Category Archives: Obits and ‘bobs

Music for a Sunday: Whitney Houston, RIP

Posted on February 12, 2012 by Sabina Becker

This isolated vocal track from my favorite song of hers feels ghostly now that she’s suddenly, sadly gone. But it also illustrates just how well her voice stood on its own, with almost none of the melismatic warbling that her … Continue reading →

Posted in Music for a Sunday, Obits and 'bobs | Comments Off on Music for a Sunday: Whitney Houston, RIP

Say it ain’t so, Joe.

Posted on December 27, 2011 by Sabina Becker

I happened by chance on this sad item today in the Huffington Post. A familiar picture caught my eye: It only took me a moment to realize where I’d seen it before: in my Twitter feed. Joe followed me, and … Continue reading →

Posted in If You REALLY Care, Obits and 'bobs, Writer Lady Sings the Blues | 6 Comments

Jack Layton on This Hour Has 22 Minutes

Posted on August 24, 2011 by Sabina Becker

Jack gets Marg’d. And other choice moments. Lots of Canadian politicians have been great sports about the merciless satire this CBC fake-news show dishes out on their (usually) all-too-deserving heads, but Jack seems to have had the most fun of … Continue reading →

Posted in Artsy-Fartsy Culture Stuff, Canadian Counterpunch, Obits and 'bobs | 5 Comments

A musical tribute to Jack Layton

Posted on August 24, 2011 by Sabina Becker

“Jack’s Dream”, by Ontario NDP candidate James Gordon (Guelph). Jack’s famous last letter gets a country sound.

Posted in Canadian Counterpunch, If You REALLY Care, Obits and 'bobs | 3 Comments

Photo du jour

Posted on August 23, 2011 by Sabina Becker

Torontonians remember their man Jack. Full size version here.

Posted in Canadian Counterpunch, Obits and 'bobs | 2 Comments

Dear Jack…

Posted on August 22, 2011 by Sabina Becker

Dear Jack Layton: I don’t know if you remember me, but I will never forget you. We met in the mid-1990s, briefly, during the city council elections in Toronto. I was a journalism student at Ryerson University then. We were … Continue reading →

Posted in Canadian Counterpunch, Obits and 'bobs | 2 Comments

Music for a Sunday: Gil Scott-Heron, RIP

Posted on May 29, 2011 by Sabina Becker

This great underrated gem comes courtesy of a man who left us far too soon, this past Friday, aged 62. We need him more than ever, especially when stories like this terrible one about Bradley Manning come out. It’s not … Continue reading →

Posted in Angry Pacifist Speaks Her Mind, Music for a Sunday, Obits and 'bobs | 2 Comments

Vittorio Arrigoni, R.I.P.

Posted on April 15, 2011 by Sabina Becker

A 36-year-old Italian blogger and ISM journalist, Vittorio Arrigoni, was kidnapped and murdered two days ago in Gaza. In the video above, he talks about how he and a group of fellow activists broke the Gaza siege, which had begun … Continue reading →

Posted in Angry Pacifist Speaks Her Mind, Gazing on Gaza, Heroes for Today, If You REALLY Care, Obits and 'bobs | Comments Off on Vittorio Arrigoni, R.I.P.

Chavecito bids farewell

Posted on March 7, 2011 by Sabina Becker

As some of you may be aware, a force in Venezuelan politics passed away the other day. Lina Ron, 51, died suddenly of a heart attack. Her bleached blond hair, bright red lipstick and Fidel Castro-style army cap were her … Continue reading →

Posted in Huguito Chavecito, Obits and 'bobs, The Bold and the Badass, Uppity Wimmin | Comments Off on Chavecito bids farewell

More Music for a Sunday: A tribute to Alberto Granado

Posted on March 6, 2011 by Sabina Becker

In honor of Che’s travelling companion, Dr. Alberto Granado, who died yesterday at age 88, here’s a song from the soundtrack of The Motorcycle Diaries: The song is nicely translated in the subtitles. It’s a poignant and fitting reminder of … Continue reading →

Posted in Cuba, Libre (de los Yanquis), Don't Cry For Argentina, Music for a Sunday, Obits and 'bobs | 1 Comment