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IT HAS BEEN, by any measure, an extraordinary year.
As part of our Review of the Year, we look back at some of the numbers from the year from the small (the points difference between Dublin and Kerry in this year’s All-Ireland football final) to the big (the world’s population this year) to the gigantic (mainly involving Ireland’s debt…).
Ireland
92: The approval rating of Mary McAleese in per cent towards the end of her term – the highest rating ever achieved by any Taoiseach, minister or political leader.
21: The percentage of Irish people who have never used the internet.
17.4 : The percentage vote Fianna Fáil won in February’s general election.
39.1: The lowest percentage vote Fianna Fáil had won in any election before February.
1: The points difference between Kerry and Dublin in this year’s all-Ireland football final. Dublin won by 1-12 to Kerry’s 1-11.
3: Where Ireland comes in a ranking of wealthy European countries. Luxembourg topped the list followed by The Netherlands.
701,101: The number of votes Michael D Higgins received in the presidential election in October.
11.5: The percentage difference between Sean Gallagher’s showing in the final opinion poll of the presidential campaign (40 per cent) and what he actually received on the day (28.5 per cent).
100: The amount in euros of the new controversial household charge introduced in Budget 2012. A campaign is encouraging people to boycott the charge.
9: Years since Ireland’s football team has qualified for a major tournament before qualifying for next year’s European Championships in November.
World
7 billion: The world’s population as of 31 October, according to the UN.
2: The number of people in Mexico who speak Ayapeneco, an indigenous language. The two people had a falling out and no longer speak to each other.
1.5 million: The number of Americans who have served in Iraq. President Obama officially announced the end of the 9-year-long war in December.
Finance
9.15 billion: The amount in euros that Ireland received in bailout loans from the IMF this year. The latest €3.9 billion was released in December.
2.2 billion: The amount in euros of cuts to public spending announced by public expenditure minister Brendan Howlin in the first part of the Budget.
1.6 billion: The amount in euros of tax increases announced by finance minister Michael Noonan.
1,210: The total number of billionaires in the world – a new record.
4,500,000,000,000: The combined wealth in dollars of the world’s billionaires.
3.4 out of 10: The number of US millionaires who say they don’t feel rich, according to a survey by Fidelity Investments. Many said they would need at least $7.5 million in order to feel wealthy.
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Have to say – I’ve been using it for the past couple of days and I’m really liking the interface, very smooth and intuitive.
hi Ken
Can u send me an invite for google+ my email is xeettu@gmail.com thanks
Hi Ken can u pls send me the invitation.. nextismine@gmail.com.. Thank u :)
I’d like to unashamedly get in on that bandwagon too if you can…wellboy@gmail.com
As would I, cianyn@gmail.com
cianlyn@gmail.com , typo sorry.
I’m still waiting for Google Profiles to be available for Google Apps users…. and guess what? Google+ not available for Google Apps accounts either!
Totally agree, what is the point enabling “+1″ for Google App users, if they can’t use it…
As I always say “that’s google for ya…”
i don’t like the new look Google
Wasnt to keen on the black bar until I saw it with the new google results page, quite like the two together. (Only on google.com at the moment, not .ie) Doesnt fit with gmail etc tho.. :/
“Everything you need to know about Google Plus” , except where to get it.
It’s not released yet… also try Googling it ;)
I thought they tried that a couple of years ago with Google Buzz which flopped almost instantly? Let’s hope they get it right his time. I’m off to have a look……..
Well, any joy!
Another Google attempt, but it won’t tip main stay social networking from their top spots !
Neither do I, reading on the online hype about it, I thought I was the only one!
I bet the Guardian sent their reviewer with the worst computer skills
Why would that be a bad thing, even if they did? These sites are supposed to be for everyone to be able to use, not just highly IT literate people.
Because even things like Facebook require some basic understanding of how things work.
Nobody worried about spam here? NotGettingMyAddress@gmail.com
Need one free Google+ invite? Drop your email ids in the comment section of this page.
http://anjana.zymichost.com/2011/07/need-google-pus-invite/
Who want’s in?
Send me a message on twitter with your gmail address.
@manonmir
I popped you a tweet Gary. :)
have your say