Be Excellent To Each Other

I don't understand cricket, never mind the Duckworth-Lewis method of which I'd previously never heard.

Aeons ago, when I was running Occasional Speakers courses for my fellow civil servants, we'd let them choose their own subjects for their practice presentations so that we didn't get 10 or more boring talks about the work they did.

One memorable presentation was on The Leg Before Wicket Rule. The guy managed to fill 45 minutes without hesitation or repetition. I seem to remember it making sense at the time.

Shelley Duvall won't be shining any more.

Shannon Doherty, aged 53. Damn.

And Dr. Ruth. 183 years old.

And Richard Simmonds

John Anderson swings through the Eliminator.

John Mayall whose influential band the Bluesbreakers was a springboard for stars including Eric Clapton, John McVie, Mick Fleetwood, Jack Bruce, Mick Taylor, etc. etc. - has died at the age of 90.


L-R John Mayall, Eric Clapton, John McVie and Hughie Flint

"He had a reputation as something of an eccentric, building a massive treehouse in his grandparents' back garden, where he lived with his fiancee Pamela."

If I remember correctly, his grandparents' house was in Didsbury, less than half a mile from where I lived as a child, although I never actually saw it.

Not sure this counts as celebrity, but I hope there are some succulent Chinese meals wherever he's ended up.

So long, and farewell to Sven-Goran Eriksson

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce81rkg87w8o

James Earl Jones

UGH REMAKE

James Earl Jones. Best known as the karate coach in Best of the Best. RIP.

He does a fine turn as a USAF general in By Dawn's Early light. Essential viewing for anyone who grew up with cold war films.

The best villain from our childhood..

Giphy "vader":
https://media4.giphy.com/media/xUA7aSfMIosbMgpSKc/giphy-loop.mp4

what on earth?

T. Rex and Blue Mink bass guitarist Herbie Flowers dies aged 86. Also the founder of Sky (the band, not the TV station) and collaborator with David Bowie.

His most famous contribution to music must be the bassline to Walk on the Wild Side.

Saw an interesting factoid regarding that the other day:

Chad McQueen. Dutch, the best Cobra Kai from the first movie.

There's genuinely not many of the Hogwarts Staff left now

Be typical if Dolores Umbridge is the last one left alive, the snivelling bumbag.

Oh, man. Admittedly I'm on a fan of his work in Blade 2 but even so.

Dead Rubber Ducky.

Alex Salmond leaves the UK.

Oh no! Anyone checked the Thames for Whales yet?

Radio is reporting Liam Payne from One Direction has fallen to his death in Argentina!

31 years old

Ooh, that's not going to be good

Paul DiAnno gone
https://blabbermouth.net/news/ex-iron-m ... dead-at-66

You mean he....dropped D.

Love the first two Maiden albums, think he was a great singer for them. RIP

I saw him live about twenty years ago, and he was great. I don't think Iron Maiden would have ever got to the same level of success without Bruce, but their first two albums are some of their best.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/a ... 6pn5d7eydo

Geoff Capes

I saw him in The Asdas near me once

I saw him in a B&B in Blackpool, when we went to see the lights

I met him in passing. He was friendly with my dad (who worked in athletics) - a relatively rare example of someone big in the sport who also loved it when he finished.

that explains a lot

I find it odd that the death of American singer Jack Jones hasn't been widely reported. He used to be hugely popular in the 70s and 80s and was still touring in 2018.

Ron Ely who played Tarzan and Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze in the 1970s.

Quincy Jones

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjr4n2490r9o

June Spencer climbs Lakey Hill

Who is going to look after psycho Hilda Ogden now?

Tony Todd down.

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/n ... es-aged-69

Shame about Todd. I never rated Candyman but I enjoyed him in The Crow and Final Destination. 69 is too young.

I mostly knew him from Star Trek. He was a fantastic Klingon