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arghton

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Everything posted by arghton

  1. arghton

    African Leaders - Despots and Democratic

    Cavayé Yéguié Djibril, President of Cameroon's National Assembly, rumored to be in critical condition following a medical attack during an assembly session on Wednesday. Whatever the truth is, his health has been very bad for some time, frequent medical trips to France from atleast 2020 and they've failed to find a replacement. Niat Njifenji also had his millionth health-related visit to Europe (likely France as usual) last month but is back in action. He's been in failing health for atleast 5 years now and I recall he was in critical condition somewhere around four years ago atleast once. The deaths of these two might finally end Biya's Cameroon.
  2. arghton

    Russell M Nelson

    M. Russell Ballard (Russell Ballard for search purposes) the oldest quorum member and Acting President of the Quorum recently hospitalised for respiratory problems but already discharged. 95 years old and rumored to be in failing health for a while, allegedly with dementia and other ailments. Third most senior apostle following RMN and ultra-hardliner Dallin Oaks.
  3. arghton

    Political Frailty

    I went through these again as I stumbled upon a mostly unrelated article about Cuban leadership. Seems that (excluding Raul) there's 5 major old guard military/political leaders left, and a few smaller names: 1) José Ramón Machado Ventura (1930) Hardline communist who was pretty much Raul's second-in-command during Fidel's long illness. Looks ancient. 2) Osmany Cienfuegos (1931) Older brother of legendary revolutionary Camilo Cienfuegos who died in 1959. One of the revolutionary commanders who've held onto power for massive amounts of time, multiple time minister. He's slowly been retiring due to minor health issues since the 2000s but still as of 2019 was seen as one of those remaining who are more powerful than the current President (with Raul, Ventura, Menendez and Garcia Frias). Known also for his involvement in suffocating Castro opponents. 3) Ramiro Valdés Menéndez (1932) Major revolutionary commander, former interior minister (initial interior minister too), former vice PM. Probably the healthiest of the bunch. Survived a car crash this year but still around weekly making appearances and walking without any aid. 4) Guillermo García Frías (1928) Born before Che, one of the last revolutionary commanders, former head of the army and multiple-time minister. Still making appearances, owns a lot of companies in Cuba and apparently very rich. Smaller names: 5) Abelardo Colomé Ibarra (1939) Laid the foundations of State Security in 1959 as head of the Chief of the Intelligence Directorate of the Rebel Army at age 19. However his career didn't really peak until 1989 when he became Minister of the Interior until his retirement in 2015. 6) Julio Camacho Aguilera (1924) First Transport Minister of Castro's cuba, later a longtime Central Committee member. Oldest revolutionary commander living. 7) Teté Puebla (1940) Castro bodyguard, "legendary" guerrilla, head of the veterans affairs office, Hero of Cuba recipient and first woman to be a general officer in Cuba. Still recently a parliament member but has made less appearances since the pandemic started. 8) Leopoldo Cintra Frías (1941) Accompanied Fidel during the revolution, later led a large unit of Cuban tanks in Angola and Ethiopia. Minister of Defence from Julio Casas Regueiro's death in 2011 to his retirement due to health issues in 2021. 9) Álvaro López Miera (1943) Successor of Leopoldo Cintra Frías and current minister of the armed forces. Only 14 when he joined the 26th of July movement, might well end up the last living old guard member. He's still shaking hands with his Russian and Vietnamese counterparts and will definitely be the last revolutionary doing so. 10) Ramón Espinosa Martín (1939) Old Politburo member and Hero of Cuba recipient. His granddaughter is an escort in Miami. 11) Samuel Rodiles Planas (1935) Current housing minister and post-Revolution Chief of the Police force. Nearly all now "retired" but behind the curtains quite many of these people still hold a lot of power...Raul, RVM and JRMV were all well enough to appear and stand without aid at the Jose Marti birth anniversary in January. Delio Gómez Ochoa is also one of the last living "revolutionary commanders", 94 years old but unlike the others, as far as I know never really held any political positions. Edit: Here's an image from that January event. L-R Machado Ventura, Valdes Menendez and Raul Casto.
  4. arghton

    Hospitalised!

    His Holiness Jayapataka Swami hospitalised again for pneumonia, mild trachea compression, bad kidney function, uncontrolled blood sugar and severe skin lesions, but of course not serious in any way. From facebook: This is his fifth or sixth hospitalisation in 2023, the last seven years he's had on average only one or two a year. It might not be serious this time but he's clearly now in the "circling the drain" phase.
  5. arghton

    The 100 Club

    Constantin Năstase dead at 108, only Shitu, Clayton Flowers and Renmei remain from those "notable people" born 1915. In other news Du Daozheng, legendary Chinese reformer and former head of National Press and Publication Administration and one of those who helped publish Zhao Ziyang's secret journal Prisoner of the State, is turning 100 today. Here's an image from September: Advanced Parkinson's, dementia, recurring infections and pneumonia for years, very severe C difficile infection complicated by other ailments that put him into coma for some time two years ago (apparently hospitalised since). I'd say there's some chance he could obit in Western press due to his connection to Zhao Ziyang.
  6. arghton

    Kim Jong-Un

    Moon il-Seung, North Korean spy/soldier who was caught by South Korea during the Korean War dead at 97. He was one of the 46 NK spies/POWs who wanted to return to NK "left" in South Korea after the transfer of the "Unconverted long-term prisoners" in 2000. Interesting article about those 46. As of September 2022 there were 9, now there's only 6: ages 95, 94, 91, 90, 89 and 79.
  7. arghton

    Political Frailty

    Helmut Kritzinger retired from life on Sunday at 95.
  8. arghton

    Military commanders

    US General Eric Smith, current commandant of the Marines, reportedly hospitalised after suffering a "medical emergency" yesterday. No further info given yet, but his duties have been taken over. Very old Vietnamese General (and former Vice President, predecessor of Vietnam war diplomat Nguyễn Thị Bình in the role) Nguyễn Quyết has been in hospital for some months this year with heart problems, not the first time... However he looks quite good here: I think he'll survive long enough to be a pick/hit for a few teams in next year's Centenarians DP.
  9. arghton

    Who are the immortals?

    Bedros Kirkorov was apparently ill last month following severe asthma attack but now of course doing better.
  10. Walt Brown's wife Beverly Isbell (Brown) has a facebook account and while Walt's still alive he's had a few health troubles...apparently in 2006 he "fell from a huge tow truck cab", "broke his shoulder, arm, hips and pelvis" and "needed multiple surgeries" complicated by infections, c-diff and pneumonia bouts, in 2014 he had a "close call" and in 2021 he was on oxygen with god knows what. He's also been suffering from some type of cancer for years... However, would he get even local press mentions when he dies? I'm not quite familiar with these types of picks. Edit: Here's the guy in April 2021. He apparently recovered from that illness quite well and participated in some protests in 2022, but I can't find images anywhere. Reminds me of (immortals lister and Kuwaiti guy) Sheikh Salem, both were in critical conditions 16 years ago, both battling serious ailments since, both 97 years old and...both quite large in size earlier in life.
  11. arghton

    Deadpool Detective Work

    Does anyone know what happened to Chinese Under-Secretary General of the United Nations 1985-1991 and former ABC Deadpool pick Xie Qimei? There's one shady site that says he died in 2009 and another that claims 2010. This article claims or seems to claim he was still alive atleast as of 2021. I have a hard time believing he is considering he looked horrible two decades ago.
  12. arghton

    Non-British Royals

    Updated. Also, HM Ngola Buba Nvula Dala Mana Cabombo of Ndongo or whatever his name was died sometime in September, which should make Chike Edozien the oldest "monarch" in Africa if his age is correct. All the listed ones born in the 1920s are increasingly frail, most "somewhat active" except VBC Onyema III and Gundonaa Samata Abudu who I think might die off radar. Orizu III definitely the most "high-profile" on the list and might even get a QO somewhere.
  13. arghton

    Cricket Thread. Only Mad Dogs And Englishmen

    Nari Contractor well enough to complain about not having gotten his usual Mumbai match passes. One of the living four Indian cricketers born in the 1930s who've received the Padma Shri, the others being Chandu Borde (89), Gurcharan Singh (88) and Farokh Engineer (85). All four seemingly doing quite well at the moment, especially Farokh who looks like William Shatner and is still regularly making appearances at 85.
  14. arghton

    Academic Footnotes

    Chen Junwu visited this month. Permanently hospitalised, his physical condition is so bad he can't pose for photos (probably hooked up to machines considering how some months ago they visited Wang Xiji who was described as "healthy" despite being very frail, having discolored hands and a nasogastric tube) and apparently unable to talk
  15. arghton

    Political Frailty

    Malaysia state Sarawak's head/eternal overlord/generalissimo/father of the people/demigod, Tuan Yang Terutama Tun Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud SMN PSM DK I SBS SPDK PGDK SUMW SSDK DGSM DPPN DP DA, celebrating his (second?) 87th birthday this year some days ago: Described as very frail, they had to postpone his celebrations at the start of the month and there seems to be a bit of power struggle going on. He's held a lot of power there and is apparently insanely rich. Also, Moses Ali is back and looks like he's lost probably atleast 150 kilos: He's "still ill" but "wants to serve his country".
  16. arghton

    The Rabbi Thread

    Shmuel Kamenetsky hospitalised and undergone a successful procedure. Moshe Sternbuch is apparently also quite ill but not hospitalised currently.
  17. arghton

    The deaD of 2023

    Rodolfo Cuenca, Marcos crony and Chair of the Chairman of the Construction and Development Corporation of the Philippines (CDCP), dead at 95.
  18. arghton

    Somewhere Over The Rainbow

    Eva Kollisch died two weeks ago at 98. Video of Ted Bloecher's 94th birthday celebration from August.
  19. arghton

    Art For Death's Sake

    Still not dead but Juhani Palmu slowly recovering from a bout of pneumonia.
  20. arghton

    Renowned Mountaineers, Feeling Peaky?

    Subject of The Man Who Skied Down Everest (1975), major Japanese mountaineer and skier Yūichirō Miura (91) is an impressive guy. He has had kidney disease and diabetes for decades, had four heart operations (and cardiac arrest) and a long pelvis surgery following a severe fall in his 70s. After all this, he became the oldest person to climb Mt. Everest in 2013, at 80. In June 2020 he had a spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma and was hospitalised for eight months...but, that didn't stop him from summiting Mt. Fuji half-paralyzed in a wheelchair in August. Will he "climb" again?
  21. arghton

    World War II Veterans

    Updated for the deaths of for example Aira Samulin, who was a member of the Lotta Svärd auxiliary paramilitary during WWII. Samulin was also a "Lotta of the year" of the Lotta Svärd Foundation in 2021. Full list below of the recipients, with some bad translations 2007: Tellervo Hakkarainen (1916-2008) Longtime head of Työmaahuolto Oy that for example catered the 1952 Summer Olympics, later Chair of the Lotta Svärd foundation. 2008: Hilda Laasonen (1921-2012) Helped provide large amounts of material for archives and museums. 2009: Raili Malmberg (1926-2024) former editor-in-chief of Kotiliesi and Koululainen, head of the Lotta Svärd Heritage Foundation 2004-2007. 2010: Riitta Uosukainen (1941-) former Speaker of the Finnish Parliament. Of course not a wartime member of Lotta Svärd due to her age, award given for speaking for the rights of the former Lotta Svärd members. 2011: Aune Rahola (1923-2020) Longtime member of the Lotta Svärd Foundation board. 2012: Elisabeth Rehn (1935-) Former Minister of Defence, "served" as a junior lotta 1943-1944. 2013: Marjatta Usva (1917-?) Helped evacuate fallen soldiers, saved their personal belongings for museum/archive use. 2014: Helvi Frick (1917-2018) Active in local Lotta Svärd heritage foundations for decades. 2015: Aura Aumo (1922-) Joined Lotta Svärd before the Winter War, fled Ladoga by foot during the continuation war in 1944. 2016: Maija Kitinoja (1917-2021) Active in local Lotta Svärd heritage foundations for decades. 2017: Ritva Tuulos (1923/1924-2020) Founder, head of the Pori Lotta Svärd heritage foundation for two decades, member of the Lotta Svärd Foundation board. 2018: Airi Nieminen (1923-) Frontline Lotta Svärd member (nurse) 2019: Aune-Leea Huotari (1919-dead?) Blood transfusion nurse. 2020: Aila Salo (1928-) Junior lotta from 1937. Became a sculptor after the war, honorary member of the Lotta Svärd Heritage foundation 2021: Aira Samulin (1927-2023) Junior lotta who became a dance instructor and media personality. 2022: Siiri Kaarina Alvajärvi (1922-) 14th Searchlight Battery. 2023: Aili Inkeri Korva (1922-) "Air surveillance"
  22. arghton

    The Happy Birthday Thread

    Igor Smirnov, President of Transnistria 1991-2011 (Russian-born wannabe-dictator of a "Frozen Soviet holdout"), is 82 today.
  23. arghton

    Foreign Personalities, From Stage, Screen, Politics And Life

    Ella Mae Colbert, masters athlete, dead at 107, turns out she died two days after my post.
  24. arghton

    Hospitalised!

    Jayapataka Swami, ISKCON leader hospitalised again a week ago on oxygen and BiPAP support with kidney failure, ascites, infections and low haemoglobin levels. Oh wait, that was a week ago and now he's going to be discharged soon. And... Pravrajika Anandapranaji or Pravrajika Anandaprana, current head of the Sri Sarada Math, was in ICU and critical with apparent multiple organ failure earlier this week according to the Sri Sarada Math site. Hospitalised for three weeks in critical conditions now. And...Swami Smaranananda, President of the Ramakrishna hospitalised last month for chest infection. Earlier this month he was on ventilator according to facebook posts but the most recent news is that he's "improving". Former Czech foreign minister Prince Karel Schwarzenberg has had atleast two hospitalisations in recent months. Survived a fall and a delicate heart surgery some years ago.
  25. arghton

    Who are the immortals?

    Kabosu's looked absolutely ghastly in the recent images, apparently fully unable to walk but was "improving" somewhat 11 days ago. That Arabic instagram account that has reported the death of that very old Iraqi sheikh a month ago asked for "prayers to prolong Sheikh Salem Al-Ali's life" a week or two ago but his daughter hasn't sent anything except Palestine-related posts on her account recently. I think a "semi-suprising" death could happen, maybe one of these 4: Cesar Virata (I think he hasn't made appearances recently, used to be very active) Zou Yu (not mentioned nearly ever anywhere here, oedema survivor who has been very quiet for a year or two) TD Lee (it's been, what, 4 years since his last appearance? Also, 97 next month. Could he suprise us and die before CN Yang?) Paulo Maluf (dementia, other ailments, wheelchairbound and very frail-looking earlier this year) I also still don't think Zhang Lixiong will make it to his 110th. EDIT: Here's Virata this week. I have no idea how he keeps gaining more and more weight all the time at 92.
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