I read several Eric Carle books with my kids, although the Very Hungry Caterpillar is the only one I remember from my own childhood. I rather suspect that my kids will be reading that book with their own kids in due course.
RIP Gavin MacLeod. Murray from The Mary Tyler Moore show and Captain Stubing from The Love Boat.
The Guardian obituary failed to mention that he was also Peter Sellers' nemesis in The Party. I've only seen that film once, but I have a very clear memory of his character bolting awake in the middle of the night after recognizing the name of the guy at the party.
I know MacLeod identified as a born-again Christian, and apparently he and his wife hosted a religious radio-show about marriage.
I loved Captain Stubing. I think I needed a healthier father-image in my adolescence, so he touched my heart in that role.
Love Boat I never really got into, though I knew its set-up and characters well. It seemed like one of those shows that was typical of network TV in the 1970s: aimed at children and teenagers, but written by middle-aged people. (As opposed to say, Saturday Night Live, which seemed to reflect the sensibilities of the people watching it).
I suppose their line-up of guest-stars was usually designed to appeal to a wide age range. But I'll always remember Mad Magazine's nasty one-liner about the show: the perfect way to see what all your favorite stars of the 1950s look like with false teeth and hair implants.
Thinking about it, I guess I can understand why you'd warm to Captain Stubing. He was certainly written as a warm, reassuring character, and MacLeod played him quite well.
Stubing was also a pretty big contrast to the acerbic Murray, which says something about MacLeod's range as an actor.
Roger Fisher, former organist of Chester Cathedral, has died, I understand after quite a long illness.
David took a couple of groups of choristers from Belfast to sing with the Chester choir in the 1990s, to give them a feel of singing with a full-time choir, and he and Roger became good friends.
He was a musician and a gentleman - may he rest in peace.
I'm sad to hear about Roger Fisher. I knew Roger a bit in the 1980s, when I was in Chester Cathedral's Nave Choir, for a few years (that experience is responsible for a lot!), though he only took those rehearsals very, very occasionally, I learned a lot from him when he did. As well as from the many lunchtime organ recitals of his I attended.
We also had the same driving instructor, I discovered. I made the mistake of learning to drive at the same time as starting organ lessons (at the cathedral, though with the assistant organist of the day - the regular director of the Nave Choir at the time.) My feet were a little enthusiastic on the car's pedals and it seemed I was never going to get the hang of it... in sheer exasperation, one day, the instructor asked "You don't, by any chance, play the organ do you? The only other person I taught with similar difficulties was the cathedral organist!"
At which point I gave up the driving lessons in favour of the organ lessons until such time as I really needed to learn to drive 10 years later!!
This was a show about three newly graduated law students who had set up a "storefont" office. They took on impossible cases for walk-in clients with no money.
Our English Teacher explained to us that the choice of characters was symbolic. A black American,(CW III), a woman and the third was nmaed "Aaron Silverman". She then asked who or what he was representing and not one of our top 5th form English class knew that was a Jewish name!
Damaris Hayman, an actress mainly in comedy roles, plus a memorable appearance in Jon Pertwee era Doctor Who (she was Miss Hawthorne the white witch of Devil's End in the Daemons), has died aged 91.
Re-watching scenes from Deliverance on YouTube, it occurs to me what an absolutely detestable character he played(eg. see his comments and mannerisms during the famous Dueling Banjos scene, which are those of a common schoolyard bully). It almost seems as if the script was setting us up to think that he was somehow getting what he deserved later on during the film's most notorious scene.
Don't get me wrong, great performance from a great actor in a great film. I don't think it's a coincidence, though, that the most horrific fate happens to befall the most obnoxious of the four protagonists.
[In case it's not obvious from what I've written, that movie can probably be triggering.]
Don't get me wrong, great performance from a great actor in a great film. I don't think it's a coincidence, though, that the most horrific fate happens to befall the most obnoxious of the four protagonists.
This is what TV Tropes refers to as the Asshole Victim trope, often used to make audiences less horrified by what happens to a character.
Don't get me wrong, great performance from a great actor in a great film. I don't think it's a coincidence, though, that the most horrific fate happens to befall the most obnoxious of the four protagonists.
This is what TV Tropes refers to as the Asshole Victim trope, often used to make audiences less horrified by what happens to a character.
Yes, it's widespread in movies as well. I saw a po-mo slasher flick a while back where an asshole teacher is shown laughing about giving his students failing grades, and then of course the killer comes in and offs him.
Mind you, in Deliverance, there was arguably a thematic justification for the motif, since Beatty's character is clearly someone who thinks he's superior to the hillbillies, who sort of represent raw nature. But raw nature gets the last laugh on him.
On another note, it's somewhat odd that anyone else in that camping party would want to spend a weekend with Beatty's character. In fact, Jon Voight and Ronny Cox are the only two who seem like they could plausibly be friends.
I did not realise that Beatty voiced Lotso (Hugs) Bear in Toy Story 3, an absolutely fantastic villain with a heart-rending backstory. I thought it was Tommy Lee Jones!
Don't get me wrong, great performance from a great actor in a great film. I don't think it's a coincidence, though, that the most horrific fate happens to befall the most obnoxious of the four protagonists.
This is what TV Tropes refers to as the Asshole Victim trope, often used to make audiences less horrified by what happens to a character.
That reminds me of the lawyer who got swallowed in Jurassic Park. Of course there is also the computer guy who got killed by a critter while trying to escape with his ill-gotten gains. The lawyer seemed to get killed because, well, he was an obnoxious lawyer. Computer guy was hoist by his own petard.
History will remember Rumsfeld’s so-called accomplishments, the foremost of which, again, is the Iraq War...He was a terrible, malevolent force in international politics and directly responsible for thousands if not millions of deaths.
A more honourable life's closure has been noted in some media: Bishop John Osmers ... I've watched his life from afar with admiration since he visited my "parish of origin" in 1981. Deep humility, deep integrity, and fearless search for justice. May he Rest in Peace and Rise in Glory (and if there is such a thing as rising surely he will be amongst the most shining of risers).
A more honourable life's closure has been noted in some media: Bishop John Osmers ... I've watched his life from afar with admiration since he visited my "parish of origin" in 1981. Deep humility, deep integrity, and fearless search for justice. May he Rest in Peace and Rise in Glory (and if there is such a thing as rising surely he will be amongst the most shining of risers).
May he indeed.
(An interesting link - but did you see the photo of him headed "Ordained a Priest" but wearing what look much more like bishop's robes????)
@Zappa, thanks for posting on Bishop John Osmers, I haven't been able to get online this week. His memorial service (on Zoom) was held 2nd July 2021 here in Cape Town.
Fr Michael Lapsley posted earlier that "Bishop John died on 16th June, the 45th anniversary of the Soweto uprising, commemorating the day which in 1976 began the unravelling of the apartheid regime. John, working in Masite parish, was involved with many of the refugees who fled to Lesotho from the violence that erupted in South Africa. He died also on the eve of World Refugee Day. No coincidence." Like Michael Lapsley, Osmers was badly injured in a bomb attack by apartheid security and lost his right hand.
He was later Bishop of North Eastern Zambia and for a number of years, chaplain of the ANC in Lusaka. He is also remembered for his support of Rwandan refugees in Zambia.
One of the most compassionate and selfless people I have ever met.
Speaking of Zambia, we all seem to have missed the passing of Kenneth Kaunda on June 17th.
A one-party strongman, though I do recall reading somewhere that he was one of only two African leaders(the other being Nyerere) who denounced Idi Amin.
And the British Minister For Africa apparently refered to Kaunda's country as "Zimbabwe" at the funeral. I can believe that was just a slip(ie. he knew which country he was in, but the wrong word came out), but the optics are still pretty bad.
Prof. Ian McGillivray has died, aged 100.
His ground breaking research into pre-eclampsia in twin pregnancies had a worldwide impact and has improved the lives of countless women and babies.
Sad to hear of Ian McGillivray's death. He did a lot for twins and their mothers, particularly in getting over to the medical establishment that twins shouldn't be seen as automatically a "problem" pregnancy.
I remember going to see Superman with my father, who had seen Star Wars, and my mother, who was barely aware of the movie's existence. On the way home, my mother opined that Superman was pretty good, and my father, betraying a certain impatience, replied to the effect that if my mother had seen Star Wars, she wouldn't think Superman was such a big deal.
Which was probably true. I also think The Omen was pretty cheesy: there's a lot of sectarian banter to be had over the idea that Satan is terrified by Anglican churches, and I will never banish from my mind the scene where a professional archeologist quotes Hal Lindsey.
Never saw The Goonies. I gather it's well-regarded in the relevant circles.
And I love both Star Wars and Superman; I thought they were both big deals.
Sure. But Star Wars is definitely remembered as a turning point for movies, in a number of different respects. Superman, not so much, I'd say. Probably most notable for being the first time a comic-book superhero had been put on the big screen since the 1960s, and the first time ever with such a lavish budget.
I'm a little ashamed to say that had you asked me, I would have said that Kenneth Kaunda was dead, but I don't know when he had died. (That's one of those things that eventually one is right about.) But, wow, 97. He was remarkable for having relinquished power peacefully.
I met Kenneth Kaunda once, when he addressed the Church of Scotland World Mission Council, which was quite a small body for him to come to visit. But he had a respect for what Scottish missions had done in his country, especially with regards to AIDS.
Edwin Edwards, who served four terms as governor of Louisiana and eight years in prison for corruption, has died at age 93. His most notable accomplishment was defeating David Duke in his run for governor in 1991.
Two bumper stickers captured the ambivalence that Edwards generated. “Vote for the Crook. It’s Important,” read one. “Vote for the Lizard, not the Wizard,” read another.
Fereimi Cama :
Anglican Archbishop of Polynesia, consecrated only in 2019, died this month. A strong advocate of human rights, and an ex-soldier whose bravery and sense of conviction was shown strongly in 2000, when he went in to minister to the government ministers who were "imprisoned" in parliament house by the nationalist leaders of the coup that year. He was also renowned as an advocate of action against climate change ( a subject he spoke on in England on a fellowship there) and support for women priests , Christian youth and ecumenism.
The Marama and I knew him for many years, when he was Dean of the cathedral at which we were regular parishioners. We remember him as fairly high church (by Pacific standards) but very caring and with a concern fro punctuality, uncharacteristic of most Fijians. Hence his occasional announcements that such-and-such an event would take place at "8 o'clock, English time, not Fiji time".
Cause of death is rumoured to be COVID-19, which is currently rampant in the greater Suva area, despite a very respectable vaccination rate.
He established that children watching adults be violent and TV violence became more violent in their own behaviour. How many of you remember the "bobo doll study"?
His work became very important in understanding how children and people in general behave as influenced by those they observe.
Jane Withers has passed away. I really liked her Josephine the Plumber character because I had no experience of female plumbers and that was a bit mind-blowing for me in a positive way. May she rest in peace!
I remember being lectured on Bandura's work when doing a B.A in Education. I had been teaching for 5 years prior to University and his work made good sense to me. Far more so than some of the other theories.
The wonderful Grammy-award winning singer/songwriter Nanci Griffith has died at age 68. Details have not been released; the announcement from her management company said “It was Nanci’s wish that no further formal statement or press release happen for a week following her passing.” That suggests this wasn’t unexpected.
We heard her in concert once, and it was wonderful. Such a rapport with her audience.
Well, at least perhaps she’s already making music again with John Prine.
Comments
The Guardian obituary failed to mention that he was also Peter Sellers' nemesis in The Party. I've only seen that film once, but I have a very clear memory of his character bolting awake in the middle of the night after recognizing the name of the guy at the party.
I know MacLeod identified as a born-again Christian, and apparently he and his wife hosted a religious radio-show about marriage.
Love Boat I never really got into, though I knew its set-up and characters well. It seemed like one of those shows that was typical of network TV in the 1970s: aimed at children and teenagers, but written by middle-aged people. (As opposed to say, Saturday Night Live, which seemed to reflect the sensibilities of the people watching it).
I suppose their line-up of guest-stars was usually designed to appeal to a wide age range. But I'll always remember Mad Magazine's nasty one-liner about the show: the perfect way to see what all your favorite stars of the 1950s look like with false teeth and hair implants.
Thinking about it, I guess I can understand why you'd warm to Captain Stubing. He was certainly written as a warm, reassuring character, and MacLeod played him quite well.
Stubing was also a pretty big contrast to the acerbic Murray, which says something about MacLeod's range as an actor.
Absolutely!
David took a couple of groups of choristers from Belfast to sing with the Chester choir in the 1990s, to give them a feel of singing with a full-time choir, and he and Roger became good friends.
He was a musician and a gentleman - may he rest in peace.
We also had the same driving instructor, I discovered. I made the mistake of learning to drive at the same time as starting organ lessons (at the cathedral, though with the assistant organist of the day - the regular director of the Nave Choir at the time.) My feet were a little enthusiastic on the car's pedals and it seemed I was never going to get the hang of it... in sheer exasperation, one day, the instructor asked "You don't, by any chance, play the organ do you? The only other person I taught with similar difficulties was the cathedral organist!"
At which point I gave up the driving lessons in favour of the organ lessons until such time as I really needed to learn to drive 10 years later!!
That was my first thought too.
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/jun/07/clarence-williams-iii-the-mod-squad-dies
This was a show about three newly graduated law students who had set up a "storefont" office. They took on impossible cases for walk-in clients with no money.
Our English Teacher explained to us that the choice of characters was symbolic. A black American,(CW III), a woman and the third was nmaed "Aaron Silverman". She then asked who or what he was representing and not one of our top 5th form English class knew that was a Jewish name!
Re-watching scenes from Deliverance on YouTube, it occurs to me what an absolutely detestable character he played(eg. see his comments and mannerisms during the famous Dueling Banjos scene, which are those of a common schoolyard bully). It almost seems as if the script was setting us up to think that he was somehow getting what he deserved later on during the film's most notorious scene.
Don't get me wrong, great performance from a great actor in a great film. I don't think it's a coincidence, though, that the most horrific fate happens to befall the most obnoxious of the four protagonists.
[In case it's not obvious from what I've written, that movie can probably be triggering.]
This is what TV Tropes refers to as the Asshole Victim trope, often used to make audiences less horrified by what happens to a character.
Yes, it's widespread in movies as well. I saw a po-mo slasher flick a while back where an asshole teacher is shown laughing about giving his students failing grades, and then of course the killer comes in and offs him.
Mind you, in Deliverance, there was arguably a thematic justification for the motif, since Beatty's character is clearly someone who thinks he's superior to the hillbillies, who sort of represent raw nature. But raw nature gets the last laugh on him.
On another note, it's somewhat odd that anyone else in that camping party would want to spend a weekend with Beatty's character. In fact, Jon Voight and Ronny Cox are the only two who seem like they could plausibly be friends.
That reminds me of the lawyer who got swallowed in Jurassic Park. Of course there is also the computer guy who got killed by a critter while trying to escape with his ill-gotten gains. The lawyer seemed to get killed because, well, he was an obnoxious lawyer. Computer guy was hoist by his own petard.
Edited to fix broken code - Piglet, AS host
May he indeed.
(An interesting link - but did you see the photo of him headed "Ordained a Priest" but wearing what look much more like bishop's robes????)
I might toddle along to the Cathedral on Saturday
Fr Michael Lapsley posted earlier that "Bishop John died on 16th June, the 45th anniversary of the Soweto uprising, commemorating the day which in 1976 began the unravelling of the apartheid regime. John, working in Masite parish, was involved with many of the refugees who fled to Lesotho from the violence that erupted in South Africa. He died also on the eve of World Refugee Day. No coincidence." Like Michael Lapsley, Osmers was badly injured in a bomb attack by apartheid security and lost his right hand.
He was later Bishop of North Eastern Zambia and for a number of years, chaplain of the ANC in Lusaka. He is also remembered for his support of Rwandan refugees in Zambia.
One of the most compassionate and selfless people I have ever met.
A one-party strongman, though I do recall reading somewhere that he was one of only two African leaders(the other being Nyerere) who denounced Idi Amin.
And the British Minister For Africa apparently refered to Kaunda's country as "Zimbabwe" at the funeral. I can believe that was just a slip(ie. he knew which country he was in, but the wrong word came out), but the optics are still pretty bad.
His ground breaking research into pre-eclampsia in twin pregnancies had a worldwide impact and has improved the lives of countless women and babies.
I remember going to see Superman with my father, who had seen Star Wars, and my mother, who was barely aware of the movie's existence. On the way home, my mother opined that Superman was pretty good, and my father, betraying a certain impatience, replied to the effect that if my mother had seen Star Wars, she wouldn't think Superman was such a big deal.
Which was probably true. I also think The Omen was pretty cheesy: there's a lot of sectarian banter to be had over the idea that Satan is terrified by Anglican churches, and I will never banish from my mind the scene where a professional archeologist quotes Hal Lindsey.
Never saw The Goonies. I gather it's well-regarded in the relevant circles.
Sure. But Star Wars is definitely remembered as a turning point for movies, in a number of different respects. Superman, not so much, I'd say. Probably most notable for being the first time a comic-book superhero had been put on the big screen since the 1960s, and the first time ever with such a lavish budget.
Anglican Archbishop of Polynesia, consecrated only in 2019, died this month. A strong advocate of human rights, and an ex-soldier whose bravery and sense of conviction was shown strongly in 2000, when he went in to minister to the government ministers who were "imprisoned" in parliament house by the nationalist leaders of the coup that year. He was also renowned as an advocate of action against climate change ( a subject he spoke on in England on a fellowship there) and support for women priests , Christian youth and ecumenism.
The Marama and I knew him for many years, when he was Dean of the cathedral at which we were regular parishioners. We remember him as fairly high church (by Pacific standards) but very caring and with a concern fro punctuality, uncharacteristic of most Fijians. Hence his occasional announcements that such-and-such an event would take place at "8 o'clock, English time, not Fiji time".
Cause of death is rumoured to be COVID-19, which is currently rampant in the greater Suva area, despite a very respectable vaccination rate.
He established that children watching adults be violent and TV violence became more violent in their own behaviour. How many of you remember the "bobo doll study"?
His work became very important in understanding how children and people in general behave as influenced by those they observe.
https://www.tsn.ca/chicago-blackhawks-legend-tony-esposito-passes-away-at-78-1.1680269
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-58190446
We heard her in concert once, and it was wonderful. Such a rapport with her audience.
Well, at least perhaps she’s already making music again with John Prine.