When Death Is Near...

Nebula: Crab Nebula

Mood: Busy

In 1054 AD, a new star was recorded by the Arabs and the Chinese in the Taurus Constellation. Apparently, this star was visible in the night as well as in the middle of the day. It became brighter and brighter, remaining visible for nearly two years to the naked eye.

What truly happened was the birth of the Crab Nebula after the explosion of a supernova. This is the first object recorded to be directly linked to a supernova.

Which brings us to say that everything has to explode and collapse. This is a list of some of the prominent personalities who died this year (or who have been killed for this matter). It's very interesting to notice that many of these were assassinated in the most demeaning manners (Gemayel was shot while driving his car, Politkovskaya was killed to death in the elevator of her building), or even poisoned (like the ongoing case of Litvinenko and the discovery of this mystical plutonium) … Some harsh dictators (Pinochet, Milošević) or rebellious leaders (Zarqawi) died "unjustly" according to some because they didn't get what they deserve, after all the atrocities they have committed to their respective people.

The world has lost two prominent journalists, the widly known anti-fascist Italian Oriana Fallaci, who interviewed many famous world leaders like Yaser Arafat, Indira Ghandi, Ayatollah Khomeini, and Anna Politskovskaya, virulent anti-Lenin journalist who broadly bashed his administration and the Chechnya conflict.

Are you a fan of any of these? Will they leave any trace like the Crab Nebula after their own Supernova death? You tell me.

Slobodan Milošević
Former President of Serbia and of Yugoslavia (August 20, 1941 – March 11, 2006)
(Questionable) Heart Attack

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
Al-Qaeda leader in Iraq (October 20, 1966 – June 7, 2006)
Killed

Oriana Fallaci
Italian journalist (June 29, 1929 – September 15, 2006)
Cancer

Anna Politkovskaya
Russian journalist (August 30, 1958 – October 7, 2006)
Shot to death

Pierre Amin Gemayel
Lebanese Industry Minister (September 24, 1972 – November 21, 2006)
Assassinated

Alexander Litvinenko
Ex-Russian Spy (December 4, 1962 – November 23, 2006)
Poisoned

Augusto Pinochet
Former Chilian Dictator (November 25, 1915 – December 10, 2006)
Heart Complications