Category: obituary

bookmark_borderThe end of El Bulli

Posted on by thomas


El Bulli 2007
Originally uploaded by loremipsum

I’m sorry to read that El Bulli will close down.

Given that it’s been rated the world’s best restaurant for several years, I’ve always had a desire to go there, but I had to contend myself with a book about it Phyllis gave me for Christmas two years ago.

I guess it was inevitable, though. That type of innovative cuisine can’t stay at the top forever, so they had to choose between slipping down the rankings at some point, or closing while they were still at the top.

Hopefully the academy they’re creating instead will eventually lead to even better restaurants.

bookmark_borderCatford has died

Posted on by thomas

John Wells blogged today that the Scottish phonetician Ian Catford has died. There’s a detailed obituary here.

I never met the man, but I love his Practical Introduction to Phonetics, which is a great introduction to articulatory phonetics, teaching you how to produce all sorts of speech sounds.

All high schools should teach all their students phonetics like this – I’m sure it would improve the pronunciation of foreign languages immensely!

bookmark_borderDönererfinder gestorben

Posted on by thomas


Shawarma
Originally uploaded by cyclone bill

Der Erfinder des Dönerkebaps, Mahmut Aygün, ist gestorben.

Er hat nicht das Dönerfleisch erfunden, nur das Fleisch mit der Joghurtsoße in eine Pita gefüllt, aber das allein ist ja auch eine hervorragende Erfindung!

Ich finde es übrigens interessant, wie der Döner verschiedene Namen in verschieden Sprachen hat: Deutsch Döner, französisch kebab (und es gilt da als griechisch, nicht türkisch), dänisch shawarma (arabisch statt türkisch).

bookmark_borderFamous for the wrong books

Posted on by thomas

I forgot to blog last week that Michael Crichton has died.

Most people probably know him for Jurassic Park, or for the older generation The Andromeda Strain.

However, his first work that made an impression on me was The First Great Train Robbery, and I consider his best book Eaters of the Dead.

His ideas got progressively worse, I’m sorry to say.

Timeline is based on a flawed understanding of the Multiverse, and Prey demonstrates a lack of understanding of basic evolutionary principles.

In spite of this, his books were always a good read.

bookmark_borderHvil i fred, Rune!

Posted on by thomas
Billede fra første møde for dk.kultur.sprog. Rune står yderst til højre.
Billede fra første møde for dk.kultur.sprog. Rune står yderst til højre.

Jeg har pludselig fundet ud af, at Rune Zedeler døde for to måneder siden.

Jeg kendte ham fra datalogi, fra TÅGEKAMMERET, og ikke mindst fra dk.kultur.sprog.

Jeg mistede kontakten med ham, da jeg flyttede til Skotland, men det gjorde alligevel ondt, da jeg hørte, han var død.