BCAlum2000

Na. They ended it because they knew they would get away with it under Bush, but were uncertain over what Obama's policy would be. They got their timing just right for the conflict. Start it in the last month of an outgoing president's term, and end it before the new presidency begins. Anyway - Scotland's most infamous football fan has died. I'd say that's probably the real story. But the media's spin is that Israel decided to end the conflict b/c of the "Obama Effect."

And lets not forget that brave girl, Joanne Evans. She appeared in a national British newspaper - more than twice! (So is everybody picking on BCAlum now?) I hope not. Though I don't blame Canadian Paul and I believe in his right to speak his mind. I also acknowledge that the definition of celebrity is different for everybody. I consider John Phillip Law a major celebrity for sentimental reasons (he's one of my favorite B-movie actors), but almost everybody I know thinks, "Who the f*ck is John Phillip Law?" A lot of my friends were mourning the loss of Albert Hoffman, the dude who invented LSD. I was completely flabbergasted and was thinking "Who the f*ck cares? This guy created a drug that ruined the lives of millions!" I mean, these my friends were talking about him non-stop and even considered him a more significant person than Heath Ledger and Paul Newman! My co-worker (the same guy who spent the day mourning Albert Hoffman's loss -- I'm guessing he was a former LSD user) pointed out to me when I was mourning Paul Newman's death that "nobody under the age of 30 really gives a s*it about Paul Newman, or even really knows who he is. And the people in their 30s only know Paul Newman b/c of The Color of Money." Of course, you could flip it around with Heath Ledger: everybody under 30 mourned Heath Ledger's death, but nobody over the age of 30 really gives a damn. Hell, Anna Nicole Smith was more established than Heath Ledger to many people in their 30s!

To Canadian Paul: It's nice to know that it's okay to make jokes about whether Obama will be done in by the KKK, yet it's not okay for me to comment that it "might" be a slow year for celebrity deaths. I think I also made it clear that I meant celebrity, as in famous, deaths. First of, my deepest condolences for your personal loss. I imagine that the founder of your former place of employment (your cousin's father in law) meant a lot to you. And that at age 62, he was taken from this world far too soon. Second, I believe that my comments about Obama "creating" positive news was meant more in jest. But, although the Israel-Palestine fighting was absolutely horrific, bear in mind that Israel did admit that they decided to end the war as a "favor" for Obama. You don't think Obama's presidency at least had some effect on Israel's decision to end the war? If that monkey Bush were still President, there'd be even more killing and slaughtering. So yes, to some degree, I think Obama did have a positive effect on it, however minimal it may be. Third, the other comments I made were more facetious. Yet ... there might be some air of truth to it. Overall, Americans are feeling great. Even though in reality, the economy is still in s*it and hundreds of thousands are losing jobs monthly, Americans are all feeling great. Obama is that good. Maybe when reality sinks in in a few months, people will start feeling negative, but I've never felt this much optimism being attributed to one man ... OBAMA. BTW, people gave me s*it b/c I wanted Fidel Castro and Kim Jong-il to die, but it seems like it's okay to mock Obama and him being the target of the KKK. Seriously, why the double standard? At least we know that Fidel and Jong-il were brutal dictators who did kill people. Obama was nothing but a shining beacon of light.

Honestly, and I'm probably gonna take some heat for this... But I have a gut feeling that 2009 is going to be a very slow year for celebrity deaths. 2008 was downright brutal, but many there was a reason for that. Maybe death decided to run its course in 2008 so that 2009 would be a slow year. I mean seriously, the only real notable deaths so far this year were Pat Hingle, Patrick McGoohan, and Ricaldo Montalban. By this time last year, Heath Ledger, Brad Renfro, Suzanne Pleshette, Bobby Fischer, Allan Melvin, and Edmund Hillary were all dead. As an American, I can tell you that so far, I have never seen this much optimism about this country. And speaking of the "Obama Effect," I'd say it's already taking effect... 1.) The Israel-Palestine conflict abruptly ended and Israel suddenly decides to stop the war and withdraw all its troops from Gaza. 2.) The US Airways plane crash in the NYC Hudson River. No deaths. Everybody survived. 3.) Patrick Swayze is still alive despite having Stage 4 pancreatic cancer (the most lethal kind). Something is going on here. Seriously, this past month, it has been nothing but great news. I really think it has to do with the Obama Effect.

Great news for Swayze! Bad news for the Death Poolers! I'm honestly really happy for Swayze. On the other hand, he is on my deathpool list so I'm also disappointed. But b/c I'm in a good mood, I would yell, "WAY TO GO, PATRICK!" But remember, I am in a good mood right now...

Great actor - but I can't believe I missed him on my Death Pool though! Still, a sad loss and I will miss his contributions. Farewell, Number 6.

I think the linked site is a parody of these celebrity death pools. But it's an awesome and hilarious read. I don't think though that the guy intended to be accurate at all. He's mocking us and similar deathpool/deathlist sites.

Patrick Swayze continues to defy the odds. This dude has pancreatic cancer, damaged lungs, and pnuemonia. But he is still fighting. He might just survive this -- might to the chagrin and disappointment of us deathpoolers (yes, me included). Yet at the same time ... I can't help but smile at Patrick Swayze. Smile b/c he is an amazing man. He's not the greatest actor in the world and he's made a lot of crappy movies, but I have to smile b/c he is a true fighter. I smile b/c I admire his spirit.

Ahhhh...I see. Very bold list to say the least. I don't think you're going to score many points this year though. Is King Kong even still alive?? Anyway, I have two entertainment related deaths to report: First, actor Don Galloway, best known for starring alongside Raymond Burr in the TV series Ironside, has died at the age of 71. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/conten...3c73e733792ecbb Second, legendary underground filmmaker Ray Dennis Steckler has stopped living and became a mixed up zombie!!! He was 70 years old. His death has been announced on his own webpage. http://www.raydennissteckler.com/ What did your 2008 list consist of??? You didn't have Charlton Heston or Sydney Pollack on your list???? DUDE!! DUDE!!! Anyway, so what is this Top 100 thing you have on your signature? I had 50 wrestlers in my signature/ on my list last year, & none of them died, but the top 100 are those I choose this year.

What did your 2008 list consist of??? You didn't have Charlton Heston or Sydney Pollack on your list???? DUDE!! DUDE!!! Anyway, so what is this Top 100 thing you have on your signature?

That's what I was thinking too... However, there were quite a few names I considered adding to the list as my joker/wildcard. They included George Steinbrenner, Steve Jobs, Little Richard, Ed McMahon, Jan-Michael Vincent, James Garner, and Peter Falk. However in the end, I chose Farrah Fawcett.

By my standards, I thought 2008 was a pretty bad year for celebrity deaths. Probably the worst since 2003 and though not quite up there with 1997 (the year when Princess Diana, Chris Farley, Notorious BIG, Gianni Versace, and John Denver died), it was still pretty bad. In 2008, we have lost true cinema legends (Paul Newman, Charlton Heston), talented and remarkable filmmakers (Sydney Pollack, Anthony Minghella), actors on the brink of true superstardom (Heath Ledger, Bernie Mac), TV stars (Estelle Getty, Suzanne Pleshette, Harvey Korman, Dick Martin), literary masters (Michael Crichton), pioneers of comedy (George Carlin), music (Isaac Hayes, Bo Diddley), and special effects (Stan Winston), influential newsmakers (Tim Russert, Tony Snow and for the Brits, Carol Barnes), stars from Hollywood's Golden Age (Van Johnson, Richard Widmark), and even cult cinema icons (Vampira, John Phillip Law, Beverly Garland). I think 2009 will be rather light in terms of celebrity deaths. I don't know why. Anyway, to stop rumbling, here's me list for 2009 (of course it will be revised): Fidel Castro Kim Jong-il Robert Mugabe Tony Curtis Dominic Dunne Robert Novak Margaret Thatcher Billy Graham BB King Amy Winehouse Annette Funicello Gloria Stuart John Wooden Zsa Zsa Gabor Ariel Sharon Elizabeth Taylor Kirk Douglas Patrick Swayze Ted Kennedy Farrah Fawcett (Joker/Wildcard)

Interesting list, though not many names I am familiar with (except the obvious ones, e.g. Patrick Swayze, Ted Kennedy, and Robert Novak). I wonder what 2009 will bring. I'm hoping Fidel Castro and Kim Jong-il will kick the bucket, that's for sure!

Another article with the topic: http://www.sarahconradofeaglecreek.com/les...own%202008.html Has many more names listed, but in less detail. Some interesting ones are listed, although I wouldn't call Roy Scheider "lesser known." Overlooked and Underappreciated: Top 10 Celebrity Deaths of 2008 Ignored by the Media Christopher Allport: TV actor and leading man of B-movie cinema. I will never forget him for his memorable role as the heroic sheriff in the cult classic Jack Frost (no, not the shitty Michael Keaton version). Julius Carry: Sho'nuff from The Last Dragon! One of the most memorable screen villians of the 80s. Carry was also fantastic as Bruce Campbell's sidekick in the TV series The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. Lilyan Chauvin: Memorable as the queen bitch Mother Superior in Silent Night, Deadly Night, Chauvin had a long career in films and television. Roberta Collins: Mathilda the Hun in Death Race 2000! A sexy siren of 70s exploitation cinema. Paul Davis (singer): Because he sang one of my favorite made-out songs, "I Go Crazy." Yes, I got laid to this song once. TMI, I admit. Robert DoQui: Sgt. Reed in the RoboCop films! Another sentimental favorite of mine died unexpectedly in 2008. DoQui had a distinguished career in cinema. Besides the RoboCop films, he also was memorable in Miracle Mile and Coffy. Danny Federici: Founding member and key component of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. Died too young, but I thank Federici for being Bruce Springsteen's rock during his legendary music career. Rudy Ray Moore: Dolemite! Who can forget the guy who made pimpin' cool and hilarious. Cirio H. Santiago: One of my all-time favorite B-movie filmmakers. I had many fond memories watching his crappy post-apocalyptic Mad Max rip-offs. His films were full of boobs, blood, explosions, car chases, and cheesy special effects. Tiffany Sloan: One of the only Playboy Playmates to have her own feature video centerfold. A beautiful girl next door with stunning blonde looks, Tiffany was the epitome of the 90s dreamgirl. She died tragically at a very young age, reportedly of a drug overdose.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Fair enough, Bazaar. Personally, I cared more about this year b/c of the number of high profile celebrities who died which were popular among the youth (the twenthsomething) generation (Isaac Hayes, Newman, Heston, Bernie Mac, George Carlin, Tim Russert, Heath Ledger, etc.). Contrast that to 2007. I really didn't give two sh*ts b/c outside of Anna Nicole Smith, Luciano Pavoratti, Robert Goulet, and Benazir Bhutto, virtually all the celebs who died in 07 were unknown to me and my generation. Then again, I remember one of my co-workers actually "mourning" the deaths of Albert Hoffmann and the guy who invented Egg McMuffin. I was thinking, "who the f*** cares?" (the fact that i don't remember the name of the guy who invented egg mcmuffins or even bothered to look up his name shows i really don't give a f*** about him). I don't have a 'most significant' death, because, bizarrely and unbelievably, I don't take this game at all seriously, because that's what it is - a game! All this analysing of significant salad cream inventors this or significant king of remote island in the pacific that, it's all bollocks mate, I couldn't give a sh*t! When I hear of a death, I think 'oooo I wonder if they're on the list' - if they are, I let out a small celebratory yelp of satisfaction, and then it's back to my real life, because it's just a game. But if you're going to force me to choose, it would have to be Abdul Latif. Some people really have too much time on their hands.

Lard Bazaar, with all due respect, Paul Newman was not "just an actor." He was also a successful businessman and humanitarian. Besides, he was an international cultural icon. Can Mark Felt, Alexy II, or Harold Pinter be considered international cultural icons? (Arguably, Edmund Hillary is a cultural icon in New Zealand and from my understanding, much of Europe, but in America, most people will ask "Who the heck is Edmund Hillary?") With that said, you're not alone in your opinion. I've had this discussion with quite a few people, and many of them actually agree with you. They point out that Newman, like you say, is just an actor. One person I talked to felt that Edmund Hillary should be the most significant death of 2008 b/c he did something extraordinary that Newman could never do (which I conceded). Another person I talked to felt that Mark Felt should be the most significant death of 2008 b/c he essentially brought down an entire Presidential administration (Nixon). Again, I acknowledge that that's something extraordinary which has had a profound impact on society and forever changed the perception of American politicians. And I concede that Paul Newman could never do something like that. And a couple of Europeans I know point out that Alexy II should be considered the most significant death of 2008. Because what Alexy II did had actual impact on a wide group of people. Others whom people I talked to argue are more significant deaths than Paul Newman are Albert Hoffmann (!!!), the creator of LSD (not sure why anyone would pick him, but I guess they are into LSD and want to thank Hoffmann) and Dr. Michael E. DeBakey (he performed the very first heart transplant). "Who the f**k is Paul Newman?" The only people I know who would actually ask this question are 12-year-olds who are into Miley Cyrus (yeah, THAT's talent, *sarcasm*). I love this topic b/c I love the fact that people are challenging my opinion (and my honest general perception) that Paul Newman is the most important death of 2008. Lard Bazaar, just curious, who do you think is the most significant death of 2008? Edumund Hillary, Mark Felt, Harold Pinter, Albert Hoffmann, Frances Pym, Alexy II, or someone else?

Part of the reason why I picked Newman over Pinter is precisely the reality that Pinter isn't that well known in the states. People probably have seen his movies or viewed his plays, but most people probably don't know him by name. Hell, most people in the US don't really know Edmund Hillary by name. Admittedly, my views are very American-centric, but of all the celebrities who passed away last year, Paul Newman was probably the most significant. I would still place George Carlin second and Charlton Heston third. All three are iconic symbols of American culture. I have to respectfully disagree. Few individuals, let alone actors, have reached the iconic status Paul Newman has achieved. With that said, Harold Pinter is certainly one of the most influential dramatists of the last century. I would say next to Paul Newman, Harold Pinter was the most significant death of 2008 (others I thought were truly significant who passed away in 2008, based on objective observations and not my personal feelings, include George Carlin, Alexy II, Mark Felt, Edmund Hillary, and Suharto). Anyway, here's my update of most significant deaths from 1990 to 2008. 2008: Paul Newman 2007: Benazir Bhutto 2006: Gerald Ford 2005: Pope John Paul II 2004: Ronald Reagan 2003: Bob Hope 2002: Queen Mother 2001: Victims of 9/11 2000: Charles Schultz (slow year for celebrity deaths) 1999: John F. Kennedy, Jr. 1998: Frank Sinatra 1997: Princess Diana 1996: George Burns 1995: Yitzak Rabin 1994: Richard M. Nixon 1993: Audrey Hepburn 1992: Isaac Asimov (slow year for celebrity deaths) 1991: Dr. Seuss 1990: Jim Henson

I have to respectfully disagree. Few individuals, let alone actors, have reached the iconic status Paul Newman has achieved. With that said, Harold Pinter is certainly one of the most influential dramatists of the last century. I would say next to Paul Newman, Harold Pinter was the most significant death of 2008 (others I thought were truly significant who passed away in 2008, based on objective observations and not my personal feelings, include George Carlin, Alexy II, Mark Felt, Edmund Hillary, and Suharto). Anyway, here's my update of most significant deaths from 1990 to 2008. 2008: Paul Newman 2007: Benazir Bhutto 2006: Gerald Ford 2005: Pope John Paul II 2004: Ronald Reagan 2003: Bob Hope 2002: Queen Mother 2001: Victims of 9/11 2000: Charles Schultz (slow year for celebrity deaths) 1999: John F. Kennedy, Jr. 1998: Frank Sinatra 1997: Princess Diana 1996: George Burns 1995: Yitzak Rabin 1994: Richard M. Nixon 1993: Audrey Hepburn 1992: Isaac Asimov (slow year for celebrity deaths) 1991: Dr. Seuss 1990: Jim Henson

The whole "Michael Jackson is dying" rumor started by tabloids is yet more bullshit. MJ is doing just fine -- at least health-wise. Mentally, I'm not so sure... http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Music/12/2...umor/index.html Anyway, I'm getting sick and tired of all these stupid tabloids spreading rumors about famous people dying or "at their last breath" (e.g., Patrick Swayze, Michael Jackson, Elizabeth Taylor, etc.). It's really ruining it for me. It's worse that these tabloids are trying to tease us death poolers with all these rumors of a famous celebrity's imminent death within days or weeks. The tabloids have to stop teasing us with all these celebrities being near death when it's not really the case. It's a pathetic attempt at selling magazines, I guess.

Fidel Castro must die!!! C'mon Fidel, make it a Christmas special! End the 2008 with a bang! End this year with the death of Fidel Castro! C'mon Castro, you gotta die now. It's your time to go!!!

I don't know why, but I'm calling total bullshit on this one. Lately, the media has been fueling tabloids of celebrities being in near death when it turns out it wasn't exactly the case (e.g., Patrick Swayze, Elizabeth Taylor, now Jacko).

Some moron is Falking around with my sig! Stop it, it's not Falking funny!

Paul Newman, I'm about your biggest fan ever. I think you're the man. However, Mark Felt just died and he could easily challenge Newman as the most significant death of 2008. For cryin' out loud, Mark Felt pretty much single-handedly brought down the entire Nixon presidency. As cool as Paul Newman is, he was not responsible for exposing and bringing down a corrupt US President. So now i'm wrestling with the decision here as to who should be designated Most Significant Death of 2008.

Falkin' A, man!