Sunday, October 30, 2011

Be prepared: BBC practices for death of Queen Elizabeth II

Well, here's a bizarre story. Evidently, when the Queen Mother died on March 30, 2002, the BBC was roundly criticized for the fact that the newsman announcing her death was wearing a gray suit and a burgundy tie at the time. This was perceived as being intensely disrespectful. De rigeur for Elizabeth II's inevitable death announcement: dark suit, black tie, white shirt. (Also learned a new British-English folk expression meaning to die via a comment on this story -- "pop her clogs." Lovely.) Let us hope that all decorum is observed when it is time to deliver the obsequies. And such. Via the Daily Mail.

Rose Robertson

World War II espionage agent and gay rights activist -- via the Guardian.

Arnaucuaq aka Maryann Sundown

Yup'ik dance diva -- via the Anchorage Daily News.

Maryann Sundown 2011 from Dean Swope on Vimeo.

Antonio Cassese

Expert in international criminal law and supporter of human rights -- via the New York Times.

John McCarthy

Computer scientist -- via the New York Times. He coined the concept and phrase "artificial intelligence."

Liviu Ciulei

Theater and film director -- via the New York Times.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Charles Hamm


First historian of American popular music -- via the New York Times.

Freddy Ferrera

Baritone with Johnny Maestro & the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Del Satins -- via voy.com.Brooklyn Bridge's biggest hit was theri cover of Jimmy Webb's "The Worst That Could Happen"; the Del Satins sang backup for Dion on "Runaround Sue" and "The Wanderer."



Sue Lloyd

Actress in film and television -- via the Guardian.

Jerzy Bielecki

War hero -- via the Washington Post. He smuggled a Jewish girl he fell in love with, Cyla Cybulska, out of Auschwitz. They separated and lost track of each other, and built new lives. Reuniting after 39 years, they remained great friends.

Harold Davison

Music impresario -- via the BBC.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011