Gertrude Weaver made international news six days ago, when, at the age of 116, she inherited the title of being the world’s oldest-known living person, following the death of 117-year-old Japanese woman Misao Okawa. Gertrude died yesterday. She was born on July 4, 1898, according to the Gerontology Research Group, which validates ages of the world’s longest-living people. There are only … Read More
King Richard III Buried
England’s slain King Richard III, exhumed from an undignified grave under a car park, was finally buried with honor today, 530 years after his death on the battlefield. In a ceremony filled with pageantry and poignancy, a coffin containing his bones were lowered into the ground at Leicester Cathedral in central England as thousands of well-wishers gathered outside. “We return … Read More
2015 Dead Pool
Link to 2014 Dead Pool Link to 2013 Dead Pool Link to 2012 Dead Pool Link to 2011 Dead Pool There are two “dead pool” lists. One is just a random list of people who I think will pass in the upcoming year. The other is a competitive list where you pick ten (and only ten) people-to-die, and you score your points … Read More
A Transgender Suicide
A transgender teenage girl, Leelah Alcorn, died of suicide yesterday by jumping in front of a semi on I-71 near the South Lebanon, Ohio exit. She left a note on her Tumblr: If you are reading this, it means that I have committed suicide and obviously failed to delete this post from my queue. Please don’t be sad, it’s for … Read More
RIP Joe Cocker
Well, the website here seems to be functioning. Bummer that this has to be the subject of my post. Joe Cocker dead at 70. He could barely sing a lick but he always did so with great enthusiasm, so that makes him aces in my book.
RIP Tom Magliozzi
One of the Car Talk brothers (the one with the laugh): Tom Magliozzi, one of public radio’s most popular personalities, died on Monday of complications from Alzheimer’s disease. He was 77 years old. Tom and his brother, Ray, became famous as “Click and Clack the Tappet Brothers” on the weekly NPR show Car Talk. They bantered, told jokes, laughed and … Read More
RIP Don Pardo
He was on my short list dead pool, but not my competitive list. But I remember him well from Season 1 of Saturday Night Live. Hard to believe he announced that show every year except one. Even after he retired to Arizona in 2006, he still did the SNL intro. Amazing.
RIP Robin Williams
The mental illness of depression claims another. The irony of someone so gifted in humor could be felled by depression. This is how I'll remember him: As for the nature of his death, let me borrow the thoughts of another blogger on what suicide isn't: But I felt compelled to write this article because like any mental illness-related accident … Read More
RIP James Garner
Great actor, and somewhat less important, he was in my dead pool for this year. He was 86.
RIP Eli Wallach
On my dead pool list since forever (a mere 2 points at 98), but more than that, one of my favorite actors. Eli Wallach, who was one of his generation’s most prominent and prolific character actors in film, onstage and on television for more than 60 years, died on Tuesday. He was 98. His death was confirmed by his daughter … Read More
RIP Maya Angelou
She died just before 8:00 am this morning at her house on Bertram Road (about 5 minutes from my house). Everyone in town has a Maya story. She had a lot of house parties for people in the arts and Wake Forest. I only met her a couple of times. Still I Rise You may write me down in historyWith … Read More
RIP Mickey Rooney
Unbelievably long career – peaked at 25. People forget how really big he was at the time. Bigger than Bieber.
RIP Philip Seymour Hoffman
Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead on Sunday in his Manhattan apartment. He was 46. Hoffman was steeped in his profession — in film, on stage, in the spotlight and behind the scenes. In 2005, he won the Oscar for best actor for his portrayal of Truman Capote. The movie focuses on Capote's interviews with two murderers on death row for … Read More