of that."

He argued it would not end "safe seats" for MPs, as in Australia, nearly half of all seats were considered "safe" and he said, smaller parties had been "all but obliterated".

Research suggested AV would have produced larger Labour landslides between 1997 and 2005, and larger Conservative ones in the 1980s and could lead to "even more disproportional" results.

And he argued, the way votes are counted could mean "those who are courageous and brave and may not believe in or say things that everyone agrees with are pushed out of politics and those who are boring and the least controversial limping to victory".
Continue reading the main story
DAVID CAMERON'S VIEW

    * AV would lead to unfair results, even less proportional
    * Some people's votes are counted more than others
    * AV is complicated and could be costly to explain and run
    * Favours second choices - least controversial not "bravest" MPs
    * Encourages negative campaigning - parties tell voters how to rank candidates
    * Current system 'turfs out' unpopular governments
    * AV could mean more hung parliaments and 'horse trading' between parties
    * It's not even the preferred system of AV supporters

    * In full: Cameron voting speech

"It could mean a Parliament of second choices."

"Everyone gets" first-past-the-post, Mr Cameron said, while AV was confusing to explain. AV was only used by three countries - Australia, Fiji and Papua New Guinea, while more than 60 countries used first-past-the-post.

"Are we really going to abandon something that is used around the world for something so obscure and so unpopular?"

The official No to AV and Yes to Fairer Votes campaigns have stressed they are cross-party movements not tied to any political party and drawing support from all sections of society.

Although both sides have been preparing for the poll for months, the No camp launched its referendum campaign earlier this week while the Yes camp is due to do so next month.

Labour leader Ed Miliband has said he will campaign for a switch to AV. However, his party is split on the issue with its MPs lining up on both sides of the argument.

Under first-past-the-post, voters select one candidate and the individual with the most votes wins.

Under the AV system, voters rank candidates in their constituency in order of preference. Anyone getting more than 50% of first-preference votes is elected.

If no-one gets 50% of votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their backers' second choices allocated to those remaining.

This process continues until one candidate has at least 50% of all votes in that round.
More on This Story
Related Stories

    * In full: Cameron voting speech 18 FEBRUARY 2011, POLITICS
    * In full: Clegg voting speech 18 FEBRUARY 2011, POLITICS
    * AV referendum: Where parties stand 13 JANUARY 2011, POLITICS
    * Q&A: Alternative Vote referendum 17 FEBRUARY 2011, POLITICS
    * Path clear for voting system poll 17 FEBRUARY 2011, POLITICS

Related Internet links

    * Yes to Fairer Votes
    * No to AV

Anybody been following this little gem on BBC2? Bit indie for the bacon & cabbage brigade but funny as f**k. Matt le Blanc stealing most scenes. 1st class!

Think there's genuine concern in Armagh that we cold get an awful hiding in this game, the McKenna Cup was a bit of a disaster bar the performance of Grugan, seems teams were lined out more due to injuries rather than giving lads a run out, from what I've heard Ciaran McKeever, Andy Mallon and Finnian Moriarity wont be playing, and if they are they will be half-arsed fit, they've played no football in January whatsoever. If this happens to be true (and I've no reason to not believe it) we could be in the shit and there's going to have to be a lot of tinkering done.

CHB is such a crucial position, with no McKeever what way do you attempt to play it? Bring Donaghy out, leave Toner at FB? Potential for disasters there, I remember Donaghy not being to clever there in last year's or maybe 09's McKenna Cup. If Andy Mallon's not there, our natural go to man for Bernard Brogan is gone (although if Andy carries over last years form he might be safer on the line anyway). Big problems and after the Mary's and Antrim performances it could be embarassing.

We will probably have to load the HF line with big men and there'd need to be a bit of breaking ball coaching done after the inept MF sector perfromances witnessed in the McKenna Cup.

And if some of the Dubs think its a bit of codology - its not!

Anyone ever been on holiday in Ballybunion, recommend it??  Been on holidays to every county I intend to go to apart from Kerry, looking that direction this year. 

Any fans??

As a big fan of Sci-Fi and this franchise in particular, have to say SGU is fantastic, top top quality show.

Ate half a loaf of thon crusty Tiger bread outa Tescos for tea yesterday evenin, plastered in strawberry jam & had about 3 cups of tea with it, best meal i've had in years . Recession buster too 

I downloaded this to my laptop  badstid thing hasn't been workin properly since, lalptop uses a dongle (3 network), any way this is the  reason?

Went to the game (unfortunately) at the opening of Clonmore's new clubrooms, Galway winning 2.15 to 1.5 against a virtually unrecognisable Armagh side.  Armagh lined out:
McEvoy
Enda McNulty,Paul McKeown,Shannon
Dyas, Paul McGee, CLONMORE PLAYER?
Donaghy(for about 30 secs) then Feeney & Hanratty
Jason O'Neill, MOR, TK
Henderson, Forker, McNamee

Forker went off after about 5 mins to be replaced by Nippy.
AK, Jamie Clarke and couple of others came on at various times.

Galway had what I imagine was a near first team side out from the off, with only Meehan and Armstrong missing.  Galway were noticeably physically superior in most positions, totally dominating MF throughout.

From an Armagh POV very few positives, Nippy scored 0-2 from play and had a good battle with Hanley at Fb, Jamie Clarke got a goal,joe Feeney a good point from play and TK a couple of frees.  Feeney did try but wasn't physically up for the Galway MF.  Paul MCKeown and Shannon had good games at the back, the young Clonmore lad who I was told is a County minor certainly didn't look out of place amongst his elders.  MOR was his usual belligerent self and was defintely one of the more prominent Armagh players.  Dyas was neat and tidy. I like the look of Paul McGee (Sarsfields?) I saw him in the McKenna cup and thought he had the makings of good player, did well today but probably lacks a bit of pace for inter county chb.  What age is he?

McKeown wouldn't be a kick in the arse from the first team judging by today.

Recently got the newest version of this on my laptop and the performance of the laptop has become truely shit.  Any suggestions to improve things (barring uninstalling it)?  IT for dummies type responses please.