Obituaries ~ 2021

[Barbara]

I did wasp taxonomy for one of my degrees and E.O. Wilson is a special hero of mine. He'll always be remembered among scientists, and was still doing research after he retired. I'm sad he's gone. 😥

RIP E.O. Wilson

[Alias Reader]

madrano wrote: "

Edward O. Wilson died this week. The man loved insects and wrote about many, but it appeared ants were the glory of his insect world. I first heard of him years ago and only in the..."

:( I didn't know who he was but I got an alert on my phone.

[Alias Reader]

madrano wrote: "When he retired, he really retired. It's been a long time since i've read what he accomplished in his life, that the obituaries and extras i've read about him remind me of our loss.

RIP Tutu"

I think this was his last book. It was published with the Dalai Lama back in 2016. I gave the book as a gift to a friend.

The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World

[Alias Reader]

Harry M. Reid, a Power in the Senate, Dies at 82

Mr. Reid, a Democrat from Nevada, displayed his pugilistic instincts as he steered an economic stimulus package and the Affordable Care Act to passage.



https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/28/us...

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Mr. Obama revealed that Reid's wife, Landra Reid, had asked him and others to write letters to her husband when Reid's battle with pancreatic cancer became too great. Mr. Obama said he was sharing the letter he penned in lieu of a formal statement on the former senator's passing.

Harry,

I learned that the health situation had taken a difficult turn and that it was difficult to speak on the phone. Which, let’s face it, isn’t such a big change as you never liked talking on the phone anyway!

Here’s what I want you to know. You were a great leader in the Senate, and at first you were more generous to me than I was entitled to expect. I would not have been President without your encouragement and support, and I would not have achieved most of what I have done without your skills and determination.

Most of all, you have been a good friend. As different as we are, I think we both saw something of ourselves in each other – a couple of strangers who had defied the odds and knew how to take a punch and cared. of the little guy. And you know what, we were a pretty good team.

Enjoy your family and know that you are loved by many people including me. The world is a better place for what you have done. Not bad for a poor skinny Searchlight kid.

– Barack

https://www.uktimenews.com/read-the-l...

[Barbara]

Reid was a politician in more civil times of politics.

RIP Harry Reid

[Alias Reader]

Barbara wrote: "Reid was a politician in more civil times of politics.

RIP Harry Reid"

Yes. I for one so appreciate him for helping pass the Affordable Care Act. With the pandemic this has helped so many.

[madrano]

Barbara wrote: "I did wasp taxonomy for one of my degrees and E.O. Wilson is a special hero of mine. He'll always be remembered among scientists, and was still doing research after he retired. I'm sad he's gone. 😥..."

Barbara, i always enjoy these insights into your education. It must have been an exciting and challenging time for you. I'm grateful you share with us. And i treasure that Wilson meant something special to you and your scientific comrades.

[madrano]

Alias, that sounds as though it would be a wonderful gift to those who like reading about spirituality and how to express it in daily life.

[madrano]

Yes, Reid stands out in this era as one of the good guys who truly seemed to care about all the people, regardless of political differences. It's tough to imagine the pandemic without ACA.

RIP Reid

[Alias Reader]

Such a sad way to end 2021 :(


Betty White, legendary ‘Golden Girls’ actress, dead weeks before 100th birthday



News article
https://www.al.com/life/2021/12/betty...

[Barbara]

She'll be sorely missed.

RIP Betty White

[madrano]

I liked the information in the link you shared, Alias. Much of it was in the Wiki page about her. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_W... One thing i didn't know and found wonderful was how White had control of her own tv shows in the beginning of television. This was part of the bond she forged with Lucille Ball, too.

RIP White

[Julie]

Alias Reader wrote: "Such a sad way to end 2021 :(


Betty White, legendary ‘Golden Girls’ actress, dead weeks before 100th birthday



News article
https://www.al.com/life/2021/12/betty......"

She lived a great life though I am sorry to see her pass on. I always loved her humor!

[madrano]

She seemed to catch on to changes in humor over the years, too. Neat point, Julie.

[Jennifer]

So there was a meme going around where I work about a petition to change the "appropriate age" for Legos (which say "Ages 4-99) because Betty White was about to be aged out of playing with them. A couple days later she died -- my friend Tommy alerted me to the news by saying we'd jinxed her! It reminded me of the early 1980s, when I had started reading Lillian Hellman and she died, and I had started reading Truman Capote and he died. The Color Purple was big at the time and I was warned off reading it for a long time.

[Alias Reader]

Jennifer wrote: "So there was a meme going around where I work about a petition to change the "appropriate age" for Legos (which say "Ages 4-99) because Betty White was about to be aged out of playing with them. A ..."

A few were saying that the People magazine cover was also a jinx.

Still, she seems to have led an interesting life and was healthy right up to the end at 99. I think we would all sign on for that.

[madrano]

Jennifer, my husband & i have had a string of similar events too, which led to that person dying. It's a creepy feeling and we still swear we "killed" a couple of them, just by mentioning their names. Fortunately for us, most of ours haven't been authors. (I think that may have been a selfish statement, so i apologize if i have offended anyone with it.)

Alias, you make a good point. If the person led an interesting life, so be the ending.

[Jennifer]

madrano wrote: "Jennifer, my husband & i have had a string of similar events too, which led to that person dying. It's a creepy feeling and we still swear we "killed" a couple of them, just by mentioning their nam..."

Heh. We're rewatching the Sopranos and were just commenting on Peter Bogdonavich's role in it last weekend....

[madrano]

Isn't that the way? I'm relishing such moments & thank you for sharing them, Jennifer.