Ledger's dad appalled by shooting

Actor's father says tragedy 'diabolical'

Heath Ledger’s father was horrified to read reports suggesting the alleged gunman who killed 12 people at a screening of

The Dark Knight Rises modelled himself on his late son’s Batman character The Joker, branding the tragedy “diabolical.”

Twelve people were killed and 59 injured when suspect James Holmes opened fire in a packed Colorado movie theatre.

It has been reported that Holmes called himself The Joker — the crazed villain played by Ledger in 2008’s The Dark

Knight — and even dyed his hair red in homage to the clown character, and Kim Ledger has been left disturbed by the news.

He has also called for a tightening of firearms laws in the U.S. and tells Australia’s Herald

Sun, “It’s terrible — the whole circumstances. It’s diabolical. I am appalled. The guy’s obviously a nut case. He has obviously lost it.

“I think what America should be doing is restricting the avail- ability of ammunition or revisiting their gun laws — that’s what they should be doing.

“We can’t blame Heath or the character. It’s ( The Joker) fictitious. I don’t know what this does to the character. I think that’s the least of my worries.”

Ledger, who died in 2008 during post-production of The

Dark Knight, won a posthumous Academy Award for his performance.

Sometimes the opposing bidding can push a partnership into a contract they would not have reached on their own, and subsequent developments prove that they are actually the better for it. Consider this prime example from a pairs tournament.

After East’s pre- emptive three- heart bid, South had little choice but to bid three notrump. The partnership thus missed their 4-4 spade fit, but as the cards lie, a game in spades had no chance against normal defense.

East won the opening heart lead with the ace and placed South with the K-J of hearts. He therefore shifted to the diamond seven, which declarer ducked to West’s nine. West then exited with a spade, taken by South with the queen.

A club was led to dummy’s queen, West following low. Declarer then cashed the A-J of spades and led another club toward dummy.

At this point, West could see the handwriting on the wall. If he ducked the club again, South would win with dummy’s king and play a third club, forcing West into the lead. West could cash his fourth club — establishing dummy’s fifth club as South’s ninth trick — or return a diamond or a heart, also handing declarer his ninth trick.

In practice, West took the ace on the second club lead and exited with a club to dummy’s king, but South simply returned a club to West’s jack to achieve the same ending. The defenders thus scored only two clubs, a diamond and a heart, and there was nothing they could do to stop declarer from making nine tricks.