Octopus of Odstock

Happy Birthday, CR. I'm too tired to be creative today but I will at least include the smilie to show I care!

Really sorry to hear of this - I always liked his songs, especially the original "Something's Gotten Hold of my Heart". Performing one minute, dead the next. Meanwhile Haughey, Sharon & Ross Davidson live on. Just shows how random & daft this death lark is sometimes.... Anyway,

Sir Richard Powell, who was former permament secretary to the Board of Trade, amongst other high ranking Civil Service jobs, has died aged 96. link - search for Powell, last 14 days When I did my politics degree, I studied Powell, amongst others, when we looked at the Civil Service & Politics. It was mostly dull but thankfully, the tutor kept us awake & entertained by playing "Yes, Minister/Prime Minister" as it was a better way of illustrating what civil service mandarians did than reading any old book. Powell was also on my DDP "20" for next year. Drat, I might've sneaked an unique pick there.

Considering he was an unique pick on the DDP & he has died an un-natural death, should we think about shopping The Caulkhead Coffin-Kickers to the authorities? Or should we wait until Hilda Braid (god forbid) suffers the same fate?

Well, he is & he isn't. John Jordan, he of cornflake fame, ran Formula 2 racing cars etc. in the 1960's & 1970's - so he is effectively, a "motor racing team boss" -he's got nothing to do with the Jordan F1 team - that was run by Eddie "Wiggy" Jordan. Anyway, I did mention JJ's death in the F1 thread as well. Donaldson is a shock. I know, I know.. it shouldn't be, but it is to me. Martin Gilks obit to confirm Vinegar Tit's sad news BBC News report re. his death I don't know if anyone here, bar myself, has heard of him, but Blackpool FC legend Ewan Fenton has also died.

He was known as John, btw, not William. William is on his birth certificate, but it was as "John Jordan" that he was mildly famous in motor racing & his business interests. It says as much in the link and on Wikipedia.

Aziz is very well known. "Chemical Ali", "Comical Ali", "Queen Germ", "Mrs Anthrax", Izzat "ginge" Ibrahim, Barzan "Raving Nutter" Al-Tikriti & Tassin "I haven't got a nickname" Ramadan, are all relatively well known. Otherwise, it's hit & miss. But all of those in the Saddam trial now would get a mention, simply just because...

RA, first of all, AFAIK, both Brabham & Williams have no illnesses. Maybe just age taking its toll on both. A little round-up for youse: John Jordan, who ran a successful racing team (not F1), has died, as has the aptly named Dicky Dies, an ex-midget racer. A very minor US sprint car racer was also killed at the weekend, but the biggest death is of 11 times Indianapolis 500 veteran, Bob Veith. Bob Veith

Great find, CO! Not looking good for him, I must say, with numerous problems, but who knows?

At the risk of sounding post-whorish, I agree too. I actually think you'll see more deaths being reported that way as well.

From the IRL's point of view, the Williamson death is irrelevant. The accident that changed US racing forever was The Sachs-McDonald Crash

Just to confirm that Al Lewis was: 82. Al Lewis 30 Apr 1923 3 Feb 2006 New York, New York, New York That's from the Social Security Death Index. Yes, I know it hardly matters, but at least it sets the mind at rest.

Ah, good to see this back. Hal, the Central Park Coyote is dead. Blow me if I know who Hal was, but it's got nearly 30 GNS mentions already in the last hour - that's more than some on Near Misses' got in total! Is this dumbing down of the highest extreme or can someone enlighten me on why the late coyote was so famous? Link - if anyone is that bothered about it EDIT Is this like the Thames Whale? Captured the attention of the nation blah blah?

It's nothing personal. Just trying to use the rules to best effect. However, I had no idea Ross Davidson had a Wiki entry!! Ah well...

That's not what I was referring to really. I didn't make it clear, sorry. I was referring to the fact that the "Not Exactly Famous" thread was un-stickied (if there is a correct term, I don't know it!), just as progress was being made. No reason given and I don't know whether that meant we post everyone in Near Misses or not. Your criteria is fine, and I see you adhere to it, for which I applaud you. Shame others (mods & users) don't seem to, otherwise we wouldn't hav 770 posts of Near Misses by 1st April.

As you so kindly asked, I have entered a team but I don't know if it is in the right area or not. I'm sure you can berate/congratulate/correct me, as the case may be.

Already suggested it, was flamed down for it. There has been a deathly silence from the mod's regards the not famous but/near misses debate, with the end result being even more confusion. Sometimes I wonder if what I post makes the slightest bit of difference to anyone bar MPFC & CP as my original Lomond post proved.

Iain, I posted about Britt Lomond's death, in some detail, on this thread, 5 days ago! Phantom, CR - for what's it worth, I had heard of him, but I admit it's borderline.

I don't say this as it's only Wikipedia that's reporting it right now (in fact that burial info is quite solid information and so I err on the side of it's true), but I find it odd this hasn't been reported more. The link with Princess Bimbo is small, but I would've thought some of the Diana luvvy papers would've reported this online already, seeing he apparently died a week ago. (or maybe it's just been announced - might be in all the broadsheets tomorrow..) EDIT: It's in The Times Death Notices - this link may work, but if not, it'll be online soon. Shand-Kydd Dead Same link reveals the Earl of Swinton is dead too, whomever he may be. Well done unknown contributor to Wikipedia & Iain for spotting it before the press!

I dunno, I found that mystifying & confusing myself. However, I am glad that I'm not the only one who hasn't heard of him, considering the news coverage of his death. And I used to work in a bookshop, so you'd think I would know of him!! I am hoping though, with all the deaths in twos, that an Irish writer is followed by an Irish leader....

Would that be the same John McGahern in the "Not famous, but..." thread, perchance?

Yahoo weren't even the first with that, the cricinfo site were, so who knows what their game is! Anyway, John McGahern, Irish Writer is dead. I'm sure he's somebody I should've heard of, but I haven't. Link. So having no idea if he's really famous or not, I've put him in this thread.

Gerald Ford news Nothing on his health, but he's still alive. But it doesn't look like he travels at all any more. I also like the fact that not many people have won "The Ford Medal", but of those who have, his wife has.

Yes, he is - he'll get a mention on the BBC & his illness has already been mentioned by Reuters UK, but I don't think he'll make it to 2007. CP, Edgar Ray Killen might. I've heard of him and the film link might just be enough....

Thank you very much Mr Corkdood! (lovely area of the world with very comely woman too ) At last, some positive news about one of my DDP selections! (and also for people to cheat when guessing numero Cinq!)