Twelvetrees

There are reports of the demise of the spiritual leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has died. It's not necessarily the most reliable source, I admit - but news of the Ayatollah's health has always been shrouded in secrecy. A cursory web search shows all reports leading back to the same source, but a separate report had him near death on Wednesday.

I understand that the childrens' author Diana Wynne Jones has ceased receiving treatment for lung cancer. Reaching 2011 may be a bonus for her.

As a Coeliac, I revert to Paddy's question - though it's hard to answer. Scotch if it's Islay / Western Isles, but Irish over Highlands. Tom Jones or Shirley Bassey?

It did indeed escape my attention. Site updated to reflect Dio's death. Does anybody know some juicy gossip about Dio to enhace the write-up there? regards, Hein I don't think that there is any - all the obits and memories suggest he was a decent man. Saw him once, at Donington '87 - started off taking the piss, but ended up admiring the way he worked a crowd that was waiting either for Metallica or Bon Jovi. A showman and a loss.

And AFC Bournemouth will be there, too. A 32 year old manager and a playing squad of just 19, coupled with a transfer embargo for the entire season. The best we can hope for is staying in League One, but we'll embarrass someone (hopefully Scumpton) along the way. And good luck to Workington - I can just remember when they fell out of the league - replaced by Wigan, I believe. Well done to The Cherries despite your malicious wishes for next season I hope you do stay up. You never know the following season you could be playing Portsmouth as we pass them as they follow in our recent footsteps with a sorry descent down the leagues. Strangely, whilst we are on the subject of the mighty Saints, I've not seen any comments from Maryport about the JPT or yesterday for that matter, better luck next year hey MPFC? We'll try and make the best of the local derby - it will just be the one year after all - you'll go up if you can hang on to your better players. I'd be happy to try our luck against Leeds next year; after all it was their desperate efforts to avoid points deductions that changed the FL rules, ruining the last two seasons for thee and me. Dirty Leeds. Looking at the line up for next year, it's like an old style Division 3 (South). Could be you, us, Brighton, Yeovil, Exeter, Gillingham, Swindon, Charlton, Millwall, Colchester, Plymouth, Peterborough, Bristol Rovers, Brentford, MK Dons and Orient. Carlisle had better start collecting their National Express vouchers! Oh, and spot any commonality between clubs in serious financial trouble over recent years? AFCB, Saints, Pompey, West Ham...how long before Spurs go under?

And AFC Bournemouth will be there, too. A 32 year old manager and a playing squad of just 19, coupled with a transfer embargo for the entire season. The best we can hope for is staying in League One, but we'll embarrass someone (hopefully Scumpton) along the way. And good luck to Workington - I can just remember when they fell out of the league - replaced by Wigan, I believe.

At last - an obit for Blanche Thebom, and I finally break my duck. It was becoming embarrassing, quite frankly.

A Welshman is disappointed to be Sheepless in Seattle Interracial porno goes wrong in Bad Day at Black Cock David Cameron, George Osborne and Anne Widdecombe in Tory, Tory, Tory Tippi Hedren attacked by druids in The Bards and I know it's cheating, but I can't resist the cowardly attack by the Japanese on Dorset in Poole Harbour

I am sad to report the death of Philip Langridge, one of the greatest British tenors - a wonderful interperter of Britten and Mozart, as well as a fearless champion of contemporary opera and song. For a taste of what we're missing, listen to

I've found a suitable vehicle for him to appear in. A hearse.

I went for Garner - after all, he always got brained before the first break as Jim Rockford. If he makes it to the second reel, however, he'll make it to the end.

Horribly, I seem (by a mixture of holidays, illness, BT internet and lack of flexibility) to have missed DDP this year by 40 minutes. However FYI, my choices that would have been 'Wake Up and Smell the Coffin' this year are; 1 - Joker - Abdelbaset al Megrahi 2 - Colin Dexter 3 - Rev Billy Graham 4 - Ronnie Biggs 5 - Licia Albanese 6 - George Whitman 7 - Yunus-Bek Yevkurov 8 - Kim-jong il 9 - Peter Ackroyd 10 - Wayne Thiebaud 11 - Hans Werner Henze 12 - James Grout 13 - Reg Simpson 14 - Trevor Bailey 15 - Roy Tattersall 16 - Inge Borkh 17 - Lisa Della Casa 18 - Doke Umarov 19 - Thwan Shwe 20 - Blanche Thebom I wouldn't have won, and all the best to whoever does.

The man who once claimed to have seen a 900 foot tall Jesus, televangelist Oral Roberts, has finally gone to meet him.

By which qualification, Kirchner fails to qualify as a minimalist. Despite my innate distrust of Wikipedia, it does have a moderately decent description of minimalism . Kirchner was a minor composer whose legacy will probably be measured by his influence on John Adams I didn’t claim he was a minimalist. In the original post, I suggested the thread be used for “all things classical”. Which you, a few posts later, thought an “excellent suggestion” and proceeded to name several other non-minimalist composers worthy of dead pool consideration. I’ll have the thread retitled if its lack of precision irks you. So far, it’s been mostly full of bricks anyway. Like these? An excellent site, Godot. I often felt that Carl Andre failed to explore the possibilities of vertical extension, and this only serves to prove that my doubts were well founded. Such exquisite balance and clean lines, somewhat reminiscent of the sublime symmetry of Mondrian.

By which qualification, Kirchner fails to qualify as a minimalist. Despite my innate distrust of Wikipedia, it does have a moderately decent description of minimalism . Kirchner was a minor composer whose legacy will probably be measured by his influence on John Adams

Being hopeless at this, I went for Atkins on the basis that I need the points al Megrahi will provide in a private game.

The actress Jill Balcon has died at the age of 84. The daughter of Ealing Studios supremo Michael Balcon, she was probably best known as the wife of Poet Laureate (and crime fiction author) Cecil Day-Lewis and father of Daniel.

Ever the media man - he knew when to capitalize on a good story.

For once it's a good-looking list. I went for Harry Morgan, just because.

I understand that he requested 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles' to be played at his funeral.

Now dead according to LA Times sources. Michael Jackson pronounced dead

For those sociologists among us, Lord (Ralf) Dahrendorf has met his means of production.

It was he who encouraged Jon Pertwee to take up the part of Doctor Who don't you know... RIP Tenniel.... Jumping Jehosaphat!

The actor (and Church of England Minister) Tenniel Evans Tenniel Evans, best remembered - by those old enough - for BBC Radio series The Navy Lark, as well as many TV appearances, has died at the age of 83.

Having beaten Pakistan quite easily yesterday, England managed to qualify for the next stage, wherein we shall prove that we can be beaten by teams far better than the Netherlands.