The Prime Minister has been forthright in his defence of Churchill as a national hero following statue toppling demonstrations. Winston's statue had to be protected from graffiti and slurs on his reputation. Anti-slavery campaigners sought to smear the wartime leader's name and reputation. This was taken up with the National Trust which put Churchill's Chartwell home in Kent on a blacklist of properties 'with a rich colonial past'. This was strongly opposed by The Common Sense Group of MPs.
The Group is now challenging an attempt by the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich seeking to downgrade the heroic status of Lord Horatio Nelson. The Museum, faced with threats of withdrawal of funding, now states that they had no plan to revise their gallery exhibitions on Nelson.
The Prime Minister has vowed to lead the fight against the ‘culture wars’ seeking to denigrate British history, following these attacks on British symbols and heroic figures from the past.
For the new version of Cleopatra, the Israeli actress Gal Gadot, (star of the remake of Wonder Woman) has been cast in the title role. As expected there has been a cultural appropriation uproar that an Egyptian woman had not been chosen for the role. It was then pointed out that Cleopatra was actually of Greek ancestry; she also claimed kinship with Isis (the goddess not the terrorist organisation).
There was no such talk of cultural appropriation when Elizabeth Taylor starred in the 1963 version; no criticism about the Welsh Richard Burton playing Mark Antony rather than Marcello Mastroianni or Vittorio de Sica.
It is disappointing news that the prolific writer Bill Bryson has announced his retirement from writing at the tender age of 68. American by birth, he has lived in Britain since the 70s. A self-confessed Anglophile, he has sold over 10 million books. His Notes on a Small Island (1996) on his exploration of his adopted country established his reputation. Whilst punishingly vitriolic about some places and their inhabitants, he was complimentary about Newcastle and the North East. Perhaps this was influenced by the time enjoyed by his son at Newcastle University or his own six years as Chancellor of Durham University.
He quotes his most treasured creation as A Short History of Nearly Everything (2003). His last(?) book was The Body: a Guide for Occupants. The reason given for his premature retirement? The lockdown has encouraged him to ‘read for pleasure’ and enjoy life not doing anything at all, beyond playing with his 10 grandchildren.
He may have joined the exclusive writers such as Philip Roth and Lee Child who decided they have had their time and want to leave the stage to others; rather than those who, through habit, ego, financial necessity or contractual duty, continue to write after their powers have waned. I suspect Bill Bryson will reappear, with his perceptive and amusing views on life in his 80s and 90s – I hope so.
Various much awaited events have been postponed or cancelled due to Covid. Particularly missed were two planned golf trips to Scotland, one of these an annual three day trip to North Berwick and the Open Arms in Dirleton. We replaced this with a day’s competition at Bamburgh Golf Course. This was as a memorial to our dear and much loved friend Michael Melling, such a valued ever present, who sadly died of cancer this year.
A newly commissioned Claret Jug trophy was the subject of a much enjoyed competition, as a fitting way to remember a very special man.
Filling time with the latest series such as Us, Life and The Singapore Grip can provide some compensation for the lack of theatre, concerts and cinema. The next attraction on Sky Atlantic is The Undoing, a six-part psychological thriller, starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant. The latter allegedly avoids his stereotype of trading on his good looks as an unfocussed toff, and produces an accomplished acting performance.
The series is directed by the Danish Suzanne Bier, who directed The Night Manager and Bird Box. She is the first woman director to win an Oscar, a Golden Globe and an Emmy. This should be worth watching.
As I entered Sainsbury’s in Edgware a customer ahead of me, a lookalike for Eastenders’ Phil Mitchell, was stopped by a courteous lady pointing out that he was not wearing a mask. He said he did not wear masks but was told they were mandatory, as indicated in many prominent notices. He launched into a tirade about each mask containing a chip, and that it was all about control and 5G.
The lady remained firm and the man turned and departed. It was a comparatively controlled exchange but indicative of the many thousands of followers of David Icke, Piers Corbyn and the vaccine opposing, Covid denying, conspiracy theorists intent on organising mass meetings and bombarding social media.
The must-have toy for Christmas? Surely it must be The Doc McStuffins Wash Your Hands Doll. Advertised as a fun way to teach children how to stop the spread of Covid-19. When squeezed it plays a 39-second song “Soap and Water you can’t go wrong”. Only £24.99 and comes complete with stethoscope, face mask, thermometers and a doctor’s bag – but no nose swabs or instant test kits. More fun than Spirograph and Play Doh?
Home / Business / COMMENT with…..Barry Speker
Comment With.....barry Speker
The Prime Minister has been forthright in his defence of Churchill as a national hero following statue toppling demonstrations. Winston's statue had to be protected from graffiti and slurs on his reputation. Anti-slavery campaigners sought to smear the wartime leader's name and reputation. This was taken up with the National Trust which put Churchill's Chartwell home in Kent on a blacklist of properties 'with a rich colonial past'. This was strongly opposed by The Common Sense Group of MPs.
The Group is now challenging an attempt by the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich seeking to downgrade the heroic status of Lord Horatio Nelson. The Museum, faced with threats of withdrawal of funding, now states that they had no plan to revise their gallery exhibitions on Nelson.
The Prime Minister has vowed to lead the fight against the ‘culture wars’ seeking to denigrate British history, following these attacks on British symbols and heroic figures from the past.
For the new version of Cleopatra, the Israeli actress Gal Gadot, (star of the remake of Wonder Woman) has been cast in the title role. As expected there has been a cultural appropriation uproar that an Egyptian woman had not been chosen for the role. It was then pointed out that Cleopatra was actually of Greek ancestry; she also claimed kinship with Isis (the goddess not the terrorist organisation).
There was no such talk of cultural appropriation when Elizabeth Taylor starred in the 1963 version; no criticism about the Welsh Richard Burton playing Mark Antony rather than Marcello Mastroianni or Vittorio de Sica.
It is disappointing news that the prolific writer Bill Bryson has announced his retirement from writing at the tender age of 68. American by birth, he has lived in Britain since the 70s. A self-confessed Anglophile, he has sold over 10 million books. His Notes on a Small Island (1996) on his exploration of his adopted country established his reputation. Whilst punishingly vitriolic about some places and their inhabitants, he was complimentary about Newcastle and the North East. Perhaps this was influenced by the time enjoyed by his son at Newcastle University or his own six years as Chancellor of Durham University.
He quotes his most treasured creation as A Short History of Nearly Everything (2003). His last(?) book was The Body: a Guide for Occupants. The reason given for his premature retirement? The lockdown has encouraged him to ‘read for pleasure’ and enjoy life not doing anything at all, beyond playing with his 10 grandchildren.
He may have joined the exclusive writers such as Philip Roth and Lee Child who decided they have had their time and want to leave the stage to others; rather than those who, through habit, ego, financial necessity or contractual duty, continue to write after their powers have waned. I suspect Bill Bryson will reappear, with his perceptive and amusing views on life in his 80s and 90s – I hope so.
Various much awaited events have been postponed or cancelled due to Covid. Particularly missed were two planned golf trips to Scotland, one of these an annual three day trip to North Berwick and the Open Arms in Dirleton. We replaced this with a day’s competition at Bamburgh Golf Course. This was as a memorial to our dear and much loved friend Michael Melling, such a valued ever present, who sadly died of cancer this year.
A newly commissioned Claret Jug trophy was the subject of a much enjoyed competition, as a fitting way to remember a very special man.
Filling time with the latest series such as Us, Life and The Singapore Grip can provide some compensation for the lack of theatre, concerts and cinema. The next attraction on Sky Atlantic is The Undoing, a six-part psychological thriller, starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant. The latter allegedly avoids his stereotype of trading on his good looks as an unfocussed toff, and produces an accomplished acting performance.
The series is directed by the Danish Suzanne Bier, who directed The Night Manager and Bird Box. She is the first woman director to win an Oscar, a Golden Globe and an Emmy. This should be worth watching.
As I entered Sainsbury’s in Edgware a customer ahead of me, a lookalike for Eastenders’ Phil Mitchell, was stopped by a courteous lady pointing out that he was not wearing a mask. He said he did not wear masks but was told they were mandatory, as indicated in many prominent notices. He launched into a tirade about each mask containing a chip, and that it was all about control and 5G.
The lady remained firm and the man turned and departed. It was a comparatively controlled exchange but indicative of the many thousands of followers of David Icke, Piers Corbyn and the vaccine opposing, Covid denying, conspiracy theorists intent on organising mass meetings and bombarding social media.
The must-have toy for Christmas? Surely it must be The Doc McStuffins Wash Your Hands Doll. Advertised as a fun way to teach children how to stop the spread of Covid-19. When squeezed it plays a 39-second song “Soap and Water you can’t go wrong”. Only £24.99 and comes complete with stethoscope, face mask, thermometers and a doctor’s bag – but no nose swabs or instant test kits. More fun than Spirograph and Play Doh?
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