YoungWillz

Guenter Grass, author of The Tin Drum, dies at 87. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-3036675/Germanys-Guenter-Grass-author-The-Tin-Drum--dies-87.html

I'll be controversial and go for May 2nd at 15:35 hours. I'll say it's a boy and they will name him Philip. Their nickname for him will be Dumpling. Think that covers it.

With Middleton about to drop the spare, are we having a sweep?

Jin Youzhi at last: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-3035763/Brother-Chinas-emperor-dies-aged-96.html Edit: the updated Mail page: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3035940/Brother-China-s-final-emperor-Qing-dynasty-dies-Beijing-aged-96.html

Posted over at Dead of 2015, Viv Nicholson has died at age 79. Cross her off (fnah fnah). http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-32275463

Chris "Hawkbeard" Hawkins death at 63 reported. http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/apr/12/chris-hawkins-obituary

Spend Spend Spend pools winner Viv Nicholson dies. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-32275463

Edna Morlok, one of the famed Morlok Quadruplets who were entertainers, who were listed (maybe once) in the Guiness Book of Records as the oldest surviving quads, has died at 84. Only one, Sarah Morlok Cotton, now survives. http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2015/04/11/morlok-quadruplet-dies-age/25646001/

70 years ago, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 32nd President of the USA.

Dr Levi Watkins Jr, who created the system which would allow detection of ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia, has died at the age of 70. http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2015/04/11/tsu-alumnus-medical-pioneer-levi-watkins-dies/25657237/ Edit: Close to some people's hearts....cheque please.

Thank you very much, YoungWillz! But I can't believe that this ist "the only official" UK orbit. Why are there no orbituaries on other news sites? Some are almost instantaneous, either because they are currently in the news or they are instantly recognisable, or even because they have been suffering an illness for some time and the stories/obits are pre-written. Others take a little longer because they need to be looked out and updated, or independently verified. I assume we shall see more formal obits rather than announcements in the days to come.

I was thinking about her too, she looks very well for 96 though. Happy 101st birthday to Gretel Bergmann. http://www.smh.com.au/world/gretel-bergmann-the-worldclass-jewish-athlete-nazi-germany-couldnt-hold-down-20150411-1mgh22.html

Barbara Bergmann, economist, emeritus professor at both American University and the University of Maryland and co-founder of the International Association for Feminist Economics, has died at 87. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/12/business/barbara-bergmann-trailblazer-for-study-of-gender-in-economics-is-dead-at-87.html?_r=0

Hassan Issengar, Moroccan athlete, killed in the Morocco coach crash. He was 43. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/morocco-coach-crash-least-40-5491566

I am the only one who finds the concept of heart attacks disturbing,think about it you could suddenly die at any moment of heart failure. Anyway I am rambling and off topic but my heart goes out to his family and friends. I had a mild heart attack a f ew weeks ago.Didn't want to worry anyone here by mentioning it at t he time Take all the help you can get. And follow the guidance...I feel like a 20 year old again...sadly, they won't look at me, gordamit!

Ok, just like to comment on Cameron's planned announcement to raise the inheritance tax threshold: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-32271505 Sounds good, doesn't it? Until you read this story from 2013, when they were planning IHT freeze to pay for social care: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21399751 So are they abandoning their plan? Who knows? Looks like you will be able to live in your house, but you'll be lucky to get a five minute bed bath a day when you're ill, frail etc., never mind a hot meal or assistance to the loo. Nice.

^^ Hopefully not. Makes you think though....forgetting terrorism in this context (which is ideological in its randomness of fatality), the recognition of mental health issues, not just by the politicians, but the general public at large is still largely the sadness of our country, no matter how many announcements on policy are made just before a General Election. Yep, there will always be those who fall through the net, but all these years later, we don't seem to have learned that you can't just ban, or restrict the use of, the weapon without catering for not only the physical but mental well being of the masses.

Dunno, think those 16 kids with bullet holes in their abdomens might have been the start of that curse. UK hasn't had a good massacre in ages...possibly as a result of the above, so some good came of it. I remember it well. What exactly would constitute a bad massacre? And then there was 7/7 and Derrick Bird. Don't they count? I know, it's been ages.

Dunno, think those 16 kids with bullet holes in their abdomens might have been the start of that curse. UK hasn't had a good massacre in ages...possibly as a result of the above, so some good came of it. I remember it well.

Paul Almond, Canadian filmmaker and author, dies at 83, just before his birthday. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/paul-almond-canadian-film-and-television-pioneer-dies-at-83-1.3029333 Edit: his second wife was Genevieve Bujold. Edit 2: Guardian http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/apr/15/paul-almond-director-seven-up-dies-aged-83

Gordon Jack, photographer, dies after accident at Andy Murray's wedding rehearsal. The start of the curse of Andy? http://news.stv.tv/stirling-central/316872-photographer-gordon-jack-dies-after-fall-at-andy-murrays-wedding-rehearsal/

Judith Malina 'as 'ad it for Book: http://www.express.co.uk/news/showbiz/569856/The-Addams-Family-star-Judith-Manila-dies-aged-88

David Harvey, who received the French Legion of Honour last Wednesday for helping to liberate France, has died at 90 from cancer. http://www.dailyprogress.com/newsvirginian/news/local/one-last-victory-draft-veteran-dies-day-after-accepting-french/article_4585a858-dfa0-11e4-ae34-2768823acb6d.html

Norman Sibley who played for Southampton in the 1940s, has died aged 85. http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/12883854.Tributes_paid_to_ex_Saint_and_local_football_legend_dies_aged_85/

Seedling becomes the first fatality of Grand National Day. http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/horse-racing/grand-national-2015-seedling-dies-5499246