Heath Ledger's death has finally been ruled an accident. In the interim, awaiting the verdict, there have been numerous examples of those wishing to profit from sleaze surrounding his death. In fact, it was as one might expect, sad and a little pathetic.
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Meanwhile, the accident that is ALP administration is also sad and a little pathetic. Now, the 'sorry' campaign by Rudd has been promoted through a KKK member in the Northern Territory posting a youtube submission.
The introduction of Dr nelson into the campaign is proving to be beneficial. The Liberal leader may have gotten the inept Rudd to drop 'stolen' from the apology.
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A play about the death of a woman on a cruise is thought to be lampooning the tragic rape and death of Diane Brimble.
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It is probably time for someone to do an appropriate and sensitive documentary on Nicola Cotton. The Weasel has begun.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Ledger's Death an Accident
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4 comments:
I am working (voluntarily, unpaid) with the Fairfield based 'Rumble pictures' http://www.rumblepictures.com.au/
One project I am heading is a (10 min) documentary titled 'Picking Cotton' and a (5 min) dramatisation of the death of the young policewoman from louisiana, Nicola Cotton.
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23127653-5001028,00.html
The idea is to highlight elements of a police woman's life, graduation from academy, completion of probationary period, the lead in to the failed arrest and fight, a loved one at a viewing of the corpse and the summation of the final arrest by the local police commander, saying Cotton had done her duty in the best traditions of the force.
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I am approaching police for help with the project, both technical aspects regarding the arrest and execution of warrant as well as a loan of uniforms for filming purposes.
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I am also approaching media for images and information regarding Maquarrie Fields, Redfern and Bondi riots, highlighting anti police feeling in the community.
The aim of the project is to put a human face to local police in Australia, and to bridge the disconnect between young people and law enforcement.
Are you interested in this project? I am open to suggestions and comments.
I am approaching Fairfield Council for grant funding, and considering arts council etc etc
Play 'an insult to Dianne's memory'
By Alex Lalak and Lisa Davies
THE family of Dianne Brimble is outraged by a controversial new Australian play, claiming it is an insensitive portrayal of the circumstances surrounding her death aboard a P&O cruise.
The play Cruising – which went into rehearsal this week – tells the story of an onboard investigation into the death of 35-year-old Toni, a single mother who suffers an apparent overdose after ingesting a large quantity of the date-rape drug gamma hydroxybutyrate (fantasy).
A detective is brought onboard to interview a range of characters including a woman who saw the victim getting drunk in the nightclub but decided not to intervene.
The focus of the investigation is on two men, aged in their 30s, who are suspected of having provided Toni with drugs and of raping her.
Mark Brimble, the family's spokesman and vice-president of the International Cruise Victims lobby group, said the play was obviously based on his ex-wife's death and described the production as insensitive.
"It's the last thing the family would want ... particularly when it's based around something that's already had so much media attention," he told The Daily Telegraph.
Mr Brimble was surprised the writer claimed her production was not based on Mrs Brimble's death.
"There is no other reported incident around the world that I've seen, with (a death like Mrs Brimble's)," he said.
"I just think the arts have got better things they could be writing about."
While the parallels with the 2002 case of Mrs Brimble are striking, playwright Alexandra Edmondson is adamant the play is entirely fictitious – created from research into a range of similar incidents.
"It is a fictional story and the characters are fictional," she said.
"The woman dies in circumstances similar to several different cases, and I looked at over 30 incidents that have occurred around the world."
Edmondson has stressed that the circumstances depicted in the play have become increasingly common, and that she felt it provided her with a framework through which to explore the issues of accountability and self interest.
Heath Ledger's death an accident
Heath Ledger's abuse of a powerful mix of prescription drugs led to a fatal "accidental overdose", the official investigation into his death has concluded.
Tests on the 28-year-old Australian actor's blood detected six different drugs, including narcotic painkillers, anti-anxiety pills and sleep medication.
The New York Medical Examiner ruled out suicide.
"We have concluded that the manner of death is accident, resulting from the abuse of prescription medications," said Ellen Borakove, director of public affairs at the New York Chief Medical Examiner's Office.
The drugs the Oscar nominee consumed before his body was found in the bedroom of his Manhattan apartment on January 22 included the painkiller OxyContin, the anti-anxiety drugs Valium and Xanax and the sleeping pills Restoril and Unisom.
"Heath Ledger died as the result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam, and doxylamine," Ms Borakove said.
Ledger's US-based publicist, Mara Buxbaum, immediately released a statement from Ledger's father, Kim, requesting the media to stop speculating about what killed his son.
"Today's results put an end to speculation, but our son's beautiful spirit and enduring memory will forever remain in our hearts," Kim Ledger wrote.
"While no medications were taken in excess, we learned today the combination of doctor-prescribed drugs proved lethal for our boy.
"Heath's accidental death serves as a caution to the hidden dangers of combining prescription medication, even at low dosage."
Ledger, the star of 2006 best picture Oscar nominee Brokeback Mountain and this year's Batman sequel, The Dark Knight, went public with his trouble with sleeping in an interview with the New York Times late last year.
He complained he could only sleep two hours a night and his "body was exhausted".
Ledger told the newspaper two Ambien sleeping pills would give him just one hour of sleep.
Ms Borakove decline to say how many pills Ledger had taken to cause his death, or the concentrations of each drug found in his blood.
Ledger's father's reference to "low dosage", however, and the ruling Ledger died from an accidental overdose rather than suicide indicates large quantities of any one drug were not found in his bloodstream.
"It was the cumulative effects of these medications together," Ms Borakove said.
Today's release of Ledger's official cause of death in the US comes as the actor's family, two-year-old daughter Matilda and former fiancee, Michelle Williams prepared for his funeral in Perth.
The funeral, expected within days, will be private.
Ledger's family and Williams have made repeated pleas for privacy and for the media to let them grieve.
In today's statement from Kim Ledger, he again asked for privacy and also opened up about the pain his family was suffering.
"We remain humble as parents and a family, among millions of people worldwide who may have suffered the tragic loss of a child," Kim Ledger wrote.
"Few can understand the hollow, wrenching, and enduring agony parents silently suffer when a child predeceases them."
Kim Ledger also thanked the support his family had received the past fortnight.
"We treasure our beautiful granddaughter Matilda (to our dear Michelle) as well as an unbelievably wonderful network of close friends, forever, around the world," he wrote.
"Families rarely experience the uplifting, warm and massive outpouring of grief and support as have we, from every corner of the planet.
"This has deeply and profoundly touched our hearts and lives.
"We are eternally grateful."
Kim Ledger also told how he cherished the time he had with his son in Perth over Christmas and gave a glimpse of what was special about the movie star.
"Our family enjoyed an extremely happy two week visit with Heath just prior to the New Year," Kim Ledger continued.
"Those recent precious days will stay with us forever.
"We as a family feel privileged to have some of his amazing magic moments captured in film.
"To most of the world Heath was an actor of immeasurable talent and promise.
"To those who knew him personally, Heath was a consummate artist whose passions also included photography, music, chess and directing.
"We knew Heath as a loving father, as our devoted son, and as a loyal and generous brother and friend."
Kim Ledger made one final plea to the media to give the family space to mourn.
"At this moment we respectfully request the worldwide media allow us time to grieve privately, without the intrusions associated with press and photography," he wrote.
KKK's vile response to apology
By Peter Michael
TOWNSVILLE police are investigating a Ku Klux Klan video that appeared on the internet featuring a burning cross and a white-hooded man making racist comments in response to the national "Sorry" motion.
Aboriginal activists, police, and race discrimination experts yesterday condemned the "vile" and "frightening" film posted six days ago on video-sharing website YouTube (warning: video contains very offensive language).
North Queensland Regional Crime Co-ordinator Det-Insp Warren Webber said officers would investigate the video. But he denied any significant KKK activity in Townsville.
"I don't think racism is confined to Townsville," Det-Insp Webber said.
"And I don't think there is any magic wand to eliminate racist behaviour."
The 30-year-old Townsville man who posted the footage, when contacted by The Courier-Mail yesterday, said Australian Aborigines did not deserve an apology.
"Why say sorry? If we did not come here they would still live in caves and be throwing spears. And they want us to say sorry for what?," he emailed.
Under the username of Bennypip, he posted the video on February 1 in response to the proposal by the Federal Government to say "sorry" next Wednesday.
He refused to accept the racist attack was wrong.
Local Federal MP Peter Lindsay urged federal police to "hunt down this person" and charge him with racial vilification.
"Australians just don't tolerate this kind of behaviour in our country. We won't put up with it," Mr Lindsay said.
He said he hoped there was no link to the large military community in the north Queensland city.
"Previously these sorts of things in Townsville have been associated with the Defence Force and I hope that is not happening again," he said.
Aboriginal activist Gracelyn Smallwood said Townsville was well-known as "the nation's KKK capital" and a "hotbed of racial discontent".
"We can't get too wound up, and hopefully all those people, both black and white, standing side-by-side prepared to say sorry will not be overshadowed by this sort of red-neck, bigoted behaviour," Ms Smallwood said.
Queensland Anti-Discrimination Commissioner Susan Booth said she was shocked by the footage.
"The KKK is the symbol of hate. I don't understand the appeal the KKK has for these sorts of people, but this is very serious," she said.
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