Very sad news news today. Elizabeth Sladen, who played female companion Sarah Jane Smith to John Pertwee and Tom Baker's 'Doctors' in Dr. Who from '73 to '83, has died of cancer.
Ms. Sladen recently re-appeared in 'The Sarah Jane Adventures' (a Dr. Who spin-off aimed at younger children) and guest starred in several episodes of the BBC's contemporary update of the show.
When I was very young, Sarah Jane was a regular visitor to my lounge room each weekday evening. She radiated a beautiful spirit, was smart, attractive, and very witty. Ms. Sladen also lent her talents to many of the Dr. Who DVD extras and came across as a friendly, warm, wonderful human being.
It's unfortunate that I'm noting her passing at 63.
Another tragic passing today is that of filmmaker/journalist Tim Hetherington. A war correspondent, director, and cameraman for many years, Hetherington made the excellent Afghanistan-based documentary Restrepo. He died during a shelling in Libya.
He was truly a courageous guy who risked his life to bring some Truth to a world of lies and spin.
Unfortunately, Tim is gone, and the bankers, politicians, and lying mongrels of international big business who happily send everybody but their own children off to war (to fight for their own personal causes), are still with us.
