Ah, it's been a sad few days. Two days ago, Nobel laureate Norman Borlaug - who some say is the most important man of the twentieth century (his discoveries led to much improved crop yields, thus saving a lot of the world's population) - died at the age of 95.
More about Borlaug: The Man Who Saved a Billion Lives
Now, Patrick Swayze has died:
Patrick Swayze, the hunky actor who danced his way into moviegoers' hearts with "Dirty Dancing" and then broke them with "Ghost," died Monday after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 57.
"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.
Granted, Borlaug and Swazye are of different leagues, but both are giants in their respective fields. RIP. (Photo: Alan Light [Flickr])
heh. Can't lie. that's funny.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZyJCV_dyug
Why bother, damage was already done... Sad, still.
can't say I'd miss him that much though
This is sad news, and even though I wasn't a big fan, it's sad to see how little respect some people have.
Amen to that. The anonymity of the internet allows the average jerk to make snide and offensive comments without any repercussions.
As far as the death of Patrick Swayze goes, it's sad when anyone dies, but sadder still when they die relatively young and yes 57 is relatively young. I haven't heard any statistics as to smoking being linked to pancreatic cancer but alcoholism certainly is and Swayze admitted to having that particular battle in his life. Regardless, who among us doesn't have some vice, even if it's lack of excercise or eating right, that doctors tell us could shorten our lives? I say Mr. Swayze, you gave us some laughs, excitement and heartbreak through your skills as an actor. Thank you, and Rest In Peace.
Some people luck out, while 80% of marriages fail. Also, don't focus on the trivial ritual, think about the widow he left behind.
Though I do agree that we should not revile or otherwise insult the recently deceased, what, exactly, are the repercussions you would like to see befall those whose speech you find offensive? And who would carry out the "repercussions"?
As for Swayze, he was dying, he can take pleasure in whatever legal activity he wished to engage in. When I am old and dying, I'll smoke and drink vodka and eat whatever I want.
I agree and it is another reason I cringe when I see neatorama post about celebrity deaths.
RIP, Patrick.
I can't say I was surprised to hear of this, though. As soon as I heard he'd been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer I knew he was not long for this world.
And bullox that he was Bad that he smoked till the end. So what? He had a lethal form of cancer that wouldn't in any way, shape or form have been cured or even delayed if he did not smoke.
Who are we to judge or criticise him for that? That was nobodie's business but his.
Okay, so smoking is bad for your health. No discussion there on my part- I stopped because I wanted my good health back and I got it when I stopped. So that works for me.
Yet I know several people that are by now over 90 y.o. and that are smoking happily since their early teen-years. And I had several close friends that died in their early 30's while never having used any drugs, alcohol or tabacco. But we still had to bury them because of cancer, some brain-disease, some weird dna-defunction and some traffic-accidents.
Point is- You WILL die. That's a fact.
In my mind there is much to say for "Live Fast- Die Young" rather than to live very slow and careful and to die old and completely freaked out because of all the fears that you had of getting sick.
To me- How you live is the main thing- You can live with all the worries in the world to stay healthy and clean and unpolluted. But what life did you have if you -because of all those worries did not get to live happily?
Mr. Swayze had a long faithful marriage that he enjoyed. So had his smoke and he made most of it the way he wanted to live and as long as he could.
Just make the most of it and appreciate life at best as you can- because before you know it you get a bad deal or you just die before you realised what gift life really was.
Hey Neatorama mods, you may want to edit the title. You misspelled Patrick's surname.