[TimG]

 mikeh, on 2013-April-17, 10:36, said:

...my point is that we tend to view these things far too simplistically, often overlooking or choosing to remain ignorant of facts that are inconvenient to our preferred point of view.

Not Americans.

[Cyberyeti]

Quote

my point is that we tend to view these things far too simplistically, often overlooking or choosing to remain ignorant of facts that are inconvenient to our preferred point of view.

 TimG, on 2013-April-17, 11:45, said:

Not Americans.

I don't want to start a flame war but I really don't understand this remark. Americans are particularly bad in this respect, Mike's summation of the Castro situation is one example.

Who gave the Afghan mujaheddin most of their weapons ? The US so they could fight the Soviets, this is also largely ignored.

[TimG]

 Cyberyeti, on 2013-April-17, 13:16, said:

I really don't understand this remark. Americans are particularly bad in this respect.

Sarcasm. I can't speak to the comparison with the rest of the world, but if Americans are not worse than most, that's too bad.

I have some suggestions for which segments of the American population are particularly bad in this respect, but that would surely result in a flame war.

[Cyberyeti]

 TimG, on 2013-April-17, 13:27, said:

I have some suggestions for which segments of the American population are particularly bad in this respect, but that would surely result in a flame war.

I steered well clear of that too. Sorry, I missed the sarcasm.

[onoway]

Rita MacNeill A wonderful singing voice and a generous spirit.

[barmar]

 Cyberyeti, on 2013-April-17, 13:46, said:

I steered well clear of that too. Sorry, I missed the sarcasm.

I recognized it and thought it was an excellent way to accentuate the point.

It's hard not to feel superior when your country was for several generations considered one of the most succesful in the world, and where so many people are still trying to move in that immigration policy is one of the most thorny political issues we have. But everyone tends to view things through their own, biased perspective. To Americans, Russia was "the evil empire" during the Cold War. But I'm sure that they had similar opinions of us (but they still envied our bluejeens).

[hrothgar]

Chrissy Amphlett (Lead singer for the Divinyls) passed away over the weekend. Loved her music. Sad day.

[PassedOut]

Shakuntala Devi

[jonottawa]

George Jones

[jjbrr]

 jonottawa, on 2013-April-26, 16:31, said:

George Jones

Weird, my parents saw him live in concert less than three weeks ago.

[PassedOut]

Ray Manzarek

[y66]

Miller Barber, 82, Golf Champion With Odd Swing

Quote

Barber didn’t seem a prime candidate for pro golf success. He was pudgy, he had hay fever, and his form was ungainly at best.

His right elbow flew outward on his backswing as he raised the club to the outside, bringing it high over his head, the shaft almost perpendicular to the ground. (In a classic backswing, the right elbow remains close to the body and the shaft ends up almost parallel to the ground.) After that he looped the club head inside and produced an orthodox downswing.

Fellow players likened Barber’s contortions to an octopus falling from a tree or a man trying to open an umbrella on a windy day. But he usually got the club face square to the ball, producing long drives and superb iron shots.

“He has a great release through the ball, and that’s one of the most important things,” Arnold Palmer told Newsday in 1989. “And don’t let that muscle tone fool you. He is strong.”

[ahh]

I am heartbroken James Gandolfini aka Tony Soprano sleeps with the fishes

[Winstonm]

 ahh, on 2013-June-20, 01:09, said:

I am heartbroken James Gandolfini aka Tony Soprano sleeps with the fishes

Ba da bing

[mikeh]

Iain (M) Banks died a couple of weeks ago: I didn't post because I didn't know about it, being on vacation.

An unappreciated writer, Iain excelled in both mainstream (Iain Banks) and SF (Iain M Banks), especially with his series of books based on the Culture. Many people disdain SF as populated by writers of little literary talent who write what is really no more than poorly constructed fantasy (fantasy writing is not the same as SF), but there are a number of writers in the field who possess significant talent. That number has been reduced by (a very important) 1.

[hrothgar]

 mikeh, on 2013-June-20, 09:03, said:

Iain (M) Banks died a couple of weeks ago: I didn't post because I didn't know about it, being on vacation.

An unappreciated writer, Iain excelled in both mainstream (Iain Banks) and SF (Iain M Banks), especially with his series of books based on the Culture. Many people disdain SF as populated by writers of little literary talent who write what is really no more than poorly constructed fantasy (fantasy writing is not the same as SF), but there are a number of writers in the field who possess significant talent. That number has been reduced by (a very important) 1.

I'm not sure whether I agree that Banks was unappreciated. Both The Wasp Factory and The Crow Road are fairly well known in the UK.

"Use of Weapons" rates as one of my top 5 science fiction novels of all time. I rate "Last Call", "Declare", and "Startide Rising" in the same category.
Not much else.

Always loved his books. Glad I had the opportunity to drop him a note on his web page and say how much his work meant to me...

It sounds like you might have known him personally. Is this true?

[mikeh]

 hrothgar, on 2013-June-20, 09:37, said:

It sounds like you might have known him personally. Is this true?

Underappreciated might have been a better word, altho in recent years he did receive more recognition. No, I never met him: there is an outstanding eulogy for him available through the Economist website, and also on Pharyngula, one of my favourite blogs. I wish I had been aware of his illness, and had the opportunity of sending him a thank you for the hours of enjoyment his novels have brought me. I personally found his mainstream novels to be hit or miss, tho that may say more about me than about him. The Crow Road was a favourite of mine and Complicity perhaps my first. The Wasp Factory and The Bridge may be his best known mainstream works, but neither worked well for me.

Otoh, I enjoyed all of his SF.

[mycroft]

I have read elsewhere that he just boarded the GSV You're in the Wrong Universe for Fair. I appreciate.

[GreenMan]

Seymon Deutsch, age 78, multiple national and world champion, frequent partner of Bobby Wolff.

[Cyberyeti]

 mikeh, on 2013-June-20, 09:03, said:

Iain (M) Banks died a couple of weeks ago: I didn't post because I didn't know about it, being on vacation.

An unappreciated writer, Iain excelled in both mainstream (Iain Banks) and SF (Iain M Banks), especially with his series of books based on the Culture. Many people disdain SF as populated by writers of little literary talent who write what is really no more than poorly constructed fantasy (fantasy writing is not the same as SF), but there are a number of writers in the field who possess significant talent. That number has been reduced by (a very important) 1.

I remember a radio interview with him where he crossed over briefly with the next guest who happened to be Michael Palin, at which point Banks revealed he'd been an extra in the scene at the end of Monty Python and the Holy Grail when he was a penniless student.