In Memoriam: April 2015

1^st April 2015 – Dave Ball, 69

Guitarist for Procol Harum.

2015 In Memoriam: Malcolm Fraser

20^th March 2015 – Malcolm Fraser, 84

("MalcolmFraser1982" by Camera Operator: A1C MONTGOMERY. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons.)

Prime Minister of Australia from 1975 to 1983, and the beneficiary of Sir John Kerr’s move on Gough Whitlam. Whitlam and Fraser were sworn enemies, though they became friends later in life.

The Christmas Book of Ghosts (2015) published

The Christmas Book of Ghosts published last week, and has raised over £100 for charity.

You can find it here.


As way of welcome, I reprint my introduction here, in the hope it will entice more readers to look up our book, or, at the very least, donate some money to the charity.

Introduction

Michael S. Collins

In Memoriam: March 2015

1^st March 2015 – Daniel von Bargen, 64

Troubled actor known for his roles as Commandant Spangler in Malcolm in the Middle and Kurger on Seinfeld.

1^st March 2015 – Stuart McGrady, 29

Scottish footballer who played for Queens Park and Ayr United.

2015 Glasgow buildings deadpool: an update

As it is now December, here is an update in our 2015 Glasgow buildings deadpool from January.


In order of doom (with my January thoughts italicized):

2015 In Memoriam: Sam Simon and Sir Terry Pratchett

8th March 2015 – Sam Simon, 59





American screenwriter and producer who worked on Taxi and Cheers, but became best known for his role in bringing The Simpsons to screen. He had risen to become the producer on both Taxi and Cheers, and met Matt Groening when he was the executive producer of The Tracey Ullman show. It was thought that Simon's superior knowledge of TV would be the yin to the yang of Groening’s artistic talents.

In Memoriam 2015: Leonard Nimoy

27th February 2015 – Leonard Nimoy, 83

In Memoriam: February 2015

1st February 2015 – Beryl Platt, 91


Mathematician, one of the first female aeronautics expert, and Conservative peer, Baroness Platt of Writtle.



“She was only 20, and a new Cambridge graduate, when in 1943 she joined Hawker Aircraft in its experimental flight test department at Langley, Berkshire, in top-secret work on fighter aircraft: the Hurricane, Typhoon, Tempest and Fury. She was present when the Last of the Many, the final Hawker Hurricane – an aircraft that had shot down more enemy aircraft in the Battle of Britain than the rest of UK air and ground defences combined – rolled off the production line in July 1944.”
Tom Corby, Guardian obit

2015 Memoriam: Udo Lattek

31st January 2015 – Udo Lattek, 80



“I tried to give the players in the game a lot of freedom. I have set the framework and told the players: "Watch out, guys, the frame is only there that we have a common conception of things." For me, everyone had the opportunity and the right to step out this framework, if it was in the sense of the team. Who was only there to excel himself, who got what in the nut. But I hate it when a player on the court questioning looks for trainer and wants to know what he should do in this or that situation. The word responsibility has always been important for me, and so I think the oversupply of many professionals today not in order.” Udo Lattek, Faz interview, 2005

In Memoriam: January 2015

Year End Memoriams for January 2015 (and a few from December we only found out about once New Year had passed...)

As with years passed, we take the time to remember those who have left us in the previous twelve months.

(Note - All quotes are italicised and sourced to their authors, except Telegraph obits, as they don't credit their own writers. As in previous years, this is a non-profit memorial with quotes used strictly for critique purposes.)

To repeat the drill, for those new to this:

Bond Themes

It was just the other day that Justin Jessel and a number of others suggested I do a blog on James Bond. Actually, it was... five years ago. Blimey, I can't even blame Acts of Toddler for that delay.

The Bond films are ripping yarns which have lasted fifty-three years and counting. Six actors have played James Bond, each with their own takes, nuances and fan bases. Every style of film has been invoked, from classic cold war spy flick to even horror and fighting genres.