Larry Eisenberg is dead

[ex-khobar Andy]

If you read the NYT on line and you ever go BTL to the comments, you will be familiar with Larry Eisenberg.

HIs comments were always in verse, usually in limerick form but occasionally in the shape of Gilbert and Sullivan parody. He was clearly of a liberal persuasion and, because the Times puts an indication of when the comment was posted, he was an early commenter most of the time. He was 99 - I never could have guessed that and all I can hope is that if I ever get within shouting distance of that age, I have as many marbles left as he obviously did.

I linked his obituary above, and reading the comments (most of which are in verse as a sort of tribute: now is not the time to pass any kind of judgment on the literary quality of the offerings) I found one from 'Billy' which I reproduce below:

This month Luettgen had passed, and now Larry?
It makes us so sad, and it's scary
One wonders who's next
But it's not that complex
Precious time on this earth, temporary

I had missed the note that Richard Luettgen had passed on. He too was a very frequent commenter but of a rightward bent. You have to admit that it takes a certain kind of courage for an old-school Tory to lurk in the bushes of the NYT. I did sometimes tangle with Luettgen and, when he replied, he was always courteous. I compare him to Krauthammer in that he usually made you think about your position on an issue rather than just rely on knee-jerk reactions. Too soon at 63.

Andrew (Louisville) will miss both of them.

Edited to correct a typo and a nonsense half sentence.