Leaderboard

Reports sketchy about the death at this stage. If so though, our Spaceship Roulette competition has claimed its first victim...http://www.abc.net.a...-flight/5859442 Dunno if I posted it somewhere else - like the astronauts thread - but... I read an article a while back suggesting the "spaceship roulette" problem was real. Basically pointing out that Virgin's ambitions were combining cutting edge computers and aeronautics with rocket science that wasn't keeping up. The problem being that the size of rockets in the machinery was pushing their performance to the limit. Can't Google and find it at the moment, but I'm fairly sure it was in The Guardian. As with the rocket planes 50 years ago, it might be the test pilots rather than any passengers that pay the price in development. Absolutely. As we've seen with the other rocket failure this week that technology is still fallible and stuck in the 1950s... There have only been 2 rocket systems never to have a catastrophic failure (Blue Streak and Saturn V), the things are just a (barley) controlled explosion with some poor sod sitting on top! So, rather appropriately, that's a description that would also fit losing your virginity!

Any chance you'll get a national press obituary? thx

Did they keep him in the fridge? regards, Hein

I meant to say that I've been enjoying Detectorists on BBC4. Really funny. Last episode this week, hope there's another series.

With the Royal Rumble around the corner (January counts) and with Spade noting the recent propensity for The Sun to obit vaguely famous pro-wrestlers, I decided to create a stupidly long list. More than WrestleMania or the titles, the Rumble is the snapshot of Vince McMahon's world each year, with a high number of decorated performers (and the Red Rooster) who would get obits. First off, here are the all the royal rumbles, with the competitors who are now deceased. 1988 - Ultimate Warrior, Dino Bravo, Junkyard Dog (3 dead, 17 alive of 20) 1989 - Andre the Giant, Mr Perfect, Bad News Brown, Randy Savage, Big Bossman, Big John Studd, Hercules (7, 23/30) 1990 - Randy Savage, Bad News Brown, Andre the Giant, Dino Bravo, Earthquake, Warrior, Rick Rude, Hercules, Mr Perfect (9, 21/30) 1991 - Dino Bravo, Texas Tornado, Hercules, Bulldog, Hawk, Randy Savage, Crush, Earthquake, Mr Perfect (9, 21/30) 1992 - Bulldog, Tornado, Bossman, Hercules, Randy Savage (5, 25/30) 1993 - Mr Perfect, Earthquake, Yokozuna, Owen Hart, Randy Savage (5, 25/30) 1994 - Owen Hart, Randy Savage, Crush, Bam Bam Bigelow, Mabel, Bastion Booger (6, 24/30) 1995 - Bulldog, Owen, Mabel, Dick Murdoch, Steven Dunn, Crush (6, 24/30) 1996 - Mabel, Yokozuna, Owen Hart, Bulldog (4, 26/30) 1997 - Crush, Bulldog, Owen (3, 27/30) 1998 - Owen Hart (1, 26/27) 1999 - Mabel, Test, Bossman, Owen (4, 26/30) 2000 - Viscera, Bossman, Test, Bulldog, Crash Holly (5, 25/30) 2001 - Test, Crash (2, 28/30) 2002 - Bossman, Test, Mr Perfect (3, 27/30) 2003 - Eddie Guerrero, Test, Jamal/Umaga (3, 27/30) 2004 - Benoit (1, 29/30) 2005 - Eddie, Benoit, Viscera (3, 27/30) 2006 - Benoit, Viscera (2, 28/30) 2007 - Benoit, Viscera (2, 28/30) * 2008 - Umaga, Viscera (2, 28/30) 2009 - all living (30/30) 2010 - all living (30/30) 2011 - all living (40/40) 2012 - all living (30/30) 2013 - all living (30/30) 2014 - all living (30/30) Some close calls with the last few though including Matt Hardy's DUI/fake suicide/madness in 2010, R-Truth's nearly fatal pneumonia in 2010, and Jerry Lawler's becoming a zombie in 2012. I've also cheated including Booger in 1994 and Savage in 1991, but they were mentioned as having "skipped" the match on the commentary, whilst there was no PPV explanation for DOA Skull missing out in the 1998 one. So, with all that worked out, a look at potential DDP types from the Rumble. Bret Hart - Stroke in 2002, Post-Concussion Syndrome too, but seems to have mended well since then. On the other hand, he's a Hart, so he might get eaten by a holidaying crocodile in Calgary tomorrow. He's not going to die anytime soon, but is a definite obit when the time comes. Jim Neidhart - Bret's brother in law. Recently a jailbird, drug issues, and looks like hell. He's 60 next year, he'd do well if he sees 65. Jake Roberts - You know him. Attracting cancer like an Express headline just now. A certain obit. Either an excellent pick because hes got a lot of nasty health issues that would see off a normal man and is a recovering mega drug and alcohol addict. Or not, because he's Jake and he survives. Harley Race - Aging legend, survived polio, obit certainty. But will surely go on for another decade or there abouts. Don Muraco - Former steroid user who let himself go and is 66 next year. Hacksaw Jim Duggan - Survived kidney cancer. On the pudgy side and 61 next year. Sam Houston - Unlikely to obit unless part of the Jake story (they are brothers) but a long term jailbird and has drug issues. Demolition Ax - heart issues Marty Jannetty - drugged up incoherent mess, likely obit due to relationship with Shawn Michaels. One of my top contenders for least surprising future Spade or Lewd Squirrel death update in this thread in the future. 54 next year. The Warlord - He was to steroids what Bill Gates is to making money. A risky obit (he had runs in the NWA and WWF, and a feud with the British Bulldog) but frankly I'm surprisd he's still alive. 53 next year. Dusty Rhodes - Fat and nearly 70. Paul Roma - Only 54, and no idea on health, but the loud idiots in wrestling tend to find early graves. See O'Haire, Sean. Also see the future mention of Billy Jack Haynes in this thread, circa 2015/2016. Ric Flair - Ignores blood clots till the last minute, flies with them, drinks to excess, doesn't take care of himself. If he sees 70, its a miracle. (He's 66 next year) Obit guaranteed. Sid - Favourite big man, hospitalised for a month with heart issues last year. 55 next year. Chyna - Yeah, the question is when, not if. Mick Foley - Multiple concussions, memory issues as a result. Injured everything at least once. Best selling author too and RAINN spokesperson so obit guaranteed. Seems (sadly) nailed on to do a Rik Mayall at some point. There's also the Curse of 14th place (people who take this spot seem to die prematurely according to fan lore) which points at: Jannetty, Haku, Berzerker, 2nd Doink the Clown, Jacob Blu, Doug Gilbert, Goldust, Ken Shamrock, Kurrgann, Bob Backlund, The Goodfather, DDP, Rikishi, Orlando Jordan, Joey Mercury, Jeff Hardy, Finlay, MVP, Chris Masters, Jinder Mahal, Rey Mysterio, Kevin Nash. Most of whom have their own health or addiction issues. Or are Bob Backlund. Or Haku. *When you consider 2 of the World title challengers at the 2007 PPV (Umaga and Test) are dead too, Mr Kennedy must be shitting himself.

Years ago - in the 70s, I worked at the largest psychiatric hospital (I believe) in the UK. This was Rainhill in Merseyside. Each and every ward was named after a body of water - be it a lake, river or whatever. You had Mersey ward, Thames ward, Tyne etc. etc.- you get the picture. Oddly enough, there was no ward named after a large river that meanders through Cumbria and into Lancashire - The River Lune.

'bout fuckin' time frankly, quite a few DJs (myself included once over) have bored listeners by putting "Taurus" back to back with "Stairway to Heaven." Bring on It's a Beautiful Day dragging the surviving Deep Purple Mk 2s into court to question the parentage of "Child in Time." None of these people at the time seriously thought they were writing music that would have such staying power, or so many lawyers making money off it 45 years later. Oh aye, and The Blues Magoos might have summat to say about Deep Purple's "Black Night"...I could go on but, rant over! Jon Lord never hid that fact though - quite the opposite! The thing about Stairway is that Randy California had all the time in the world to sue but didn't, because all he wanted was a thank you or acknowledgement from the Zep boys. Which never came. Now, whoever holds rights to his music must see this as an easy money maker. From memory, California's band toured with Zeppelin in the late 60s, playing Taurus as part of their gig. Within a few years, Zep release a highly familiar sounding song. Its a bigger open and shut case than My Sweet Lord.

'bout fuckin' time frankly, quite a few DJs (myself included once over) have bored listeners by putting "Taurus" back to back with "Stairway to Heaven." Bring on It's a Beautiful Day dragging the surviving Deep Purple Mk 2s into court to question the parentage of "Child in Time." None of these people at the time seriously thought they were writing music that would have such staying power, or so many lawyers making money off it 45 years later.

Watched Water for Elephants this weekend. Wouldn't recommend it that much but Hal Holbrook turns up in it, which prompted me to Google him and realise he's still breathing and turns 90 in February. Thought I'd, like, share that with the group. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hal_Holbrook

Only seven manure ones I think. May be better pickings. Docherty and O'Farrell late 80's, and the hun, McGuiness + Big Ron in 70's.

Chanson no more.

Digital TV and its ever increasing stations that broadcast 99% shite. Bring back analogue TV, 5 stations was adequate.