John DeFrancis passed away. Many of you may not know who he was, but if you've ever studied the Chinese language, even a little, then chances are you owe a great deal to Professor DeFrancis: adventurer, linguist, and philanthropist. Here is his obituary, and one of his articles: Prospects for Chinese Writing Reform (really, this is fascinating). Below is an old interview with the professor, which is loaded with so much more history and turmoil than what that brief discussion indicates. Agree or disagree with his methods and ideas, he was a good, strong, and brilliant man.