Book of Condolence Thread

Neil Armstrong? Dead? No way! What a shame :(
I bet he's died with the most amazing memories anyone on this planet could have. He achieved so much for mankind...

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I've just learned that the great marxist and historian Eric Hobsbawm died two days ago on October the 1st at the age of 95. It's a big loss. I enjoyed his books about the long 19th century and the short 20th century immensely. May he rest in peace.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/oct/01/eric-hobsbawm?INTCMP=SRCH



Read of this myself just this morning. Very sad and you're right , Emil - it is a big loss. Still remember his effort in The Invention of Tradition , outlining the false genealogy of clan tartan in Scotland. Funny and insightful ...
 
Mitsuko Mori (1920 - 2012)

Japan lost one of the national treasures Mitsuko Mori who had a long career on stage and TV.

RIP
 
I've just learned that the great marxist and historian Eric Hobsbawm died two days ago on October the 1st at the age of 95. It's a big loss. I enjoyed his books about the long 19th century and the short 20th century immensely. May he rest in peace.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/oct/01/eric-hobsbawm?INTCMP=SRCH

There are many that question his views on many things and one can of course assume that his marxist views came in the way of facts on a number of occasions.

I found this interesting view on him:


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...excused-Stalins-genocide-But-traitor-too.html


---Urbanus
 
Read of this myself just this morning. Very sad and you're right , Emil - it is a big loss. Still remember his effort in The Invention of Tradition , outlining the false genealogy of clan tartan in Scotland. Funny and insightful ...

I think you will find that it was Hugh Trevor Roper (a rampant (Scottish) revisionist historian) who made the claim that tartan, and the kilt were a modern invention not Eric Hobsbawm (although his Marxist perspective would like to see the hand of modern commercialism in everything!). It is a patently untrue assertion, just look at the John Speed map of Scotland from c.1600 that illustrates the highland people in 'native dress' as he commonly did for most maps. You will see the tartan kilt well depicted. As for modern tartans yes they have evolved as new dyes have become available. Traditionally local vegetable dyes were used, therefore tartans tended to be regional reflecting the immediate habitat rather than allied to a specific family, although clan groupings also were also geographically based, therefore there would obviously be instances were dyes taken from the local flora would coincide with clan territories.
 
I think you will find that it was Hugh Trevor Roper (a rampant (Scottish) revisionist historian) who made the claim that tartan, and the kilt were a modern invention not Eric Hobsbawm (although his Marxist perspective would like to see the hand of modern commercialism in everything!). It is a patently untrue assertion, just look at the John Speed map of Scotland from c.1600 that illustrates the highland people in 'native dress' as he commonly did for most maps. You will see the tartan kilt well depicted. As for modern tartans yes they have evolved as new dyes have become available. Traditionally local vegetable dyes were used, therefore tartans tended to be regional reflecting the immediate habitat rather than allied to a specific family, although clan groupings also were also geographically based, therefore there would obviously be instances were dyes taken from the local flora would coincide with clan territories.



Oops ... forgot Hobsbawm was the editor of that particular book ( and authored another chapter) with Trevor-Roper contributing the Scottish chapter ... :blushing:
 
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Nagisa Oshima (1932 -2013)

One of the most important filmmakers passed away on 15 January.

He suffered stroke in February 1996, somehow managed to complete his last film Gohatto (Forbidden) in 1999.

His wife Akiko Koyama published a book about their struggle with his rehabilitation.

RIP
 
Etsuko Takano (1929 - 2013)

Donald Richie (1924 - 2013)

This year we lost another important people who contributed Japanese film culture since 1950s.

Ms Takano studied to be a filmmaker in France, but she was appointed the first director of Iwanami Hall where is funded by a publisher Iwanami Books.
Iwanami Hall's mission is to introduce films outside of commercial distribution system to Japanese audience.

I eternally gutted that I couldn't get a ticket of Mr Ritchie's lecture held in London in 2010.

RIP.
 
Richard Briers, born January 14 1934, died February 17 2013. Wonderful actor in the mid eighties comedy "Every Decreasing Circles", and of course for his most well known role in every mums favourite comedy programme, "The Good Life". A role model to a generation of Green politic supporters.
 
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