VSBfromH

Gillo Pontecorvo Director of major influential film "The Battle of Algiers" has died aged 86. Twice nominated for an Oscar.

Not sure why it's taken so long, but just did a google and the world and his wife seem to be reporting this chap's death today. He's been yabba-dabba-dead around 6 weeks, as noted in the above post (well done TF)! And they call themselves "News" channels!

This has gotta be worth some points, surely! Quality ranting, JLR, absolute quality. Shame that attention was swayed elsewhere as a result of the multiplicitous and lesser-quality PH ranters. I'm sure Mr Lynch would be proud to have you amongst his small but effective contingent of ranters. Nice work, sailor! Methinks JLR's post was tongue in cheek!

Sorry to plump for the blatantly obvious, but you for a spectacular end, I would have to go for Cagney in "White Heat" "Made it Ma... Top of the world!"

As Doc McCoy would say "It's worse than that, he's dead DDT!:" Link

Mark Porter New Zealand racing driver dies in high speed crash The event was "paying tribute to the death of the late Peter Brock". Some tribute!

Earth’s Oldest Inhabitant Lives In Russia Sarkhat Rashidova, currently 131 years old (so they claim - it's shown on her passport in the link above). Quite a looker!

Peter Norman Aussie sprinter who took silver in the 1968 Olympic 200m has died aged 64. His time of 20.06 is still the Australian record. The event is remembered in particular for the black power salutes given on the podium by the other 2 medallists, Americans Tommie Smith and John Carlos. "Norman wore a human rights badge in support of the pair"

Edmonds confesses to '186mph drive' He's obviously seen the positive press that "The Hamster" has been getting since his crash, and is thinking "hmm, as a fellow pint-sized celebrity I could do with a piece of that!" However, I note that it says he is "under fire" for making the statement. Why? Do they think kids might try to emulate him? This is Noel Edmonds for Chrissake, not 50 Cent!!! "A self-confessed car lover Edmonds also told readers that he had sex in a Range Rover, adding: "You can't say you love cars if you haven't ever made love in one." " -

Just say "why, are they that poorly made? Maybe I won't buy the shoes after all!" and see what reaction you get!

People who think that being pictured stroking your chin makes you appear intelligent. Such as this guy: Also, could someone help me with this survey I am doing. The question is: "who thinks there are too many bloody surveys around these days?*". It would be extremely interesting to know where you come from so we can come out with a statement such as "more people in Preston think surveys are a complete waste of time than anywhere else in the country, whilst surveys are most popular in Dundee, said the researchers from the University of Droitwich / Norwich Union / The Dark Satanic league of Researchers" (delete as appropriate). * especially on the internet - Yahoo seem to think one a day amongst their main headlines is about right!

Many moons ago, I met his son (also called Dennis) at a student party in Manchester. Later on, I heard him having a blazing row with another guy. The latter was obviously left wing, but Dennis jr. was coming back with lots of tory sounding claptrap. I asked my friend who had originally introduced us what was going on. He told me "Oh, he's always doing that. He just likes to have an argument!" A chip off the old block then!

Champagne. Overrated French gnat's piss!

Is it on the Cockermouth road by any chance?

I was visiting a nearby town recently (Macclesfield, if you really want to know), and saw that they had bins attached to some posts in the town centre on which it read "Recycle your chewing gum here". It's horrible to think what it might be recycled into!

"John Savident rose from the coffin to help him as they waited for an ambulance" I do sincerely hope they captured that moment on film!!!

Let's (not) go fly a kite! A possible "Darwin Awards" contender?

John McLusky has died aged 83. He was the artist of the James Bond comic strip. "The face John McLusky gave to Bond would be many people's first and lasting image of 007, including composer John Barry"

Ann Gregg was from Northern Ireland, John Drummond was a former BBC Controller. Obviously, we should have seen this one coming!

Shame. A very nice lady, I met her once. Agreed, Anne always came across as very dignified but also friendly. I don't think she should be languishing in the Not Exactly Famous thread, she really belongs in the Near Miss thread, she was a presenter of a Primetime TV show for many years. I considered putting her in "Near Misses" but relented. Although I considered her to be reasonably famous, she didn't seem to have much of an "internet presence". Anyway, if I had put her there, I'm sure I would have just got people complaining that she wasn't famous enough, you know how it is on here!

Anne Gregg has died of cancer aged 66 Used to present "The Holiday Programme" on BBC1

The link didn't work. Here is a more reliable (?) one - well, Wiki anyway!

Re OoO's list, I don't remember Eddie Flanagan, but in an interview on Radio Lancashire last night, Jim "great!, super!, smashing!" Bowen mentioned that he is no longer with us (Eddie, not Jim!)

Lennie Bennett: Many years ago, when I lived in the area, he was a regular fixture resplendent in his shellsuit sitting at the bar of the Wyre Hotel just outside Poulton-le-Fylde near Blackpool. Just seemed to enjoy a quiet pint and a chat, and not too "up his own arse". If any of you live in the Blackpool area (poor sods!), maybe you could go and check if he's still there and report back as to his state of health...

In case our friend Bruno happens upon this thread, here is a picture of Bernie Clifton which serves to illustrate the subtlety of his act: