There: Snow Business; like Snow Business

Last night at the Lab on Foley Street there was a good turn out of artists, political activists and interested individuals for a discussion around the notion of amateurism.

It was billed that “four artists and designers would describe their various relationships to 'Amateurism' - DIY art and technology production, designing with found materials, and design in the developing world”.

Who/What is Tactic?

Tactic is a cross national laboratory for tactical art making: Investigation, intervention, discovery, testing and application. It is a space for artists and activists to meet, inform each others practice, develop projects and engage a public.

The website: Tactic

“An aristocracy in a republic is like a chicken whose head has been cut off; it may run about in a lively way, but in fact it is dead.” Nancy Mitford

Amidst the collapse of the Irish economy, the inhabitants of a rural hinterland begin to feel the touch of the dead hand of the housing market.

Set in the notorious ghost estates of post 'celtic tiger' Ireland, 'Wallets Full of Blood' features Dennis Hopper as the voice of Brian 'Brains' Ahern.

'Brains' is a developer and a 'big man' in politics. He's also the overseer of a particularly gory property price collapse on 'Fiddler's Green'. He reckons he can clean up as a result of the creeping zombification all around him but his plans take on a zero-sum logic of their own.

To save himself from the killing floor that results, 'Brains' attempts to turn his minions against each other but finds to his horror that control of the vicious cycle of blood and price drops has slipped from his greedy, grasping fingers.

His future (and everyone elses) lies in the cold dead hands of a different kind of market where the proles are making a killing for a change.

Zombies roam an undead republic.

A Little Shindig For The Server
(for larger hi-rez version of poster, Click Here)

As editors, we, more than most, realise Indymedia.ie's had it's ups and downs in contributions and content. Editors have come and gone, and the very nature of online publishing and user generated content has fundamentally changed with the Web 2.0 revolution.

But once the dust of discussion has settled, one clear fact remains, the Irish movement has yet to create a media outlet with the reach and scope of Indymedia.ie. Until something better comes along, Indymedia.ie remains a vital communicative node for those in struggle in Ireland, it binds us together where usually we fracture. But to survive, we need your help.

Read on to see how you can help...

Shell Plunder

This video represents the many people not given a voice in the mainstream media. They have been denied a voice mainly because of their dissenting views about the Corrib gas project in its current form. There are interviews with many people who have suffered both personally and financially for daring to oppose the oil and gas industry. This industry has been supported by the various intimidatory and violent methods used by the Garda. The mainstream media has consistently misrepresented the facts, and has failed to report human rights abuses taking place in Mayo. It has instead tried to demonise anybody who goes against their neo-liberal view-point on how Ireland should be organized and structured.

Most of the interviews were filmed over the last month. Thanks to all of the people who generously gave up their time and energy to make this no budget documentary.

This is the first part of an ongoing documentary about the Corrib Gas Project.

Related Links:
Spinwatch - monitoring PR and Spin
Art not Oil - For creativity, climate justice, and an end to the oil industry sponsorship of the arts.
Shell to Sea
Shell Ireland - Working with our neighbours

Frequently Asked Questions as the mob film takes over the airwaves - ch. 802 UPC digital

Media that doesn't have any other distribution....................
.........................
..........other than the internet, screenings, dvds.........
........
a place where these films are broadcast and can be submitted to be put on the television.......

It had to come to this. Somewhere along the way the means of production and distribution of media would fall into the wrong hands and even indymedia would be fully co-opted for the armchair activist. Don't go out on the streets, don't gather at your screenings or media centres, don't pass samizdat video from hand to hand - now you can consume independent media through the goggle box.

Dublin Community Television is launching on 16th July and the launch night schedule gives a clue to the influences - premieres of Route irish and Torture is Us mark the Independent Media Bloc which shows activist videos from Ireland and the world. Below the fold is the guide to the launch in the handy form of a FAQ.

Related Links:
www.dctv.ie | Route Irish | Torture is Us | the scheduler. | PDF File listing some other DCTV programmes | Cameras Filming in New Theatre as part of Launch | Seattle Showdown - the first Indymedia TV series