David L. Atkinson's Blog, page 16
May 3, 2017
Poetry Thursday 261 - Politicking
There was little choice in subject at this time. The world is being very political currently!
[image error]
Don’t believe a wordDon’t believe a word they say,they only want to get their way,and constituencies will be criss-crossed,to try and win at any cost.
Did you know how much in debt,with Labour party the country will get,if you cast your vote for them,and choose the scarlet emblem.
Did you know how poor you’ll be,if you opt for the blue Tory.A party for aspiring Royal bloods,measuring happiness in material goods.
Did you know the other choices,braying messages in minimalist voices,because of our archaic electoral system,are useless from a voting determinism.
So when you place the vital cross,on the proforma with its little box,you still won’t know the final answer,even if you voted for the eventual achiever.©David L Atkinson May 2017
Our ActionWhatever we decide on June 8th,it is our actions that will determine,the future shape of our fate,and the countries future action.
Do we really know what we want,what in fact we are voting for?What is this action almost nonchalant,and its final meaning – I implore?
The politicians don’t have the answer,although they pretend to – so bravely,avoiding the truth like a dancer,but prattling on quite lamely.
When we’ve decided which box to tick,our action has set up the pattern,of behaviours for five years politic,for which we should have concern.©David L Atkinson May 2017
God Bless
[image error]
Don’t believe a wordDon’t believe a word they say,they only want to get their way,and constituencies will be criss-crossed,to try and win at any cost.
Did you know how much in debt,with Labour party the country will get,if you cast your vote for them,and choose the scarlet emblem.
Did you know how poor you’ll be,if you opt for the blue Tory.A party for aspiring Royal bloods,measuring happiness in material goods.
Did you know the other choices,braying messages in minimalist voices,because of our archaic electoral system,are useless from a voting determinism.
So when you place the vital cross,on the proforma with its little box,you still won’t know the final answer,even if you voted for the eventual achiever.©David L Atkinson May 2017
Our ActionWhatever we decide on June 8th,it is our actions that will determine,the future shape of our fate,and the countries future action.
Do we really know what we want,what in fact we are voting for?What is this action almost nonchalant,and its final meaning – I implore?
The politicians don’t have the answer,although they pretend to – so bravely,avoiding the truth like a dancer,but prattling on quite lamely.
When we’ve decided which box to tick,our action has set up the pattern,of behaviours for five years politic,for which we should have concern.©David L Atkinson May 2017
God Bless
May 2, 2017
Writing - A change is as good
I have had a short break from writing partly triggered by a scam that triggered me losing some of my words. That is another story!
[image error]
I didn't know there was a definition for obsession with words and so I am pleased to be able to define my 'problem'!
Nevertheless we must progress and I started blogging again yesterday because I'm almost fully back to where my writing was before the crash, as it were.
The question is about learning. Have I learned anything new in the couple of weeks respite? I've not tried specifically to increase my knowledge in any particular way but I have done quite a bit of reading of Peter May and a letter from my friend from Alabama, Bert Carson. I've also aged by another year! So I have taken in lots of words.
When we process words we do so on several levels. Initially we decode and then our brains really kick into gear and we conjure up the images from the immediate descriptions. Then comes the clever stuff with the humans.
[image error]Peter May
Peter May describes in depth the environment in the islands off the coast of Scotland. He has a real feel for the weather, the way of life and the twists and turns of life in the area.
However, on an even deeper level, he decorates the physical scenes with human interactions, their responses to history and the environment. May's understanding of this element is deep and sympathetic. He has an engaging style.
What I have learned is that I need to work on the human interaction element in my writing. That would be okay if I understood the human race a little better, so I keep studying.
God Bless
[image error]
I didn't know there was a definition for obsession with words and so I am pleased to be able to define my 'problem'!
Nevertheless we must progress and I started blogging again yesterday because I'm almost fully back to where my writing was before the crash, as it were.
The question is about learning. Have I learned anything new in the couple of weeks respite? I've not tried specifically to increase my knowledge in any particular way but I have done quite a bit of reading of Peter May and a letter from my friend from Alabama, Bert Carson. I've also aged by another year! So I have taken in lots of words.
When we process words we do so on several levels. Initially we decode and then our brains really kick into gear and we conjure up the images from the immediate descriptions. Then comes the clever stuff with the humans.
[image error]Peter May
Peter May describes in depth the environment in the islands off the coast of Scotland. He has a real feel for the weather, the way of life and the twists and turns of life in the area.
However, on an even deeper level, he decorates the physical scenes with human interactions, their responses to history and the environment. May's understanding of this element is deep and sympathetic. He has an engaging style.
What I have learned is that I need to work on the human interaction element in my writing. That would be okay if I understood the human race a little better, so I keep studying.
God Bless
May 1, 2017
Tuesday Food Blog - Hasselback potatoes
Potatoes are an important part of the western diet. When I was growing up you could have them boiled, mashed, baked, chipped or roasted and that virtually covered the range of possibilities. Nowadays there are almost as many ways of presenting potatoes as there are grains of sand on the beaches of the Earth.
Hasselback potatoes
Of course the short explanation is that you have the same three or four ways of cooking potatoes but they go well with a variety of additives such as basil, cream, creme fraiche, parsley and so on.
Hasselback potatoes have their roots (sic) in Sweden. They were believed to be created in the Hasselbacken restaurant in the 1700's
[image error]
The recipe is really quite simple. Fundamentally you are roasting potatoes after some slightly different preparation.
Well here is my recipe for what you see in the photo at the top of this blog.
Ingredients
Small potatoesParsleyCooking oilButter, generous knob Salt and pepper
Method
There are two ways of approaching this dish. The potatoes can be cooked throughout in the oven or part cooked in the microwave first. I tried both ways and found the microwave method quicker and just as effective as the first method. The length of time in the microwave depends on the size of the potatoes.First, slice the potatoes almost through producing slices around 2mm thick. Place on a plate suitable for the microwave and heat for 8 to 12 minutes.In the meantime preheat the oven to 170 degrees C.When the potatoes are ready place on a baking tray. Brush the potatoes with melted butter and cooking oil then sprinkle with parsley. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes. You can increase the cooking temperature towards the end of the time to crisp the outside of the spuds!
The potatoes cooked this way can be eaten with any meal.
God Bless
Hasselback potatoes
Of course the short explanation is that you have the same three or four ways of cooking potatoes but they go well with a variety of additives such as basil, cream, creme fraiche, parsley and so on.
Hasselback potatoes have their roots (sic) in Sweden. They were believed to be created in the Hasselbacken restaurant in the 1700's
[image error]
The recipe is really quite simple. Fundamentally you are roasting potatoes after some slightly different preparation.
Well here is my recipe for what you see in the photo at the top of this blog.
Ingredients
Small potatoesParsleyCooking oilButter, generous knob Salt and pepper
Method
There are two ways of approaching this dish. The potatoes can be cooked throughout in the oven or part cooked in the microwave first. I tried both ways and found the microwave method quicker and just as effective as the first method. The length of time in the microwave depends on the size of the potatoes.First, slice the potatoes almost through producing slices around 2mm thick. Place on a plate suitable for the microwave and heat for 8 to 12 minutes.In the meantime preheat the oven to 170 degrees C.When the potatoes are ready place on a baking tray. Brush the potatoes with melted butter and cooking oil then sprinkle with parsley. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes. You can increase the cooking temperature towards the end of the time to crisp the outside of the spuds!
The potatoes cooked this way can be eaten with any meal.
God Bless
April 22, 2017
Writing - 10 news items from last week
This week is principally concerned with people.
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1. Serena Williams won a grand slam when she was 10 weeks pregnant.
Not unusual in sportswomen but the norm in ordinary folk!
-----------------------------
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2. An Austrian town has had a resident hermit since 1664.
He will be over four hundred years old then.
-----------------------------[image error]
3. Netflix subscribers have spent more than half a billion hours watching Adam Sandler films.
Money well spent
-----------------------------[image error]
4. Creative people physically see and process the world differently.
Thank goodness
-----------------------------[image error]
5. "Dalek", "TARDIS" and "cybermen" are all in the Oxford English Dictionary.
Exterminate!!!!
-----------------------------[image error]
6. There are 20,000 objects larger than 10cm flying around Earth, which are big enough to cause "catastrophic damage".
Just as well astronauts don't run garbage collection
-----------------------------[image error]
7. Cycling to work could "halve your cancer risk".
Walking to work has similar positive effects - common denominator 'work' - resign today for a healthier life.
-----------------------------[image error]
8. Prince used to travel under the name Peter Bravestrong.
Wow!
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9. Scientists have found live specimens of the rare giant shipworm for the first time.
Earth shattering news
-----------------------------[image error]
10. You can take a course studying Dolly Parton at the University of Tennessee
Superficially dumbing down
-----------------------------
God Bless
April 21, 2017
Writing - What to believe
First of all an old joke:-
[image error]
'How do you know when a politician is lying?'
Answer - 'His mouth is moving!'
Already, 24 hours into yet another election, the verbal gymnastics played by some politicians in an effort to avoid answering questions is excruciating. It wouldn't be as painful if the people trying to perform the verbal gymnastics were reasonably well versed in the English language.
[image error]
Also when you have weighed up what the politicians have actually said, a major task in itself, you then have to decide what to believe. I suppose that is why politicians say as little as possible using the maximum number of words possible.
So what has this to do with writing?
Well nothing directly really, but if you are constructing stories with a twist, then the deflecting strategies and interpretation of language is essential. Then you have the title of the blog coming into play.
'Who do you believe?'
In creating a twist you could use characters as 'red herrings' or perhaps aim for a solid, reliable character that you have used before to be a villain. It may be that you have written a serial and one of your goodies goes bad!A new character could enter your scenarios and seem fundamentally dishonest but turns out to be a hero.
There are innumerable ways to create convolutions in your story but you need to carry that round with you until the story is complete. To be a good liar you need a good memory! I worked along those lines in Grace and Favour and produced a nice little plot, or so I thought.
Synopsis
Steele has had to accept changes in life style and yet he is required once again to tackle a situation of injustice.Patrick is working alone trying to recover a youngster kidnapped from parents with a high profile role in the UK establishment. He is without the support of former allies, the Gurentai, and yet feels that the police and National Crime Agency, who have requested his involvement, have another agenda that is not necessarily in the interest of Steele.The action is shared mostly between the UK and Canada. In the early stages of the case Patrick is chasing kidnappers across the continent of North America when disaster occurs and he is forced to return to the UK.Has Steele bitten off more than he can chew?
Where is his love life going?
Are former allies, the Gurentai, targeting Steele?
Will he recover the kidnapped child or will he fail and become
subject of retribution by the authorities?
Grace and Favour
God Bless
[image error]
'How do you know when a politician is lying?'
Answer - 'His mouth is moving!'
Already, 24 hours into yet another election, the verbal gymnastics played by some politicians in an effort to avoid answering questions is excruciating. It wouldn't be as painful if the people trying to perform the verbal gymnastics were reasonably well versed in the English language.
[image error]
Also when you have weighed up what the politicians have actually said, a major task in itself, you then have to decide what to believe. I suppose that is why politicians say as little as possible using the maximum number of words possible.
So what has this to do with writing?
Well nothing directly really, but if you are constructing stories with a twist, then the deflecting strategies and interpretation of language is essential. Then you have the title of the blog coming into play.
'Who do you believe?'
In creating a twist you could use characters as 'red herrings' or perhaps aim for a solid, reliable character that you have used before to be a villain. It may be that you have written a serial and one of your goodies goes bad!A new character could enter your scenarios and seem fundamentally dishonest but turns out to be a hero.
There are innumerable ways to create convolutions in your story but you need to carry that round with you until the story is complete. To be a good liar you need a good memory! I worked along those lines in Grace and Favour and produced a nice little plot, or so I thought.
Synopsis
Steele has had to accept changes in life style and yet he is required once again to tackle a situation of injustice.Patrick is working alone trying to recover a youngster kidnapped from parents with a high profile role in the UK establishment. He is without the support of former allies, the Gurentai, and yet feels that the police and National Crime Agency, who have requested his involvement, have another agenda that is not necessarily in the interest of Steele.The action is shared mostly between the UK and Canada. In the early stages of the case Patrick is chasing kidnappers across the continent of North America when disaster occurs and he is forced to return to the UK.Has Steele bitten off more than he can chew?
Where is his love life going?
Are former allies, the Gurentai, targeting Steele?
Will he recover the kidnapped child or will he fail and become
subject of retribution by the authorities?
Grace and Favour
God Bless
April 20, 2017
Writing - Who to believe?
First of all an old joke:-
[image error]
'How do you know when a politician is lying?'
Answer - 'His mouth is moving!'
Already, 24 hours into yet another election, the verbal gymnastics played by some politicians in an effort to avoid answering questions is excruciating. It wouldn't be as painful if the people trying to perform the verbal gymnastics were reasonably well versed in the English language.
So what has this to do with writing?
Well nothing directly really, but if you are constructing stories with a twist, then the deflecting strategies and interpretation of language is essential. Then you have the title of the blog coming into play.
'Who do you believe?'
In creating a twist you could use characters as 'red herrings' or perhaps aim for a solid, reliable character that you have used before to be a villain. It may be that you have written a serial and one of your goodies goes bad!A new character could enter your scenarios and seem fundamentally dishonest but turns out to be a hero.
There are innumerable ways to create convolutions in your story but you need to carry that round with you until the story is complete. To be a good liar you need a good memory! I worked along those lines in Grace and Favour and produced a nice little plot, or so I thought.
Synopsis
Steele has had to accept changes in life style and yet he is required once again to tackle a situation of injustice.Patrick is working alone trying to recover a youngster kidnapped from parents with a high profile role in the UK establishment. He is without the support of former allies, the Gurentai, and yet feels that the police and National Crime Agency, who have requested his involvement, have another agenda that is not necessarily in the interest of Steele.The action is shared mostly between the UK and Canada. In the early stages of the case Patrick is chasing kidnappers across the continent of North America when disaster occurs and he is forced to return to the UK. Has Steele bitten off more than he can chew?
Where is his love life going?
Are former allies, the Gurentai, targeting Steele?
Will he recover the kidnapped child or will he fail and become
subject of retribution by the authorities?
Grace and Favour
God Bless
[image error]
'How do you know when a politician is lying?'
Answer - 'His mouth is moving!'
Already, 24 hours into yet another election, the verbal gymnastics played by some politicians in an effort to avoid answering questions is excruciating. It wouldn't be as painful if the people trying to perform the verbal gymnastics were reasonably well versed in the English language.
So what has this to do with writing?
Well nothing directly really, but if you are constructing stories with a twist, then the deflecting strategies and interpretation of language is essential. Then you have the title of the blog coming into play.
'Who do you believe?'
In creating a twist you could use characters as 'red herrings' or perhaps aim for a solid, reliable character that you have used before to be a villain. It may be that you have written a serial and one of your goodies goes bad!A new character could enter your scenarios and seem fundamentally dishonest but turns out to be a hero.
There are innumerable ways to create convolutions in your story but you need to carry that round with you until the story is complete. To be a good liar you need a good memory! I worked along those lines in Grace and Favour and produced a nice little plot, or so I thought.
Synopsis
Steele has had to accept changes in life style and yet he is required once again to tackle a situation of injustice.Patrick is working alone trying to recover a youngster kidnapped from parents with a high profile role in the UK establishment. He is without the support of former allies, the Gurentai, and yet feels that the police and National Crime Agency, who have requested his involvement, have another agenda that is not necessarily in the interest of Steele.The action is shared mostly between the UK and Canada. In the early stages of the case Patrick is chasing kidnappers across the continent of North America when disaster occurs and he is forced to return to the UK. Has Steele bitten off more than he can chew?
Where is his love life going?
Are former allies, the Gurentai, targeting Steele?
Will he recover the kidnapped child or will he fail and become
subject of retribution by the authorities?
Grace and Favour
God Bless
April 19, 2017
Poetry Thursday 260 - Easter battles again
Three poems this week all from a positive frame of mind so when you read them please smile.
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Life’s battles
There are unexpected joys to be had,fleeing from the shadows of the mind,when one tests what purports to be bad,emerges surprisingly, benignly, kind.
The balm of success however limited,boosts self in ways quite surprising,for setting targets carefully thought,boundaries impassable now stretching.
Never stop believing you can,even with evidence suggesting no way,gird your loins and act like a man,enter your being into life’s fray.©David L Atkinson April 2017
The above was purely personal and an indication that when things seem difficult don't give up.
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Eggolate
Ovoid sweet reward,for worshipping our Lord,or is it more profit reaping,from corporate devils dealing? ©David L Atkinson April 2017
[image error]
Again!
In the year 2015,an election to change the scene,no more for five years at least,gives the people a hope of peace.
In the year 2016,not an election but a vote European,Brexit wins is this the end,to negotiate the time to spend.
In the year 2017,another election shot we are seeing,May feels the power she has not,bullet in her foot has she shot? ©David L Atkinson April 2017
God Bless
[image error]
Life’s battles
There are unexpected joys to be had,fleeing from the shadows of the mind,when one tests what purports to be bad,emerges surprisingly, benignly, kind.
The balm of success however limited,boosts self in ways quite surprising,for setting targets carefully thought,boundaries impassable now stretching.
Never stop believing you can,even with evidence suggesting no way,gird your loins and act like a man,enter your being into life’s fray.©David L Atkinson April 2017
The above was purely personal and an indication that when things seem difficult don't give up.
[image error]
Eggolate
Ovoid sweet reward,for worshipping our Lord,or is it more profit reaping,from corporate devils dealing? ©David L Atkinson April 2017
[image error]
Again!
In the year 2015,an election to change the scene,no more for five years at least,gives the people a hope of peace.
In the year 2016,not an election but a vote European,Brexit wins is this the end,to negotiate the time to spend.
In the year 2017,another election shot we are seeing,May feels the power she has not,bullet in her foot has she shot? ©David L Atkinson April 2017
God Bless
April 18, 2017
Writing - Judging one's market
So an hour or so ago Theresa May shocked the UK and some parts of the world by announcing a snap general election to take place June 8th. Mrs May thinks that the time is right.
[image error]Theresa May
Please don't switch off this is not a party political blog on behalf of any party. I was interested because of the evidence she presented about her adversaries. The political spin doctors have judged that the time is right for the conservatives to increase their majority.
In some respects it is rather like publishers judging the market as to the type of books to push. You know the sort of thing. YA fiction is hot just now, or SciFi, perhaps romantic historical fiction.
The point is that we writers are subject to the way in which publishers are jumping right now. Of course the difficulty is that writers are not subject driven but writing driven. I write the subjects that interest and inspire me, not what someone else dictates. All of this adds up to the fact that if you want to be published you as an individual need to be marketable or your chosen genre needs to be in 'fashion'. So a bit of a lottery!
Whatever, keep writing.
Synopsis
Patrick Steele is off crusading once again with his sidekick, fiancée Naomi Kobayashi. This time he is risking life and limb by returning to the hostile shores of the USA. He has had brushes with the authorities in that vast country on previous occasions, but now has been stimulated to return because of apparent dodgy dealings over the World Trade Centre disaster of September 11th 2001.
After discovering numerous ‘theories’ concerning 9/11 and who was behind it, Steele identifies possible links between large corporations with financial interests and political parties. In a presidential election year he is concerned that those vying for that prodigious post may have links with the disaster.
Has Steele discovered underhand dealing by the US security services?
Did one of the major political parties have a hand in the destruction of 9/11?
Will Steele be caught by the CIA or can he escape back to the safety of the UK?
What was Building 7?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hours-After-Steele-Novels-Book-ebook/dp/B01MD296UM/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1492520779&sr=1-7&keywords=david+l+atkinson
God Bless
[image error]Theresa May
Please don't switch off this is not a party political blog on behalf of any party. I was interested because of the evidence she presented about her adversaries. The political spin doctors have judged that the time is right for the conservatives to increase their majority.
In some respects it is rather like publishers judging the market as to the type of books to push. You know the sort of thing. YA fiction is hot just now, or SciFi, perhaps romantic historical fiction.
The point is that we writers are subject to the way in which publishers are jumping right now. Of course the difficulty is that writers are not subject driven but writing driven. I write the subjects that interest and inspire me, not what someone else dictates. All of this adds up to the fact that if you want to be published you as an individual need to be marketable or your chosen genre needs to be in 'fashion'. So a bit of a lottery!
Whatever, keep writing.
Synopsis
Patrick Steele is off crusading once again with his sidekick, fiancée Naomi Kobayashi. This time he is risking life and limb by returning to the hostile shores of the USA. He has had brushes with the authorities in that vast country on previous occasions, but now has been stimulated to return because of apparent dodgy dealings over the World Trade Centre disaster of September 11th 2001.
After discovering numerous ‘theories’ concerning 9/11 and who was behind it, Steele identifies possible links between large corporations with financial interests and political parties. In a presidential election year he is concerned that those vying for that prodigious post may have links with the disaster.
Has Steele discovered underhand dealing by the US security services?
Did one of the major political parties have a hand in the destruction of 9/11?
Will Steele be caught by the CIA or can he escape back to the safety of the UK?
What was Building 7?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hours-After-Steele-Novels-Book-ebook/dp/B01MD296UM/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1492520779&sr=1-7&keywords=david+l+atkinson
God Bless
April 17, 2017
Writing - Old false news
In the recent rise of false news, as Trump coined the phrase, we have an example of the internet, in its global naivete, being exploited. In the future this may increase but that is not to say that methods of communications have been misused in the past.
[image error]Jean Shepherd (1921 - 1999)
This is a subject I've referred to in the past but Jean Shepherd became really frustrated with the system of literary PR and reviewing and decided to do something about it. He enlisted the help of listeners to his radio programme to demonstrate how a sensation could be created artificially.
“What do you say tomorrow morning each one of us walk into a bookstore and ask for a book each of us knows doesn’t exist?” he asked his listeners.
The response was overwhelming. Ideas for the title were phoned in and Shepherd settled on I, Libertine.
Faced with a barrage of requests, baffled booksellers sent questions up the food chain and soon demand for the phony novel saw it placed on the New York Times bestseller list.
The prank was eventually revealed by the Wall Street Journal but not before the publisher Ian Ballantine, of Ballantine Books, had commissioned a new title of the same name to capitalise on the craze. The proceeds were given to charity.
The method of communication no more sophisticated than radio and word of mouth.
[image error]
In 1983 the Times announced they'd found diaries purportedly belonging to Adolf Hitler. Newspaper owner, Rupert Murdoch, went against all advice and had the scoop printed. It took a fortnight of pressure and proof from experts to convince Murdoch to print a retraction.
[image error]
In 1796 opinion of the work of William Shakespeare was briefly reshaped by the ‘discovery’ of a hoard of documents, including several plays, apparently written by the bard.
Law clerk William Henry Ireland claimed to have found the documents in a trunk. They included plays Vortigern and Rowena and Henry II and, even more sensationally, a 'Profession of Faith' in which Shakespeare declared himself a Protestant.
The son of an author and engraver who was himself obsessed by Shakespeare’s work, it was said Ireland junior fabricated the fraud to impress his father.
As is often the case with such sensational ‘discoveries’, things quickly got out of hand and soon the Drury Lane Theatre was planning a production of Vortigern. The production was practically laughed off the stage.
Like Rupert Murdoch with The Hitler Diaries, it is believed the theatre doubted the authenticity of the play but went ahead anyway, presumably to sell tickets.
If it is possible to cause such sensationalism by word of mouth then it is easy to see the damage that could be done on the internet. In fact in some ways we have seen isolated examples when the personal reputations of individuals has been damaged and perpetrators have been given jail terms for their 'cyber' crimes.Watch this space!
God Bless
[image error]Jean Shepherd (1921 - 1999)
This is a subject I've referred to in the past but Jean Shepherd became really frustrated with the system of literary PR and reviewing and decided to do something about it. He enlisted the help of listeners to his radio programme to demonstrate how a sensation could be created artificially.
“What do you say tomorrow morning each one of us walk into a bookstore and ask for a book each of us knows doesn’t exist?” he asked his listeners.
The response was overwhelming. Ideas for the title were phoned in and Shepherd settled on I, Libertine.
Faced with a barrage of requests, baffled booksellers sent questions up the food chain and soon demand for the phony novel saw it placed on the New York Times bestseller list.
The prank was eventually revealed by the Wall Street Journal but not before the publisher Ian Ballantine, of Ballantine Books, had commissioned a new title of the same name to capitalise on the craze. The proceeds were given to charity.
The method of communication no more sophisticated than radio and word of mouth.
[image error]
In 1983 the Times announced they'd found diaries purportedly belonging to Adolf Hitler. Newspaper owner, Rupert Murdoch, went against all advice and had the scoop printed. It took a fortnight of pressure and proof from experts to convince Murdoch to print a retraction.
[image error]
In 1796 opinion of the work of William Shakespeare was briefly reshaped by the ‘discovery’ of a hoard of documents, including several plays, apparently written by the bard.
Law clerk William Henry Ireland claimed to have found the documents in a trunk. They included plays Vortigern and Rowena and Henry II and, even more sensationally, a 'Profession of Faith' in which Shakespeare declared himself a Protestant.
The son of an author and engraver who was himself obsessed by Shakespeare’s work, it was said Ireland junior fabricated the fraud to impress his father.
As is often the case with such sensational ‘discoveries’, things quickly got out of hand and soon the Drury Lane Theatre was planning a production of Vortigern. The production was practically laughed off the stage.
Like Rupert Murdoch with The Hitler Diaries, it is believed the theatre doubted the authenticity of the play but went ahead anyway, presumably to sell tickets.
If it is possible to cause such sensationalism by word of mouth then it is easy to see the damage that could be done on the internet. In fact in some ways we have seen isolated examples when the personal reputations of individuals has been damaged and perpetrators have been given jail terms for their 'cyber' crimes.Watch this space!
God Bless
April 14, 2017
Writing - Literary scams
In the recent rise of false news, as Trump coined the phrase, we have an example of the internet, in its global naivete, being exploited. In the future this may increase but that is not to say that methods of communications have been misused in the past.
[image error]Jean Shepherd (1921 - 1999)
This is a subject I've referred to in the past but Jean Shepherd became really frustrated with the system of literary PR and reviewing and decided to do something about it. He enlisted the help of listeners to his radio programme to demonstrate how a sensation could be created artificially.
“What do you say tomorrow morning each one of us walk into a bookstore and ask for a book each of us knows doesn’t exist?” he asked his listeners.
The response was overwhelming. Ideas for the title were phoned in and Shepherd settled on I, Libertine.
Faced with a barrage of requests, baffled booksellers sent questions up the food chain and soon demand for the phony novel saw it placed on the New York Times bestseller list.
The prank was eventually revealed by the Wall Street Journal but not before the publisher Ian Ballantine, of Ballantine Books, had commissioned a new title of the same name to capitalise on the craze. The proceeds were given to charity.
The method of communication no more sophisticated than radio and word of mouth.
[image error]
In 1983 the Times announced they'd found diaries purportedly belonging to Adolf Hitler. Newspaper owner, Rupert Murdoch, went against all advice and had the scoop printed. It took a fortnight of pressure and proof from experts to convince Murdoch to print a retraction.
[image error]
In 1796 opinion of the work of William Shakespeare was briefly reshaped by the ‘discovery’ of a hoard of documents, including several plays, apparently written by the bard.
Law clerk William Henry Ireland claimed to have found the documents in a trunk. They included plays Vortigern and Rowena and Henry II and, even more sensationally, a 'Profession of Faith' in which Shakespeare declared himself a Protestant.
The son of an author and engraver who was himself obsessed by Shakespeare’s work, it was said Ireland junior fabricated the fraud to impress his father.
As is often the case with such sensational ‘discoveries’, things quickly got out of hand and soon the Drury Lane Theatre was planning a production of Vortigern. The production was practically laughed off the stage.
Like Rupert Murdoch with The Hitler Diaries, it is believed the theatre doubted the authenticity of the play but went ahead anyway, presumably to sell tickets.
If it is possible to cause such sensationalism by word of mouth then it is easy to see the damage that could be done on the internet. In fact in some ways we have seen isolated examples when the personal reputations of individuals has been damaged and perpetrators have been given jail terms for their 'cyber' crimes.Watch this space!
God Bless
[image error]Jean Shepherd (1921 - 1999)
This is a subject I've referred to in the past but Jean Shepherd became really frustrated with the system of literary PR and reviewing and decided to do something about it. He enlisted the help of listeners to his radio programme to demonstrate how a sensation could be created artificially.
“What do you say tomorrow morning each one of us walk into a bookstore and ask for a book each of us knows doesn’t exist?” he asked his listeners.
The response was overwhelming. Ideas for the title were phoned in and Shepherd settled on I, Libertine.
Faced with a barrage of requests, baffled booksellers sent questions up the food chain and soon demand for the phony novel saw it placed on the New York Times bestseller list.
The prank was eventually revealed by the Wall Street Journal but not before the publisher Ian Ballantine, of Ballantine Books, had commissioned a new title of the same name to capitalise on the craze. The proceeds were given to charity.
The method of communication no more sophisticated than radio and word of mouth.
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In 1983 the Times announced they'd found diaries purportedly belonging to Adolf Hitler. Newspaper owner, Rupert Murdoch, went against all advice and had the scoop printed. It took a fortnight of pressure and proof from experts to convince Murdoch to print a retraction.
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In 1796 opinion of the work of William Shakespeare was briefly reshaped by the ‘discovery’ of a hoard of documents, including several plays, apparently written by the bard.
Law clerk William Henry Ireland claimed to have found the documents in a trunk. They included plays Vortigern and Rowena and Henry II and, even more sensationally, a 'Profession of Faith' in which Shakespeare declared himself a Protestant.
The son of an author and engraver who was himself obsessed by Shakespeare’s work, it was said Ireland junior fabricated the fraud to impress his father.
As is often the case with such sensational ‘discoveries’, things quickly got out of hand and soon the Drury Lane Theatre was planning a production of Vortigern. The production was practically laughed off the stage.
Like Rupert Murdoch with The Hitler Diaries, it is believed the theatre doubted the authenticity of the play but went ahead anyway, presumably to sell tickets.
If it is possible to cause such sensationalism by word of mouth then it is easy to see the damage that could be done on the internet. In fact in some ways we have seen isolated examples when the personal reputations of individuals has been damaged and perpetrators have been given jail terms for their 'cyber' crimes.Watch this space!
God Bless
