“Napoleon” – the film by Ridley Scott also featuring my own Napoleonic journey Last night, we went to see the new film by Ridley Scott.  The subject, Napoleon, has strangely erupted in my life from time to time, as you will see.  I needed to revisit my connection with this historical era, and was glad […]

Categories: Celebrities · Film · Historical

Oppenheimer “If the radiance of a thousand suns were to burst at once into the sky, that would be like the splendour of the mighty one”. ~ Bhagavad Gita (XI,12), quoted by Robert Oppenheimer The film “Oppenheimer” premiered on Friday (21st July), is being bizarrely pitted against the film “Barbie”, reflective of the aspect which […]

Categories: Celebrities · Film · Historical

Chaim Topol (1935 – 2023) “If I were a rich man, yubby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dum/All day long I’d biddy biddy bum/If I were a wealthy man…” ~ Tevya, Fiddler on the Roof Chaim Topol (whose name means Tree of Life in Hebrew), passed away this week at the age of 87.  […]

Categories: Celebrities · Film · Obituary

Will Smith and Chris Rock The course of Will Smith’s life was altered at the 94th Academy Awards, an occasion which represented both the zenith and the nadir of his life and achievements, the consequences of which are yet to unravel.  For Chris Rock, the host whom he slapped in response to a joke about […]

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Sidney Poitier (1927 – 2022) “I was a pretty good actor and I believed in brotherhood. I hated racism and segregation. And I was a symbol against those things.” ~ Sidney Poitier The iconic actor Sidney Poitier died on Friday this week, at the age of 94.  It seems astonishing to think that in the […]

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Alec Baldwin The actor Alec Baldwin found himself at the centre of a gun-related tragedy this week, at the time of the Mars-Pluto square.  The cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the film Rust died, and the co-director Joel Souza was injured. This haunting event has been described as “unfathomable” – it was an accident, but highlights […]

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J.K. Rowling A week ago, J.K. Rowling became embroiled in a controversy with the transgender community over remarks she had made.  A few days later, she defended her own comments with the revelation that she had experienced domestic violence in her first marriage, and also sexual abuse in her life. Birth Chart The Sun in […]

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Peter Fonda (1940 – 2019) “Head out on the highway Looking for adventure In whatever comes our way …Born to be wild” ~ Steppenwolf, theme song for Easy Rider Going back to the 1960s today, in tribute to Peter Fonda, who died this week.  He is bound to the iconic role he played in “Easy […]

Categories: Celebrities · Film · Obituary

Olivia Colman Olivia Colman won an Oscar last week for her role in the film about Queen Anne, “The Favourite”.  She’s an actress of extraordinary range, who started out in comedy in Peep Show, played D.S. Ellie Miller in Broadchurch, and several roles later has earned herself an Oscar with this role.  She is due […]

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Alan Turing Voted Greatest Icon of 20th Century “There should be no question in anyone’s mind that Turing’s work was the biggest factor in Hut 8’s success. In the early days, he was the only cryptographer who thought the problem worth tackling” ~ Hugh Alexander This week cryptanalyst Alan Turing was voted Greatest Icon in […]

Categories: Book Review · Film · Historical