Image of the day

R.I.P.

Gloria Steinem as undercover Playboy Bunny in 1963 (Source)

Dolly Parton's other legacy

R.I.P. What else will she be remembered for? She was a cosmetic surgery doll in her later life! Was she obsessed with her beauty and her figure? I don't mean to be nasty or disrespectful.

How many women (or men) were influenced by her cosmetic surgery?

"Yes, Dolly Parton has openly confirmed that she has breast implants and has undergone multiple breast augmentations and lifts throughout her career.

Details on Her Surgery
Open admission: Parton has never hidden her cosmetic procedures and often jokes about them with her signature humor.
Timeline: She has stated that she got her first breast augmentation later in her early career, with further adjustments and lifts done as her body changed over the decades.
No injections: While she confirmed implants and lifts, she has explicitly denied ever having dangerous silicone or foreign substance injections. ...

Her other documented cosmetic procedures (like facelifts or Botox) ..." (Google Search)


Dolly Parton in 1977 at age 31

Chinese economic reformer Zhu Rongji has died

R.I.P.

I am not very familiar with his biography, but he was perhaps one of the reformers that modernized China and contributed to its economic success.

"... Born in Changsha, Hunan, Zhu became a member of the CCP in 1949, the same year the People's Republic of China was established. He worked in the State Planning Commission between 1952 and 1958, and criticized CCP leader Mao Zedong's economic policies during the Hundred Flowers Campaign in 1957, causing him to being labeled as a "rightist" in the subsequent Anti-Rightist Campaign, leading Zhu to be demoted and expelled from the CCP.

He was sent to work at a remote cadre school afterwards. He was pardoned, though not politically rehabilitated in 1962, after the famine caused by the Great Leap Forward, being again assigned at the State Planning Commission. He was purged again during the Cultural Revolution, where he was sent for re-education to a May Seventh Cadre School.

After Mao's death in 1976 and the rise of Deng Xiaoping afterwards, Zhu was politically rehabilitated and allowed to rejoin the CCP.

He worked in the Ministry of Petroleum from 1976 to 1979, and joined the State Economic Commission, successor of the State Planning Commission, in 1979;

he served as the vice minister of the commission from 1983 to 1987.

In 1988, he became the mayor of Shanghai, where he pursued economic reforms.

He worked with Shanghai CCP secretary Jiang Zemin, who he succeeded as Shanghai CCP secretary in 1989, when Jiang was promoted to CCP general secretary. ..."

Zhu Rongji, China’s chief engineer of economic reform and former premier, dies aged 97 "Zhu, who rose to become premier, spearheaded China’s entry into the World Trade Organization"

Zhu Rongji - Wikipedia

Christopher A. Sims (1942–2026): Paradigm-shifting macroeconomist and econometrician

R.I.P.

That makes 2026 the year renown econometricians died. This is the second one! See also my blog post here.

From the abstract:

"Christopher A. Sims, who died on March 14, 2026, left behind an indelible mark on macroeconomics and econometrics. His Nobel Prize winning research reshaped the paradigm for empirical macroeconomics, creating a rigorous and flexible framework for inferring the effects of macroeconomic policies. He also made important contributions to time series forecasting, Bayesian econometrics, factor modeling, approximation theory, and models of monetary and fiscal policy.

Few academics have had as direct an impact on the work of central banks throughout the world. A frank and generous mentor with numerous students, Chris’s impact extends well beyond his published papers."

Christopher A. Sims (1942–2026): Paradigm-shifting macroeconomist and econometrician | PNAS (open access)

Sims teaching a class in 2011 right after being awarded the Nobel Prize in economics.

Econometrician Takeshi Amemiya has died

R.I.P.

Yes, I remember Takeshi Amemiya! When I studied economics, I had a hard time with econometrics, time series analysis, and statistics since applied math is not my strong suit.

"... His work defined modern econometrics, which uses statistical methods and mathematical modeling to inform economic theory.

Amemiya’s body of scholarship was shaped by curiosity, discipline, and seriousness. His 1985 book, Advanced Econometrics, became an authoritative reference text and is still required reading at universities around the world. He worked on estimation of nonlinear econometric models including those for qualitative response, censored and truncated dependent variables, and transformed regressions. These models turned into standard tools across empirical economic fields. ..."

Econometrician Takeshi Amemiya has died | Stanford Report "One of the most influential econometricians of the last century, the Stanford professor harnessed statistical models to understand economic data, transforming the field of theoretical econometrics."

Ted Turner (1938-2026), who shaped cable TV and launched CNN, died at 87.

R.I.P.

While he still owned CNN (until 1995), CNN was much better than afterwards!

Whether it was a good idea to donate $1 billion to the United Nations remains questionable!

"The high-profile media tycoon was also a sailor, a conservationist who was one of the largest U.S. landowners, and a major philanthropist who helped set a model for generous giving by billionaires. Turner was best known for turning the billboard-advertising company he inherited from his father into Turner Broadcasting System, an Atlanta-based TV and movie giant that he sold to Time Warner in 1995."

"... As a philanthropist, he gave $1 billion to create the United Nations Foundation, a public charity to broaden U.S. support for the United Nations. Turner served as chairman of the United Nations Foundation board of directors. Additionally, in 2001, Turner co-founded the Nuclear Threat Initiative with U.S. senator Sam Nunn (D-GA). NTI is a non-partisan organization dedicated to reducing global reliance on, and preventing the proliferation of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. He served as co-chairman of the board of directors. ..." (Wikipedia)

Wall Street Journal What's news

Ted Turner

Bangladesh former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia dies, aged 80

Recommendable! On the Indian continent there were more female head of states than in most Western countries.

Femme fatale and ballerina Brigitte Bardot passed away

R.I.P. She had pouty lips (Schmollmund) like few other ladies on screen and four husbands. She was a muse.

She embodied cherchez la femme!

Smoking by a young woman in public was never so sexy before!

"... After retiring from acting in 1973, Bardot became an animal rights activist and created the Brigitte Bardot Foundation. She was known for her strong personality, outspokenness, and speeches on animal defense; she was fined twice for public insults. She was also fined six times for inciting racial hatred for her comments on Muslims in France and calling residents of Réunion "savages". ..." (Wikipedia)

Remembering Lou Gerstner who turned around IBM

R.I.P. An American business leader icon passed away at age 83.

"... an American businessman, best known for his tenure as chairman and chief executive officer of IBM from April 1993 until 2002, when he retired as CEO in March and chairman in December. He is largely credited with turning IBM's fortunes around. Gerstner is chairman of Gerstner Philanthropies.

Gerstner was formerly CEO of RJR Nabisco, and held senior positions at American Express and McKinsey & Company. ..."

Remembering Lou Gerstner

Our Founder Louis V. Gerstner, Jr.

Remembering Jamaican reggae star Jimmy Cliff

R.I.P.

The Kessler Twins "I Say A Little Prayer" on The Ed Sullivan Show and obituary

Enjoy! Alice and Ellen Kessler both just died a few days ago at age 89 by assisted suicide on the same day!

Was this news kind of suppressed in Germany and the US because of the assisted suicide chosen by the twins?

Tichys Einblick zur Ermordung von Charlie Kirk

Sehr empfehlenswert! Bravo! Ich habe mir erlaubt, die gesamte Stellungnahme von Tichys Einblick unten wiederzugeben!

"Attentat auf Charlie Kirk:

Das wahre Gesicht der Linken

Geistige Brandstiftung

Mit Charlie Kirk wurde nicht nur eine führende Stimme des US-Konservatismus erschossen, sondern ein Mensch, der sich in einer polarisierten Welt für Dialog einsetzte, der konkret vorlebte, was Meinungs- und Diskursfreiheit bedeuten, und wie man Debatten in einer von Emotionalisierung geprägten Zeit sachbezogen führt, getragen von gegenseitigem Respekt. Eindringlich warnte er davor, den politischen Gegner zu entmenschlichen, sah in freier Auseinandersetzung den besten Schutz vor Eskalation und Radikalisierung: ein Vorbild, sollte man meinen, für jeden, unabhängig von der politischen Positionierung.

Doch die politische Linke demaskiert sich angesichts dieses Attentats. Zahlreiche Reaktionen auf seine Ermordung bezeugen eine menschliche Verrohung und innere Verrottung, die ihresgleichen sucht.

In den sozialen Medien äußern nicht nur anonyme Nutzer unverhohlen Häme und Freude über den Tod des 31-Jährigen. ZDF-Drehbuchautor Mario Sixtus vergleicht Kirk mit einem Dealer, der an seinen eigenen Drogen stirbt – weil dieser für Waffenbesitz eintrat. „Wenn Faschisten sterben, jammern Demokraten nicht“, setzt er noch einen drauf, und auch da endet die Hasstirade nicht: Mit der Behauptung, dass „Waffen Leben retten“, habe Kirk ja womöglich recht gehabt, man wisse schließlich nicht, „was er noch angerichtet hätte“. Scham- und grenzenlose Verhöhnung eines Mordopfers. ...

Genau diese Entmenschlichung prangerte Charlie Kirk an, und genau diese Entmenschlichung ist es, die die Hemmschwelle zu Gewalt signifikant senkt.

Die nach außen hin propagierten „Werte“ der Linken erweisen sich als reine Lippenbekenntnisse. Die Fiktion, man trete für Gerechtigkeit, Menschenwürde oder Diversität ein, verhüllt nur unzureichend, dass Hass, Intoleranz und Grausamkeit Kern linker Ideologie sind, Enthemmung und zivilisatorischer Dammbruch das erklärte Ziel.

Anstand und Pietät würden es gebieten, den Tod eines jungen Familienvaters [der sich politisch engagierte] zu bedauern und zu betrauern – völlig unabhängig von inhaltlichen Differenzen. Wer sich dazu nicht einmal öffentlich durchringen kann, und sei es nur, um den Schein zu wahren, beweist damit, dass er die Grundlagen unserer Gesellschaft ablehnt und selbst zu minimaler Empathie nicht mehr fähig ist.

Medien üben sich derweil in Feindmarkierung und Framing. Nur einige Beispiele: Im Deutschlandfunk wird Kirk der Lüge bezichtigt, die Süddeutsche bezeichnet ihn als „rechtskonservativ“. Seine Bereitschaft, mit jedem in Dialog zu treten, wird von der Tagesschau als konfrontativ dargestellt und verwandelt sich bei n-tv in „Scharfmacherei“. Dass er ein „Trump-Unterstützer“ war, soll allzu großem Mitgefühl für ihn, seine Witwe und die zwei kleinen Kinder, die er zurücklässt, vorbeugen.

Ein sprachliches Husarenstück liefert die Zeit, die am frühen Donnerstagmorgen titelt, es habe sich um einen „Schusswaffenangriff“ gehandelt. Auch hier wird also der Boden bereitet, um Kirk aufgrund seiner liberalen Haltung zu Waffenbesitz – eine in den USA verbreitete und nicht auf Konservative beschränkte Position – eine Mitschuld an seinem Tod zu unterstellen. Damit führen die entsprechenden Medien nahtlos eine Desinformationspolitik fort, die man nicht anders denn als geistige Brandstiftung bezeichnen kann. 

Denn es ist das fortwährende hysterische Alarmgeschrei, das jede nur andeutungsweise konservative Positionierung als Faschismus betrachtet, das in verunsicherten, ideologisierten Menschen den Eindruck erweckt, dass sie Widerstandskämpfer seien, und dass die Situation Gewaltanwendung erfordere. Wer jahrelang Menschen einredet, eine faschistische Diktatur in den USA oder ein Viertes Reich von Weidels Gnaden stehe in Deutschland kurz bevor, der befeuert eine Haltung, die Mord als legitimes Mittel zur Verteidigung der „wehrhaften“ Demokratie betrachtet. ..."

Tichys Einblick Newsletter

An exploration of basic human values in 38 million obituaries over 30 years

What a study! However, obituaries are often templated/patterned and the deceased or their survivors often like to portray the deceased as bigger/better than life etc. There is a tendency to assume wishful legacies or to please the trends of the time.

I have my doubts about the effects of Covid 19 on obituaries as described in this study.

"Summary

Why this matters: 

• Obituaries function as time capsules that reflect what people, at any given moment in history, understand to be a life well-lived. By studying how obituaries evolve across time and context, we can gain deeper insight into how societies define a worthy life, express loss and pass on values across generations. 
• New MSU-led research takes a novel approach to the psychological study of legacy by focusing on how individuals are actually remembered by others instead of how they wish to be remembered. 
• Legacy motivations influence a range of real-world behaviors, from charitable giving to end-of-life decisions.

...

Benevolence has experienced a decrease in obituary appearances since 2019 — just before the COVID-19 pandemic — and has yet to recover. ...

Two years and four years after the pandemic, tradition increased and did not return to baseline. There was a strong link between COVID-19 deaths and tradition: As more people died during the pandemic, obituaries tended to focus more on religion and social norms and less on conformity. ..."

From the significance and abstract:

"Significance

What signals a life well lived? We addressed this question by examining millions of obituaries over time, across cultural events, and exploring how legacies were modified by demographics of the deceased.

The most prevalent personal value in obituaries was tradition (e.g., focusing on religion).

Cultural events, like the COVID-19 pandemic, linked to changes in legacy reflections as well. For example, care for close others (benevolence) decreased throughout the pandemic and never recovered, even 4 y after its start.

Finally, legacies of women showed minimal fluctuations with increased age; legacies of men showed more dynamic and systematic age-related changes over time. Obituaries tell an important psychological and cultural story about how societies remember others and what constitutes a meaningful life.

Abstract

How societies remember the dead can reveal what people value in life. We analyzed 38 million obituaries from the United States to examine how personal values are encoded in individual and collective legacies.

Using Schwartz’s theory of basic human values, we found that tradition and benevolence dominated legacy reflections, while values like power and stimulation appeared less frequently.

Major cultural events—the terrorist attacks of September 11th, the 2008 financial crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic—were systematically linked to changes in legacy reflections about personal values, with security declining after 9/11, achievement declining after the financial crisis, and benevolence declining for years after COVID-19 began and, to date, not yet returning to baseline.

Gender and age of the deceased were also linked to differences in legacy:

Men were remembered more for achievement, power, and conformity, while women were remembered more for benevolence and hedonism.

Older people were remembered more for tradition and conformity than younger people.

These patterns shifted dynamically across the lifespan, with obituaries for men showing more age-related variation than legacies for women.

Our findings reveal how obituaries serve as psychological and cultural time capsules, preserving not just individual legacies, but also indicating what US society values collectively regarding a life well lived."

MSU study: What obituaries reveal about a life well-lived (original news release)

An exploration of basic human values in 38 million obituaries over 30 years | PNAS (no public access)

Hundreds pay last respects to Italian fashion icon Giorgio Armani

R.I.P. I believe, I never had or wore any of Armani clothes, but as a young man I liked to wear one of his perfumes.

The Heritage Foundation Mourns the Loss of Its Founder, Dr. Edwin J. Feulner

R.I.P my former boss!

Burial in space turned into a burial at sea for 160 paying deceased individuals

R.I.P. Life is stranger than fiction! Sometimes, the best laid plans of mice and men can go wrong. 😊

"More than 160 people who paid to have their ashes launched into orbit as a final resting place instead had their ashes lost at sea after the Nyx capsule’s parachutes failed and it crashed into the Pacific."

Friday, July 4, 2025 - Join The Flyover

160 People Wanted to Be Buried in Space. Their Capsule Slammed Into the Ocean Instead.

Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation: Remembering Fred Smith (CEO of FedEx)

R.I.P.

"the chief business of the American people is business" Calvin Coolidge

Remembering Fred Smith

The Beach Boys - Good Vibrations (Official Music Video)

R.I.P. Brian Wilson!

Former NYPD Commissioner Bernie Kerik dead at 69

R.I.P.  The last 20 or so years of his life were marred by some controversy.

"The "broken windows theory," developed by James Q. Wilson and George Kelling, posits that visible signs of disorder, like broken windows, create an environment where more serious crime is likely to occur. Bernard Kerik was a prominent figure in implementing this theory in New York City, particularly in the subway system, under the direction of then-Police Commissioner William Bratton. " (Google Search)

"... Kerik, whose high-profile career was peppered with success and controversy, shot to prominence when he was named the Big Apple’s top cop by former Mayor Rudy Giuliani in 2000 and presided over a 63% drop in violent crime.

The 40th police commissioner was also dubbed the “beat cop commissioner” for his hands-on leadership style, making five arrests during his 16-month tenure as commissioner, including one involving two ex-convicts in Harlem driving a stolen van. ...

Mayor Eric Adams, a former NYPD captain, mourned his friend of three decades. “It was just this afternoon that I stopped by the hospital to see Bernie Kerik, my friend of nearly 30 years, before his passing,” [Mayor Adams] said. “He was a great New Yorker and American. Rest in peace, my friend.” ...

His legal troubles worsened in 2009, when he pleaded guilty to eight federal felonies, including charges that he evaded taxes on a $255,000 gift for home repairs and made false statements to federal officials while being considered for the Homeland Security post.

Kerik served four years in federal prison before he was pardoned by Trump in 2020 during his first term in the White House. ..."

Exclusive | Former NYPD Commissioner Bernie Kerik dead at 69

In memoriam: Frits Bolkestein

I have to admit I do not remember his name!

Apparently, he was one of the drivers of the open, competitive free market European Union.

"LI’s former President Frits Bolkestein passed away yesterday at the age of 91. A prominent Dutch liberal who led his party, the VVD, he served as the 9th president of Liberal International between 1996-2000.

A critical liberal thinker who shaped liberal politics in the Netherlands and around the world, he served as Minister of Defence (1988-89), leader of the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (1990-98) European Union commissioner (1999-2004). ..."

In memoriam: Former LI President Frits Bolkestein - Liberal International

Frits Bolkestein

Credits: Prometheus