May 10, 2013
Ray Harryhausen
Ray Harryhausen died Tuesday in London aged 92. He was a genius who really helped to perfect the stop motion techniques pioneered by his mentor Willis O'Brien.
In 1953 he did an expanded adaptation of Ray Bradbury's short story "The Foghorn" which became The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms. That film spawned the whole giant atomic monster genre of the 1950's including a Japanes film that was in some ways a re-imagining of the Harryhausen film...I seem to recall it began with a "G".
Harryhausen brought much magic to the screen in a series of modestly budgeted but exquisitely produced films in the the 50's and '60s, and was still doing effects work into the early '80s.
He did a tremendous amount to popularize fantasy films. His creations were top flight effects in their day and even now can be remarkably effective.
He also had a reputation for being a perfect gentleman at conventions. Another of the greats has left us. He will be missed.
In 1953 he did an expanded adaptation of Ray Bradbury's short story "The Foghorn" which became The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms. That film spawned the whole giant atomic monster genre of the 1950's including a Japanes film that was in some ways a re-imagining of the Harryhausen film...I seem to recall it began with a "G".
Harryhausen brought much magic to the screen in a series of modestly budgeted but exquisitely produced films in the the 50's and '60s, and was still doing effects work into the early '80s.
He did a tremendous amount to popularize fantasy films. His creations were top flight effects in their day and even now can be remarkably effective.
He also had a reputation for being a perfect gentleman at conventions. Another of the greats has left us. He will be missed.
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April 08, 2013
The Iron Lady 1925-2013
Margret Thatcher has passed.
She was born the daughter of a grocer and lived her childhood in a modest apartment over his store. In a nation defined by class, she rose from this to become the longest serving Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the 20th century and the only woman to hold that office ever.
She had the moral courage to face down Argintina when that nation seized the Falkland Islands in 1982. She did this over the opposition of many of her advisers who thought the task hopeless or not worth the effort. That last bit sums up what the west faced in the late '70s and early 80s, a sense of utter hopelessness and helplessness. Thatcher fought back against that tenaciously. She helped pull not just her nation but a good chunk of the west out of that destructive malaise.
With Pope John Paul and Ronald Regan, she was one of the three western leaders absolutely instrumental in helping to win the Cold War without the apocalyptic hellfire we all dreaded.
Economically, her time in office offered her nation a respite from the slide into perdition it was on. On her watch the UK surpassed France in economic activity and has maintained that lead since. Perhaps even more importantly, she was able to articulate the wisdom of her views on these policies most eloquently.
Thatcher was an advocate for the Common Market, but she developed a deep skepticism of the EU and particularly the Euro. This view was not shared by many in her cabinet and was widely mocked, but events of the last few years seem to have proved her to be frighteningly prescient.
Thank you Lady Thatcher. The world is better for your having lived in it.
more...
She was born the daughter of a grocer and lived her childhood in a modest apartment over his store. In a nation defined by class, she rose from this to become the longest serving Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the 20th century and the only woman to hold that office ever.
She had the moral courage to face down Argintina when that nation seized the Falkland Islands in 1982. She did this over the opposition of many of her advisers who thought the task hopeless or not worth the effort. That last bit sums up what the west faced in the late '70s and early 80s, a sense of utter hopelessness and helplessness. Thatcher fought back against that tenaciously. She helped pull not just her nation but a good chunk of the west out of that destructive malaise.
With Pope John Paul and Ronald Regan, she was one of the three western leaders absolutely instrumental in helping to win the Cold War without the apocalyptic hellfire we all dreaded.
Economically, her time in office offered her nation a respite from the slide into perdition it was on. On her watch the UK surpassed France in economic activity and has maintained that lead since. Perhaps even more importantly, she was able to articulate the wisdom of her views on these policies most eloquently.
Thatcher was an advocate for the Common Market, but she developed a deep skepticism of the EU and particularly the Euro. This view was not shared by many in her cabinet and was widely mocked, but events of the last few years seem to have proved her to be frighteningly prescient.
Thank you Lady Thatcher. The world is better for your having lived in it.
more...
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February 02, 2013
Ed Koch
Neo and Professor Jacobson have thoughts on the passing of Ed Koch.
I certainly didn't agree with him on a lot of things, but he was a likeable character who seemed to be decent and principled.The nations political discourse is much diminished by his loss. Additionally, it should not be forgotten that long before his entry into politics he was serving his country at the Battle of the Bulge.
Mayor Koch with the tombstone he bought some time ago. which contains the last words of Journalist Daniel Pearle "My father is Jewish, my mother is Jewish, I am Jewish." It also
contains a prayer from Deuteronomy: "Hear, O Israel: the
Lord is our God, the Lord is one,"
Godspeed Mayor Koch. May you rest in peace.
UPDATE: The NYT has released a video interview with the late Mayor that he'd asked not to be aired until after his death.
I certainly didn't agree with him on a lot of things, but he was a likeable character who seemed to be decent and principled.The nations political discourse is much diminished by his loss. Additionally, it should not be forgotten that long before his entry into politics he was serving his country at the Battle of the Bulge.
Godspeed Mayor Koch. May you rest in peace.
UPDATE: The NYT has released a video interview with the late Mayor that he'd asked not to be aired until after his death.
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January 31, 2013
Ampontan Has Passed On
Bill Sakovich, an English teacher in Japan who blogged on all things Japanese at the informative and enjoyable Ampontan blog has passed away. According to one of his neighbors, he died on December 21 after going into the hospital for what he thought was an ulcer, but turned out to be late stage cancer. Eerily, his last post was January 1. It turns out that his last several posts were pre-written and set to auto-post as he expected to be home by the first of the year.
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December 26, 2012
Jerry Anderson
The creator of Fireball XL5. Thunderbirds, UFO, Stingray, Space: 1999, and Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons died today after a battle with Alzheimer's.
His work was hugely popular worldwide and his shows were, of course, extremely popular in the UK. However, it may be that his most lasting artistic influence was in Japan, where the optimistic. high tech 'look' of shows like Thunderbirds and bits like the iconic stock footage scenes of vehicles launching were adapted to many anime and even Sentai Shows. Eventually the Gerry Anderson tropes became solidly ingrained in Japanese telefantasies to the point that many people today think of these things as Japanese altogether.
Another of the great ones has passed.
Another of the great ones has passed.
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August 26, 2012
Sic Itur Ad Astra
Neil Armstrong
There is pressure to hold a state funeral for him. I think that is certainly appropriate as he is a greater hero and gentleman than many of the Presidents so honored. However, a more fitting way to honor him is to ensure that we become a space-faring civilization.
War hero, aviation pioneer, astronaut, and the first man to set foot on the moon, Armstrong was by all accounts a humble and decent man. He was also absolutely crucial to the Apollo programs success. Ace puts it succinctly.
Both Gemini 8 and Apollo 11 nearly ended in disaster, but Armstrong's cool head saved them both.
His death is a grim milestone....of the12 men who walked on the moon, one third are now dead.
No one, least of Armstrong, would say the Apollo program was a one man show. But at several key moments, its success or failure was on him
At each of those moments he delivered. He then spent 40+ years not tarnishing that legacy. What a loss but we were blessed to have had him
Both Gemini 8 and Apollo 11 nearly ended in disaster, but Armstrong's cool head saved them both.
His death is a grim milestone....of the12 men who walked on the moon, one third are now dead.
There is pressure to hold a state funeral for him. I think that is certainly appropriate as he is a greater hero and gentleman than many of the Presidents so honored. However, a more fitting way to honor him is to ensure that we become a space-faring civilization.
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June 10, 2012
Lucille Myatt Talton 1919 - 2012
She was born near Raleigh North Carolina to a fairly well to do dairy farmer. Despite this, and to the astonishment of all, she married one of the field hands...a scrappy but utterly impoverished young man from the streets of Newport News who had moved south in search of work. She followed him to the coast where he built houses and rented them. She bore him a son, then saw him off to war and waited 4 years until he returned in traction. She nursed him back to health, bore him another son, stood by and supported him as he built a business from nothing, built a boat, and became one of the most sought after charter boat captains on the Crystal Coast. A decade ago she buried him, and tonight, just after dinner she joined him.
Despite her age, it was a bit of a shock. She had actually been improving by leaps and bounds over the last few months and had regained the ability to walk. Nevertheless, my grandmother, who was born in an utterly different world, passed quite suddenly this evening a little after 6.
The things she'd seen, the change she'd experienced...it truly boggles the mind.
She was born before women could vote. For a third of her life there was a polio season. For the first decade of her life there was no electricity in her house. She saw the great depression, a world war the cold war, Jim Crow, integration, all six moon landings, and the Berlin Wall go up and come down. She saw the introduction of radio, then television and then the internet. She saw all the other things that transpired over nearly a century.
Now, in the blink of an eye, all that perspective has left us.
She was born near Raleigh North Carolina to a fairly well to do dairy farmer. Despite this, and to the astonishment of all, she married one of the field hands...a scrappy but utterly impoverished young man from the streets of Newport News who had moved south in search of work. She followed him to the coast where he built houses and rented them. She bore him a son, then saw him off to war and waited 4 years until he returned in traction. She nursed him back to health, bore him another son, stood by and supported him as he built a business from nothing, built a boat, and became one of the most sought after charter boat captains on the Crystal Coast. A decade ago she buried him, and tonight, just after dinner she joined him.
Despite her age, it was a bit of a shock. She had actually been improving by leaps and bounds over the last few months and had regained the ability to walk. Nevertheless, my grandmother, who was born in an utterly different world, passed quite suddenly this evening a little after 6.
The things she'd seen, the change she'd experienced...it truly boggles the mind.
She was born before women could vote. For a third of her life there was a polio season. For the first decade of her life there was no electricity in her house. She saw the great depression, a world war the cold war, Jim Crow, integration, all six moon landings, and the Berlin Wall go up and come down. She saw the introduction of radio, then television and then the internet. She saw all the other things that transpired over nearly a century.
Now, in the blink of an eye, all that perspective has left us.
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March 07, 2012
- Eternal Father, strong to save,
- Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
- Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep
- Its own appointed limits keep;
- Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
- For those in peril on the sea.
Captain Carrol LeFon USN, better known to many of us as Neptunus Lex, has died. After his retirement he flew F-21 Kfir's as a civilian contractor providing aggressor training to Navy and Air Force pilots. Yesterday, while performing that duty he perished in a crash.
Cdr. Salamander, has much more as well as a round up of links to remembrances.
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March 01, 2012
Well, Crap.
Andrew Breitbart died last night.
11 months older than me...which...I'm thinking is really too young.
Few have had as much impact. With Drudge he really changed the media world.
More here and here.
In any event, reaction to this individuals passing reinforces my view that however infuriating it is to be on team stupid, it is a far more noble calling then the other side. Ace has further thoughts on that.
Note that this headline at the Telegraph seems to kick the guy by focusing on the Shirley Sherrod controversy, claiming that he maligned the woman through editing. That's not quite what happened.
(More behind the spoiler tag)
11 months older than me...which...I'm thinking is really too young.
Few have had as much impact. With Drudge he really changed the media world.
More here and here.
In any event, reaction to this individuals passing reinforces my view that however infuriating it is to be on team stupid, it is a far more noble calling then the other side. Ace has further thoughts on that.
Note that this headline at the Telegraph seems to kick the guy by focusing on the Shirley Sherrod controversy, claiming that he maligned the woman through editing. That's not quite what happened.
(More behind the spoiler tag)
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February 03, 2012
One of The Great Ones Has Passed
Peter Decker Jr., one of Virginia's outstanding citizens has passed away at 76. He came from nothing, growing up in a small house in Lambert's Point (If you're not familiar with Norfolk that area is "the docks"; a cargo terminal).Decker founded a law firm which became one of the most respected in the state. He was also instrumental in the revival of Norfolk's downtown. 30 years ago there were rats running down Granby Street, now there are cafes, malls, shops and...mermaids, which were actually his idea.
He was a remarkable philanthropist who gave millions to causes ranging from children's hospitals to saving the Chrysler Museum. His flamboyant voice was a fixture on local radio extolling any number of charities.
This morning the local talk station pretty much suspended their programming from 6-10 and filled the entire time with callers and e-mailers telling stories about how the great 'Petuh Deckuh' had impacted their livers either through his many charities or directly.
There are very few men like him and we are all diminished by his passing.
He will be greatly missed. More here and here.
He was a remarkable philanthropist who gave millions to causes ranging from children's hospitals to saving the Chrysler Museum. His flamboyant voice was a fixture on local radio extolling any number of charities.
This morning the local talk station pretty much suspended their programming from 6-10 and filled the entire time with callers and e-mailers telling stories about how the great 'Petuh Deckuh' had impacted their livers either through his many charities or directly.
There are very few men like him and we are all diminished by his passing.
He will be greatly missed. More here and here.
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October 05, 2011
Steve Jobs
Steve
Jobs just died.
Professor Jacobson has thoughts on Jobs who had just recently retired from Apple. Ars Technica has an obituary.
Jobs really changed the world and ultimately for the better.
Few people remember what a change this was....
Professor Jacobson has thoughts on Jobs who had just recently retired from Apple. Ars Technica has an obituary.
Jobs really changed the world and ultimately for the better.
Few people remember what a change this was....
He was only 56.
His short time amongst us was not certainly wasted.
UPDATE: XKCD
"There’s always the hope that if you sit and watch long enough, the beachball will vanish and the thing it interrupted will return."
His short time amongst us was not certainly wasted.
UPDATE: XKCD
"There’s always the hope that if you sit and watch long enough, the beachball will vanish and the thing it interrupted will return."
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January 12, 2011
Ummm...
I started to blog this memorial service in Tucson...but something about it is creeping me out. I'm not sure what, maybe, the logos...maybe the T-shirts.
Perhaps the cheering.
The president should be on in a moment. Thus far he has actually handled this with a good deal of class.
UPDATE: It seems to be perfectly decent speech by the President. But the cheers seem really inappropriate and off-putting.
UPDATE2: He went there.
UPDATE3: Maybe not, it actually sounds like he's trying to walk back some of the excesses of his erstwhile allies.
UPDATE4: Pretty decent speech...it just won't...end.
All in all a decent speech. It went quite long but covered all the bases and was respectful and actually presidential. It was the audience that seemed off.
Perhaps the cheering.
The president should be on in a moment. Thus far he has actually handled this with a good deal of class.
UPDATE: It seems to be perfectly decent speech by the President. But the cheers seem really inappropriate and off-putting.
UPDATE2: He went there.
UPDATE3: Maybe not, it actually sounds like he's trying to walk back some of the excesses of his erstwhile allies.
UPDATE4: Pretty decent speech...it just won't...end.
All in all a decent speech. It went quite long but covered all the bases and was respectful and actually presidential. It was the audience that seemed off.
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September 22, 2010
A Great one Passes
Captain Robert Truax, USN, (later USAF) has
died. Perhaps best known for the invention of the JATO system, most of his contributions went largely unsung. However, Truax was one of the most important figures in the history of rocket development. In addition to working on such projects as Polaris and Apollo he was a advocate for cheap access to space and was well ahead of his time in trying for suborbital space tourism. Clarke Lindsay has a fine overview of his career here.
died. Perhaps best known for the invention of the JATO system, most of his contributions went largely unsung. However, Truax was one of the most important figures in the history of rocket development. In addition to working on such projects as Polaris and Apollo he was a advocate for cheap access to space and was well ahead of his time in trying for suborbital space tourism. Clarke Lindsay has a fine overview of his career here.
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September 09, 2010
Satoshi Kon
I had missed this, ironically because I was in Japan at the time.
One of the greats has passed.
Satoshi Kon died on August 24. He was just 46.
Via Blogfonte, Makiko Itoh has provided a translation of his farewell, here.
Kon was, hands down one of the greatest animation talents of the last decade and a half. His work included...
Perfect Blue,
Millennium Actress,
Tokyo Godfathers,
Paranoia Agent
Paprika
He was at the top of his form.
Such a loss...
One of the greats has passed.
Satoshi Kon died on August 24. He was just 46.
Via Blogfonte, Makiko Itoh has provided a translation of his farewell, here.
Kon was, hands down one of the greatest animation talents of the last decade and a half. His work included...
Perfect Blue,
Millennium Actress,
Tokyo Godfathers,
Paranoia Agent
Paprika
He was at the top of his form.
Such a loss...
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May 13, 2010
Frank Frazetta, 1928-2010
Frank Frazetta has died.
Few had as big an impression on the look of our fantasies as this man.
May he rest in peace.
Few had as big an impression on the look of our fantasies as this man.
May he rest in peace.
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