Anubis the Jackal

Let's face it, he was never going to make old bones, but he looked fit as a fiddle when I saw them a year or so back. Did he die of cramp? That's a shock, I must say... Pre-existing heart condition was the cause of death. I don't think any death has hit me this badly since Joey, Johnny and Dee Dee Ramone died. Some reports are saying that Lux was 60 and others are saying that he was 62. Possibly soon we'll find out his actual age.

Aribert Heim, an inspired unique pick by myself in the 2007 DDP has in fact been dead since 1992. Hopefully it was a very painful death

This being my point. The English Revolution was the point at which ordinary people at last started to matter, yes even if the leaders and beneficiaries were the gentry. See The Putney Debates where the rank and file of the New Model Army were allowed to discuss how the new society would develop.

"The Scots...?" What all of them, or just those few who were fortunate enough to be granted titles by the Monarch?

Or...defended the bravest social revolution to date against mercenaries paid by reactionaries. Anyway, James I (or VI) was ruler of Scotland, England and Ireland, so invasion is far too harsh a word.

Possibly the greatest day in British history. I intend raising a glass to Mr Cromwell tonight.

I'm not a particular fan of Zappa, but what I do know is that he was 100% anti-drugs. His strangest and 'furthest-out' 1960's stuff was intended to send up the whole drug-culture.

He was/is a great popular figurehead to base a peaceful revolution around, but was never really cut out to be a global statesman, even before the CIA leaned on him (eg for wanting to appoint Frank Zappa as an adviser to his government)

"Zut Alors!" "Retournez enculer les mouches" and other gallic curses to you!

No offence meant or hopefully taken, Mary. To be honest it was only an excuse to give the phrase 'ululating unihoof' possibly its only ever outing. Lovely bit of youtubery, Harry, but I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking that the phrase 'Solid Air' does sound a little bit like an accidental follow-through.

Curse you, you Cumbrian Cur! It was this update that knocked the ululating unihoof out of the hopping running for my DDP2009 team.

So he really was on his last leg then.

Ironically, Peter Falk can remember being Spain's Prime Minister.

Bill Bruford, Tedious Timekeeper for Pantomime Prog Piss-stains, Yes is to retire from public performance. Whether this is due to health reasons is not known as yet, but may be worth keeping an eye on.

OK, seeing as it's 2008 in the Antipodes, let's get the ball rolling, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Son and grandson of murder victims. OK, so he's probably safe at Oxford for the moment, but I for one wouldn't want to do his job.

Ta for the recommendation 12trees, but that's a tome I know well! You might be interested in David Frith's book 'By Their Own Hand - a Study of Cricket's Suicides'. Some tragic tales to cheer you through the Winter evenings.

Some interesting stuff on Bill Frindalls' blog at the Beeb Q. I notice that you often refer to the method or location of death of cricketers. Is this an interest? What is the most unusual method of death for a first-class cricketer? sirianblog Bearders' Answer: When I compiled my Index of Test Cricketers for 'The Wisden Book of Test Cricket' series, I included their places of birth and, where appropriate, death. In researching my 'England Test Cricketers' I found that fate had dealt a surprising number with bizarre and unusual ends. My favourites include: crushed by a crane loading sugar aboard the SS Muriel (Charlie Absolom); in a mud hut after falling off a cart and being interred in a coffin made from whisky cases (Monty Bowden); as he was putting on his boots to go to work (Johnny Tyldesley); from pneumonia contracted while watching Yorkshire play at Sheffield (George Ulyett); from septicaemia after falling on a dance floor ('Dodger' Whysall).

Might be more to do with being unable to string a sentence together without dropping into Valley Girl speak.

Thanks for that detailed clarification, DDT. There's certainly no copt-out from you when it comes to elderly churchmen Just to clarify,he was the leader of the Catholic Copts, not to be confused with the Coptic Orthodox Church,headed by Pope Shenouda III,or the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate, headed by Pope-Patriarch Theodoros II.

Total German dead....0

Coming from Kent, I know there's not much for it to be proud of. I see the "Shame of Lincolnshire" used the "Pride of Kent"

For what it's worth, apparently Paul E. Normous, a wrestler who appeared in that god-awful new Mickey Rourke flick has been counted out for the last time.

Well, our BBC4 expert mentioned this some time back. Could he...perish the thought.

It will be a very slow cremation, turning the corpse round for hours at a temperature not quite hot enough to kill off the salmonella and listeria from the funeral directors unwashed hairy hands. "Which casket would you like mrs Aygun?" " Could we have the solid oak Regencey with a laminated hardwood base please?" "Chilli Sauce and salad?"

Interesting... the mid-January Llewellyn/Mortimer/Hart trifecta with the Morph-wrangler as my joker has hoist me up to second behind our new-found Russian chum. As ever, it's a good start for me which is bound to go into a mid-season slump and tail-off into mediocrity.