Showing posts with label Obituary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Obituary. Show all posts
Dec 24, 2013
Mikhail Kalashnikov, Creator of AK-47, Dies at 94
Nytimes.com - Lt. Gen. Mikhail T. Kalashnikov, the arms designer credited by the Soviet Union with creating the AK-47, the first in a series of rifles and machine guns that would indelibly associate his name with modern war and become the most abundant firearms ever made, died on Monday in Izhevsk, the capital of the Udmurtia republic, where he lived. He was 94.
Viktor Chulkov, a spokesman for the republic’s president, confirmed the death, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.
Born a peasant on the southern Siberian steppe, General Kalashnikov had little formal education and claimed to be a self-taught tinkerer who combined innate mechanical skills with the study of weapons to conceive of a rifle that achieved battlefield ubiquity.
His role in the rifle’s creation, and the attention showered on him by the Kremlin’s propaganda machine, carried him from conscription in the Red Army to senior positions in the Soviet arms-manufacturing bureaucracy and ultimately to six terms on the Supreme Soviet.
Tens of millions of Kalashnikov rifles have been manufactured. Their short barrels, steep front-sight posts and curved magazines made them a marker of conflict that has endured for decades. The weapons also became both Soviet and revolutionary symbols and widespread instruments of terrorism, child-soldiering and crime.
The general, who sometimes lamented the weapons’ unchecked distribution but took pride in having invented them and in their reputation for reliability, weathered the collapse of the Soviet Union to assume a public role as a folk hero and unequivocal Russian patriot.
A Soviet nostalgist, he also served as the unofficial arms ambassador of the revived Russian state. He used public appearances to try to cast the AK-47’s checkered legacy in a positive way and to complain that knockoffs were being manufactured illegally by former Soviet allies and cutting into Russian sales.
The weapon, he said, was designed to protect his motherland, not to be used by terrorists or thugs. “This is a weapon of defense,” he said. “It is not a weapon for offense.”
General Kalashnikov’s public life resulted from a secret competition to develop the Soviet infantry rifle for the Cold War. The result was the AK-47 — an abbreviation for “the automatic by Kalashnikov” followed by the year the competition ended.
General Kalashnikov, a senior sergeant at the time who had been injured in battle against German tanks, was credited with leading the design bureau that produced the AK-47 prototype. The Soviet Union began issuing a mass-produced version to soldiers in 1949.
The true AK-47 was short-lived. It was followed in the 1950s by a modernized version, the A.K.M., which retained its predecessor’s underlying design while reducing its weight and manufacturing time.
Shorter than traditional infantry rifles and firing a cartridge midway between the power of a pistol and the standard rifle cartridges of the day, the Kalashnikov line was initially dismissed by American ordnance experts as a weapon of small consequence. It was not particularly accurate or well made, they said, and it lacked range and stopping power.
It cemented its place in martial history in the 1960s in Vietnam. There, a new American rifle, the M-16, experienced problems with corrosion and jamming in the jungles, while Kalashnikovs, carried by Vietcong guerrillas and North Vietnamese soldiers, worked almost flawlessly.
By this time, in an effort to standardize infantry weapons among potential allies, the Soviet Union had exported the rifle’s specifications and its manufacturing technology to China, Egypt, North Korea and Warsaw Pact nations. Communist engineers would eventually share the manufacturing technology with other countries, including Iraq.
The weapon’s design was also incorporated into arms manufactured in Finland, Israel, South Africa and other nations. The result was a long line of derivatives and copies. Almost all are referred to as AK-47s by colloquial, if inaccurate, shorthand.
Viktor Chulkov, a spokesman for the republic’s president, confirmed the death, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.
Born a peasant on the southern Siberian steppe, General Kalashnikov had little formal education and claimed to be a self-taught tinkerer who combined innate mechanical skills with the study of weapons to conceive of a rifle that achieved battlefield ubiquity.
His role in the rifle’s creation, and the attention showered on him by the Kremlin’s propaganda machine, carried him from conscription in the Red Army to senior positions in the Soviet arms-manufacturing bureaucracy and ultimately to six terms on the Supreme Soviet.
Tens of millions of Kalashnikov rifles have been manufactured. Their short barrels, steep front-sight posts and curved magazines made them a marker of conflict that has endured for decades. The weapons also became both Soviet and revolutionary symbols and widespread instruments of terrorism, child-soldiering and crime.
The general, who sometimes lamented the weapons’ unchecked distribution but took pride in having invented them and in their reputation for reliability, weathered the collapse of the Soviet Union to assume a public role as a folk hero and unequivocal Russian patriot.
A Soviet nostalgist, he also served as the unofficial arms ambassador of the revived Russian state. He used public appearances to try to cast the AK-47’s checkered legacy in a positive way and to complain that knockoffs were being manufactured illegally by former Soviet allies and cutting into Russian sales.
The weapon, he said, was designed to protect his motherland, not to be used by terrorists or thugs. “This is a weapon of defense,” he said. “It is not a weapon for offense.”
General Kalashnikov’s public life resulted from a secret competition to develop the Soviet infantry rifle for the Cold War. The result was the AK-47 — an abbreviation for “the automatic by Kalashnikov” followed by the year the competition ended.
General Kalashnikov, a senior sergeant at the time who had been injured in battle against German tanks, was credited with leading the design bureau that produced the AK-47 prototype. The Soviet Union began issuing a mass-produced version to soldiers in 1949.
The true AK-47 was short-lived. It was followed in the 1950s by a modernized version, the A.K.M., which retained its predecessor’s underlying design while reducing its weight and manufacturing time.
Shorter than traditional infantry rifles and firing a cartridge midway between the power of a pistol and the standard rifle cartridges of the day, the Kalashnikov line was initially dismissed by American ordnance experts as a weapon of small consequence. It was not particularly accurate or well made, they said, and it lacked range and stopping power.
It cemented its place in martial history in the 1960s in Vietnam. There, a new American rifle, the M-16, experienced problems with corrosion and jamming in the jungles, while Kalashnikovs, carried by Vietcong guerrillas and North Vietnamese soldiers, worked almost flawlessly.
By this time, in an effort to standardize infantry weapons among potential allies, the Soviet Union had exported the rifle’s specifications and its manufacturing technology to China, Egypt, North Korea and Warsaw Pact nations. Communist engineers would eventually share the manufacturing technology with other countries, including Iraq.
The weapon’s design was also incorporated into arms manufactured in Finland, Israel, South Africa and other nations. The result was a long line of derivatives and copies. Almost all are referred to as AK-47s by colloquial, if inaccurate, shorthand.
Apr 29, 2013
Sebelum Kecelakaan, Uje Sempat Jatuh Dua Kali
Kompas.com - Keluarga dari Ustaz Jeffry Al Buchori mengatakan, Uje tidak sedang mengebut sebelum kecelakaan. Namun, saat itu kondisi kesehatan Uje memang kurang baik. Hal itu disampaikan adik Uje, Decky Fajar Siddiq. Menurut dia, kondisi kesehatan itulah yang menyebabkan Uje sulit mengendalikan motor sportnya yang memang memiliki bobot sangat berat. Bahkan, sebelum kecelakaan maut di Pondok Indah, Uje sempat jatuh di Kawasan Radio Dalam dan di kawasan Jalan Haji Nawi.
"Sempat jatuh di kawasan Radio Dalam karena ada gundukan aspal tidak rata. Terus di Haji Nawi sempat ingin nyalip mobil, tapi tidak bisa sebelum akhirnya jatuh. Kondisi kesehatannya tidak mampu mengendalikannya. Motor sport kan memang berat," kata Decky saat dijumpai di rumah duka di Perumahan Bukit Mas, Rempoa Raya, Bintaro, pada Jumat (26/4/2013) pagi.
Menurut Decky, kecelakaan terjadi ketika mereka dalam posisi perjalanan pulang sehabis bersantai di kawasan Kemang bersama empat rekan lain, dengan menggunakan lima motor.
"Karena habis sakit, dia pengin ditemenin keluar. Jadi saya tinggal di Kota tadi malam beliau minta saya merapat. Kami pergi enam orang pakai lima motor," ujar Decky.
"Sempat jatuh di kawasan Radio Dalam karena ada gundukan aspal tidak rata. Terus di Haji Nawi sempat ingin nyalip mobil, tapi tidak bisa sebelum akhirnya jatuh. Kondisi kesehatannya tidak mampu mengendalikannya. Motor sport kan memang berat," kata Decky saat dijumpai di rumah duka di Perumahan Bukit Mas, Rempoa Raya, Bintaro, pada Jumat (26/4/2013) pagi.
Menurut Decky, kecelakaan terjadi ketika mereka dalam posisi perjalanan pulang sehabis bersantai di kawasan Kemang bersama empat rekan lain, dengan menggunakan lima motor.
"Karena habis sakit, dia pengin ditemenin keluar. Jadi saya tinggal di Kota tadi malam beliau minta saya merapat. Kami pergi enam orang pakai lima motor," ujar Decky.
Saat Uje jatuh dari motor, kata Decky, dia sempat menawarkannya untuk dibonceng saja oleh rekan yang lain, tetapi ditolak. "Dia cuma bilang 'tenang, lu kayak gak tahu gue aja," kata Decky.
Saat memasuki kawasan Pondok Indah, Uje tiba-tiba terlihat oleng sampai akhirnya menabrak trotoar dan sebuah pohon di depan sebuah rumah yang terletak di Jalan Gedong Indah 7. "Luka parah di kepala, apalagi helmnya half face, bukan yang full face. Beliau meninggal di tempat," kata Decky.
Saat memasuki kawasan Pondok Indah, Uje tiba-tiba terlihat oleng sampai akhirnya menabrak trotoar dan sebuah pohon di depan sebuah rumah yang terletak di Jalan Gedong Indah 7. "Luka parah di kepala, apalagi helmnya half face, bukan yang full face. Beliau meninggal di tempat," kata Decky.
May 23, 2012
Penemu Remote TV Meninggal Dunia
Liputan6.com - Eugene Polley, penemu remote televisi, meninggal dunia dalam usia 96 tahun di sebuah rumah sakit di Chicago, Amerika Serikat, Ahad lalu. Demikian dikatakan juru bicara Zenith Electronics John Taylor di Chicago, seperti dilaporkan Associated Press, Selasa (22/5).
Taylor mengatakan, Polley selalu bangga dengan penemuan teknologi canggihnya itu hingga akhir hayatnya. Ia selalu menunjukan remote asli karyanya Flash-Matic kepada para tamu yang mengunjungi apartemennya dan bagaimana teknologi itu bisa memengaruhi teknologi remote saat ini.
"Ia juga bangga punya TV berlayar flat dan remote modern saat ini," kata Taylor. "Ia selalu menjaga remote asli karyanya itu."
Warga Chicago itu dan rekan insinyurnya di Zenith, Robert Adler, pernah diiberikan penghargaan Emmy Award pada 1997 sebagai pencetus pertama teknologi remote TV. Pada 2009, ia juga menerima penghargaan Masaru Ibuka Consumer Electronics Award dari Institute of Electronic and Electrical Engineers (IEEE).
Selama 47 tahun karirnya sebagai insinyur, Polley sudah memperoleh 18 hak paten di AS. Di Zenith, karirnya berawal sebagai penjaga gudang. Polley juga pernah mengerjakan teknologi radar untuk Departemen Pertahanan AS selama Perang Dunia II. Ia membantu mengembangkan radio push-button untuk mobil dan video disk, pelopor DVD saat ini.
Taylor mengatakan, Polley selalu bangga dengan penemuan teknologi canggihnya itu hingga akhir hayatnya. Ia selalu menunjukan remote asli karyanya Flash-Matic kepada para tamu yang mengunjungi apartemennya dan bagaimana teknologi itu bisa memengaruhi teknologi remote saat ini.
"Ia juga bangga punya TV berlayar flat dan remote modern saat ini," kata Taylor. "Ia selalu menjaga remote asli karyanya itu."
Warga Chicago itu dan rekan insinyurnya di Zenith, Robert Adler, pernah diiberikan penghargaan Emmy Award pada 1997 sebagai pencetus pertama teknologi remote TV. Pada 2009, ia juga menerima penghargaan Masaru Ibuka Consumer Electronics Award dari Institute of Electronic and Electrical Engineers (IEEE).
Selama 47 tahun karirnya sebagai insinyur, Polley sudah memperoleh 18 hak paten di AS. Di Zenith, karirnya berawal sebagai penjaga gudang. Polley juga pernah mengerjakan teknologi radar untuk Departemen Pertahanan AS selama Perang Dunia II. Ia membantu mengembangkan radio push-button untuk mobil dan video disk, pelopor DVD saat ini.
Oct 6, 2011
Mar 14, 2010
Pendiri Teh Botol Sosro Meninggal Dunia
Pendiri Teh Botol Sosro, Soetjipto Sosrodjojo, meninggal dunia. Bos PT Sinar Sosro ini meninggal pada usia 77 tahun. Banyak kalangan memberikan ucapakan dukacita lewat Twitter.Soetjipto meninggal di RS Mitra Kelapa Gading, Jakarta, Rabu (10/3/2010) pukul 01.15 WIB. Jenazah akan disemayamkan di rumah duka RSPAD Gatot Soebroto.
Rencananya Soetjipto akan dimakamkan pada Jumat (12/3/2010) mulai pukul 08.00 WIB di San Diego Hills, Karawang.
Berbagai pernyataan duka cita disampaikan di Twitter. Contohnya @mrbambang menulis "Apapun makannya, minumnya teh botol sosro. Pendiri Sosro, Sutjipto Sosrodjojo wafat. Semoga tenang di alam sana. Kami akan tetap minum teh sosro.
Sementara @nukman menulis "Satu lagi orang baik meninggal dunia: Sutjipto Sosrodjojo, pendiri Tehbotol Sosro. Semoga diterima di sisiNya."
Lalu fabeilo menulis "...terima kasih buat pak Sutjipto Sosrodjojo buat Teh Botol Sosro-nya..."
Feb 21, 2010
Inventor of Frisbee Dies at 90
Fred Morrison didn't cure a disease, go to the moon, or invent some high-tech gadget. But he made many of our lives just a bit happier with a simple toy that prompted dreams of flying saucers and sparked intramural games.According to his son, "old age caught up" with Morrison as he dealt with a battle against cancer. Yet somehow, this remark appears to be the only sad line in Morrison's obituary.
The man's life sounds like it contained as much joy as he brought to children and adults around the world with his invention. In fact, even the events which led to the creation of what is now known as a Frisbee sound happy:
Morrison and his future wife, Lu, used to toss a tin cake pan on the beach in California. The idea grew as Morrison considered ways to make the cake pans fly better and after serving as a pilot in World War II, Morrison began manufacturing his flying discs in 1948.
From there the simple plastic disc would change name from "Pluto Platter" to "Frisbee," but it would remain an staple in memories of summers in the park, beach games of Frisbee golf, and late night Ultimate Frisbee competitions.
So, while Fred Morrison's passing is a sad event, it's heartwarming to hear that he led a good life as he gave us an excuse to laugh and giggle as we send pieces of plastic whizzing through the air.
Jan 2, 2009
Majel Barret: The Voice of the Enterprise Dies
Majel Barret joined her husband Gene Roddenberry Where Many People Have Gone Before. Maybe you think you don't know her, but you do.
You have heard her voice many times: She was the voice of the
The First Lady of Star Trek, as she was known, married Roddenberry in
She then returned in The Next Generation, trying to take the underpants off Jean Luc Picard as Ambassador Lwaxana Troi, and returned to the screen in Deep Space Nine, where she was actually able to take off the underpants of Constable Odo.
Her last work in the Star Trek universe was was two weeks ago, reprising her role as the voice of the mighty Federation ship for the new Star Trek movie by J.J. Abrams.
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