gcreptile

Mysterious, I saw a guardian obit half an hour ago. Now it's gone.

Damn, I've long wanted to pick him. But he was still active until the end. It was a bit unexpected. Quite a big name, picked in the DDP I guess?

Spongy?? More like a wet sponge or like a dry sponge?

Guardian obit - boom: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/aug/23/count-prince-miller-obituary

They're going to dig up Francisco Franco, probably to check if he's currently dead: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/24/spanish-government-approves-exhumation-of-dictator-francisco-franco

Kin Sugai, according to the Guinness Book of World Records the world's oldest leading actress with a leading role at age 82, now dead at 92: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2018/08/24/entertainment-news/kin-sugai-worlds-oldest-leading-actress-dies-age-92/#.W4AwLegzaUk

And while we're at "Little Annie Fanny", the remaining survivors are now the obitable Al Jaffee (97) Arnold Roth (89) and the less obitable Paul Coker (88/89)

Hah, for once!

Comic book "legend" Russ Heath dead at 91: https://www.newsarama.com/41535-russ-heath-passes-away.html Worked for DC comics, and was an inspiration for Roy Lichtenstein. Also something about "Little Annie Fanny" for the Playboy magazine: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russ_Heath

Eh, let's not harp on that too long. As I am looking for names for my classical music theme team, maybe I should check out more harpists? You know, like Royal Harpist Catrin Finch.

August 25th 2018

DI about to overtake me with a low-scoring pick. I have to rely on my usually riskier, and higher-scoring differentials.

"Death is imminent": https://politicalwire.com/2018/08/24/mccain-will-no-longer-receive-cancer-treatment/#disqus_thread

John McCain has... oh well.... Can't believe he'll see October, even September might be a stretch

Ben Affleck off the wagon again ..... must ...resist....making a thread... http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2018/08/23/ben-affleck-headed-to-rehab.html

Johnny Clegg update: https://www.thesouthafrican.com/johnny-clegg-cancer-update-new-album/ Not as heartbreaking as the headline suggests: He recently finished a chemo cycle. One active lesion in the lung. Radiation treatment required ("an ongoing challenge"). But the rest seems ok. Releasing a new album and promising more concerts in 2019. Still, I don't expect him too see 70 (not a very bold prediction).

That sounds like the usual exaggeration .... but, obviously she felt well enough to plan a tour, though only a "spoken word" tour, but to cancel it entirely means her "I'm feeling great!" time is over. Some treatment is losing effectiveness.

Ah, now I know her secret...from her blog: As the days and weeks have progressed my strength and vitality have improved daily on a diet of spiritual nourishment, all night out-door ceremony, community, friendships old, friendships new, family, magical Mexican healings, hot sweaty camping, prayers of gratitude, prayers for the Earth, gathering around the fire with indigenous elders, dancing with the deer, feeding the soul, feeding the spirit, teaching in circle, learning in circle, introducing Marakames (indigenous Mexican shaman) to the delights of kebabs and fish and chips. https://somethingbeginningwithc.com/2018/08/21/life-is-like-a-box-of-chocolates/ Yeah, she's going to slip into another year it seems (or even more, like, say, Valerie Harper?)

Olivia Newton-John has now joined the "Sad Last Days" roster of Radar Online.

I actually found an update on Devin Lima, but it's from February, and wanted to share: https://do617.com/events/2018/2/2/vs-cancer-to-benefit-harold-devin-lima His tumour was removed in its entirety (at some point), and then he went through chemo and radiation. Result unknown... His real name is Harold Lima, ok...

Duterte has "perpetual pain but is not seriously ill": https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/08/23/1845113/duterte-im-perpetual-pain-not-seriously-ill He had a motorcycle accident years ago and his doctor told him "to get used to his body" so that he doesn't get addicted to painkillers. He also has migraines every day because of Buerger's disease.

Great find! But shame for the non-obit. Someone of us might write to the BBC and this time, it might actually succeed.

Daily Mail obit for Jones: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-6085223/New-Zealand-born-guitarist-songwriter-Spencer-P-Jones-dies-liver-cancer.html

This is all still so very diffuse... I mean, last year King Michael died in December - so it's far, far too early to say how it's going to end. The joker dud and the non obits really work against DI, but... maybe Marieke changes her mind... or Johnny Clegg goes down fast (the farewell tour has ended, I saw no update?). I would somewhat agree with DI that the lead isn't going to last long - because some things should still happen as the year goes on - but before the flop, a pair of two's is as good as a king and an ace.

Today pretty much convinced me not to continue this for next year. I mean, I will keep the numbers for myself, after all, my longlist works that way. But intuition and experience needs to work together with statistics. You can't rely on one of them alone. Apart from this year's dependence on Marieke Vervoort's mood, I especially cannot justify not having had Pity Da Foolz in the Top 20 recently. Of course, someone else may open another "meta"-DDP-thread.