Santikhiri

The village of Santikhiri (), formerly known as Mae Salong (, ), is in the Thai highlands on Doi Mae Salong mountain of the Daen Lao Range, in Mae Fa Luang District, Chiang Rai Province, the northernmost province of Thailand. The area has an alpine-like landscape and climate, and is known for its hill tribe villages, tea plantations, and cherry blossoms.
Santikhiri's early history centered on the Golden Triangle's opium trade, in which its distinctive population – the "lost army" of the Republic of China Army's 93rd Division – became involved. At the conclusion of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, some remnants of the anti-communist Kuomintang (KMT) forces refused to surrender, including the 278th Regiment of the 93rd Division and the 709th Regiment of the 237th Division (led by General Li Kuo-hui). The troops fought their way out of Yunnan in south-western China, and its soldiers lived in Burma's (now Myanmar) jungles. The army grew and part of it returned to Taiwan under international pressure. The remaining troops were led by Gen Tuan Shi-wen (also known as Chiwan Khamlue) and sought asylum in Mae Salong later. In exchange for their asylum, they fought for Thailand until 1982, helping to counter the communist insurgency on the Thai frontier. In reward, the Thai government granted citizenship to most of the KMT soldiers and their families.
Cash crops, especially tea, have now replaced the growing of opium poppies, and Santikhiri today is a tourist attraction known as "Little Switzerland".
History.
The origins of the Santikhiri community go back to the end of the Chinese Civil War. In October 1949, after Mao Zedong's communist party victory in China, the defeated Kuomintang (KMT) armies led by Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek retreated to Taiwan, except for the 3rd and 5th Regiments of the 93rd Division, which refused to surrender. Fighting between the communist and KMT troops continued in some remote parts of China, including Yunnan in the south-west. When the communists marched into the provincial capital of Kunming in January 1950, 12,000 troops from the 3rd and 5th Regiments, commanded respectively by Generals Lee Wen-huan (Li Wenhuan) and Tuan Shi-wen, fought their way out of Yunnan and escaped into Burma's jungles.
The soldiers' war did not end after their own "long march" from Yunnan to Möng Hsat in Burma's Shan State. The Burmese soon discovered that a foreign army was camped on their soil, and launched an offensive. The fighting continued for 12 years, and several thousand KMT soldiers were eventually evacuated to Taiwan. When China entered the Korean War, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had a desperate need for intelligence on China. The agency turned to the two KMT generals, who agreed to slip some soldiers back into China for intelligence-gathering missions. In return, the agency offered arms to equip the generals to retake China from their bases in the Shan State. The KMT army tried on no fewer than seven times between 1950 and 1952 to invade Yunnan, but was repeatedly driven back into the Shan State. The ending of the Korean War in 1953 was not the end of the KMT's fight against the communist Chinese and Burmese armies, which continued on for many years, supported by Washington and Taiwan and subsequently funded by the KMT's involvement in the Golden Triangle's drug trade.
Refuge in Thailand.
In 1961, Tuan led some battle-weary KMT troops out of Burma to a mountainous sanctuary in Mae Salong in Thailand. In exchange for asylum, the Thai government allowed them to stay on the understanding that they would assist in policing the area against communist infiltration. As a result, most of the village's inhabitants today are ethnic Chinese and direct descendants of those KMT soldiers. At the same time, General Lee of the 3rd Regiment established his headquarters at Tham Ngob, north-west of Chiang Mai. The KMT army was renamed "Chinese Irregular Forces" (CIF) and was placed directly under the control of a special task force, code-named "04", commanded by Bangkok.
After the soldiers reached Mae Salong, China and Thailand struck an agreement to transfer the administration of the group to the Thai government. The provincial governor of southern Thailand, Pryath Samanmit, was reassigned as the governor of Chiang Rai, to oversee the KMT division, but upon taking up his position, Samanmit was killed by communist insurgents. Soon afterwards, the KMT division was ordered to assist the Thai government in countering the advancing armies on Thailand's northern borders and the internal threat from the Communist Party of Thailand. Fierce battles were fought in the mountains of Doi Laung, Doi Yaw, Doi Phamon, and Mae Aabb, and the communist uprising was successfully countered. The bloodiest operation was launched on 10 December 1970, a five-year-long campaign that claimed over lives, many from landmines. It was not until 1982 that the soldiers were able to give up their arms and were discharged to settle down to a normal life at Mae Salong. As a reward for their service, the Thai government gave citizenship to most of the KMT soldiers and their families.
Despite the Thai government's attempts to integrate the KMT division and their families into the Thai nation, the inhabitants of Mae Salong preferred for many years to engage in the illegal opium trade, alongside the drug warlord Khun Sa of the Shan United Army. In 1967, Tuan said in an interview with a British journalist:
According to a CIA report in 1971, Mae Salong was then one of the largest heroin refineries in south-east Asia. Only in the late 1980s, after Khun Sa's army was finally routed and pushed over the border into Myanmar by the Thai military, was the Thai government able to make any headway in taming the region – part of which involved crop substitution plans and giving the area a new name. "Santikhiri" meaning "hill of peace" was introduced by the Thai government in an effort to disassociate the area from its former image as an established opium zone. King Bhumibol Adulyadej and other members of the royal family made regular visits as a sign of their support for the old soldiers who had fought against their own country for Thailand.
Santikhiri today.
As late as the mid-1970s, Doi Mae Salong was strictly off-limits to outsiders. Since 1994, Santikhiri has capitalised on its unique history and has developed into a tourist attraction, with its narrow winding streets lined with inns, noodle shops and teashops. As a result, Santikhiri has become one of Thailand's top ten destinations among backpackers today. The former soldiers had settled down, some of them having married ethnic Chinese brides who crossed the border after the fighting stopped, and others having married local Thais. The old soldiers carry on their normal lives peacefully now, but still retain their Chinese identity; the main language spoken remains Yunnanese. Among their local-born descendants, some have adopted a Thai identity and no longer identify with their Chinese ancestry. As of 2007, General Lue Ye-tien, aged 90 and Tuan's former right-hand man, is the leader of the group, after taking over the leadership on Tuan's death in 1980.
The crop substitution programs successfully encouraged the cultivation of tea, coffee, corn, and fruit trees, replacing the opium poppies that had previously been grown. New fruit orchards and tea factories were also set up, followed by production facilities for fruit wines and Chinese herbs, which are particularly popular among Thais and tourists from China, Taiwan, and other ethnic Chinese communities in south-east Asia.
Santikhiri was chosen as the filming location for the subplot "The Fortitude of the Buddha" in the 2005 film 3 Needles. Although the narrative is supposed to be set in the rural southern province of Yunnan, director Thom Fitzergald stated that difficulties in obtaining permission from the Censorship Authority resulted in the decision to shoot the segment in Santikhiri instead. The segment, which stars Lucy Liu as a heavily-pregnant blood merchant, depicts the blood-selling scandals in China from the 1980s-2000s in which hundreds of thousands of people, mostly rural poor, contracted HIV through government sponsored campaigns to increase blood supplies. The traditional costume of the Akha people features heavily in the segment, however the blood selling scandals mostly impacted rural villagers in Henan province.
Geography and climate.
Santikhiri is a hilltop village in the Mae Fa Luang district of Thailand's Chiang Rai Province, about from Chiang Rai. Santikhiri is on the highest peak of the Doi Mae Salong range of mountains, at an elevation of 1,134 metres (3,722 ft) above sea level. It has an alpine-like climate, with crisp cool air all year round and chilly in the winter months of November through February. Santikhiri is accessible via two routes – Route 1130 from Ban Basang and Route 1234 from the south, which until being paved were only accessible by pack horses. Now regular minibus services, running from 06:00–13:00, are available from Chiang Rai to Santikhiri.
Santikhiri has long been the home of many hill tribes such as the Akha, Yao, Karen, and Hmong that originated from southern China and Myanmar. Each tribe has its own language, and follows animist customs and practices. Living among the native inhabitants are the ethnic Chinese, who form the majority of Santikhiri's estimated population of 20,000.
Landmarks and attractions.
Santikhiri is noted for its "high mountain oolong," a high grade traditional Chinese tea, which makes up about 80% of all tea production in Chiang Rai. The province produces about of tea a year. The combination of climate and soil conditions at Santikhiri is ideal for growing high quality oolongs ("black dragon" in Chinese). Such teas are cultivated at elevations ranging from 1,200 to 1,400 metres (3,960–4,620 ft). In 2005, Santikhiri was selected by the Tourism and Sports Ministry as an OTOP ("One Tambon One Product") tourism village in recognition of its fine oolong tea. The goals are to stimulate the grassroots economy, increase the number of tourists, and develop Thailand's products and services. Taiwanese experts work alongside local farmers in tea processing plants which produce top-quality tea for both the local and export markets. The number of tea plantations in the village has increased significantly since the mid-1990s, and includes Choke Chamroen Tea, Wang Put Tan, and 101 Tea.
From 28 December to 2 January each year, Santikhiri hosts the annual cherry blossoms festival, which is organised by Mae Salong Nok Tambon Administration Organisation in association with Mae Fa Luang District. The festival celebrates the culture of the hill tribe people from the Chiang Rai area, and includes a handicraft sale, a light and sound show, a parade by the tribes people, and a beauty contest.
General Tuan Shi-wen died in 1980, and was buried in a pagoda-like tomb on a hilltop reached via a 300-metre (984 ft) climb. From the top, there is a panoramic view of the village. There is also a memorial to the KMT soldiers who died in their fight against communism, The Martyrs' Memorial, a museum whose wooden panels bear the names of the dead, set on an altar in the main building. It was constructed in the style of a large Chinese shrine like the National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine in Taipei. The museum also features exhibits describing the struggles of the KMT soldiers and the development of the Doi Mae Salong valley.
Phra Boromathat Chedi is a chedi built on a hill near the village, in honour of the late Princess Mother, Srinagarindra. There is an excellent view of the Myanmar frontier from the top, an area that was off-limits when it was under the control of the warlord Khun Sa.


Jeff Lebowski


Sergeant Wilson

Sergeant Wilson, also known as The Honourable Arthur Wilson, is a fictional Home Guard platoon sergeant and bank chief clerk, first portrayed by John Le Mesurier in the BBC television sitcom "Dad's Army".
Background.
Wilson was born in 1887, and is carefree, cheerful and well-spoken, although more complex than he first seems. He is chief clerk of the Walmington-on-Sea bank and captain of the cricket club. He has an upper-middle-class background; his great uncle was a peer of the realm, his father had a career in the City of London, and Wilson often recalls fond memories of his nanny. He was educated at a public school named Meadow Bridge, having failed the entrance exam for Harrow. He was destined for the Indian Civil Service but failed that exam too. The final episode reveals Wilson to have reached the rank of captain in the Middlesex Regiment serving during the First World War.
Captain Mainwaring, Wilson's senior in the Home Guard and in the bank, envies and resents Wilson's privileged background and once compared Wilson with Peter Pan, because he could never face responsibilities. These include Private Pike, who worships his "Uncle Arthur" but may be Wilson's son – Wilson has had a long relationship with Mavis Pike, Pike's widowed mother. It is gossip in Walmington-on-Sea, as both arrived in Walmington from Weston-super-Mare around the same time, and there are other "coincidences" that show Wilson and Mrs Pike are more than just close friends, such as them unofficially living together. He admits that Pike originally called him Daddy, until told to call him Uncle (although the writers have confirmed that Wilson is Pike's biological father). In "Menace from the Deep" Jones brushes against Wilson while he is asleep, and he says without fully waking "Gently, Mavis".
Although Wilson is shown to have a very flirtatious nature, and Mrs Pike has on occasion been seen out with other men (such as Warden Hodges, or the dashing American Army soldiers that arrived in Walmington-on-Sea), their relationship seems to be enduring, with both Wilson and Mrs Pike expressing sincere distress during the various times when they believe the other has left them for someone else.
In "Getting the Bird" it is revealed that Wilson has an adult daughter from an early marriage whom he paid to attend a good school and who is serving during the war in the Women's Royal Naval Service. He admits to Fraser that he does not see his daughter as much as he would like, but it is clear that father and daughter love each other deeply. In "Sgt. Wilson's Little Secret" a misunderstanding leads to him nearly marrying Mrs Pike (indicating that he has divorced his previous wife) but he apparently calls it off at the last moment. There remain loose ends about Wilson's personal life, e.g. he may avoid marrying Mrs Pike because he does not want his previous marriage to become known, or he may never have been divorced from his wife, meaning a marriage to Mrs Pike would be bigamous.
In the post-war radio sequel "It Sticks Out Half a Mile", Wilson claims to be 54 years old, and born in 1894. The radio sequel also reveals that he did become the manager of Swallows bank at Walmington-on-Sea in 1947.
Personality.
Wilson has a vague and dreamy personality and an aura of mystery. In appearance, he resembles Anthony Eden, and in the episode "Ring Dem Bells" loves to be told of his supposed resemblance to the actor Jack Buchanan (and is mocked for doing so by Mainwaring in the episode "The Love of Three Oranges"). He is a kind man, who goes with the flow of life. Wilson's dream-like manner is often mimicked by the platoon, mostly Privates Walker and Fraser, but the men like him, and some admire him (including Jones, Godfrey, and most of all Private Pike). Rather than bark orders as a sergeant would be expected to do, he asks "Would you mind awfully falling in, please?"
However, when pushed, a different Wilson emerges. In "High Finance", it emerges that Warden Hodges has been forcing his attentions on Mrs Pike by blackmailing her with a rent increase; Wilson reacts by punching Hodges in the face, to the admiration of Mrs Pike and Frank. Wilson is the only member of the platoon to be physically violent, as in "Absent Friends" when Pike, Jones, Fraser, Walker and Mainwaring attempt to subdue three IRA members and are beaten. Wilson defeats them singlehanded with only bruised knuckles to show for it.
In social settings, Wilson is effortlessly charming, often to the frustration of Mainwaring (who is the exact opposite of Wilson in these situations), especially as many of the people Mainwaring is hoping to impress are people Wilson already knows quite well. Wilson even manages to charm Mrs. Mainwaring (albeit over the telephone, as she is never seen on screen), telling her "we understand him, don't we" in reference to her husband.
When it comes to women, Wilson is especially debonair, effortlessly flirting and attracting the attention of women, often to the exasperation of Mainwaring, who detests Wilson's flirtatious manner (such as when he is flirting with Mainwaring's nurse, some of the ladies signing up to join the Home Guard, or even the young woman serving drinks at a social event). In the episode "Man Hunt", Wilson asks an attractive young woman to let him come in and look at her knickers, when it is suspected they may have been made of material from a German pilot's parachute (as a result of one of Walker's many black market schemes); in response to this request, the young woman eagerly agrees and invites Wilson inside. This prompts Walker (who was forced to remain outside with Mainwaring after the young woman invited Wilson inside) to remark to Mainwaring about the "extraordinary influence" Wilson has over women.
Wilson's charm is not limitless, however; in the episode "The Two and a Half Feathers", Wilson clashes several times with one of the serving ladies during lunch at the British Restaurant; the serving lady is clearly unimpressed with Wilson's upper-class manner of speech (calling it "lah-de-dah talk"), and even referring to Wilson as a "capitalist lackey" when he leaves his dirty dishes behind for her to gather up.
Relationship with Mainwaring.
Tension and comedy between Wilson and Mainwaring is heightened by their difference in social class: Wilson had an upper middle class childhood and a public school education, prompting resentment from the lower middle class Mainwaring, who had to work his way up and views Wilson as having had it easy. Mainwaring frequently emphasises his superior rank at the bank and in the Home Guard to maintain his authority and superiority over Wilson. Wilson undermines his superior through casual charm and frequent concern at Mainwaring's plans, querying, "Do you really think that's wise, sir?"
The contrasts are established in several ways: as a civilian, Mainwaring wears a bowler hat while Wilson wears a more fashionable Anthony Eden hat. In "The Honourable Man", Wilson became "The Honourable Arthur Wilson" after an uncle who was a peer dies. Mainwaring tried to stay at the centre of attention; Wilson detested his new style and the unwelcome attention it brought him and refused to use his title, which only infuriated Mainwaring more, as he believed one should revel in titles of nobility rather than be ashamed of them.
Conflict between the two reached a head in "A. Wilson (Manager)?", in which Wilson is promoted as manager of another branch and also to second lieutenant in a neighbouring Home Guard Unit. Wilson finds out that he would have been promoted long ago if Mainwaring had not told his superiors that he was unsuitable for promotion. Mainwaring's resentment of Wilson's breeding is revealed. Wilson's new branch is bombed, so he has to return to Walmington. His sign, "A. WILSON, "manager"", is among the debris. Mainwaring's first concern is to let Wilson know that GHQ is allowing him to keep his rank. Wilson is glad until Mainwaring throws him the sergeant's stripes.
Wilson thinks Mainwaring a pompous fool; in "A. Wilson (Manager)?", Wilson reminds Mainwaring that when he first wore his captain's uniform, he saw him walking up and down the high street all afternoon trying to find someone to salute him, but he had to make do with a sea scout troop. However, they remain friends. In the episode "Room at the Bottom", Wilson was told that Mainwaring had not been commissioned a captain's position, and was gleeful when he was told thus Mainwaring would be demoted. Wilson provides a more realistic and down-to-earth appraisal of a situation than Mainwaring, who is blinded by pomposity and patriotism, as demonstrated in this exchange:
Mainwaring also routinely comments on Wilson's private life, specifically his relationship with Mrs Pike and her son (and their underling at the bank and fellow platoon member) Frank. Mainwaring often chastises Wilson to handle either Mrs Pike or Frank whenever they cause problems for him (usually revolving around Mrs. Pike's complaints to Mainwaring of how he treats her son, who she views as overly delicate). Wilson's response to this is usually a mix of nonchalance and exasperation, though in the episode "War Dance", he finally displays his irritation at Mainwaring's butting into his personal life; when Mainwaring refers to him as "Peter Pan" due to his reluctance to act as a father figure to Pike, Wilson drops his normal air of deference to his boss and platoon leader, and angrily replies "My god, Mainwaring, you can hit pretty low when it suits you!"
Despite their conflicts, however, Wilson and Mainwaring do share a respectful, if somewhat formal, sort of friendship. In the episode "Something Nasty in the Vault", Wilson and Mainwaring are trapped in the vault of their bank, desperately cradling an unexploded German bomb. During this time, they bond over their shared danger; at one point Mainwaring even scratches Wilson's nose for him when he develops a maddening itch.
Likewise, in the episode "Keep Young and Beautiful", when presented with the possibility that some of the members of their platoon may be reassigned to the ARP due to their age, Wilson points out to Mainwaring that he has no wish to leave the platoon and is actually very proud of what the two of them have achieved. On several occasions, Mainwaring informs Wilson that he considers him not just his subordinate (at both the bank and the platoon), but also a friend.
In the final episode, Wilson turns up at the wedding of Jones and Mrs Fox in a captain's uniform, having achieved the rank during the First World War. He is modest about it (in the first episode Wilson claims to have been a sergeant in the Royal Artillery serving at Mons, Passchendaele and Gallipoli) and Mainwaring is pleasantly surprised – although he insisted that "it doesn't change anything, you know."
Medals.
Although Sergeant Wilson rarely wore his ribbons, he was awarded the usual trilogy of First World War campaign medals (commonly known as "Pip, Squeak and Wilfred"), that he had previously been awarded as a Captain in the First World War.
Other portrayals.
In a feature film "Dad's Army", released in 2016, Wilson is played by Bill Nighy.
Wilson is played by Robert Bathurst in a series of re-enactments of otherwise lost episodes of "Dad's Army".


Chin Yang Lee

Chin Yang Lee (; December 23, 1915 – November 8, 2018) was a Chinese American author best known for his 1957 novel "The Flower Drum Song", which inspired the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "Flower Drum Song" and the eponymous 1961 film which was nominated for five Academy Awards.
Early life.
Chin Yang Lee (Li Jinyang) was born in 1915 into a scholarly family in Xiangtan, Hunan, China, the youngest of the eight Li brothers who all achieved national or international fame. His eldest brother, Li Jinxi, was the "father of the Chinese phonetic alphabet" and teacher of Mao Zedong. The second oldest, Li Jinhui, was a pioneering musician considered the "father of Chinese popular music".
He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from National Southwestern Associated University in 1942. After working as a secretary for chiefdom of Mangshi at the China–Burma border, Lee emigrated to the United States in 1943, during the Second Sino-Japanese War. After briefly attending Columbia University, Lee earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in playwriting from Yale University in 1947. Lee was a journalist living in and working for two San Francisco Chinatown newspapers, "Chinese World" and "Young China" at the time, in the early 1950s, when he was writing "Flower Drum Song", expanding it from a short story to a novel.
"The Flower Drum Song".
By the 1950s, Lee was barely making a living writing short stories and working as a Chinese teacher, translator and journalist for San Francisco Chinatown newspapers. He had hoped to break into playwriting, but instead wrote a novel about Chinatown, "The Flower Drum Song" (originally titled "Grant Avenue"). Lee initially had no success selling his novel, but his agent submitted it to the publishing house of Farrar, Straus and Cudahy. The firm sent the manuscript to an elderly reader for evaluation. The reader was found dead in bed, the manuscript beside him with the words "Read this" scrawled on it. The publishing house did so, and bought Lee's novel, which became a bestseller in 1957.
The novel, about generational conflict within an Asian American family over an arranged marriage in San Francisco's Chinatown, was adapted into the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "Flower Drum Song", opening in 1958. The original production was the first Broadway show to feature Asian American players. The 1961 film jump-started the careers of the first generation of Asian American actors, including Nancy Kwan, James Shigeta, and Jack Soo. Lee was interviewed on the 2006 DVD release of the movie.
On October 2, 2001, the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles premiered David Henry Hwang's adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Flower Drum Song" to glowing reviews, in the first major theatrical production that had an all-Asian cast of actors and voices. Its initial run was extended, and after several months, the production moved to Broadway, where the reviews were less than stellar. Lee had worked with Hwang on the rewriting of the musical.
Personal life.
Lee married Joyce Lackey, an American writer, in 1963. They had two children, Angela and Jay. Joyce died in 1997. In his later life Lee lived in Alhambra, California. On November 8, 2018, he died of kidney failure in Los Angeles, at the age of 102.
Works.
Short stories.
Many of Lee's short stories were published by the New Yorker magazine after the success of his first novel:


Aung Lin Dwe

Lieutenant-General Aung Lin Dwe (; born 31 May 1962) is a Burmese military officer who is currently serving as the secretary of Myanmar's State Administration Council. He was appointed on 2 February 2021, in the aftermath of the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état. Aung Lin Dwe has also served as the Judge Advocate General of Tatmadaw and the Secretary to the Peace Negotiation Committee.
Sanctions.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has imposed sanctions on "Aung Lin Dwe" since 11 February 2021, pursuant to Executive Order 14014, in response to the Burmese military’s coup against the democratically elected civilian government of Burma. The US sanctions include freezingof assets under the US and ban on transactions with US person.
The Government of Canada has imposed sanctions on him since 18 February 2021, pursuant to Special Economic Measures Act and Special Economic Measures (Burma) Regulations, in response to the gravity of the human rights and humanitarian situation in Myanmar (formerly Burma). Canadian sanctions include freezing of assets under Canada and ban on transactions with Canadian person.
HM Treasury and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of United Kingdom have imposed sanctions on him since 25 February 2021, for his responsibility for serious human rights violations in Burma. The UK sanctions include freezing of assets under the UK and ban on traveling or transiting to the UK.
Furthermore, the Council of the European Union has imposed sanctions on him since 22 March 2021, pursuant to Council Regulation (EU) 2021/479 and Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/480 which amended Council Regulation (EU) No 401/2013, for his responsibility for the military coup and the subsequent military and police repression against peaceful demonstrators. The EU sanctions include freezing of assets under member countries of the EU and ban on traveling or transiting to the countries.
Personal life.
Aung Lin Dwe was born on 31 May 1962. He is married to Ohn Mar Myint, and has two sons, Hlaing Bwar Aung and Phyo Arkar Aung, and one daughter, Shwe Ye Phu Aung.


Albert Tatlock

Albert Tatlock is a fictional character on the British television soap opera "Coronation Street". Albert was played by actor Jack Howarth from 1960 to 1984. The character became something of an institution, so much so that grumpy old men were sometimes nicknamed "Albert Tatlock".
A veteran of the First World War, Albert settled back into civilian life by marrying and starting a family, however his wife Bessie died in 1959 and he retired from his job at the Town Hall the following year, taking up a new occupation as the street's resident grumpy old man, forever complaining about the struggles of old age and living on the low income from his pension.
Although Albert was never close to his daughter Beattie, he maintained close ties with his brother Alfred's family, particularly his niece Valerie, who married Albert's neighbour Ken Barlow in 1962. With Val's death in 1971, and Beattie's continued absence, Ken eventually moved into No. 1 and took care of Albert in his twilight years until his death in May 1984.
Storylines.
Albert was delighted when his niece Valerie (Anne Reid), daughter of his brother Alfred, came to stay with him, and began seeing neighbour Ken Barlow (William Roache); and even more so when the pair got married in 1962. Albert was pleased to have family ties in the street and he was a frequent visitor at No. 9.
Not idle in his retirement, Albert got a job as a school crossing warden and hired an allotment from the Council to grow his own vegetables. In 1965, Albert asked Clara Midgeley (Betty Hardy) to look after his house while he went for an extended visit to his daughter Beattie Pearson's (Gabrielle Daye), and upon his return he soon realised Clara was interested in him. Clara proposed to Albert but he turned her down, saying he was too set in his ways.
Money was always a great concern of Albert's. In 1967, he briefly bought items in bulk with Ena Sharples (Violet Carson) to cut costs and later took a live-in assistant job at the Fusiliers' Museum, working for his old friend Harry Dunscombe. Effie Spicer (Anne Dyson) looked after No. 1 while Albert was living elsewhere. Effie left the house abruptly upon Albert's return as he had increased her rent because he hated the decorating she had done as a surprise for him.
In 1969, Albert found himself warming to the idea of remarrying, so he would have someone to spend his old age with. He proposed to Alice Pickins (Doris Hare), who had been pursuing him for nearly a year, however as the guests assembled for the wedding, the vicar was delayed, and Alice thought it was a bad sign and decided not to marry Albert after all. Further upset came for Albert in 1971 when Ken and Valerie decided to emigrate. Just as he was coming to terms with their departure, Valerie died in an accident in the Barlows' maisonette, and a distraught Ken decided to stay in the country. Even though Ken was not a blood relative, Albert had come to accept him as part of his family and eventually let him lodge at No. 1 although he made clear his disapproval that Ken had decided to send his and Val's twins Peter and Susan (Robert and Katie Heaneu) to live in Scotland with Val's parents, Alfred and Edith Tatlock (Clare Kelly).
In the meantime, Albert's financial woes continued. He took a job as co-caretaker at the local Community Centre and in 1973 suggested to friend Minnie Caldwell (Margot Bryant) that they marry for financial reasons (Minnie was also struggling with money). After months of being engaged, Minnie pressed Albert to set a date for the wedding. However, when her friend Ena pointed out that as a couple they would earn less than they would separately, Minnie called off the engagement. Both were relieved, as they were starting to get on each other's nerves.
Albert celebrated his 80th birthday in August 1975. To his surprise, the neighbours threw a surprise party for him. They had contacted his old regiment who sent along a bugler. In 1976, Albert had a dispute when he won money at the bingo with Bertha Lumley (Madoline Thomas), as she did not share her winnings with him despite their agreement. Albert was threatened by Bertha's husband Nat (Eric Longworth), so he decided to leave well alone.
Albert was very proud of his war record, and took a dim view of Minnie's friend Handel Gartside (Harry Markham) when he found out he was a conscientious objector, and even at one point refused to let Handel in his house. In 1980, Albert sold his Military Medal to go to London for Remembrance Day, to pay tribute to his war friend Monty Shawcross. When Ken saw how upset Albert was that he had sold his medal, he bought it back for him.
In the late 1970s, Albert spent his days taking care of his allotment, though he feared the Council would take it off him because of his age. Ken had married again but was now back at No. 1 after being widowed. However, in 1981, Ken married for a third time, to Deirdre Langton (Anne Kirkbride). Ken and Deirdre planned to move although Ken felt an obligation to take care of Albert, as Albert's daughter Beattie continued to visit him only a few times a year. Albert wanted to stay in No. 1 but knew that if he left the house to Ken and Deirdre in his will it would upset Beattie, so the Barlows decided to buy it from him instead (although Beattie was still upset by the news). Albert agreed to move into the front parlour so that Deirdre's daughter Tracy (Holly Chamarette) could take his room.
Albert Tatlock died of a heart attack on 13 May 1984, aged 88, while visiting Beattie. His death mirrored the real life death of the actor who played him, Jack Howarth, who had died in hospital six weeks earlier. In 2014, Albert's medal featured in a further storyline, when Tracy sold it. Deirdre was furious and demanded she get it back or else she would kick her out of No. 1.
In January 2019, Ken's long-lost son Daniel Osbourne (Rob Mallard) and his wife Sinead (Katie McGlynn) had a baby boy whom they named Bertie, after Albert.
Creation and development.
Personality and identity.
To those that did not know him, Albert could be perceived as a very bitter person, as he was constantly complaining about nearly every aspect of his life, and seemed to think that his problems amounted to more than anyone else's, however trivial they were. Although he was never chatty or chirpy, in the 1960s Albert was more accepting of the troubles life threw at him, however as the years went by as Albert became more set in his ways he became grumpier, sounding off about his problems to anyone who tried to engage him in conversation.
To his family and closest friends, as well as anyone willing to indulge him in recollections of his war stories, Albert showed a softer side. Although a pessimist, he was also nostalgic, and easily grew attached to things that were important to him. Unfortunately, this occasionally manifested itself through stubbornness, especially in family matters, as he tended to think he knew what was best for people and would not hesitate to tell them, even if he knew they disagreed with him. Likewise, when let down by his family, he was prone to feeling sorry for himself until his indignation was validated.
Community involvement.
Despite his advancing years, Albert was very active in the community in Coronation Street, acting as Chairman of the Over 60s Club in 1961, organising an Over 60s bazaar in 1964 and a trip to the Preston Guild in 1972.
In 1962, he formed the Mission Hall Players, through which the residents performed in pantomime in Lady Lawson Loses in the Mission, with Albert himself playing the role of Manders. Almost without exception, Albert participated in all subsequent plays performed in the Mission and Community Centre, playing Baron Hardup (panto), the Genie (Aladdin), and Baron (Cinderella), as well as Rob Wilton in a 40s show in the Rovers and reciting "The Girl I Kissed on the Stairs" at a Christmas concert.
Having worked at the Town Hall, Albert was also pressed into action by the residents for several causes, including investigating the possibility of Coronation Street being demolished. He also started a petition to stop the street being renamed. Albert also served the community by working as Caretaker at the Mission after Ena Sharples lost the job in 1961, even though the job required him to move out of his beloved No.1 and into the Mission vestry. He later gave up the job so that Ena could be reinstated.
Family and friends.
Albert was closest to those who took the time to visit him. His daughter Beattie rarely did so, usually turning up only when she was needed. Albert did not feel close to her and refused his Doctor's recommendations that he moved in with Beattie and her husband Norman Pearson, as he knew they did not want him and so he would never be at home. Beattie liked to think of herself as the perfect daughter to Albert, and overcompensated for her inactive role in his life during her fleeting visits, such as when she guilted Jerry Booth into paying £5 compensation when Albert was gassed by a faulty cooker fitted by Jerry, Albert having made clear that he did not want compensation.
His best friends in Coronation Street were the Barlow family, who lived next door at No.3. Both Ken and David Barlow were frequent visitors at No.1, with Ken in particular seeking solace in Albert's house when he needed to get away from family pressures. Albert could not have been happier when Ken married his niece Valerie. After a while, Ken even started to call Albert "Uncle Albert" as Val did. Albert thought of the Barlows as his extended family, and was upset when David married Irma Ogden while he was away, as he had not wanted to miss the wedding.
Ken lived with Albert for periods during the 1970s and from 1976 onwards. As Ken tried to forge a new life after Val's death, Albert was very critical of his decisions, especially those relating to his love life, as he did not think any girl was worthy of following Val. He eventually gave his approval of Ken's overnight marriage to Janet Reid, and he was upset when they separated. It took a long time for Albert to warm to Deirdre Langton, as he resented the fact that she had a daughter from a previous marriage who Ken was spending more time with than his own children, however he later changed his mind and encouraged them to live at No.1 when they got married.
Even over those of his own father Frank Barlow, Ken recalls Albert's words when he recounts the fatherly advice he received in the past. A photograph of Albert remains on the mantelpiece at No.1.
Albert's closest friends in Coronation Street were Rovers landlady Annie Walker and landlord Jack, Mission caretaker Ena Sharples and one-time fiancé Minnie Caldwell. All four friendships lasted decades and they were among the few people who indulged Albert when he was on a tirade.
Hobbies and interests.
Albert's main topics of conversation were the war and his allotment. He enjoyed nothing more than talking about old times and especially old battles. In 1968, when he believed the author of a book about the Battle of Lys got his facts wrong, he planned to expose him, until it was discovered that Albert had got lost while out on patrol and missed the battle himself. In 1971, BBC Manchester interviewed Albert about the war.
Albert's allotment provided something to do in his later years. When he feared the Council was going to take it off him, the neighbours agreed to help out, although he was furious when Ray Langton carved "Albert rules OK" into his marrow. Further, salad from his allotment was the cause of a sickness in the street when it was sold at the Corner Shop in 1978.
Albert was also a cricket fan, and hoped to go see the West Indies team play. A rum drinker, his catch phrases in the "Rovers Return" were "I'll have a rum." and "Eeh by gum."


December 9th Movement

The December 9th Movement () was a mass protest led by students in Beiping (present-day Beijing) on December 9, 1935 to demand that the Chinese government actively resist Japanese aggression.
Background.
After the Japanese Imperial Force occupied Manchuria following the Mukden Incident in 1931, it attempted to follow up with an invasion into northern China. Between June and July 1935, the Chin-Doihara Agreement was negotiated between Japan and the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) government as a way for the former to gain control of Chahar Province. A puppet state known as "Eastern Hebei Anti-Communist Autonomous Government" was then set up by a Yin Rugeng with Japanese help. In response to the demands by Japan to create a separate regime in Northern China, the KMT government was forced to establish the "Hebei-Chahar Political Council". The Chinese Communists, on the other hand, called for a voluntary mobilization of all Chinese people to resist Japanese aggression in a proclamation published on August 1, 1935.
Preparation.
On November 18, student representatives from several major universities in Beiping gathered in a meeting and secretly formed the Beiping Students Union. An election was held and Guo Mingqiu became the executive president while the communists selected Huang Jing and Yao Yilin to participate in leading the Students Union. On December 3, the Beiping Students Union decided to correspond with as many universities as possible to organize a mass petition. Three days later, 15 schools published a declaration opposing the formation of the Anti-Communist Autonomous Government of Northern China. It demanded the KMT government to arrest Yin Rugeng and also called for a national armed resistance against Japan. A 9-point political agenda was passed the same day, among which called for the KMT to immediately stop its armed campaign against the communists in the Chinese Civil War. Since December 9 was rumored to be the day that the Hebei-Chahar Political Committee was to be established, the Students Union chose that day for the petition.
Events.
On the early morning of December 9, police and soldiers surrounded many schools and closed the city gate at Xizhimen. Petition students were enraged. They successfully broke the police enclosure lines. At around 10:30, they arrived at the Beiping branch of the KMT Military Committee in Zhongnanhai. In front of the Xinhua Gate, they sent the petition letters to He Yingqin, then head of the KMT Military. Angry students waved their arms and shouted slogans such as "Down with Japanese imperialism" and "Immediately stop the civil war", while a 6-point demand was given to the KMT government headquarter.
Representatives of He Yingqin was able to talk to the students, but they refused to let students open Xizhimen so that Tsinghua and Yenching university students can enter the city. Students then began to march en masse. The number of marching students subsequently increased to about 6,000. When the line entered Xidan and East Chang'an Avenue, some students were attacked by police and soldiers armed with wooden sticks, whips, water pumps and sabers. Hundreds were injured and more than 30 were arrested. Students from Tsinghua and Peking University who were unable to enter the city via the gates stood their ways outside the city wall in bitter cold. Some of the students wept in telling surrounding residents about atrocities the Japanese army committed in Manchuria. They blamed on the KMT government for its non-resistance policy. At the end of the day, this movement by the students forced the Hebei-Chahar Political Committee to adjourn its planned opening.
National response.
The protest movement was supported by students all over the country. Response was very positive as similar petitions and assemblies were organized in many large cities. The Students Union in Communist-occupied Shaanxi-Gansu district also sent telegraph to voice their support. On December 18, the All-China Federation of Trade Unions called for its workers to protest the betrayal by Japan and the arrest of numerous students in Beiping. Meanwhile, Lu Xun and Soong Ching-ling wrote articles in praise of the brave actions done by the students in Beiping. They and other social elites donated money in support. In Beiping, a propaganda troupe was also organized in which students from Beiping would tell peasants living in nearby provinces about the need of resistance against future Japanese aggression.
Impact.
The student demonstrations generated a public outcry and forced the formation of the Hebei-Chahar Political Council to be postponed to December 18, 1935. The movement also boosted the profile and prestige of Communist student activists at a time when the Kuomintang-led government was actively suppressing Communists.
After the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the December 9 Movement has been commemorated as a patriotic movement. In 1985, during the 50th Anniversary of the December 9 Movement, students demonstrated in Beijing, calling for democracy and reform to save the nation.


Phumlani Pikoli

Phumlani Pikoli (1988 – 11 April 2021) was a Zimbabwean-South African writer and multidisciplinary artist. His body was discovered on 11 April 2021, by his parents after they hadn't heard from him since 9 April 2021.
Background.
Pikoli was born in Zimbabwe to parents who were exiled from South Africa during the Apartheid regime. His family moved back to South Africa when Pikoli was a young child, and eventually settled in Pretoria.
Creative work.
Pikoli wrote his first book, "The Fatuous State of Severity", whilst recuperating from a depressive episode at a psychiatric clinic. The book contains a collection of short stories and drawings. Pikoli self-published the book in 2016, and it was later republished by Pan Macmillan.
His debut novel, "Born Freeloaders", was published by Pan Macmillan in 2019. The title is a play on a common South African slang term, "Born Frees", used to describe the first generation born after the end of Apartheid. Pikoli described the book as exploring "assimilation [and] colonial takeover" amongst the young black middle class in democratic South Africa. The book was awarded the K. Sello Duiker Memorial prize for a debut novel at the South African Literary Awards in 2020.
Pikoli also worked as a multimedia artist in theatre and film. He contributed to Carla Fonseca’s play "The Same Pain" at the Soweto Theatre. He released a multimedia exhibition based on "The Fatuous State of Severity" at Johannesburg’s TMRW Gallery and was developing "Born Freeloaders" into a film with Diprente Films.


The War Against Mrs. Hadley

The War Against Mrs. Hadley is a 1942 American drama film directed by Harold S. Bucquet and starring Fay Bainter and Edward Arnold. The plot depicts how wealthy society matron Stella Hadley selfishly refuses to sacrifice her family or material comforts during World War II, until tragedy strikes an old rival. The script by George Oppenheimer was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
Plot.
Mrs. Stella Hadley (Fay Bainter) is a wealthy society widow living in Washington, D.C. Her husband once owned a staunchly Republican newspaper, the "Chronicle", but it was sold to the Winters family and the new editorial board began supporting the Democrats and President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
The film opens on December 7, 1941, as Mrs. Hadley celebrates her birthday with her son who drinks too much, Ted (Richard Ney); her intelligent daughter, Pat (Jean Rogers); her ditzy best friend, Mrs. Cecilia Talbot (Spring Byington); her husband's old friend, Elliott Fulton (Edward Arnold); and her doctor and best friend, Dr. Leonard V. Meecham (Miles Mander). When the party-goers learn of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Mrs. Hadley sniffly announces that war will not change her lifestyle (a decision only Dr. Meecham supports).
Ted works for Elliott Fulton, who has a high-ranking job at the War Department. He often lies about working late in order to go out drinking. Mrs. Talbot joins a women's war service organization headed by Mrs. Winters, hiding her involvement from Mrs. Hadley. Pat volunteers at an enlisted men's canteen and meets Army soldier Michael Fitzpatrick (Van Johnson). The two fall in love. When Ted is drafted, Mrs. Hadley tries to have Elliott pull strings to get him out of duty, but he declines. Ted sobers up after realizing he has to go into combat. Pat and Mike decide to wed, but Mrs. Hadley refuses to bless their union and does not attend the wedding. When Mrs. Hadley discovers that Mrs. Talbot is spending time with Mrs. Winters' women's war service organization, she ends their friendship. The sniveling Dr. Meecham supports her every decision.
Mrs. Hadley's refusal to sacrifice for the war effort and her anger at her family leaves her socially and personally isolated. She becomes depressed, and worries constantly about Ted (from whom she has not heard in months).
Ted wins the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) fighting in the Pacific. Mrs. Hadley receives a letter from Ted in which he describes his new friendship with Tony Winters, Mrs. Winters' son. The press informs Mrs. Hadley that Tony, too, will win the DSC, but posthumously. Mrs. Hadley's reserve breaks down, and she consoles Mrs. Winters. President Roosevelt sends Mrs. Hadley a hand-written note praising her son, and Pat sends Mrs. Hadley a telegram announcing she is pregnant.
Mrs. Hadley undergoes a complete change of heart. She reconciles with Mrs. Talbot, marries Elliott Fulton, turns her home into a center for war work, and decides to fly to Phoenix, Arizona, for the birth of her grandchild.
Production.
According to George Oppenheimer, who wrote the screenplay, the idea for the script came to him immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor. But it was not until mid-March 1942 that he had worked out the story in his head. He pitched the idea the last week of March to his friend, Irving Asher, who was a producer at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). According to Oppenheimer, Asher was "immediately enthusiastic". A few days later, Louis B. Mayer held a story conference during which MGM staff read brief synopses of scripts and Mayer decided which to put into production. During the conference, Oppenheimer says, Asher contacted Mayer on the intercom and asked to address the conference. Mayer agreed, Oppenheimer and Asher presented the story, and Mayer approved the film for production.
Oppenheimer wrote the script in just under seven weeks. Considered a B movie because of its low budget and lack of major stars, production fell under the control of Dore Schary, then supervisor of B picture units at MGM. Irving Asher would produce. Pre-production was under way in April when MGM decided to allow Irving Asher to leave the United States in June for the United Kingdom. Publicly, the studio would say he was restarting MGM's British film production unit. In truth, Asher was joining Lord Mountbatten combat film photography unit. With Asher preparing to leave, Oppenheimer says, Schary gave the screenwriter control over the production, casting, and choice of technical crew.
MGM said on April 14, 1942, that 25-year-old actor Robert Sterling would "star" opposite newcomer Jean Rogers in the picture. MGM then announced the names of much of the rest of the major cast on April 27, saying Fay Bainter, Van Johnson, and Spring Byington would star. But MGM casting director Billy Grady, eager to cast newcomer Van Johnson in the right role, approached Oppenheimer and convinced him to put Johnson in the role of the eager, love-lorn Army sergeant. Johnson made a remarkably good screen test, and Oppenheimer put him in the picture.
The studio also announced on April 27 that George Oppenheimer had scripted the film, which would begin principal photography in mid May. Bainter later said she was reluctant to play the part because the character of Mrs. Hadley was so unlikeable, but she felt the redemption scenes at the end gave her an opportunity for some excellent acting. The studio said on April 29 that Harold Bucquet would direct the picture. This was the first motion picture to come out of Hollywood depicting the home-front experience of an American family in World War II, and the directing job had been highly sought after. Edward Arnold was cast on May 8, and Sara Allgood on May 15.
Principal photography began at the MGM studio on May 11, 1942, and concluded on June 5, 1942.
In early September 1942, MGM announced that the film's world premiere would be at Loew's Capitol Theatre in Washington, D.C.. A national release would follow. Carter Barron, MGM's representative in the District of Columbia, organized the premiere. Tickets to the premiere were offered to those who purchased war bonds, with better seats going to those who purchased more bonds.
The picture's world premiere occurred on September 27. Before the screening, music was provided by the Sam J. Kaufman band and orchestra, ballerina Patricia Bowman performed, and the Rhythm Rockets swing band played. Fay Bainter and Edward Arnold both appeared and addressed the audience before the film.
The screening raised $1,822,675 in war bonds ($ in dollars).
Reception.
Critics had a mixed reaction to the film. Bosley Crowther called it "flat" and "undramatic" in "The New York Times". Andrew R. Kelley called it one of the "choicest propaganda pictures yet issued" in "The Evening Star". He had extensive praise for the cast, concluding that "even the small roles [were] expertly acted" and calling "droll and subtle" the performances by Allgood, Hobbes, and Byington. However, he felt that Mrs. Hadley's moral awakening at the end seemed sudden (for which he blamed writer George Oppenheimer), and felt the picture was a bit too "leisurely" paced. Film historian Hilton Tims later called "The War Against Mrs. Hadley" "a curious but effective item of propaganda". Film historian Alex Nissen has argued that Bainter's performance was so good, she should have been nominated for a Best Actress Oscar. Oppenheimer himself felt the script was the best he had ever written, but that much of the supporting cast was weak as so many actors and actresses had gone into war work or combat duty.
According to MGM records, the film made $695,000 in the U.S. and Canada and $662,000 elsewhere, earning the studio a profit of $603,000.
Screenwriter George Oppenheimer was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
Aftereffects.
Van Johnson appeared in the picture with only minimal makeup and with his normal hair color. Although he had made several motion pictures already, this was the first time his natural good looks were not masked. He was relaxed and winsome in the role, and not only critics but fans took notice of his performance. "The War Against Mrs. Hadley" launched his film career.
"The War Against Mrs. Hadley" was honored with appearances by Bainter and Arnold on September 25, 1942, on "The Kate Smith Hour" radio program on CBS Radio with Kate Smith.
The film was turned into a radio play, which aired on the one-year anniversary of the attack, December 7, 1942, on the Lux Radio Theatre on CBS. It featured much of the same cast as the film, including the top stars.


William Young (veteran)

William Alexander Smillie Young, also known as Sandy Young, (4 January 1900 – 24 July 2007) was, at age 107, one of the last surviving British veterans of the First World War. He later emigrated to Australia, and was the last known veteran of the Royal Flying Corps, in which he served as a radio operator.
Early life.
Young was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland, on 4 January 1900, the eldest of the six children of Robert Craig Young. His family moved to Hayes in Middlesex when he was 13, when his father became the manager of a Scots Jams factory, and he was educated at the county school in Southall.
First World War.
Young joined the Derby Scheme, under which young men under 18 could sign up to show their readiness to join the army or the air force when they turned 18 (later replaced by conscription under the Military Service Act 1916). He was not keen to join the infantry, as the casualty rate was so high; instead, on his 18th birthday in 1918, Young signed up for the RFC at its recruiting centre in Shepherds Bush. He was assigned to the wireless section, and trained in Farnborough, Hampshire.
As a corporal radio operator, Young was assigned to the 14th Brigade Royal Horse Artillery, near Bapaume in France. His job was to take the messages sent via morse code from observation planes and pass the location of the target to a forward observation officer, who could then call down a bombardment from the brigade's 25-pounder field guns. He continued to serve in this role through the British offensive later that year, until the Armistice. Young caught the Spanish flu that winter. After he recovered, he was assigned to a unit of the Army of Occupation near Cologne.
Young was demobilised in August 1919.
Later life.
Young studied for a degree in chemistry at East London College (now Queen Mary, University of London in the University of London), later working in chemical factories in Argentina. In 1934 he married May Thompson, and they had one son.
During the Second World War he was working as the manager of a tannin extract company at Sandakan in North Borneo when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941. His family escaped to Australia, but Young was captured after the Japanese took North Borneo in January 1942, and interned in a camp at Berhala Island near Sandakan. He was later moved to Batu Lintang camp near Kuching in Sarawak, where he was held as a civilian internee until the camp was liberated in 1945.
After the war, Young returned to Sandakan before emigrating to Australia. He became the manager of a tannin extract factory near Perth, Western Australia, and retired in 1970.
Honours.
Along with other survivors of the First World War, Young was awarded the Légion d'honneur by the French Government in 1998.
Death.
On the death of William Roberts on 30 April 2006, Young became the last surviving member of the Royal Flying Corps before it joined with the RNAS to become the RAF.
He died in his sleep in Perth, on 24 July 2007, at the age of 107, and was survived by his son, Alan, his wife May having predeceased him.