gcreptile

Succession talks begin as his health worsens: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/22/oman-readies-baroque-succession-process-as-sultans-health-worsens Edit: Sir Creep didn't have the luckiest of streaks lately, did he? Well, better luck in the actual competition then.

I'm boring.

Eh, and dead: https://www.cheshire-live.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/chester-fc-legend-gary-talbot-17461098

Well... very well done by the committee! Seemingly just "random old UK guy to me", but they saw something.

Kashmiri separatist Syed Ali Geelani hospitalised for the third or fourth time this year, but they say he's stable: https://kmsnews.org/news/2019/12/18/syed-ali-gilani-taken-to-hospital/

Hartlepool Deadlypool: I checked and actually 7 out of 10, which is not bad. And those that are still alive...why?? Also Dilip Kumar on the Subs bench. Only Sacheen Littlefeather was a real dud - B Deathrace: A personal best in score, kind of happy with the way I have improved in the "short term" deadpooling. And in the end, luck is more of a factor here - B Hare's Deadpool: Well, it's not over yet.... but those who are still alive of my team, including joker Lee Kerslake, they are shared by many other teams, too. I can't be happy here in spite of quite a few hits. - C Death By Numbers: Did as good as I could with the limitations I set upon me, I "won" the first half-time. That said, now I would probably be a hit behind Clorox and DI with substitutions, so now A, but merely an - A Alt Obits: big improvement over last year, think I'll get at least one more unique hit (getting me 1st place in that category), but I need one more to win... so let's see - A Scavenger Hunt I - I think I actually finished 3rd or 4th, which was okay. None of the categories are really my forte (presidential candidates is too narrow a category to really matter) - B Scavenger Hunt II - doing worse this time, I am not in the running to win - D Death of the Silverscreen - I do like that I picked the most prominent movie with big stars. And I got lucky that the iffiest pick is already dead. Now it's up to Ian Holm and Sean Connery. It might come down to Sir Sean - B+ DL Cup: Well, I really made an effort in that game vs. Banana, again overthinking it and getting very unlucky, while I should have picked the comatose/critical people. - D Windy City Pool: There is some potential, but the team has been dead since Tom Long's recovery. I can only hope for something like 3rd or 4th place in the end. - C 5-4-3-2-1: While I might be 10 days away from victory, I can't help but be a bit disappointed with the final two months. Also, I could have won with Valerie Harper some months ago already. - B+ Inverse Deadpool: Eh, I am okay. Top 10 in a difficult year - B MMMDP / Advent Avalanche: Best evidence of my improvement in the short-term pools. I correctly guessed the winners in both competitions (and was the first "discoverer" of MMMDP winner Ani Yudhoyono), but was screwed by seconds on the first one. So no A+, but just - A DDP: Main Team: Right now, it's a little sad. Yet, one more hit on christmas could get me to 3rd place. It's just so close now, so if it's 3rd place or 21st... not much qualitative difference. My chances of victory however always depended on either Greg Gilbert or David Smith dying and that wasn't meant to be. I also don't want to be too negative, because there is still potential for hits this year. I might get screwed from a podium position by a couple days - B B-Team: Ah, very disappointed. Two non-obits, some locks just not dying. Like, Johnny Harris, hello???? Denis Goldberg? Is Nick Phillipoussis still in a coma?? A lot went wrong here - F Classical Theme team: A noble idea, hampered by a few too early deaths, including Kato Havas which annoyed me greatly. Still I would have wished for 1-2 more hits. And Mariss Jansons was a miss for me. - C Edit: Oh, I forgot the Poker Deadpool, in which I am currently on the podium, one Chris Doleman away from victory because of lucky bonuses. I am quite okay with it, even when not winning, got Mad Marty Wilson as a great poker-related hit. - B+

I thought he had his own thread? Anyway, Raymond Briggs "frail but chipper" in this Guardian portrait as he is about to publish what might be his final book "Time for lights out": https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/dec/21/raymond-briggs-interview-time-for-lights-out

Did you know they called him Spunky at school?

Ahem, does Last Word count as a BBC obit for Kate Figes? Somewhere they do, but I forgot where... I do find the lack of obits for her concerning.

Though I do think that there is a small possibility that he prefers spending Christmas in hospital instead of with his family. I believe this man doesn't give a single fuck anymore.

Boundary breaking disabled model Mama Cax dead at 30: https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2019/dec/20/boundary-breaking-model-mama-cax-dies-at-30 Promoted by Rihanna. She was a cancer survivor and her recent health troubles were displayed on her instagram account. Well, I didn't know anything about this.

Hmhmhm... could be a long night.

A noble sacrifice, thanks Joey.

Comprehensive overview on Biden's health by a hostile source: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/biden-medical-records-reveal-heart-condition

He's suffering from an infection of unknown severity, his son is appointed regent: https://royalcentral.co.uk/europe/norway/breaking-king-harald-of-norway-is-ill-crown-prince-haakon-appointed-regent-134914/

Vicente Fernandez, legendary Mexican "Ranchero" singer with three Grammies, battles cancer for the third time: https://www.infobae.com/america/entretenimiento/2019/12/17/vicente-fernandez-lucha-de-nuevo-contra-el-cancer-y-desheredo-al-potrillo-segun-la-version-de-una-revista/ (Spanish link)

So that's what they are calling it these days...

New Zealand billionaire and corporate raider Sir Ron Brierley arrested on child-porn charges: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/18/sir-ron-brierley-child-abuse-material-arrest-new-zealand Previously this year, he stepped down from his business for health reasons.

I had to check again, but yes, as long as there is no date set for Pervez Musharraf's execution (and I guess it won't happen as long as he's in exile), he is still eligible in this pool, in case you'd like to pick him.

Well, with Ricksen gone and "torchbearer" Pete Frates, gone, too... we need to anoint another MND sufferer to the Drop 40. Doddie Weir is running a big campaign for that.

Sentenced to DEATH for high treason: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-50819772

Last head of state of East Germany, Egon Krenz, in hospital after a heavy car crash: https://m.spiegel.de/panorama/leute/egon-krenz-liegt-nach-schwerem-autounfall-im-krankenhaus-a-1301594.html He's okay, but I wonder if this marks the beginning of his end, after he spent the previous years in fine health.

During treatment, his estranged wife allegedly tried to kill him: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-50812996

Michiko is now suffering from a variety of illnesses: https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2019/12/eb8469acf50c-former-empress-michiko-suffers-weight-loss-vomiting-agency.html

Aah, okay, so I must hope that my final very likely death (apart from 6ix9ine) happens in the final week of the year.