Link to 2012 Dead Pool Link to 2011 Dead Pool As I explained last year around this time, 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 by … Read More
RIP Daniel Inuoye
Dave Weigel, at Slate: Tonight, for the first time, the state of Hawaii is not represented by Daniel Inuoye. The 88-year old senator entered politics in the 1950s, joining the territorial legislature, and waiting for statehood. When Hawaii became the 50th state, Inuoye ran for, and won, its sole seat in Congress. He was representing the state when a kid named … Read More
RIP Ravi Shankar
I'm not a big fan of the sitar, but this guy was a pioneer and you gotta respect that. He died yesterday at the age of 92.
RIP George McGovern
The last real progressive, before Clinton came along and moved liberalism to the center. Ed Gilgore remembers what-could-have been, the Nixon-McGovern presidential campaign race of 1972, and how it changed politics forever: It's hard to overstate how shocking the 1972 results were to a lot of Democrats, particularly impressionable young folk like I was at the time. The adjective most … Read More
RIP Neil Armstrong
Like everybody else living at the time, I saw the moon landing in grainy black and white. It was 1969, and nobody knew that it was the end of an era. This was before the national cynacism set in because of Watergate. It was before politicians like Reagan started bashing the government, and future generations would pick up on … Read More
Last Tweets
That was about 16 hours ago. @LizNassty (Elizabeth Nass) and @r0se_petals (Rose Mayr) were hanging out on a railroad bridge early this morning. A few minutes later, Rose tweeted this picture of her and Elizabeth — or more accurately, their feet — dangling over a road below: You may have already heard what happened: ELLICOTT CITY, Md. – A CSX train hauling … Read More
RIP William Windom
One of my favorite charactor actors since he dominated the TV screen as a guest in a Star Trek episode. Take a look at this scene — it's total balls-to-the-wall. I mean, he overacts Shatner, and that's saying something. Windom was 88. He is also known for his bouts on "Twilight Zone", and a recurring charactor on "Murder She … Read More
Enterprise In NYC
The retired space shuttle Enterprise did a buzz of NYC on its way to its final resting place. This made for some good photos today. Two of my faves: That said, I think this photo is a fake. How can you get the Statue of Liberty AND the Empire State building in one shot?
RIP Andrew Breitbart: Death Of A Douchebag, Indeed
So yesterday we learn of the sudden passing of Andrew Breitbart at the age of 43, from "natural causes". There is a convention in polite society that you do not speak ill of the dead. Or at the very least, that you allow some time for the body to cool before you reflect — politely — on one's past. And … Read More
The Obligatory Whitney Houston Post
I wasn't a fan. I didn't have anything against her unquestionable talent or personality; I just wasn't a big fan. But her passing is sad, especially given the struggles she had throughout life. One would have hoped for a better ending. One would have hoped for her to age gracefully and become the Grande Dame of Something. Sadly, it was … Read More
2012 Dead Pool
I like this time of year because all the lists come out. The Best of… The Worst of… It goes on and on and on. I tend not to get reflective, myself. Not anymore. I've seen too many years now to think that any given year, either the past or the upcoming one, is going to be dramatically different. Which … Read More
Out Of Touch
Hard to keep a blog going when you are about 24-48 hours behind. Kim Jong Il, is dead. That's huge news. Except I don't know what it means. I mean, it's good, unless North Korea gets more crazy.