The RIP Thread
 

As opposed to individual threads for each, this is the place to pay your respects to anyone, famous or not, who has recently passed.

Clarence Clemons, E Street Band?s Saxophonist, Dies at 69
 

Clarence Clemons, the saxophone player in Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, has died, aged 69, a spokeswoman for the band has said.

Clemons was taken to hospital about a week ago after suffering a stroke at his home in Singer Island, in the US state of Florida.

Known as the Big Man for his 6ft 5in frame, Clemons was credited with shaping the early sound of The Boss.

Noble thread idea Eccles. My condolences to the Clemons family.

Ryan Dunn of Jackass fame. Dead at 34 from single car crash. RIP

Celebrities always die in threes. Who's gonna croak in the next few days? My money's on:

Peter Falk, Columbo actor, dies aged 83



Peter Falk, the American actor famous for his role in the TV detective series Columbo, has died at the age of 83.

Falk's lawyer said the actor died peacefully at his Beverly Hills home on Thursday evening. He had reportedly been suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Falk won four Emmys for his starring role in Columbo, which ran from 1971 to 2003. Lieutenant Columbo became well-known for his trademark raincoat, cigar and his killer catchphrase: "One more thing …"

Falk also starred in The Princess Bride and Wim Wenders' Wings of Desire. Falk received Oscar nominations for Murder, Inc. and Pocketful of Miracles.

He last appeared in the feature film American Cowslip in 2009.

He is survived by Shera, his wife, and two daughters Catherine and Jackie.

No posts for a week?


I'm guessing that this thread....









Died a quiet death...







Sorry, couldn't help it. :o

well hopefully of your childhood heros will croak soon to liven things up

My father died. I thank him every year for letting me not have to buy anything on Father's Day, his birthday and Christmas.

How very considerate of him.

Heres to my dignity and pride. :D

uh-oh, what did you do? and does it involve your ass?

If you have Daddy issues too you could be the next Ex-Mrs. Pisceschef!
:D

It most definitely involves the butt.

@ Foetus LOL. :D It always involves my ass. Its too delicious not too. :D
@ Chef The only issue I had with my dad is that I hated him. Do you have a house and money I can take from you? If so Im down.
@ Snake DUH!!! :D :D :D

Funny stuff.

George Ballas; dance teacher was inventor of Weed Eater



June 30, 2011|Associated Press
HOUSTON George C. Ballas Sr., a Houston entrepreneur best known for inventing the Weed Eater, has died at 85.

Mr. Ballas's son, Corky, said yesterday that his father died of natural causes Saturday.
He changed the way we cut grass, Corky Ballas said.

Mr. Ballas got the idea for the Weed Eater, a device also commonly known as a weed whacker, while sitting in a car wash. He wondered whether the idea of spinning bristles, like the ones cleaning his car, could be applied to trimming grass and weeds in areas a lawnmower could not reach.

He experimented with fishing wire attached to a tin can mounted on the rotary of a lawn edger and found that the spinning wires easily sliced through grass, The Houston Chronicle reported.

Mr. Ballas founded his Weed Eater company in Houston in 1971, and sales flourished during the subsequent decade.

He later sold his invention to Emerson Electric. As part of his agreement with Emerson, Mr. Ballas was not allowed to disclose how much he was paid, even to his family.

Corky Ballas said his father for years was known as the Weed King.

But George Ballas, who was born in Ruston, La., was also a dance studio owner and dance was an important part of his family's life.

After his military service, Mr. Ballas worked for both the Arthur Murray and Fred Astaire dance studio franchises. He was a dance instructor, but also traveled to various cities, troubleshooting to make the outlets profitable.

After moving to Houston in the late 1950s, he built and operated the Dance City USA Studio. With 120 instructors and 43,000 square feet of space, it was heralded as the largest dance studio in the world.

He sold it in 1964.

Mr. Ballas's wife, Maria Louisa Ballas, was a noted flamenco dancer who studied with famed Spanish dancer Carmen Amaya and appeared in several films.

Corky Ballas became a champion ballroom dancer, and his son, Mark, is a professional dancer. Both of them have appeared on Dancing With the Stars.

George Ballas also helped develop a Houston hotel and worked as an adjunct professor at Rice University, teaching entrepreneurship.

He leaves his wife, three daughters, two sons, and seven grandchildren.

Jesse William Burley



Fargo man decapitated in fireworks accident
FARGO - An eyewitness said a Fourth of July fireworks accident decapitated a Fargo man Monday night.

Police identified the victim as Jesse William Burley, a 41-year-old father of two, who enjoyed life to its fullest, said Burley's stepfather, Chuck Asplin of Fargo.

Chris Hanson, Burley's neighbor who saw the accident, was packing up his car to leave north Fargo's Riviera Heights mobile home park as tornado sirens sounded just before 9:30 p.m.

Burley was getting ready to set off a second round of what Hanson said he believes was either a homemade or illegal artillery shell firework.

"He went over into the middle of the street, and within 10 seconds of us talking to him, he lit it and all we saw was a cloud of smoke, a bang," Hanson said.

What Hanson saw next immediately sent him into shock, he said.

"When I walked up to his body, it was nothing but his shoulders down," Hanson said Tuesday.

Police Lt. Joel Vettel said Tuesday police are confident the device was a commercial-grade firework, which are federally regulated.

The area Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is assisting Fargo police to investigate whether this type of firework was illegal and how it was obtained, Vettel said.

Hanson said that on Monday evening Burley asked him over to his trailer to check out something. Burley showed Hanson fireworks that contained a warning that read, "If found please report to the U.S. government," Hanson said.

"Right there and then I knew that I had to get away because I was not going to be involved in that," Hanson said.

Burley ignited the first firework, which went off with a big bang but no injuries, Hanson said.

"You could see the shock waves in the air," he said.

An hour and a half later, Burley lit the fatal second firework, Hanson said.

The accident should be used as an example of how dangerous fireworks can be, Hanson said.

"I'm never going to light a firecracker off again in my life," he said.

Burley's family remembered Jesse as a good-hearted kid, who would do anything for anybody, said Asplin, his stepfather and boss at Chuck?s Sandjacking in Fargo.

Jesse Burley had a 2-year-old and a 3-year-old son who were not at his residence at the time of the accident.

Fargo police recovered a third fireworks device in Burley's home on Tuesday and a metal pipe near the accident site at the 3500 block of Kelley Street North, which was reportedly used as a mortar to launch shells.

"It appears that he was lighting the device off, and so we don?t feel that there were others involved in the incident at this point," Vettel said.

Motorhead Guitarist Michael 'W?rzel' Burston 1949 - 2011
 

That's a shame. Dude at least deserved his own thread...

+rep.

you know I'm going to lose, cause gambling's for fools, but that's the way I like it baby, I don't wanna live forever!
:(

and dont forget the joker!:evilgrin:

SHERWOOD SCHWARTZ (1916 - 2011)
 

"Gilligan's Island" creator Sherwood Schwartz dies at 94


Sherwood Schwartz, the television genius who created "The Brady Bunch" and "Gilligan's Island" -- and wrote the theme songs for BOTH shows -- has died.

Schwartz is a TV legend -- back in 1961, he won an Emmy for his work as a writer on "The Red Skelton Show."

Schwartz also served as a script supervisor on "My Favorite Martian" ... and a writer and producer of "Harper Valley PTA."

Sherwood worked in radio before transitioning over to television -- serving as a writer for Bob Hope's radio show. He also worked on the radio version of "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet."

Schwartz died of natural causes in his sleep, surrounded by his family.

RIP Jani Lane
 

I guess now he really is
<removes sunglasses>
A down boy.

Eeeeeeyyyyaaaaaaahhhhh!

i want say that when i die i want to go out like my Dads friends did this passed weekend. a 60 year old man went out fucking his 36 year old girlfriend without the need for viagra. BAM BAM you the man!:D
p.s. this old sumbitch played drums in a southern rock tribute band!
Ronnie you were awesome, of course now that you're dead, i'm gonna have sex with your daughter cause a dead man can't shoot me.:evilgrin:

'Uncle Frank' Potenza
 

"It is with great sadness that the staff and crew of 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' mourn the loss of 'Uncle Frank' Potenza," ABC said in a statement.

"Thank you for your kind words about a very kind man -- my Uncle Frank -- who passed away this morning," the late-night host tweeted.

Potenza, 77, was a security guard for the show, and made appearances numerous appearances during his nine years on the program, including in segments called "Guillermo's Hollywood Round-Up" and "Uncle Frank and Aunt Chippy's Adventures." Prior to working on his nephew's late-night program, Potenza was a New York City police officer, and security guard at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.

"He was beloved by his co-workers and considered an uncle to all," the network said. "His kindness and humor will be missed by everyone he touched."

Nick Ashford, one-half of the legendary Motown songwriting duo Ashford & Simpson that penned elegant, soulful classics for Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye has died at the age of 69 from throat cancer.

Ashford and his wife Valerie Simpson wrote Motown classics Ain't No Mountain High Enough and Reach Out And Touch Somebody's Hand (recorded by Ross and You're All I Need To Get By (made famous by Gaye and Tammi Terrell) and they also wrote pop hits such as I'm Every Woman", which was a hit for Chaka Khan and, later, Whitney Houston.

They also had success writing for themselves: Perhaps the biggest known hit sung by them was the 1980s hit Solid As A Rock.

Ashford and Simpson's relationship stretched more than four decades. They met in 1964 in a New York City church; Ashford, a South Carolina native, had come to the city to pursue a dance career. Simpson was a music student, and after connecting with her, they decided to start to write songs together.

I heard when they found him, his body was curled up "Like a Rock"

not sure, but I would imagine his body is "Solid", "Solid as a Rock"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWHizpXlnaE

Yeah, something like that lol

Joey Vento - Geno's Cheesesteaks, Philadelphia PA
 

I'm so glad I got to have this before his death. These were famously delicious! Even if you are a "Pat's" fan, these are still fantastic.

[/code]

Spartacus Star Andy Whitfield lost his battle with cancer today

damn, that sucks.

RIP: Frances Bay, at 92
 

[quote=mason6799;740732][/code]

Spartacus Star Andy Whitfield lost his battle with cancer today

:( So sad. He was fucking amazing...and hot. Even with cancer. :(

Oh damn, for a second there i thought that was a picture of me with my shirt off :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: /sarcasm

seriously though, RIP motha fucker

Bwahahahah! :D Dork! I know you look better than that, dont play. :D lol ;)

Pentangle's Bert Jansch dies, aged 67

Bert Jansch, a leading figure in the British folk revival of the 60s and one of the most respected musicians of his generation, has died aged 67 following a long battle with cancer.

A founding member of Pentangle, Jansch was also renowned as a guitar virtuoso and was sometimes hailed as a British Bob Dylan. Born in Glasgow on 3 November 1943, he released 23 solo albums, the last of which, The Black Swan (2006), featured collaborations with Beth Orton and Devendra Banhart.

Jansch was the recipient of two lifetime achievement prizes at the BBC Folk awards ? one for his solo achievements in 2001 and the other, in 2007, as a member of Pentangle. The band reformed in 2008.

In June 2009, he discovered he had a golf ball-size tumour on one of his lungs following what was at first a routine visit to the dentist. Following treatment, he went on to co-headline a US tour with Neil Young. Jansch had recently been forced to cancel a live show in Edinburgh due to ill health and was living in a hospice in north London at the time of his death.

Those he influenced included Jimmy Page, Nick Drake, Graham Coxon, Donovan, Bernard Butler and Paul Simon. According to fellow guitarist Johnny Marr: "He completely reinvented guitar playing and set a standard that is still unequalled today ? without Bert Jansch, rock music as it developed in the 60s and 70s would have been very different."

Jansch told this newspaper last year: "I'm not one for showing off. But I guess my guitar-playing sticks out."

Steve Jobs
 

Steven Paul Jobs, co-founder, chairman and former chief executive of Apple Inc., has passed away.

A visionary inventor and entrepreneur, it would be impossible to overstate Steve Jobs? impact on technology and how we use it. Apple?s mercurial, mysterious leader did more than reshape his entire industry: he completely changed how we interact with technology. He made gadgets easy to use, gorgeous to behold and essential to own. He made things we absolutely wanted, long before we even knew we wanted them. Jobs? utter dedication to how people think, touch, feel and interact with machines dictated even the smallest detail of the computers Apple built and the software it wrote.

Jobs was born in San Francisco on Feb. 24, 1955, and adopted by Paul and Clara Jobs of Mountain View, California. He was a techie from a young age, often sitting in on lectures at Hewlett-Packard in Palo Alto while attending Homestead High School in Los Altos. He eventually landed a summer job there, working alongside Steve Wozniak.

Jobs enrolled in Reed College in Portland, Oregon in 1972, but dropped out after six months ? he later said he ?didn?t see the value in it.? He eventually returned home to California. He got a job at Atari, renewed his friendship with Wozniak and started hanging out with the Homebrew Computer Club. After trekking to India in 1974 ? a trip he, like so many others, made to find enlightenment ? Jobs returned home and looked up Woz.

The two of them launched Apple in 1976. Their first project, the Apple I, wasn?t much to look at ? just an assembled circuit board. Anyone who bought it had to add the case and keyboard. But it was enough for Jobs to convince Mike Markkula, a semi-retired Intel engineer and product marketing manager, that personal computing was the future. Markkula invested $250,000 in the fledgling enterprise.

The Apple I begat the Apple II in 1977. It was the first successful mass-market computer, and easy to use, too. That would become a hallmark of Apple under Jobs.

The Apple II had a huge impact on the tech business, but cheaper alternatives, like the Commodore 64 and the VIC-20, quickly eroded Apple?s market share. IBM?s open PC platform eventually won out over Apple?s closed approach, and the die was cast. The PC dominated the market.

Still, Apple was by any measure a success. By the time Jobs was 25 in 1980, he was worth more than $100 million. Not that it mattered to him.

?It wasn?t that important because I never did it for the money,? he once said.

Apple once again shook up the industry with the Macintosh, announced in 1984 with a now-iconic Super Bowl ad challenging IBM. The Mac was a revolutionary step forward for personal computing ? the first mass market computer to use a mouse-driven, user-friendly graphical interface. It was influenced by ? critics would argue lifted from ? technology Jobs saw a few years earlier at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center. It irreversibly changed how we interact with computers.

But then Jobs fell from grace. One year after the Mac?s introduction, Jobs was fired in a power struggle with CEO John Sculley. Jobs was devastated. He felt he?d let those who came before him ? pioneers like David Packard and Bob Noyce ? down, and he wanted to apologize.

?It was a very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the Valley,? he admitted in a 2005 speech.

But Jobs realized he loved what he did, and wanted to keep doing it. So he founded NeXT, a computer company, and a computer animation outfit that he renamed Pixar. As for Apple, it faltered in his absence. The company?s stock plummeted 68 percent, pushing Apple to the brink of bankruptcy.

But in 1996, Apple purchased NeXT and Jobs returned to the company he founded. It wasn?t long before he was once again back at the helm, and Apple?s ascent began.

One of Jobs? first moves was to make peace with arch-rival Microsoft. That led to a $150 million investment from Microsoft, breathing new life into the moribund Apple. Jobs was once again firmly in control, and this time he would make sure he didn?t lose it.

He ran Apple with a firm hand, enforcing a policy of secrecy, while instilling an unrivaled dedication to design and an unwavering commitment to quality. These things mattered so deeply to Jobs that he became a micromanager, one said to have put as much thought into the boxes holding Apple?s products as the products themselves.

Apple?s incredible string of hits started with the iMac and continued with iTunes and the iPod in 2001, the iPhone in 2007 and 2010?s iPad. There were some misses along the way ? Mobile Me and Apple TV ? but Jobs, working with lieutenants like Tim Cook, made Apple one of the biggest companies in the world.

Jobs had always been the public face of Apple, but he began retreating from the spotlight in 2004 when doctors diagnosed him with pancreatic cancer. It was a rare form of the disease, one that could be treated, and Jobs survived. His health, though, continued to deteriorate. His liver failed in 2009, and Jobs took a six-month medical leave. He returned, but was rarely seen. He announced he was resigning as CEO in August, and Tim Cook replaced him as the head the company.

At a 2005 commencement address at Stanford University, Jobs shared the philosophy that drove him.

?Your time is limited, so don?t waste it living someone else?s life,? Jobs said. ?Don?t be trapped by dogma ? which is living with the results of other people?s thinking. Don?t let the noise of others? opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.?