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Passings...

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Sometimes there is someone whose death is unexpected and affects you more than one would think for someone you didn't know. For me, this was the case with Anthony Bourdain, dead yesterday at the age of 61 by his own hand in Strasbourg, France. Although he worked for many years as a chef, his real talent was as a writer and interviewer. His 2000 book, "Kitchen Confidential" came out of the blue-his first book-and it became a smash best-seller, a revelation to those who wondered what really went on in the kitchen of well-known restaurants. From there, he moved on to television, hosting a show, first on the Travel Channel and then on CNN, in which he visited places, often ones tourists generally didn't go to, including Detroit, Saudi, Arabia, Iran, Paraguay, New Jersey and many more (well over 100 countries). He spoke with regular people who often revealed much more than just the food of the country. In one well-known episode, he took President Obama to a little noodle shop in Ho Chi Minh City where they ate along with ordinary Vietnamese and spoke of the history of the Vietnam War from both the Vietnamese and Americn perspectives.

I learned a lot from him and will miss him.

PS-I confess to using his description of himself in "Noosed Nude NYC" as a model for Stan's son Marty, someone who was troubled as young man, including heavy drug use, but who found his way as a chef.
 
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Sad news from the nerdverse: Steve Ditko, co-creator of Spiderman, Dr Strange and others, has died at the age of 90.
Although Stan Lee was better at being famous, Ditko was equally responsible for the success of Marvel Comics and the impact it has had on comics and, more recently the movies.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/steve-ditko-dead-spider-man-creator-was-90-1125489
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/steve-ditko-was-a-comic-creator-time-1125510
I like this from the second article:

The one throughline that all these characters had, in addition to Ditko’s trademark aesthetic that focused on eyes and hands to an almost fetishistic degree at times, was that all of them were… strange. (No pun intended.) Ditko’s characters were always a little outside of the mainstream, a celebration of the individual and the outsider even at a time when such things were rare and superheroes traditionally aspired to be agents of the status quo. Ditko’s creations, even those theoretically intended to be family-friendly like Speedball and Squirrel Girl, were always just a little creepy and weird... which is the very thing that made them memorable, and even lovable.
 
John McCain (August 29, 1936-August 25, 2018) Naval Aviator, Congressman, Senator, Public Servant

A man who epitomised the notion of service to his nation. Heroes are those who in the face of adversity endure. Captured and tortured in North Vietnam his health was destroyed and yet he refused early release as in his eyes that would mean abandoning his comrades in arms who would have remained prisoners of war. Finally returning to the US in 1973 he had to endure the sheer agony that is physio therapy, another form of torture that nevertheless allowed him to return to duty as a flier and squadron commander.

Leaving the Navy to run for Congress he represented the 1st District of Arizona. Accused of being carpetbagger he pointed out that as a Navy brat and then serviceman he had always had to move around and that the longest place he had stayed up until that point was Hanoi. In the Senate McCain was both a budget hawk and a champion of Native Americans. He was also notably bi-partisan on issues where he felt America the nation came before party.

It is perhaps his actions as a two time Presidential candidate that most define him. He ran against Bush and was only defeated by a highly negative primary campaign and later Obama where he refused to countenance false accusations over his opponent's heritage. Time and again he refused bitterness and division and called for national unity and work for the public good.

Having opposed Obama for which he is reviled by many who ascribe themselves liberals in America, he proved to be similarly willing to oppose Trump for which he is reviled by many who pretend to the title of conservatives. However for those less blinded by ideology, despite disagreements on issues he has come to represent an enduring legacy of service for the general good ahead of personal gain.

That is John McCain's legacy.
 
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RacingRodent said:
John McCain (August 29, 1936-August 25, 2018) Naval Aviator, Congressman, Senator, Public Servant

A man who epitomised the notion of service to his nation. Heroes are those who in the face of adversity endure. Captured and tortured in North Vietnam his health was destroyed and yet he refused early release as in his eyes that would mean abandoning his comrades in arms who would have remained prisoners of war. Finally returning to the US in 1973 he had to endure the sheer agony that is physio therapy, another form of torture that nevertheless allowed him to return to duty as a flier and squadron commander.

Leaving the Navy to run for Congress he represented the 1st District of Arizona. Accused of being carpetbagger he pointed out that as a Navy brat and then serviceman he had always had to move around and that the longest place he had stayed up until that point was Hanoi. In the Senate McCain was both a budget hawk and a champion of Native Americans. He was also notably bi-partisan on issues where he felt America the nation came before party.

It is perhaps his actions as a two time Presidential candidate that most define him. He ran against Bush and was only defeated by a highly negative primary campaign and later Obama where he refused to countenance false accusations over his opponent's heritage. Time and again he refused bitterness and division and called for national unity and work for the public good.

Having opposed Obama for which he is reviled by many who ascribe themselves liberals in America, he proved to be similarly willing to oppose Trump for which he is reviled by many who pretend to the title of conservatives. However for those less blinded by ideology, despite disagreements on issues he has come to represent an enduring legacy of service for the general good ahead of personal gain.

That is John McCain's legacy.
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Someone once said that John McCain talked moderation but voted hard right. That is mostly true. But, as you say, he was willing to criticize his own party, and was willing to say things that weren't so popular. You didn't get standard "talking points" from him. His vote against the repeal of the Affordable Care Act was based on principles. One could argue his seat was safe, but a lot of other people in safe seats didn't do what he did or say what he said. I was never very impressed with his grasp of issues outside of military affairs, but he did have a refreshing streak of honesty. (It should be noted that he didn't hold the age record for an Arizona senator--that goes to Carl Hayden, who was in office into his 90's. Like McCain, he didn't know when it was time to go. McCain should have resigned his seat when he couldn't fulfill his duties anymore, in my view anyway.)
He certainly served his country, whether you liked it or not, to a far greater degree than most people.
 

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