gcreptile

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.

Ah, but Pity Da Foolz with the joker of Stefan Karl.... The lead is just a nonagenarian in a care home away... Exciting for a neutral

I really wonder why I picked Stefan Karl at #2 here, but not in the Poker game at all...

That was a bit sudden. I had been shown a quite recent and not too bad looking picture. But yeah, at the outset of the year, I knew one out of Stefan Karl and Greg Gilbert would die. It was obvious pretty soon who's it going to be.

Ah, 3rd hit for my Generation Game team this month - if a QO comes up. But between early 2016 and mid-2018 there was no news on him. At least I couldn't find them.

Read the news about Asia Argento and had to think of this:

Out and about: https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/1005442/Prince-Philip-health-latest-queen-balmoral-scotland-pictures An insider says he's "fit as a fiddle".

Australian transgender performer Carlotta has bladder cancer, but it was diagnosed early, yet I have a feeling... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-6079095/It-terrified-tripe-Trangender-showgirl-Carlotta-74-overcomes-cancer.html

Oh no...they she should check out that house...

The health of president of Lebanon, Michel Aoun, is declining. https://gulfnews.com/news/mena/lebanon/aoun-s-deteriorating-health-sparks-succession-rumours-in-lebanon-1.2265356 He suffered a stroke in 2013, tripped in 2017, recently confused some words, "only works around two hours a day", and "has suffered from various illnesses since his youth days".

Kenny Rogers "quietly" sold his Atlanta mansion earlier this year: https://www.wideopencountry.com/kenny-rogers-house-atlanta-mansion/