Beer is made by men, wine by God. — Martin Luther It’s been said that the first use of wine was to purify water. While the tannins in wine can remove impurities and enough alcohol content can disinfect water temporarily, the wine would have to be at least 60 per cent alcohol in strength. Perhaps […]

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The story begins in 1941 in the Egyptian desert, where David Stirling is beside himself with frustration that efforts to relieve Tobruk are coming to nought. He proposes an elite group of well-trained malcontents to attack from the desert interior and destroy Rommel’s airfields and supply convoys. All of that is true, as is most of the very well done six-part series Stirling & Co inspired

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Carmenta’lia The frass on the mimosa indicate larvae have tunneled the stem, weakening it so that seed is impossible. Drawn out by pheromones, nymphs unfold transparent wings. O foe of fruit tree and timber, how far you have flown from your Roman namesake, Carmenta, goddess of childbirth, patron of midwives, your praises once sung by […]

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The English critic Frank Howes once observed that Edward Elgar reflected 'the last blaze of opulence, expansiveness and full-blooded life before World War I swept so much away'. Director Paul Yule's Elgar’s Tenth Muse is an account of the composer's quest to reignite the fires of inspiration after his wife's death. Underpinned by his gorgeous music, it is a film to be watched many times

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Anemone for the counter-tenor, Max Riebl (1991–2022). Too beautiful for earth. —Anon Venus wept over dying Adonis, she wept the sweetest nectar of tears. How fragile and brief, Anemone, petals so lightly attached, Anemone, oh how quickly they fall, Anemone, blow away with the wind, Anemone. When Adonis died, flowers sprung from his veins, buds […]

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Asked to be a part of a documentary exploring their working relationship and its much-lauded fruits, celebrated biographer Robert Caro and his editor of 50 years, Robert Gottlieb, both initially said no, believing 'the work between a writer and an editor is too private for anyone else to see'. That each eventually relented is something to be celebrated, as the resulting film is a fascinating delight

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The BBC six-part thriller focuses on the abuse and manipulation of cutting-edge deep-fake CCTV footage for personal and political ends. Yes, it's fiction, but only just. During the recent lockdowns, New South Wales and Victoria trialled facial recognition software to help enforce movement-restriction laws, while in Western Australia monitored almost 100,000 people to assure compliance with COVID edicts

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The Ballad of True and False Singing (anonymous—translated from the Italian) When a tiny quail huddled beneath the wall, proclaims quiet poetry in her call, I cannot hear louder songs at all, for singing big is not always how the singing’s measured, but often by the soul that’s still and true, Maestro-singers reveal treasured declamations […]

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Narcissus Shaving in the River While it’s true, he was cursed to fall for that bearded boy in the water-mirror, this newly clean-shaven youth mysteriously free from the witchy-will, of that bitch Nemesis, now returns to unfettered indulgence. Joe Dolce   Gluten-Free Toast May your Third Eye remain open giving you 20-20-20 vision, may your […]

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Michael Bay is one of the most commercially successful directors in Hollywood but his films haven’t been well received by 'serious' film critics. The disdain evinced for his engrossing account of 2012's murderous attacks by Islamicist militants on the US compound is further proof that his naysayers should not be taken too seriously

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