Musings, mutterings and bright lights

Vincent Tilsley 3 June 1932 - 29 September 2013 I’ve had the good fortune of meeting some amazing people in my life and high on the list is Vincent Tilsley, outstanding British playwright, author and Jungian therapist, to which I might also add, legendary alcoholic. His opus can be googled and seen on IMDB, and on a Facebook page maintained by his daughter, Joanna. See https://www.facebook.com/VincentFTilsley For interviews with Vincent as the scriptwriter of The Prisoner, a cult drama series in the 60s, see  https://tinyurl.com/yangj8kn    Vincent was invited to the University of Western Australia by the Politics Department in 1974 as he had co-created a successful TV series, the Guardians, about a military takeover of Britain. He was notable for a long list of other successful TV productions ranging from adaptations of Dickens and Jane Austin, popular series such as The Prisoner, Z Cars, The Forsyte Saga and Dr Finley’s Case, and the epic Death of Adolph Hitler

Spain and the possible succession of Catalonia is making news that threatens to destabilise Europe. This is troubling and unwelcome: Brexit is bad enough and a Spexit positively frightening. This brings to mind my only trip to Spain in June 1976, 6 months after the death of General Franco, the scourge of Spanish democracy. Although the Caudillo was dead, and buried in the controversial Valley of the Fallen, his ghost remained active in the form of his followers, known as the bunker, at the head of which was Prime Minister, Carlos Arias Navarro appointed to the position by Franco. All the while, Spaniards were unclear about the role that King Juan Carlos would play in their precariously balanced political system. Spain was at the crossroads; more strict state rule or the first democratic elections since the defeat of the Second Spanish Republic in 1939. In the final years of Franco's reign, I was studying literature at university, and I loved the work of Hemingway, Orwell

In biblical times it is said that David confronted Goliath and slew him with his sling thus defeating the Philistines, and David then going on to become the king of Israel. We all know the story. Today, in the same part of the world, a struggle continues between a David and a Goliath, but this time Israel has become the Goliath and David the stone-throwing youths of the Occupied Territories. It may not be kosher to say this, and I definitely do not call for the destruction of the Israeli state, but perhaps the most oppressed people in history have been transformed into oppressors themselves, which is a very sad outcome, and I’m sure one many liberal citizens in Israel are uncomfortable with. Israel has the heavy artillery and firepower: they have the tanks, fighter jets, armoured vehicles, highly trained troops, well-regarded intelligence services, and more to inflict enormous pain on anyone who confronts them. In contrast Palestinian youth throw stones and shout defiance.

The years go by, and suddenly the 50th wedding anniversary approaches. That was the case with my sister Carmel when I rocked up in Perth in early December 2017 for a celebration and family reunion. I missed the wedding in 1967 but I wasn't to miss this gathering, or else. As often happens on such occasions old family photo albums are dusted off and revisited, for selections for a PowerPoint presentation in this case but also to reminisce on past lives, and memories. A document emerged and captured our attention. It was an old, yellowing, fragile and fading Red Cross document dated 11 August 1944 and sent from Vienna to my mother informing her that her husband, our father, was alive as a POW. Headings in this message form were in both Italian and English, and there was space for the handwriting of up to 25 words that were only to be  family news   of   a   strictly   personal   character . Please write clearly, it admonished. Our father, Leone, rarely spoke of the war, b

Another mass shooting and the same stock platitudes tweeted from President Trump: “Our thoughts and prayers go out to blah blah blah. Such platitudes are understandable forms of sympathy in many tragic situations but not in the shootings of innocents by deranged citizens with insane firepower. But for the latest case of mass killings, the NRA once again has Trump in a headlock ensuring no change and that the killings will go on. Mental health checks of gun owners, of even people on terrorist watch lists purchasing guns in certain locations, is disregarded and new laws of open carry take the dangers of gun ownership to a new level. Sadly gun sales have gone through the roof since the Sandy Hook massacres due to, oh yes, that oft-repeated platitude: The only thing to stop a bad man with a gun is a good man with a gun, like Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock who was unknown to police before he went on a deadly rampage. Of course, politics is all awash with platitudes and the ones