Passages

[flyonthewall2983]

I remember her more as a VH1 mainstay, but it probably would have gotten coverage nonetheless. They did do that kind of coverage when MJ died, I remember.

You just know the Grammy producers right now are scrambling around to produce a tribute for tomorrow.

[jbeall]

Another star who threw it all away. Sad...

Indeed. Good lord was she talented in her prime! There was a period in the 80s when Michael Jackson was in his post-Thriller decline and nobody could come close to Whitney.

I'm actually kinda surprised that Bobby Brown outlasted her, but then again, Keith Richards is 70 and still kicking, so you can never tell about these things.

[Jack Phillips]

I am so sorry for her.

Please, let's leave the teleology at the door. Who are you or I to carry on about how her life ended? She was a fucking human being--as are we all. Your pity can only be for yourself.

[perkizitore]

What is wrong with expressing sadness for someone's early demise?

[Jack Phillips]

Nothing at all.

[mfunk9786]

That's weird, because you just gave someone shit for just that.

[triodelover]

That's weird, because you just gave someone shit for just that.

No, he didn't. Read closely.

teleology,n: the study of evidences of design in nature, a doctrine (as in vitalism) that ends are immanent in nature, a doctrine explaining phenomena by final causes; the fact or character attributed to nature or natural processes of being directed toward an end or shaped by a purpose; the use of design or purpose as an explanation of natural phenomena.

[flyonthewall2983]

Her attempt at a comeback on the big screen will hit theaters this August.

[Antares]

David Kelly

[kinjitsu]

Tragically, actress Zina Bethune

[dadaistnun]

Dory Previn

[Michael Kerpan]

according to Aaron Gerow on the KineJapan mailing list, Chikage Awashima, a star in many classical Japanese films (including ones by Ozu, Naruse, Imai and Kobayashi) died today, just a few years prior to her 88th birthday. She remained active in movie making until quite recently -- playing a supporting role in the 2010 Haru tono tabi (something like Traveling along with Haru) -- an unfortunately overlooked film starring Tatsuya Nakadai (no subbed DVD release).

Her biggest Ozu role was in Early Spring, but her most amusing one was probably that of Setsuko Hara's sidekick in Early Summer. Her biggest Naruse part was as the reluctant farm woman in Summer Clouds (Herringbone Clouds). Possibly her most impressive performance was in Tadashi Imai's Nigorie (Muddy Waters), where she played a Meiji era prostitute who just couldn't escape from her profession.

[Jeff]

Kid who played Wheels on original Degrassi.

...five years ago

[Mr Sausage]

Kid who played Wheels on original Degrassi.

...five years ago

Huh. That brings back memories. The thing says he died of natural causes. What exactly causes "natural" death in a forty year old?

[mfunk9786]

I was wondering the same thing. And how does it take that long to determine it?

[willoneill]

He actually would have been only 35 when he died, which makes it just a little bit stranger.

[Drucker]

Gary Carter

[Brian C]

Huh. That brings back memories. The thing says he died of natural causes. What exactly causes "natural" death in a forty year old?

Same things that cause "natural" deaths in older people? Heart problems, cancer, aneurysm, etc. It's not like these things never happen.

[Mr Sausage]

Huh. That brings back memories. The thing says he died of natural causes. What exactly causes "natural" death in a forty year old?

Same things that cause "natural" deaths in older people? Heart problems, cancer, aneurysm, etc. It's not like these things never happen.

No, it's that these things never get called "natural" in a 35 year old. "Natural causes" is used pretty much exclusively to mean the body has given out as a natural result of being old.

[knives]

Cancer can be a natural cause. All that statement means (I'm assuming this is the same in Canadia as in the US) is that it wasn't suicide, murder, accidental, nor OD.

[matrixschmatrix]

I assumed it was to distinguish from those that die of supernatural causes

[Mr Sausage]

Cancer can be a natural cause. All that statement means (I'm assuming this is the same in Canadia as in the US) is that it wasn't suicide, murder, accidental, nor OD.

When someone dies of cancer, they don't say it was from natural causes, they say it was from cancer. Matrixschmatrix's joke reveals a truth: every cause of death is technically "natural." "Natural causes" is a jargon term for an old person who died of some specific complication that age hastened or made sudden, ect., and usually as a way of ruling out specific diseases like cancer or M.S. or something not age related. It makes no sense outside of that.

[MichaelB]

Sausage you're only half right.
When they use "Cancer" in the obits how often do they mean AIDS/HIV? There are scores of other euphemisms for cancer or Aids related long death rolls. Not to menton the BS about "companion" or "other family".

When Sir Michael Tippett died, his long-term partner wrote to complain about a newspaper using the stock euphemism "He never married", saying that Tippett himself would have much preferred the obit to end "He was enthusiastically and outspokenly homosexual". (Paraphrased from memory, but that was the gist).

[jbeall]

Anthony Shadid, the NY Times correspondent who did so much excellent reporting on the Arab Spring.

[ambrose]

Chikage Awashima