Mukoko in the Times

Nearly 2 months after the story of Jestina Mukoko's arrest broke, the Times has finally written a proper article about what has been happening. If you would like to read this particular collation of information it is here.

BTW the name for the "alleged" torture of beating the soles of the feet is 'Falanga'. It is also known as 'Bastinado'.

Paddington Bear Sings in the Rain

This has always been one of my favourite Paddington moments. It never fails to cheer me up. In the midst of the snow and the ice and the cold of the moment, I hope that you will enjoy it as well.

Naughty Baroness Murphy

Those of us interested in the life and times of the orchestra may have read about an unpleasant medical condition in the string section called "cello scrotum". Or not. It was recently revealed, however, that the whole thing is a great big hoax. The BBC takes up the story:

"A top doctor has admitted her part in hoodwinking a leading medical journal after inventing a medical condition called "cello scrotum". Elaine Murphy - now Baroness Murphy - dreamt up the painful complaint in the 1970s, sending a report to the British Medical Journal. She came clean when the hoax resurfaced in the 2008 Christmas edition."

Bad doctor. Bad bad doctor. You may read about the consequences here.

Angela Morley RIP

Angela Morley? Never heard of her. Then I read her obituary in the Telegraph:

"In 1974 Angela Morley was nominated for an Academy Award, for her contribution to The Little Prince, and again the following year for The Slipper And the Rose. She attended the Oscar ceremonies on both occasions, and was so encouraged by her reception in Hollywood that she resolved to move to California. In the United States she worked mainly in television, contributing scores to numerous episodes of Dallas, Dynasty, Cagney & Lacey, Wonderwoman and other long-running series. She also formed a firm working relationship with the composer John Williams, working with him on such blockbusters as Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, ET, Home Alone and Schindler's List.

Although never credited as composer of a major Hollywood score, Angela Morley worked as orchestrator, arranger and sometimes conductor with names such as André Previn, Miklos Rosza and Lionel Newman. Over the course of her Hollywood years she gained three Emmy Awards and six nominations. Her last years were spent writing for recordings by soloists such as Itzhak Perlman and Yo Yo Ma, and for symphony orchestras."

Nu, this is not mind-numbingly boring ... always good for the obits to include more women. On the other hand, this is what you really need to know (if you did not already):

"Angela Morley was born Walter Stott in Leeds on March 10 1924, the son of a ukulele-playing watchmaker. He began taking piano lessons aged eight, but had to give up when his father died suddenly three months later. Encounters with the violin and accordion followed, and he finally settled on the clarinet and alto saxophone. Leaving school at 15, he went on tour with Archie's Juvenile Band for a weekly wage of 10 shillings."

the rest is here.

What Shall We Do With the Grumpy Pirate?

It makes me sad when I agree with anything that is said by the Daily Mail newspaper. Today is one such day, although I would probably put it a little differently. In any case, a story today about that old shanty 'What shall we do with the drunken sailor?':

"It is a famous sea shanty sung on the way to battle when Britannia ruled the waves. Handed down from parent to child it has become a nursery rhyme that has amused countless generations. But now the popular ditty 'What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor' has fallen foul of that most modern artillery - the PC brigade. The government-funded charity Bookstart, which promotes reading for children around the country, has changed the lyrics to remove any reference to alcohol"

I wouldn't go bashing the PC peeps as much as just wish that the time, energy and cash had been spent on something a little more important. Athough "tickle him until he starts to giggle" is quite sweet. The Mail goes on to inform us:

"Drunken Sailor was a Navy work song often sung when raising a sail or lifting the anchor - which is the reference for 'Up She Rises' in the song’s chorus. Usually only two or three verses were sung but verses were often added until the task was completed. Such shanties were the only ones allowed in the Royal Navy and were often sung on the way to battle. The lyrics reflect how the ship's crew deal with one of their shipmates after a belly full of rum stops him from helping with his deck duties. The air was taken from a traditional Irish march and dance tune, and the music first printed in 1824. Although the lyrics were not published until 1891, it is likely they were sung well before then."

*sigh*

Back Fat Saved my Sister's Life

The story of my sister's recent experience as a new bod in Los Angeles is now an article in today's Guardian. A brief and good read if I say so myself!

"My back fat saved my life. For a woman who has spent most of her life dieting, this statement rankles. But my muffin top protected me when I was shot with a high-powered air rifle fired by an unknown sniper at 2.15pm in a residential neighbourhood in Los Angeles. Had I been the usual LA size-zero stereotype, I would probably have been killed. Or paralysed."

Read the rest of it here.

Stirring Music

If you can get over the sight of conductor Mark Elder dressed in what looks like a chef's jacket as he leads the orchestra at the last night of the Proms in 2006, then this music should get you up and going. On the other hand, especially with the short homage to the Queen's 80th birthday, one may be overcome by memories of colonial oppression and other misbehaviours. My main thought is usually my poor mother, who lives across the road from Hyde Park, and a couple of blocks down the road from the Royal Albert Hall.

PS I would have posted "Jerusalem", except that it would make me cry and Youtube wouldn't let me.

no no no no no no no no no!

"LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – The Fox network has picked up the pilot "Absolutely Fabulous," a U.S. version of the cult British comedy about a neurotic fashion publicist, Edina, and her best friend, Patsy, an outrageous fashion editor, who drive Eddie's sensible teen daughter, Saffron, up the wall with their wild behavior. Christine Zander wrote the adaptation, which is set in Los Angeles. Zander is executive producing the pilot with Jennifer Saunders, who wrote the original series and starred as Edina."

Why can some people not let a good thing alone? 'Kath and Kim' anyone?

Oscars 2009: The Nominees

Here is the list of the main nominees for the Oscars this year. My wish list for winners includes:

Best Movie: Milk (but it will probably be Slumdog Millionaire)
Best Actor: Sean Penn for Milk (but I wouldn't mind Frank Langella for Frost/Nixon)
Best Actress: Angelina Jolie (Changeling wasn't necessarily so wonderful, but I would rather have her filling the screen than anyone else)
Best Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz (ditto)
Best Supporting Actor: no point wishing here - has to be Heath Ledger
Best Animated Feature: Kung Fu Panda, but it will be Wall-E

cue gratuitous photo of aj:

My Favourite Pic from the Inauguration

Yes, I cried

It is official - we have a grown-up in the White House. Now we shall wait and see what he is able to do.

It was almost as cold in our living-room this morning as it was in DC. I wrapped myself in a duvet and waited for my feet and the inauguration to warm up. Rick Warren, apart from his regular work, was actually not offensive if I listened to what he said filtered through my belief system rather than his (and I liked that he began with the Shema - Hear O Israel). Aretha was stunning, as was her hat. Until the swearing-in, though, all I could think of was that I wish my father had been here to see this day come to pass. He was one of the foot-soldiers in the fight for civil rights, and I cried the tears of joy he would have cried had he been here.

All the speeches and prayers were too long - Obama could have cut two minutes by simply quoting JFK's 'ask not what your country can do for you'. The old preacher at the end was brilliant - as he staggered up to the mike asking for blessing on those of weary years I was amused but with trepidation. He then wittered on for a while before ending on a high, though, with his colourful flower power note.

The main thing is that the party is now over and it is time to get some work done. Happy Inauguration Day!

President Obama's Inauguration speech here, courtesy of the BBC online.

Thought for Tomorrow

I was leafing through a book of poetry today, and came across the following verse of an ode by Arthur O'Shaughnessy (the one that starts 'We are the music-makers'). I thought it fit my thoughts as I think about the inauguration of President Barack Obama tomorrow.

And therefore to-day is thrilling
With a past day's late fulfilling;
And the multitudes are enlisted
In the faith that their fathers resisted.
And, scorning the dream of to-morrow,
Are bringing to pass, as they may,
In the world, for its joy or its sorrow,
The dream that was scorned yesterday.

We love you, Rowly!

Poor old Martin Rowlands, the captain of my beloved QPR, has discovered today that he did his ACL on Saturday at Pride Park. His season is done, and probably ours as well. Another blow to him and to the team. We are already without my beloved Buzsaky and Rowan Vine. Wishing him a speedy recovery.

Tony Hart Montage

Here is a 10-minute tribute to Tony Hart, featuring moments from the programme 'Take Hart'. If you have 10 minutes and would like them to be calm, gentle, and interesting - watch this!

Diary of a Pakistani Schoolgirl

Here is a sample from the few pages that were previously posted at the BBC Urdu online page. Of course it is unthinkable to so many of us that a girl may be forbidden to go to school. It is unthinkable that we might fear punishment and perhaps death for the simple act of going to school. This girl knows nothing else.

"I was getting ready for school and about to wear my uniform when I remembered that our principal had told us not to wear uniforms - and come to school wearing normal clothes instead. So I decided to wear my favourite pink dress. Other girls in school were also wearing colourful dresses and the school presented a homely look.

My friend came to me and said, 'for God's sake, answer me honestly, is our school going to be attacked by the Taleban?' During the morning assembly we were told not to wear colourful clothes as the Taleban would object to it.

I came back from school and had tuition sessions after lunch. In the evening I switched on the TV and heard that curfew had been lifted from Shakardra after 15 days. I was happy to hear that because our English teacher lived in the area and she might be coming to school now."

The rest of the excerpt is here.

Where are the movies for women?

Wanting to find a new angle in award-winning season from which to write, the showbiz editor of the Telegraph tries to grab the attention of women ignored by Hollywood. Worked for me :-)

"Women have flocked to see Mamma Mia! because they are otherwise ignored by Hollywood, according to Meryl Streep. Mamma Mia! has taken nearly £402million worldwide and is nominated for three Baftas. The feelgood movie has smashed box office records, overtaking Titanic and Harry Potter to become the highest-grossing release of all time in the UK.

Streep, the Oscar-winning star who played the lead role in the musical, said women are woefully under-served by Hollywood and jumped on a film which was made just for them. "I know the studio is gobsmacked by its success, and a lot of the critics have been surprised, but I wasn't. It was a no-brainer," the actress said of the film, which features the songs of Abba and is based on the West End stage show. "I knew it would do well because it was aimed at an audience that has been neglected in recent years in film offerings - women. They are the last group anybody ever cares about.""

This is a perennial complaint. In the end, my attention was grasped by the question of whether or not Ms Streep would actually use the word "gobsmacked".

Olivia Newton John

Not bad for a breast cancer survivor who turned 60 last September, eh? I have to admit, with some embarrassment, despite "Sam, Sam, you know where I am", that I have always had a soft spot for Olivia Newton John. I know all the words to every song in 'Grease'. I own a vinyl version of 'Xanadu'. Actually, I think my aunt has that record as well :-) I've even seen the film Sordid Lives. And her grandfather won a Nobel Prize for Physics. Nu, I saw this pic in an article and thought I would give her a shout-out.

Here is the title track from the Xanadu film. Blink and you will miss Gene Kelly at the beginning, but there are 3 good shots of the beautifully-coiffed Andy Gibb and lots of lovely Eighties lovelies:

Amnesty International report on events in Zimbabwe

I am continuing to monitor the internet with regard to Jestina Mukoko and her co-workers at the Zimbabwe Peace Project. The latest i can find is from 4 days ago on the Amnesty site:

"Zimbabwean human rights activist Jestina Mukoko was abducted from her home by armed state security agents, at around 5am on 3 December 2008. Her whereabouts were unknown until 23 December. She has now spent over a month in detention. Ms Mukoko, the director of human rights organization the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP), appeared in a Harare court on Wednesday after having been tortured. She is yet to be charged. Amnesty International has called for the immediate and unconditional release of Jestina Mukoko, along with two other ZPP members Broderick Takawira and Pascal Gonzo. All three are considered prisoners of conscience.

Following her abduction, Ms Mukoko was held and interrogated at various unidentified detention facilities. Every time she was moved from one facility to another, she was blindfolded. Throughout her detention, she was in solitary confinement. During interrogations, she was forced to place her feet on the table and was beaten on the soles of her feet with a rubber object. At other times, the interrogators spread gravel on the floor, on which she was forced to kneel while the interrogation continued. Throughout her torture, Ms Mukoko vehemently denied interrogators’ allegations that she and others were involved in the recruitment of youths to undergo military training to take up arms against the state.

Jestina Mukoko and seven other detainees are being held at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison in Harare.

Please express your solidarity with Jestina and the other detainees by sending cards and letters to them at the following address:
Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison
Chikurubi Prison Complex,
Private Bag 7392 Greendale,
Harare,
Zimbabwe"

Have just written my letter, and will go to the post office when a path has been cleared through the snow!

Who was it?

Did you guess correctly? Did you guess at all? A few years ago I got to see the musical 'Barnum' with Jim Dale in it. One of my favourite evenings ever in the theatre (and waaaaay better than the London version with Michael Crawford imo). The actress playing his wife was the one admiring her Hollywood star in this picture: Glenn Close.

Tony Hart RIP

As I get older, of course more people that influenced me in my youth will die. It just seems that the last few weeks have had a more than average number of such events. Add to the list Tony Hart, who encouraged those of us who wanted to draw but thought we weren't much good to have a go anyway. The Mail on Sunday says:

"Artist and children's TV presenter Tony Hart died in the early hours of this morning. He was 83. Since retiring in 2001, Hart had suffered from health problems over the last few years, including two strokes. During his long career, Hart appeared on numerous TV shows, including Hartbeat, Saturday Special and Smart Hart.

Born in Maidstone, Kent, in 1925, Hart became interested in drawing from an early age. After leaving school in 1944, Hart signed up with the Indian Army and became an officer in the 1st Gurkha Rifles in World War II. Once he released from the forces, Hart decided to take his love for art further and signed up at the Maidstone College of Art. Hart's television career began in 1952 after a chance meeting with a BBC producer, during which he displayed his art skills with a paper napkin.

His first TV role was as the resident artist on Saturday Special, before going on to appear on Playbox, Titch and Crackers and Vision On. In 1963, Hart created the first Blue Peter badge for the children's TV show, several years after the programme first started. In 1970, Hart found a popular co-star in the form of plasticine character Morph, who appeared in segments on the artist's TV shows Take Hart and Hartbeat. Hart was noted for encouraging art in schools and children across the country sent in their artwork to his TV shows in the hope of being displayed in 'The Gallery'. His most popular show Hartbeat, which ran from 1985 to 1994, attracted 5.4million viewers and he received between 6,000 to 8,000 letters and drawings a week.

In 1978, he won his first Bafta for a series of comic shorts about a plasticine character called Junfan, before claiming a lifetime achievement award in 1998.

After suffering ill health, Hart retired in 2001 and was devastated two years later when his wife Jean in 2003. Last year, he told of his distress at being unable to draw after strokes left him unable to use his hands properly. He told The Times: 'Today my studio lies abandoned, and I spend most of my day confined to my chair. 'Not being able to draw is the greatest cross that I have to bear, for it has been my lifetime passion. But, I endeavour to stay cheerful, as there is nothing to be done about my condition.'

Hart is survived by his daughter Carolyn and two grandchildren."