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Note from Dan: From the regular known as Warren:

“Two celebrity deaths today raises the question, what’s the difference between Annette Funicello and Margaret Thatcher?

The answer is that one of them, through the power of mass media, used a deliberately crafted image to urge an entire nation to believe in an unrealistic vision of a Disney-esque utopia, where all teens are chaste, waging war is never questioned, minorities and the poor have little visibility, and happiness can be bought and all problems solved by consuming the things we’re told to buy.

. . . and the other was Annette Funicello.”

Wikimedia Commons | Altered by Dan

Your daily Letter to the Columnist — Feb. 26, 2012

Dan,

Your article on Chip Woodrum was excellent. I also knew all of the people you spoke of, being the director of public affairs at that time for Norfolk Southern. In fact Chip was the first legislator I met to start that portion of my career, which I wouldn’t trade for anything, as I learned and became friends with Chip, Dickie Cranwell, Vic Thomas, Granger McFarlane, Virgil Goode, and yes even the Republican Steve Agee. All were and are fine people, with this Commonwealth foremost in their minds.

I miss Chip and we would probably fill another page with the anecdotes and other stories of the goings on in Richmond during those days, 1984-88. Such as the one that comes to mind with the Carolina blue carpet installed in the House of Delegates. (Both Chip and I had a connection to NC — I was born there). Chip nor I let A. L . Philpot, then House Speaker,  forget the Carolina blue carpet. May still be there?

Anyway, thank you and it was good to see Bill Crump’s name again, ( Redi-Kilo watt), Virginia Dominion Power, was always in trouble with the General Assembly. Lordy! It could have been APCO from here. Read more »

Chip Woodrum

Note from Dan: Former Del. Clifton “Chip” Woodrum died Tuesday in Florida, something that shocked people through the Roanoke Valley and beyond, including yours truly. He was an honest and caring lawmaker, a fountain of wisdom who brilliantly represented the Roanoke Valley’s interests for many years in the Virginia General Assembly, a talented lawyer and always a class act. He was also source for some column ideas and an occasional contributor to this blog (as recently as Feb. 5). His intellect and cleverness at turning a phrase rarely failed to shine. As Steve C elegantly wrote here back in September: “Chip obviously has more wit is in his little finger than the rest of us put together. . . He is truly one of the giants in Va politics.”

Below, I’ve compiled some of “Chip’s greatest hits” from his comments here.

2.5.13–On the column suggestion a new Virginia currency, the “Virgin:
Regarding the motto for the “Virgin” or the “Marsh” or whatever is chosen, I am torn.

First I’d try “Stultus quod suus viaticus es nunc secui”. This translates “A fool and his money are soon parted.” The sentiment seems altogether appropriate but it is a tad long.

Next–for brevity’s sake: “Operor non recipero ullus memorosus nickles.” This is roughly “Do not accept any wooden nickles.”

1.14.13–On gun nut James Yeager’s over-the-top pro-gun video
He was “angry” when he made the first (and second) video? Well, he could get “angry” again. I recommend calling 911 if anyone sees that guy near a school.

9.18.12–About a column I wrote about my daughter’s mental health struggles:
Dan and Erin, this is a wonderful story of a family working together to overcome adversity. The Casey family showed us how to do it. Never give up! Read more »

Former Baltimore Orioles manager Earl Weaver died on Saturday. In a phone conversation Sunday, Mark Jurkevich reminded me of the eyebrow-raising moment below. RIP Earl (NSFW)

The seminal college-boy anthem. . .he will be missed.

Rick Schmitt, of Salem, dances with Hollins University President Nancy Gray at a Nov. 12 fundraiser for the Salavation Army's Turning Point shelter. About 3 weeks after the event, he was diagnosed with advanced kidney cancer. He died Sunday. | Courtesy McMillan and Wife Photography and Flowers.

Rick Schmitt loved to dance, and to teach others how. And to play soccer, and coach it.

He was a dad to three, a grandad to five, and a deacon at Salem Baptist Church, where he led a men’s fellowship group.

To colleagues in the tower at Roanoke Regional Airport, he was the even-tempered guy you wanted at the helm in a hairy situation.

In short, he was one of those never-cocky people who behind the scenes quietly touched many people’s lives.

Schmitt died at his home on Sunday, from kidney cancer, just two months after it was diagnosed. He was 53, and had lived in the valley since 1995.

I got know him last fall when he and his adoring wife of 30 years, Bonnie Schmitt, spent weeks patiently teaching me how to do the foxtrot for a fundraiser.

Schmitt danced there, too — a perfect waltz with Hollins University President Nancy Gray in a crowded ballroom at the Patrick Henry. Barely three weeks later, he earned he had cancer, in an advanced stage.

READ THE REST OF THIS COLUMN HERE.

www.kremlin.ru | Wikimedia Commons

In recognition of the death of perhaps the world’s most brutal dictator, I give you this fascinating and incredibly well-written account of an Italian chef who was hired (in the finest traditions of James Bond) to teach Kim Jong-Il’s cooks how to make pizza.

While the rest of North Korea starved, of course.

Ladies and gentlement, from The Asia Times:

I Made Pizza for Kim Jong-Il

Part 1: Welcome to Megalopolis

Part 2: Hot Ovens at the Seaside

Part 3: The Great Man Eats

The author is Ermanno Furlanis, and if he can cook half as good as he can tell a story he might be the world’s best chef. If he’s not a creation of the CIA or some other spook agency on a propaganda mission, of course.

I’m not sure which it is but I know a gripping read when I find one. You don’t want to miss it.

Volkov | Wikimedia Commons | Altered by Dan

The semi-regular who comments here as Elena has a terrifically touching post about the recent and unexpected death of her cousin, John Paul, and the struggles he had been through in the past year.

An excerpt, from MsElenaeous Rants & Raves:

The last time I spoke with him was a couple of days earlier. He sounded fine and said his doctor said he could finally get back to doing whatever he wanted to do. JP had been through so much this year, the year he had proudly claimed to me on January 1, 2011, “I got a good feeling about 2011…this is gonna be my year.”

“His year” began less than two weeks after that statement, with a horrible accident through glass shower doors resulting in the loss of feeling in a couple of his fingers, many surgeries, rehabs, and an almost $100,000 medical bill. He lost his job, and then his health insurance.

Through it all he kept up the best attitude he could, the last conversation telling me he wasn’t depressed, but I could hear it in his voice. “My Wall Street days are over, and I can’t even find a job as a security guard.”

Elena, our condolences.

Burman Snider | 1953 - 2011 | Photo from his family

A guy you’ve probably never heard of died last week. His name was Burman Snider and he was 58.

He lived in the Roanoke Valley his whole life, was a graduate of Northside High school, and for decades he worked as a machinist, most recently at the Damon Company of Salem, Inc.

He was married for 30 years to his wife, Mary Ann, had three daughters and more grandchildren than that.

“He put his family first,” said his longtime pal and co-worker Darrell Underwood of Christiansburg.

Snider had an almost hard-to-believe wide range of hobbies.

One of his favorite pastimes was riding his Harley. In earlier years he drag raced. He collected comic books, was an aficionado of old sci-fi movies and he played guitar in a rock n’ roll band at area bars.

Snider also was also a skydiver, though he gave up that in the 1990s. Buzz Conner of Smith Mountain Lake, one of Snider’s skydiving pals, estimated Snider had 600 or so jumps under his belt by the time he quit.

“You know how there’s all these things you want to do in life, that you keep putting off?” asked Andrea Gentry, one of Snider’s daughters. “Dad did them.” Read more »

Coach James Earl Jones on the football field in the 1980s | The Roanoke Times | File

James Earl Jones, who was known as “Coach Jones” and loved by generations of Roanoke schoolchildren, died Friday morning.

Jones, 65, died in his home on Grayson Avenue Northwest at 7:30 a.m., according to his daughter, Jamelle Jones-Hughley. He had battled cancer for the past two years.

Hundreds of people whose lives Jones touched during a 40-year teaching and coaching career have visited the home in recent days to say goodbye.

Jones taught physical education and health and coached track, football and basketball at James Monroe, Lucy Addison, and Woodrow Wilson junior highs and at Patrick Henry High School.

He started with the city schools in 1970 and retired from full-time teaching in 2003. But he coached track at Patrick Henry through the spring of 2010, even after his cancer had been diagnosed.

He was also an ordained minister who for 14 years served as assistant pastor at Holiness Tabernacle Church of God in Christ on Melrose Avenue.

Jones is survived by his wife of 42 years, Billie Jean Jones, and three daughters: Jamelle Jones-Hughley, Carla Jones-King, and Billie Jean Jones-Green.

More about Jones in my column Thursday.