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This is an ad on my timeline: While folk can barely make ends meet, this is symptomatic of the wealthy disconnect that says avoid paying tax. You know, the tax that would pay for better schools, hospitals, slash waiting lists, install decent border controls and defend the nation against foreign warmongers.

Stefan Abdzhiev dead at 89.

As roughly 10,000 people have joked on XformerlyknownasTwitter, "looks like Cheltenham finally finished off Alan Brazil"

Hope you're sitting down...

Report of the death of Grant Page, actor and stuntman: Mad Max and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome stunt co-ordinator among his extensive resume on IMDB. Makes a cameo appearance in Blur's M.O.R. video:

I was reading some discussions of this years Oscars ceremony elsewhere on the Internet and a few people pointed out that Warren Beatty was not with his Oscar nominated wife Annette Benning at the ceremony. Might be something. Might be nothing but definitely worth mentioning.

Gerald M. Levin, a visionary executive at HBO who would later become the architect of the disastrous merger of AOL and Time Warner, has died. He was 84. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/gerald-levin-dead-architect-aol-time-warner-merger-1235852261/

Michael Caine and Quincy Jones are 91. ...and both of them were in Austin Powers in Goldmember.

14/Mar/2024 32 Gorillaz — Feel Good Inc. +1 29 U2 — City Of Blinding Lights +1 29 The Libertines — Can’t Stand Me Now 28 Jojo — Leave (Get Out) 27 Daniel Powter — Bad Day 26 Manic Street Preachers — The Love Of Richard Nixon +1 25 Coldplay — Speed Of Sound +1 25 Razorlight — Somewhere Else 25 Manic Street Preachers — Empty Souls 25 Girls Aloud — The Show 24 Kylie Minogue — I Believe In You 23 Robbie Williams — Tripping 23 Rihanna — Pon De Replay 23 Rachel Stevens — Some Girls 23 Kanye West ft. Jamie Foxx — Gold Digger 22 Girls Aloud — Love Machine 22 Destiny’s Child — Lose My Breath 21 Christina Milian — Dip It Low 21 Sean Paul — We Be Burnin’ 20 D12 — My Band 20 Jamelia — Thank You 20 Charlotte Church — Crazy Chick 19 Ashanti — Only U 19 Kelis — Trick Me 18 Mariah Carey — We Belong Together 18 Oasis — Let There Be Love 18 Kelis — Milkshake 15 Ice Cube ft. Mack10 & Ms. Toi — You Can Do It -3 14 Snoop Dogg, Charlie Wilson & Justin Timberlake — Signs -3

I had a letter from her today - well, not her personally but on her behalf. It was to thank me for something we did locally to mark her birthday (9 January). Letter was dated 23 Feb so it must have fallen down behind the throne or summat. I think it must have been composed even earlier as it wished us a Happy New Year.

It always cracks me up how drol is so pissed off when someone survives.

Adventure and war novelist Brian Callison died 5 February 2024 according to this Scotsman Obit: https://www.scotsman.com/news/people/scotsman-obituaries-brian-callison-author-of-acclaimed-adventure-novels-4552795 Some of his works were highly praised by Alastair MacLean and Dick Francis. And hey, at time of writing, his Wiki remains showing him as alive.

Also mundane cars like the first generation Volkswagen Polo, and Citroën BX. We had two of those. The closest thing to a Countach I would ever have....

Vitaly Robertus, vice president of Russian oil giant Lukoil, dead at either 53 or 54. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/26672076/russian-tycoon-dies-suddenly-oil-company/

Neophyte has died, according to this: https://m.novinite.com/articles/224834/Shocking+News%3A+Bulgarian+Patriarch+Neophyte+Has+Passed+Away Not sure I would call it 'shocking' news.

Bill Plummer, who played 367 games for the Cincinnati Reds between 1968 and 1978 and was best known as the backup to Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench during 'Big Red Machine' years of the 70s, has died. He was 76. https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/mlb/reds/2024/03/13/bill-plummer-big-red-machine-backup-catcher-cincinnati-reds-dies-at-76/72953857007/

Tommy Duncan, former outside left for Airdrie who became manager of Queens Park, reportedly dead:

It's not Liz McColgan, is it?

Bulgarian Georgi Popov, who participated in the 1970 WC, has died aged 79. He played two games, against Peru and Morocco.

Jesus. I haven't seen play like that since my schooldays in Glasgow! Of course, the Glasgow games make that look tame. Lawdy.

'Health update' from David Jason. Moving well, but not saying anything.

As expected, a full Telegraph obituary came.

First I've heard...March has been the slayer of celebrities. For some reason, I liked him better in The Two Ronnies, although in solo work Ronnie Barker was a giant in my opinion. This is another one that hurts. Many thanks for giving us your talent sir, so sorry the world doesn't have you in it any more. RIP.