OBITUARIES

[Nolic]

The "Crown Jewels" incident was raised by Alan McKewan, self styled expert on everything. He "reluctantly" let it be known that he was party to secret information that they were housed in Skipton, not Clitheroe, Castle during the war. Nolic

[Stanley]

Comrade, If THIS is to be believed, whatever happened to them it was a very amateurish affair!

[Tripps]

Jean Fergusson who played Marina in Last of the Summer wine for twenty five years has died.

I have a tape somewhere in which she played Hylda Baker, and sounded more like Hylda than Hylda did. I'll dig it out.

[Stanley]

I missed that David. Thanks. Brilliant characterisation, always appreciated.

[Big Kev]

RIP Gary Rhodes, one of my food heroes.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/entertai ... s-50570852

[Cathy]

Clive James . Author, Poet, Presenter, Larrikin.
RIP

[Stanley]

I noted both departures. Especially sad about Clive James, everything he did was enjoyable. RIP.
Jonathan Miller as well. Such a talented man.

[Tripps]

It has to be said - though all deaths are regrettable, I am unmoved by the loss of all three of these people. however 'de mortuis nil nisi bonum' as they say, so I'll say no more.

However Clive James has made a cottage industry over the last five years or so, of giving interviews in which he describes his state of 'dying' . In fact after watching one - I bought his book 'Unreliable Memoirs' which I've just retrieved. Partly read as are most of my collection.

I like the fact that the announcement came after his funeral.

[Stanley]

Clever bugger. You made me look that up!
I find myself in the same position many a time but if there is good reason I have no inhibitions about speaking ill of the dead!

[Tripps]

I bought his book 'Unreliable Memoirs' which I've just retrieved

I've dipped in and it's impressive. I'm reading about his time at Sydney University, and I am reminded of Both Uncle Bob (Bliss) and Stanley at Lancaster by the style and content of his degree course. He is super intelligent - he'll tell you that himself.

I'm warming to him - especially as he is a fully paid up 'climate change sceptic'. He did an essay on it in 2016 which is worth a read. Global Warming

When a numpty like me has such thoughts, they are easily brushed aside, but when Clive James says it - a different matter entirely.

[Stanley]

your opinion is as valid as anyone else's David. Stop being modest!

[plaques]

I'm warming to him - especially as he is a fully paid up 'climate change sceptic'. He did an essay on it in 2016 which is worth a read. Global Warming

I enjoyed the read. Not so much as a climate change sceptic but more of a sceptic of sceptics. Richard Feynman also said "The first principle is that you must not fool yourself and you are the easiest person to fool". also a theory is only correct until facts prove it wrong.

[Tripps]

As I said 'I'm a numpty' what do I know. Feel free to ignore anything I say.

also a theory is only correct until facts prove it wrong.

I would see that as ' a theory is only correct when facts prove it right'. ??

[Stanley]

David, the most reliable method of judging is how well the theory stands up to attack. Facts can never unequivocally prove a theory is right. Newton and Einstein could both testify to that!
Over to Tiz....

[plaques]

The obituary of a theory is when the facts are totally indisputable. Darwin's Theory of Evolution is a good example. As time and science moves on it has now stopped being a theory and is considered as one of the basic truths of nature. Only the Creationists believe that the fossils were seeded by the Devil to give the illusion of Earth's great age. Similarly they insist on still referring to Darwin's theory.

[Tizer]

My suspicion is that Clive James was well aware of climate change and its dangers but he had more fun, more challenge, more self-promotion (and perhaps more money) out of trashing it with his usual sharp wit than if he'd simply admitted that it was happening. Likewise, Bill Bryson does something similar - publishers prefer dissension, it sells more books!

[Tripps]

publishers prefer dissension, it sells more books!

I can see why you say that - but it was published as an essay by the Global Warming Policy Foundation, who seem to have the copyright, not in a book for sale. I'm not sure what else he wrote on the topic either for or against. It's also dated 2017 just two years before his death, and whilst he was gravely ill (as he reminded us at the time, and in the essay) - being kept alive by the skills available locally at Addenbrookes. A bit fanciful, but perhaps It's akin to a death bed statement.

I think I'm leaning towards it being what he actually believed- especially since it reinforces my own thoughts.

[Julie in Norfolk]

RIP Bob Willis. Well played.

[Stanley]

Bob Willis, he took no prisoners!

[Tripps]

David Bellamy. Botanist and former TV personality aged 86.

"In an interview with the Observer in 2010, he said: “I’ve gone from ‘the conservationist’ to a pariah because of my views on man made global warming. I still don’t believe the current theories.”

[Stanley]

He blew it for me after that statement.

[plaques]

I enjoyed his programmes because he was different, didn't always agree with some of his statements but he did make you think. Global warming is far too complicated in all its interactions to create an absolute definitive model explaining all its complexities. Excess Carbon Dioxide looks like the main culprit so cutting back on it is a sensible thing to do. David Bellamy was probably right to question the 'theory' of the day but times have moved on and we can't afford to wait to see what happens if we do nothing.

[Tizer]

Bellamy did a good job of promoting an interest in nature and I liked him for that. We always remember a TV programme where he was on a rocky beach and was so engrossed in the wildlife that he didn't notice he was standing in water deep enough to reach his trousers and you could see the wet area creeping up the trouser legs by capillary action. I'm sure if he'd noticed he would have then explained how capillary action works! Unfortunately in his later years he made that common mistake of making proclamations on current events or hypotheses outside his own area of expertise without taking care to delve into the evidence as he would have done if it were in his own area. Einstein did the same. In the early 1950s he was backing deniers of continental drift when geologists all accepted it from evidence collected over many decades. Lawson has done the same on climate change.

[Big Kev]

Kenny Lynch RIP

Up on the Roof...

[Stanley]

I saw that report. I liked him.....