Our Daily Dead

Saddam Hussein is dead by hanging. Everyone’s favorite news source Al Jazeera had this quote on the main page:

“This is a time when Muslims in particular are supposed to be forgiving, are supposed to be closer to God. Why are they using this occasion to take revenge? They couldn’t wait one more week?”

Now granted Saddam was no angel and his punishment just under Iraq’s laws…but the timing of the execution is certainly curious.

And from the Jerusalem Post we find this story about a hot new travel destination

Do you wonder about the post Saddam hanging conversation between W and his daddy? “Got him Daddy” comes to mind.

~~The ODDones for OurDailyDead.com

Technorati tags: Saddam Hussein, dead, hanging, Al Jazeera, no angel, Iraq, Jerusalem, Saddam, W

Ahmet Ertegun is dead at 83. As per the LA Times Mr. Ertegun’s “…upstart Atlantic label became the home of R&B music in the 1950s with Ray Charles, Big Joe Turner, Ruth Brown, the Drifters and the Coasters and then triumphed on new turfs in the 1960s and 1970s with signature acts such as Aretha Franklin; Led Zeppelin; Cream; Yes; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; and Sonny & Cher.” That is some kinda Who’s Who list, eh? Along the way Mr. Ertegun found time to found the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame too.

Mr. Ertegun had slipped into a coma after suffering a head injury in an October fall backstage at a Rolling Stones show celebrating the 60th birthday of former President Clinton. He never recovered from the coma and died with his family by his side.

In the spirit of Leader, Saskatchewan? Not to be outdone by Leader’s Calendar we find that Winnipeg’s very own Free Press has published a calendar called The Art of Aging Gracefully. This calendar is just chock full of 12 bare naked ladies based on the idea to “…empower older woman and demonstrate that they should be considered just as attractive.” It doth seem that Winnipeg is closer to Leader than we previously thought.

And if you find yourself in Winnipeg you may pickup a copy of the calendar at McNally Robinson BookSellers or Vita Health Food stores.

And since we are on this naked kick (apparently) AND since the ODD community service department provided you with information for your UCLA Undie Run, the editors here thought we would be remiss if we failed to provide story linkage to the Tufts Naked Quad Run. Mind you that you’ve missed the event, but we figured you still needed to know what exactly you’ve been missing in the sports news.

Technorati Tags: Ahmet Ertegun, dead, Atlantic, R&B, Ray Charles, Big Joe Turner, Ruth Brown, Drifters and the Coasters, Aretha Franklin, Led Zeppelin, Cream, Yes, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Sonny & Cher, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Leader, The Art of Aging Gracefully, naked, older woman, McNally Robinson BookSellers, Vita Health Food, UCLA, Undie Run

Pinochet is dead at 91. And if you want a topical double-feature try Z and of course Missing.

Norman Livermore Jr. has died at age 95. The happy people at the LA Times who wrote the article labeled Mr. Livermore “…Gov. Ronald Reagan’s environmental conscience”. Not a bad epitaph really. Mr. Livermore was quite the contrast. He was a Pacific Lumber Company executive turned California secretary of state for resources in Governor Regan’s Cabinet from 1967 to 1975. But in his Big Brother role he helped create California’s Redwood National Park and stop the Northern California ‘what have you been smoking?’ project titled the Dos Rios Dam. (You may read about the Dos Rios fight in the book The River Stops Here.)

If you’ve never been to the Redwood National Park, put it on your agenda. Awesome. Words fail to describe the size and magnificence of the Sequoia Sempervirens - you must see them yourself. Go get as close as possible and bring about 15 of your friends. Linked hand to hand you might just be able to form a complete circle around one of these trees. While your in the area jaunt down to Fern Canyon, or head over to Stone Lagoon, or into Orick, or stop by Patrick’s Point. And if your son or daughter are nearing that age toss in a visit to Humboldt State University and a stop at the Humboldt Brewery (which back in the day was a bowling alley, a Mexican restaurant and tried to be a music (we do so miss the band Desperate Men) venue for awhile). Well at least stopping in WAS a good idea. Last we heard the place was shuttered. Alas.

And if the Sempervirons doesn’t fill you up, head southeast to see the Sequoia Gigantea, then tromp the woods in John Muir’s shadow through the Range of Light. And try this: lay down on your back under one of these giants and take in the view.

Policy Maker News
Paranoia strikes deep Into your life it will creep It starts when you’re always afraid…The City Council of Greenleaf, Idaho passed an ordinance in November to require nearly all residents to keep a gun at home in case the town becomes overrun by people relocating after Gulf Coast storms.

Some Questions Answered Department
Get yourself over to Dan’s place at Infospigot: The Chronicles and read through his writeup/summary about James Kim and family.

Technorati Tags: Z, Missing, Ronald Reagan, Pacific Lumber Company, California, Big Brother, Redwood National Park, Dos Rios Dam, River Stops Here, Sequoia Sempervirens, Fern Canyon, Stone Lagoon, Orick, Patrick’s Point, Humboldt State University, Desperate Men, John Muir, Range of Light, James Kim