They say this stuff comes in groups. First this news here:
I have been uncharacteristically silent these past ten months. I had thought that silence would soon be coming to an end, but I’m afraid I must tell you now that fate has decided on a different course for me.
In August of last year, I underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor in my abdomen. That operation was thought to have been a success, but it caused a cascade of secondary complications — which I have been fighting in hospital ever since. It was a long and hard fight with many setbacks, but I was steadily, if slowly, overcoming each obstacle along the way and gradually making my way back to health.
However, recent tests have revealed that the cancer has returned. There was no sign of it as recently as a month ago, which means it is aggressive and spreading rapidly. My doctors tell me their best estimate is that I have only a few weeks left to live. This is the final verdict. My fight is over.
I wish to thank my doctors and caregivers, whose efforts have been magnificent. My dear friends, who have given me a lifetime of memories and whose support has sustained me through these difficult months. And all of my partners at The Washington Post, Fox News, and Crown Publishing.
Lastly, I thank my colleagues, my readers, and my viewers, who have made my career possible and given consequence to my life’s work. I believe that the pursuit of truth and right ideas through honest debate and rigorous argument is a noble undertaking. I am grateful to have played a small role in the conversations that have helped guide this extraordinary nation’s destiny.
I leave this life with no regrets. It was a wonderful life — full and complete with the great loves and great endeavors that make it worth living. I am sad to leave, but I leave with the knowledge that I lived the life that I intended.
I’ve disagreed with the man at times. But, this? Damn.
Then, there is this:
CNN confirmed Bourdain’s death on Friday and said the cause of death was suicide.
Bourdain was in France working on an upcoming episode of his award-winning CNN series, “Parts Unknown.” His close friend Eric Ripert, the French chef, found Bourdain unresponsive in his hotel room Friday morning.
I think that everyone, regardless of politics, should say a prayer for the families of both of these people.
Others:
New Republic, Townhall, CNNMoney, Fox News Insider, Mediaite, HuffPost, FOX31 Denver, AOL, Conservative Review, Washington Free Beacon, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, NTK Network and The American Conservative, RedState, Breitbart, Talking Points Memo, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Outside the Beltway, Conservative News Today, The Gateway Pundit, TVNewser, Power Line, Washington Times, Patterico’s Pontifications, myfox8.com, TheBlaze and Mediaite, more at Mediagazer », Vox, Washington Post, New Republic, The Federalist, The Nation, Big Think, PinkNews, People.com, Hit & Run, The Ringer, Eater, Full Feed, National Review, Breitbart, The Blast, Outside the Beltway, AOL, Page Six, BuzzFeed, Washingtonian, NPR, Refinery29, Hollywood Life, Chicago Sun-Times, CBS Los Angeles, KTLA, abc7.com, CBS Denver, Q13 FOX News, Mediaite, Raw Story, 89.3 KPCC, CBS Sacramento, twitchy.com, Common Dreams, Gothamist, ABC News, Taylor Marsh, Deadline, Conservative News Today, Consequence of Sound, fox5sandiego.com, Daily Wire, TMZ.com, Mashable, Decider, Fox17, IJR, France 24, VICE News, The Week, myfox8.com, IndieWire, No More Mister Nice Blog, Detroit Metro Times, grubstreet, East Bay Times, Talking Points Memo, The Daily Caller and CBS Baltimore, more at Mediagazer »
Secondly, for all of the bad things I might have said about now former President Obama, I will say this. President Obama is doing the precise thing that he should be doing. Like his predecessor, George W. Bush, he is not going to second guess the current President. After the election of President Obama, President George W. Bush went back to Texas, returned to Private life and refused, even the most ardent requests to even remotely criticize his successor. This is precisely how these sort of affairs should be handled. President Obama had his chance, did his job and now it is someone Else’s job. This is how it works in a Constitutional Republic, a President serves his four year term, if he is lucky and does a good job, he gets a second term by an election; after that he becomes a private citizen by a peaceful transfer of power. I comment President Obama for keeping with that tradition.
New York (CNN) Anthony Bourdain, the gifted chef, storyteller and writer who took TV viewers around the world to explore culture, cuisine and the human condition for nearly two decades, has died. He was 61.