Comments on The Pensive Quill: Thirty Days Of Night

Margaret, Yes it is Mackers. From childhood The...

2010-05-24T09:07:24.669+01:00

Margaret,

Yes it is Mackers. From childhood

The regimes differs from jail to jail so I would need to find out just what is allowed. I think in Portlaoise they already have the things you suggested sending

Fionnchú, Let The Right One in is a brilliant movi...

2010-05-18T21:27:10.141+01:00

Fionnchú, Let The Right One in is a brilliant movie. Thoroughly enjoyed it. The acting was superb and the chemistry between the two outstanding. Slow moving but compulsive viewing

"Let the Right One In" I recommend. Not ...

2010-05-18T20:14:30.430+01:00

"Let the Right One In" I recommend. Not my usual genre, but very Scandinavian, very atmospheric. The dubbed vs. subtitled versions apparently differ somewhat.

Saint?MaryHedgehog what did vampires ever do to y...

2010-05-18T16:50:38.192+01:00

Saint?MaryHedgehog

what did vampires ever do to you to deserve that?

For margaret: there are POW action groups that can...

2010-05-18T15:50:54.792+01:00

For margaret: there are POW action groups that can advise you.Google em up. Rule of thumb never write anything to up the ante because the prisoner/s will get kicked in the guts for it (literally)Just write neutral. Enuf said. Half the time they never get what u send. Know the drill - its a brit system just like in Aus. Indigenous prisoners still die/get bashed up (numerous have been to death in Aus) & no cop/screw has ever done time for it.
The parallels are there since colonization. neo colonizer world we live in. Because you are in Aus you could make some posters and do a protest in the city. Just stand there with handout leaflets and tell people what is going on. Even from a distance every voice counts. And do some writing on your blog. O and the screws always monitor/file the return addresses on envos :-)Tis but a small world. It is gonna take more than Gods blessings It is gonna take action and voices demanding cessation of the brutality. Every voice counts wherever they are.

*Vampire films are BLOODY awful ahaha

Mackers. Is that your nickname? Love it. In the ar...

2010-05-17T06:27:18.620+01:00

Mackers. Is that your nickname? Love it. In the army me da got Mick and his best mate got Jock, yep Irish and Scottish. It was meant to be a insult but they both went with it.Jock was killed, but Mick has followed me DA. And his name is Thomas..... Funny?
I am too much of a scaredy cat to watch vampire films.
Can I draw on your experience in jail. I am writing to a prisoner in Port Laoise, and I'm not sure what I can or can't write. Also do you know what I can or can't send in care packages? I live in Aus so food would be out I guess. What about tooth paste writing pads and the like.
I was going to send news paper articles mainly on sport.They would be allowed pens surely? Am I able to tell him that I am behind him, and his mates or will the screws keep the letter if I do? Once I get used to what I can and can't say or send I can enjoy it a lot more. I thought self addressed envelopes would be a good idea then they don't have to worry about postage.
Bless our boys every one of them.

Albert, lucky you. haven't even got a whiff of...

2010-05-16T21:01:37.978+01:00

Albert, lucky you. haven't even got a whiff of one today. Might take a whiskey before going to bed. Never crossed my mind until you raised it!

Salem's Lot - yes, Soul acted in it.

Shane - so glad Nuala has a reason for identifying with it. My ma took me to see it when I was very young. It is also one of my favourite books.

Haven't read a Western since 1982 when I went through one or two as a challenge in the blocks. Big Livvy told me to read JT Edson who was a postman from Essex or soemwhere and who had never set foot in America. So he told me!! Liv was a great reader.

Mackers, mate being packed off to bed here, cos I&...

2010-05-16T20:36:16.747+01:00

Mackers, mate being packed off to bed here, cos I've had a few beers.
Thought Salem's Lot was a classic, was that the one that starred David Soul?
Nuala had a big smile on her face when I told her about Shane, it was also her da's favourite Western of all time.
Not really a blogoid just really enjoyed your post about Bram Stokers Dracula, brought back some good memories.
Cheers Mate.

Albert, good to hear from you and see you venturin...

2010-05-16T20:01:52.665+01:00

Albert, good to hear from you and see you venturing into the crazy world of the blogoids.
Stoker's is a classic. I very much liked Salem's Lot by Stephen King. A more modern version of the tale and the film was good also. A great one which I watched last week was Let The Right One In. A fantastic film; a mixture of romance and horror. Love at First Bite - nah! Try Fright Night

Curly Cush and Seamy Kelly - they would get you killed in the Windsor and that was even before 1969!! Used to love the Windsor - saw my favourite Western of all time there - Shane.

Mackers Albert here,I agree with you Bram Stoker&#...

2010-05-16T19:49:46.628+01:00

Mackers Albert here,I agree with you Bram Stoker's Dracula was one of the best books I read.
Remember going to watch it in the Windsor picture house and had to run before they played God Save the Queen. Me, Seamy Kelly, Curley Cush etc, what a motley crew.
Christopher Lee was by far the best Dracula ever.
In the very best of Dracula list can I include "Love at First Bite?"
See ya mate!

Nuala, pretty much my own view. I used to go to ...

2010-05-16T18:03:50.503+01:00

Nuala,

pretty much my own view. I used to go to meetings or social events and ask people what they were currently reading. Love those profile pieces where they ask the person being profiled their favourite book or film or music.

I remember Don Concannnon going into Bobby Sands near the end of his life. Changed nothing

Mackers, I like to hear what people have to say ab...

2010-05-16T17:54:41.379+01:00

Mackers, I like to hear what people have to say about films just as I like hearing what people have to say about books.

Always find it interesting why a person likes a certain film or a certain book.

I think the reason they went into the prison, was because they were under increasing presure to do so.
Really don't believe they will do anything different than what other British ministers have done in the prisons. They might sound off a bit but other than that nothing.

Nuala, I am amazed that anybody reads this stuff...

2010-05-16T14:21:28.658+01:00

Nuala,

I am amazed that anybody reads this stuff never mind bothering to comment!! It is just me throwing a few minutes into something different. Takes no effort. Still, it is appreciated that others read it.

Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing are synonymous with the vampire. I think in the end they became too easiy typecast and Cushing began to look less serious in the role. The horror had gone out of it.

But there was a great 1920s film called Nosferatu - silent movie. Saw it in jail.

What the jail visit will bring shall be determined by the political needs of SF not the rights of prisoners. I have no doubt that Raymond will not like the idea of prisoners being beaten and he will instinctively believe the prisoners but what will he be able to do? The party doesn't care.

Mackers, watched this film about six months ago. T...

2010-05-16T11:35:39.057+01:00

Mackers, watched this film about six months ago. Thought it was really good, even though I am sort of gutless when it comes to horror.
I thought Christopher Lee the best Dracula ever. When I think of Dracula I always think of him. However, as modern films go "Thirty Days of Night" is well worth the view.

Speaking of blood suckers, a Sinn Fein delegation apparently went to visit the protesting prisoners during the week.
At the risk of sounding cynical, I doubt if the driving force behind the visit was either empathy or concern.

Would have been eerie though considering Paul Maskey and John O Dowd were amongst the delegation.
Fear factor aside, I think I would prefer to take my chances with the vampires.