Former White House press secretary Tony Snow died early today of colon cancer. Conservative Snow hosted "Fox News Sunday" for many years before joining the White House. Most recently, he was a commenter on CNN. In a statement, President Bush called Snow "a devoted public servant and a man of character."......

Bluesman Weepin' Willie Robinson, the man who was rescued from a Jamaica Plain nursing home yesterday, has since died. An earlier report mentioned he went into cardiac arrest, but he was also burned by the fire, which started when he smoked in bed. Weepin' Willie Robinson's life unfolded like a blues song. In an obituary, the Globe noted that he performed with Bonnie Raitt and Steven Tyler, but he was found homeless in 2005. Local......

Billy Joel said "Only The Good Die Young," but let's just say he has no idea what he's talking about, and only the really good die at the ripe old ages of, say, 69. So goes the news for Friday, November 30th, as Evel Knievel - a legendary stuntman who's fame hasn't been succeeded by generations to follow. One can only wonder with the speed of technology and special effects if masters of amazement......

Now that absinthe is legally available in Boston, you may be tempted to try it out. But, like many potent liquids, absinthe should be quaffed with care. Hanky Panky of LUPEC, the Boston chapter of Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails, has a few words of advice for absinthe novices: "As Absinthe is quite high as far as alcohol content is concerned, you most frequently find it being used in very small quantities.......

Norman Mailer, identified with New York City but buried in Provincetown, died, giving rise to all manner of praise. But Paul Flannery at Boston Daily found the best tribute of all--the obituary Mailer wrote for himself for the magazine back in 1979. Here's a little taste: " At the memorial service, passages from his favorite literary works, all penned by himself, were read, as well as passages from prominent Americans. His old friend, Truman Capote,......

Marilyn Johnson will read from The Dead Beat: Lost Souls, Lucky Stiffs, and the Perverse Pleasures of Obituaries tomorrow, Tuesday, March 6, at Harvard Book Store, 6:30 pm. You may have asked yourself how papers get obituaries published so fast. Easy. They write 'em in advance. A whole army of journalists are posted on a death watch of sorts, waiting for the moment to release the words that sum up the lives of the recently......

After one man turned up dead in Mount Hope Cemetery, the BPD reports that a 19-year-old man was found shot in Roxbury. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. More details are emerging about the dead man found above ground at the cemetery. He was in his 20s, and he was found naked. (Someone didn't want to leave evidence?) Police are thinking he was "killed elsewhere and dumped." The DSS might be in trouble in......

This was not a very happy week for the -ist network as one of our own, Phillyist co-editor Star C. Foster, passed away early in the week. Her wit, intelligence, and good nature shone through the site, making Phillyist an immensely fun read. She was loved by many and will be missed by all. Phillyist paid tribute to her this week with a heartfelt letter to her and an obituary. And now, the awkward......