Molten Memories

There was a possible conflict of interest arising at the time of writing. Older readers of the blog know that from time to time a person strays across the Booker eye and after careful consideration is granted The Booker Endorsement. It's a bit like a Noble Peace Prize and a Turner Prize rolled into one. To date there have been a number of inductee's, with Thierry Henry the only Hall of Famer to have his Jersey retired for sins against the Irish. With no prize money or Crystal involved, it's never going to bestowed with a gala evening where champers and Jaffa Cakes will flow. However...

Last week I inducted two worthy Irishmen in the form of Christy Moore and Gay Byrne. I can only assume that after today's events and riding off the back of the endorsement, word filtered out that Gaybo might consider a run for the Aras. Great. Sure why not? As good as anyone on the sheet at the moment, hey?
Then whispers came down the wires that Fianna Fail were to offer him their nomination. Oh no!! Surely not Gaybo. It would have been the cheapest of sellouts. But thankfully it appears from this article that Gaybo won't be taking the nomination. To lose another Hall of Famer for the reasons stated above would have meant that it's continuance as a feature of the blog would be under question at the next one man board meeting.
As I read through the article my suspicions that political entities pop in now and again was further cemented when the article above suggested they were also after Ireland's best broadcaster on the political and current affairs circuit, Miriam O'Callaghan. You may remember when the IMF rode into town on Ollie Rehn's back? So gifted in their direction they now have the world at a financial precipice. No money's worth it now, hey Ollie? But back to Miriam. Ah yes. In the challengingly accurate title, Bailout - An Absurd in one act, which plays to a tune of a series of absurd events and signs off with a Hollywood type, What there doing now piece? I touted her as a Taoiseach in that. So perhaps absurdity does exist in some strange form everywhere.
But Booker's claim to fame - because let's face it, it ain't looking Tom Clancy anytime soon - will always be the 50 million big ones he cost the taxpayer last Winter so we, as an island, could be warm. If it wasn't for what came after driving the Austerity bus it may have even brought us together for a night or two. Failure by the mainstream media to pick up on the story sows up the thinking that this type of idealism needs to be kept where it is - on the dole - until the time comes to be thrown into an internship. But it can be used for political ends all the same. Was a good idea though, wasn't it?

Luckily however it seems Miriam is going to stick at what she is at for the time being. So looks like there still looking, but it is a poison chalice one feels, especially if the Bertie report appears between now and polling day. Has the time come to forgive them? Offer a damn alternative, then maybe. But the ramming of Austerity down the throats of people who didn't cause the crash that is unfolding is old politics and failed economics. If politics is to survive and a proper form of democracy is established around it we might turn the downward spiral of this century upward again. But it ain't looking to good at the minute.

Of course the blogs biggest fail was the Vincent Browne for Prez Facebook campaign. I think I made a mistake launching it on Facebook as in the next few days i will publish a Bookeristic viewpoint on Facebook as a platform for writers. The results will startle you... or maybe not. I have to hold my hands up and admit - though i tried intermittently - Booker failed as a campaign manager, but will always have the distinction of launching a Presidential campaign with a fictional character.
Vincent's probably too busy finishing Charlie's Memoirs to usher himself into the arena through some radio campaign fronted by Jedward. I got a message once saying someone mentioned the page to him and he smiled. Not bad for a fictional dole-bird written by a real one.

Couple of minor things to address. Someone emailed me and asked when the other cut chapters of Booker's World will be up. I was thinking no-one was reading so will try get some more up in the next week or so. My expose into that epublishing outfit won't be happening. On this one, I've decided to be pro, loike. I don't want this blog turning into a place for business practice critique's. It's hard enough keeping up with everything as it is... and finally, the ebook will be along toward the end of September as it is being held back so the web series can be filmed, somewhere, somehow... blah, blah, blah