The father of a friend of mine — a seminal thinker for the ages. NY Times: In 1979, Freeman Dyson came up with a plan to live forever. There was no fanciful elixir. It was not a matter of theological speculation. Mr. Dyson was, for all his eccentric, maverick tendencies, a theoretical physicist — one of the most brilliant and … Read More
Impeachment, Kobe, Middle East Non-Peace, And We’re All Gonna Die From A Virus
I was hospitalized for a few days with colon issues. Nothing major and nothing I care to discuss. But boy did I miss a lot. It kind of seems pointless to talk about most of it. Just some small reflections. I’m not much of a basketball fan, but this Kobe Bryant death even shook me. He seemed like one of … Read More
RIP Terry Jones
Sir Michael Palin has paid tribute to his fellow Monty Python star Terry Jones. This is heartbreaking. pic.twitter.com/qzguEbZ25t — Cinephilia & Beyond (@LaFamiliaFilm) January 22, 2020 Terry Jones, who earned a spot in comedic lore as a member of the British troupe Monty Python and also had success as a director, screenwriter and author, died on Tuesday night at his … Read More
RIP John Paul Stevens
John Paul Stevens, who died in Florida yesterday at 99 of complications from a stroke, watched Babe Ruth’s “called shot” home run at Wrigley Field in 1932 and lived long enough to see his beloved Chicago Cubs win the World Series in 2016, breaking the Curse of the Billy Goat and ending a 108-year drought. The retired justice liked to joke that … Read More
RIP Ross Perot
He used to be a thing. The self-made billionaire ran for president in 1992 and 1996. As a disruptive third-party candidate for president, Perot ran on a platform of fiscal responsibility and protectionism. He won nearly 19% of the vote in the 1992 race — by far the biggest slice of the electorate for a third-party candidate since Theodore Roosevelt’s … Read More
RIP Bill Buckner
He taught those of us in New England how to screw up with grace: Had it not been for his fateful error in that 1986 World Series, Buckner — who suffered from Lewy body dementia, a degenerative brain disease — would have been best remembered as one of the finest hitters of his generation. Instead, his legacy includes some very … Read More
RIP Penny Marshall
She was 76. Laverne on “Laverne & Shirley” but also the director of “Big” and “A League Of Their Own”.
RIP George H.W. Bush
It has been twelve years since the passing of a former president — it was Gerald Ford back then. This morning, we were greeted with the news of the passing of President Bush 41, the last president to serve in WWII. He lived to be a remarkable 94 years old. He is being remembered as a simple and kind man, … Read More
RIP Juan Romero
The 17 year old busboy who tried to help a wounded Robert F. Kennedy in 1968 died. He was shaking Kennedy’s hand when the shots were fired. He had rosary beads in his pocket and he gave them to RFK. Afterwards, his life was haunted by the violence he saw that day, even to the point of being unable to … Read More
Aretha Franklin’s Funeral Service Is LIT
Here’s the full schedule of events for Aretha Franklin’s funeral service today. From 10:00 a.m. through the recessional just before 3:00 p.m., a full slate of musical tributes, scripture readings, personal reflections and euologies are listed below. Prior to services starting, an announcement was made that the original schedule (show below) had shifted slightly. 10:00-10:20 a.m. Processional: Clergy, Ministers and … Read More
RIP The Village Voice
Gothamist: Three years after buying The Village Voice, and a year after the paper shut down its print edition, owner Peter Barbey told the remaining staff today that the publication will no longer be posting any new stories.“Today is kind of a sucky day,” Barbey told the staff, according to audio obtained by Gothamist. “Due to, basically, business realities, we’re going to … Read More
The Passing Of John McCain
Word has come down that John McCain, a lion of the Senate, has passed following his very long struggle with brain cancer. It was announced Friday that he was ending his brain cancer treatment, a sign that nothing more could be done. And Saturday late evening Eastern Time, he passed. My feelings about John McCain are much like everyone else’s. … Read More
RIP Neil Simon
A comedic genius, dead at 91.
RIP The Queen Of Soul
R-E-S-P-E-C-T. She was in a class all by herself.
Another Celebrity Suicide: Anthony Bourdain [Update: Charles Krauthammer]
Days after Kate Spade takes her life, TV travelling chef Anthony Bourdain is reported to have died in France, while working on an episode of his CNN show, “Parts Unknown.” Bourdain was found unresponsive in his hotel room by a close friend, chef Eric Ripert. The cause of his death was suicide. Bourdain was 61. UPDATE: Since we’re on depressing news, Charles Krauthammer, a … Read More