A council meeting descended into a foul-mouthed slanging match after a councillor suggested cloud computing depended on bad weather. Galway councillor Seamus Tiernan was branded a 'feckin eejit' for thinking that cloud computing would only work in areas with lots of rain. In reply Coun Tiernan told incredulous Cllr Martin Shiels that he should "go **** himself".
The row broke out after Mr Tiernan told the Infrastructure Committee meeting this week that his native Connemara would be ideal for cloud computing because it has heavy cloud cover for nine months of the year. The Independent councillor said that the Government should be doing more to harness clean industries for the Connemara area and he named wind energy and cloud computing as two obvious examples. "Connemara in particular could become a centre of excellence for wind energy harnessing, as it is open to the Atlantic," he said.
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"Also in terms of cloud computing, we have dense thick fog for nine months of the year, because of the mountain heights and the ability to harness this cloud power, there is tremendous scope for cloud computing to become a major employer in this region." However his mistake was pointed out by a Coun Shiels who said: "This is taking the biscuit. I've heard it all now. You must be a fecking eejit to think that the cloud computing had anything to do with climate."
Coun Tiernan took umbrage at the remarks of his colleague and called for them to be withdrawn. When Coun Shields refused to do so, Tiernan said "go **** yourself, Councillor Shields." Chairman Sile Ni Baoill asked for both councillors to withdraw their comments, but Coun Tiernan was repentant that Coun Shields was wrong and that cloud computing is linked to cloud cover. "Tell me why large companies are opening server farms in cold wet countries then," he asked Cllr Shields.
Alas, they had been duped by a bogus story that has been circulating on forums in Ireland for several days.
And now The Galway News are outraged.
5 comments:
I live in Connemara. To be honest, I had to look up what 'cloud computing' was. I'd never heard of it, but then I wouldn't think that any phrase with computing in it would be linked to the atmosphere.
The "cloud" in cloud computing is a metaphor.
Related - Former Indian Income Tax Commissioner speaks on the similar topic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Evgsn-AxMks
@SteveC as a resident of Connemara then maybe you can clear something up for me. I've been to the area several times at different times of the year and never once encountered dense thick fog (and isn't that redundant). So is the Councillor right in saying the area suffers fog f for 9 months in the year? Or is a liar as well as a fecking eejit?
Oh and it's a bit unfair of the story to say that "they had been duped". Only one of the councillors had been duped.
There can be some thick fog but I'd say it would be the exception to the rule. Thick fog for 9 months of the year, not a chance.
That said I hear the whole thing was a hoax.
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