Comments for Terence Blacker

Comment on It’s all about timing: an author’s guide to the publishing calendar by Terence Blacker

Terence Blacker — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:00:23 +0000

Thanks, Andy. I wonder if I’ve said goodbye to my last publisher’s lunch…

Comment on It’s all about timing: an author’s guide to the publishing calendar by Andy Frazier

Andy Frazier — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:58:27 +0000

Excellent insight. Made even funnier, because it is so true!

Comment on The rise and rise of the message-board by Matt

Matt — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 22:02:13 +0000

Dont necessarily disagree with a single word, but its a pretty bleak view of humanity isnt it? And maybe novelists and writers should be brave enough to stand up to the coarser spirits?
I agree about writing being a dictatorship, but maybe in these different times, different approaches could work? For some people?

Comment on Is Twitter bad for writers? by The rise and rise of the message-board | Terence Blacker

The rise and rise of the message-board | Terence Blacker — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 13:34:57 +0000

[...] distrust this idea to the point of hatred. As I wrote during a piece about Twitter in The Author: “It seems to me that the last thing any serious-minded author needs is a conversation. The [...]

Comment on How to watch Windfarm Wars – a semi-insider’s guide by Jack C.

Jack C. — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:29:03 +0000

Very well put. Wind turbines are a classic case of selling one’s soul for highly dubious outcomes. I especially hate it when global warming is used to push these installations. In reality, those who build them tend to have the conscience of oil drillers and natural gas frackers. The “green” they seek is not of the environmental kind, except by words alone.

Look up the details of a 2009 Standford University study calling for a staggering 3.8 million turbines (globally) as part of a fossil-fuel replacement scheme. That’s a lot of ground to be ruined in the future.

If it ever comes to that, it will be hard to avoid seeing and hearing the blasted things in just about any area that gets consistent wind. There aren’t enough ways to put them all offshore, and that’s no panacea in itself. They take up a lot of networked space wherever they are. Beware of claims that only site the actual tower footprints vs. the sum of blighted acres. Similar phony arguments are used to push drilling in ANWR, etc.

The human race shows few signs of doing anything but increasing its physical footprint for any number of reasons.

Comment on How to watch Windfarm Wars – a semi-insider’s guide by Helene

Helene — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 07:58:29 +0000

Here in Canada we just watched the final episode on TVO and found it all quite gripping and thought-provoking.
Towns all over North America are going thru the same battle and finding the same type of opposition.
There’s a reason windmill farms were always put offshore (Denmark et al) and why ones on land have their own label, onshore. These gigantic turbines weren’t meant to go in the middle of rural areas; they were meant to be out to sea, a technology DK has perfected.
At the moment in British Columbia we’re fighting the installation of “smart” meters which are to replace old analog ones that have to be read in person. The Liberal govt and BC Hydro railroaded this thru obstructing democratic input by the ratepayers/customers for whom the utility serves. These new meters give out continual emfs and microwaves for surveillance of your home 24/7. The cost is in the billions.
The BC Municipalities Assoc has voted to stop them and thousands of people have blocked their meters preventing removal by a contractor.
This week Pacific Gas & Electric in California has conceded to complaints and has begun replacing these meters with hardwired ones.
The Liberal govt seems to do much of what California does so we’re hoping a decision against the smart meters is imminent. It’s being fought both in the BC Leg and in Parliament.
All of these attempts by citizens to exert their democratic rights has resulted in the Occupy movements around the world and so I am hoping for good things in the near future.
Best of luck to Den Broek I hope RES never builds the wind farm there.
I’m all for green energy and against nuclear and coal, gas and oil, but it’s clear green solutions are far from perfect. Solar is the most passive and that’s what the focus should be on in the near term.
Cheers everyone!

Comment on Getting in touch with my inner Australian by Dastan

Dastan — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 20:04:23 +0000

this was a good article ive ever read it was fatastic.the greatet face of australia.have fun

Comment on Is Twitter bad for writers? by Mark Ramsden

Mark Ramsden — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 10:23:17 +0000

‘many of whom’!

Comment on Is Twitter bad for writers? by Mark Ramsden

Mark Ramsden — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 10:16:29 +0000

It takes about a million spam mails and tweets to sell a few Viagra tablets. On Twitter we’re trying to sell opinion, jokes, publicise product, socialize or stroke our egos – while Joe Laptop (In Hitchens’s patronizing phrase), the public, wants us (published, acclaimed writers) to read ‘them’. (Our fellow human beings, many of who CAN write.)Kids see content as free. THEY WOULDN’T EVEN PAY FOR STEPHEN KING TO WRITE A SERIAL NOVEL. Excuse capitals but it’s hard shouting while they lower the coffin into the grave and the band plays. I’m currently scanning my Serpent’s Tail backlist for Kindle etc. Maybe it’ll pay for another scanner? markramsden.moonfruit.com

Comment on Where family's concerned, if you've got it, flaunt it by Alistair N W Newman

Alistair N W Newman — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 09:49:25 +0000

Dear Mr Blacker
how is the family ? I can remember your son as fine young runner ! He must be in his mid 30s now. My uncle Derek Homfray-Davies (Well Coll) is still just on board. It would be good to hear how you are all getting on, best wishes Alistair