DevonDeathTrip

We've got the Rumours thread, which is essentially the same thing, so I'm minded to merge unless anyone objects?

The author of that book, Margareta Magnusson, was on Radio 4 earlier this week. I'm not convinced she was being entirely serious and wondered if she was some sort of Scandinavian, Brass Eye style prankster, unleashed on the British public and more likely to fool them, as she's a sincere old lady.

Paul Gascoigne donates money to disabled Devon teenager, who had the computer equipment she needs to communicate stolen. https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/rangers-legend-paul-gascoigne-donates-11838751 For all his many faults, he does sometimes come across as a kind and compassionate person and I hope he manages to defy the DL for many years to come.

Anyone else spotted her potential for the Scrabble thread?

You should work out who's led the DDP for the longest overall!

@msc, I looked through my old emails and can confirm that Football Fan won the 2008 HPDP. I've pasted the message below for reference. One thing that hasn't changed is that I still had Sister Wendy in my team. Also I'm fairly sure that 'Why Not' in 2009 was Banshees.

Hopelessly indifferent here - Although I do sometimes wonder what all the collective thought devoted to deadpooling might have achieved if it had been diverted elsewhere. I mean, we could have come up with a cure for cancer by now!

Seven years between the sticks for Aston Villa and an FA cup final appearance? Relax, he's sure to obit! Good pick.

Posting quality seems to have taken a dive in 2018! Thread locked. Robert, even you can do better than this, advanced years notwithstanding.

I got a second place on the AO Deadpool many moons ago and keep meaning to enter a team again. However I prefer the near absolute freedom offered by the DDP when it comes to picking candidates, rather than having them subjected to quality control when they are submitted. Incidentally, there used to be a team on the AODP called 'McKie'. That'll be Andrew McKie, former obituaries editor at the Daily Telegraph and, I'm pretty certain, at least an occasional visitor to this site. I once volunteered to write an obituary for the late philosopher Michael Dummett, a unique pick for McKie, which was quite a strange experience... https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!msg/alt.obituaries/-TmdaUv58Ns/2PnbkDWlXEQJ

For some reason, I was sure that Geoff Capes died years ago. I was just about to post that you'd picked a dud when I thought I'd better Google him first, just so I didn't make a fool of myself and, behold, he lives! You learn a new thing every day on these forums.

I'll enter a team as I've got plenty of DDP cast offs I need to give some pitch time.

I think it was the same as my DDP team, so definitely haven't won!

Ami Brown - Untrustworthy Morgan Tsvangirai - Ill, but not ill enough Ken Whelan (Jockey) - obit concerns, one of the last to be axed. Hector Timerman - I knew GCReptile would pick him and he wouldn't be a unique pick. Abū Bakr al-Baghdadi - Fed up with waiting around on him, time to move on Clive James - As above Devin Lima - I think he's got a reasonable chance of seeing 2019 Jo Dee Messina - Really agonised over this one. I have a hunch she's gravely ill, but gut instinct lost out to empirical research this time around. Will be the miss I regret most. Kim Kyon Hi - North Korean news isn't exactly reliable, she could be already dead for all I know.

Here's my team. I've welcomed Ed Drummond back into the squad, just because I miss having him around, so to speak. Marieke Vervoort (Joker) John McCain Lindy Remigino Steffan Lewis Patrick Cryne Steffan Karl Steffanson Matt Cappotelli Peter Lorimer Johnny Clegg Denis Goldberg Tessa Jowell Gerard Bassett Liam Miller Greg Gilbert Leah Bracknell Kalpana Lajmi Rayya Ellias Kathleen Blanco Vanessa Goodwin Dean Francis Ami Brown Abū Bakr al-Baghdadi Wilfred Benitez Sister Wendy Beckett Kim Kyon Hi Colin Hart Graeme Garden Lara Saint-Paul Jan Morris Henry Butler Jim Anderton Hector Timerman Paul Alcock Jo Dee Messina John Anthony West David Thomas Ken Whelan (jockey) Jorie Graham Mike Willesee Angus Sinclair Fernando Ricksen Nick Davies (journalist) Devin Lima Barry Dubois Tom Raudonikis Noel Conway Sandy Briden (Died before competition started. 0 points) Morgan Tsvangirai Edwin Drummond Vincent Lambert

Here's my squad. I'm hoping to do better than 21st place in 2017, my worst performance since 2006. The Living End Marieke Vervoort (Joker) John McCain Lindy Remigino Steffan Lewis Patrick Cryne Steffan Karl Steffanson Matt Cappotelli Peter Lorimer Johnny Clegg Denis Goldberg Tessa Jowell Gerard Bassett Liam Miller Greg Gilbert Leah Bracknell Kalpana Lajmi Rayya Ellias Kathleen Blanco Vanessa Goodwin Dean Francis

Didn't pick the former and the latter didn't make the final cut. Will Timerman be a unique pick? All I can say is beware of the Pelican

Team entered. Cautiously optimistic for a good performance in 2018.

Team submitted. I've kept it very simple this year, as I felt the team almost picked itself. Have resisted temptation to add stylish potential unique picks...apart from just now when I dropped in two right at the last minute Good luck to everybody who plays, and to everybody who is picked.

Here's my team. Marching on together, towards Hartlepool. Norma Waterson Sister Wendy Beckett Patriarch Mesrob II Father Lazarus El-Anthony Abū Bakr al-Baghdadi Pope Emeritus Benedict Shalom Nagar Sangharakshita Elder Roma Wilson Archbishop Desmond Tutu Subs: Vincent Lambert David Thomas

Copenhagen Zoo are asking people to reconsider having their pet humanely destroyed and instead think about donating them to be killed and eaten by their lions.

I'll be posting a team and would encourage others to do the same. If necessary we can always worry about who will be in charge later. The HPDP has been running for a long time and it would be a shame to see it go.

In an unhappy twist of fate, lawyer and philanthropist William W Graham, Jorie Graham's ex-husband, has committed suicide by gunshot, just like his father did in 1963.

I suspect not. Vaz has got form for becoming 'unwell' when the going gets tough. Also agree with @YoungWillz - a cross-bench life peer isn't a politician (except for perhaps the former Speakers of the Commons, who I think convention dictates have to continue to be seen as neutral when they are elevated to the Lords)

Quirky Illinois couple Bob and Ruth Kretschmer, married for seventy one years, die within fifteen minutes of each other.