Phantom

Well a little whisper on the grapevine telling us how he's been doing since his release from hospital wouldn't go amiss

There's been nothing further in the news section of his website since December 14th

Brooke Astor is featuring quite a lot in the NY Times August 1st A Former Astor Aide Tells How Spending Habits Changed August 2nd Judge Keeps Astor Court Files Closed August 3rd In Mystery of Reaching 104, Mrs. Astor Is a Case Study August 3rd Dismissed Butler Is at Center of Astor Suit, Lawyer Says

Two young lad's nicked by the police. One was eating gun powder and the other was drinking battery acid. They let one of with a caution but the other got charged. I would have thought that the one eating gun powder would have been bang to rights

But would she get an obit? A few years back she'd have got a mention in NME, not sure if she would these days

It says she had lung cancer 2nd paragraph

6/1 odds on Castro dying in December

Mary, That's pretty much how we choose our draft pool. Although the previous year's winner picks last. This year we have 7 players all with 10 picks each. But a pretty poor showing on the choices we have. Just 3 hits out of a total of 70

I hope his execution (by whatever method) is televised. That would be interesting though. I can just imagine how the event would take place. Commentator:- "And now we go live to the execution of Saddam Hussein. And Heeeeeeeere's Saddam!!" Voice-Over:- "Saddam Hussein's execution was brought to you by Addidas, McDonald's and Pantene official sponsors of The Execution" I can't wait to buy the DVD so I can relive it again and again. Perhaps they should release footage of public executions and overdub an acid house music soundtrack and call them Graves

Sister says Castro getting better

Fitz Eugene Dixon Jr former owner of The Philadelphia 76ers has died at the age of 82

Dick or Iain, whatever your name is.. if Philip D'arcy Hart was he can hardly be construed as being a near miss. I don't know about anyone else, but I personally have never heard of him.

Castro's sister hits out at exiles' premature celebrations

Castro 'very alert' following surgery

Just noticed that the article is a couple of weeks old, so I've emailed the journalist that wrote the article to find out if he's heard any further on Sheldon's condition.

Castro 'feels fine' after surgery

Ahem... we were on the topic at hand. Oh so you were...it was pissing and moaning 'twernt it? (or at least pissing) My mistake goodot...carry on then... No Bruno you're quite right, the diversion had run its course and at this critical juncture in Fidel's life it is right and proper that his health his discussed. Mind that highly speculative stuff in your post did go on a bit, like one of Castro's speeches. I'd like to know more about his brother. Perhaps there's a chance of a rare double. Fidel who?

It's a shame that at that stage in someone's life they can/t advise euthansia (sp?) Having to watch my gran suffer through progressively worsening alzheimers for nearly 30 years to the stage where towards the end she was convinced my 1yr old nephew was me and that my sister was my mother was very hard to deal with. She had some memories, but they were all jumbled up and in the last year she didn't know who anyone was. At 104 and according to the reports that have been printed recently where Astor doesn't even know when people are in the same room must be probably worse. It was the toughest decision for my mum to write DNR (Do Not Resucitate) on my gran's medical details when the time eventually came.

Vincent J. Fuller the attorney who defended John Hinckley who attempted to assissinate Ronald Reagan has died at the age of 75

I see he's 82 and all this bickering can't do his blood pressure much good. Anthony Marshall for 2007? nah, 2008, with all the money he's allegedly syphoned from Astor's account he could afford better health care

There are only 6 news reports (thus far) on Google News Search (my main reason for NFB...) carrying a report of his death, and, as you have said before, a BBC article is not really a real judgement of somebody's fame. No doubt famous in his field, but worldwide, generally.. nah. I'm quite comfortable with my decision, here, though I appreciate that in the past I have put less notables in the Near Misses, but that was back in the Iain days when you almost felt obliged to post any semi-notable death so that Iain wouldn't "confirm" it, 8 days later. Jessie Gilbert got 60, yet I venture nobody had heard of her until she took a tumble. David Gemmell is a successful author with a considerable body of work behind him. Be honest, if Stanley Kunitz wasn't on the list how many would have heard of him? I have to admit that I'd heard of Jessie Gilbert for a couple of reasons 1. I knew a teacher from her school and he sometimes spoke of her. 2. she sometimes featured in the chess magazines that my dad is subscribed too

Socialite's son denies abuse claims

There are only 6 news reports (thus far) on Google News Search (my main reason for NFB...) carrying a report of his death, and, as you have said before, a BBC article is not really a real judgement of somebody's fame. No doubt famous in his field, but worldwide, generally.. nah. I'm quite comfortable with my decision, here, though I appreciate that in the past I have put less notables in the Near Misses, but that was back in the Iain days when you almost felt obliged to post any semi-notable death so that Iain wouldn't "confirm" it, 8 days later. In terms of fame value, Gemmell is well known amongst fantasy fiction readers and those who would work in a book store. Admittedly his only real hits regarding his writings have been Legend and Waylander, he's not really widely known as someone say Stephen King I'd probably say he was a borderline case

She's bound to get an obit in The Telegraph, The Times or The Guardian

Perhaps you should read the article in more depth