DATA CENTER - Microsoft, which employs 1,200 people in Ireland, is investing $500 million in a new 549,000-square-feet data center near Dublin. The Irish climate, with its lack of extreme temperatures or humidity, is said to have been the key factor in the decision to locate in Dublin.

BOOK NOMINATION - Michael Collins, the Irish author who lives in Bellingham, again has a book nominated for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. His book, The Secret Life of E. Robert Pendleton, is one of 137 books nominated by libraries all over the world, one of which will be awarded the $150,000 prize. The Award is open to books from any country written in any language. For information, visit www.impacdublinaward.ie.

ENNISKILLEN ANNIVERSARY - November 8 was the 20^th anniversary of the Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, Remembrance Day bombing that killed 11 and injured 63, all but one of whom were Protestant civilians.

GENDER GAP - The latest Gender Gap Index from the World Economic Forum ranks Ireland in ninth place among the world's countries in terms of women's political involvement. While just 22 of 166 Dáil deputies are women, and there are only three women Cabinet ministers, Ireland scored well because it has had a female president since 1990.

LEGALIZE THE IRISH - The Dáil (Ireland's Parliament) has unanimously called for a bilateral reciprocal agreement with the US to permit Irish people work in the US and Americans work in Ireland, both on a non-immigration basis. There are an estimated 25,000 undocumented Irish in the US. See www.irishseattle.com.

ART PROJECT - Ireland's Post Office is inviting the public worldwide to be part of Ireland's biggest-ever art exhibition. Entitled C Both Sides, people of all ages are invited to create and submit two-sided postcard designs, done by hand or computer. Multiple designs are permitted and the deadline is December 8th, 2008. For details, visit www.anpostcbothsides.ie.

CLINTON FUNDRAISER - President Bill Clinton will be in Dublin next Saturday for a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. The event in a private home is organized by Irish-Americans for Hillary, a group of US-based Irish-born business people.

BORDER CONTROLS - When Britain introduces electronic border controls, the Common Travel Area between Ireland and Britain will be ended as new controls require people arriving from Ireland or anywhere else to carry passports. With no border controls between the Republic and Northern Ireland, it is still unknown as to what, if anything, will be required of a British citizen traveling from Northern Ireland to the rest of the UK.

BOBBIO FREEDOM - This month, Ireland's Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern will be honored with the freedom of the village of Bobbio in northwest Italy, because of his involvement in the Northern Ireland peace process and also because Irish missionary Columbanus established Bobbio in the 7^th century. Columbanus was just one of thousands of Irish missionaries who evangelized early medieval Europe - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_missionaries.

ANTARTIC FUNDING - The Irish Government will donate funds in support of conserving an Antarctic base used by Irish-born explorers Sir Ernest Shackleton and Tom Crean. The hut at Cape Royds on Ross Island is under threat from the effects of global warming. Shackleton is best remembered for his 1914 Antarctic expedition when his ship Endurance became trapped in ice and sank. Shackleton, Crean and four companions sailed 800 miles in a 20-ft lifeboat to South Georgia to arrange the rescue of the 22 companions they had left behind. Read more at www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A1075619.

TID-BITS

• New Irish legislation will permit covert surveillance of gangland crime suspects. Presently, the Gardaí (Police) have no such powers.
• Over $100 million will be spent over the next three years to improve the quality of life on Ireland's 30 inhabited islands.
• Of the 121 million European Union passengers passing through British airports, about 10% were either arriving from or departing for Ireland.
• Between 1995 and 2006, alcohol consumption in Ireland went up by 17% while alcohol-related deaths doubled to 1,775.
• The Irish Government is considering lowering the DUI blood alcohol limit from .08% to .05%.
• Legislation is being introduced to recognize same sex unions in Ireland but not gay marriage.
• A Cork beer distribution company's internal audit shows that over $2 million worth of Heineken beer was stolen from their warehouse over the past year.
• All Irish TV owners are required to pay an annual television license fee of $235 to fund public broadcasting.
• Dublin will have a directly elected mayor with executive powers by 2011.
• In the latest university worldwide rankings, Dublin's Trinity College is ranked 53rd, with University College Dublin 177th. The world's top-ranked university is Harvard.

MARATHON RECORD - The O'Donoghue family from Birr, Co Offaly, are in the Guinness Book of Records after the eight brothers and seven sisters, aged 32 - 52, all finished the Dublin City Marathon in under eight hours. Almost 11,000 athletes competed in the October 29th race.

CLAN RECORD - The Gallagher Clan recently broke the Guinness world record for the largest number of people with the same surname attending a clan gathering. A Guinness Book of Records official was in attendance to verify that 1,488 Gallaghers attended the Global Gallagher Gathering in Letterkenny in Co. Donegal, in September. For details, visit www.gallagherclan.org.