tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938060587020568315.post6107235685730331762..comments2023-12-14T10:28:43.397+00:00Comments on Declan Burke: Crime Fiction and Contemporary Ireland: The Truth!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938060587020568315.post-70913800623470427532012-03-07T14:34:37.147+00:002012-03-07T14:34:37.147+00:00Thank you to all the speakers at yesterday's c...Thank you to all the speakers at yesterday's crimefest.<br /><br />It was very useful to hear so many ideas on how fiction can make a society more psychologically available to its participants.<br /><br />"Ireland" got quite a bit of bad press, I felt, but that is probably because I don't look for the trouble that goes on generally in the world.Tales from the Birch Wood.https://www.blogger.com/profile/15427603252937311851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938060587020568315.post-44030612742372641682012-03-05T12:25:02.772+00:002012-03-05T12:25:02.772+00:00It's useful to mention that the session starts...It's useful to mention that the session starts at 5 o'clock.<br /><br />A clear link to the venue would also be useful. Universities are notorious for inadequate signposting.Photographe à Dublinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13555993860377132435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938060587020568315.post-41484656890493266612012-03-03T21:00:21.718+00:002012-03-03T21:00:21.718+00:00Yes, anyone can attend - it's a public event. ...Yes, anyone can attend - it's a public event. It would be great to see you there.Rob Kitchinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05567424969308636082noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938060587020568315.post-16355943171038420192012-03-02T16:09:37.770+00:002012-03-02T16:09:37.770+00:00This post has made me laugh.
Possibly a "cri...This post has made me laugh.<br /><br />Possibly a "crise de nerfs".<br /><br />National identity is SO last year...<br /><br />Sounds a great evening planned, so here's wishing you every success.<br /><br />Can anybody attend?Tales from the Birch Wood.https://www.blogger.com/profile/15427603252937311851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938060587020568315.post-50310732738036043482012-03-01T22:43:02.715+00:002012-03-01T22:43:02.715+00:00I should add that the only coverage we get of the ...I should add that the only coverage we get of the Occupy Movement is on the news and the Comedy Channel--Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.<br /><br />In the past couple of weeks, an Occupy Wall Street picket has been on the news protesting at the YUM Center, the Corporate-funded stadium of the University of Louisville, attempting to shy off the entry of basketball fans.<br /><br />The scuffles between police and protesters, live on camera, appeared to turn violent on the protesters side--but as I say, this is brought to us by the Corporate News.<br /><br />Whenever they stick a microphone in front of a protester, he turns out to be inarticulate with no clear knowledge of what he is protesting.<br /><br />We have never seen any of the most articulate protesters, such as Chris Hedges, on the news--probably due to corporate orders--though I fail to see why the rank and file have to look oblivious when given the opportunity to speak their minds as they picket.<br /><br />Again, it is as if the Corporate side were hiring extras to pose as protesters to make them all look like dummies.Richard L. Pangburnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10717563750065476750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938060587020568315.post-63463818358850581962012-03-01T17:30:59.840+00:002012-03-01T17:30:59.840+00:00Well, no. Literature (and I include ABSOLUTELY ZE...Well, no. Literature (and I include ABSOLUTELY ZERO COOL) works its magic through argument and empathy, which is non-violent.<br /><br />The Occupy Wall Street movement has no sense of direction, unfortunately, and occasionally it does become mindlessly violent. It often often picks the wrong targets and allows the wrong people to speak for it (or at least, as it is covered in the news).<br /><br />I don't have any hope at all that Occupy Wall Street will accomplish anything, except to serve the cause of the deluded Tea Party, in service of the Corrupt Rich.<br /><br />These people have no sense of humor, though fortunately we get plenty of that in a novel like ABSOLUTE ZERO COOL.<br /><br />I see the fix we're in, though I don't see a way out unless things get so bad that people are motivated to actually reexamine their premises in order to look at what is actually causing this.<br /><br />In other words, things will have to get much worse before they will get better. Hopefully without anybody blowing up a hospital except in metaphor.Richard L. Pangburnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10717563750065476750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938060587020568315.post-89591402579357917762012-03-01T14:11:18.230+00:002012-03-01T14:11:18.230+00:00Someone sniped at GREEN STREETS because it didn...Someone sniped at GREEN STREETS because it didn't offer any solutions? Honest to God? <br /><br />The role of literature in such circumstances is not unlike the Occupy movement that began on Wall Street: to make more people aware. Only then can enough folks come together to push for a viable solution. So long as they think everything is all right, nothing will change.Dana Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01350344882342624735noreply@blogger.com