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He's my MP. Can confirm. There is a reason local residents call him Absent Adam. Not had anything through the post though about elections coming up (I vote by post).

Two teams submitted, and I don't think I'm giving much away when I reveal my theme team is all Rons again!

I sent in my teams a few hours ago. Good luck to everyone.

Maria Riva, the only child of the charismatic star of screen and stage, Marlene Dietrich, who was born in Berlin, Germany, as Maria Elisabeth Sieber, is 98 today. Dick Van Dyke, the distinguished American actor, who began his phenomenal career as an entertainer on radio and television, in nightclubs, and on the Broadway stage, is 97 today.

David Broome is a show jumper, not a jockey.

Random list of more ancient people you (very likely) didn't know existed until now. Finnish musicians/singers born in/before 1937: Tuomas Haapanen (wikidata) - 1924-2024, ancient violin guy, WWII veteran and emeritus professor who has trained multiple much more known violinists. Hilkka Kinnunen - born 1925, opera singer and prima donna. Still very active but 97, might want to pick her somewhere in case the Telegraph person with an opera obsession Ulitzer mentioned a while ago knows about her. Konsta Häkkälä (wikidata) - 1926-2021, bass singer and "the deepest voice in the Nordics" Jukka Ollila (wikidata) - born 1926, accordion master with a career spanning over 83 years. His YouTube account. Meri Louhos (wikidata) - born 1927, pianist and piano teacher. Veikko Ahvenainen (wikidata) - born 1929, accordionist who performed with Olavi Virta. Still performing and doesn't look his age. Jukka Haavisto - born 1930, jazz vibraphonist and accordionist. Stopped performing in 2020 due to lyme disease complications. Raimo Virtanen (wikidata) - born 1930, accordionist, pianist and keyboardist. Pertti Metsärinne (wikidata) - born 1930, bandleader, pianist and trumpet player who worked with Juha "Watt" Vainio. Kalle Kaartinen (wikidata) - born 1930, jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, jingle composer, performed with Olavi Virta, Lasse Liemola and others. Veikko Huuskonen (wikidata) - born 1930, accordionist and composer. Matti Tuloisela (wikidata) - born 1931, opera singer, bass-baritone. Erkki Rautio (wikidata) - born 1931, cello master Keijo Louna (wikidata) - born 1931, accordionist Sven Nygård (wikidata) - born 1931, jazz saxophonist, composer. Ritva Auvinen (wikidata) - born 1932, soprano singer Teuvo Ihanus (wikidata) - 1932-2023, accordionist and composer Unto Haapa-aho (wikidata) - born 1932, spelman, jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, violinist, etc Erkki Eskelinen (wikidata) - born 1932, director musices, trumpetist and accordionist Ilkka Kuusisto - born 1933, composer and musician. Father of Jaakko Kuusisto (1974-2022) Esa Laukka (wikidata) - born 1933, schlager singer of Four Cats Pekka Salomaa (wikidata) - born 1933, opera baritone Vieno Kekkonen - born 1934, schlager singer, breast cancer and fall in 2019 Wiola Talvikki - born 1934, jazz singer Paavo Pohjola - born 1934, violinist Juhani Aaltonen - born 1935, jazz saxophonist and flautist Esko Jurvelin - born 1935, tenor Tutta Jew - born 1935, 50s jazz schlager singer Veikko Höylä - born 1935, cellist Izumi Tateno - born 1936, Japanese-born pianist. Major stroke in 2002. Matti Heinivaho - born 1936, 50s and 60s singer Reijo Viita - born 1936, 60s and 70s schlager singer who often performed with Kullervo Linna (1911-1987) Kalevi Nyqvist - born 1936, accordionist Tauno Satomaa - born 1936, head of the candomino choir Lasse Liemola - born 1937, legendary 50s-60s rock'n'roll teen idol, "how still alive" name Marjatta Leppänen - born 1937, singer/actress, big name in the 70s. Kai Lind - born 1937, decrepit singer of Four Cats Ritva Kinnunen - born 1937, singer, decrepit elder sister of the legendary Laila Kinnunen (1939-2000) Pentti Mutikainen - born 1937, jazz musician with a great moustache Continuing later from 1935 to add all the other 800 accordionists. Done

Ashes to ashes......

Basically an American Leslie Phillips ie used to be very active for their age but is now very, very old and frail and so isn't anymore.

Malaysian billionaire and founder of Public Bank Berhad Teh Hong Piow, mentioned or picked here somewhere a few times before, dead at 92.

Bob Moog apparently has an inoperable brain tumor. The man is a genius, and I for one am sorry to hear this news. (Buy the Bob Moog Doll!)

Thomas Markle can't watch some Harry and Meghan show because he's still "recovering from his stroke" and watching it could be bad for his health. I don't think he'll make it to 80.

Tracy Hitchings, vocalist of the neo-prog band Landmarq, has died as confirmed by the band's official facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/landmarqtheband/posts/pfbid0jr94EU3BUZLZJa5rBG5HfqPVSL2P4fkCBLrN8JxeGBjRiu533742ynxbcn5DCMZ6l

Tony Hill, guitarist and vocalist who formed the band High Tide with Simon House who went on to Hawkwind, reportedly dead:

Hope I'm not on either of these!!!

Miodrag Ješić died at the age of 58 in a car accident, (in 2001 his daughter Jelena also died for the same reason at the age of 19) scored 2 goals for his national team (Yugoslavia), played for Partizan, Altay (TUR) and Trabzonspor (TUR), coached several clubs, including Cska Sofia (Bul), Partizan (SER), Sfaxien (TUN), Litex (BUL), Al Ettifaq (SAU), his last club was Al Shoulla (SAU) where he stayed from July 7 to September 29, 2022, being fired after 5 matches. https://glossy.espreso.co.rs/poznati/porodica/211699/miodrag-jesic-smrt-cerke

Bert Lahr died on this day 55 years ago, aged 72. Lahr was born in NYC as Irving Lahrheim to Jewish immigrants from Germany. In 1910, Lahr dropped out of school to perform in vaudeville, and he made his Broadway debut in 1927. Lahr's film career began in 1931 with an adaptation of Flying High, reprising the role he played on the Broadway play the film was based on. In 1938, Lahr signed up to his most famous role- the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz. It used real lion fur, and with how the lighting was used, this caused the costume to become quite hot. Lahr would often ad-lib his lines, leading to scenes needing to be reshot due to his costars laughing (particularly Judy Garland). Lahr would continue to work on Broadway, and would make appearances on television in the 1950s and 60s- as the mystery guest in a 1956 episode of What's My Line, and starring in commercials for Lay's potato chips where he would be dressed in a different costume each time- ranging from the Devil to George Washington to Julius Caesar. Lahr's cause of death has been contested- his son John said that he died from cancer that he never knew he had, while the official death certificate listed it as pneumonia that was possibly caused due to damp conditions at the studio he was filming his latest movie (The Night They Raided Minsky's). The film was completed by using his body double, Joey Faye.

Unfortunately not. That's the 2nd time this year one of my subs has bit the dust.

Touché...

Very sad day for Detroit sports fans :*-( RIP Mr Hockey. To think we lost Ali and Howe, two sports mega legends, inside of a week.... SirC

Speaking of proggers and the like writing beautiful music; I'm sure I've bored the assembled masses hereabouts before but... That gorgeous little piano melody that leads to the joke about 'Lick my Love Pump' in the Spinal Tap movie; that was written by Jon Lord.

He was only given his knighthood at the beginning of the year. Is this significant? Do they rush through honours for people who may not be expected to last much longer? I remember Robert Stephens got his less than a year before he died. John Hurt anyone?

Indeed. I have what I'm 95% sure is a unique pick and I'm repeatedly refreshing his Facebook fanpage to see if he's going to make it to the start line. Ray Collins, original vocalist for the Mothers of Invention, has caused me to go back to my Google Document notes file swearing aged 75. Death is indeed a bastard...

Judging by Minnie and Pluto's expressions, Lucas and Mickey had to wipe the 'brown stuff' off their Sabres before the photo... That's Goofy, dude.

....And she is famous for what, exactly?

From the title of his new book it doesn't like Andy Ripley is going to be leaving us any time soon.