gcreptile

Fun (?) fact: His movie project on the Armenian genocide has yielded a couple of news updates lately: http://www.showbiz411.com/2015/06/15/kirk-kerkorian-armenian-genocide-movie-update-christian-bale-oscar-isaac-to-star So I guess this is what he wanted to be his legacy.

There are a few of the ill folk hanging on still, while the recent spate has been folk who just happened to be old and not wake up one day. Indeed. Four of the five matches between the Death List and my own team have already received the sweepstakes treatment. Really frustrating, but death by statistics happens.

By the way, I thought it's time for a "crew of the Nostromo" thread, because I thought all members of the cast were still alive, but that's not quite correct. Ironically, the man in the Alien costume, Bolaji Badejo, died some time ago. Edit: Though technically, the Alien wasn't part of the crew, so it's still ok. There was also Helen Horton as the computer voice, also dead.

The Deathlist is on a roll... RIP... can't say much about this... Edit: Even a unique hit on the DDP Edit2: I guess his slot on the Deathlist might easily be filled by Sumner Redstone, should he survive the year.

Pancreatic. The reaction to which is basically "Oh fuck!". With his age and poor prognosis for pancreatic cancer he should defo now be on next years deathlist. Interesting. It is early stage cancer though: http://news.sky.com/story/1503159/sir-john-hurt-diagnosed-with-pancreatic-cancer The five-year prognosis is still poor, but it's more 2017 than 2016.

Death sentence confirmed: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/06/egypt-court-upholds-morsi-death-sentence-150616104041261.html Edit: Other notable death sentences confirmed as well, for example, that of cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi.

Man is being served dishwater detergent instead of wine: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/man-dies-after-ordering-glass-5889982

Morbidly obese and now unemployed lawyer for the unemployed Linda Jenns, 49, thinks she will not survive prison after she caused a fatal traffic accident: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/morbidly-obese-motorist-who-caused-5885697 She already had a stroke 7 years ago and her legal problems have caused her to gain even more weight, according to her barrister.

Goes to rehab in Switzerland after his friends urge him to do it or die: http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/george-michaesl-friends-warned-him-5891703

Interesting. He created an "anti-Booker prize" for readable fiction. So both he and his literary opponent Ion Trewin die in the same year.

Norwegian Carl Nesjar, collaborator with Picasso and creator of HUGE murals, is dead at 94: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/11675444/Carl-Nesjar-artist-obituary.html The article also mentions the death of his first wife, Inger Sitter, also an artist, in March.

Well, if it wasn't for his pancreatic cancer, would anyone outside of Canada have known him? He left office 31 years ago. Though I would have thought that the BBC might have an obit, with say, 60% probability. Edit: I got the decade wrong, it's only 21 years ago. Hmm...

Yemeni rebel leader Nasir al-Wuhayshi killed by a US drone strike. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/16/yemen-al-qaida-leader-nasir-al-wuhayshi-killed-us-drone-strike The poor country... there's also a civil war going on there with one side being backed by Saudi Arabia. I don't even know whether Saudi Arabia and the USA are on the same side there.

Harry Rowohlt, heir to a german publishing company, turned actor/artist/translator, is dead at 70: http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/literatur/harry-rowohlt-ist-tot-a-1039005.html(german link) He had an incurable nerve disease for years.

Carol Anderson of the Australian post-punk scene, and member of Box of Fish, is dead after a short illness: http://themusic.com.au/news/all/2015/06/15/respected-pioneer-of-aussie-post-punk-scene-passes-away/

Jamie Sangouthai, marginal member of the Kardashian universe dies of an overdose: http://perezhilton.com/2015-06-15-lamar-odom-best-friend-jamie-sangouthai-dies-drug-overdose#.VX7Gy_ntlBc

Dutch singer/songwriter Heinz Hermann Polzer, aka Drs. P is dead at 95: http://historiek.net/taalvirtuoos-en-liedjesmaker-drs-p-95-overleden/50811/(dutch link)

Not resigning after all? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3123245/Sepp-Blatter-planning-RESIGN-receiving-support-African-Asian-football-federations-claim-Swiss-media.html

Link goes to a photographer. Grrr... happens when one forgets the "copy" part of copy/paste-ing and the old link is still saved.

He was hospitalized yesterday for a "small heart problem". http://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/europe/67940-150416-french-far-right-patriarch-le-pen-hospitalised Could his ostracism (hmm, contains the word racism) lead to a heart attack? Now Le Pen has sued his party over his expulsion. Somebody there suggests that Le Pen doesn't want his creation, the National Front, to outlive him: http://news.sky.com/story/1501029/frances-le-pen-sues-own-party-over-suspension The german article I saw first also mentions that Le Pen is being investigated for tax fraud and a secret swiss bank account. Edit: Here's something in english: http://panteres.com/2015/06/10/french-judiciary-is-investigating-le-pen-for-tax-fraud/

Monica Lewis, actress, singer, and cartoon voice is dead at 93: http://variety.com/2015/music/people-news/monica-lewis-actress-singer-dead-dies-at-93-1201518835/ She headlined the first broadcast of the Ed Sullivan Show and was the voice of the Chiquita Banana cartoons. Some of her roles include the movies Earthquake, Airport 75 and The Concorde - Airport 79. Edit: Edited

Chester Sheard, known for his portraits of jazz giants and photographs of the Civil Rights era is dead at 85: http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/7/71/683490/jazz-civil-rights-photographer-chester-sheard-dies-85

He's actually a huuuuge name in jazz circles. That's a very significant death. Not as big as Christopher Lee's, but bigger than Ron Moody's. I am not convinced about Coleman being bigger than Moody. He was one of the 420 names on my work game where 52 players each get 50 picks. (Nobody picked him, 8 people picked Ron Moody and 15 people picked Christopher Lee. I had thought for a long time that Ornette was a woman. Depends where you're coming from really. Coleman was a big, big name in jazz- perhaps the last of the greats (I don't count Herbie Hancock because of the 1980s). Moody was just as important in his own field, but the two aren't really comparable because they come from different worlds. Both made significant contributions. To me as a part-time jazz listener, Coleman's death means more. To a lover of musical theatre (not a euphemism) Moody's death might've had a more profound impact. Indeed. I like to listen to jazz occasionally and yes, apart from Hancock, Coleman might have been the biggest name in Jazz still alive (and not owing his standing to Miles Davis). However, though I don't like musicals, I knew Oliver! - but I didn't know Mr. Moody. The British factor might also play a role. Coleman's death got big headlines in Germany yesterday, Moody got small ones.

I always wanted to live through 3 centuries, i.e. get born in the 20th century, die in the 22nd century. But I'd have to become 118 years old for that, a bit unrealistic in spite of our progressing medical abilities. I feel relatively confident getting to 90. My only obstacle is my heavy consumption of sugary drinks. Many of my older relatives lived unhealthy lives as miners, so I think I cannot really compare to them. So I guess I die, let's say, 2075 [knocks on wood].

Alright, Helmut Kohl.