msc

Aye, that's me. Pan Breed is Glasgow slang for "deid" or dead in actual English. Fade to Black is Alt Obits Guy too.

I liked the one in some 80s episode. Doctor: So you escaped from the planet of evil? (Made up, I know) (X): Oh Doctor, you have been naive. And thats the entire explanation. On with the plot.

Yup, which is unusual but well played for once.

Those Maltesers truffle type things. Lovely. As you were...

Tom Smith

Thanks!

I've been asked to bring this back by someone. I'll keep them anonymous and refer to them solely as Young W... Ok, so with 2019 nearly history, how do you rate your success (or lack of) in the various deadpools you took part in? Hartlepool Deadlypool - Did alright, picks died in wrong order, so it goes. B- Hare's Pool - Tried to help out Deathray by picking a bunch of immortals, who promptly started to snuff it all over the place. C Deathrace - Finished before I'd even noticed it'd started. C- Death by Numbers - Mediocre effort spent too much time trying to impress the host with off radar picks that got better rather than people who actually die... C- Alt Obits - Third time in, likely top ten finish. Could have gone worse. Still don't get the Qualifying criteria tbh. B Scavenger Hunt I - Didn't win. Scavenger Hunt II - It's still ongoing. Need to be in it to win it, eh? Biblio's Movie Game - See above. DL Cup - Lost in first round to Reptile yet again. Need to ask Joey to rig easier draws... D Windy Pool - Flattered to deceive as usual, C- 5-4-3-2-1 - Utterly sucked at it, got gubbed and lost interest. F Inverse (Wormfarmer version) - Did ok, until I didn't. Inverse (DI version) - Fecking awful. DDP 1. Pan Breed - Lead for 2 months, done in by some picks getting better and by a great performance by a brilliant deadpooler, neither of which I can begrudge obviously... A- 2. Whatever's Written on your Death - Led the Theme Team league for a bit, got some interesting uniques onto the front page. A 3. You'll Never Find us in the Guardian Obits at Parties - Led Pan Breed at one point. The joker got a Guardian obit. Tempting fate, eh? C Right over to you lot. Grade yerselfs, or no...

1. Prince Philip 2. Kirk Douglas 3. Vera Lynn 4. Daniel Arap Moi 5. Bob Dole 6. Jimmy Carter 7. Leslie Philips 8. Nobby Stiles 9. Genesis Porridge 10. Stirling Moss 11. Willie Nelson 12. Bouteflika 13. Alex Trebek 14. Ruth Ginsburg 15. Imelda Marcos 16. Joanne Woodward 17. David Crosby 18. Tom Smith 19. Terry Jones

Yup, I'm in and looking forward to this, Joey, thanks.

Hello Deathray. Unfortunately TV actress Elizabeth Sellars died on 30th December 2019, with the Telegraph putting up a Death notice (not even an obit) late on 1st January. As this is now the 2nd, I don't know if Eva Marie moves into the team as a sub or not, I leave that to your host judgement.

Well done, DI, it's been a long time deserved.

I'm a Dad. You should always be charitable when playing against weans.

I'm lost. Death Impends won in 2019 because he had Legh and Whang who NO ONE ELSE HAD, Billy Clayton who none of his competitors had (4 teams in total), and Nugroho who barely anyone had. Dr T won because he picked Falkholt and Totalbiscuit whom most of the other contenders ignored completely. Bert won because he had Jerome Golmard (1 of 2 people to do so), plus off radar Paul Van Zandvliet (a Sir Creep off radar special too), Spade won in 2016 because Mother Angelica, Hassan Asif, Sattar Edhi, Bob Ellis, Fekete, Dan Haggarty were all on his radar and sod all anyone elses. He did so in 2015 because he had the same on Grace Lee Boggs and Sadhana in a close year. 80% of Spades 2014 team were either unique or on three teams tops. You don't win the DDP unless your differentials are significantly better than everyone else who can win. Them being better than the 6 hits top guy in 60th place doesn't matter.

Yup, a January 1st hit for me, Crem and Banana. I've only had 2 January 1st hits in Deathrace history -2015 and 2018 when I won. Be afraid! Hah.

The article from last summer for folk who missed it:

Of the teams announced so far, a dozen who seem to be ones to watch on paper as contenders (yes Willz, obligatory the DDP isn't won on paper reference here...) Joey and Clorox (who seem to be early favourites), Toast and Book who both look to have their best teams yet, Jireomon, Spade (well, duh?), Eesti, Chorizo, Rad, drol, Reptile and that chap DI.

End of the year, I think. 27th November 2020.

https://www.spectator.co.uk/2019/12/roger-scruton-my-2019/ Ninja'd!

Ok, it's my annual look at each person on the list that people seem to enjoy for some reason: Prince Philip: We all saw his recent hospitalisation, and then his photos after. Nosferatu was offering him health advice. His ability to bounce back is not in question, but he clearly is in the winter of his lifetime now, and I feel he’s going to struggle to get through this year intact. Kirk Douglas: Still alive, somehow. 104 now. Surely this is his year now? See what I said last 4 years… Olivia de Havilland: Healthiest 103 year old in list history? Vera Lynn: Somehow made it to 102 despite being frail for years. She rarely makes it out now (despite winning a gin legal case last year) but a rare appearance last summer had her looking like a sneeze could finish her off. Daniel Arap Moi: if Drol thinks a dictator is fucked, they must be really ill! Has been in hospital for months and even on life support, so likely not one to last too long on the DL. Dick Van Dyke – Super healthy, presumably the Cmme are huge fans. Javier Perez de Cuellar – Super dull, could go today or in 5 years. Akihito: Retired and ill but in no rush, think they dropped the wrong retired world leader tbh. Pierre Cardin: Super old designer is super old. Bob Dole: So in 2012, Inouye died and Bob Dole looked on his last legs. In 2018, Bush Sr died and Dole looked even more on his last legs. IN 2019 he got made an honorary Colonel and looked even worse. How is he still alive? This has to be his year. Murray Walker: OoO says hes starting to notable age, but Walker smashed cancer in his 90s, it’ll take a lot to get rid of this legend. Leon Spinks: I can understand the pick but with low level cancer, the hospital trip will end with him a hit by February or surviving the year. Betty White: On till she drops, she looked frailer in 2019, but that’s by Betty White standards, not normal humans. Angela Lansbury: Big fan of the great Angela returning. She still seems to be well, but we take many similar names for granted in recent years. Bob Barker: Seems to have bounced back from that hospital spell in 2018, but is getting up in age. And he had two falls in 2019 so is clearly getting up in frailty too. Alan Greenspan: The Deadly Doug of this year. So pick him in 2021 when they drop him. Henry Kissinger: Still jetsetting, still fat as hell, still opinionated, but 97 this year so time must surely be up eventually. Jimmy Carter: Been in hospital for a variety of worrying ailments in 2019 (the fall/brain bleed for example) – hes clearly starting to tire out and could well struggle to see out 2020. Also hes well past the expiry date for Presidents now. Valery d’Estaing: Old French leader, on till he drops, still out and about though. Honor Blackman: Aging actress, she made a bounce back from serious ill health a decade ago but now is quite quiet. Leslie Philips: Increasingly frail and quiet comic who has somehow made it to 95 despite looking on last legs most of the last decade. Tony Bennett: Cancelled some gigs last year due to ill health, the most interesting health update for Bennett in 60 years… Harry Belafonte: Frail and aging singer/civil rightd activist. Didn’t seem to say much publicly when some of his collaborators died in 2019? Nobby Stiles: Gravely ill with cancer and dementia in 2015. Still here in 2020 and has outlived Gordon fn Banks, Ray Wilson and Martin Peters since. Remember when there was talk of a close race between the two 1966 teams on the DDP, and it was 2-2? England are diving out in front and with the increased rapid exit strategy of the team, and Stiles long recorded terrible health, he seems good to go in 2020. Now watch Bobby Charlton die in his sleep instead for sods law. Hosni Mubarak: Dull and corrupt ex Egyptian President only on here because the Cmme would like him to die. Always room for wishful thinking but he doesn’t seem in any hurry. Genesis Porridge: Terminally ill singer since 2018, her health has shown severe decline in 2019, and she is likely on the Eric Lubbock Longevity path. A great pick by the Cmme. Stirling Moss: Still a good pick to have, said OoO last year, and he knows his stuff. Moss hasn’t been seen since forced retirement in 2018, and is said to be in very bad health. Prunella Scales: Her appearance in the last Canal Journeys was genuinely jaw dropping, especially when she didn’t recognise her own son, or didn’t know who Princess Diana was. But who knows with dementia, eh? Desmond Tutu: In and out of hospital and feels on the long road to heaven, but made of stern stuff clearly. Jacques Delors: Bit worrying most Brits only know him via a 30 year old Sun headline. Clearly famous, clearly old and the Europeans say this is a good pick, so I bow to their knowledge. Willie Nelson: Struggling to breathe at recent gigs, looking frailer than a frail thing, and is so ill he gave up weed. That last bit is the most worrying of the lot! Looks on the road out. Jerry Stiller: Had a stroke last year (?) but very little news since. John Edrich: No idea why a decade after remission from cancer, the Cmme went back to him. The stupid pick of the year? Nicholas Parsons was right there, guys! Bouteflika: Lots of rumours about ill health and he got forced out. Likely a good pick. Alex Trebek: What is Stage IV pancreatic cancer? He’s wombling on, but the diagnosis and the treatment failure means final Jeopardy is fast approaching. Shane MacGowan: mess ridden Pogues singer who somehow made it to 61. I’ll be gutted when he goes. Dick Cheney: Well he had a heart transplant a decade ago, and those things have about a decade on them? Could be a surprise smart pick. Ruth Bader Ginsburg: These two together is a rib, right? Relapsed pancreatic cancer, all those falls and other issues, she is in borrowed time. Hopefully not that less borrowed time, for fear of the alternative. Imelda Marcos: The “is she still alive” pick? She was meant to be frail and ill 20 years ago FFS! Maybe she wont last long… Carl Reiner: Avid tweeter and US tv legend who is now very old. He was literally on Twitter a few hours ago wishing everyone a merry new year! Lester Piggot: Dull pick, wont die. Joanne Woodward: I like this pick, her health has been rubbish for ages (end stage dementia since 2015), she doesn’t recognise her late husband – only Paul fn Newman, and the Cmme have a habit of picking folk right in the nick of time. This could well be her year. David Crosby: “In the next 2 years I’ll have a heart attack and they wont be able to save me” said Crosby in summer 2019. His heart issues are well documented, and 2020 takes up a lot of that timeline… Tom Smith: If you heard him slurring on the BBC a few weeks ago you’d think he had weeks left… Terry Jones: A sensible pick (his type of illness has a 5 year prognosis, this is year 5), but a sad pick too. Heard from folk who know him that people don’t know if its even weeks or months left for Terry now as he is on the road out. Jean Marie le Pen: Very DLy. Meant to be in frail health for years. Pervez Musharraf: Lots of ill health last year and the death sentence in his homeland wont help matters… Bill Gates Sr – Just old, but not that old, and not that famous? David Attenborough: Legend who says he hasn’t long left but hopefully was talking metaphorically. Peter Sutcliffe: So much ill health for years. Breathing issues, heart issues, diabetic complications, failing health and on a whole bunch of drugs to stay alive according to The Mirror. Could be a good call. So on the basis of that, I suggest the target for the list is 17/50 like the 2017 list. If some of the punts, and really old folk start to go, it could be a very good year indeed, but the quality of this list will out over the course of a whole year.

Paraphrasing the shits own article, but before Christmas he announced he'd been given a week to live with Stage IV cancer in July without treatment, and that the treatment since hadn't gone as well to plan as hoped.

Mrs Msc said exactly the same when I ran down the list for her last night.

Different types of brain cancer, though. Neuromas and low grades are common and easily treatable but sound scary - think Nick Boles as one example. Oligodendrogliomas (yeah of course I googled the name) are the incurable but treatables folk can have for decades like Sarah May Philo. Then you have various forms of astrocytoma, the smallest of which can be treated, but the largest of which is the notorious Glioblastoma, which is cureless and swift. And any astrocytoma can turn into Glio at any time, basically. Doleman has Glioblastoma and has done since early 2018. He is very lucky to have reached this far but his time is running out.

Tbf to the Cmme, this was a well taken gamble. Dropped in 2019, lived, back again. Probably even frailer than he were before.