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Do you have anyone in your family who have miraculously over-exceeded the predicted lifespan? Or do you come from a family with a history of long-livers? I'll start it off... My grandad's aunt lived until she was 105. In fact, she lived for so long that she even outlived him. Even at the age of 105, she would still do paintings - so she pretty much remained physically and mentally intact even at the very end.

This morning, my phone had a popup notification that there was going to be a new House Hunters episode tonight. I can only assume the AI leapt to conclusions off of my Suzanne Whang searches last year because I have never watched an episode. Next thing you know it'll assume I'm a big Jeopardy! fan. Oh wait, I am...

Oh, her... loved her in the Loriot movie. A face you remembered.

Sam Johnson, a long-time Texas congressman and Vietnam POW, has died. He was 89. https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2020/05/27/longtime-texas-congressman-sam-johnson-pow-in-vietnam-dies-at-age-89/

If I may.... here are my guessess as we approach the middle of the year (% is the chance of them dying) Prince Philip : 65% - back in december I couldn’t see him survive a month but somehow he managed to make it through half of the year so now, why not holding on till’ december ? OdeH : 40% - yes she’s very old but You know... this is Olivia *sigh* Vera Lynn : 70% - could go anytime, I wouldn’t be surprised if she does die tomorrow Dick : 25% - I Don’t understand why he is so high, despite his age, he still looks healthy... Akihito : 20% - I personally would have dropped him, he doesn’t sound like a gonner to me... Pierre Cardin : 40% - at his age he could go anytime but he looked quite well at Gaultier’s final show and has an exhibition planned so... Bob Dole : 75% - I’m surprised he lasted that long, definitely could see him drop around october Murray Walker : 50% - honestly... I didn’t know Who he was before DL... and I still Don’t so I prefer not to make any prediction on this one Leon Spinks : 70% - sounds like a gonner but also sounds like a Bracknell situation... Betty White : 40% - has a movie coming in december and was said to be « great » during the pandemic, I would consider her as safe... as I used to for Honor Blackman Lansbury : 25% - Cf. Van Dyck (even though at her age...) Barker : 65% - as for dole, considering his hopsitalizations last year, I wouldn’t be surprised if he drops dead one morning Greenspan : 55% - that’s the picks I love, quiet for a while and dead after a dry period Kissinger : 70% - easily could be a gonner Carter : 60% - according to last year health issues, I’m surprised he’s still with us VGE : 60% - could see him last a bit longer but that harassment story with the german journalist may cause him some trouble Leslie Phillips : 80% - How can he still be here ?? Tony Bennett : 20% - Don’t see him going this year. Don’t know why. Don’t want to explain. Harry Belafonte : 70% - Can see him going this year. Don’t know why. Don’t want to explain. Nobby Stiles : 75% - a mix between the two Philips of our list : How can he still be here but now that we’re at it, I can see him going a bit further Sybil Fawlty : 50% - the kind of average picks I have no opinion on, as much as I would hate to see her go... Desmond Tutu : 30% - news about him were rather good those last times Delors : 60% - at his age, everyday is a challenge + has been really quiet these days Willie : 70% - it has been a pretty deadly year for country singers so far. I think his time is come. Edrich : 50% - see Murray Walker Bouteflika : 70% - he is a living corpse according to last Pictures of him Trebek : 75% - at this stage of his cancer, I wouldn’t give him 6 months left. Again, that’s What I said with Bracknell McGowan : 50% - almost forgot he was on the list, really Don’t know... The other Dick : 40% - seems safe... however RBG : 65% - so frail and ill but she’s à fighter The Lady Shoe : 60% - why not after all ? Carl Reiner : 75% - one time picked, one hit. Lester Piggott : 50% - see above with Edrich and Walker Woodward : 60% - can see her last a bit longer honestly, just like 8 months and die at the beginning of 2021, when the commitee has dropped her Crosby : 70% - Don’t know, really. Tom Smith : 80% - a sure hit imo LePen : 50% - red in an interview he wanted to be alive for french election in 2022 and I can see him pissing everyone of by doing so Musharraf : 15% - doesn’t seem his year Gates sr : 50% - I Don’t know, I Don’t care Attenborough : 60% - I hope not but... Sutcliff : 80% - would be surprised if he makes it through the year

Genuinely shocked this happened off radar. Quite a colourful life. His parents lobotomised him when he was younger (he had what would now be identified as autism). I imagine his obit will be worth a read!

Federico Garcia Vigil, uruguayan composer and conductor dies at 79, he was the conductor of the Montevideo Philarmonic Orchestra from 1994 to 2008.

The BT customer website! It's kafka-esque. If I didn't need to get in touch with them, I'd admire it as a thing of surreal beauty.

70s B (part 2/4) The Beginning of the End Wiki Bahamian funk group from Nassau, formed in 1969 and disbanded in 1975 Fred Henfield no info available Frank "Bud" Munnings 11 Jul 1945 – 01 Jan 2001 (55) Leroy "Roy" Munnings 14 Mar 1944 – 21 Nov 2017 (73) Local obit Raphael "Ray" Munnings 07 Jul 1947 – Living 23/02/1974 Funky Nassau #31 Maggie Bell 12 Jan 1945 – Living Wiki UK rock singer-songwriter from Glasgow, Scotland, also co-lead vocalist of the blues group Stone the Crows 15/04/1978 Hazell #37 Theme to the television series Hazell Bell and James Wiki American soul duo from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania LeRoy Bell 08 Aug 1951 – Living Casey James 07 Jul 1951 – Living 31/03/1979 Livin' it Up (Friday Night) #59 Archie Bell & the Drells Wiki American R&B vocal group from Houston, Texas, formed in 1966 and disbanded in 1981 Archie Bell 01 Sep 1944 – Living Lee Bell 14 Jan 1946 – Living Willie Parnell 12 May 1945 – Living Mark Putney c. 1948 – Living James Wise 01 May 1948 – Living 07/10/1972 Here I Go Again #11 Originally released in 1969 27/01/1973 There's Gonna be a Showdown #36 Originally released in 1968 08/05/1976 The Soul City Walk #13 11/06/1977 Everybody Have a Good Time #43 NB: Can't find lineup clarification for this group. This source is the most detailed one I can find. Bellamy Brothers Wiki American country and pop duo from Pasco County, Florida David Bellamy 16 Sep 1950 – Living Howard Bellamy 02 Feb 1946 – Living 17/04/1976 Let Your Love Flow #7 21/08/1976 Satin Sheets #43 11/08/1979 If I Said You had a Beautiful Body Would You Hold it Against Me #3 David Bendeth 17 Jun 1954 – Living Wiki UK musician and record producer from Stoke Newington, London 08/09/1979 Feel the Real #44 Benelux and Nancy Dee Discogs Belgian/Luxembourgish/Dutch disco vocal trio, formed in 1979 and disbanded in 1980, lead singer Nancy Dee later had a solo career Nancy Dee 19 Dec 1949 – Living Marianne Iriks c. 1951 – Living Fiori Smid c. 1958 – Living 25/08/1979 Switch #52 Peter E. Bennett with the Co-operation Choir no info available Discogs UK singer from Ealing, London, accompanied by choir 07/11/1970 The Seagull's Name was Nelson #45 Gary Benson 1946 – Living Wiki UK singer and guitarist from London, real name Harry Hyams, appeared in the 1992 film Honeymoon in Vegas as an Elvis impersonator 09/08/1975 Don't Throw it All Away #20 George Benson 22 Mar 1943 – Living Wiki American soul, R&B and jazz singer-songwriter and guitarist from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 25/10/1975 Supership #30 Released as George "Bad" Benson 04/06/1977 Nature Boy #26 24/09/1977 The Greatest Love of All #27 31/03/1979 Love Ballad #29 Chuck Berry 18 Oct 1926 – 18 Mar 2017 (90) BBC obit Wiki American singer-songwriter and pioneer of rock and roll music from St. Louis, Missouri, inaugural inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, nicknamed the "Father of Rock N' Roll" 28/10/1972 My Ding-A-Ling #1 Features backing from two members of Average White Band 03/02/1973 Reelin' and Rockin' #18 Biddu Orchestra 08 Feb 1945 – Living Wiki Indian-born UK soul and disco producer from Bangalore who moved to the UK in 1967, full name Biddu Appaiah 02/08/1975 Summer of '42 #14 17/04/1976 Rainforest #39 11/02/1978 Journey to the Moon #41 Barry Biggs 31 Dec 1947 or 1953 – Living Wiki Jamaican reggae singer from Saint Andrew Parish, Surrey 28/08/1976 Work All Day #38 04/12/1976 Sideshow #3 23/04/1977 You're My Life #36 09/07/1977 Three Ring Circus #22 15/12/1979 What's Your Sign Girl #55 Ivor Biggun and the Red Nose Burglars 01 Jul 1946 – Living Wiki UK comedy musician and television journalist from Sheffield, West Riding of Yorkshire, more popularly known as Doc Cox 02/09/1978 The Winker's Song (Misprint) #22 Bilbo Wiki UK band from Edinburgh, Scotland, formed in 1972 and disbanded in 1979, named after Bilbo Baggins from The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books, they primarily supported the Bay City Rollers and shared manager Tam Paton Colin Chisholm 01 May 1953 – Living Jimmy Devlin 28 Nov 1952 – Living Gordon Liddle 19 April 1951 – Living Gordon McIntosh 10 Jan 1953 – 26 Feb 2021 (68) Local obit Brian Spence 07 Feb 1953 – Living 26/08/1978 She's Gonna Win #42 Mr. Acker Bilk, his Clarinet and Strings 28 Jan 1929 – 02 Nov 2014 (85) Guardian obit Wiki UK clarinettist and singer from Somerset, took up the clarinet whilst jailed in an army guardhouse in Egypt in 1947, awarded an MBE in 2001 21/08/1976 Aria #5 Bimbo Jet Wiki French euro disco duo Claude Morgan 1947 – Living Laurent Rossi 22 May 1948 – 20 Aug 2015 (67) Obit 26/07/1975 El Bimbo #12 Jane Birkin 14 Dec 1946 – 16 Jul 2023 (76) Guardian obit Wiki UK singer, actress and model from Marylebone, London, awarded an OBE in 2001 and Serge Gainsbourg 02 Apr 1928 – 02 Mar 1991 (62) NY Times obit Wiki French singer-songwriter, pianist and poet from Paris 07/12/1974 Je t'aime... moi non plus (re-release) #31 Elvin Bishop 21 Oct 1942 – Living Wiki American blues and rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, born in Glendale, California but raised in Elliott, Iowa then Tulsa, Oklahoma, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015 as a member of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band 15/05/1976 Fooled Around and Fell in Love #34 Features the uncredited lead vocal of Mickey Thomas of Starship Cilla Black 27 May 1943 – 02 Aug 2015 (72) Telegraph obit Wiki UK singer from Liverpool, discovered by Brian Epstein whilst working as a hat-check girl at The Cavern, became the most successful female singer of the Mersey boom, later presented television shows like Blind Date and Surprise Surprise, awarded an OBE in 1997 20/11/1971 Something Tells Me (Something's Gonna Happen Tonight) #3 09/02/1974 Baby We Can't Go Wrong #36 Black Gorilla Discogs German studio disco group Promotional members: John Barrow no info available Martin Day 195? – Living Denise Gleeson (aka Denise Holmes) 1955 – Living Martyn "Stalky" Gleeson Feb 1955 – Living St. Clair Harris no info available Dean Sargent 1960 – Living 27/08/1977 Gimme Dat Banana #29 NB: The record was put together in Germany by producers using session musicians, in the UK a band was put together to promote the record. On the cover there was about 9 of them but the ones listed above are the only ones I can find mentioned online. Black Lace Wiki UK pop and novelty band from Yorkshire, Barton died in March 1995 from injuries sustained in a tour bus crash during a hailstorm in Germany Alan Barton 16 Sep 1953 – 23 Mar 1995 (41) Independent obit Terry Dobson 19 Mar 1952 – Living Colin Gibb 08 Dec 1953 – 02 Jun 2024 (70) BBC obit Steve Scholey 28 Nov 1953 – Living 31/03/1979 Mary Ann #42 The UK's entry for the 1979 Eurovision Song Contest (finished seventh) Black Sabbath Wiki UK heavy metal band from Birmingham, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 Geezer Butler 17 Jul 1949 – Living Tony Iommi 19 Feb 1948 – Living Ozzy Osbourne 03 Dec 1948 – Living Bill Ward 05 May 1948 – Living 29/08/1970 Paranoid #4 03/06/1978 Never Say Die #21 14/10/1978 Hard Road #33 The Band of the Black Watch Discogs UK bagpipe band, part of the British Army infantry battalion known as The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland 30/08/1975 Scotch on the Rocks #8 13/12/1975 Dance of the Cuckoos (The Laurel & Hardy Theme) #37 The Blackbyrds Wiki American R&B and jazz-funk fusion group from Washington D.C., formed in 1973 Allan Barnes 27 Sep 1949 – 25 Jul 2016 (66) Local obit Donald Byrd 09 Dec 1932 – 04 Feb 2013 (80) Guardian obit Joe Hall 1954 – Living Pericles "Perk" Jacobs 1951 – Living Keith Killgo 30 Jan 1954 – Living Barney Perry 11 Feb 1953 – Living Kevin Toney 23 Apr 1953 – 18 Mar 2024 (70) Obit 31/05/1975 Walking in Rhythm #23 Blackfoot Sue Wiki UK pop rock band from Birmingham, formed in 1970, lead singer Tom Farmer and drummer Dave Farmer are twin brothers Dave Farmer 02 Mar 1952 – Living Tom Farmer 02 Mar 1952 – Living Eddie Golga 04 Sep 1951 – Living Alan Jones 05 Jan 1950 – Living 12/08/1972 Standing in the Road #4 16/12/1972 Sing, Don't Speak #36 Peter Blake 08 Dec 1948 – 21 Jul 2018 (69) Telegraph obit Wiki UK actor and singer from Selkirk, Scotland, known for his long standing association with the musical The Rocky Horror Show, which he appeared in over a thousand times between 1975 and 1994 08/10/1977 Lipsmackin' Rock 'n' Rollin' #40 Blondie Wiki American rock band from New York City, New York, formed in 1974 and disbanded in 1982 before reforming and making a comeback in 1997, lead singer Debbie Harry later had a successful solo career in music and occasionally acted on screen, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 Clem Burke 24 Nov 1954 – Living James Destri 13 Apr 1954 – Living Nigel Harrison 24 Apr 1951 – Living Debbie Harry 01 Jul 1945 – Living Frank Infante 15 Nov 1951 – Living Chris Stein 05 Jan 1950 – Living 18/02/1978 Denis #2 06/05/1978 (I'm Always Touched by Your) Presence, Dear #10 26/08/1978 Picture This #12 11/11/1978 Hanging on the Telephone #5 27/01/1979 Heart of Glass #1 19/05/1979 Sunday Girl #1 29/09/1979 Dreaming #2 24/11/1979 Union City Blue #13 Bloodstone Wiki American R&B, soul and funk group from Kansas City, Missouri, Durham died after being thrown off a horse in July 1973 before their single was released in the UK Willis Draffen 18 Mar 1945 – 08 Feb 2002 (56) FindAGrave memorial Roger Durham 14 Feb 1946 – 27 Jul 1973 (27) FindAGrave memorial Charles Love 18 Apr 1945 – 06 Mar 2014 (68) Mention of death Charles McCormick 08 May 1946 – 12 Apr 2022 (75) Obit Eddie Summers 23 Aug 1947 – 05 Apr 2022 (74) Obit Melvin Webb 29 Nov 1947 – 12 Nov 1982 (34) Mention of death Harry Williams 19 Jun 1944 – 22 Nov 2024 (80) Obit 18/08/1973 Natural High #40 Bobby Bloom 15 Jan 1946 – 28 Feb 1974 (28) FindAGrave memorial Wiki American pop and calypso singer-songwriter from Brooklyn, New York City, died in February 1974 after accidentally shooting himself whilst cleaning his gun 05/09/1970 Montego Bay #3 09/01/1971 Heavy Makes You Happy #31 Kurtis Blow 09 Aug 1959 – Living Wiki American rapper, singer-songwriter and record producer from Manhattan, New York City, now an ordained minister 15/12/1979 Christmas Rappin' #30

The opposite issue to be frank. I'll consider drawing my pension an achievement by historical standards in our family, if retirement age ends up being 70 by then.

Emperor Palpatine, because UNLIMITED POWERRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!1111

Reveals pancreatic cancer diagnosis at the funeral of Aretha Franklin..... https://metro.co.uk/2018/08/31/gladys-knight-reveals-she-has-pancreatic-cancer-at-aretha-franklins-funeral-7902098/ Edit: Mods can delete this thread - story has already changed to a denial!

If you want to do a bit of math for fun then you can add up the probability of each of the 50 people on the list to die at their current age that year (depending on gender) and then add that together to find out what the average amount of expected deaths would be if you just picked random people: https://www.ssa.gov/oact/STATS/table4c6.html

Great facts on Wikipedia:

Tony Scannell, who played DS Ted Roach in the best era of The Bill, reportedly dead aged 74.

tbf BBC comedy is fed by the British comic circuit which has been predominantly left wing since the 80s when Alexei Sayle and Ben Elton became the big names to gravitate around. (Arguably you could go back further - Monty Python was clearly left in its agenda at the time - although I'm thinking of when Ben Elton and co started to mock the Bernard Manning generation. Also Sayle is a funny fucker whereas Elton is a git, but I digress.) Last Leg spent equal amounts of time taking the pish out of Corbyn and Labour to be fair. There's not much politics to discuss right now except coronavirus. Not a fan of Kumar or the Mash, and not seen HIGNFY in yonks, although it did help launch the Mayoral career of the current PM! Maitlis expresses her opinion on twitter as much as Neil does and hosts the show which has been the Analysis and Opinions on the News show for as long as I can recall. Paxman couldn't go 5 minutes with giving us his views on the days news. Andrew Neil is the boss at these sorts of shows, yes, but he's 71 now and winding down. She's not on that level but is an improving interviewer and is better than the awful Emma Barnett (too Paxman), Andrew Marr (clearly fucked by that stroke) and Robert Peston (losing his mind on ITV) as the other much used political interviewers on TV at the moment. Also Kirsty Wark still presents Newsnight on a Friday iirc. Maitlis Monday and Tuesday, the dreadful Emma Barnett on Wednesday and Thursday and Wark on Friday nights, I think that's the current schedule. PS Kirsty Wark is 65 now!!!!!

Ubaidur Rahman Zia, Pakistani Islamic scholar who opposed extremism.

Ron Smith, father of Aston Villa manager Dean Smith, has died of coronavirus. He was 79. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/may/27/aston-villa-manager-dean-smiths-father-ron-dies-after-contracting-covid-19

Anton Kontra, a Hungarian-born, Scandinavian violinist, leader of the Kontra Quartet and concertmaster, has died. He was 88. (I'm not sure the URL of the death notice below pays him much respect, given his demise is paired with a music giveaway.) https://mailchi.mp/dacapo-records/violinist-anton-kontra-has-died-get-a-free-cd-with-carl-nielsen

Death Notice for Rose Stephenson (nee Asquith) aged 94, the daughter of Cyril Asquith, Baron Asquith of Bishopstone, who in turn was the youngest son of former PM Herbert Henry Asquith: http://announcements.telegraph.co.uk/deaths/242083/stephenson Married to John Stephenson, a former Lord Justice of Appeal who died in 1998. She's mentioned in most of the above Wiki links and also here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asquith_family And who says there isn't a class system and an Establishment.....

You're creating another monster.

Former Gloucestershire captain Tony Brown has died aged 83. Led the county to Gillette Cup victory in 1973, scoring 77*, he also took 1-33 and was man of the match.

An unverified claim if ever there was one. Oba Samuel Afolabi, the Onilua of Ilua in Kajola Local Government Area of Oyo State and its oldest monarch, has died. It's being asserted he was 141. It gets better. According to the obit, he's BELIEVED to be the oldest king in Oyo State. But I guess they're not sure. https://www.voiceairmedia.com/2020/05/oyo-oldest-monarch-has-died.html

Ah, so a place to reference the fact that actor John Carlisle of Omega Factor fame (and one of those "Oh that guy" faces from the 1970s) died in 2011 so far off the radar the only reference was the Equity magazine in late 2014! As you can see from his imdb, he managed to die completely off the radar despite the fact he was still acting at the time!

Imagine that conversation now. "Hi Aretha, sorry to hear you have end stage cancer, I know how you are feeling, having briefly had an easily treatable different cancer years ago. Oh, that's not making you feel better, is it?" "Hi, sorry to hear you are about to be executed, but I feel your pain, I once lost a pet gerbil as a kid. We share a similar pain..."