Philip Rabinowitz Has Run His Last Race, the 104y

Scoring Update! The points change, death remains the same...

Cape Town's famous centenarian Philip Rabinowitz has died at the age of 104. Rabinowitz was known for his feats on the athletics front and held a number of records at the time of his death.

In 2004 Rabinowitz sprinted into the Guinness Book of World Records, when he broke the 100m record for centenarian sprinting in a time of 30.86 seconds at the Greenpoint stadium.

"He really hit the news when he broke the 100m and 200m, and he loved it. He loved the adoration of everyone," said his daughter Joyce Kruger. She said her father was proud of himself and that they were also proud of him.

Rabinowitz had been covered earlier this week by the Daily Mail. He told the paper:

"I've always walked or run everywhere because when I was young, there weren't any cars," he said.

He puts his fitness down to a healthy diet, an active mind and to not worrying.

"My motto in life is to do everything in moderation," he added.

Congratulations and 24 points awarded to Live Like You Were Dying. The Rosters and Standings have been updated.

[SABC News]
[Daily Mail]

David's Style was Elementary, My Dear Watkin

Cinematographer, David Watkin, best known for his Oscar-winning work on "Out of Africa," died from cancer at the age of 82. Watkin worked on over 60 full length films and was the famous penultimate run in "Chariots of Fire was guided by his hands.

“His work was the antithesis of the stuck, theatrical style,” Todd McCarthy, the chief film critic for Variety and a co-director of the 1992 documentary “Visions of Light: The Art of Cinematography,” said in an interview this week. “What set Watkin apart was a natural-light look and a freewheeling style; the camera was liberated.”

You can read more about Watkin in his 1998 autobiography "Why is There Only One Word for Thesaurus?" Had Watkin only survived, we may have eventually received his sequel, "How Does the Dictionary define 'Dictionary'?"(1:58)

[NY Times]

Elizabeth Taylor Turns Down Dialysis M for Murder

Yesterday, as mentioned, was Elizabeth Taylor's birthday. How did she celebrate, you may ask?

Silver screen legend Elizabeth Taylor is reportedly battling a new health complaint that is shutting her internal organs down. The ailing 76-year-old actress' latest medical crisis was brought on by the painkillers she has taken for years to combat chronic back and hip pain.

Sources tell the National Enquirer the drugs have caused irreversible damage to her liver and kidneys - but Taylor is refusing to go on dialysis that will prolong her life. An insider tells the publication, "Her body is starting to shut down, and she's adamant about not resorting to life support. Liz does not want to continue living if it means being connected to machines. Liz said she has no intention of going on dialysis - let alone consider organ transplants."

Although we remain skeptical about the source cited here, it fits with our belief that Taylor has taken a turn for the worse in recent months. During her life, she has broken her spine in five different points, had both hips replaced, gotten skin cancer, almost died from pneumonia twice, and survived a brain tumor.

Not to mention seven different husbands. She just doesn't want her last role to be in Married to a Machine Too.

[StarPulse.com]

A Durning Desire

I've done my share of recreational drugs in my day, but I've never been dumb enough to use poison as a way to get high.

Charles Durning probably did his share of drugs too, being an actor and all. But based on the fact that he's made it to the big 8-5 I'm going to assume he was wise enough not to use poison.

Today is somebody's Birthday! Whose Birthday? Actor Charles Durning's Birthday. How Old Is He? 1,2,3,4...85! And Never been Kissed By... Death

Charles Durning's name appears on "6 Feet Under's" roster

• Durning will join Steven Seagal in the action movie "Hard Panda", about an Ex-PETA agent (Seagal) hell bent on avenging the death of his Panda, killed by Chechen warriors in the wilderness of Alaska. Durning will provide the voice of Tommy Lee the Panda.

Sounds like this movie will be giving "Stuart Little 2" a run for its money for worst plot ever.

... And Many More!

Bobby Murcer has More Than Baseball on His Brain

Former Yankee outfielder Bobby Murcer’s battle with brain cancer may have taken a turn for the worse, the Daily News has learned.

According to an emotional e-mail sent to friends Thursday from Murcer’s wife, Kay, the Yankee broadcaster will undergo a brain biopsy on Monday in Houston after an MRI revealed an “area that doctors are concerned about.”

“Please pray that it will be determined to be necrosis (scar tissue from the radiation), and not another cancerous tumor,” Kay wrote in her e-mail. “It’s one of the two.”

Murcer has spent much of his life in the Yankees organization, playing two stints with the team as well as serving as a broadcaster for the past 25 years since his retirement.

He was first diagnosed with brain cancer in December 2006. Murcer remains optimistic despite having to tackle more adversity.

Murcer is reportedly working on his autobiography titled "Yankee For Life." Funny. We thought that title belonged to someone else.

[New York Daily News]

The Dave Clark Five are Down to Four

This feels very much like Len Bias timing, with Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame playing the role of Boston Celtics:

According to a source at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, singer and keyboardist Mike Smith tragically passed away this morning. He was 64 years old. Smith (far left) was to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 10th as a member of the Dave Clark Five. One of the biggest acts to break out as a part of the British invasion in the 1960s.

Mike Smith’s (on left, in picture) many fans included Tom Hanks, who will induct the Dave Clark Five into the Hall in ten days. There's no crying in baseball, but I suspect there might be at Hall of Fame inductions...

[Rolling Stone]

Jeff Cancels Concert, Needs Time to Heal-ey

For the second time this week, a singer has cancelled a concert due to illness.

Musician Jeff Healey has cancelled the performance of Healey's Jazz Wizards group scheduled for Centrepointe Theatre Saturday because of ongoing cancer treatment, the theatre has announced.

Healey's representatives said the musician was facing a longer than expected stay in hospital after recent treatment. Healey lost his vision as a baby because of cancer. Over the past three years he has undergone several surgeries to remove cancerous tissue from his lungs and legs.

Fans will be receieving refunds for the missed show. While they're disappointed, fans probably aren't upset with the singer. After all, Healey couldn't have seen this coming.

[Canada.com]

Hunter S. Thompson's Feet and Clothing in Las Vegas

Has Hunter S. Thompson joined the shoe-selling ranks of Christina Aguilera?...And is that okay?

Converse sneakers are joining the rich tradition of using dead celebrities in advertisements, with Hunter S. Thompson's image appearing in their latest marketing efforts.
To be fair, this is not random selection. The Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars were an integral part of Thompson's iconic look:

"Since he bought his first pair in the early 1960s in San Francisco he has worn them every day of his life," the author's widow Anita Thompson tells Radar. "There are still over 70 pairs of them at the house."

But it's not that simple. Some Bloggers, like Gawker, have had it up to as high as they can raise their hand with it, and are saying so in collected, measured tones:

Whenever the dead stop messing around in the afterlife and come back to earth in zombie form, they won't be happy about this. Zombie Gonzo (Thompson) will be dining on the bursting brains of the young cool creative minds that dreamed up his ad appearances. And we should all want a bite.

It's Thompson's estate who is getting a bite now. One of many enjoying the spoils of money pie.

By the way - yes, I would have taken any excuse to run that Christina photo....Let's just hope Converse doesn't follow Skechers photo marketing campaign...I can't imagine "possibly-naughtier-than-you-think school girl" being a good look for him.

[Radar]

Like the Expressway, 60 was Miles Limit

Buddy Miles, who drummed for Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, Stevie Wonder, and David Bowie amongst others, died at the age of 60. Miles is credited as one of the first artists to fuse psychedelic rock with soul, blues and jazz, but is best known for "Them Changes," the Buddy Miles Express' 1970 hit.

His career highlight?

"All the shows were bad-ass," Miles told Seconds magazine in 1995. "It was the highlight of my life, and I had a good time playing those shows. That was vintage James Marshall Hendrix."

That's all well and good. But you're probably wondering what's my favorite highlight of his career. Easy. He was a California Freakin' Raisin. Do you know how many raisins exist in the world? Do you know how many made it to the California Raisins? Do you know what the chances are for him to become The Raisin? No... I didn't think you did know...

His finest work:

Asked by Seconds how he would like to be remembered, Miles said: "The baddest of the bad. People say I'm the baddest drummer. If that's true, thank you world."

What does this "bad" talk mean? Fortuitously, President Bush answered that question for us yesterday while honoring the Boston Red Sox:

But I do want to quote him (Manny Ramirez). He said, "When you don't feel good, and you still get hits, that's when you know you're a bad man." (Laughter.) I don't know what that means. (Laughter.) But if bad man means good hitter, he's a really bad man, because he was clutch in the World Series and clutch in the playoffs.

I think we may have misunderestimated Buddy Miles.

[BBC]

Happy Birthday to Two People Who Are Genuinely Fat; Not Just Called Fat

For some reason we have some sort of fascination with stories of people who are dead and remain unburied, so here's one more for your reading enjoyment.

Once again this has nothing to do with the people whose birthdays we are celebrating, save for the fact that they are one year closer to being that rotting corpse.

Today is somebody's Birthday! Whose Birthday? Former Prime Minister of Israel Ariel Sharon's Birthday. How Old Is He? 1,2,3,4... 80! And Never been Kissed By... Death

Ariel Sharon's name appears on 7 Death Pool rosters

• Sharon has been widowed twice. Shortly after becoming a military instructor, he married his first wife, Margalit, with whom he had a son, Gur. Margalit died in a car accident in May 1962. Their son, Gur, died in October 1967 after a friend shot him while they were playing with a rifle. After Margalit's death, Sharon married her younger sister, Lily. They had two sons, Omri and Gil'ad. Lily Sharon died of cancer in 2000.

With a family history like that, you have to be surprised he's survived in a vegetative state for more than 2 years.

Today is somebody else's Birthday! Whose Birthday? Actress Elizabeth Taylor's Birthday. How Old Is She? 1,2,3,4... 76! And Never been Kissed By... Death

Elizabeth Taylor's name appears on "I Am Ready to Meet My Maker's", "A Time to Kill's", "The South Shall Rise (from the Grave) Again's", and "Do Not Resuscitate's" rosters

• In the early 1980s she moved to Bel-Air, which is her current home. The fenced and gated property is on tour maps sold at street corners and is frequently passed by tour guides.
  

Does this make her the "Fresh Princess of Bel-Air?"

... And Many More!

If Joe Paterno is Still a Lion, What Makes John McCain Prey?

Is John McCain too much of a potential Death Pool pick to be elected president? It's a question to which we have already covered the thoughts of Nobel Prize winning theoretical mathematician Chuck Norris. (We know, we know... Chuck Norris doesn't get awarded Nobel Prizes; Nobel Prizes get awarded Chuck Norrises.)

But now a new theory has come to light. In a Lancaster County News article entitled "Is McCain too old? Most seniors taking morning walks today agree: nope," 76 year old East Hempfield Township resident Herb McCollom disagrees with Walker, Texas Ranger:

McCollom said people often question the vigor of older people, adding, "The same thing has happened to Joe Paterno."

He is not wrong. if Joe Pa, can do it, McCain can. To take the McCollom Theory to its logical end, a McCain presidency of 8 years, would give us 4 years here we lose battle after battle, and are derided, but a few years where we are above average, and one great year. Oh, and McCain will need some really thick glasses.

You know...the country 8 years from now would have been better off if McCollom had just compared McCain to Jack Nicholson. I would have at least likes a look at McCain's Bucket List.

By the way, no- the article does not say what seniors who are not taking morning walks today believe about this issue.

[Lancaster County News]
[Independent]

Hot Rod King Boyd Coddington Rides into Death Valley

Car-building legend Boyd Coddington, whose testosterone-injected cable TV reality show "American Hot Rod" introduced the nation to the West Coast hot rod guru, has died. He was 63.

Coddington, who started building cars when he was 13 and once operated a gas station in Utah, set a standard for his workmanship and creativity, with his popular "Cadzilla" creation considered a design masterpiece. The customized car based on a 1950s Cadillac was built for rocker Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top.

Coddington also surrounded himself with talent. Alumni from his shop include Jesse James and Chip Foose, who went on to open their own shops and star in reality TV shows. Coddington twice won the Daimler-Chrysler Design Excellence Award and he was inducted into the Grand National Roadster Show Hall of Fame, the National Rod & Custom Museum Hall of Fame and the Route 66 Wall of Fame.

Coddington was easily recognizable in his industry, usually clad in a Hawaiian shirt and his company baseball cap. We aren't familiar with Coddington's show, but we assume that whenever he got excited about a project, he'd give a Simian grunt. Mayhem and some level of destruction would most likely ensue.

[San Francisco Chronicle]

Pete Doherty's Day Off

Pete Doherty skipped the NME Awards at which he was supposed to perform. Why? Because he was "sick," says the Daily Mirror. According to the Mirror, Doherty, The Babyshambles lead singer, and ex-boyfriend of Kate Moss, got his mom Jacqueline to phone in his excuse for him. The real reason?

But show sources say the real reason Pete pulled out was because he didn't want to be kicked out of his central London rehab clinic for breaking his 10pm curfew.

I don't know. This all sounds too familiar to me... Doherty has been absent from shows NINE TIMES. We wonder if he is just using this excuse to spend the day traveling around Chicago, posing as sausage kings, catching foul balls at Wrigley, and singing "Twist and Shout" in parades. If anyone hunts down an mp3 of The Babyshambles covering the Isley Brothers, let us know...

Hmm....

[Daily Mirror]

W.C. Heinz Showed Lethal Combination of Fields

Every now and again you come across someone who, after his or her death, is mentioned as having taken part in many, diverse moments in history. W.C. "Bill" Heinz was one of those guys, touching on parts of American history, sports and culture.

W.C. "Bill" Heinz, a sportswriter and author who witnessed the Normandy invasion on D-Day, covered some of the greatest sports events of the 1940s and helped write the book "MASH," has died. He was 93.

During World War II, he reported from Europe. After the war he covered sports, including Babe Ruth's emotional last appearance at Yankee Stadium in 1948. In the mid-60s, he helped Maine physician H. Richard Hornburger write the book about a mobile army surgical hospital in the Korean War.

Heinz's writing was widely praised, even by Ernest Hemingway. He became largely noted as a boxing reporter, even quoted in the 1990 obituary for Rocky Graziano. In boxing and otherwise, Heinz went the distance.

[International Herald Tribune]

The William F. Buckley Stops Here; Dies Conservatively

William F. Buckley Jr., a conservative icon and public intellectual, died today at the age of 82, The New York Times and Associated Press report.

National Review Online, an outgrowth of the magazine Buckley founded, describes his death at The Corner: I’m devastated to report that our dear friend, mentor, leader, and founder William F. Buckley Jr., died overnight in his study in Stamford, Connecticut. After year of illness, he died while at work; if he had been given a choice on how to depart this world, I suspect that would have been exactly it. At home, still devoted to the war of ideas.

In recent years, Buckley has spent his time on passions like playing the harpsichord and sailing. He died peacefully and nautically.

[USA Today]
[National Review]

Entebbe Commander Dan Shomron Reaches his End-ebbe

Former Israeli military chief, Dan Shomron died yesterday at the age of 70, from the effects of a stroke. Shomron achieved renown for commanding the famed 1976 hostage rescue at Entebbe airport in Uganda. And if you believe my favorite of the movies, starring Shomron himself and TWO former Israeli prime ministers, he did it with valor, he did it in slow motion, and he did it with a great musical score. (This is, of course, not "Victory at Entebbe," which starred the immortal Charles Bronson as Dan Shomron. The picture to the right also stars Charles Bronson as Dan Shomron. Nice stache, Charles. He looks like a young Charles Bronson.)

If you choose not to believe the movie, then believe Ehud Olmert:

"Dan Shomron was a brave-hearted warrior who left his stamp on the fighting spirit of the Israeli army, with some of the most daring operations in its history. His death is a loss to the whole of Israeli society"

It would have taken a daring mission by Dan Shomron to rescue Dan Shomron from his hospital stay.

[CNN]

Yellow Fever Kept Myron Cope Alive, Heart Dies a Champion

Myron Cope, colorful sports broadcaster and reporter whose Terrible Towel remains the banner of the Steelers nation, has died. He was 79.

In declining health since even before his 2005 retirement after a record 35 years of Steelers broadcasts, Mr. Cope died this morning of respiratory failure. One of the last of the great sports characters, Mr. Cope's life and career were nothing less than book-worthy, even if he had to write it himself. Twice.

"Double Yoi" it was called both times, the second an updated version of the original 2002 volume, the title immortalizing one of Mr. Cope's signature exclamations, which, along with "Okle-dokle," "Dumbkopf!", and "How do?", became so familiar to his radio and TV audiences.

His holds the NFL record for longest consecutive run as a color analyst with a single team. For some commercials, Cope adopted the persona of "Doctor Cope," wearing a white lab coat while pretending to examine the opposing team's strengths and weaknesses through a microscope he called "the Cope-ra-scope." Yet when the opponent became respiratory problems and heart failure in recent years, it was outside Dr. Cope's area of expertise.

[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]

Randy Pausch Turns His Doctors Into Liars

But in a good way. His doctors told him six months ago that he had three months of "good health" left, due to pancreatic cancer.

But this past weekend, Mr. Pausch, a professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University and co-founder of its Entertainment Technology Center, sent an e-mail message to friends and family members saying that he is beating the odds and remains in relatively good health.

If you're wondering why that name sounds vaguely familiar...

Mr. Pausch became an unexpected celebrity after he gave an inspirational “last lecture” at the university that hundreds of thousands of people have watched online.

[Chronicle of Higher Education]

Know Your Fats

Every once in a while I drop some spare change. The thing is, often times I'm just too lazy to pick it up. But ever since Canadian money become more valuable than American it seems as though Canadians have a different take on spare change than I do.

Maybe if Mr. Desjardins' grandmother would have given him more money for his birthday, he wouldn't have needed to go fishing for change.

Today is somebody's Birthday! Whose Birthday? Musician Fats Domino's Birthday. How Old Is He? 1,2,3,4...80! And Never been Kissed By... Death

Fats Domino's name appears on "Yiz-Score: 2007 DP Champ's" and "Extended Weekend at Bernie's" rosters

• In the 1980s, Domino decided he would no longer leave New Orleans, having a comfortable income from royalties and a dislike for touring, and claiming he could not get any food that he liked anyplace else. His induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and an invitation to perform at the White House failed to persuade Domino to make an exception to this policy.
  

At least he didn't send a letter like the Sex Pistols did to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

... And Many More!

Robert Byrd Falls From His Perch

Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia was hospitalized Tuesday at Walter Reed Army Medical Center after complaining of back pain after a fall at his home, his spokesman said.

Byrd, 90, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and the nation's longest-serving senator, was staying in the hospital overnight for observation, said spokesman Jesse Jacobs. It was not immediately clear whether he had suffered broken bones.

Byrd, who as Senate president pro tempore is third in line to the presidency, walks haltingly with two canes. Due to his frail condition, some Senate Democrats reportedly explored ways to replace him as Appropriations chairman, but he continues to hold the post.

He fell last night at his home, but was able to make it to work today. It looks like it's time for this old man to step down from the Senate floor.

[International Herald Tribune]
[Denver Post]

No Country for Non French Speakers

This type of story makes you wonder, how many of our 13 deaths really happened, and how many were just people who looked like the picks.

Only in America, folks. This would certainly not happen in Canada. The Indian Affairs minister wouldn't allow it.

Today is somebody's Birthday! Whose Birthday? Canadian Politician Chuck Strahl's Birthday. How Old Is He? 1,2,3,4...51! And Never been Kissed By... Death

Chuck Strahl's name appears on "Dead Place's" roster

• Strahl was viewed as a well-spoken and moderate member of the Canadian Alliance who could woo eastern Canada, but his leadership ambitions were frustrated due to his inability to speak French.
  

We still gave Oscars to all those people who barely could speak English. Maybe Canadians should learn something from their neighbors to the south.

... And Many More!

A Farrakhan Do Attitude has Louis Eyeing the Future

Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan called Barack Obama the "hope of the entire world." Those are some big words to use. Farrakhan, once fearful that prostate cancer would take his life, is focused on a future with him in it.

But over the last year, Farrakhan has been regaining strength and slowly increasing his public appearances, giving lectures at the Nation's Mosque Maryam on Chicago's South Side, speaking in churches about unity and granting occasional interviews.

On Sunday, he appeared healthy and joked he's "a little on the pudgy side" at a robust 192 pounds. "People are wondering: 'Is he sick? How's he doing?"' he said. "I'm doing fine."

As recently as January, there were rumors circulating that Farrakhan was nearing death. One of the fundamental beliefs of the Nation of Islam is belief in the "mental" resurrection of the dead -- not in physical resurrection but mental resurrection. We suppose then that physical resurrections are left to ailing leaders in this world.

[News1130.com]

For Old Time's Sake

It sure looks like this guy should have kept the gun, and left the cannoli (or in his case, cake).

Tessio was always smarter. I guess that's why he's made it all the way to 87.

Today is somebody's Birthday! Whose Birthday? Actor Abe Vigoda's Birthday. How Old Is He? 1,2,3,4... 87! And Never been Kissed By... Death

Abe Vigoda's name appears on "TIREMAN422's" and "They Are Now As Cold As Ice's" rosters

• Vigoda's brother, Bill Vigoda, was a comic-book artist who drew for the "Archie" comics franchise and others in the 1940s.
  

The Vigodas must have been very proud. One son was writing comic books and the other was starring in "Good Burger."

... And Many More!

Carr Dies as a Result of One-Stroke Engine

Johnnie Carr, who joined childhood friend Rosa Parks in the historic Montgomery bus boycott and kept a busy schedule of civil rights activism up to her final days, has died. She was 97.

"Johnnie Carr is one of the three major icons of the Civil Rights Movement: Dr. King, Rosa Parks and Johnnie Carr," said Morris Dees, co-founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center. "I think ultimately, when the final history books are written, she'll be one of the few people remembered for that terrific movement."

Carr remained president of the Montgomery Improvement Association - a post in which she succeeded Martin Luther King Jr. - until her death. The association led the famous boycott of city buses in Alabama in 1955. We envision a world where both Carrs and buses can get along.

[AP]

Eager Seeger's Turn Still Going

Singer Pete Seeger was recently profiled in the documentary Pete Seeger: The Power of Song. From the looks of things, his health appears to be in good shape...for the most part.

At 88, Pete Seeger complains about weakening health, decreasing stamina and that "my brain has stopped working." He may protest a bit too much, but then again, protest has long been part of the American folk legend's oeuvre.

He is best known for co-authoring famous hits such as "Where Have All The Flowers Gone?" and "Turn! Turn! Turn!" A time to be born, a time to die. A time for a working brain and a time to have it stopped altogether.

[Reuters]

Once Green, Janez Drnovsek Now Among Dead Presidents

Scoring Update! The points change, death remains the same...

Former Slovenian president and long-time prime minister Janez Drnovsek, who had been suffering from cancer, died overnight at his home on the outskirts of Ljubljana, his office said Saturday.

After discovering in 2005 that his cancer had spread, Drnovsek became a vegetarian and moved to a village in the mountains outside Ljubljana, where he cooked his own meals and kept to himself. Last year his health visibly deteriorated and he began to withdraw from the media spotlight. Rumours had been circulating about his condition in recent weeks, although a friend denied as recently as Wednesday that he was gravely ill.

"Drnovsek was largely responsible for Slovenia's social and economic development," centre-right prime minister Janez Jansa, one of Drnovsek's main political opponents over the last two years, said in a statement.

Congratulations and 24 points awarded to It's Always Sunny in Philadeadphia. The Rosters and Standings have been updated.

[Yahoo! News]

Another Sparky Story (and a Pardo Birthday Too)

The good news in this story, is that this man's son didn't need to rob a bank to see his father in his dying moments.

Today is somebody's Birthday! Whose Birthday? Baseball Hall of Famer Sparky Anderson's Birthday. How Old Is He? 1,2,3,4... 73! And Never been Kissed By... Death

Sparky Anderson's name appears on "Do Not Resuscitate's" roster

• Anderson managed a pennant winner in four consecutive seasons: 1965 with Rock Hill of the Western Carolina League, 1966 with St. Petersburg of the Florida State League, 1967 with Modesto of the California League and 1968 with Asheville of the Southern League.

Just take a look at the cities where this was done and and you'll have your answer as to why you never heard about this.

Today is somebody else's Birthday! Whose Birthday? Television and Radio Announcer Don Pardo's Birthday. How Old Is He? 1,2,3,4... 90! And Never been Kissed By... Death

Don Pardo's name appears on "Remains to Be Seen's" roster

• Pardo officially "retired" from NBC in 2004 and moved to Tucson. However, the producers of Saturday Night Live convinced him to continue providing the introductions for their show. In 2006, he decided to begin prerecording his announcements from a home studio in Arizona. That lasted only a few episodes before producers insisted they needed him present in Studio 8H, and he resumed flying to New York on a weekly basis to do the show.
  

I'm not exactly sure why he needed to be present for the introductions, but I can certainly understand why he didn't want to have to watch SNL after 2004.

... And Many More!

Julie Christie Remembers the Time She was Nominated

We figured with this being Oscar weekend, we'd get in on the active coverage of the Academy Awards. Each year at the event, there is a retrospective montage celebrating all of those entertainers who passed away during the previous year. It's our favorite part of the ceremony.

But the awards themselves are of keen interest, too. Actress Julie Christie is among the nominees this year and pretty much the favorite to take home a statue. When she won at last month’s Screen Actors Guild Awards show, Christie made an insensitive remark about Alzheimer's disease, an illness she staged for her performance in Away From Her.

Christie drew laughs when she concluded: “And if I’ve forgotten anybody, well, it’s just that I’m still in character.”

With two movies – “Away From Her” and “The Savages” – dealing with Alzheimer’s and dementia, respectively, up for Oscars on Sunday, Alzheimer’s experts host Jon Stewart and the celebrity presenters and winners will avoid any humor about the disease. "It is no laughing matter,” said Peter Braun, chief executive of the California Southland chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. “People don’t laugh about cancer; people don’t laugh about AIDS."

Braun’s organization has praised both films for their sensitive treatment of the illnesses. His hope is that this year's awards will help raise awareness of the disease.

If Ellen Page wins the best actress award over Christie Sunday night, we can only hope she doesn't talk about her morning sickness.

[Journal Gazette]

Get Bent Tax Man

Benjamin Franklin once said "Certainty? In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes." But he never thought they'd be certainly together.

Jim Ryan knows all about tax evaders from his stint as Illinois Attorney General. I doubt he killed anyone doing his job though.

Today is somebody's Birthday! Whose Birthday? Former Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan's Birthday. How Old Is He? 1,2,3,4... 62! And Never been Kissed By... Death

Jim Ryan's name appears on "Blue's" roster

• Ryan's most notable accomplishment as Illinois Attorney General was his $9.1 billion settlement from tobacco companies. It was the largest public judgment in the state's history.

And he was able to do that without the help of Nicholas Easter.

... And Many More!

Let's Do It Again

We've spoken about not drinking enough and drinking too much on this blog. Today's lesson is to drink things that are drinkable.

Once again, nothing to do with birthdays, but an important lesson nonetheless.

Today is somebody's Birthday! Whose Birthday? Academy Award Winning Actor Sidney Poitier's Birthday. How Old Is He? 1,2,3,4... 81! And Never been Kissed By... Death

Sidney Poitier's name appears on "Do Not Resuscitate's" roster

• Poitier was considered for the role of Josiah "Jed" Bartlett on TV's The West Wing, but it was ultimately given to Martin Sheen.
  

Good thing for Barack Obama that Aaron Sorkin doesn't have a superdelegate vote.

... And Many More!

Frank Buckles Lacks the Courtesy to Die Already

They're planning quite an event in Kansas City. It will pay tribute to the 4 million American men and women who answered the call to fight in the first world war, it will honor the families who sent young soldiers off to battle long before telephones or e-mail allowed them routine updates on their safety, and it will salute a generation that led the nation through a Great War, a Great Depression, a great renewal. But one man is holding up the party: 107 year-old WWI veteran Frank Buckles.

But none of it will transpire until one man -- a father, a grandfather, a living piece of history -- dies. Two weeks ago, the second-to-last American veteran of World War I, Harry Landis, of Sun City Center, died at the age of 108. Landis' passing leaves one man, 107-year-old Frank Buckles, the sole surviving U.S. doughboy.

Buckles, of Charles Town, W.Va., remains in remarkably good health, still living at home and doing media interviews, still mentally sharp and physically mobile, still exercising every day. Yet when he goes, so, too, will a generation. So plans are being made at the National World War I Museum in Kansas City to commemorate the end of an era.

Here's hoping Frank Buckles outlives the entire planning committee. Seriously, the article details basically the entire program for the event. Would it be so terrible to release this information after Buckles is unable to read it?

[Chicago Tribune]

Will We Always Have Shimon Peres?

Israel's normally indefatigable 84-year-old president, Shimon Peres, was resting Wednesday at the order of his doctor after being diagnosed with a light case of the flu, officials said.

Peres, who became president in July, canceled events Tuesday and Wednesday, but hoped to deliver a speech to a conference of American Jewish leaders at his Jerusalem residence later in the day, said his spokeswoman Ayelet Frisch. A statement from her office said the meeting would be in a "reduced" format, closed to reporters.

"This is a man who doesn't like to rest even when he is sick," Frisch said.

Perhaps the politician was fearful of what he'd heard in recent years about the country' flu vaccine. This is evidently a case of one flu over the cuckoo's Knesset

[International Herald Tribune]

Hospitals Now 20 Percent Less Preachy

Two popular DP picks both got out hospitals yesterday. Let's go in age order.

Evangelist Billy Graham returned to his mountainside home Tuesday to continue his recovery from surgery to update a shunt that controls excess fluid on his brain, officials said. Graham, who underwent the elective surgery last Wednesday, is recovering well, and his physicians are pleased with his progress, said Mission Hospitals spokeswoman Merrell Gregory.

Dr. Ralph Loomis, Graham's neurosurgeon, said doctors will continue to calibrate the updated valve at Graham's home. The shunt was first installed in 2000 and drains fluid from Graham's brain through a small tube, relieving excess pressure that can cause symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease.

And now to someone who "just said no" to breaking a hip:

Former first lady Nancy Reagan was released Tuesday from a suburban Los Angeles, California, hospital after a fall over the weekend, according to Joanne Drake, chief of staff for the Reagan Foundation...

The 86-year-old Reagan was taken from her Bel-Air home to St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California, on Sunday, where doctors determined she did not break a hip as feared, according to The Associated Press.

So two celebrities, close in age, both single, leave the hospital to "go home" the same day and no gossip blog wants to investigate this? If something ever comes to light, you heard it here first.

[AP]
[CNN]

Bob Howsam Dead, Old Sparky Anderson Bleeds Red

Bob Howsam, the man who gave baseball its Big Red Machine and gave Denver its beloved Broncos, died Tuesday in Sun City, Ariz. He was 89.

But his guiding principle was that the fans came first, his son said. "He loved the fans. They made his life," the son said.

It wasn't just family members who were emotional about Howsam's passing. The manager of those Big Red Machine teams, Sparky Anderson, cried when he heard the news.

Anderson, who recently returned home after 12 days in the hospital for an undisclosed illness, was convalescing at home.

“He was precious to me,” began a frail-sounding Anderson. “I’m not doing too well right now, but I had to call. This man changed my entire life, my home, everything.”

We guess the American Red Cross only spares some.

[ESPN]
[Cincinnati Enquirer]

Arts and (Old) Farts and Doody Darts

This man will not be participating in the Hawaiian caucuses today.

Nor will today's birthday boy (I think), but that can mainly be attributed to the fact he doesn't live in Hawaii, not because of car accidents involving horses.

Today is somebody's Birthday! Whose Birthday? Painter and Sculptor Enrico Donati's Birthday. How Old Is He? 1,2,3,4... 99! And Never been Kissed By... Death

Enrico Donati's name appears on "Oldies But Goodies'" roster

• In the late 1940s Donati responded to the crisis in Surrealism by going through a Constructivist phase, from which he developed a calligraphic style and drew on to melted tar, or diluted paint with turpentine.
  

If anyone can explain this to me they are a lot smarter than I am.

... And Many More!

Stay in Touch With Dead Celebrities Online

MySpace has given a voice to the youth. It's a social networking site, and a public place for a personal journal, photographs, music and video. And anyone can sign up. Even some famous dead people.

Every dead poet, philosopher, artist and past president you can think of has a MySpace page -- and many are presented in the first person, as if Thomas Edison and Joan of Arc are lounging at home in their pajamas, posting pictures and updating their blogs.

Benjamin Franklin recommends that his visitors read a bio that's posted on the site. "Maybe," he writes, "it will help people realize that flying a freakin' kite wasn't my greatest accomplishment." And George Washington asks us: "Who rocked the revolution?...That's right, I did."

Time travel has never been easier, as MySpace users can interact with some of the famous people who lived (and died) before them. It has benefits for the deceased as well. For instance, Abraham Lincoln and John Wilkes Booth have apparently settled their differences and are now "friends."

We think this could be a useful tool to educate kids about history. When textbooks don't work as effectively as teachers may hope, they should find ways to reach the students. We're just afraid of what the students might say to Eleanor Roosevelt based on what they've heard of her already.

[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]

Castro Steps Down Without Tripping

Fidel Castro is our most-covered celebrity. He's the Paris Hilton of health updates, the Britney Spears of, well, maybe that's not the best celebrity to compare to. But boy does Castro know how to stay in the spotlight.

Fidel Castro resigned as president and commander-in-chief of Cuba, after almost 50 years as the country's leader, the official daily Granma said.

Castro, 81, the world's longest serving president, seized power in Cuba almost a half-century ago promising liberty and economic justice only to turn the Caribbean island into a communist bastion and a flashpoint of the Cold War.

Although there is no indication that his resignation stemmed directly from a new bout with illness, Castro for several years now has seen his health deteriorate. In the summer of 2006 he stepped down temporarily, yet still maintained some control over the government while working with his brother, Raul, the interim leader.

He's been in power for so long that three out of four Cubans have never lived under a different ruler. During the time Castro was in power, nine different presidents served for the United States.

[Bloomberg]

People Who Are Really Celebrating Their Birthday Today (That's Right-I'm Talking to You Georgie)

Note to all bus drivers reading this blog-make sure that all wheelchair brakes are on when you are driving your bus.

I'm going to assume this is very important advice to at least one of the following people. I mean you have to assume that a 101 year old isn't walking by himself anymore

Today is somebody's birthday! Whose Birthday? Screenwriter Oscar Brodney's Birthday. How Old Is He? 1,2,3,4... 101! And Never been Kissed By... Death

Oscar Brodney's name appears on "Oldies But Goodies'" roster

• Brodney was nominated for an Oscar for "The Glenn Miller Story" screenplay which he wrote with Valentine Davies in 1954.
  

Maybe if he would have thought of a more creative title he would've won that Oscar.

Today is somebody else's birthday! Whose Birthday? Author and Publisher Helen Gurley Brown's Birthday. How Old Is She? 1,2,3,4... 86! And Never been Kissed By... Death

Helen Gurley Brown's name appears on "the Garden of eden's" roster

• In the mid 1990s Brown was ousted from her role as the US editor of Cosmopolitan and was replaced by Bonnie Fuller. However, Brown stayed on at Hearst publishing and remains the international editor for all 59 international editions of Cosmo.
  

If as she says "Good girls go to heaven, bad girls go everywhere" looks like she's a bad girl.

Today is somebody else's else's birthday! Whose Birthday? Musician and Artisit Yoko Ono's Birthday. How Old Is She? 1,2,3,4... 75! And Never been Kissed By... Death

Yoko Ono's name appears on "Deep Sleepers'" roster

• Lennon's first personal encounter with Ono involved her passing him a card that read simply "Breathe". He was taken with the positivity, humor, and interactivity of her work, such as a ladder leading up to a black canvas with a spyglass on a chain allowing John to read the word "Yes" written on the canvas along with a real apple displayed with a card reading "APPLE."

Sounds pretty DUMB to me. i have to blame it on too much pot for the both of them.

Today is somebody else's else's else's birthday (what is it with holidays? Groundhog's Day had 4 birthdays, now President's Day? Sheesh)! Whose Birthday? Former Soccer Player and Manager Bobby Robson's Birthday. How Old Is He? 1,2,3,4... 75! And Never been Kissed By... Death

Bobby Robson's name appears on "Yiz-Score:2007 DP Champ's" and "Future Corpses of America's" rosters

• Robson was knighted in 2002, is a member of the English Football Hall of Fame and is the honorary president of Ipswich Town.
  

If the President of the United States is considered the most powerful man in the world, the Honorary President of Ipswich Town is like what? The 3,763 most powerful man in the world?

... And Many More!

Long After Fall of Communism, Nancy Reagan Just Falls

Former first lady Nancy Reagan was hospitalized after falling in her home in Bel-Air but is doing well, her spokeswoman said.

Reagan, 86, was taken to St. John's Health Center, where doctors determined she did not break a hip Sunday as feared, spokeswoman Joanne Drake said. Drake said Reagan was doing well and would stay the night in the same room where former President Ronald Reagan stayed after he broke his hip at home in 2001. He died June 5, 2004.

The former first lady is "joking and visiting in her room," Drake said. Reagan's family physician recommended the overnight stay "as a precaution," Drake said.

If they offer Nancy advice and devices to prevent future falls, some DP participants are hoping she will "Just Say No."

[MSNBC]

He's Still Got It

It's tough to say what's worse here. That he got murdered or that he, well, umm y'know...

On to happier things...

Yesterday was somebody's birthday! Whose Birthday? Sprinter Philip Rabinowitz's Birthday. How Old Is He? 1,2,3,4... 104! And Never been Kissed By... Death

Philip Rabinowitz's name appears on "Live Like You Were Dying's" roster

• Rabinowitz finished the 100 meters in a time of 30.86 seconds becoming the fastest 100 year old in the 100 meters. A week before, the centenarian broke the record, but a faulty electronic timer kept the mark out of the books.
  

If you think about it, since he was 100, and the world record holder was set by a 24 year old at 9.74 seconds, Rabinowitz beats the world record in seconds/year.

... And Many More!

Death is Equal for Blacks, Whites and Oranges

The Rev. James Orange, a civil rights activist whose 1965 jailing sparked a fatal protest that ultimately led to the famed Selma-to-Montgomery march and the Voting Rights Act, died Saturday at Atlanta's Crawford Long Hospital, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference said in a statement. He was 65.

Orange was a native of Birmingham, Alabama, "who resided in southwest Atlanta for four decades while fighting the good fight for equality and social justice for all mankind," said the SCLC, a civil rights organization.

Orange was arrested and jailed in Perry County, Alabama, in 1965 on charges of disorderly conduct and contributing to the delinquency of minors for enlisting students to aid in voting rights drives.

Someone once described the reverend as "a gentle giant" because of his large frame. A gentle Orange giant.

[CNN]

Blake Fielder-Civil Seeking New Ways to Overdose

You might think that prison is the safest place for Blake Fielder-Civil to be. He won't find any drugs there that could hurt him, right? Well, it's right in some sense.

[H]e collapsed in agony after taking what he thought was heroin. Guards found the 35-year-old writhing in pain and vomiting violently in a cell. They instantly set off alarms and activated emergency procedures to save his life.

A probe was launched and prison officers found he had taken a drug believed to be heroin, mixed with a toxic substance. A jail source said: "This was a close call, but he might not be so lucky next time. If he carries on taking so many drugs, he'll end up dead before long."

Authorities have not revealed what that substance actually was. We have some idea of an explanation.

[NewsOfTheWorld.co.UK]

While One Fawcett Fights, Another Fossett is Turned Off

Self-made business tycoon Steve Fossett, whose thirst for adrenaline drove him to fly around the world solo in a balloon, climb mountains and aim for speed records, has been declared dead, 5 months after his small plane vanished. He was 63.

"Steve's lived his life to the full, and he hasn't wasted a minute of his life," his rival-turned-comrade, British billionaire Sir Richard Branson, said after Fossett's single-engine plane disappeared on Sept. 3. "Everything he's done, he's taken a calculated risk with."

Fossett was last seen after taking off in a single-engine plane from an airstrip near Yerington, Nev., heading toward Bishop, Calif. Cook County Judge Jeffrey Malak's declaration Friday at the request of Fossett's wife, Peggy V. Fossett, ended the legal limbo of his estate, said her attorney, Michael LoVallo. The judge heard testimony from Peggy Fossett, a family friend and a search-and-rescue expert before deciding there was sufficient evidence to declare him dead.

Fossett's death is the latest in a series of deaths in absentia that includes the likes of Jimmy Hoffa, Amelia Earhart and D.B. Cooper. Fossett's family first requested the pronouncement late last year, releasing them from the uncertainty of his return.

[AP]

Treehouse of Horror

You would think that if you wanted to commit suicide there are easier ways to do it than this. At least he kept a diary to chronicle why he did it.

Speaking of people who kept diaries...

Today is somebody's birthday! Whose Birthday? Humanitarian and hider of Anne Frank Miep Gies' Birthday. How Old Is She? 1,2,3,4... 99! And Never been Kissed By... Death

Miep Gies' name appears on "Deep Sleepers'" and "Daddy to Be Dead Mates'" rosters

• Gies avoided arrest for hiding the Franks because the officer who came to question her was Austrian. Gies was born in Vienna, Austria which led the officer to felt a connection to her.
  

They could reminisce of days eating wiener schnitzel and singing Mozart tunes.

Today is somebody else's birthday! Whose Birthday? Actor Kevin McCarthy's Birthday. How Old Is He? 1,2,3,4... 94! And Never been Kissed By... Death

Kevin McCarthy's name appears on "Whoaa-ooah, Dying on the Edge's" roster

• McCarthy was quite accomplished at a young age in the theater. In 1949, he was cast as Biff in the London company of Death of a Salesman, starring Paul Muni. A film was made in 1951 and he was nominated for an Academy Award for his role.

Since he didn't win, he must have been liked, but not well liked.

... And Many More!

Sir Bobby Robson's Goal is to Kick Cancer

Sir Bobby Robson, former soccer player and manager, has kicked cancer four times since 1991. Despite the score being Robson 4 and Cancer 0, the illness returned for a fifth time.

“There is still some fight in me yet,” said Robson, who is currently being treated for cancer for the fifth time. “I’m still going and I’m still strong. I’ve had my health problems and I’m still fighting them, but I’ve always been a fighter."

Robson’s health is fragile and the treatment for his condition saps his strength, but the mind remains sharp whenever football is mentioned. Enquire about his health and all you get is “I’m doing okay.” Enquire about his thoughts on football and he will talk for hours, particularly about his beloved Newcastle.

It looks like he's still managing just fine.

[The Journal]

♫ Modell Had to Go... Mo-dell! (yeah...) ♫

The man whose name is synonymous with sporting goods in the Northeast part of the country, William Modell, died yesterday at the age of 86.

Mr. Modell joined Modell’s, a 118-year old family-owned business, at the end of World War II and became chairman in 1985. But he had effectively run the corporation since 1963, working alongside his father, Henry, who was chairman. In 1975, the chain consisted of 10 stores in New York City and on Long Island, with annual revenue of about $10.5 million. There are now 136 Modell’s stores in eight states and Washington, with revenue last year of approximately $635 million.

As I mentioned above, his name is truly synonymous with sporting goods. Of course, that famous last name also belongs to his cousin Art, whose name is synonymous with much worse things in the city of Cleveland.

[NY Times]

Graham's Brain Surgery Leaves Him Medical Bill-y

Evangelist Billy Graham underwent successful surgery Wednesday to update a shunt that controls excess fluid in his brain, and was expected to remain in the hospital for several days.

Graham was listed in fair condition at Asheville's Mission Hospitals after the 28-minute procedure. "He's on a soft diet tonight, will be on a regular diet tomorrow and should be up and walking around," said Larry Ross, Graham's spokesman.

Even into his old age and through his health problems, Graham continues to produce a daily advice column in many newspapers. We're confident that if Graham wanted to take some time off from the column, the papers could surely rerun older advice columns with past questions. It's what we feel JWD if he was the editor and forced to make a decision at this difficult time.

[Fox News]

Birthdays that Didn't Suspend Alternate Side Parking in New York City

Some people just can't wait to be part of death pool Even if it means faking their own death.

Alas, some people remain picked but not worth any points (yet). But at least they get to celebrate their own birthdays...

Yesterday was somebody's birthday! Whose Birthday? Former Boston Celtic Bill Russell's Birthday. How Old Is He? 1,2,3,4... 74! And Never been Kissed By... Death

Bill Russell's name appears on "the Garden of eden's" roster

• Before the 1966-67 NBA season, legendary Celtics coach Red Auerbach retired and named Russell as a player-coach. Russell thus became the first African-American head coach in NBA history.
  

I have nothing funny to say about this. Good for Bill.

Yesterday was somebody else's birthday! Whose Birthday? Senator Arlen Specter's Birthday. How Old Is He? 1,2,3,4... 78! And Never been Kissed By... Death

Arlen Specter's name appears on "Yiz-Score: 2007 DP Champ's" roster

• At the recommendation of Rep. Gerald R. Ford, he worked for the Warren Commission, investigating the assassination of John F. Kennedy. As an assistant counsel for the commission, he authored or co-authored the controversial "single bullet theory," which suggested the non-fatal wounds to President Kennedy and Texas Governor John Connally were caused by the same bullet.

How did he think that theory made sense? I wouldn't vote for him for Senate just becuase he obviously lives in a fantasy land.

... And Many More!

Japanese Film King Kon Ichikawa is Slayed to Rest

Japanese film director Kon Ichikawa, who won a raft of awards for his work in the 1950s and 1960s, has died of pneumonia, movie studio Toho Co said on Wednesday. He was 92.

One of the country's best-known directors at a time when the West was discovering Japanese cinema, Ichikawa often worked with his wife, Natto Wada, a respected scriptwriter, until she became disillusioned with the industry in the 1960s.

Perhaps they will now remake 1955's Seven Year Itch as a Japanese film titled The 92 Year Ichikawa.

[Reuters]

Dale Earnhardt's Legacy Brings Not So Hard-Earned Money

When it comes to selecting a roster of celebrities to take for the upcoming year, DP participants will sometimes choose people who are in industries or who live lifestyles that are more prone to death. Take recently deceased Evel Knievel for instance. Those who chose Evel in 2007 benefitted from taking the daredevil.

On the other hand, these coyld be "red herrings," people who have seemingly dangerous professions yet don't pose more of a risk of dying doing what they do best. When Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin died last year, it was very much a fluke that the stingray got him in the heart instantly killing him.

It's hard to say where racecar driving fits into the equation. A severe crash at those speeds and a driver could very well find himself in a morgue rather than a hospital. That was of course the case for fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Sr. back in 2001. Now, some are looking to So collect on the fallen driver's fame.

Motorsports Authentics (which is owned by International Speedway Corp. and Speedway Motorsports Inc.) is selling die-cast collectible versions of this fantasy car for $74.99. It's another effort to make money off Earnhardt, who died after wrecking in the 2001 Daytona 500.

No one could dispute Daytona International Speedway President Robin Braig when he said at the news conference, "We certainly make some money off of Dale, let's put it that way."

This isn't something unique to racecar driving. Whenever a prominent entertainer passes, the name resonates with people who remain fans of the industry. At times, fans long to have him or her back. Most often, though, they want to honor and remember the deceased celebrity with a souvenir.

Some wonder if that is necessarily a real tribute or merely a way to capitalize on the recognizable name.

The culture of the dead celebrity has a long history (Elvis, anyone?) and isn't going away. And it's no secret that newspapers and magazines run "anniversary" stories, often about deceased subjects, because we think people will read them and, you know, buy our product.

But we can at least do him the courtesy of remembering him the way he was, not the way that will sell the most $74.99 souvenirs.

We tend to think that some souvenirs are more appropriate than others. We know that we are often comforted by our Kurt Cobain bobblehead doll that "moshes" to this day.

[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]

Musharraf More Focused on Fitness, Less on His Country's Instability

So, your country is in a state of emergency. Doesn't mean you can't stay in shape!

President Pervez Musharraf is paying more attention to his physical fitness after stepping down as the chief of army staff, according to a close friend of the president.

The article goes on to mention the grueling physical activites Musharraf is undertaking: table tennis, lawn tennis, and golf. This plan will probably be as effective as a political opponent challenging Musharraf's power. Zing!

[Daily Times]