158 replies to this topic

[caltrek]

Representative Elijah Cummings Dies at 68

 

https://www.motherjo...ngs-dies-at-68/

 

Introduction:

 

(Mother Jones) Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), the chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee and one of the central figures in the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, died early on Thursday in Baltimore. 

 

Cummings died of longstanding health challenges, his office said. He was 68.

 

One of the most powerful Democrats, Cummings had represented Maryland’s 7th congressional district for 23 years. Trump frequently targeted Cummings over his key role in investigations into the Trump administration. The president’s attacks included racist rants against Cummings, a senior member of the Congressional Black Caucus.

 

“Congressman Cummings was an honorable man who proudly served his district and the nation with dignity, integrity, compassion and humility,” his wife Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings said in a statement. “He worked until his last breath because he believed our democracy was the highest and best expression of our collective humanity and that our nation’s diversity was our promise, not our problem.”

 

“It’s been an honor to walk by his side on this incredible journey. I loved him deeply and will miss him dearly.

[Cloned]

Mark Hurd, CEO of Oracle and former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, two of Silicon Valley's most storied companies, has died. He was 62.

[caltrek]

 

Representative Elijah Cummings Dies at 68

 

More on that:

 

https://www.vox.com/...ckeymoore-trump

 

 

(Vox) Rep. Elijah Cummings’s funeral Friday, marked by speeches from Barack Obama, the Clintons, and Cummings’s family, was as much a heartfelt celebration of a man who dedicated his life to public service as it was an indictment of President Donald Trump’s character in office.

 

In his last months, Cummings, who chaired the powerful House Committee on Oversight and Reform — one of the committees carrying out the impeachment inquiry into Trump —became the subject of Trump’s ire. Trump called Cummings a “brutal bully” in July and derided the Congress member’s Baltimore district as the “worst in the USA,” a “rat and rodent infested mess,” and a “dangerous & filthy place.” That incident was well-remembered Friday.

 

“He had to go on to actually work to fight for the soul of our democracy against very real corruption,” Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, the Maryland Democrat’s widow, said at New Psalmist Baptist Church. “I want you all to know that it was not easy. What Chairman Cummings did was not easy. And it got infinitely more difficult in the last month of his life, when he sustained personal attacks and attacks on his beloved city.”

 

Obama, too, drew distinct contrasts between Cummings’s character and Trump’s.

 

“You are not a sucker to have integrity and to treat others with respect,” Obama said.

[wjfox]

Three major deaths announced today. RIP to all.

 

Clive James, 80, Australian author and critic, leukemia.

Sir Jonathan Miller, 85, English theatre and opera director, Alzheimer's disease.

 

Gary Rhodes, 59, British TV chef (MasterChef), illness currently unknown.

[wjfox]

Syd Mead, sci-fi visual artist known for Blade Runner and Tron, dies at 86

The legendary Mead once called science fiction "reality ahead of schedule."

December 30, 2019 4:05 PM PST

https://www.cnet.com...ron-dies-at-86/

 

 

[wjfox]

Damn...   

 

-----

 

Terry Jones, Monty Python founder and Life of Brian director, dies aged 77

 

Wed 22 Jan 2020 12.48 GMT

 

Terry Jones, founder member of Monty Python and director of three of Python’s celebrated feature films, has died aged 77, his agent said. In 2016, Jones and his family revealed he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia a year earlier, and he became a public face of the illness – appearing at a Bafta Cymru awards ceremony to highlight its effects and being interviewed in conjunction with longtime friend and collaborator Michael Palin in 2017.

 

After Python, Jones worked on a huge variety of projects. With Palin, he created the successful TV series Ripping Yarns and forged a post-Python directorial career with Personal Services, Erik the Viking and The Wind in the Willows. He made a series of TV documentaries (specialising in medieval history), wrote nearly 20 children’s books, and contributed a string of comment pieces for the Guardian and Observer denouncing the “war on terror”.

 

https://www.theguard...or-dies-aged-77

 

 

[caltrek]

William Greider

 

https://theintercept...eider-obituary/

 

Introduction:

 

WILLIAM GREIDER, a columnist at The Nation and author of some of the most significant political books of the past 40 years, died on Christmas Day at the age of 83.

 

If you’re familiar with Greider’s writing, you won’t be surprised that this news generated an outpouring of sorrow across the internet. If you’re not familiar with it, you should definitely go to the library. If you had to choose the work of a single person to understand how America ended up in our current gruesome predicament, it would be hard to do better than Greider’s.

 

He tackled gigantic subjects: the Federal Reserve (“Secrets of the Temple,” 1987), the evaporation of American democracy (“Who Will Tell the People,” 1992), globalization (“One World Ready or Not,” 1997), society’s deformation by the military-industrial complex (“Fortress America,” 1998), whether we can reinvent the U.S. economy (“The Soul of Capitalism,” 2003), and what to do when the people running this country seem determined to destroy it (“Come Home, America,” 2009).

 

I haven't read all of the books cited, but I have read and would recommend "Secrets of the Temple,"  "Who Will Tell the People,"  and "One World Ready or Not."   "Secrets of the Temple" is especially good if you are interested in economics and the functioning of the Federal Reserve. 

[wjfox]

[wjfox]

Caroline Flack is the latest reality TV star to have taken her own life

Two other Love Island stars have killed themselves in recent years, along with the boyfriend of one of them and a talk show guest.

 

Sunday 16 February 2020 06:05, UK

Caroline Flack is the third Love Island star to take her own life in recent years and her death will raise more questions about how vulnerable people cope with the pressure of publicity.

Flack, 40, hosted five seasons of the ITV series but her run ended after she was accused of assaulting her partner in December last year.

https://news.sky.com...n-life-11935366

[wjfox]

The Computer Scientist Responsible for Cut, Copy, and Paste, Has Passed Away

 

Yesterday 10:54AM

 

The advent of the personal computer wasn’t just about making these powerful machines available to everyone, it was also about making them accessible and usable, even for those lacking a computer science degree. Larry Tesler, who passed away on Monday, might not be a household name like Steve Jobs or Bill Gates, but his contributions to making computers and mobile devices easier to use are the highlight of a long career influencing modern computing.

 

https://gizmodo.com/...ssed-1841787408

[wjfox]

Katherine Johnson, NASA mathematician who inspired "Hidden Figures," dies at age 101

February 24, 2020

NASA pioneer Katherine Johnson died Monday at the age of 101, the space agency announced. Johnson, whose calculations played a key role in the Apollo 11 moon landing, earned nationwide acclaim decades later when her story was told in the book and movie "Hidden Figures."

"We're saddened by the passing of celebrated #HiddenFigures mathematician Katherine Johnson. Today, we celebrate her 101 years of life and honor her legacy of excellence that broke down racial and social barriers," NASA tweeted.

Johnson was famously depicted by actress Taraji P. Henson in the 2016 Oscar-nominated film "Hidden Figures," which told the stories of the black women whose crucial contributions made America's triumph in the space race possible.

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine paid tribute to Johnson Monday, saying the NASA family will never forget her courage. "She made huge strides that also opened doors for women and people of color in the universal human quest to explore space," he said in a statement Monday.

Johnson was a public champion of STEM education (courses in science, technology, engineering and mathematics), and she became one of NASA's most inspirational figures. Bridenstine said her dedication and skill as a mathematician "helped put humans on the Moon and before that made it possible for our astronauts to take the first steps in space."

https://www.cbsnews....s-dies-age-101/

 

 

[wjfox]

Hosni Mubarak, Egyptian president ousted during Arab spring, dies at 91

 

Tue 25 Feb 2020 11.08 GMT

 

Egypt’s ousted former president Hosni Mubarak has died at the age of 91, weeks after undergoing surgery, state television has announced.

 

Mubarak ruled Egypt for 30 years until he was deposed following mass protests against his rule in 2011, during the Arab spring. He was jailed for years after the uprising, but was freed in 2017 after being acquitted of most charges.

 

His democratically elected successor, Mohamed Morsi, was overthrown in 2013 in a popularly backed military coup. Many see echoes of Mubarak’s style of leadership in Egypt’s current leader, the former general Abdel Fatah al-Sisi.

 

Mubarak was the first of the leaders toppled in a wave of Arab uprisings to face trial. In scenes that captivated Egyptians, he appeared in a courtroom cage on a range of charges.

 

https://www.theguard...ring-dies-at-91

 

 

[wjfox]

Manfred Clynes (1925–2020), who coined the term "cyborg", has died aged 94.

 

https://en.wikipedia.../Manfred_Clynes

 

 

[wjfox]

Asterix creator Albert Uderzo dies at 92

Last modified on Tue 24 Mar 2020 18.18 GMT

Asterix illustrator Albert Uderzo has died at the age of 92, his family has announced.

The French comic book artist, who created the beloved Asterix comics in 1959 with the writer René Goscinny, died on Tuesday. He “died in his sleep at his home in Neuilly from a heart attack unrelated to the coronavirus. He had been very tired for several weeks,” his son-in-law Bernard de Choisy told AFP.

One of the best-loved characters in French popular culture, with more than 370m albums sold worldwide, 11 films and an Asterix theme park, the small-statured Asterix is a warrior from Roman-occupied ancient Gaul, who together with his best friend Obelix and dog Dogmatix – Idéfix in the French original – takes pleasure in outwitting Roman legionnaires. Fortunately for Asterix, Obelix fell into a cauldron of magic potion as a child, making him invincibly strong.

 

https://www.theguard...erzo-dies-at-92

 

 

[wjfox]

‘Lean On Me,’ ‘Lovely Day’ singer Bill Withers dies at 81

3 April 2020, 15:14

Bill Withers, who wrote and sang a string of soulful songs in the 1970s that have stood the test of time, including “ Lean On Me, ” “Lovely Day” and “Ain’t No Sunshine,” has died from heart complications, his family said in a statement to The Associated Press. He was 81.

The three-time Grammy Award winner, who withdrew from making music in the mid-1980s, died on Monday in Los Angeles, the statement said. His death comes as the public has drawn inspiration from his music during the coronavirus pandemic, with health care workers, choirs, artists and more posting their own renditions on “Lean on Me” to help get through the difficult times.

“We are devastated by the loss of our beloved, devoted husband and father. A solitary man with a heart driven to connect to the world at large, with his poetry and music, he spoke honestly to people and connected them to each other,” the family statement read. “As private a life as he lived close to intimate family and friends, his music forever belongs to the world. In this difficult time, we pray his music offers comfort and entertainment as fans hold tight to loved ones.”

https://abcnews.go.c...ies-81-69958590

[kjaggard]

[wjfox]

Undoubtedly one of the most talented British rappers. I posted a video of his just recently.

 

Fuck corornavirus

 

-----

 

Ty: Mercury-nominated UK rapper dies of coronavirus, aged 47

7 May 2020

Ty, the acclaimed, Mercury-nominated UK rapper, has died aged 47 after contracting coronavirus.

The Nigerian-British musician was known for a witty, mature style that owed more to the old-school US rappers than the grittier street sounds of London.

In 2004, his second album, Upwards, was nominated for the Mercury Prize alongside Amy Winehouse, The Streets and eventual winners Franz Ferdinand.

His death was mourned by stars including Ghetts and Roots Manuva.

DJ Charlie Sloth called him "a friend, a role model and a true foundation to UK rap".

 

https://www.bbc.co.u...t-arts-52584834

 

 

[wjfox]

Little Richard: Rock 'n' roll pioneer dies

Pioneering rock 'n' roll singer Little Richard has died at the age of 87, the musician's family has confirmed.

Little Richard's hits included Good Golly Miss Molly, which made the UK charts in 1958. The Beatles, Elton John and Elvis all cited him an influence.

The singer, born in Georgia as Richard Wayne Penniman, was among the first group inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.

His other well-known songs include Tutti Frutti and Long Tall Sally.

The star, who sold more than 30 million records worldwide, was known for his exuberant performances, shrieks, raspy voice and flamboyant outfits. He had his biggest hits in the 1950s.

https://www.bbc.co.u...t-arts-52601228

 

 

[wjfox]

R.I.P. Bonnie Pointer (1950–2020)

 

https://www.bbc.co.u...t-arts-52974111

 

 

[wjfox]

Dame Vera Lynn, singer and 'forces' sweetheart', dies aged 103

Thu 18 Jun 2020 11.45 BST

Dame Vera Lynn, whose song We’ll Meet Again became an anthem of hope and resilience during the second world war, has died aged 103.

Her family said they were “deeply saddened to announce the passing of one of Britain’s best-loved entertainers”, and that they were with her when she died at her East Sussex home.

Boris Johnson paid tribute, saying: “Dame Vera Lynn’s charm and magical voice entranced and uplifted our country in some of our darkest hours. Her voice will live on to lift the hearts of generations to come.” Labour politician Angela Rayner called Lynn “a beautiful person who will be sadly missed by all who her knew her”.

[...]

During the second world war, she performed to people sheltering from bombing raids in the stations of London’s underground, and her popularity among soldiers grew her fame. She earned the nickname “the forces’ sweetheart”, touring for troops in Egypt, India and Myanmar, then known as Burma, during the war. “Singing in the jungle was very hot and very sticky, which was a bit hard going,” she told the Guardian in 2017. “I had a little piano, which they trudged around on the back of a lorry, hoping it would survive the journeys.”

[...]

Lynn’s wartime popularity was boosted by her signature song, We’ll Meet Again, released in 1939 and written by Ross Parker and Hughie Charles. Its wistful melody and determinedly optimistic lyrics – “I know we’ll meet again some sunny day” – proved powerfully uplifting for departing soldiers, and it has endured as the defining song of the British campaign. It re-entered the UK charts this year at No 55 amid the 75th anniversary celebrations of VE Day. It was also used – with heavy irony – by director Stanley Kubrick at the climax of his cold war satire Dr Strangelove.

 

https://www.theguard...n-dies-aged-103