YoungWillz

Annabel, Dowager Countess Ferrers dies 7 years later, aged 89: http://announcements.telegraph.co.uk/deaths/238180/ferrers

One should always start Christmas Day off with some Bucks Fizz. Merry Christmas and happy holidays! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYDy4oSegNQ

Allee Willis, co-writer of the aforesaid Neutron Dance dies of a heart attack: https://metro.co.uk/2019/12/25/friends-theme-tune-writer-allee-willis-dies-heart-attack-aged-72-11958892/ Probably more famous for her work on I'll Be There For You by The Rembrandts and September and Boogie Wonderland for Earth, Wind and Fire.

Not now my dad's dead, thanks for the reminder.

Tough to pick a favourite Christmas song. Problem of being around a while. Christmas number ones are either notoriously populist or notoriously awful. So here's a list of favourites from through the years: Wombling Merry Christmas - The Wombles All I Want For Christmas Is You - Mariah Carey Driving Home For Christmas - Chris Rea A Spaceman Came Travelling - Chris De Burgh In Dulci Jubilo - Mike Oldfield Caravan Of Love - Housemartins Stay Another Day - East 17 Lonely This Christmas - Mud Sure I have missed a ton.

Recorded a while ago but found the 1979 Story Of TOTP interesting. There was dear old Chas Hodges chatting away, and Linda Nolan looking dirty healthy. Given it has been 40 years, from recollection not many fallers from the Top 30. And yes next year it will have been 40 years since 1980. Gaaaaaaawwwwd!!!!!

They'll be named in a couple of Sheikhs....

Yes I do. I also pick people who the Committee could have picked so the Shadow is a fair representation of comparison. These folk with 18-20+ hits on their "Shadowlist" should take a long hard look at their picks. Otherwise it's not a Shadowlist, it's "my 50 vs Committee's 50 but I don't have to obey the Committee's rules" list.

My first couple of years were awful Uncy Bulgaria. Think it takes time to settle into the rhythm of things. I'll have been here 5 years in January and still no paddle in the Orinoco. I guess it's knowing when to listen and when to go off and do your own thing. I disregard 90 percent of the noise, because most of the folk mentioned mean nothing to me. And death is nothing without meaning.

Decided on my Nifty Fifty for 2020. My list does not include Prince Pip, however, he might make it if one of my current batch drops before 2020. Will be posted here on Jan 1.

Well, Mr Britton opens the gap wider. At least I beat the Committee last year, their revenge has been swift and merciless. YW - 10; DL- 13.

That's yer lot. 1st death of 2020 is the next one.

Great Britain loses a Great Britton, and Tony's death was only predicted by Yorkshire Banker who jumps up a couple of spots. No bonuses, leaderboard updated.

Have I managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory with Britton's death? I bloody knew it, didn't I say? Come on I need an Ed Asner to help me out in a week or so...

Report of the death of gay porn director William Higgins: http://www.back2stonewall.com/2019/12/legendary-gay-porn-director-william-higgins-has-passed-away-at-age-74.html Now that's a big name in that world.

Of course, the biggest question surrounding the 2020 competition is - will there finally be a hit on the DDP on 29 February?

Can always dive in and edit if there's major changes. Threads in previous years were opened much earlier. I am fairly confident my grades won't change much between now and 2020.

"Peters has scored, Peters has scored!" Gooseberry Crumble and Sean hit the back of the net with Martin Peters. Sean moves up a little in the standings. No Bonuses. Great Uncle Bulgaria had Peters as a sub, brings him onto the field drawing the Q Hearts for 12 Points added. Leaderboard updated.

Martin Peters cross-post from everywhere: https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/breaking-martin-peters-dead-england-21142188

Huzzah for the hand wringing! Here I go: DDP (1) 12 Lords A-Leaving, 8 Ladies Dying: Only 4 deaths in a year when I picked the sickest folk I could think of. Poor compared with last year's 9 hits. I get worse. D+. (Last Year: B). DDP (2) Comedy Cremations: Three hits, again steady but down on 2018. Doing it for giggles it seems. C. (Last Year: B-). DDP (3) Hits of 36 Years Ago and Hits Today: For the fourth year in a row, one hit. Again, there have been several fallers, most of which I couldn't have seen coming. 1984 will be the year of death for some family faves next year. E- (Last Year: E-) Hartlepool: Improved with my top two dying, but nobody else. Hey, I'm not last. D- (Last Year: F+.) Hare's Pool: Three hits on my Dr Who Themed Team. Pat Gorman's surprise 2018 death unannounced cost me my Joker though. I'll be sticking with the format going forward, because with the Doctor, there's always Time to improve. C-. (Last Year: D). Death By Numbers: Fifth of the 50 dead including Joker, not bad. B+ (Last Year B). Inverse DP: Worst performance placing several youngish but eventually dead folks high. Given the high number of folk I didn't pick also dying, could have been worse. D. (Last Year: B+.) Scavenger Hunt: One that finished remained on two hits so grade for that remains a C. On the ongoing one, again two hits. Remarkably consistent. Current grade C Generation Game: Steady progress again. Entered this pool under the original rule of BBC Obit requirements, so later entrants had/have an advantage when the obit requirements were relaxed. 4 hits in 2019 so slight decrease in the hit rate. B (Last Year: B+). Windy City: 2018/19 ended up a slight improvement on the previous year so stick with the grade given A-. Close to that already for 2019/20 but so far still down so provisionally B+ (Last Year: A-). ABC: 2018/19 got 5 right. Strong showing in the early part of 2019 saved me from humiliation. Have to upgrade the previous year's provisional grade from a F to a D. Struggling for the current year with only one dead so it's a provisional F. Again! Grammys: Now really close to winning a category. Is anyone but me bothering with this? Anyway, it's a rolling pool so upgrading from E- to D-. Shadowlist: 9 hits, about average for me but slightly down on 2018, D-. (Last Year: D). Midsummer: My pick lives to this day, then earlier this month he's sentenced to death in absentia. But still alive. Unawarded. (Last Year: Unawarded.) Advent Avalanche: Due to my personal circumstances could not enter. Course Not Taken. (Last Year: Unawarded-). Poker: Once again I've outperformed last year already, but not hopeful that the next few days will bring much else. D (Last Year: D-). Deathlist Cup: After a valiant run in 2018, 2019 returned to form by being kicked out first round. F (Last Year: B). DL Prediction: Actually ended up doing quite well in the prediction stakes, but had my arse well and truly kicked by the Committee overall. However a good result on the game. B- (Last Year: D). Silver Screen: Nothing and looks like the game will end before I hit. F- (Last Year: Unawarded.) Correctlist: On top for months. Looks like I'll win. Maybe. Maybe not. Don't care. Ok I do care. Anyway, whatever happens it's my best performance in a death pool so whatever happens it's an A++. (No DP for Last Year). Joker DP: Re-entered after a hiatus, 9 hits, pretty poor but who knows where we stand as the leaderboard hasn't been updated for an eternity. I'm giving myself a D-. (Last Year: Course Not Taken) Soap DP: One solitary hit out of 10. Think it's about par for the course for most entrants, so a C. (No DP for Last Year).

Not really. I remember the Christmas massacre of 2016. I've got a feeling that if Poitier doesn't snuff it in the next few days, someone else will and I'll be done. Prince Pip being the number one contender at present. Anyhow, if I do make it, it'll be my first victory on a death pool ever. (Come on you Jags!)

And good for them say I! Huzzah for the Committee!

Well done Joey, thanks!

Both McKennas bookending the year. Sad.