YoungWillz

I have submitted my three teams for the DDP 2025. Received an acknowledgement. Will they all survive until 2025? Will I? Is this my year for victory at last? All these questions answered in about a year or so. Thanks to all of the Committee for your hard work this year and your unenviable task over the next month or so.

I should be emailing my DDP teams this afternoon. That may start the dominos toppling. Don't see the problem myself. It's still advent and for a few days yet. No rush.

Bloody hell,* We Remember pushed back to mid-afternoon tomorrow. Admittedly, the Magdeberg Christmas Market story has wiped out most alternative programming. Hold your loved ones close this season. Assuming you have loved ones, I don't wish to be presumptious! (*Ron Weasley).

I suppose I should chuck out a reminder to our esteemed players now. If you think I have missed a hit or a QO has turned up for a so far non-obiting death, please feel free to report to the cash out desk to claim your valuable points. I'm only human you know! Also, please be aware that I must sleep sometimes. I do try to update the leaderboard as soon as possible, so generally I don't need reminders about a hit occurring, although I do understand that a certain amount of panic sets in this time of year! If I hear a roar from the players room, either I have been caught dancing on the bar with my shirt off, the dolphin has escaped from the pool or a hit has occurred! This isn't over until the last ding of the bell. With about 10 days to go for your teams to advance, this could be a busy time. Or it might be quiet. Either way - enjoy!

After a hiatus of three years, I'm bringing back the much loved Poker Tournament to Deathlist. There's been a change of premises, but fear not, the Halls of Fame and Shame have been reconstituted faithfully to the original standard. Sadly, the petting zoo was privatised and all loss making animals have sadly been put down. But worry not, feel free to take a dip in the Casino's swimming pool - just don't go off the deep end! (I'm keeping George the Dolphin in there!). The manager's desk will be open as usual for helpdesk purposes. Just remember there's a lot of football, Olympics and a General Election or two going on, but TVs have been placed at suitable locations to distract players, especially if I get my arithmetic wrong! Once again, you don't have to know how to play. It's all skill (you pick the team) and luck (the cards you are dealt decide your fate). Just make sure you read the rules, select your victims and enjoy the thrill of the accumulation of points over the summer, autumn and winter. I ask you - is there any better feeling that you will get off a dusty Forum in a dark corner of the internet? I think not! Who will cash in their chips? You decide! Just make it clear who you are picking, as this cuts down my workload tremendously. Don't assume just because I have the title of manager that I am also a mind reader or psychic - those facilities are not yet available here! There are a couple of points of order: 1. Only members of the Forum whose name was registered on or before 1 January 2024 may enter. This avoids the need for me to calculate scores for former members now banned setting up temp accounts to enter and people who have joined since who may end up after a short period that the Forum is not for them and disappear. 2. I'm disallowing Yahoo obits. (I can already hear the howls from some former players!). The trend seems to be in that direction, so call me a trailblazer. It was one of the reasons I called it a day last time, but other Qualifying Obit providers are available. So PM your teams to me, I'll deal your cards and then you can relax. Whatever will be, will be. Que sera, sera.

Eastham on a free transfer! What can be said of George Eastham, who has died late in the game? Well, he had spells at Newcastle, Arsenal and Stoke. A right troublemaker, he took Newcastle to court about their slavery contract and partially won. At Arsenal he was pelted with apples by the Newcastle fans - you know, when orchard fruit was a popular option on the standing terraces! An unused sub at the 1962 and 1966 World Cup finals, he went on to help Stoke City win the 1972 League Cup. While his spells at Arsenal as a player and Stoke as manager were tainted in failure, he toddled off to help coach black kids in apartheid South Africa. Remembered here by JoeMoneypenny, a hit boosts them up the table a little. No bonuses, leaderboard updated.

Looks like my soft weeping came early.

Stoke confirm George Eastham's death: https://www.stokecityfc.com/news/2024/december/20/george-eastham-obe-1936-2024/ Simultaneous and ninja'ed. Ha!

Reports on the TwitterMusk that George Eastham has died. Awaiting confirmations.

That's all I'll need. I'll be softly weeping by the time I have watched We Remember. It's one of my annual traditions.

Meantime, We Remember airs tomorrow at 12:30 with a 26 minute Review available on iPlayer thereafter.

Any news on George Cummings of Doctor Hook from the FB? This dame (a fan of the band) seems to indicate he's died:

Fed up not having a formal architects thread so here it is! Commencing with: Donald Wexler, US modernist architect, 89. http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/2015/06/27/modernist-architect-donald-wexler-dies/29401639/ Famous for his Steel Homes, Palm Springs International Airport and the Dinah Shore residence.

Rebecca Jane Smyth (aka Rebecca Smythe), Page 3 girl turned adult entertainment star and a former MILF of the Year, reportedly dead: https://x.com/melodypleasure/status/1869736287340798424 Obviously I've never seen her work, but might be of interest to someone. Looks like she was aged 51.

Julian Lennon survived the removal of the mole on his head at that time. Now being reported he recently underwent 7 hours of surgery for skin melanoma: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-14210693/John-Lennons-son-Julian-61-reveals-shock-cancer-diagnosis-details-seven-hour-emergency-surgery.html Awaiting results.

Incidentally, anyone know the identities of the currently oldest people in the Home Nations/Ireland?

Mary Keir, oldest person in Wales, reportedly dead aged 112: https://nation.cymru/news/wales-oldest-person-dies-at-112/

It's a Big Yellow Banana! Who knows much about NASCAR? Not me, let me tell you! Fred Lorenzen becomes another motor racer to leave life with dust in his wake. Brmm Brmm! Courtesy of a Mail Obit. So who exactly was the Casino's Fast Freddy? Well, turns out it was diego with an unique hit. Bonuses: Pair of 8s (Diamonds and Clubs) - 10 Points. Pair of 8s (Spades and Clubs) - 10 Points Two Pair 8s (Diamonds and Clubs) and 2s - 15 Points Two Pair 8s (Spades and Clubs) and 2s - 15 Points Three 8s - 20 Points Full House - three 8s and 2 2s - 80 Points. Total Bonus - 150 Points added to 100 Points for the hit. I hope Ladyfiona wasn't too comfortable, as diego consolidates second place and is only now 64 points behind her! Leaderboard updated.

Fred Lorenzen reportedly dead: https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2024/12/18/fred-lorenzen-nascar-hall-of-famer-dies-at-89/

And Alfa Anderson Obit: https://soultracks.com/alfa-anderson-chic-vocalist-and-disco-icon-dies-at-age-77/

Jon Camp, bassist with Renaissance reportedly dead: https://dmme.net/jon-camp-passed-away/

Alfa Anderson reportedly dead: They are falling like flies!

QOs abound. But not picked. There are uniques out there. Risky uniques, but possible to get 20 of them for next year. Lawdy, this deadpooling lark is difficult!

Simply Red have had a few casualties. And yet Jimmy Carter lives. An essay on this on my desk first thing tomorrow morning.

Former bassist with Simply Red during their 90s-2000s era Steve Lewinson, reportedly dead: https://www.noise11.com/news/simply-red-bass-player-steve-lewinson-dies-at-age-60-20241218 Played on their cover of The Air That I Breathe which reached #6 in August 1998. The era of the videos concentrating on Hucknall I'm afraid: