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Nick Kyrgios – a short fuse and a hot temper
Nick Kyrgios, the mercurial bad-boy Australian tennis player ruffled the Wimbledon calm in an early match with outbursts in his standard hot-tempered way but seems to have bitten his lip for his last outing. Then his court appearance was announced for early August on an assault charge of a former girlfriend. The authorities were careful … Read more
Peter Brook – a trailblazing thespian
‘Legendary’, ‘visionary’, ‘the enfant terrible of British theatre’ – the tributes to Peter Brook, who has just died, aged 97, give testament to his standalone status as a theatrical genius. His love for drama developed early with his rendition of Hamlet being delivered for his family aged 7. After Oxford, aged 20 he was appointed … Read more
Tony Blair – a man on a mission
An unwelcome blast from the past hove into view this week with Tony Blair winding up a head of steam to step back into the UK political arena. Probably not to become a party leader or candidate but to play puppet-master and king maker for a centre-left and centre amalgam to replace the shambles of … Read more
Meghan – aiming for the top spot
President Meg Mountbatten-Windsor is being punted as a future prospect if the Duchess of Sussex heads for Washington as she has hinted she’d like. The Royal title would have to be ditched or would be swiftly withdrawn, which may happen in any event, depending on behaviour ahead. She’s undoubtedly in a more ambitious phase of … Read more
Bill Gates – enticed onto the rocks by a siren call
Bill Gates, the Microsoft nerd-genius turned ruthless tycoon, the richest man on the planet for several years, was transformed into a saintly philanthropist until his philandering ways brought a divorce, with increasing and damaging publicity about his connection with Jeffrey Epstein. Gates was born 28 October 1955 at 10 pm (from memory) Seattle, Washington, … Read more
Hong Kong – under the Chinese jackboot
A downbeat Hong Kong marked the 25th anniversary of its handover to the Chinese by swearing in John Lee Ka-chiu, a hardline former HK policeman, as chief executive. He is one of several top HK officials sanctioned by the US over the Chinese territory’s declining autonomy and freedoms; and the European Parliament has recently begun … Read more
Ghislaine Maxwell – shamed but unrepentant
Ghislaine Maxwell appeared unbowed as she faced a 20 year sentence over sex trafficking and listened to the victims of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse give harrowing testimony. As the judge noted she evinced sympathy but ducked responsibility. That will be partly because she hopes to appeal, though, as a lawyer noted, she is also a narcissist, … Read more
Democrats despair of Biden’s muted Roe v Wade response
Joe Biden’s passivity in the face of the Roe V Wade reversal has riled activists who say he should be doing more than prompting voters to take action at the Mid Terms. Frustrated Democrats say the responses by party leaders have been inadequate and they aren’t fighting or willing to push boundaries. Progressive lawmakers like … Read more
Nora Ephron – a quirky take on love and life
Nora Ephron, writer, and filmmaker, cut a swathe through popular culture for decades with her iconic screenplays for When Harry Met Sally (1989), and Sleepless in Seattle (1993) and even earlier Silkwood (1983). Her quirky take on life hewn out of a childhood with two alcoholic parents proved a liferaft when her second marriage to … Read more