NationStates Jolt Archive

I was thinkling the other day about Ivor Cutler retiring from live performances at age 81, and this lead me to wonder about 'kewl' octogenarians and nonagenarians. So far the list off the top of my head looks like:

Ivor Cutler
Pete Seeger
Brian Aldiss (come August)
Jack Williamson
Arthur C Clarke

Any additions?

Patrick Moore! He's 82 now, I think.

Baldricks grandmother! (see Private Plane, Blackadder series 4 to get the joke;) Or I could just post it here)

Patrick Moore! He's 82 now, I think.

Although he may have engendered interest in astronomy in a couple of generations, the fact that he is a right wing twat (he was chairman of the United Country Party in the seventies) would kind of exclude him from my personal list.

Although he may have engendered interest in astronomy in a couple of generations, the fact that he is a right wing twat (he was chairman of the United Country Party in the seventies) would kind of exclude him from my personal list.Fair enough, but I tend not to mind the political opinions of right wing twats (or left wing twats, or any other politically thinking twats), so long as they can articulate themselves intelligently and thoughtfully. I have always found Moore to do that in astronomy related issues, though I do concede that I know little of his political behaviour. Plus he was director of the Armagh Planetarium when everyone hated Northern Ireland, and I quite enjoyed his series, Scott Saunders Space Adventure, when I was a kid.

Pope Benedict XVI is almost 80, except Popes don't retire these days.

Massinissa (mis-spelled, most likely), a Numidian prince around during the time of the second and third punic war, who was still leading his cavalry into battle at the ripe old age of 88 (died when he was ninety). And beating the hell out of people. Now he is worthy of respect.