gcreptile

Sexist obituaries: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/25/obituaries-show-sexism-follows-women-to-grave Not as bad as discriminating against Economics Nobel Prize winners, but there's a point.

Bernard Labadie, canadian conductor, music director of Les Violons du Roy and also currently engaged at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, survives an 18-month long battle with lymphoma "almost against all odds" and with "every complication possible". http://slippedisc.com/2015/11/happy-news-maestro-returns-from-year-long-bout-with-cancer/

Woman dies by making a wreath with aerosols at her daughter's grave while smoking a cigarette, causing an explosion: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-34910036 Ironic? Tragic? Stupid? Funny? I don't know....

Henry S. Rowen, economist, policymaker and president of the RAND think tank when they produced the Pentagon Papers detailing the lies of the Johnson administration regarding the Vietnam War, has died at 90: http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_29138953/think-tank-leader-at-time-pentagon-papers-dies

Kris Travis enters hospice care. Uh, a race against time for you... So I guess the chemo stopped working? But do US hospice standards apply there? Martin Crowe also entered hospice at one point and has lived on for longer than the year has left. Still, I guess your chances to win have increased from about 5% to ... hmm, 20% (50% chance of Travis dying this year, 50% of Crowe not dying this year. Plus some chance that Ed Drummond, or Harry Beitzel die (and have an obit)). Such a change this late in the year is still remarkable, I would say. Who would have thought in May that there would be such a close contest until the end of the year?

Ah nice... Though I had already planned him for next year (in the Hartlepool Deadlypool at position nr. 3). Also, I really liked his work in economic history, RIP....

A friend thinks that it's the last holiday season for the family: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3330654/Celine-Dion-47-trying-make-best-Christmas-cancer-stricken-husband-Rene-73.html However, this is a bit in contrast to the Variety article that this Daily Mail article also cites, where Celine says that her husband is staying strong and "stable". Also mentioned in the article, Celine Dion's mother Therese, 88 years old, and described on Wikipedia as a "television personality".

Varduhi Varderesyan, most prominent actress of Armenia (of those working in Armenia), already a favorite with the public in the USSR, dead at 87: http://armenpress.am/eng/news/826919/actress-varduhi-varderesyan-dies-at-87.html

Rest of 2015 tour canceled: http://www.contactmusic.com/lynyrd-skynyrd/news/gary-rossington-s-ill-health-prompts-lynyrd-skynyrd-to-cancel-rest-of-2015-tour_5041869

Postpones two concerts due to ill health: http://www.newser.com/article/f0c3bddc6f974ae980f22d2e04f3e90c/veteran-french-singer-charles-aznavour-cancels-dutch-concerts-due-to-ill-health.html An acute infection... ouch... the concerts are rescheduled to January, so I guess they are optimistic. But then you never know when the decline of a nonagenarian sets in. Also just the right time for Death List considerations...

Finnish composer Jouni Kaipainen, dead at 58 after a long illness: http://www.gramophone.co.uk/classical-music-news/the-composer-jouni-kaipainen-has-died

Saddam Hussein's judge Rauf Rashid Abd-al Rahman declared dead, again: http://www.albawaba.com/loop/twitter-claims-saddam-husseins-judge-has-died%E2%80%94again-771784 The third time this year, and confirmation is almost impossible.

The first tweeting firefighter dog Nelson has died: http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/Cornwall-s-Tweeting-firedog-Nelson-died/story-28226481-detail/story.html

Screenwrighter and Broadway playwright James Prideaux is dead at 88 after a stroke: http://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/Screenwriter-and-Broadway-Playwright-James-Prideaux-Passes-Away-at-88-20151120 He was a close friend of Katharine Hepburn and also engaged Julie Harris and Liz Taylor for his plays and TV productions.

Prince Bandar Al-Faisal, son of former king Faisal of House Saud has died at 72/73: http://saudigazette.com.sa/saudi-arabia/prince-bandar-al-faisal-passes-away/

I watched a bit of the funeral... Kissinger was there and in 'adequate' health. Probably shouldn't be picked though one might like to. Giscard D'estaing looking a little better than Kissinger, but also 3 years younger. More notable for our purposes is who wasn't there, Kohl, former German president Scheel (lost to dementia), Delors. For me, the one person looking closest to death was former German president Roman Herzog who had a brush with cancer a couple of years ago and declined a second term because of the health history of his family. That was 16 years ago, though. Edit: I think I'm going to make a list of surviving 70's politicians, especially american cabinet members. Jimmy Carter wasn't there either. But reading Schmidt's books gave me the impression that they didn't like each other anyway. Schmidt thought that Carter's foreign policy was unreliable and disconnected from reality, especially when it came to dealing with the Soviet Union.

I like the idea very much. I basically have the list ready by now, since it's not about marginal, but winning picks, but more about very prominent/notorious people whose death wouldn't be surprising, but is not necessarily expected. And I'm rather liberal with my suggestions anyway. Maybe even have the list ready by Christmas to "confront" the committee with it, or for last week adjustments? I'll think about the correct order and send it rather soon.

No problem, two publications for two different bespoke audiences, she'd doubtless approve. Indeed, her amorous adventures make her an interesting Death List pick.

Diana Athill, who turns 98 next week, being interviewed for her 'last' book: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/nov/21/diana-athill-interview-memoir-alive-alive-oh Apart from a cancerous tumour on her kidney that doesn't grow, she doesn't give the impression that she might die soon. Edit: Ha! Sorry, MPFC...

@ charon: Yes, I've heard of the term. It's the standard procedure of our conservative politicans though. The related behaviour pattern in connection with Helmut Kohl was that he liked to "sit out" problems until they disappear on their own.

Prince Philip "insults" Birmingham: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3325330/Huge-ring-steel-security-operation-Queen-Prince-Philip-arrive-Birmingham-open-750million-station-revamp-complete-John-Lewis.html Only posting this, because looking at that second photo, it's the first time I can imagine her going before him.

Crowe watch: He texted Ross Taylor, who broke Crowe's old record: http://m.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11546434 Crowe also indirectly awards a young talent with a $15000 sponsorship, but is unable to congratulate that talent personally and was "unable to be interviewed" yesterday. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11548781

Take your pick, both Yahya Jammeh of Gambia: http://www.freedomnewspaper.com/gambia-yahya-jammeh-is-not-death-amid-ailing-health-gambia-receives-arms-from-north-korea/ and Issias Afewerki of Eritrea: http://asmarino.com/news/4449-eritrea-issias-afewerki-s-health-is-deteriorating-but-alive are surrounded by death rumours.

The woman who turned Ruth Bader Ginsburg into 'Notorious RBG' via viral internet video, Kelly Cosby, has died of cancer at 25: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/notorious-b-g-lawyer-dies-25-cancer-article-1.2441183

Old-time fiddler Ramona Jones dead at 91: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/hee-haw-fiddler-ramona-jones-dead-at-91-20151119