'Eagle cam' advocate dies helping with Mpls. tornado cleanup

MINNEAPOLIS -- A man using a chainsaw to help clear a tree from a blocked roadway collapsed and died, his family said Monday, the second confirmed death related to a tornado that tore through Minneapolis over the weekend, injuring dozens of people and destroying hundreds of homes.

Family and friends of Rob MacIntyre said the 53-year-old collapsed about 6 p.m. Sunday, not long after helping clear the tree that was toppled by the tornado.

MacIntyre was president of the Iowa-based Raptor Resource Project, the organization behind an "Eagle Cam" in Decorah that has attracted worldwide attention over the Internet. The group issued a statement mourning his death.

"I have some bad news. Rob MacIntyre has passed away," wrote webmaster Amy Ries. "Rob was the President of the Raptor Resource Project. He was very involved in our work, rappelled with us, and established a new falcon nest last year at Riverview Towers. Rob gave me (Amy) rappel lessons at his home in North Minneapolis, using a large tree in his yard. He was a great guy, always very enthusiastic and encouraging, and he sure loved to rappel. He caught Amy when we were banding at Greysolon in 2006 and named her "Amy" (she was an unbanded adult falcon). We have many great memories of Rob and are shocked and saddened by his passing."

The RRP's Facebook page is stacked with tributes to MacIntyre and the impact he made with his life. LINK

Mike Starr of Alice in Chains dead at 44

"Mike Starr, top center, with the original Alice in Chains lineup in 1990"
​Mike Starr, original bassist and co-founder of the Seattle-based grunge band Alice in Chains, died today at his home in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was 44 years old.

Unfortunately, Starr had been publicly battling with drug addiction for the past few years. He appeared on the VH1 reality show Celebrity Rehab last year, which detailed his battle with heroin addiction and subsequent treatment at the Pasadena Recovery Center. The last time he appeared on the show, he was celebrating six months, seven days of sobriety.

Then, on February 18 of this year, Starr was arrested in Salt Lake City for felony possession of a controlled substance (six Xanax and six Opana, according to police).

Before playing in Alice in Chains, Starr cut his teeth in the Seattle scene as the bassist for Diamond Lie, a band he shared with his eventual AIC bandmates Jerry Cantrell and Sean Kinney. They invited Cantrell's roommate, Layne Staley, to join the band, morphing into Alice in Chains in the early '90s. The group was signed to Columbia Records and rose to prominence as part of the burgeoning grunge scene in Seattle. Starr's bass playing can be heard on Alice in Chain's full-lengths Facelift and Sap, as well as the Dirt EP.

Starr left Alice in Chains in 1993, a decision he told Celebrity Rehab was fueled by a growing drug addiction problem. LINK

Last Comic Standing's Mike DeStefano Dies

A sad—and too-soon—end to what was a notable comedy career.

Mike DeStefano, who mined material from his life as a former heroin junkie to become a finalist on last season's Last Comic Standing, has died, his rep confirmed.

According to his MySpace page, he was only 44.

RELATED: Comedian Greg Giraldo Dead at 44

"Mike had a lot of wisdom to share with the world from his own life lessons and he always did it with laughter and a smile," his publicist said in a statement, describing DeStefano as a "true gentleman, a great comic and a "fierce warrior."

Per Punchline Magazine, DeStefano suffered a massive heart attack late Sunday—a day before he was due to perform his gritty new one-man show, A Cherry Tree in the Bronx, at the Bananas Comedy Club in Hasbrouck Heights, N.J. DeStafano was also scheduled to perform his act Wednesday at the Barrow Street Theater in New York City.

Born and raised in the Bronx, DeStefano gained a cult following for his frank and biting autobiographical humor, from his early years battling substance abuse and serving as a drug counselor to his wife's HIV diagnosis and ultimate death.

He was a regular on the Big Apple comedy circuit and appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and Comedy Central's Live at Gotham and was a featured comic at HBO's Aspen Comedy Festival and Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal before nearly going the distance on NBC's hit reality series. LINK

'Happy Days' Dad Tom Bosley Dies At 83

Tom Bosley, whose long acting career was highlighted by his hugely popular role as the understanding father on television's nostalgic, top-rated 1970s comedy series Happy Days, died Tuesday. He was 83.

Bosley died of heart failure at a hospital near his Palm Springs, Calif., home. Bosley's agent, Sheryl Abrams, said he was also battling lung cancer.

TV Guide ranked Bosley's Happy Days character, Howard Cunningham, No. 9 on its list of the "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time'' in 2004. The show debuted in 1974 and ran for 11 seasons.

After Happy Days ended, Bosley went on to a recurring role in Murder, She Wrote as Sheriff Amos Tucker. He also was the crime-solving priest in television's The Father Dowling Mysteries, which ran from 1989 to 1991. LINK

Segway Company Owner Dies After Driving Segway Off Cliff

The current owner of Segway—not Dean Kamen—died yesterday after he rode off a cliff and into a river in England.

Jimi Heselden, aged 62, was found at 11.40am yesterday by the River Wharfe in North Yorkshire, with his X2 Adventure (pictured) by his side. Police believe that it was just a freak accident, with nothing suspicious about the man worth $262m falling to his death.

It's particularly poignant as his company had only just purchased the Segway company in December 2009. He sounded like a really nice guy according to reports, a chap who left school at 15 to work in the mines, but was fortunate enough to develop some interesting-sounding defense systems which made him millions.

He was one of those rare philanthropists who had given away millions to charity but didn't like to talk about it—at least £23m ($36m) in the last few years alone, it's thought. [The Independent and The Daily Mail], Via: Gizmodo.

Image Credit: Scottslone

Incurable Optimism: 100 Portraits

www.patricktheoptimist.org

"QUOTE" This video of me, my family and my quest to paint 100 portraits of incurable optimists before I die. Visit my website to find out more about the portraits. LINK: Youtube

Dennis Hopper, 1936-2010

Dennis Hopper, star of Easy Rider, Blue Velvet and Super Mario Bros., is dead at 74. [Reuters. Photo from Giant, Via: Flatland] tracking. Via: Boingboing

Frank Frazetta, RIP

The artist passed away this afternoon in a hospital near his home. The cause of death was a stroke. Funeral arrangements will be announced shortly.

Frank Frazetta was born February 9, 1928. His early artistic career consisted of years of exquisitely drawn comics work, including contributions to the EC line of comics, assisting Al Capp on L’il Abner and later drawing several years of the strip, and working with Harvey Kurtzman on Little Annie Fanny.

In the ’60s, Frazetta turned to cover paintings for the thriving pulp paperback industry and created one of the most recognizable illustration styles of all time. His covers for Conan, Tarzan and other rough-hewn heroes created a visceral, violent, erotic yet somehow still nuanced visual style that has been endlessly imitated but never surpassed — Frazetta’s imagery of brawny, relentless swordsmen, seductive, fleshy sirens and hellfire breathing monsters had a gut level impact because it came from the gut — his many followers were just tracing without the passion of the originals. LINK, Via: Boingboing

World's Smallest Man Dies: A tribute to Ping Ping

At just 73cm, He Pingping was the world's smallest man. Pingping died in Rome on March 13th. LINK: Youtube

Jean Simmons dies aged 80

British actress Jean Simmons has died of lung cancer at the age of 80. LINK: Youtube

College Baseball Player Found Dead in Calif.

A Cal State Long Beach baseball player who disappeared over the weekend has been found dead in a creek near where he was last seen walking his girlfriend's dog. (Dec. 15). LINK: Youtube

This is really sad. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family.

Former Miss Argentina dies after plastic surgery

A former Miss Argentina died Sunday after complications arising from plastic surgery, the official Telam news agency said.

Solange Magnano, 37, died in a hospital after being transferred from a clinic where she underwent an elective surgery on her buttocks on Wednesday, the agency reported.

Magnano ran her own modeling agency in Argentina, and had been a model and Miss Argentina in 1994. She also was the mother of 7-year-old twins.

The cause of her death was under investigation, authorities said. LINK

Canadian folk singer dies after coyote attack

Toronto-based folk singer Taylor Mitchell died after coyotes pounced on her during a solo hike in Cape Breton national park on Monday. She was hospitalized with injuries from multiple bites, and died in critical care yesterday. Ms. Mitchell was 19 years old. More: LAT, BBC. Artist pages: Facebook, and MySpace. Via: Boingboing

Taco Bell Chihuahua Dies

Best known for her gender bending role as a suave male chihuahua in the Taco Bell ad campaign, Gidget passed away Tuesday night at the age of 15.

"She made so many people happy," Gidget's trainer, Sue Chipperton told People.com. "Gidget always knew where the camera was."

Taco Bell's dog-centric commercials first aired in 1997 debuting the catchphrase "¡Yo quiero Taco Bell!" Further slogans "Drop the chalupa!" and "Viva Gorditas!" soon followed. Gidget shared the spotlight for some time with another chihuahua, Dinky, who played her female love interest, but as with most Hollywood stories, Gidget snatched the spotlight for herself.

After Taco Bell retired the commercials in 2000, Gidget went on to play Bruiser's mom in "Legally Blonde 2: Red, White, and Blonde" (check her out at 9:05 in this clip) along with a cameo in a Geico commercial. LINK



The Origanal Yo Quiero Taco Bell. LINK: Youtube

Comedian Fred Travalena Dies at Age 66

Comedian Fred Travalena succumbed to cancer at the age of 66, CNN reports.
Travalena died at his California home with his family by his side, his publicist says.

Diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2002 and prostate cancer in 2003, Travalena went into remission. However the cancer returned in 2008.
The comedian was known as 'The Man of a Thousand Faces,' for his numerous celebrity impressions including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Bob Hope. He's also appeared regularly on 'The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.' LINK

"Fred Travalena - Comedian , impressionist"


Comedian that does the best famous impressions of stars. LINK: Youtube

'Streetcar' Actor Karl Malden Dies at 97

Karl Malden, July 1: The Academy Award-winning actor, known for roles in cinematic milestones 'A Streetcar Named Desire' and 'On the Waterfront' and for his jump to TV in the 1970s with 'The Streets of San Francisco,' died of natural causes at his home in California. He was 97. LINK

"A Streetcar Named Desire - Blanche and Mitch" LINK


Blanche (Vivien Leigh) tells Mitch (Karl Malden) the tragic story of the death of her husband, Allan, with the Varsouviana being heard. From the 1951 movie-version of the play written by Tennessee Williams.

"Marlon Brando On The Waterfront 1954 Clip" LINK


Here's a great definition or, better, a great "re-definition" of church! Karl Malden, as the priest, gets it right. What would happen if the churches in America adopted this sort of gritty, street-smart approach to ministry and community reordering?

Billy Mays, Well-Known TV Pitchman, Dead at 50

TV pitchman Billy Mays was found dead this morning in his Tampa Bay home. The unmistakable Mays, whose signature high decibel delivery was a staple for dozens of quirky TV commercial wares and gadgets, was 50. LINK. Via: Gizmodo

Mays' recent visit to The Tonight Show, where he pitched his new reality show, Pitchmen. [FOX News]

Ed McMahon Dead at 86

Longtime Johnny Carson sidekick and TV host Ed McMahon died in his sleep early Tuesday morning at the UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Although no official cause of death is known yet, the man who sat by Carson’s side on “The Tonight Show” from 1962 to 1992 -- and who created the iconic phrase “Heeeeeeere’s Johnny!” -- has had a number of health problems recently. He had been hospitalized with pneumonia and battled bone cancer.LINK

"Conan's Tribute to Ed McMahon"


Video from "The Tonight Show". LINK

Farrah Fawcett Dies At 62

Farrah Fawcett's trademarks as a sex symbol and 1970s TV star in "Charlie's Angels."

But as her life drew to a close, she captivated the public in a far different way: as a cancer patient who fought for, then surrendered, her treasured privacy to document her struggle with the disease and inspire others.

Fawcett, 62, died Thursday morning at St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica, nearly three years after being diagnosed with anal cancer. Ryan O'Neal, the longtime companion who returned to her side when she became ill, was with her.

"After a long and brave battle with cancer, our beloved Farrah has passed away," O'Neal said. "Although this is an extremely difficult time for her family and friends, we take comfort in the beautiful times that we shared with Farrah over the years and the knowledge that her life brought joy to so many people around the world." LINK

Farrah Fawcett: A Life In Pictures

MICHAEL JACKSON

Passed away today June 25, 2009, RIP Michael Jackson. LINK: Youtube