Summer of Death 2009

Today (September 21, 2009) is the last day of Summer 2009. Tomorrow is the first day of Fall 2009. And so the Summer of Death 2009 comes to an end. Like they say – “All good things must come to an end.” I’m not sure if a summer death list is a good thing, but when it comes to celebrity deaths, it was certainly a fascinating 3-month time frame. Here is a list of some of the most notable celebrity deaths from the Summer of Death 2009:

• Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009): American dancer, singer, songwriter; The King of Pop
• Farrah Fawcett (February 2, 1947 – June 25, 2009): American actress
• Edward Leo Peter “Ed” McMahon, Jr. (March 6, 1923 – June 23, 2009): American comedian, game show host, announcer, and television personality
• William Darrell “Billy” Mays, Jr. (July 20, 1958 – June 28, 2009): American TV sales pitchman
• Steve LaTreal McNair (February 14, 1973 – July 4, 2009): Air McNair, American football quarterback
• Robert Strange McNamara (June 9, 1916 – July 6, 2009): Secretary of Defense under JFK and Lyndon Johnson
• Arturo “Thunder” Gatti (April 15, 1972 – July 11, 2009): Canadian professional boxer
• Karl Malden (born Mladen George Sekulovich, March 22, 1912 – July 1, 2009): Academy Award-winning American actor
• Josephine Owaissa Cottle (April 5, 1922 – June 27, 2009): better known as Gale Storm; American actress and singer
• John Arthur “David” Carradine (December 8, 1936 — June 3, 2009): American actor known for roles in Kung Fu and Kill Bill
• Oscar Gustave Mayer, Jr. (March 16, 1914 – July 6, 2009): chairman of Oscar Mayer company
• Robert Lenard “Bob” Bogle (January 16, 1934 – June 14, 2009): founding member of the legendary instrumental combo surf group The Ventures
• Gidget the “Taco Bell chihuahua” (February 7, 1994 – July 21, 2009): Taco Bell mascot and advertising figure
• Walter Leland Cronkite, Jr. (November 4, 1916 – July 17, 2009): American broadcast journalist/anchorman
• Lester William Polfuss (June 9, 1915 – August 13, 2009): better known as Les Paul; American inventor, musician, songwriter, guitarist
• Guiding Light (June 30, 1952 – Septmber 18, 2009): longest-running soap opera, longest running drama in TV and radio history; started on radio in 1937
• Patrick Wayne Swayze (August 18, 1952 – September 14, 2009): American actor, dancer and singer-songwriter; People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive 1991
• Edward Moore “Ted” Kennedy (February 22, 1932 – August 25, 2009): United States Senator from Massachusetts; brother of JKF and RFK
• Donald Shepard Hewitt (December 14, 1922 – August 19, 2009): American television news producer; created 60 Minutes for CBS in 1968
• Robert David Sanders “Bob” Novak (February 26, 1931 – August 18, 2009): Prince of Darkness; syndicated columnist, journalist, television personality, author and conservative political commentator
• John Wilden Hughes, Jr. (February 18, 1950 – August 6, 2009): American film director, producer and writer
• Adam Michael Goldstein (March 30, 1973 – August 28, 2009): known as DJ AM; American club DJ and musician

Well that is all for this summer. Unless someone dies today. I wouldn’t put it past Death. He’s had a busy summer. If I were a celebrity at any level, I would watch my back today. Godspeed, Death.

CDC officials say around 100,000 people are likely infected with the new flu strain in the United States

Wow. That’s shocking. The H1N1 flu virus, also known as the Swine Flu or Pig Flu, has long been forgotten about by most Americans. In fact, I have heard a number of TV anchors and radio personalities making fun of just how overblown the Swine Flu hysteria was. And we’re on to other things now anyways. America is once again talking steroids in sports and the commencement address of President Obama at Notre Dame’s graduation ceremony. In our world of up-to-the-minute coverage of everything, the Swine Flu is yesterday’s news. Or is it?

Don’t look now, but the Swine Flu is back in the news, and the CDC believes there will be a summer influenza. That’s right. Rather than hitting in the normal flu season, a summer flu may strike. And don’t look now part two: the strain is virtually everywhere:

The influenza, officially known as H1N1, sickened at least 125 in Japan as the number of infections worldwide topped 8,800 in 40 countries. Health officials of more than 190 nations began a meeting today of the World Health Assembly in Geneva to debate whether swine flu is spreading widely enough to upgrade the threat to level 6, the highest, and declare it the first pandemic since 1968.

But wait! There’s more bad news, especially if you are younger. The H1N1 flu virus may be a mild in nature, but it is disproportionately affecting children, teenagers and young adults. And even though it’s symptoms are mild for most, it has hospitalized up to 200 of the younger demographic. Some people believe that young people are at higher risk of this flu because they are more social and have more contact with other people. And some believe that many older people have had a similar variant to this strain a long time ago, making them mostly immune to the H1N1 virus.

Well, I’m going to file this post under the Doom & Gloom category. Maybe not. But seriously, I hope that none of you get this flu virus. Drink lots of water and don’t be social, especially with kids.