msc

I have a mental note that he's been unwell for a while but I can't remember where I found this out. I'm presuming age related rather than more serious given this was a few years ago. Even before that, he's not very people friendly so public appearances being a rarity wasn't a surprise. He wont have anything to do with Dr Who due to the previously mentioned financial rip off (and fair enough), and he has a habit of burning bridges with other collaborators.

No one has got more than 15 since Bert in 2017. imo any team that gets 16 or more will win the DDP no matter when those hits are. Spade's record (yeah that guy again) of 17 even had room for a LOTL name in the other 3...

Hah, yes, sorry, undone by a jammy, jammy hit there. In terms of jammy Spade hits, could be worse - @Death Impends used to bemoan for years that, had she jokered any of 11 successful picks on her team in 2015, she'd have won. They went for Martin Crowe who lived, and lost the DDP by...4 points. To a Christmas Day bonus. Still, they won in 2019 (and you won in 2010!). The closest I ever came to anything like this was in 2016 when I didn't pick Kris Travis (to be nice, a foolish move) and Peter Esterhazy (forgot about him) and then said in the DL chat that 18 points were hardly going to make a difference for a team that's never finished in the top 30. I finished 16 points off the top! The fates will play silly buggers with you...

Well, the biggest deficit recovery from the top spot to win the DDP, afaik, is Spade's 28 points comeback in 2013. Those of us in 5th place are 26 points from the top already...

Ah feck it. Drol is correct that having an old frail guy out at a big public rally isn't really duty of care (even if he wanted to go) and his death so soon after raises question marks. Ulitzer is correct that afaik no one was said the guy had covid and we shouldn't jump to conclusions ahead of time. Both of you are valued members of the community so maybe go and have a nice cup of tea/coffee/your favourite drink just now instead of arguing on the forum. Or if the personality clash is too much, ignore each other. Just a thought from a forum grump.

Blimey, I legit thought that was a made up National Inquirer style story tbh.

Strangely, this comes soon after the giant panda got moved off the endangered list (to the vulnerable one, which is still to be wary of course) - partially because of their increased numbers in the wild. Turns out, contrary to internet memes, the panda will actually fuck to save its own species, it's just they're a contrarian grumpy sod. Actually, come to think of it... they've clearly worked out as a species that if they bat their big eyes and pratfall a bit, humanity on the whole will look after them from birth to death and give them a life of food and lots of play. They're cunning bastards.

Hopefully after the next election he will BOGE-off, then.

Although with a badly managed Poland, Russia who aren't amazing, and the Czechs, they are probably the favourites in their section. Better spot to be in than Turkey at least. Btw, Hellstrom was goalie in the famous Brazil/Sweden 78 match, so all we need is The Guardian to do a "shocking World Cup moments" article, bring up Zico's non-goal, and mention that keeper Hellstrom "died earlier this year". *Straws, clutching*

No obit for Willoch? What a Kare on! (Yes a repeat gag.) Still, I was tempted to straight up retire from the DDP end of last year, and this recurring modern thing where memes get obits across the board but European statesmen and British TV actors are snubbed entirely is most of the reason why. I am increasingly out of touch.

Yet they can't be arsed to mention thrice World Cup star Ronnie Hellstrom, for shame. For shame, I tell you!

Although Phyllida Law was still quite active until lockdown so maybe one to watch if she's now suddenly extremely frail.

Peter Dean did make it to Leonard Fentons funeral, looking like, well a man aged 82. Chap on the right is Tom Watt aka Lofty though, who is aging quite badly imo. He's 65 and that's the most flattering photo the Mail had.

Having witnessed years like 2020 where there was nearly 12 hits in one weekend, and 2010 where there was famously no new posts on this forum in nearly a week because things were so dead, I safely say - haven't a clue, there's no patterns, this stuff is utterly random!

Candi Devine, the AWA's answer to Wendi Richter in the 1980s, has died aged 63. She suffered organ issues from a seizure last year and never fully recovered.

278 is the record, there's 365 days in the year...

Yes, but remember you are always in line for a record until the days/death ratio gets to minus 87...

In News at Ten, PM who cavorts mostly with hyenas, vultures and snakes discovers associates are hyenas, vultures and snakes...

He looks like he's frantically putting his clothes back on, tbh.

He also directed Silent Running which a wonderful wee 70s sci-fi film.

@Lafaucheuse Please replace Lata Mangeshkar (RIP) with Sandhya Mukherjee. Thanks.

Hmm. I am led to believe from the obit cinereal that footage of the King at the airport was seen in the cinemas in the days before he died, and he does look fucking ghastly in it. However, that footage was seen considerably more AFTER the King died as it was his final public appearance. Also, the King had to miss several public events in 1951 due to health issues, so even as the press downplayed the severity, there was enough of a "The King is seriously ill" vibe for news of his death to not surprising if you looked back on it. (Although because his cancer/other woes were kept quiet, it was apparently a huge surprise to a vast number of people.) So its quite possible that even if she didn't see the footage before hand, her memories of all of the above merged together. Or maybe she just went to the cinema one day...

The now 73 year old Robert Plant seen on TV watching the FA Cup match at Kidderminster. tbh looks better than several rock stars younger.

She's not qualified to run an Aldi in Nitshill, let alone being in charge of British culture and media.

Cross fingers family has been spared so far but we lost a number of friends. Including one who died on one of the dates announced as one of Boris's parties. His parents couldn't see him, his fiancé couldn't see him, his friends couldn't. He died alone. They partied. No one was allowed to comfort his mum at the funeral or attend it, which coincided with another Johnson party. I try not to come across too partisan hack but I genuinely bloody hate this PM. And all of his enablers.