Sunday, January 03, 2010

2009! - The Year In Review

We bid a farewell to that which was 2009, a year affected by a dwindling economy and affected by hefty budgets and NAMA but we will remain strong in Europe due to the passing of the Lisbon Treaty, that is if we survive the current torrential flooding and sub-zero temperatures.

In entertainment it appears that while the return of the Robots In Disguise holds tops in the U.S. box office, it seems that it may be overshadowed by Cameron's Avatar soon enough. On smaller screens we bid a tearful farewell to Battlestar Galactica and millions sign up for another interactive Call Of Duty.

Elsewhere, a pilot landed an airline in a river, Bush left office and Obama entered, Navy Seals hone sniper skills on Somali Pirates, H1N1 is declared a global pandemic, Bernie Madoff gets 150 years, Bill Clinton becomes a hero, and troops are decreased in Iraq but increased in Afghanistan.

But most importantly, The Colonel got his eagles back!


We will as usual take a moment to recall those we've lost in 2009...
Dave Arneson [Co-Creator Dungeons & Dragons, 61]
Bea Arthur [Actress (The Golden Girls), 86]
David Carradine [Actor (Kung Fu), 72]
Liam Clancy [Irish Folk Singer, 74]
Walter Cronkite [Anchorman, 92]
Dom DeLuise [Comedian, 75]
Shel Dorf [Founder, San Diego Comic-Con International, 76]
Farrah Fawcett [Actress (Charlie's Angels), 62]
Keith Floyd [Chef, 65]
Pat Hingle [Actor (Batman), 84]
John Hughes [Writer/Producer/Director (Ferris Bueller's Day Off), 59]
Maurice Jarre [Composer (Enemy Mine),84]
Danny La Rue [Comedy-Transvestite, 81]
Ciarán Mac Mathúna [Radio Presenter, 84]
Billy Mayes [Advertiser, 50]
Patrick McGoohan [Actor (The Prisoner), 80]
Karl Malden [Actor (Patton), 97]
Ricardo Montalban [Actor (Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Kahn), 88]
Duke Nukem [Video Game Hero (Presumed Dead), 18]
Brittany Murphy [Actress (Sin City), 32]
Dan O'Bannon [Writer (Total Recall), 63]
Les Paul [Musician (Inventor of Electric Guitar), 94]
Natasha Richardson [Actress (The Parent Trap), 45]
Joe Rosen [Comic Book Letterer (G.I.Joe: A Real American Hero), 88]
Ron Silver [Actor (Timecop), 62]
Patrick Swayze [Actor (Red Dawn), 57]
James Whitmore [Former U.S. Marine, Actor (Tora! Tora! Tora!), 87]
Joseph Wiseman [Actor (Dr. No), 91]
Edward Woodward [Actor (The Equalizer), 79]
We thank them for the entertainment they provided.

We also remember politicians:
Peter Callanan [Fianna Fáil, Irish Senator, 74]
Tony Gregory [Independent Irish Politician, 61]
Ted Kennedy [Democrat, U.S. Senator, 77]
Robert McNamera [U.S. SECDEF during Vietnam War, 93]
and servicemen:
Aircraft Mechanic Second Class Henry William Allingham [oldest ever surviving member of any of the British Armed Forces and the oldest surviving veteran of WWI. Last survivor of the Battle of Jutland, the last surviving member of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) and the last surviving founding member of the Royal Air Force, temporarily worlds oldest living man, 113]
Colonel Robert L. Howard [U.S. Army (MACV-SOG) & Medal Of Honor recipient, 70]
Lieutenant General Harry W.O. Kinnard [U.S. Paratrooper whom as a Lt.Col. suggested the response "Nuts!" to a surrender demand from the Germans during The Battle Of The Bulge, 93]
Colonel Lewis Lee Millett, Sr. [U.S. Army Medal of Honor recipient, 88]
Private Harry Patch [“The Last Tommy”, last surviving soldier to have fought in the trenches of WWI, 111]
Lieutenant General Günther Rall [Luftwaffe (Wermacht / Bundeswehr) - third most successful fighter ace in history, 91]
Colonel Kenneth L. Reusser [USMC aviator, 89]
Private First Class Alejandro R. Ruiz [U.S. Army Medal Of Honor recipient, 86]
Their services to their countries will not be forgotten.

May all of the above rest in peace.

There will however, always be those we're glad to see the back of:
Susan Denise Atkins [Murderer (Manson Family Member), 61]
Jade Goody [Stupid Bint, 27]
Michael Jackson [Paedophile, 50]
Josias Kumpf [Nazi concentration camp guard, 84]
May they burn in eternal damnation.

I'd like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

We lost a wonderful talent this year....Bea Arthur.

With all the wonderful things Miss Arthur has done in her life, wouldn't it be great to see her final interview, in HER OWN WORDS talking about her career etc.

I found this clip of Bea Arthur's final interview. The clip also shows Betty White, Carol Channing, and Phyllis Diller.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqTi7rsk3GY

It says that LUNCING WITH A LEGEND is in development with Merv Griffin Productions, I'd hate for an full interview with Bea or the other legendary ladies in the clip to go unseen.

Cheers

Former Grunt said...

I caqn probably figure out why the colonel mentioned the rest of the people on that list but including the aforementioned Mrs. Arthur is indeed a puzzle that will require explanation.

I see Duke Nukem's status has been upgraded from MIA to Presumed Dead, most upsetting.

Happy New Year nevertheless.

Bruce Russell said...

2009 will likely best be remembered as the year Dragon Age: Origins began to devour my soul.