Takumi Shibano (²ñÒ° ÍØÃÀ, Shibano Takumi?, October 27, 1926 ¨C January 16, 2010) was a Japanese science-fiction author and translator. He was a major figure of the fandom in Japan and contributed in establishing the Japanese science fiction genre.

In 1957, he started Japan's first science fiction fanzine Uch¨±jin (ÓîÖæ‰m?), initially published monthly. Many contributor to the fanzine later became pro, including Shin'ichi Hoshi, Sakyo Komatsu, Ryu Mitsuse and Yasutaka Tsutsui. He was the chair of Japan's first science fiction convention in 1962.

Since 1970s, under a pen-name Rei Kozumi (СÓç Àè, Kozumi Rei?), he translated as many as sixty English science fiction novels into Japanese, including E. E. Smith's Lensman series and Larry Niven's Ringworld series.

In 1968 he attended the Worldcon for first time, and since 1979 he attended most of the Worldcons and served as the presenter of Seiun Award. He received a Con Special Award at the 51st World Science Fiction Convention in 1993. He was the Fan Guest of Honor of the 54th World Science Fiction Convention in 1996 and the 65th World Science Fiction Convention in 2007.

Daisuke G¨­ri (à_Àï ´óÝo, G¨­ri Daisuke?) (February 8, 1952 - January 17, 2010) was a Japanese seiy¨±, narrator and actor from Tokyo. He was formely attached to Mausu Promotion and was attached to Aoni Production at the time of his death. His real name, as well as his former stage name, was Yoshio Nagahori (éLÜ¥ ·¼·ò, Nagahori Yoshio?). He was best known for his roles in Kinnikuman (as Robin Mask), the Dragon Ball series (as Umigame and Mr. Satan), the Gundam series (as Dozle Sabi and Bask Om), Patlabor (as Hiromi Yamazaki), Tekken (as Heihachi Mishima), Soulcalibur (as Edge Master) and Looney Tunes (as the Japanese voiceover of Yosemite Sam).

On January 17, 2010 at approximately 3:00 P.M., G¨­ri was found lying on his stomach with blood dripping from his wrists in the middle of a Nakano, Tokyo street by a passerby, who then notified the police. Authorities discovered a knife under his body as well as a nearby suicide note addressed to his family. G¨­ri was then declared dead; he was 57 years old.

Erich Segal, best known as the author of Love Story, died on Sunday of a
heart attack, his friend Ned Temko said today. He was 72.

Segal wrote the bestselling book about love and bereavement, which became a
chart-topping film, in 1969 when he was 32 and a classics professor at
Harvard. As its most famous line, "love means never having to say you're
sorry", entered popular culture, Segal became a celebrity and regular on TV
shows, as well as a commentator on the Olympic games for the ABC network.

However, he continued to write right up to his death, producing more than
half a dozen novels, essays, literary criticism and, with his dear friend
and comrade-in-comedy, Jack Rosenthal, a new English translation of the
opening Friday-night Hebrew prayer for the West London Reform Synagogue. His last major work, in 2001, was a scholarly look at the history of comedy, and of dirty jokes, from the ancient Greeks through to Stanley Kubrick's Dr
Strangelove.

Segal is survived by his wife and editorial collaborator, Karen, his elder
daughter, the writer Francesca Segal, and his younger daughter Miranda, a
student at Bristol University.

The father of conductor Lorin Maazel. Best known for appearing in George Romero's 1977 film 'Martin'. According to IMDB he died in September at the age of 106.

Canadian folk singer Kate McGarrigle has died, aged 63, after losing her battle with cancer.

It was reported last week that McGarrigle was "critically ill" after her son, the singer Rufus Wainwright, cancelled his Australian tour to be with her.

Her doctor, Robert Tabah, confirmed the singer's death to the Guardian, saying: "Kate McGariggle passed away yesterday (Monday 18 January) as a result of sarcoma, a form of cancer that she was first diagnosed with three and a half years ago." The late singer apparently passed away at her Montreal home, where she was surrounded by family and friends.

Dr Tabah paid tribute to McGarrigle, saying: "Kate was a remarkable and warm woman, who pursued everything in life with humour and grace." He said that McGarrigle, despite being "gravely ill", played a three-and-a-half-hour show at the Royal Albert Hall last month. "I was amazed by her courage and stamina."

McGarrigle performed widely with her sister, Anna, for more than three decades, recording 10 albums. She was also well-known for being the matriarch of a musical family, the Wainwrights. McGarrigle was the mother of singers Rufus and Martha Wainwright, and the ex-wife of Loudon Wainwright lll.

'Spenser' Novelist Robert Parker Dies in Mass.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. January 19, 2010 (AP) Robert Parker, the author of the popular "Spenser" novels about a hard-nosed Boston private investigator, has died. He was 77.

A spokeswoman for the Cambridge police department says an ambulance was sent to Parker's home at about 11 a.m. Monday for reports of a sudden death. The spokeswoman, Alexa Manocchio, says the death was of "natural causes" and is not considered suspicious.

A publicist for Parker's publisher confirmed the death but had no further details.

Parker wrote more than 50 novels, including 37 featuring Spenser. The character was the basis for the 1980s TV series "Spenser: For Hire," starring Robert Urich.

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