Dutch crime reporter de Vries dies from shooting
1 hour ago
The prominent Dutch crime reporter Peter R de Vries, who was shot and seriously wounded in central Amsterdam nine days ago, has died.
A statement from his relatives said "Peter fought to the end, but was unable to win the battle".
The shooting on 6 July shocked the Netherlands, familiar with Mr de Vries's investigations of mobsters and drug lords. Two suspects were arrested.
De Vries, 64, was shot in the head minutes after leaving a TV studio.
He had won critical acclaim for his reporting on the Dutch underworld - including the 1983 kidnapping of the beer millionaire Freddy Heineken.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-57853004
Recent Deaths
Re: Recent Deaths
Paul Johnson: Chicago house music DJ dies at 50 after catching Covid
10 hours ago
Influential Chicago house music DJ Paul Johnson has died at the age of 50 after contracting Covid-19.
Johnson, who had a global hit with Get Get Down in 1999 and was named as an influence by Daft Punk, had spent several weeks in hospital.
A statement on his Facebook page read: "Our greatness passed away this morning at 9am, the house music legend we all know as PJ aka Paul Johnson."
Fellow DJ Mike Servito said Johnson "taught us how to bounce to the beat".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-58100006
10 hours ago
Influential Chicago house music DJ Paul Johnson has died at the age of 50 after contracting Covid-19.
Johnson, who had a global hit with Get Get Down in 1999 and was named as an influence by Daft Punk, had spent several weeks in hospital.
A statement on his Facebook page read: "Our greatness passed away this morning at 9am, the house music legend we all know as PJ aka Paul Johnson."
Fellow DJ Mike Servito said Johnson "taught us how to bounce to the beat".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-58100006
Re: Recent Deaths
Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts dies at 80
1 minute ago
Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts has died at the age of 80, his publicist has said.
"It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Charlie Watts," a statement said.
"He passed away peacefully in a London hospital earlier today surrounded by his family."
It said he was "a cherished husband, father and grandfather" and "one of the greatest drummers of his generation".
The statement added: "We kindly request that the privacy of his family, band members and close friends is respected at this difficult time."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-58316842
1 minute ago
Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts has died at the age of 80, his publicist has said.
"It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Charlie Watts," a statement said.
"He passed away peacefully in a London hospital earlier today surrounded by his family."
It said he was "a cherished husband, father and grandfather" and "one of the greatest drummers of his generation".
The statement added: "We kindly request that the privacy of his family, band members and close friends is respected at this difficult time."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-58316842
Re: Recent Deaths
Sir Clive Sinclair: Computing pioneer dies aged 81
10 minutes ago
Inventor Sir Clive Sinclair, who popularised the home computer and invented the pocket calculator, has died at his London home aged 81.
His daughter Belinda Sinclair said he passed away on Thursday morning after having cancer for more than a decade.
Sir Clive's products included the ZX series of computers and his ill-fated C5 electric vehicle.
He was still working on his inventions last week "because that was what he loved doing", said Ms Sinclair.
"He was inventive and imaginative and for him it was exciting and an adventure, it was his passion," she added.
While his ZX Spectrum computers brought affordable personal computing to the masses - selling in their millions across the world - Sir Clive's attempt to launch an electric vehicle was not successful.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58587521
Credit: David Levenson
10 minutes ago
Inventor Sir Clive Sinclair, who popularised the home computer and invented the pocket calculator, has died at his London home aged 81.
His daughter Belinda Sinclair said he passed away on Thursday morning after having cancer for more than a decade.
Sir Clive's products included the ZX series of computers and his ill-fated C5 electric vehicle.
He was still working on his inventions last week "because that was what he loved doing", said Ms Sinclair.
"He was inventive and imaginative and for him it was exciting and an adventure, it was his passion," she added.
While his ZX Spectrum computers brought affordable personal computing to the masses - selling in their millions across the world - Sir Clive's attempt to launch an electric vehicle was not successful.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58587521
Credit: David Levenson
Re: Recent Deaths
Colin Powell: Former US secretary of state dies of Covid complications
8 minutes ago
Former US Secretary of State Colin Powell has died aged 84 of Covid-19 complications, his family has announced.
He was a former top military officer who rose to become the first African-American secretary of state in 2001 under Republican George W Bush.
"We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American," a statement said.
"We want to thank the medical staff... for their caring treatment," it added.
The statement said that he had been fully vaccinated against Covid.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-58957273
8 minutes ago
Former US Secretary of State Colin Powell has died aged 84 of Covid-19 complications, his family has announced.
He was a former top military officer who rose to become the first African-American secretary of state in 2001 under Republican George W Bush.
"We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American," a statement said.
"We want to thank the medical staff... for their caring treatment," it added.
The statement said that he had been fully vaccinated against Covid.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-58957273
Re: Recent Deaths
Minute's silence for Sir David Amess in House of Commons
The Speaker’s chaplain has led a minute’s silence in the House of Commons for Sir David Amess MP.
Tricia Hillas said of the murdered Southend West MP: “May the bright memory of his rich life ever outshine the tragic manner of his death”.
Lindsay Hoyle also paid tribute to the former Northern Ireland secretary James Brokenshire, who died on 7 October.
The Speaker’s chaplain has led a minute’s silence in the House of Commons for Sir David Amess MP.
Tricia Hillas said of the murdered Southend West MP: “May the bright memory of his rich life ever outshine the tragic manner of his death”.
Lindsay Hoyle also paid tribute to the former Northern Ireland secretary James Brokenshire, who died on 7 October.
Re: Recent Deaths
While I do believe in the wisdom of speaking kindly of the dead, there are lessons to be learned from history. The career of Colin Powell supplies plenty of such lessons. On the positive side, the development of the "Powell Doctrine." On the negative, his role in trying to facilitate the U.S. invasion of Iraq by use of what should have been perceived as dubious evidence. For further background on that second point:
Climate Cassandra: Seeing the Future When No One Believes You
by Rebecca Gordon
October 18, 2021
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2021 ... lieves-you
Extract:
Climate Cassandra: Seeing the Future When No One Believes You
by Rebecca Gordon
October 18, 2021
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2021 ... lieves-you
Extract:
(Common Dreams) In the run-up to the March 2003 invasion, figures who might be thought of as "anti-Cassandras" took center stage. Unlike the Greek seer, these unfortunates were apparently doomed to tell falsehoods—and be believed. Among them was Condoleezza Rice, President Bush's national security advisor, who, when pressed for evidence that Saddam Hussein actually possessed WMD, told CNN's Wolf Blitzer that "we don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud," implying Iraq represented a nuclear threat to this country.
Then there was secretary of State Colin Powell, who put the case for war to the United Nations General Assembly in February 2003, emphasizing the supposedly factual basis of everything he presented:
"My colleagues, every statement I make today is backed up by sources, solid sources. These are not assertions. What we're giving you are facts and
conclusions based on solid intelligence."
It wasn't true, of course, but around the world, many believed him.
And let's not leave the mainstream press out here. There's plenty of blame to go around, but perhaps the anti-Cassandra crown should go to the New York Times for its promotion of Bush administration war propaganda, especially by its reporter Judith Miller. In 2004, the Times published an extraordinary mea culpa, an apologetic note "from the editors" that said,
"[W]e have found a number of instances of coverage that was not as rigorous as it should have been. In some cases, information that was controversial then, and seems questionable now, was insufficiently qualified or allowed to stand unchallenged. Looking back, we wish we had been more aggressive in re-examining the claims as new evidence emerged—or failed to emerge."
Don't mourn, organize.
-Joe Hill
-Joe Hill