Archive for November, 1999

Return of Radio Pirate Woman

Radio Pirate Woman is back on the air in Galway City, starting transmissions again last Saturday night (20th) on 102 MHz FM. Air times are from 11 PM to 1 or 2 AM (later than advertised in the local papers, apparently neighbours watching television at 10 PM were complaining of interference!). I also read on the Pirate Radio Board that a new Galway dance station will be starting in the new year… Wild West Wadio weplacement?

Last Odd Numbered Date

Cosmic - the last date with all odd numbers (in our lifetime anyway) occurs today. Unless you’re Buck Rogers or Fry from Futurama, it’s unlikely you’ll see the next one which occurs on the 1st of January, 3111. The next date with all even numbers will be the 2nd of February, 2000 (there hasn’t been an all-even date since the 28th of August, 888).

Ultraviolet

Review: Formula One 1999

The FIA Formula One 1999 season got off to a somewhat predictable start. The McLaren team of Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard seemed unbeatable as they took pole and second place positions in race after race. Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher and Eddie Irvine were the nearest threats to the defending champions’ titles, but it was obvious that they were struggling to keep up with the powerful Mercedes engines of the McLarens.

Disaster struck in the Silverstone Grand Prix when a brake failure caused Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari to career straight into a tyre barrier. He damaged both legs, and it was soon evident that he would not return to Formula One for a number of weeks, or even months. Test driver Mika Salo was drafted in as his replacement, and some hoped that the old rivalry between the two Finnish Mikas would surface in the forthcoming races.

Northern Ireland’s Eddie Irvine was Ferrari’s number one championship contender, and with some strong support from Salo, he managed to win a number of races that Hakkinen should have had sown up. Irvine, out from Schumacher’s shadow, suddenly became the favourite of Ireland’s F1 community, and the Jordan team now had a new rival for our affections.

Ferrari's Hope
Reigning Champion

Never has it been so difficult to hate the enemy. Hakkinen is quite modest, unlike most of his Formula One colleagues. He also gained the sympathy of some of his opponents after a driver error caused his tearful exit from the Italian Grand Prix. Frentzen too earned some new fans after a number of impressive performances and a win in the Italian race. Now both Irvine and Hakkinen were in first place on 60 points, and Frentzen was breathing down their necks at 50. There was also a bit of inter-team rivalry between Eddie Jordan and McLaren chief Ron Dennis as he grudgingly acknowledged the Irish team’s win.

Eddie Jordan vs. Ron Dennis

TG4 Teletext

TG4 are working on a full set of teletext pages, a preview of which can be seen on the channel at the moment. Previous to this, TnaG only offered a subtitles service on page 888.