themaninblack

Balls. That's 2 of my DDP shortlisters gone in a day...

A great shame. One of the advantages of UKTV Gold for DDP purposes is that it reminds you of people a lot of others have forgotten about. I watched his brilliant turn in Men Behaving Badly as Mr Strang, Gary's Dad, very recently and checking he was still alive (and being surprised he was), I added him onto my DDP shortlist. I also well remember the aforementioned role in One Foot in the Grave. But also, as a child of that era, I remember Wind the the Willows and I adored that programme - for some reason it really captured my imagination and I'm sorry he's gone. It mustn't be forgotten that he was a pretty compentent actor in the 1950's and 1960's too. He was on my shortlist for a few years too. He was also in a little-seen Peter Cook film called “The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer", which was basically about Peter Mandelson 25 years early...

Er, the link you posted is only available to paying subscribers of The Times! I'm trying to find a link to a free site Try this...

Oh all right, since never clever Dick. It's a long time ago since I read his autobiography but I had it in my head he was brought up in Sheffield. Anyway since it's the day after Yorkshire day I was wondering, did Yorkshire folk ever get their own thread? There's a few more famous Yorkshire folk than there are famous names from Cumbria which gave us the odd poet, a climber, a mad taxi driver and a horse that likes chips as far as I can see. How about a general North of England writers\artist thread - the It's Grim Reaper Up North thread?

I know a gynecologist. He's such a worrier, always getting in a flap...

The difference is that if executed my candidate would be DEAD, whereas yours would still be ALIVE. Thus I should get points because my candidate was DEAD, and you shouldn't because yours are still ALIVE. I agree that your candidate will be dead, but, if he's executed, he will have died by circumstance not entitling you to any points, so, harsh as it may be, you shouldn't have any points. Under the circumstances I should have my points because when I chose him back in December there was no hint of an execution. Everybody knows why the no execution rule was brought into play, and everybody knows that it doesn't apply to Mubarak's circumstances due to the timeline. I'm sure it wouldn't be an issue if 'one of the gang' had chosen him. Deep down I'm sure that you all understand why I'd be entitled to the points. It really depends on how long you all plan on acting like a bunch of arse licking plebs, desperate to stay on the good side of the DDP organiser. As opposed to standing up to them? You have form... That's what I found while researching the original thread regarding the executions rule which was originally modified by Octopus. He of course agrees with your argument, which is generous of him considering you were slagging him off from the beginning when he was the host. My original views on executions was rather sanguine at the time. I am now convinced of the counter argument to an extent. It's a question of interpretation and the rule isn't really clear enough. If we take it by the letter of the law it can be interpreted that no points are awarded for executed prisoners, so logically if Mubarak gets the noose, he wouldn't qualify. However as Mr Hein succinctly pointed out, Mubarak was not a prisoner when he was chosen in December 2010. That is indeed true. The rather sly accusations about him not being in my team and thus not (potentially) being awarded points is as crass as the argument that Osama bin Laden counts as an execution and smacks of what this has been about all along - self interest. That you were effectively arguing that others should be docked points is hardly what anyone call being in the "spirit" of the game either so you should get off your high horse on that one... However, I shall reserve final judgement on this particular affair until the hearing is over, as angryGreatness says. Mubarak is still alive, for now... But the executions (as indeed the unnatural rule) will be changed for 2012... (hits gravel) Meeting adjourned...

Presumably that's why they're re-running TOTP from 1976 as well...

Bling Britain strikes again...

Yes, and that also includes the unpredictability of how they died as well. This the rule: So what happens if I do award points? I'll probably get an email from someone who'll argue that he was executed and thus teams that picked him shouldn't be awarded points. [Edit: In particularly if unnatural points bonus was awarded] Do you want me to get rid of the 13th day rule as well because it wouldn't be fair (to you) that such and such died on that date and one of yours didn't? Or that someone died on their birthday and none of your picks did? Both those rules are open to chance. As in some cases the unnatural death rule. I'll throw you a bone and open this up for discussion as I know it's a contentious rule. My stance is clear as is yours so let's see what others think about it...

Exactly. That's why if Mubarak does hang, we should get the points and, furthermore, we should get the unnatural death bonus. That is a fairly weak argument. Are you suggesting that we should shy away from dictators because there is always a possibility they might be overthrown? I think you know that argument is bullshit. We all know that the "no execution" rule was brought in specifically to prevent participants from choosing candidates who they knew were likely to be executed in the near future. This does not apply to Mubarak who was sitting safe in December 2010. The fact that he had managed to hold on to power for 30 year, more or less with the backing of the West, showed that he knew what he was doing. Furthermore, had his actions not led to the deaths of protesters - something which happened in February 2011 - the likelihood is that he wouldn't be facing execution today. I'm not suggesting you pick anybody. You pick who you bloody well like as long as they are not already dead and not under 18. I'm struggling to understand what your point is. Besides, Hosni Mubarak isn't even fucking dead yet. He could a) die of starvation die naturally of cancer c) get murdered in prison or on bail d) executed after a trial e) get eaten alive alive by hermit crabs. Even if he was on trial, we don't know the intricacies of Egyptian justice. There may not even BE a fucking death penalty, particularly if the whole system is turned on it's head. So he was fucking safe and dandy, so was Eric Honeker, so was Rupert fucking Murdoch! You can't predict with any certainty what exactly is going to happen. So you picked him, what did you want to happen? That's he stays in power and dies in his sleep just so you get a few points. Try telling that to the people in Cairo... Your argument is fucking bullshit. You can't predict the future with 100% certainty. If you did, you'd win every year and what a boring load of shite that would be. Take Amy Winehouse. It is not a given at this stage that she died unnaturally. Yes, she undoubtedly contributed to her demise by consuming a load of drugs, but until that coroner gives his verdict I cannot give any extra points at this stage. Most on the DDP picked her because there was a chance that she's either do herself in or overdose. There's a chance there might be neither. Thems are the breaks mate, take it or leave it, and I'm sure not bending the rules on the spurious notion that you didn't know what was going to happen to some pick or other. You could still pick him even if he did face execution, because he might croak before the hangman comes to town.

Well if I was facing the prospect of a kangaroo court and swift execution I guess I wouldn't be hungry either If he does hang we don't get points...which is a bit unfair considering he was still President at the beginning of the year. Had he been deposed or sentenced to death back in December I could understand why points wouldn't be awarded. For example, Tariq Aziz is also on my list because he is said to be in poor health. If he got hanged, however, I would accept that no points could be awarded because I knew there was the possibility he may be executed when I chose him. In my opinion, there is a world of difference between the two scenarios. Osama bin Laden was executed...points were awarded for that. An execution is administered by the state. Osama bin Laden was murdered by US special forces, therefore scoring points... Perhaps. But you should take in to account the fact that when Mubarak was chosen by deadpoolers back in December, they were not to know that his entire regime was going to collapse and that he could potentially be executed in the space of 12 months. He was chosen in the spirit of the game - he was an ailing leader who was apparently dying of cancer. We did not choose him because we knew he was likely to be executed - or even that there was a possibility he could be executed. This is different to Saddam Hussein in 2006 - where execution was likely at the beginning of the year - and entirely different to Barzan Ibrahim al-Hasan al-Tikriti and Awad Hamad al-Bandar who we knew would be executed in 2007. Shit happens mate, that's the way of the game. A lot of people weren't 100% sure that Osama bin Laden was alive, but they still picked him. If Mubarak gets the noose before the end of the year then tough tits Is he not on your list like? With regards bin Laden, that was a calculated pick for those deadpoolers. They were aware of the risks when they picked him. Those of us who picked Mubarak didn't have that luxury - mainly because we aren't psychic. But that's what fucking HAPPENS, Windsor! We have someone who was a dictator for nigh on 30 years. Think about it, there might have been a chance that one day he may get overthrown. Comes with the territory. Saddam could have been slung out of power, charged, convicted and hung all in 2003, it just so happened he didn't. That's life Windsor, or rather that's death. Tomorrow you could get run over by Alex Salmond in his motor, and posthumously get 15 hits, storming to an improbable victory over DDT and you wouldn't be there to celebrate it! You choose who you want under whatever criteria you like but after that its up to the gods. That's the game, son - it's life and death!

Well if I was facing the prospect of a kangaroo court and swift execution I guess I wouldn't be hungry either If he does hang we don't get points...which is a bit unfair considering he was still President at the beginning of the year. Had he been deposed or sentenced to death back in December I could understand why points wouldn't be awarded. For example, Tariq Aziz is also on my list because he is said to be in poor health. If he got hanged, however, I would accept that no points could be awarded because I knew there was the possibility he may be executed when I chose him. In my opinion, there is a world of difference between the two scenarios. Osama bin Laden was executed...points were awarded for that. An execution is administered by the state. Osama bin Laden was murdered by US special forces, therefore scoring points... Perhaps. But you should take in to account the fact that when Mubarak was chosen by deadpoolers back in December, they were not to know that his entire regime was going to collapse and that he could potentially be executed in the space of 12 months. He was chosen in the spirit of the game - he was an ailing leader who was apparently dying of cancer. We did not choose him because we knew he was likely to be executed - or even that there was a possibility he could be executed. This is different to Saddam Hussein in 2006 - where execution was likely at the beginning of the year - and entirely different to Barzan Ibrahim al-Hasan al-Tikriti and Awad Hamad al-Bandar who we knew would be executed in 2007. Shit happens mate, that's the way of the game. A lot of people weren't 100% sure that Osama bin Laden was alive, but they still picked him. If Mubarak gets the noose before the end of the year then tough tits

Well if I was facing the prospect of a kangaroo court and swift execution I guess I wouldn't be hungry either If he does hang we don't get points...which is a bit unfair considering he was still President at the beginning of the year. Had he been deposed or sentenced to death back in December I could understand why points wouldn't be awarded. For example, Tariq Aziz is also on my list because he is said to be in poor health. If he got hanged, however, I would accept that no points could be awarded because I knew there was the possibility he may be executed when I chose him. In my opinion, there is a world of difference between the two scenarios. Osama bin Laden was executed...points were awarded for that. An execution is administered by the state. Osama bin Laden was murdered by US special forces, therefore scoring points...

The Saints kicked ass...

Comedy actor Terry Scott died today in 1994...

Could be a second hit in a week for Lt. Colonel Kilgore's Ultimate Surf Party (along with ex-PM of Vietnam Nguyen Cao Ky) if the right obit comes up...

Let's see: would mean he's a Troller, a Jerk and an Impostor or a Net Rat. I'd like to add the possibility that notaquest is a Newbie. regards, Hein Yeah, he's a Newbie...

Congratulations to Mark Cavendish who becomes the first man from the UK to win the green jersey.

Today's (micro) chip paper...

The Political Frailty thread would have been the appropriate one in this case.

It may have been OoO or Rude Kid as she first entered the DDP in 2007... 22 is way down on 2010, when 64 teams chose her.

I'm not sure if he should be banned. I just think he is over enthusiastic which, I do admit, is more than a bit annoying. He just needs to calm down a bit. and how to spel.and use of punctooachun...

Alex "Hurricane" Higgins died one year ago today...

One of the best Tours ever IMO...