Dead Pool 16th July 2017

Another pointless week, in fact a rather slow news week too. Not that many deaths, and those who did kick the bucket were rather niche to say the least! Time to free the flying monkeys we feel.

Look Who You Could Have Had:

  • Chuck Blazer, 72, American soccer administrator, informant for the 2015 FIFA corruption case, colorectal cancer.
  • Fresh Kid Ice, 53, American rapper (2 Live Crew).
  • Marie Josephine Gaudette, 115, American-born Italian supercentenarian and nun, nation’s oldest person.
  • Maryam Mirzakhani, 40, Iranian mathematician and academic, Fields Medalist (2014), breast cancer.

In Other News 

Ajax midfielder Abdelhak Nouri suffered “serious and permanent brain damage” after collapsing in a friendly match on Saturday. The 20-year-old had “cardiac arrhythmias” – heart rhythm problems – during the game against Werder Bremen. The club statement said the chances of recovery from the damage is nil. It added: “The diagnosis was made that a lot of his brain is not functioning. All this probably occurred due to a lack of oxygen supply.” On Monday, the club had said tests showed his “heart is functioning normally” and brain scans did not detect “any anomalies” – but new tests revealed the extent of the damage. The Amsterdam-born player was flown by helicopter to hospital in Austria – where the abandoned friendly match was being played.

Aretha Franklin has cancelled another scheduled performance due to ill health. The music icon was set to headline the second annual Martha’s Vineyard Concert Series at the Tabernacle in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts on 19th August. However, undisclosed  health issues have caused Aretha to pull out of the show, with a representative for production company Innovation Arts & Entertainment confirming her cancellation. “The staff of MV Concert Series wishes Ms. Franklin a full recovery and holds out hope that we may someday host the Queen of Soul in concert on Island,” they said in a statement. Due to the late notice, concert organisers have not been able to find a replacement act and all purchased tickets for the Vineyard show have been refunded. Of late, the Respect hitmaker has also cancelled gigs in Chicago, Illinois and Toronto in Canada due to health concerns. In recent years, the 75-year-old has cut down on her performance schedule and in 2010, she had to cancel shows to undergo emergency abdominal surgery. She later revealed she had a tumour removed. Earlier this year, Aretha announced she will be retiring after her next album is released in September.

A couple tried to recreate an infamous scene from Dirty Dancing – and ended up in hospital. Andy and Sharon Price were left unconscious after their attempt failed and they collided, leading to a blue-light dash in an ambulance to A&E. The engaged pair had watched the 80s movie more than 30 times and wanted to do the famous lift on their big day. But practicing their moves in a pub garden wasn’t the best idea – Andy, 51, was knocked out cold and Sharon, 52, was bruised and severely winded. Jennifer Grey made leaping into the arms of Patrick Swayze so much easier, but for the Price’s it ended in drama. At first, their family members thought they were messing around, but realised it was serious and dialled 999. Sharon said doctors at Southmead Hospital in Bristol laughed when they discovered how they’d got their injuries. They’ve known each other for 18 months and plan to tie the knot later this year. But now, instead of dancefloor acrobatics, they’ll be settling for a “slow one” for their first dance instead.

On This Day

  • 1661 – The first banknotes in Europe are issued by the Swedish bank Stockholms Banco.
  • 1935 – The world’s first parking meter is installed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
  • 1945 – Manhattan Project: The Atomic Age begins when the United States successfully detonates a plutonium-based test nuclear weapon near Alamogordo, New Mexico.
  • 1969 – Apollo program: Apollo 11, the first mission to land astronauts on the Moon, is launched from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Kennedy, Florida.

Deaths

Last Week’s Birthdays

Will Ferrell (50), Phoebe Cates (54), Corey Feldman (46), Travis Fimmel (38), Diane Kruger (41), Brigitte Nielsen (54), Forest Whitaker (56), Jan-Michael Vincent (73), Celia Imrie (65), Jesse Ventura (66), Jackie Earle Haley (56), Matthew Fox (51), Harry Dean Stanton (91), David Mitchell (43), Harrison Ford (75), Patrick Stewart (77), Michelle Rodriguez (39), Anna Friel (41), Cheryl Ladd (66), Tamsin Greig (51), Bill Cosby (80), Stephen Lang (65), Sofía Vergara (45), Peter Serafinowicz (45), Chiwetel Ejiofor (40), John Simm (47) and Jessica Simpson (37).

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