William Safire, News Columnist & Former Nixon Speechwriter Dead at the Age of 79, Rest in Peace

William Safire: 1929 -  2009, RIP.

They do not make them anymore like William Safire and sadly William Safire has passed way today at the age of 79. Today, journalism lost a gem. The journalistic tapestries that this wordsmith could create was like few others. The long time NY Times columnist “was hired to be a sore thumb” at the famously liberal newspaper. Safire was a journalist’s journalist who took no prisoners and most importantly never knew what the definition of PC meant. One always knew they were going to get the straight forward and brutally honest truth from William Safire. Rest in Peace … We lost a truly special person today.

Safire, the former Richard Nixon speech writer and Pulitzer Prize-winning NY Times columnist, died at 79 today from pancreatic cancer. The Pulitzer Prize winning journalist died at a hospice in Rockville, MD.

William Safire receiving the President Medal of Freedom in 2006

William Safire, a speechwriter for President Richard M. Nixon and a Pulitzer Prize-winning political columnist for The New York Times who also wrote novels, books on politics and a Malaprop’s treasury of articles on language, died at a hospice in Rockville, Md. on Sunday. He was 79.

The cause was cancer, said his assistant, Rosemary Shields.

There may be many sides in a genteel debate, but in the Safire world of politics and journalism it was simpler: there was his own unambiguous wit and wisdom on one hand and, on the other, the blubber of fools he called “nattering nabobs of negativism” and “hopeless, hysterical hypochondriacs of history

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Daily Commentary – Wednesday, September 16th, 2009 – A Farewell to Patrick Swayze … A Class Act & Inspiration

• The courageous actor passed away of pancreatic cancer on Monday. An all-around class act, Patrick Swayze brought hope and strength to countless people who are battling with cancer. What separates entertainers? Class! He will be missed.

Patrick Swayze Dies at Age 57 from Pancreatic Cancer … God Bless and Rest in Peace

Sad news from Los Angeles, CA as Patrick Swayze has passed away at the age of 57 after battling pancreatic cancer. Swayze was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in early 2008 and despite battling the dreaded disease, Swayze went on to star in the A&E cop drama The Beast. Patrick Swayze has passed away. He is survived by his wife of 34 years, Lisa Niemi.

Patrick Swayze & Jennifer Grey, Dirty Dancing

“Patrick Swayze passed away peacefully today with family at his side after facing the challenges of his illness for the last 20 months,” said a statement released Monday evening by his publicist, Annett Wolf. Swayze died in Los Angeles, Wolf said, but declined to give further details.

Patrick Swayze & Demi Moore, Ghost

Known for such movies as Dirty Dancing, Ghost, The Outsiders, Point Break, Road House, To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar, Uncommon Valor, Youngblood, Next of Kin and the cult classic Red Dawn.

A young Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell & Charlie Sheen, Red Dawn

Patrick Swayze was one of my favorite actors of movies that were just plain fun. He also has one of the greatest lines in movie history. Here’s to you Patrick, you will be missed and thanks for the memories.

Never forget … “No body puts baby in a corner”.

Also never forget … WOLVERINES!

Swayze’s words from his ABC Barbara Walters interview:

Swayze said his work on that show was exhausting, requiring 12-hour workdays in Chicago, Illinois, doing his own stunts. But he said the show’s character “just felt right for my soul.”

“If I leave this Earth, I want to leave this Earth just knowing I’ve tried to give something back and tried to do something worthwhile with myself,” Swayze told Walters, when asked why he decided to do the show. “And that keeps me going, that gets me up in the morning. My work … is my legacy.”

God Bless and Rest in Peace. Our condolences go out to your family and friends.

Robert Schindler, the Father of Terri Schiavo, Passes Away at the Age of 72

Robert Schindler, the father of Terri Schiavo, passed away over the weekend at the age of 72. According to reports Schindler died of apparent heart failure. However, in the aftermath of the death of his daughter Terri Schiavo and the much publicized 13 day starvation and dehydration death, one might say that Robert Schindler died of a broken heart.

H/T: Michelle Malkin from April 1, 2005 post

Now, look at this exhausted, heartbroken father and tell me he is having a “good time.”

Rest in Peace.

In the aftermath of Terri’s euthanasia death, Robert Schindler started a foundation with the rest of his family to help other disabled patients. The Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation would connect patients or their families to legal help, physicians and pro-life groups who would speak out on their behalf to obtain basic medical care or lifesaving medical treatment denied to them by the government, hospitals or family members

Any condolences can be sent to: Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation, 5562 Central Avenue ~ Suite 2 – St. Petersburg, FL – 33707 

Terri Schindler Schiavo

For those of you who have forgot or are unfamiliar with this case, Terri Schindler Schiavo died on March 31, 2005 after courts ruled that her feeding tube could be removed. After a 14 day battle against starvation and dehydration, Terri Schindler Schiavo died. It was the story that captured the attention of America and brought to light the rights of patients, family, living wills and what humanity should take place for those that would want one to die vs. those that would wish to take care of her.

The right to life for patients battles on after the death of Terri through the Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation.

The story of Terri Schindler Schiavo has a special place in our hearts here at Scared Monkeys as it was the first true impactful, emotional and far reaching news story that we covered. Let alone the emotional, heart breaking nature of the story. Before Natalee Holloway there was Terri Schiavo and her parents only wish to have her live.

We sadly wrote a story on the day that the 11th Circuit Court rejected her parent’s last appeal to get the brain-damaged woman’s feeding tube reconnected … “STRIKE 3, 11th Circuit Court Rejects Schiavo Appeal”. CNN’s Inside the Blogs picked up the story.

Robert Schindler will now be able to be with his daughter once again. May they both Rest in Peace.

Daily Commentary – Thursday, August 27th, 2009 – Farewell to Crime Writer, Dominick Dunne

Devoted to the recently passed crime reporter. Dominick Dunne passes away at 83.

 Daily Commentary – Thursday, August 27th, 2009 – Farewell, Dominick Dunne [1:23m]:  | Download

Best selling crime author, WWII vet, TV director and film producer Dominick Dunne has passed away at the age of 83 from bladder cancer. Dominick Dunne was best known for his coverage of high profile cases and events like the trials of OJ Simpson,  William Kennedy Smith, and most recently Phil Spector, as well as the impeachment of President Bill Clinton.

Dunne—who joined Vanity Fair in 1984 as a contributing editor and was named special correspondent in 1993—famously covered the trials of O. J. Simpson, the Menendez brothers, Michael Skakel, William Kennedy Smith, and Phil Spector, as well as the impeachment of President Bill Clinton. He wrote memorable profiles on numerous personalities, among them Imelda Marcos, Robert Mapplethorpe, Elizabeth Taylor, Claus von Bülow, Adnan Khashoggi, and Warren Beatty and Annette Bening. His monthly column provided a glimpse inside high society, and captivated readers.

Society crime writer Dominick Dunne, dies at 83

He discovered his magazine writing career in his 50s, through personal tragedy — his daughter’s murder.

He vented his anger at the legal system in “Justice: A Father’s Account of the Trial of his Daughter’s Killer,” following the murder trial of John Sweeney, the estranged boyfriend who strangled 22-year-old Dominique Dunne, in 1982. Sweeney spent fewer than three years in prison.