Resolutions

From Dayton Daily News:

"9 inspiring New Year's resolution quotes that will be your 2018 motivation"

"Have you made your New Year's resolutions yet?" Perhaps you've been asked this question one too many times in the past few weeks, and you've just laughed nervously and changed the subject. Or perhaps you're one of the more optimistic types who has a full list, including a game plan on how you're going to stick to them. Either way, when reality sets in, we all know that New Year's resolutions are often made just to be broken within the first few weeks or months of the new year. In fact, a 2015 report by U.S. News & World Report says some 80 percent of resolution makers go back on their commitments by the second week of February. It's no surprise then, that New Year's resolutions can actually make some people depressed, according to Psychology Today. Studies have shown that those who fail at keeping their commitments to themselves "experience lowered self-esteem, sadness and depression."  As we enter a new year, with new goals in mind, we should feel optimistic, not depressed. Whether or not we keep all our resolutions shouldn't affect our self-esteem.

So, when you're feeling down about slipping up or thinking to just forego resolutions all together, the following quotes will help keep you going.

1. Let go of the past.

2. It's never too late to try something different.

3. Embrace change and try new things.

4. Don't miss the moment.

5. You got this.

6. Step into a new you.

7. Accept your mistakes and move forward.

8. Believe in yourself.

9. Remember, 2018 is a clean slate.

^ These are some good resolutions to use and keep. ^

http://www.daytondailynews.com/lifestyles/holiday/inspiring-new-year-resolution-quotes-that-will-your-2018-motivation/EWAO7XGccVTgZMr1eMUp7N/

1900s Vs 2000s Holiday

First Super Moon

From Business Insider:

"The first supermoon of 2018 will appear on New Year's Day — and it's more special than usual"

On January 1 — New Year's Day — we'll see the first supermoon of 2018.  Different cultures around the world have given various names to each full moon of the year. The first full moon of the year is called the wolf moon after the idea that wolves howl at the moon.  And in this case, it's also a supermoon, a full moon that arrives when the moon is at or near the part of its orbit that's closest to Earth.  The difference between a supermoon and a regular full moon isn't always easy to tell — though if you could put a supermoon next to a micromoon, a full moon at the part of its orbit furthest from Earth, you'd see it.  But looking up to observe our celestial companion is worth it, and a supermoon (or another full moon) is as good an occasion as any to check it out.   This event is made a bit more special by the fact that this supermoon is one of three occurring in a row. The first appeared on December 3, this one is on January 1, and we'll see the third on January 31.  And as a NASA post on the "supermoon trilogy" explains, the one on January 31 will definitely be worth seeing.   A second full moon to appear in a month — like the one on January 31 — is called a blue moon. They happen about once every two and a half years. But NASA says that "super blue moon" will also feature a total lunar eclipse, or when the moon lines up so that the Earth blocks the sun's light we see reflected in the moon. These happen about twice a year. CAs NASA explains it: "The moon will lose its brightness and take on an eerie, fainter-than-normal glow from the scant sunlight that makes its way through Earth's atmosphere. Often cast in a reddish hue because of the way the atmosphere bends the light, totally eclipsed Moons are sometimes called 'blood moons.'"  "The lunar eclipse on January 31 will be visible during moonset," said Noah Petro, a research scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. "Folks in the eastern United States, where the eclipse will be partial, will have to get up in the morning to see it."  And these occasions all serve to remind us of one thing, Petro says: The moon is pretty cool and worth looking at, no matter what.  "The supermoons are a great opportunity for people to start looking at the moon," he said, "not just that once, but every chance they have!" 

^ This is a pretty cool way to start a new year. ^

http://www.businessinsider.com/supermoon-jan-2018-new-years-day?r=UK&IR=T

My New Year's

Homeless Cardboard

From the BBC:

"Cardboard tents distributed to Brussels homeless"

A project in Brussels, Belgium is pioneering portable cardboard tents for homeless people to sleep in. The cardboard tents, known as the ORIG-AMI project, can be transported by users on their backs as they seek shelter. In Brussels, normal tents are forbidden, meaning that homeless people are often moved on by police. Those behind the project hope that their tents will allow the homeless somewhere safe to sleep.  The tents will be tolerated by police, they said. The cardboard tents were created by users of a provincial job rehabilitation centre, local news website BX1 reported. The cardboard was donated by a cardboard factory and the finished product was assembled by a workshop at the Lantin prison, the website added.   Many shelters in the Belgian capital are already fully occupied by winter time and some homeless people do not want to go into shelters where they may be separated from their pets.  Xavier Van der Stappen, president of an NGO involved with the project, told the French language broadcaster RTBF that the fact that "2,600 people live on the streets in Brussels, in one of the most comfortable countries in the world is hard to accept".   The tents were presented on Thursday at the Gare du Nord station. Twenty of them are to be distributed to homeless people in Brussels along with backpacks containing essentials from another NGO, l'Appel du Coeur. Depending on feedback from the homeless users, a second production run could be made in 2019, the NGO said. 

^ We all need to do a lot more to help the homeless, but this seems like a step in the right direction. The homeless deserve food and shelter throughout the year, but especially during the cold Winter months. Until we (local, State and Federal Governments, charities, businesses and regular people) do more to support soup kitchens, homeless shelters, food banks, etc. the least we can do are projects like this one where low-cost, portable housing from cardboard can help ease the suffering of the homeless just a little. I really hope this program expands to other countries and cities. ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-42517710

Animal Fireworks

Blue Returning

From the BBC:

"'Iconic' blue British passport to return after Brexit"

British passports will change from burgundy to blue after Britain leaves the EU, the Home Office has said. Immigration Minister Brandon Lewis said he was delighted to return to the "iconic" blue and gold design which came into use almost 100 years ago. The new passports will be issued to those renewing or applying for a passport from October 2019. Burgundy passports were first issued in 1988. The EU has never compelled the UK to change the colour of its passport.  Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage responded to the announcement by tweeting "Happy Brexmas!" He added: "In the 2016 referendum, we wanted our passports back. Now we've got them back!" But Labour MP Mary Creagh tweeted: "No-one under 45 will have owned a blue passport, and most will think they're not worth £50 billion and crashing the economy." Mr Lewis told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he knew many Remain voters who still had an "attachment" and "speak fondly" of the blue passport.  Did Brussels force the UK to change the colour of its passport? No. The European Union has never had the power to force the UK to change the colour of the British passport.  Dumping the blue for burgundy was a decision taken by the UK in the 1980s after the then EEC (European Economic Community) member states tried to harmonise designs to make life easier for travellers and border officials.  So this wasn't a decision forced on the UK by Brussels Eurocrats. Ministers could have ignored it.  Croatia retained its blue passport after it joined the EU in 2013.  In a similar vein, the EU has never had the power to order the UK to remove references to Her Majesty The Queen from the passport. It is still a British document, but with added EU wording to guarantee freedom of movement.  The only legal requirement to harmonise EU passports related to security standards, part of a global governmental effort to combat forgery.  If the EU wanted passports to change in any other way, the plans would need each government to agree.   Tory MP Andrew Rosindell, who campaigned to bring back the blue passport, tweeted: "A great Christmas present for those who care about our national identity - the fanatical Remainers hate it, but the restoration of our own British passport is a powerful symbol that Britain is Back!" However, many other people have mocked the announcement on social media. Simon Blackwell, a comedy writer, said: "Why do we need any colour passport? We should just be able to shout, "British! Less of your nonsense!" and stroll straight through."  According to the Passport Index, 76 countries have blue passports, including a number of former colonial and Commonwealth countries, such as Australia, the United States, Canada, India and Hong Kong. Several Caribbean countries also have blue passports, including Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and St Vincent and the Grenadines. In Europe, people from Iceland and Bosnia and Herzegovina both carry blue passports, while it is also a popular colour in central and south America - Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Uruguay and Venezuela are among those that have them. Others include Israel, Iraq, Syria and North Korea.  Stig Abell, editor of the Times Literary Supplement, tweeted: "I've just spent the last 10 minutes screaming 'Take that you burgundy symbol of EU oppression' at my passport.  "It just stares insolently back, as if it is an inanimate and merely functional object and its colour doesn't matter."  The new passports will also have updated security features to protect against fraud, Mr Lewis said. The Home Office said there was no need for British passport holders to do anything ahead of their current passport renewal date, adding that the changes would be introduced in phases. When the UK leaves the EU in March 2019, burgundy passports will continue to be issued but with no reference to the European Union. The blue passports will be issued later the same year, after a new contract for their production is negotiated. "Leaving the EU gives us a unique opportunity to restore our national identity and forge a new path for ourselves in the world", Mr Lewis said. 

^ I personally like the color "Blue" and am glad it's used on both my Canadian and American passport, but the passport color issue shows how the British don't fully understand the European Union, the UK within the EU or Brexit. ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-42443253 

FirstNet Network

From Yahoo:

"All 50 states vote yes on AT&T’s $40 billion emergency response network FirstNet"

From wildfires in California to hurricanes on the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, communications are the bedrock of emergency response and management. However, those communications can be challenging when quickly evolving situations cross multiple jurisdictions — a truth painfully learned on 9/11, when more than a dozen agencies found it difficult to relay critical information to the right people at the right time. Today, AT&T announced that all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia have officially signed on to FirstNet, a government program operated by AT&T to provide universal emergency response communications across the country. States had until yesterday to officially opt-in or opt-out of the FirstNet system. California, Florida, Mississippi and New York were among the states that waited until the last minute to confirm their participation.  This is a major win for AT&T, which officially won the FirstNet contract this past March. The contract stipulated that AT&T would manage the network for 25 years, and the company committed to spending $40 billion to manage and operate the network. In exchange, the company would receive 20 MHz of critical wireless spectrum from the FCC, as well as payments from the government totaling $6.5 billion for the initial network rollout. The true win for AT&T though is in the actual spectrum itself, which is in the 700 Mhz band commonly used for LTE signals. While the FirstNet spectrum is prioritized for first responders, it can also be used for consumer wireless applications when an emergency is not taking place, which should improve cellular reception and bandwidth for AT&T customers, particularly in urban areas. The bigger loss though is with the U.S. taxpayer. FirstNet has had something of a painful birth and maturation process. Originally created as part of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, it was designed by Congress to create an exclusive network for first responders, who presumably couldn’t use consumer technology like smartphones to communicate with each other. That was following recommendations from the 9/11 Commission that encouraged Congress to allocate dedicated public safety spectrum. The program has had a glacial implementation process ever since. As Steven Brill described in The Atlantic last year: “FirstNet is in such disarray that 15 years after the problem it is supposed to solve was identified, it is years from completion—and it may never get completed at all. According to the GAO, estimates of its cost range from $12 billion to $47 billion, even as advances in digital technology seem to have eliminated the need to spend any of it.” At issue is whether the rapid improvement of consumer wireless technology — which is available today — far outweighs the performance of a hypothetical public safety network that remains a glimmer in the mind’s eye. Most interoperability problems have been solved by modern technology, and so the question becomes what the buildout is really for anyway. Why did the government give exclusive access to a critical part of the spectrum that could have benefitted millions of consumers, while also provided expedited access for first responders? For AT&T, the victory provides a new source of revenue from local police and fire departments, who will presumably come to rely on FirstNet for their emergency communications. It also gets a serious boost in its spectrum, along with free cash from taxpayers. But for all of us, it seems billions of dollars will be spent to create a specialist comm channel, when existing technologies are more than up to the task of providing these highly-reliable services. 

^ I know the emergency system across the US (hospitals, police, firemen, ambulance, 9-1-1 System, early warning systems, etc.) have to be fixed with more money given to improve and update them. I am not sure that AT&T or the FirstNet Network is the right answer. I also wonder if this new network will work in an area like mine where even cell phones don't work. ^

https://www.yahoo.com/news/50-states-vote-yes-t-213816150.html

Damond Case Delay

From the BBC:

"Justine Damond: US prosecutor delays decision on charges"

A US prosecutor says more work needs to be done before deciding on whether to charge a policeman who shot dead an unarmed Australian woman. Justine Damond, 40, was killed by officer Mohamed Noor in July after she rang police to report a woman screaming outsider her Minneapolis home. Investigations into her death are ongoing. No charges have been laid against Mr Noor. The prosecutor had previously promised a decision by the end of the year. However on Thursday, he said the case needed more time and that the investigation and review would not be rushed. "It is more important to get it right than to get it done quickly," Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said in a statement. It comes two weeks after video emerged of Mr Freeman saying he was frustrated at the lack of evidence to charge Mr Noor, remarks he has since apologised for. Those comments prompted alarm from Ms Damond's family in Australia, who said they were "deeply concerned" the shooting was not being investigated properly.  Ms Damond was unarmed and wearing pyjamas when she was shot by Mr Noor from a patrol car, authorities have said. She died from a single gunshot wound to her abdomen. Mr Noor has chosen not to speak to investigators about the shooting. The case sparked outcry in Australia and the US and led to the resignation of the Minneapolis police chief. 

^ This should be an open and cut case. Noor should be charged and face trial. By not charging him it makes the State of Minnesota and the city of Minneapolis look guilty of trying to cover-up this shooting and protecting their police officer, Noor, rather than the innocent victim, Justine Damond. If Noor is really innocent and this was an accident then it should go to trial where the truth can come out and he can be found guilty or not guilty.   ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-42508565

Room Occupied Signs

From AOL.com:

"Here's the chilling reason some Disney hotels are getting rid of 'do not disturb' signs"

Walt Disney World resorts are beginning to do away with one traditional hotel feature -- and the possible reason why is haunting. Four of the Florida theme park's main hotels, The Polynesian, The Grand Floridian, The Contemporary and The Bay Lake Resorts, will now have "room occupied" signs in place of the usual "do not disturb" signs. Guests can use the new "room occupied" signs to let maintenance and housekeeping staff know that they are still in their rooms, but it will not prevent employees from entering. The switch is being implemented by the properties just months after the deadly mass shooting in Las Vegas, where gunman Stephen Paddock rained down bullets on a music festival from his Mandalay Bay hotel room, killing 58 concertgoers and injuring hundreds of others.

In the days before the Oct. 1 massacre, Paddock hid his arsenal of weapons from hotel staff by hanging a "do not disturb" sign on the door of his 32nd-floor hotel   Although Disney declined to say whether the change was in direct response to the shooting, it said it made the decision for a variety of factors, including safety, security and overall guest experience. In the weeks following the shooting, many Las Vegas hotels also changed their "do not disturb" policies in order to avoid similar tragedies. Among the proactive properties was The Orleans Casino, which now says it conducts safety and welfare checks on rooms that have "do not disturb" signs on their doors for more two days straight. The previous policy stated such checks would be carried out after three days.  

^ This is a sad fact, but something every hotel around the country and the world has to now deal with. "Do Not Disturb" signs may soon only be seen in museums and replace with "Room Occupied" or other kinds of signs. ^

https://www.yahoo.com/news/apos-chilling-reason-disney-hotels-161331541.html

Full Resumption

From the BBC:

"US missions in Turkey to resume full visa services after row"

US missions in Turkey are to resume full visa services following security assurances from Turkey's government on US consular staff. The US had suspended all non-immigrant visa services after the arrest of one of its consulate employees in October. The worker had been detained over suspected links to a cleric blamed for last year's failed coup in Turkey. The US state department said it was "confident that the security posture has improved sufficiently". Turkey had "adhered to high level assurances" made to the US, it said.

What assurances has the US received?

The state department said the US had been assured no additional local employees of its missions were under investigation, and that staff would not be detained or arrested performing their official duties. However, it also said it still had serious concerns about allegations against its arrested local employees and about cases against US citizens detained under the state of emergency imposed after the botched July 2016 coup. There are at least 11 US citizens currently under arrest in Turkey.

How has Turkey responded?

The Turkish embassy in Washington welcomed the US decision and said visa restrictions for US citizens imposed since the start of the dispute would also be lifted. However, it said Turkey had given no assurances to the US about cases being processed by Turkish courts, and that it still had concerns about Turkish nationals undergoing court cases in the US.

How did this row begin?

Washington condemned the arrest of the consulate employee, a male Turkish citizen, as baseless and damaging to bilateral relations. The US mission in Ankara said it had suspended all non-immigrant visa services in order to "reassess" Turkey's commitment to staff security. Turkey's embassy in Washington responded by suspending "all visa services". It came less than a month after US President Donald Trump said the two countries were as "close as we've ever been". But tensions had been brewing for some time, with the US complaining of heavy-handed treatment of pro-Kurdish demonstrators by Turkish security officials during Mr Erdogan's visit to Washington in May. The Turkish embassy said Turkish-Americans who had come to see the president were provoked by the protesters. And in September, demonstrators were beaten and ejected from a New York hotel after interrupting a speech by Mr Erdogan, who was in the city to speak at the United Nations General Assembly.  Turkey has been pressing Washington to extradite US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen over his alleged role in the botched coup in July 2016. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accuses Mr Gulen of instigating the unrest - a charge the cleric denies. In the aftermath of the coup attempt, which was led by military officers, 40,000 people were arrested and 120,000 sacked or suspended. Relations between Turkey and other countries have also become strained as Mr Erdogan appears to be taking a more assertive approach to foreign relations. 

^ Hopefully the US and Turkey can move beyond this and get back to more important issues like defeating ISIS, stopping Muslim extremists, etc. ^

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-42505623

Covi

Yesterday, I went to the Humane Society and looked at the different dogs they had for adoption. I have never adopted a dog myself before (my parents always did that) so the whole thing was new for me. I saw one little guy and knew right away that he was the right one. Two hours of playing with him and doing an interview I was able to take him home. His name is Covi and he is both very calm and very curious at the same time. Even though he has the whole run of the house open to him he has decided to literally stay by my side every minute of the day. If I go downstairs he runs right alongside me. If I walk to a room a few steps away he is right there. I had to leave him for a few minutes when I drove down to my mailbox today and he did not like that at all, but when I came back the house was still in-tact and he was right by my side again. I think he will be good for me and I hope that I am good for him. 

2017 Travels

It's that time of year again. Here are the places I went to this year.

January:

February:

March:

April:

May:  Massachusetts, New York

June:

July:

August:

September:

October:  Massachusetts, Switzerland, the West Bank, Israel

November: New York

December:

2017 Deaths

January:

1^st: Bill Marshall, 77, Canadian film and theater producer, co-founder of the Toronto International Film Festival.

2^nd: Richard Machowicz, 51, American Navy SEAL and television host (Future Weapons, Deadliest Warrior), brain cancer.

3^rd: Ivo Brešan, 80, Croatian writer (How the War Started on My Island).

3^rd: Rolf Noskwith, 97, German-born British businessman and codebreaker (World War II).

3^rd: Rosemary Stevenson, 80, American baseball player (Grand Rapids Chicks).

3^rd: Igor Volk, 79, Ukrainian-born Russian cosmonaut and test pilot (Soyuz T-12).

5^th: David Alexander, 90, British Royal Marines general.

6^th: Audrey Grevious, 86, American civil rights activist.

6^th: Joseba Leizaola, 86, Spanish politician, President of the Basque Parliament (1990–1998).

7^th: Lucina da Costa Gomez-Matheeuws, 87, Dutch Antillean politician, Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles (1977).

7^th: Mildred Meacham, 92, American baseball player (AAGBPL).

7^th: Einfrid Perstølen, 99, Norwegian psychiatrist and language proponent.

7^th: Mário Soares, 92, Portuguese politician, President (1986–1996) and Prime Minister (1976–1978, 1983–1985).

9^th: Bob McCullough, Australian sports administrator, President of the Australian Paralympic Committee (1994–1996).

9^th: Warren Allen Smith, 95, American author, atheist, and gay-rights activist, signatory of Humanist Manifesto II.

9^th: Jens Christian Magnus, 96, Norwegian politician and resistance activist.

10^th: Roman Herzog, 82, German politician, President (1994–1999), Judge of the Federal Constitutional Court (1983–1994).

12^th: Vsevolod Murakhovsky, 90, Ukrainian-born Russian politician, First Deputy Premier of the Soviet Union (1985–1989).

14^th: Herbert Mies, 87, German politician, Chairman of the Communist Party (1973–1989).

14^th: Zhou Youguang, 111, Chinese linguist and supercentenarian, developed the pinyin romanization system.

16^th: Eugene Cernan, 82, American astronaut (Apollo 10, Apollo 17), last person to walk on the Moon.

16^th: Roland Glavany, 94, French army general.

16^th: Jiří Navrátil, 93, Czech Scout leader, President of Junák.

18^th: Obed Dlamini, 79, Swazi politician, Prime Minister (1989–1993).

19^th: Miguel Ferrer, 61, American actor (RoboCop, Mulan, NCIS: Los Angeles), throat cancer.

19^th: Joyce Murland, 79, Canadian wheelchair athlete, Paralympic silver medalist (1972, 1976).

20^th: Naděžda Kavalírová, 93, Czech political prisoner and activist, head of the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes (2007–2013).

21^st: Harry E. T. Thayer, 89, American diplomat, Ambassador to Singapore (1980–1985), Director of the American Institute in Taiwan (1984–1986).

22^nd: Lev Navrozov, 88, Russian writer, historian and dissident.

25^th: Sir John Hurt, 77, British actor (Alien, The Elephant Man, Harry Potter), BAFTA winner (1979, 1981), pancreatic cancer.

25^th: Mary Tyler Moore, 80, American actress (The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Ordinary People), 7-time Emmy winner, cardiopulmonary arrest.

26^th: Alexander Kadakin, 67, Russian diplomat, Ambassador to India (1999–2004, since 2009), heart failure.

27^th: Wanda Hjort Heger, 95, Norwegian resistance activist.

27^th: Evdokia Pasko, 97, Russian military officer and pilot, Hero of the Soviet Union.

28^th: Thomas Joseph Simpson, 95, Canadian World War II veteran.

29^th: William Owens, 36, American Navy SEAL soldier, shot.

29^th: Leonard H. Perroots, 83, American military officer, Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (1985–1988).

30^th: Carmen Contreras-Bozak, 97, American World War II veteran, first Hispanic to serve in the Women's Army Corps.

30^th: Eiður Svanberg Guðnason, 77, Icelandic politician and diplomat, Ambassador to Australia (2003–2007).

31^st: Grethe Bartram, 92, Danish war criminal.

February:

1^st: Edward Tipper, 95, American World War II veteran (Easy Company), depicted in Band of Brothers.

2^nd: Gordon Aikman, 31, British ALS campaigner, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

3^rd: Anthony French, 96, British-American physicist, contributor to the Manhattan Project.

7^th: Sotsha Dlamini, 76, Swazi politician, Prime Minister (1986–1989), fall.

7^th: Smail Hamdani, 86, Algerian politician, Prime Minister (1998–1999).

8^th: Ljubiša Beara, 77, Bosnian military officer and convicted war criminal.

10^th: Hal Moore, 94, American lieutenant general and author (We Were Soldiers Once… And Young).

13^th: Richard H. Solomon, 79, American diplomat, Ambassador to the Philippines (1992–1993), President of the United States Institute of Peace (1993–2012), brain cancer.

18^th: Nick Dupree, 34, American disability rights activist.

19^th: Jørgen Kieler, 97, Danish physician and World War II resistance member.

19^th: Halaevalu Mataʻaho ʻAhomeʻe, 90, Tongan royal, Queen Consort (1965–2006), Queen Mother (since 2006).

20^th: Vitaly Churkin, 64, Russian diplomat, Permanent Representative to the United Nations (since 2006), Ambassador to Belgium (1994–1998) and child actor (A Mother's Heart), heart failure.

21^st: Sir Cosmo Haskard, 100, Irish-born British colonial administrator, Governor of the Falkland Islands (1964–1970).

23^rd: David Waddington, Baron Waddington, 87, British politician, Home Secretary (1989–1990), Leader of the House of Lords (1990–1992), Governor of Bermuda (1992–1997).

25^th: Bill Paxton, 61, American actor (Apollo 13, Titanic, Big Love), stroke as a complication from heart surgery.

26^th: Essa Moosa, 81, South African judge and anti-apartheid activist.

26^th: Joseph Wapner, 97, American judge (Los Angeles County Superior Court) and television personality (The People's Court, Judge Wapner's Animal Court), respiratory failure.

27^th: Carlos Humberto Romero, 92, Salvadoran politician, President (1977–1979).

28^th: Yury Abramovich, 81, Ukrainian-born Russian test pilot.

28^th: Donald Easten, 98, British Army officer awarded the Military Cross for his part in the Battle of Kohima.

March

1^st: Shirley Palesh, 87, American baseball player (AAGPBL).

3^rd: René Préval, 74, Haitian politician, Prime Minister (1991), President (1996–2001, 2006–2011).

5^th: Zhuang Yan, 99, Chinese diplomat, Ambassador to Bangladesh (1976–1979), Iran (1980–1982), and Greece (1983–1985).

6^th: Robert Osborne, 84, American film historian and television host (Turner Classic Movies).

6^th: Shirley Childress Saxton, 69, American sign language interpreter.

11^th: Mohamed Mijarul Quayes, 56, Bangladeshi diplomat, Ambassador to the United Kingdom (2012–2014) and Brazil (since 2014), multiple organ failure.

12^th: Sir Probyn Inniss, 80, Saint Kitts and Nevis lawyer, Governor of Saint Christopher and Nevis (1975–1981).

12^th: Sverre Bergh Johansen, 77, Norwegian diplomat, Ambassador to China (1994–1999).

13^th: Richard H. Solomon, 79, American political aide and diplomat, Ambassador to the Philippines (1992–1993), brain cancer.

14^th: Arleene Johnson, 93, Canadian baseball player (AAGPBL).

15^th: Bảo Thắng, 72, Vietnamese royal, head of the Nguyễn dynasty (since 2007).

17^th: Léonard Legault, 82, Canadian diplomat, Ambassador to the Holy See (1993–1997).

17^th: Laurynas Stankevičius, 81, Lithuanian politician, Prime Minister (1996).

17^th: Inomjon Usmonxo‘jayev, 86, Soviet politician, First Secretary of the Communist Party of Uzbekistan (1983–1988).

18^th: Alfred Tibor, 97, Hungarian-born American sculptor and Holocaust survivor.

20^th: George Weinberg, 87, American psychologist, coined the term "homophobia".

22^nd: Andy Coogan, 99, Scottish author and World War II veteran.

23^rd: Donald Burgett, 91, American writer and World War II veteran.

30^th: Sir John Fretwell, 86, British diplomat, Ambassador to France (1982–1987).

30^th: Hattie Peterson, 86, American baseball player (Rockford Peaches), lung cancer.

31^st: Gilbert Baker, 65, American artist and gay activist, creator of the rainbow flag.

April

1^st: Yevgeny Yevtushenko, 84, Russian poet (Babi Yar).

5^th: Alma Soller McLay, 97, American stenographer (Nuremberg trials).

6^th: Don Rickles, 90, American comedian and actor (Toy Story, Casino, Kelly's Heroes), kidney failure.

8^th: Georgy Grechko, 85, Russian cosmonaut, Hero of the Soviet Union, heart failure.

20^th: Sir Ewen Fergusson, 84, British diplomat, Ambassador to South Africa (1982–1984) and France (1987–1992.)

20^th: Philip Kgosana, 80, South African anti-apartheid activist.

22^nd: Erin Moran, 56, American actress (Happy Days, Joanie Loves Chachi, Galaxy of Terror), tonsil cancer.

30^th: Lorna Gray, 99, American actress (O, My Darling Clementine, Captain America, Oh! Susanna).

May

2^nd: Heinz Kessler, 97, German politician and military officer, East German Minister of National Defence (1985–1989).

2^nd: Leo K. Thorsness, 85, American air force officer and Medal of Honor recipient, member of the Washington Senate (1988–1992), leukemia.

7^th: Richard Summers, 95, British RAF air observer during the Battle of Britain.

8^th: Curt Lowens, 91, German-born American actor (Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory, The Hindenburg, Angels & Demons) and Holocaust survivor, fall.

9^th Wilburn K. Ross, 94, American WWII veteran, Medal of Honor recipient.

12^th: Mauno Koivisto, 93, Finnish politician, President (1982–1994) and Prime Minister (1968–1970, 1979–1982), complications from Alzheimer's disease.

15^th: Thomas James Kinsman, 72, American soldier, Medal of Honor recipient.

17^th: Viktor Gorbatko, 82, Russian cosmonaut (Soyuz 7, 24 and 37).

20^th: Roger Tassé, 85, Canadian civil servant, architect of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

23^rd: Sir Roger Moore, 89, English actor (The Spy Who Loved Me, Maverick, The Saint), cancer.

23^rd: Patrick van Rensburg, 85, South African educationalist and anti-apartheid activist.

26^th: Zbigniew Brzezinski, 89, Polish-born American diplomat and political scientist, National Security Advisor (1977–1981).

28^th: Lawrence Jenkins, 93, American World War II veteran and memoirist.

29^th: Konstantinos Mitsotakis, 98, Greek politician, Prime Minister (1990–1993).

29^th: Manuel Noriega, 83, Panamanian dictator and military official, military ruler (1983–1989), complications from brain surgery.

30^th: Wendell Burton, 69, American actor (The Sterile Cuckoo, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Heat), brain cancer.

30^th: Reinhold Hanning, 95, German Waffen-SS concentration camp guard and convicted war criminal.

June

1^st: George Joseph, 66, Indian diplomat, Ambassador to Turkmenistan (1997–2001), Qatar (2005–2009) and Bahrain (2009–2010).

1^st: Rosa Taikon, 90, Swedish silversmith and Romani people activist.

2^nd: Jaroslav Kořán, 77, Czech translator, writer and politician, Charter 77 signatory, Mayor of Prague (1990–1991).

2^nd: David Mattingley, 94, Australian WWII bomber pilot.

9^th: Adam West, 88, American actor (Batman, Family Guy, Robinson Crusoe on Mars), leukemia.

12^th: David Shentow, 92, Belgian-born Canadian Holocaust survivor.

14^th: Arthur J. Jackson, 92, American military officer, Medal of Honor recipient.

16^th: Helmut Kohl, 87, German politician, Chancellor (1982–1998), Minister-President of Rhineland-Palatinate (1969–1976).

19^th: Otto Warmbier, 22, American college student, convicted of theft and imprisoned by North Korea.

21^st: Yuri Drozdov, 91, Russian spymaster.

21^st: Robert M. Shoemaker, 93, American military officer, commander of FORSCOM (1977–1982).

22^nd: Quett Masire, 91, Botswanan politician, President (1980–1998), complications from surgery.

22^nd: Nikolai Zhugan, 100, Ukrainian-born Russian pilot, Hero of the Soviet Union (1944).

25^th: Skip Homeier, 86, American actor (Tomorrow, the World!, Boys' Ranch, Star Trek), spinal myelopathy.

26^th: Rex Makin, 91, British solicitor, created the term "Beatlemania".

28^th: Ola Mildred Rexroat, 99, American Airforce Service pilot during World War II.

30^th: Simone Veil, 89, French lawyer and politician, President of the European Parliament (1979–1982), Minister of Health (1974–1979, 1993–1995), and Holocaust survivor.

July

7^th: Diego E. Hernández, 83, American military officer, Parkinson's disease.

14^th: Pedro Richter Prada, 96, Peruvian politician, Prime Minister (1979–1980).

14^th: David Zablidowsky, 37, American bassist (Adrenaline Mob, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Jeff Scott Soto), traffic collision.

15^th: Justine Damond, 40, Australian woman shot by a Minneapolis Police officer.

15^th: Martin Landau, 89, American actor (Ed Wood, Mission: Impossible, Crimes and Misdemeanors), Oscar winner (1995), abdominal hemorrhage.

16^th: Wanda Lesisz, 92, Polish WWII resistance fighter.

21^st: John Heard, 71, American actor (Home Alone, Big, Prison Break).

21^st: Hrvoje Šarinić, 82, Croatian politician, Prime Minister (1992–1993).

22^nd: Artyom Tarasov, 67, Russian businessman and activist, first millionaire of the USSR.

25^th: Barbara Sinatra, 90, American fashion model, showgirl and philanthropist.

August

1^st: Sir John Blelloch, 86, British civil servant, Permanent Secretary at the Northern Ireland Office (1988–1990).

2^nd: Alexander Gerasimenko, 71, Belarusian diplomat and politician, Mayor of Minsk (1991–1995).

2^nd: David Ince, 96, British WWII RAF officer.

3^rd: Ladislav Čisárik, 63, Slovak herald artist (national coat of arms, national flag).

3^rd: Robert Hardy, 91, British actor (All Creatures Great and Small, Harry Potter, Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years).

8^th: Glen Campbell, 81, American singer ("Rhinestone Cowboy", "By the Time I Get to Phoenix") and actor (True Grit), Grammy winner (1967, 2015), Alzheimer's disease.

8^th: Barbara Cook, 89, American singer and actress (The Music Man, Sondheim on Sondheim, Candide), respiratory failure.

9^th: Thomas A. Bird, 98, British WWII army officer and architect.

11^th: Yisrael Kristal, 113, Polish-Israeli supercentenarian and Holocaust survivor, world's oldest living man.

16^th: Jon Shepodd, 89, American actor (Lassie, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?).

20^th: Jerry Lewis, 91, American comedian (Martin and Lewis), actor (The Nutty Professor) and humanitarian (The Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon), cardiomyopathy.

24^th: Cecil Andrus, 85, American politician, U.S. Secretary of the Interior (1977–1981), Governor of Idaho (1971–1977, 1987–1995), lung cancer.

24^th: Michael Dougall Bell, 73, Canadian diplomat, Ambassador to Israel (1990–1992, 1999–2003), liver cancer.

24^th: Jay Thomas, 69, American actor (Cheers, Murphy Brown, Love & War) and radio talk show host, Emmy winner (1990, 1991), cancer.

30^th: Sam Pivnik, 90, Polish Jewish Holocaust survivor, author and memoirist.

September

1^st: Shelley Berman, 92, American comedian and actor (You Don't Mess with the Zohan, Meet the Fockers, Curb Your Enthusiasm), Alzheimer's disease.

8^th: Blake Heron, 35, American actor (Shiloh, We Were Soldiers, Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher).

12^th: Edith Windsor, 88, American mathematician and activist, lead plaintiff in United States v. Windsor.

16^th: Mitchell Flint, 94, American fighter pilot (Navy, 101 Squadron).

19^th: Bernie Casey, 78, American actor (Revenge of the Nerds, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure) and football player (San Francisco 49ers).

20^th: William J. Ely, 105, American army officer.

21^st: Maurice Nivat, 79, French computer scientist, co-father of theoretical computer science.

21^st: Evelyn Scott, 81, Australian Indigenous social activist, Chairwoman of the National Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation.

26^th: Barry Dennen, 79, American actor (Jesus Christ Superstar, The Shining, Fiddler on the Roof), complications from a fall.

27^th: Hugh Hefner, 91, American magazine publisher (Playboy), businessman (Playboy Enterprises) and reality television personality (The Girls Next Door), cardiac arrest due to septicemia.

27^th: Arnošt Polák , 94, Czech colonel and RAF member, Medal of Heroism recipient.

28^th: Balys Gajauskas, 91, Lithuanian politician and prisoner of conscience, member of the Seimas (1990–1992).

30^th: Monty Hall, 96, Canadian-American game show host (Let's Make a Deal), heart failure.

October

1^st: Edward B. Giller, 99, American USAF major general.

2^nd: Tom Petty, 66, American Hall of Fame musician (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Traveling Wilburys) and voice actor (King of the Hill), heart attack.

3^rd: Jalal Talabani, 83, Iraqi-Kurdish politician, Prime Minister (2003) and President (2005–2014), cerebral hemorrhage.

4^th: Liam Cosgrave, 97, Irish politician, Taoiseach (1973–1977).

7^th: Vyacheslav Ivanov, 88, Russian philologist and semiotician, co-developer of glottalic theory.

8^th: Edna Dummerth, 93, American baseball player (All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.

9^th: Milan Otáhal, 89, Czech historian and dissident, Charter 77 signatory.

11^th: Betty Moczynski, 91, American baseball player (All-American Girls Professional Baseball League).

11^th: Nélio José Nicolai, 77, Brazilian electrotechnician, inventor of Caller ID.

15^th: Sir Bert Massie, 68, British disability rights campaigner, Chairman of Disability Rights Commission (2000-2007), cancer.

16^th: Roy Dotrice, 94, British actor (Amadeus, A Moon for the Misbegotten, Game of Thrones), Tony winner (2000).

18^th: Eamonn Campbell, 70, Irish musician (The Dubliners).

19^th: Jeanne Brousse, 96, French resistance member.

21^st: Lech Ordon, 88, Polish actor (Letters to Santa).

24^th: Robert Guillaume, 89, American actor and singer (Benson, The Lion King, Sports Night), Emmy winner (1979, 1985), prostate cancer.

25^th: Robert Blakeley, 95, American graphic designer (fallout shelter sign).

25^th: Vilnis Edvīns Bresis, 79, Latvian politician, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Latvian SSR (1988–1990).

26^th: Sir Reginald Secondé, 95, British diplomat, Ambassador to Chile, Romania and Venezuela.

28^th Yvonne Baseden, 95, French-born British Special Operations Executive agent.

29^th: Dennis Banks, 80, American indigenous activist and actor (Thunderheart, The Last of the Mohicans), co-founder of American Indian Movement, complications from heart surgery.

29^th: Richard E. Cavazos, 88, American army general, Commanding General of FORSCOM (1982–1984), Alzheimer's disease.

29^th: Sir Ninian Stephen, 94, Australian judge, Governor-General (1982–1989), Justice of the High Court (1972–1982).

November:

1^st: Brad Bufanda, 34, American actor (Veronica Mars, A Cinderella Story, Co-Ed Confidential), suicide by jumping.

2^nd: William Landau, 93, American neurologist, co-namesake of Landau–Kleffner syndrome.

5^th: Robert Knight, 72, American R&B singer ("Everlasting Love", "Love on a Mountain Top").

6^th: Richard F. Gordon Jr., 88, American astronaut (Gemini 11, Apollo 12).

7^th: João Hall Themido, 93, Portuguese diplomat, Ambassador to the United States (1971–1981).

8^th: John H. Cushman, 96, American military officer, Commander of the I Corps (1976–1978) and the 101st Airborne Division (1972–1973), stroke.

9^th: John Hillerman, 84, American actor (Magnum, P.I., Chinatown, Blazing Saddles), Emmy winner (1987), heart disease.

11^th: Kirti Nidhi Bista, 90, Nepali politician, Prime Minister (1969–1970, 1971–1973, 1977–1979), cancer.

13^th: Thomas J. Hudner Jr., 93, American naval aviator, Medal of Honor recipient (Battle of Chosin Reservoir)

13^th: Peter Imbert, Baron Imbert, 84, British police officer, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police (1987–1992) and life peer.

14^th: Ruth Bondy , 94, Czech-born Israeli journalist and Holocaust survivor.

15^th: Joy Lofthouse, 94, English World War II pilot.

16^th: Michelle Dumon, 96, Belgian WWII resistance agent (Comet line).

16^th: Ann Wedgeworth, 83, American actress (Three's Company, Evening Shade, Steel Magnolias), Tony winner (1978).

17^th: Earle Hyman, 91, American actor (The Cosby Show, ThunderCats, The Lady from Dubuque).

17^th: Howard Bruner Schaffer, 88, American diplomat, Ambassador to Bangladesh (1984–1987).

19^th: Charles Manson, 83, American criminal (Tate murders) and cult leader (Manson Family), cardiac arrest from colon cancer.

19^th: Della Reese, 86, American actress (Touched by an Angel, Chico and the Man) and singer ("Don't You Know?").

20^th: Ernestine Petras, 93, American baseball player (AAGPBL).

21^st: David Cassidy, 67, American pop singer ("Cherish", "How Can I Be Sure") and actor (The Partridge Family), liver failure.

24^th: Wesley L. Fox, 86, American Marine Corps colonel, Medal of Honor recipient (1971).

24^th: Mitch Margo, 70, American singer and songwriter (The Tokens).

25^th: Anthony Senerchia, 46, American disability activist, inspiration for the Ice Bucket Challenge, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

29^th: Slobodan Praljak, 72, Croatian military officer and war criminal, suicide by cyanide poisoning.

30^th: Jim Nabors, 87, American actor (Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., The Andy Griffith Show, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas) and singer.

30^th: Marina Popovich, 86, Russian test pilot.

December:

4^th: Ali Abdullah Saleh, 75, Yemeni politician, President of North Yemen (1978–1990) and President (1990–2012), shot.

5^th: Michael I of Romania, 96, Romanian royal, King (1927–1930, 1940–1947), complications from leukemia.

11^th: Aline Griffith, Dowager Countess of Romanones, 94, American-born Spanish cipher clerk, aristocrat, socialite and writer.

11^th: Charles Robert Jenkins, 77, American soldier, deserted to North Korea.

14^th: Marilyn Ware, 74, American diplomat and businesswoman, Ambassador to Finland (2006–2008), complications from Alzheimer's disease.

15^th: Kazimierz Piechowski, 98, Polish political prisoner and Holocaust survivor.

17^th: Kjell Grede, 81, Swedish director (Good Evening, Mr. Wallenberg, Hugo and Josephine), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

17^th: Edward Rowny, 100, American army lieutenant general and presidential military advisor.

19^th: Sir Peter Terry, 91, British air force commander and politician, Governor of Gibraltar (1985–1989).

21^st: Bruce McCandless II, 80, American astronaut (STS-41-B).

21^st: Jerry Yellin, 93, American fighter pilot (World War II), lung cancer.

24^th: Heather Menzies, 68, Canadian-born American actress (The Sound of Music, Logan's Run, Piranha), brain cancer.