Profile for newcastlerocks
News, views & reviews from Newcastle, County Down
Latest comments from newcastlerocks (see all)
newcastlerocks has commented 5 times (0 in the last month).
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Books
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A poem for the day – Launching the Whaler Juan Peron
A Belfast epic, and one of my oldest poems, the opener of my first collection, Grub. The gist of the story was found in Moss & Hume’s Shipbuilders to the World: 125 Years of Harland and Wolff, Belfast, 1861-1986, which tells how Eva Peron was due to launch a huge whaling vessel in Belfast, built [...] read our review » -
Do Words Matter?: Book Review of Political Discourse and Conflict Resolution – Debating Peace in Northern Ireland
I share many of the concerns of Andy Pollak, whose recent post ‘My Response to the Slugger Begrudgers’ zeroed in on the ‘relentless flow of negativity’ of some Slugger commentators. Pollak’s post was largely concerned with the medium of the blog. Indeed, I think the anonymity of the online world encourages extreme discourse and allows [...] read our review »
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“You can see Newton’s mind at work…”
To add to the open access treasure trove at the Royal Society, Cambridge University Library is putting online some of its collection of books, maps, manuscripts and journals. We have called the first phase of our work on the Cambridge Digital Library the Foundations Project, which runs from mid-2010 to mid-2013 and has been made possible [...] read our review »
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Comment on Photograph of the Day – Play me I’m Yours
on 16 August 2010 at 10:04 am
Brilliant initiative. Hope you add pictures of all the other pianos in the project being played.
It would be great to get some video blogging of al fresco playing around Belfast. Anyone up for it? Sounds like a job for Alan in Belfast (cue Superman music)!
In the interests of accuracy, I will just note that the church on Rosemary Street is the First Presbyterian, not the Free Presbyterian, as it is described above.
Slight difference in description, world of difference in outlook!
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Comment on Why intelligent criticism is good for government (and politicians)
on 29 July 2010 at 5:56 pm
One of the points I have tried to make in the blog is that I think local bloggers can help to hold public representatives and bodies to account.
So Down DPP has finally published four years’ worth of minutes. That’s great and possibly a small victory for newcastle rocks. But most of the rest of the DPPs remain hopelessly out of date with publishing their minutes – and therefore in breach of their own code of conduct and just plain failing in their role as a bridge between the people and the police.
From newcastle rocks a couple of weeks ago:
“Disgracefully, Down DPP is not unique. Just looking at meeting minutes published as an indicator, for Banbridge, the DPP has apparently only ever published online the minutes of one meeting, held in March 2006, Larne – none since September 2007; Newry & Mourne – April 2008; Antrim – September 2008; Magherafelt – October 2008; Newtownabbey – none since November 2008; Omagh – November 2008; Cookstown – November 2008; Fermanagh – November 2008; Ards – none since January 2009 (however, they do helpfully tell us the date of the next public meeting – Oct 2009); Armagh DPP – February 2009; Strabane – Feb 2009; Belfast – April 2009.”
Who will hold them to account? Can Slugger shine a bright enough light? What if there were a network of local blogs, in Banbridge, Larne, Newry… each rattling local cages?
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Anyone?
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Comment on Give us your favourites in Irish rap?
on 24 July 2010 at 11:55 pm
The Shannon effort is good, really good – fair play to the lads an’ all that.
However, this Newport Jay-Z/Alicia parody is nothing short of GREAT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNfbX6uvA6s
So well written, so well shot – and all done, apparently for less than £100! Anbody up for doing one about Newcastle, County Down…?
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Comment on Photographs of the Day – 12th photographs at Barnett Demense
on 13 July 2010 at 1:35 pm
Thanks for the photo reportage Moochin. Utterly depressing final picture, by the way.
The scene in Newcastle yesterday morning as the local lodge and traditional pipe band did their parade up the town, before heading for the main event elsewhere, couldn’t have been more different or, indeed, attracted less interest from bystanders.
Video here: http://newcastlerocks.org/2010/07/12/twelfth-of-july-parade-newcastle/
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Comment on Hyperlocal (Newcastle) doesn’t rock, it blows
on 18 June 2010 at 10:59 pm
Mark – thanks for the plug … I think.
Feedback, ideas, contributions, criticisms, comments, tips and tip-offs welcome from Sluggerites. And please point your Newcastle colleagues, friends or family in our direction.
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