Octopus of Odstock

Yes, loads, as ManInBlack will testify - they, along with racing drivers, are my speciality DL subject. My 2008 DDP team will probably be made up of 20 of them.. (or 10 African Despots & 10 racing drivers...) To name but a few... Kenneth Kaunda, Frederick Chiluba, Haile Mariam Mengistu, Sam Nujoma, Nelson Mandela, Hosni Mubarak, Daniel Arap Moi, Paul Biya, Lansana Conte, Teodoro Obiang Nguema are all worthy candidates and many of them have been mentioned on DL already,

How odd. After what CP was saying about the age gap between Nelson & EMDT the other day, and Wagner's death report yesterday, I was thinking about old EMDT literally 25 minutes ago or so when I came in from work & hoped he would go on a bit longer. How annoying he didn't pop off 25 days ago. I nearly put him in my DDP team, but on balance, weighed up that 3 points (for he would not have been joker) was not worth it in the end, and to risk it for 6 or 7. Remains to be seen if that was correct. That's now 7 WWI veterans either dead or announced dead (ie died last year, but announced this year) in the first 25 days of the year. Not a good start....

Oh no, plenty of people dislike Leeds United, both for long-standing or current reasons. For reasons going back some 10 years, I shall not mourn at their almost certain relegation this year. I doubt many in Sheffield will either, hence Mr Guest's post. Besides MK Dons are on the up, it seems, and could well play Leeds next year. I can't see any reason why you mentioned Carlisle in reply to that post, MPFC, apart from the obvious. Dunstable, by the way, are in with a play-off shout. and try as hard as I might, I can't link this with any death news except an old bloke I know from Dunstable died last week.

I have the feeling that they will actually announce his death on a "convienent day". By this, I mean, a historically significant day in Fidel's history, (when he took power, Bay of Pigs etc etc.) when in fact he may already have died a while before.

Yep, yep. Very sad news. Still, he had a wonderful life right up to the end, bless him. Met him in 1998, utterly delightful man. There are not many around now who saw him race, but he was some driver - fast, aggresive, but mechanically sympathetic. Didn't have many of them in those days, or indeed, now.

I have no idea of what his fame level (if any) is but Entertainment Insiders obituary writer Rusty White may well have an incurable disease. See Denny Doherty obit. Obscurer people have had obits, you know...

No matter. 3 more points, above Everton & Tottenham of all people & the added bonus of seeing Colin sent off for fighting with Wally Downes. Happy days.

What about Lord Carrington (born 1919), if we're dealing with ancient Tory Foreign Secretaries? He's okay - he was in our local paper (Bucks Free Press) only last week complaining about something or other to do with land ownership. I think he'll last for a little while yet....

I might've known you were behind it somehow Couldn't add Francis Pym, Baroness Jeger, Jimmy Langley, Hans Ruesch & Les Leston to your list as well?

Strange that. Only a few days ago I was looking at potential 2008 candidates & for some reason he popped into my head as an "off the wall" potential choice (not being aware of his illness). Hardly surprising, therefore, that he should die a few days later... Great shame, though.

Hopefully increased to 7 with a win tomorrow over Colin's rag tag Sheff Utd team.

The story comes from the National Enquirer, apparently, so believe what you will...

Oh crap. I didn't even pick Buchwald. I deserve to be 3rd from bottom.

Winner Says "all limbs are staying where they are"

Sorry Windsor, I'll answer for you in this case. Yes, he did. 8 hits in fact. Ford, Haughey, Hussein, Pinochet, Rugova, Scott King, Shand & Tupou. If Sihanouk had buggered off, Windsor would've been in the top 10 I think. Looking at his team this year, I would say the same amount of hits is possible, even probable.

Yes, it's accurate - I remember well him saying it. For what it's worth, I kinda like the old boy, without really having a good reason why - I hope he pulls through.

Apparently, no. I'm glad you found it though - that was the "obit" that was disqualified, essentially for the reasons I listed above. So that's why I don't think the two US guys & Benny Parsons count just yet. Or that's the impression I got from RK's e-mail. I think the point is - if it's not a permament link on "google news search", then it's unlikely to be accepted. (the two US guys, Hamilton & Parsons aren't) Hopefully, when he has the time, RK will come on here & explain the process. Not least as he'll probably explain far better in person than I am trying to do via an e-mail. I don't really want to get drawn into the argument of what's right and what's not. I do have great sympathy with what Tempus is saying. One of the advantages of the DDP was the risk that American picks would not get an obit. But I also have sympathy with the DDP guys in what they're trying to do and trying to balance it all out. Also, there's too much going on in my life right now to worry about this. If No Noose for Good Noose wins, then well done to them. If they don't, then well done to whoever wins. As there's no prize, I can't see it matters too much. I think someone said it was about respect amongst deadpoolers? Well, all I can say to TF is he'll earn more respect coming a valiant 2nd or 39th or 17th (whatever) than No Noose Is Good Noose will. I know it doesn't mean much, but it's something, surely?

How come Parsons gets one and Hamilton doesn't? Parsons was a champion (1972 NASCAR champion) & commentator, who had a much higher profile amongst the TV world & the US as a whole. Hamilton was just a normal driver, with a few big wins, but a much lower profile generally. It's why, say Juan Manuel Fangio's death gets load of coverage and Jack Fairman's none, or precious little, to use recent examples. I think that's a breaking news feed, FF, so that may not count just yet, but ultimately he should get a mention soon elsewhere anyway. To be honest, even I'm gettingrather confused what is and what isn't a UK obit from the Guardian any more.

I've put the reasons. Bezzerides was an actual page in the film section. The other two were a "breaking news" AP feed. I've repeated it below for you to try see the difference. But either way, those were the rules last year, so you should've made the most of it rather than whinge. Also, it doesn't say all the teams have been uploaded yet that picked Barzan/Bandar. It's only a deadpool for f**ks sake, TF, anybody would think it's important.

I don't think that counts, if I've understood what Rude Kid said in the e-mail properly as it's not really an obituary - it's an international breaking news feed and not a permament link. (ie it is now, but won't be 11 months down the line). Bobby Hamilton's was disqualified for the same reasons (same paper, same section). So hopefully, it won't count. Anyway, why this sudden whinging crusade over AP feeds? The same rule was in place last year & you didn't whinge then? and seeing as "two for two" is the only mention of them on here, it's hardly surprising I missed it isn't it?

Quite simply, because neither of their deaths have been covered by a UK newspaper yet.

John Smyth obit latest!!!!!!!!!!!!! UK newspaper covers Smyth death Sadly for MIB, it's only the Sheffield Today. But it's a step in the right direction. If Parsons gets one, Hamilton will get one as a passing mention - so I think it might just be the Earthlink guy who might not. We shall see.

Danny Oakes, mentioned by myself before as he was the oldest survivor from the Indianapolis 500, has died, after a long illness, aged 96 Link Profile

Well, he will if there's a UK obit on its way. Just found out another driver's died recently. Hmmm. He was on my shortlist too...

Oh dear. What a terrible shame, he was such a nice man & a fine driver. I actually wonder, taking what the doctors said, if the blood clots were not more of a problem than thought & possibly led to his death? Now I picked neither Bobby Hamilton or Benny Parsons, even though they were motor racing fellows as I thought UK obits would be a major problem, as I listed above in an earlier post. I will have to see if I've made a mistake in that. Also, and it's worth pointing out - Parson's death may well bring an obit for Bobby Hamilton as an article may mention the death of both over a short space of time. We shall see.....