Remembering: Ian Curtis

Thirty years ago today, Joy Division's lead singer Ian Curtis hung himself in his kitchen. A troubled soul, struggling with severe epilepsy, an estranged wife, a mistress and burgeoning success, his is a tragic story of yet another great talent who left this world too soon.

(Photo credit: Bernard Pierre Wolff, Appiani family tomb, Cimitero Monumentale di Staglieno, Genoa, Italy)

In Memoriam: My Grandfather

One of my favorite photos of my grandparents. Minalin, Pampanga, Philippines, 1975

My grandfather passed away on Nov. 27 at the age of 89 years old.

I've always felt disconnected from my extended family back in the Philippines; not because of any family drama or anything, but really only because the geographical distance makes it very difficult to build and maintain relationships. (Let's face it; the flight to Manila makes a five-hour flight to New York seem like a nanosecond, not to mention the fact that a plane ticket can cost about a month's salary for some.) In any case; my grandparents helped raise my cousins; my memories of my grandparents consisted of stories my dad would tell me about them and the three times I've visited. But despite the distance (both literally and figuratively), I've always held a fondness in my heart for my family back there.

Thankfully, the Internet and social networking have enabled the kinds of connections I've wanted to make with my cousins. My cousin, Jon, wrote this tribute to our grandfather the other day, and after reading it, I realized that my dad --- the oldest of all the siblings --- is SO like my grandfather. I may not have had the pleasure or privilege of living with my grandparents, but my grandfather's teachings, personality, values and beliefs were mirrored in the teachings, personality, values and beliefs I've seen in my own father.

And I never felt so connected to my family than at that moment.

Happy Valentine's Day or something

Especially to you who are Valentine-less, like me.

UPDATE 2/14, 11 a.m.: I realize my initial post is somewhat cynical. After reading this heart-warming, positive piece from Res Ipsa Loquitur at Rising Hegemon, I've been inspired to follow her lead and not be so damn negative about Valentine's Day. So, on that note:

R.I.P. Heath Ledger

Actor Heath Ledger was found dead in his Manhattan apartment today.

That sucks. We at YFP! extend our deepest condolences to his family.

(Photo credit: Fairfax Digital)

R.I.P. Theresa Duncan and Jeremy Blake

Theresa Duncan and Jeremy Blake

In July of this year, Artist Jeremy Blake, 35, took off his clothes and walked into the ocean seven days after his partner of 12 years, Screenwriter/Writer/Blogger Theresa Duncan, 40, washed down a handful of Tylenol PMs with a glass of bourbon.

The January 2008 issue of Vanity Fair has a great article, "The Golden Suicides," on this young, artistic, glamorous, and deeply troubled pair, which I read last week.

I don't follow the art community, but something about their story intrigues me. Could it be their glamorous existence? Their strong, artistic promise snuffed out so early? The squandering of Jah-given gifts? The fact that Theresa set up two blog posts to show up posthumously? That they thought Scientologists were trying to bring them down?

There are so many layers, I can't help but be drawn to their story. Part of it is some kind of macabre curiousity, sure. But also, whenever a young life (in this case, two), so filled with promise leaves this earth so unexpectedly, we are all affected by it in some way. I can't even fathom the logic that caused them to make the decision to end their lives, but I can only hope that these two souls found the answers to the questions they were seeking.

And that those they left behind begin to heal.

Alfred Peet, 1920-2007

Alfred Peet, coffee revolutionary, passed away at his home in Ashland, Oregon yesterday.

When Alfred Peet opened his shop in Berkeley in April, 1966 he started a coffee revolution. Nobody had ever seen top-quality coffee like this roasted in this unique style in America. The corner of Walnut and Vine quickly became a gathering place for UC Berkeley grads, undergrads, and faculty as well as local intellectuals, radicals, writers, musicians, artisans and any number of the colorful people who still make up Berkeley today.

Thank you, Mr. Peet, for helping me understand just how amazing a cup of coffee can be.

R.I.P. Pete Wilson (the anchor)

UPDATE 7/23: Title updated to avoid confusion.



I woke up from a brief afternoon nap to find out that local anchor Pete Wilson passed away suddenly.

(07-21) 12:44 PDT -- Pete Wilson, the passionate veteran Bay Area TV news anchor, has died. Wilson, 62, suffered a massive heart attack following hip replacement surgery on Thursday at Stanford Medical Center. Doctors battled to save him on Friday, but he was removed from life support and succumbed at 9:20 p.m. Friday.

A fixture on the local evening news, Wilson spent 12 years anchoring the KRON-TV newscast before joining ABC7 five and a half years ago. He also hosted a popular talk radio show on KGO in the afternoon.

I feel like I grew up watching Pete Wilson read the news each evening. It's always sad when somebody passes away so unexpectedly. My condolences to his family and colleagues.


(Photo credit: ABC7 News)

R.I.P. Michael Dawson

You know how you just sort of feel close to a person even though you don't see them every day?

I want to pause for a moment here to pay my deepest respects to Michael David Dawson, a man whose friendly, bright, and warm personality shone like a beacon at many Peet's Coffee & Tea locations up and down the Peninsula. Words cannot even express how great this guy was.

Last Wednesday, May 30, he passed away during his morning shift.

When I heard the news, I didn't even realize it was him until yesterday afternoon. Shame on me.

I'm honored to say that I've had the pleasure of working with Michael on several different occasions a few years ago. His open and overwhelmingly friendly personality helped me get through some pretty stressful times associated with taking on new responsibilities, opening new stores, etc. He made such an impression on me that I never forgot him, even when I left. Michael Dawson was an awesome human being, and I will miss him.

My truly heartfelt condolences to his wife and his family.

Jerry Falwell Dead at 73

Falwell has found himself at the center of several controversies, such as the one sparked by his comments two days after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in which he seemed to blame "abortionists," gays, lesbians, the ACLU and People for American Way for causing the attacks, saying they "helped this happen."

On September 14, 2001, he told CNN that he would "never blame any human being except the terrorists, and if I left that impression with gays or lesbians or anyone else, I apologize."

Let the eulogizing begin.

The Carpetbagger compiled a list of Falwell's career accomplishments, so you don't have to.

(source)

If it bleeds, it leads

Take a look at this picture. Do you find it offensive?

Some may argue that the reportage element to this photo is offensive.

Others might be offended at the amount of blood is in this photo.

Still others might be offended at the sight of the gunshot wound.

And then there are some who are offended because they say that they see the wounded man’s penis in the photo.

This photo was published in the Roanoke Times on April 17.

Almost immediately, newspaper readers began to debate the image. A message board devoted to the Detroit Free Press sparked a debate the next morning over whether the picture actually showed genitalia. The Hartford Courant was bombarded with complaints, many of which reader representative Karen Hunter posted online.

"You are showing his penis right on the front page," one Courant reader complained to Hunter. "I think that's disgusting.... I think you should have blocked it out or something."

Over at the New York Post, editors anticipated that exact response. The Post ran the picture big and in color, but cloned out the flesh-colored shape protruding from the student's lap. Across town, the archrival Daily News ran the picture unedited.

People edited the photo, while its sister magazine Time ran the picture unedited.

You’ve got to be kidding me. More than thirty people were killed, and you’re worried that this dude’s dong is showing? Why are you looking so closely at the photo anyway?

Look. Humankind, in all its glory, is as much bloody, gory, dirty, smelly, pus filled, and evil as it is beautiful, loving, flowery and brilliant. But to get up in arms about whether or not you see his penis in the photo (I'm still not even convinced that's what it is), to focus on it and then call it "disgusting," is missing the point altogether.

And it's not like the newspaper published this photo out of some prurient motivation. "If it bleeds, it leads," as they say. Get your heads out of the gutter.

(Photo credit: Alan Kim/The Roanoake Times)

Who's the baby daddy?

I love a good train wreck as much as the next person, and not that I'm keeping score or anything, but here are the current front runners in what I like to call, "Who's the Baby Daddy?"

1. Howard K. Stern, lawyer/lover/"husband"/opportunist/looks like an old ex
2. Larry Birkhead
3. Anna Nicole's former bodyguard
4. Prince Fredric von Anhalt, Zsa Zsa Gabor's husband
5. Howard Marshall II's frozen sperm
   

Jesus H, who's next? I wouldn't be surprised if Don Rickles was next to step to the plate.

Ford vs. Brown

That Colored Fella asks the eternal question:

Who had a greater impact on American society:
Gerald Ford or James Brown?

If you ask me, I'd say Mr. Sex Machine.

Why running sucks

A runner died during the San Francisco Marathon on Sunday in what appeared to be the first fatality in the event's 29-year history.

William Goggins, 43, of San Francisco, collapsed from apparent heart failure after he passed the 24-mile mark of the 26.2 mile race, authorities said.

Fine. I'll start riding my bike again.

Stop looking at me like that.

My heartfelt condolences to the Goggins family.

Ken Lay Dead at 64

Not that I want to bring any bad karma upon myself, but Lay got lucky. Maybe the stress of perpin a fraud and screwing over tons of investors --- and his own employees --- finally got to him.

R.I.P. Naked Guy

During my Halcyon Days as an undergrad at Cal, I had been, from time to time, greeted by the glorious naked buttocks of a certain Andrew Martinez. Otherwise known as "The Naked Guy."

I know I'm a little late in the game with this info, but I just found out that Andrew died last week in a San Jose jail cell. Suicide.

On Wednesday night, a guard checked on him at 11 p.m. and he was fine, but a few minutes later other inmates reported hearing sounds coming from his cell. An officer returned at 11:19 and found Martinez unconscious. He was taken to Valley Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead early Thursday.

Apparently Andrew had been struggling with mental illness his entire life, but in his lucid moments managed to inspire people to think about free speech while at the same time challenging social norms.

I don't walk around naked (in public), but I can't help but draw a parallel to what Andrew did and what We Who Write Blogs do - at times, our writing can make us so vulnerable to others, we may as well be naked. So I can't help but feel a oneness there. And I didn't know the guy personally, but we were undergrads together. Go Bears.

I gotta say, I'm sad to hear this news. A promising life ended too young.

R.I.P.

Oh yeah, and Mister Furley died today. End of an era.

Wax off

Oh shit. Pat Morita died yesterday. R.I.P. Arnold.

You know, from Happy Days.

Interesting bit o' trivia: Did you know Morita was born in Isleton, Calif., home of the Crawdad Festival?

(Photo credit: Associated Press)

R.I.P. Ugly Dog

Dude. Sam, the World's Ugliest Dog, died last Friday. Needless to say, the family is in mourning:

The pooch died Friday, just short of his 15th birthday, his owner said.

"I don't think there'll ever be another Sam," Susie Lockheed said, adding: "Some people would think that's a good thing."

Don't fret, Susie. The blogosphere I'm sure will immortalize Sam's face from now to eternity in random "Friday Afternoon Ugly Dog Blogging" segments everywhere.

R.I.P. Peter Jennings

One of my favorite news anchors passed away last night.

There was just something about ABC's Peter Jennings that resonated with me, with viewers. During the week of the September 11 attacks, Jennings was on the air for more than 60 hours. And his aim, as a reporter in the field, was not to candy-coat reality, but rather provide viewers with what he called a "rough draft of history. Some days its reassuring, some days it's absolutely destructive."

Many remember Jennings' raspy announcement that he was going to undergo chemotherapy to treat his lung cancer. It's kind of scary - although he had quit smoking some 20 years ago (aside from a relapse during 9/11, if I remember correctly), he still was unable to escape this illness.

He was only 67 years old when he died. As Barbara Walters said, he died much too young.

United We Stand

I heard about the London bombings this morning as I was getting ready for work. My first thought was about my friend Cecilia, who has been on assignment there for the past year. Thankfully, she's alright, and was just returning to London today via Copenhagen.

I wish I can say the same for the more than 30 Londoners killed in the explosions. My heart goes out to their families. I hope the perpetrators are found and are brought to justice. And I hope that this never happens again.

I also wish I could say more about this, but it would be in poor taste. I'll save it for another day.