Today is the day that we bury my brother Tom, which is a hard sentence to type. In keeping with my family's tradition of over-long obituaries, and given the scope of his impressive career, we have created a website to post a memorial to Tom, along with some photos. You even get to see a sullen 12 or 13 year old Voltron on the steps of Congress with Tom and then congressman Leon Panetta whom Tom was interning for. Penetta later was director of OMB, White House chief of staff, CIA director and Secretary of Defense.

Obituaries have appeared in AdWeek and other publications, as well as his former agency, but I am not sure which newspapers will run one or even already have run one. For anyone interested here are a few links:

https://bedecarre.family/

https://www.adweek.com/agencies/akqa-co-founder-tom-bedecarre-has-died/

https://www.akqa.com/news/a-lasting-legacy/

Thank you for sharing Al. 

This happened last Friday but I wasn't ready to post about it till now.  One of my cat's, Sam was diagnosed with liver disease in September of last year.  A cause was never determined and the only realistic course of action was to put him on a regiment of various meds and keep him comfortable.  Last week he took a turn for the worse, not moving around as much and no longer able to control his bladder.  He was put down on Friday, it's one of the harder things I've had to do but it was time and he's at peace now.

Sam was 2 months shy of his 7th birthday and his older brother Jax is 15 and still going strong!

Oh poor cat. As a cat lover, it is always a lurch when they go. And Sam was still a young cat.

As a fellow owner of a black and white cat I am very sorry to hear it. 

Condolences, Todd.  My heart sincerely goes out to you.

So sorry for you, Todd.  RIP Sam.  Good kitty.

So sorry you had to do go through that Todd. It's very hard. RIP good kitty Sam. 

10 hours ago, blessingx said:

Thank you for sharing Al. 

This.

Sorry for the loss of your furry friend, Todd.  

Sorry Todd 😢

So sorry Todd.....even seeing the recent deaths posted here, I always look at pets as the perfection of love without conditions.  Their passing hurts so much too.  

So sorry Todd. RIP Sam.

Too much loss! 

 

So sorry for your loss, tkam.  

Godspeed beautiful boy...

Sam

Rest in power Amadou Bagayoko at 70. We saw Amadou & Miriam live a couple of times and they were fantastic and fun and inspiring. The tag line of the NYT obituary sums it up:  As Amadou & Mariam, he and his wife were improbable pop stars on two counts. Their style was venturesome and eclectic, and they were blind virtuosos. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/06/obituaries/amadou-bagayoko-dead.html?unlocked_article_code=1.904.NxQ_.biksAuc9OkK5&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

I'm going to play Dimanche à Bamako right now. ☹️

J.D. Vance may have killed the pope.

Pope Francis, dead at 88.

 

https://www.reuters.com/world/pope-francis-has-died-vatican-says-video-statement-2025-04-21/

https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-francis-dead-01ca7d73c3c48d25fd1504ba076e2e2a

Some people here were saying that he was dead a few days ago, but they were keeping it secret not to spoil the Holy Week and Easter celebrations. Who knows.

Just saw it, sorry for your loss Todd. Yea it is really hard to put a friend down.
Our tuxedo friend, "Pamuk" got FIB when i was away and my family had to put him down. A lot of cats died on my lap cuz of various sicknesses at nights while waiting for a vet... Never gets easier...
Again so sorry for your loss. Godspeed good boi Sam.

On 4/7/2025 at 4:50 AM, Voltron said:

Rest in power Amadou Bagayoko at 70.

This. Listening "The Eclipse" right now.

I prefer to think of it as his Holiness's final act was giving JD Vance the gasface. 

RIP Pere Ubu’s David Thomas 

https://www.clashmusic.com/news/pere-ubus-david-thomas-has-died/ 

https://www.psychedelicbabymag.com/2021/09/pere-ubu-david-thomas-interview.html 
 

Wish I had seen them.....came close, but I didn't know who they were early on.

In 1979, I was working as part of the "Miscellaneous" (aka "Shit") Crew at a hotel in Lynn, MA.  It had The Main Act, a concert club, attached to it.  I was only 14 at the time and working with a permit.  But even though underage, they let me stay for shows sometimes.  Saw some great local and a few national/international bands.  Even met a drunk/high Glenn Tilbrook from Squeeze!

In any case, I saw an ad for Pere Ubu that they were playing, but they were in suits & ties in the ad.  So I dismissed them, and regret it now as I never got the opportunity to see them after that.  I think I would have loved them....

RIP David Thomas.

Stan Love has passed away. A basketball and music guy. Former NBA player and father of Kevin Love (hell of an NBA player). Mike Love's brother. He led an interesting life for sure. Thanks for fighting for cousin Brian. You literally kept him alive at one point. RIP, Stan.

https://sports.yahoo.com/article/stan-love-nba-player-brian-174737737.html?fr=yhssrp_catchall

 

R.I.P. Ida Frances Johnson.

If there is a better place that we go to, I'll see you when it's my time.

RIP Stan....didn't realize the connections, Wayne.

Steve: I had to look up Ida....seeing obit's that are older.....not even sure who it is, pardon my ignorance.

Also:

RIP Mike Peters, lead singer for The Alarm.  Lived with a blood cancer for MANY years, but it got worse towards the end; fuck cancer!!  He did some good things to help support cancer research and help others with the disease.

Morbid humor: I guess he went on down and met his maker.  (see lyrics from the song The Stand).

Edited April 30, 20251 yr by skullguise