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Didn't even make a month. Ted Toleman died of heart failure this morning in the Philippines. https://autosport.nl/klasse/nieuws/39057/in-memoriam-ted-toleman https://www.oldracingcars.com/driver/Ted_Toleman

From the Ideas and Possibilities for 2024 thread: William J. Byron dead at 96.

Friday is Day 103 of the year In 2020 the official list got its 8th hit It is also the average day for the 4th hit to fall on. So if Jimmy (or one of his 46 pals) can't deliver by Friday we will be in a below average year

...suggesting, in fact, that it's not "on the path to be one of the worst years ever". Don't let your death-related blue balls get in the way of making any sense. Bit of patience.

Jaime de Armiñán is a hit for @WEP: https://www.elmundo.es/cultura/cine/2024/04/10/6616519621efa0ed638b45a3.html

Jack Alabaster, New Zealand leggie who played 21 tests, has died aged 93.

OK. I've been doing some number and date crunching and seeing what Sunak's options are for calling a General election and when the starting gun will go.. As of week beginning 8th April 2024, if the PM was to announce a GE then it would take place on 23rd May. Curiously one of the statutes maintained from the Fixed Term Parliament Act 2011 was the retention of the 25 working days until Polling Day. This was increased from 18 (used to be 17 before that) up to the 2010 GE. Gordon Brown announced the election on 6th April, Parliament was dissolved on 12th April and the election took place 30 days after the announcement - a gap of time that will not be repeated I'd imagine for some time to come. When Parliament is in session, then time is given for any legislation that could be passed to go through the house, any loose ends to be tied up and for any departing MPs to have their final speech or whatever before dissolution (Parliament is more often than not prorogued (put in stasis basically) a few days before actual dissolution. With that in mind, I would say there would be approximately 6 weeks from announcement until the election give or take a day or two. There could be an exception when Parliament is in recess (I'll get to that bit). So here is the timetable to keep an eye on (up until Summer Recess): W/B 15/04/24 ----- 30/05/24 W/B 22/04/24 ----- 06/06/24 (D-Day, as I've mentioned before, could be an awkward date that one) W/B 29/04/24 ----- 13/06/24 (week of the Local Elections) W/B 06/05/24 ----- 20/06/24 (brief recess - May holiday) W/B 13/05/24 ----- 27/06/24 Anything after this and we into summer holiday time. There hasn't been a July election since 1945 (July 5th). Parliament's summer recess begins on 24th July, lasting until 1st September. A recess may also cool down any attempts by his party to unseat him. Now, if there is any opportunity for Sunak to perhaps catching the opposition on the hop, it might be here. He could conceivably call an election say in the middle of August, and as Parliament wouldn't need to be recalled, he could get away with a swift announcement-cum-dissolution with a gap of barely 5 weeks, so he could go on holiday, come back and announce sometime in the week beginning 12th August for an election to be held on 19th September. Admittedly there has never been an election held in September since the single day election was introduced in 1918. However there is much to be said for a September poll: The weather is often usually good and other countries (such as Germany) regularly hold elections in this month. So 19th/26th September are viable options. As would 3rd/10th October. Any further down the line and then the party conferences come into view. Liberal Democrats hold theirs on 14th September, Labour on 22nd, Tories 29th. If there are to be scrapped in favour of a poll (covering 17th/24th October) then he'll have to head for the Palace in the first week or so of September. If Sunak waits until just after the Tory conference he could be storing himself for trouble, as I'll get down to in a bit... Let's discuss a couple of events that are covered in this time period (it's trivial but worth a mention). The first is the Euros, which take place from 14th June to 14th July. Now as mentioned earlier, July polls are no-no (likely) but there could still be one held while the tournament is taking place. Both England and Scotland are talking part with t he former very strongly favoured to win the thing. Now would the PM be tempted to ride on the back of football-based euphoria he may take heed of the lesson of Harold Wilson. Wilson also tried to catch Heath on the hop by declaring an earlier than expected election for June 18th 1970, while England were defending their World crown in Mexico. Of course it all ended in disaster for Sir Alf Ramsey & Harold as England were knocked out by West Germany four days before the poll. Now I'm nor saying it was "Der Bomber" that won it for Ted Heath but has been suggested that it did perhaps darken the mood in the run up to polling day (as did the trade figures released that week - different times, no one gives a monkeys about that sort of thing now). Another event this summer is the Olympic Games (incidentally the 1964 games in Tokyo took place while the election was on) which take place from July 26th to August 11th. Again, I don't think this will have much of an impact on national morale, although Team GB have done rather well in recent games history... So what is this trouble Sunak might get himself into? The final event which I will cover - the US Presidential Election to held on November 5th. If I was Sunak, I'd be very wary of holding a UK General Election anywhere near this date. If Biden wins, there may not be much difference to the British electorate. But if Trump wins, yes maybe the right might be galvanised but I think there will be the opposite effect: The left/centre-left/centrist/moderates may be enraged enough to wreak righteous revenge on the Tories by any means through the ballot boxes (tactical voting) and they would have to wait a mere 2 (or 9) days to do just that. Could get way with 21st November. After that, the clock is ticking. The public weren't all that keen on a December poll in 2019 and as for January 23rd - a Christmas campaign? To probably mis-quote Lord Hailsham he have to be stark raving bonkers to call an election for that time. In conclusion for gaming purposes I'm sticking with my initial 17th October prediction but considering the possibilities outlined herein, the late June/late September/early October are most realistic options.

Will there be a Mass at his funeral?

10/Apr/2024 63 Manic Street Preachers — Your Love Alone Is Not Enough 61 Mark Ronson ft. Amy Winehouse — Valerie +2 59 Corinne Bailey Rae — Put Your Records On +2 41 The Killers — When You Were Young 39 Plain White T’s — Hey There Delilah 35 Kate Nash — Foundations 30 Gwen Stefani ft. Akon — The Sweet Escape -6

Only go for it if you're absolutely sure you can nail the proper cor blimey guvnah mockney accent.

I feel so sorry for trans people in the UK. Within a few short years the Uk has gone from being liberal to being as anti trans as the southern USA. Both the Tories and Labour have nearly identical policies.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/27216094/liza-minnelli-frail-wheelchair-reclusive-star-health-issues/ New pics and she looks even frailer.

Following the latest shenanigans, the Government should be banned from using mobiles.

Obit.

John Allen Fraser, a federal Canadian politician who served as the Speaker of the House of Commons from 1986 to 1993, has died. He was 92. Fraser was a Progressive Conservative MP from 1972 to 1993. He was the first speaker elected by secret ballot. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/john-fraser-former-speaker-dies-1.7168762

Dave Mehmet was born in Camberwell and died aged 63, His clubs included Millwall, Charlton Athletic, and Gillingham, where he made over 130 Football League appearances. In 2008, he was appointed manager of Fisher Athletic, he also coached Croydon, among other teams,Millwall have said their players will wear black armbands in tonight's match against Leicester City. https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/sport/tributes-paid-to-former-gillingham-player-mehmet-304743/

BuffaloPhil subtracted 7 from Gwen Stefani, so it should be on 44 Gwen Stefani ft. Akon - The Sweet Escape Please would the next person to post use this score.

Ok, you know you're living in a dystopia when half of Count Binface's London Mayoral Manifesto sounds perfectly reasonable. #votebinface

It's official, John Tinniswood is the oldest man in the world recognized by the GWR, he was an accountant for Shell and BP in his life and retired in 1972, and his diet consists of fish and chips every Friday, he born in Liverpool and lives at The Hollies nursing home in Southport, Merseyside. In the Second World War, Tinniswood's limited vision confined him to an administrative role within the Royal Army Pay Corps. John Tinniswood (1912-Presente) - Página 2 - O Clube 110 (the110club.com)

Juliet isn't black though, she is Italian. So it would make sense for her to be (or look) Italian. Otherwise its like making Mogli from the Jungle Book Swedish, deliberate inaccuracy for the sake of diversity. Also who exactly is this helping? All black people? Seems kinda patronising tbh.

Just added Terry-Thomas to the list. Not somebody who I ever in a million years thought would have a living spouse!

If only he had hung on for two more weeks, I reckon it would have been in the bag. Or at least they could have waited a week or so before they had that wild funeral for him which was streamed on the internet.

Keith Richards....will He Make It To 2112?

While taking the wean to school, I can confirm I did not see Clarke Carlisle out and about Glasgow.