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Dead Pool 17th November 2024

Another pointless week, but time is ticking onwards with only a few weeks left to go! I know a few of you are already working on your lists for 2025, but if you are struggling to find inspiration, running through a few older newsletters will help you out.  

Look Who You Could Have Had:

In Other News

Davina McCall has announced she is undergoing surgery to remove a brain tumour. The TV presenter and Masked Singer judge is having the operation to remove a 14mm benign brain tumour, which she discovered during a recent health scan. She shared the news in an Instagram post on Friday, revealing she had a colloid cyst that affects only three in a million people. In a new video posted to her Instagram account, McCall explained: “A few months ago I did a menopause talk for a company and they offered me a health scan in return, which I thought I was going to ace, but it turned out I had a benign brain tumour called a colloid cyst, which is very rare.” McCall explained that upon learning about the tumour, she put her “head in the sand for a while” but then sought out advice from neurosurgeons and got different opinions. “I realised that I have to get it taken out,” she said. “It’s big for the space – it fills the space. It’s 14mm wide. And it needs to come out because if it grows it would be bad.” The presenter will undergo a craniotomy – a surgical procedure to remove part of the skull to access the brain – to take out the cyst. “Say a prayer for me,” she said. McCall’s partner Michael Douglas then arrived in the video to assure fans he was taking care of her, and that she would be “off the grid” until she recovers. She will be in hospital for nine days in total. “I’m just letting people know that I will have my eye on her throughout the procedure,” said Douglas, before joking, “In fact, I offered to do the operation to make sure it was done properly – but they won’t let me.” McCall remarked they had both “been through a lot” but they remained in good spirits. “I’m going to be off my phone for a while, so Michael might fill you in,” she added. She assured fans that she is in good hands, and that she has total faith in her surgeon and his team. “I’m handing the reins over to my surgeon, he knows what he’s doing and I’m going to do the getting better bit after,” McCall said. “I’ll see you on the other side.” According to the London Neurology Partnership, colloid cysts are small fluid-filled sacs located in or around the lateral and third ventricle of the brain.  

Full House star Dave Coulier has revealed that he has been diagnosed with a “very aggressive” form of stage 3 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The 65-year-old actor, who starred as Joey Gladstone on the hit ABC sitcom, shared the news during an appearance on the Today show on Wednesday. Coulier said he first discovered symptoms several months ago when he got a cold and then found a large lump on his groin. “It swelled up immediately,” he recalled. “I thought, ‘Wow, I’m either really sick, or my body’s really reacting to something.’” He visited the doctor, who shared the shocking diagnosis with him just five weeks ago. “The first thing I said to them was, ‘Wait a minute – cancer?’” he said. “I was feeling like I got punched in the stomach because it never happens to you. You always hear about it happening to someone else.” Non-Hodgkins lymphoma is a form of cancer that affects the white blood cells, causing them to grow abnormally and can form tumours throughout the body. Stage 3 typically means that the cancer is large and may have spread to surrounding tissues or lymph nodes. Coulier said he started undergoing rounds of chemotherapy two weeks ago. He shared that he has six rounds of chemo every three weeks and is expected to wrap up treatment by February. “You hear chemo, and it scares the daylights out of you,” he said. “The first round was pretty intense because you don’t know what to expect. You don’t know how you’re going to feel. Is this going to hit me immediately? Is it going to be devastating? Am I going to walk out of here?” Describing treatment as “a bit of a roller coaster,” he said: “There are days where I feel unbelievable. Then there’s other days where… I’m just going to lay down and let this be what it’s going to be. Some days are nauseous and dizzy, and then there’s other days where the steroids kick in, and I feel like I have a ton of energy,” he added. “I actually skated yesterday with some friends here in Detroit. We just went and skated around and shot pucks, and it was wonderful just to be out there doing something that I love and just trying to stay focused on all the great stuff that I have in my life.” Coulier praised his wife, Melissa Bring Coulier, for her support, sharing that she “organised his entire life, from nutrition to the doctor’s appointments to pills.” 

Dolly Parton’s brother, David, has died. Their sister, Stella Parton, paid tribute to him on social media. Stella announced the sad news via Twitter  on Friday, saying her wonderful brother had passed away, adding it’s never easy to lose a loved one, but she knows David is now at peace. The Farrar Funeral Home in White Pine, Tennessee posted his obituary to their website, confirming he passed away peacefully at home. No cause of death was included. While Dolly doesn’t often talk about her family, she has expressed gratitude for their continued support of her career through the years. David was the second-oldest sibling of the 11 Parton kids. His living brothers and sisters include Willadeene, 84, Coy, 81, Dolly, Robert Jr., 76, Stella, Cassie, 73, Freida, 67, and Rachel, 65. He had three other siblings, Randy, Larry and Floyd, who all died before him. It comes just under four years after the death of Randy, at the age of 67, from cancer. Dolly, aged 78, said on behalf of her family at the time: “My brother Randy has lost his battle with cancer. The family and I are grieving his loss but we know he is in a better place than we are at this time.”

On This Day

  • 1894 – H. H. Holmes, one of the first modern serial killers, is arrested in Boston, Massachusetts. 
  • 1947   – American scientists John Bardeen and Walter Houser Brattain observe the basic principles of the transistor, a key element for the electronics revolution of the 20th century.
  • 2019 – The first known case of COVID-19 is traced to a 55-year-old man who had visited a market in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.

Deaths

  • 1917 – Auguste Rodin, French sculptor and illustrator (b. 1840).
  • 1940 – Eric Gill, English sculptor and typeface designer (b. 1882).
  • 1968 – Mervyn Peake, English poet, author, and illustrator (b. 1911).

Last Words

A war criminal had some chilling final words before he drank poison in court and died by suicide.

It’s not often that you can say that you actually heard someone’s last words, especially in such a setting. But those who were in the room with Slobodan Praljak will never be able to forget.

It was on 29th November 2017 in a United Nations courtroom for an appeal hearing for Praljak’s 20-year jail sentence that he ended his own life.

The ex-commander of Bosnian Croat forces had been sent down for war crimes after being convicted of crimes against humanity in 2013. However, the appeals judge was not going to be lenient on him.  Once the judge confirmed the 72-year-old’s long and hard sentence, he took his own life, right in front of those in attendance, and the cameras.

You can see how he looked moments before he uttered his last words, as he fiddled with a bottle in his hands. Praljak went on to claim that he was innocent and then drank from the small bottle containing potassium cyanide before collapsing.

According to the Flying Monkeys, the former commander of Bosnian Croat military forces shouted for all to hear: “Slobodan Praljak is not a war criminal. I am rejecting the court ruling.”  He then tipped his head back and quickly drank the liquid.

All of this was streamed live from the court’s website, and anyone could have witnessed him collapsing. Praljak died two hours later in a Dutch hospital, but one questioned remained: How did he manage to get the bottle inside of court?  Nobody actually knows.

In 2018, Dutch prosecutors ended their investigation into Praljak’s suicide after an investigation had been launched into how the war criminal was able get it into the UN courtroom. The Hague Public Prosecution Service concluded in a statement that they could not find out ‘in what way and at what point in time Mr Praljak had obtained the potassium cyanide he used’.

Surveillance footage from court also led to nothing after police and prosecutors reviewed it and interviewed witnesses. The also searched his UN cell and found that there were no criminal offences committed in his bid to die by suicide.

According to reports, Praljak left a handwritten ‘farewell letter’ to his family, which was left in his cell at the UN Detention Unit, where he resided for years while he waited for the outcome of his 1992-95 Bosnian war crimes. It is said to have been written two years before he killed himself. It told his wife and step-children that he didn’t want a funeral, but did want his ashes to be scattered over a cemetery in the Croatian capital of Zagreb.

Prosecutors shared that he wrote ‘that he had already decided to put an end to his life a long time ago, should he be found guilty’.

Last Week’s Birthdays

Martin Scorsese (82), Rachel McAdams (46), Tom Ellis (46), Danny DeVito (80), Sophie Marceau (58), Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio (66), Kerry Godliman (51), RuPaul (64), Missi Pyle (52), Maggie Gyllenhaal (47), Pete Davidson (31), Martha Plimpton (54), Lisa Bonet (57), Gemma Atkinson (40), Jonny Lee Miller (52), Beverly D’Angelo (73), Olga Kurylenko (45), Sandahl Bergman (73), Paul McGann (65), Whoopi Goldberg (69), Gerard Butler (55), Neil Young (79), Max Grodénchik (72), Wallace Shawn (81), Ryan Gosling (44), Anne Hathaway (42), Calista Flockhart (60), Richard Dormer (55), Stanley Tucci (64), Leonardo DiCaprio (50), and Demi Moore (62).

Posted by  |  17th November 2024 | Categories: 2024 | Leave A Comment »

Dead Pool 10th November 2024

We have points to award!!! With the passing of June Spencer at the ripe old age of 105, Ceri  gets 145 points as she had her down as her Woman. Well done her! 

Look Who You Could Have Had:

In Other News

Bhad Bhabie has seemingly revealed she’s been diagnosed with cancer after hitting back at fans for commenting on her appearance. The 21-year-old rapper, whose real name is Danielle Bregoli, took to her Instagram Story on Thursday in response to fans’ concerns about her health, after she appeared to lose significant weight in recent weeks. “I’m sorry my cancer medicine made me loose weight,” she wrote on her Story. “I’m slowly gaining it back. So stop running with the worst narratives.” Bregoli, who rose to internet stardom for her “Cash me outside, how ‘bout that?” catchphrase during a Dr Phil appearance in 2016, didn’t disclose any further information about her cancer medicine or diagnosis. While the OnlyFans model hasn’t shared further details about her health, many fans posted their well wishes for Bregoli following her Instagram post. In 2022, the “Gucci Flip Flops” rapper revealed she had earned $52m on OnlyFans. She later shared a screenshot to Instagram as proof of her OnlyFans income. Just one year prior, Bregoli had broken an OnlyFans record; she racked up $1m in just six hours after joining the subscription-based video-sharing platform. 

James Van Der Beek has been diagnosed with cancer. The actor, 47, shot to fame playing the lead role in teen drama Dawson’s Creek, which ran between 1998 and 2003. In a statement to the Flying Monkeys, Van Der Beek said: “I have colorectal cancer. I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family.” He added: “There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good.” Colorectal cancer is a type of cancer which starts in either the colon or the rectum, which are both part of the large intestine in the body’s digestive system. Van Der Beek starred in multiple popular shows and films in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He played Dawson Leery in the hit TV show Dawson’s Creek, which ran from 1998 to 2003. He also played a fictionalised version of himself in the cult television show Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23, and he performed on the 28th US season of Dancing with the Stars. So far, Van Der Beek has continued working through his diagnosis.  

Janey Godley is to go on a ‘final tour’ before her funeral. The funeral of comedian Godley will take place over two days across two cities as part of a “final tour” of Scotland. A hearse will travel through Edinburgh on 29th November in tribute to her “beloved festival home” before returning to Glasgow on 30th November for the ceremony. The funeral for the comic, who died on 2nd November aged 63 after receiving palliative care for terminal cancer, will take place at St Mary’s Cathedral in the city’s west end. Her daughter, Ashley Storrie, confirmed the arrangements on social media. Godley, who found viral fame with her dubbed parodies of then Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon’s coronavirus news briefings during the pandemic, revealed she had ovarian cancer in November 2021. She had been due to embark on a tour entitled “Not Dead Yet,” but was forced to cancel it after her condition worsened. Godley was given the all-clear in 2022 but later that year announced another scan had shown signs of the disease in her abdomen. In the social media post her daughter said: “Here’s the details of Janey’s final tour, thank you for all the love and kindness in this past week. For the past few years of Ma’s life, it was important to her that she shared her journey with everyone, to offer support for others on the same path and to highlight the symptoms of Ovarian Cancer – all of course in her very singular Janey style, with laughter and candour. So many of you who have travelled with us on this journey wish to bid her a final farewell, so here’s the details of my mum’s final tour, in the two cities she loved with all her heart.” The hearse will travel along the Royal Mile and Lawnmarket in Edinburgh with a “pause for reflection” at St Giles’ Cathedral before travelling along Cockburn Street, Market Street and on to Glasgow. After the funeral on Saturday there will be a private service at a crematorium. Ms Storrie said her mother asked that instead of traditional funeral attire, those who wish to do so should wear bright colours to celebrate her life. She also asked that no flowers be sent but said people were invited to contribute to the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice or any charity of their choice.

On This Day

  • 1871 – Henry Morton Stanley locates missing explorer and missionary, David Livingstone in Ujiji, near Lake Tanganyika, famously greeting him with the words, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”
  • 1944 – The ammunition ship USS Mount Hood explodes at Seeadler Harbour, Manus, Admiralty Islands, killing at least 432 and wounding 371.
  • 1983 – Bill Gates introduces Windows 1.0.
  • 1989 – Germans begin to tear down the Berlin Wall.

Deaths

  • 1982 – Leonid Brezhnev, Ukrainian-Russian, 4th Head of State of the U.S.S.R. (b. 1906).
  • 2006 – Jack Palance, American boxer and actor (b. 1919).
  • 2010 – Dino De Laurentiis, Italian-American actor, producer (b. 1919).
  • 2015 – Helmut Schmidt, German soldier, economist, and politician, 5th Chancellor of Germany (b. 1918).

The Lead Coffins of Notre-Dame

Following the devastating Notre-Dame cathedral fire of 2019, Paris authorities were intrigued when they uncovered two lead-lined coffins 65 feet below the church floor.

One skeleton was quickly identified as a local cleric born in the 17th century, but the experts were left perplexed by the second, simply describing him as an ‘unknown nobleman’.

Now, they announce that it was the body of Joachim du Bellay, a celebrated French Renaissance poet and critic, born in Liré, western France in 1522.

Dubbed ‘the Horseman‘ due to his penchant for riding horses, du Bellay died of chronic meningitis due to tuberculosis in 1560, at the age of just 37.

Following his death, his remains were thought to be buried at Notre-Dame but were never identified – until now.

The new findings were revealed by University of Toulouse III and France’s National Institute of Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP). Dr Éric Crubézy, professor of anthropology at University of Toulouse III, said he died of ‘chronic tuberculous meningitis in the 16th century’. ‘This age is rarely represented among the burials of important people in the cathedral,’ the professor added.

Following the Notre-Dame cathedral fire of April 2019, two lead-lined coffins were found under paving stones in a spot where the ‘nave’ and the ‘transept’ meet. In a cross-shaped cathedral like Notre-Dame, the nave and the transept are the two straight parts that are at right angles to each other. The coffins were first uncovered in March 2022, but the opening of the tombs only occurred eight months later that November.

Although burials in cathedrals were practiced throughout the medieval and modern periods, a burial in a lead coffin was special – an act ‘reserved for an elite’ – and the men were deemed to be once wealthy.

One of the coffins was identified as containing Antoine de la Porte – a cleric of the cathedral who died in 1710 at the age of 87 – largely thanks to an identification plate with his name on the coffin. Born in 1627, Antoine de la Porte provided financial support to the redevelopment of the enclosure of the choir of Notre Dame in fulfilment of the Vow of Louis XIII.

Although no organic tissue was left on the bones, the remains were still well-preserved – including his hair and beard. Examination of the bones revealed he was between 25 and 40 years of at death and spent much of his early life riding horses, giving him the nickname ‘le Cavalier’ (the Horseman). There are several markings associated with horse-riding on his  upper limbs.

Forensic experts have been able to link such physical evidence from his remains to the life and death of Joachim du Bellay as detailed in the literature. Traces of bone tuberculosis and chronic meningitis were found on the skeleton, of which the poet showed symptoms in the last years of his life.

“He matches all the criteria of the portrait.’ Dr Crubézy said at a news conference last week, as quoted by La Croix and Live Science. ‘He is an accomplished horseman, suffers from both conditions mentioned in some of his poems, like in ‘The Complaint of the Despairing’. He describes “this storm that blurs his mind” and his family belonged to the royal court and the pope’s close entourage.’

However, Christophe Besnier, an INRAP archaeologist and excavation leader, suggested that some doubts remain. ‘Certain elements do not support this hypothesis,’ Besnier said. ‘Isotope analysis of the teeth indicates that the individual lived in the Paris region or Rhône-Alpes until he was 10 years old.  However, we know that Joachim du Bellay grew up in Anjou.’

It’s thought that without the cathedral fire five years ago the sarcophagi would be still lying undiscovered.

On April 15, 2019, millions worldwide watched in horror as firefighters battled through the night to save the cathedral as a fire tore through its roof and toppled the steeple. The 300-foot-tall Gothic spire collapsed into the embers early in the blaze to pained cries of locals transfixed by the unfolding scene.

One of one of Europe’s most-visited landmarks, the fierce blaze broke out just before 7pm local time in a roof area undergoing renovations.

‘Notre-Dame survived all the wars, all the bombardments. We never thought it could burn. I feel incredibly sad and empty,’ Stephane Seigneurie, a consultant who joined other shocked onlookers in a solemn rendition of ‘Ave Maria’ as they watched the fire from a nearby bridge.

Firefighters bravely worked to stop the flames and French authorities said the holy building was within ’15 to 30 minutes’ of complete destruction.

In September 2021, the French government announced the cathedral was finally stable and secure enough to start work to rebuild it. Following restoration work largely funded by €840 million from donors, Notre-Dame cathedral is due to reopen December 8 this year.

Last Week’s Birthdays

Taron Egerton (35), Walton Goggins (53), Hugh Bonneville (61), Neil Gaiman 64), Robert Duncan McNeill (60), Lou Ferrigno (73), Parker Posey (56), Matthew Rhys (50), Gretchen Mol (52), Alfre Woodard (72), Richard Curtis (68), Gordon Ramsay (58), Adam Devine (41),  Emma Stone (36), Ethan Hawke (54), Rebecca Romijn (52), Thandiwe Newton (52), Sally Field (78), Nigel Havers (73), Maria Shriver (69), Famke Janssen (60), Sam Rockwell (56), Tilda Swinton (64), Robert Patrick (66), Armin Shimerman (75), Matthew McConaughey (55), Ralph Macchio (63), Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs (55), Tanya Reynolds (33), Loretta Swit (87), and Olivia Taylor Dudley (39).

Posted by  |  10th November 2024 | Categories: 2024 | Leave A Comment »

Dead Pool 3rd November 2024

With a couple of months left to go, anyone scoring a Big Three could clinch the top spot! So all to play for! Sounds like some of you are already working on your lists for 2025 too! 

Look Who You Could Have Had:

In Other News

Strictly Come Dancing professional Amy Dowden was rushed to hospital after collapsing backstage following Saturday night’s live show. The Welsh dancer, 34, who recently battled breast cancer, fell ill at the show’s Hertfordshire studios shortly after performing with celebrity partner JB Gill. Paramedics were called to Elstree Studios after 9pm following reports of a medical emergency. A spokesperson for the East of England Ambulance Service said: “We were called just after 9pm on Saturday to attend a medical emergency at Elstree Studios in Borehamwood. An ambulance was sent to the scene. One patient, an adult female, was transported to Barnet Hospital for further care.” The health scare came moments after Dowden and former JLS star Gill performed the Foxtrot to Toploader’s Dancing In The Moonlight, scoring 32 points and placing fifth on the leaderboard. A spokesperson for Dowden said: “Amy was feeling unwell and so an ambulance was called as a precaution. She is feeling much better and would like to thank the Strictly family for their love and concern. We request Amy’s privacy in matters of health is kindly respected.” The dancer, who returned to Strictly in September after a two-year break, has endured a challenging year. She was diagnosed with cancer just one day after returning from her honeymoon with dancer husband Ben Jones in 2023. Despite initial hopes that surgery would be sufficient treatment, doctors discovered a second type of cancer in June. Dowden subsequently underwent a mastectomy and chemotherapy, while also battling a life-threatening case of sepsis during her treatment.  

The Toronto Zoo says its 52-year-old western lowland silverback gorilla, Charles, died Tuesday after the sudden onset of “significant health issues.” Charles had been a fixture at the zoo since its opening day in 1974. In a statement, the zoo described him as the “protective and wise leader” of its gorilla troop. “He will be dearly missed, and his memory will continue to inspire those who knew him to continue the fight against the extinction of this incredible, critically endangered species,” the zoo said. Charles was brought to Canada as an orphan from Gabon. Over his five decades at the zoo, he grew to weigh nearly 430 pounds and sired 10 offspring. He was also a grandfather to six gorillas. “His days were filled with moments of joy, quiet reflection, and family bonds — a testament to the complex social lives gorillas share,” the statement said. The zoo noted that despite his large size, Charles was afraid of toads. He also “despised” tall men because he saw them as rivals. Charles didn’t like when the donkeys or alpacas would walk past the gorilla enclosure, but never seemed to have a problem with dogs, the zoo added.  Late last week, zoo staff noticed Charles was “not his usual self,” the statement explained. He was moving more slowly and seemed to be breathing “a little quicker and harder.” Staff made a presumptive diagnosis of heart failure and, in consultation with subject matter experts, Charles was put on cardiac medication, the zoo said. He seemed to rally over the weekend and appeared to be doing well as of Tuesday morning. But in the afternoon, his health “deteriorated suddenly and quickly,” according to the zoo. The entire gorilla troop was able to see Charles before he passed to “say their goodbyes,” the zoo said. He died surrounded by his keepers. 

On This Day

  • 1936 – Franklin D. Roosevelt is elected the 32nd President of the United States.
  • 1957 – The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 2. On board is the first animal to enter orbit, a dog named Laika.
  • 1992 – Governor Bill Clinton defeats Republican President George H. W. Bush in the United States presidential election. 
  • 2014 – One World Trade Center officially opens in New York City, replacing the Twin Towers after they were destroyed during the September 11 attacks.

Deaths

  • 1926 – Annie Oakley, American entertainer and target shooter (b. 1860).
  • 1954 – Henri Matisse, French painter and sculptor (b. 1869).
  • 1998 – Bob Kane, American author and illustrator, co-created Batman (b. 1915).
  • 2002 – Lonnie Donegan, Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist (b. 1931).
  • 2018 – Sondra Locke, American actress and director (b. 1944).

Last Meals

South Carolina death row inmate Richard Moore’s last words were ones of contrition after he was executed by lethal injection on Friday for the 1999 fatal shooting of a convenience store clerk.

Moore, 59, was put to death despite a broad appeal for mercy by parties that included three jurors and the judge from his trial, a former prison director, pastors and members of his family. He pronounced dead at 6:24 p.m.

Moore was convicted of killing James Mahoney, the Spartanburg clerk, in September 1999 and sentenced to death two years later.

Afterward prison spokeswoman Chrysti Shain read his last words at a news conference.

‘To the family of Mr. James Mahoney, I am deeply sorry for the pain and sorrow I caused you all,’ he said.

‘To my children and granddaughters, I love you and am so proud of you. Thank you for the joy you have brought to my life. To all of my family and friends, new and old, thank you for your love and support.’ 

His final meal was steak cooked medium, fried catfish and shrimp, scalloped potatoes, green peas, broccoli with cheese, sweet potato pie, German chocolate cake and grape juice.

Moore went into the store unarmed, took a gun from the victim when it was pointed at him and fatally shot him in the chest as the victim shot him with a second gun in the arm.

Moore´s lawyers asked Republican Gov. Henry McMaster to reduce his sentence to life in prison without parole because of his spotless prison record and willingness to be a mentor to other inmates.

They also said it would be unjust to execute someone for what could be considered self-defence and unfair that Moore, who was Black, was the only inmate on the state’s death row convicted by a jury without any African Americans.

But McMaster refused to grant clemency. In a letter, he did not give a reason why but said he reviewed all the items submitted by Moore´s lawyers and spoke to the victim’s family.

No South Carolina governor has reduced a death sentence, and 45 executions have now been carried out in the state since the U.S. Supreme Court allowed states to restart them nearly 50 years ago.

Unlike in previous executions, the curtain to the death chamber was open when media witnesses arrived. Moore’s last words had already been read by Lindsey Vann, his lawyer of 10 years. 

Moore had his eyes closed, and his head was pointed toward the ceiling. A prison employee announced the execution could begin at 6:01 p.m.

He took several deep breaths that sounded like snores over the next minute. Then he took some shallow breaths until about 6:04, when his breathing stopped. Moore showed no obvious signs of discomfort.

Vann cried as the employee announced the execution could start. She clutched a prayer bracelet with a cross. Sitting beside her was a spiritual advisor, his hands on his knees, palms up. Vann clutched a prayer bracelet with a cross.

Two members of the victims’ family were also present, along with Solicitor Barry Barnette, who was on the prosecution team that convicted Moore. They all watched stoically.

Last Week’s Birthdays

Dolph Lundgren (67), Kate Capshaw (71), Roseanne Barr (72), Lulu (76), David Schwimmer (58), Stefanie Powers (82), Toni Collette (52), Anthony Kiedis (62), Peter Jackson (63), Erica Cerra (45), Stephen Rea (78), Clémence Poésy (42), Fiona Dourif (43), Henry Winkler (79), Jessica Hynes (52), Winona Ryder (53), Rufus Sewell (57), Ben Foster (44), Richard Dreyfuss (77), Dan Castellaneta (67), Joaquin Phoenix (50), Annie Potts (72), Julia Roberts (57), Gwendoline Christie (46), Matt Smith (42), and Joanna Scanlan (63).

Posted by  |  3rd November 2024 | Categories: 2024 | Leave A Comment »

Dead Pool 27th October 2024

Surprisingly nobody had Americas oldest person, so a few points missed out on there, and sadly we have lost Geoff Capes, a childhood hero to those of us of a certain age!

Look Who You Could Have Had:

In Other News

Harvey Weinstein, the disgraced Hollywood mogul whose alleged sexual misconduct fuelled the #MeToo movement and who was recently indicted on new charges, has chronic myeloid leukaemia. The Flying Monkeys say that Weinstein is undergoing treatment in prison at Rikers Island in New York. Chronic myeloid leukaemia is an uncommon form of cancer of the bone marrow, according to our medical expert, Dr F Monkey. In a statement on Monday night, Weinstein’s legal health care representative Craig Rothfeld said in part, “Out of respect for Mr. Weinstein’s privacy, we will offer no further comment.” The news of Weinstein’s diagnosis comes amid a myriad of health issues. Last month, he underwent emergency heart surgery to alleviate a significant amount of fluid in his lungs and heart. In July, he was hospitalised and tested positive for Covid-19 and double pneumonia. Tick tock Harvey, your time is up!!!  

A 36-year-old surfer from Italy died after being impaled by a swordfish while surfing the waters in Indonesia. Giulia Manfrini, a surfer from Turin, was reportedly struck in the chest by a swordfish on Friday in the Mentawai Islands in West Sumatra Province, a popular surfing destination known for its beautiful waters and challenging waves. James Colston, who set up a travel agency with Manfrini, said on Instagram: “Even with the brave efforts of her partner, local resort staff and doctors, Giulia couldn’t be saved.” The swordfish “unexpectedly jumped towards Manfrini and pierced her chest”, said Lahmudin Siregar, acting head of the Mentawai Islands’ Disaster Management Agency. “The information we received from the Head of Southwest Siberut District was that an accident occurred with an Italian citizen while surfing,” Mr Siregar told the Flying Monkeys. The swordfish left a two-inch deep wound and although Manfrini was rushed to a nearby clinic, she died shortly after. Mr Colston called it “a freak accident” and said that “we believe she died doing what she loved, in a place that she loved”. “Giulia was the lifeblood of this company and her infectious enthusiasm for surf, snow and life will be remembered by all that came in contact with her,” he said. The news of her sudden death has left her 22,000 Instagram followers heartbroken, where she often shared her surfing adventures. Tributes poured in from her colleagues and Fabio Giulivi, the mayor of her hometown, Venaria Reale.  

A funeral home in Poland has been forced to apologise after a corpse fell out of a hearse into traffic. Hades Funeral Services, the company transferring the corpse in the city of Stalowa Wola in south eastern Poland, said the incident was caused by an “unexpected technical failure” involving the vehicle’s lock. A man driving on Friday in Stalowa Wola first noticed a sheet on his car window before realising a body was lying on the road after the sheet slid down, according to reports in local media. Polish media reported the driver briefly worried he had hit the person. Local press published an image of the corpse lying on a white striped pedestrian crossing where it had tumbled out of the hearse. In a statement on their website shared on Saturday, Hades Funeral Services said: “It is with deep regret that we inform you that as a result of an unexpected technical failure of the electric tailgate lock in the hearse, during the transport of the body of the deceased, an unfortunate event occurred”. The funeral company said the incident “does not reflect the high standards of our company, our deep empathy towards the families of the deceased, and the respect we always show to the deceased” as they apologised to “all those who were disappointed and upset by this event.”

On This Day

  • 1962 – By refusing to agree to the firing of a nuclear torpedo at a US warship, Vasily Arkhipov averts nuclear war.
  • 1994 – Gliese 229B is the first exoplanet to be unquestionably identified. 
  • 2018 – Leicester City F.C. owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha dies in a helicopter crash along with four others after a Premier League match against West Ham United.

Deaths

  • 939 – Æthelstan, English king.
  • 1930 – Ellen Hayes, American mathematician and astronomer (b. 1851).
  • 1988 – Charles Hawtrey, English actor, singer, and pianist (b. 1914).
  • 2013 – Lou Reed, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, and actor (b. 1942)

The woman who ‘died and visited Hell’  

A woman who was pronounced dead for 11 minutes has offered a vivid account of the afterlife, insisting that she’s seen both heaven and hell with her own eyes.

In 2019, Charlotte Holmes of Wichita, Kansas, was having a routine checkup with her cardiologist when her blood pressure suddenly spiked.

She was told that she was either having a stroke or was about to have a heart attack and so was rushed to hospital where she was placed on an intravenous drip.

As medical staff rushed to save her, she started describing beautiful flowers to her husband Danny, who was by her side throughout the ordeal.

“Well, I looked around, and I knew there were no flowers in that room,” Danny later told Christian chat show The 700 Club. “That’s when I knew she was not in this world.”

It turns out, Charlotte’ s heart had stopped. And for the next 11 minutes, she was clinically dead.

Speaking to the same TV show, Charlotte, who was then aged 68, recalled: “I could see Danny standing in the corner, I could see all the nurses around. Then I opened my eyes, I looked around at the beauty. I could see the trees, I could see the grass. And everything was swaying with the music, because everything in heaven worships God.” 

She then stressed that she was unable to convey “what heaven looked like” because “it’s so above what we can even imagine by a million times, a million times”.

The great-grandmother claimed that she was led into heaven by angels, and stressed that she felt “no fear” only “pure joy”.

Then, she said, she began to recognise deceased family members, including her mother, father and sister.

“See, they didn’t look old, they didn’t look sick, none of them wore glasses,” she continued. “They looked like they were in their 30s. They looked wonderful.”

She then explained the shock she felt when, standing behind her mum and dad, she saw a blindingly bright light which she “knew” to be God. Alongside Him, she saw a toddler, whom “her Heavenly Father” informed her was her son.

“I lost that child,” she explained. “I was five-and-a-half months pregnant. I can remember them holding the baby up and saying, Charlotte, it’s a boy. Then he was gone.

“So when I saw this toddler, I said, ‘God, how is that possible?’ And he says, ‘They continue to grow in heaven’.”

Following this heartwarming reunion, Charlotte said God chose to show her one more thing: “the edge of hell.”

“I looked down, and the smell, and then rotten flesh – that’s what it smelled like – and then screams,” she recounted. “After seeing the beauty of heaven, the contrast to seeing hell is almost unbearable.” She continued: “And He says, ‘I show you this to tell you, if some of them do not change their ways, this is where they shall reside”.”

Then, she said she heard her father instruct her to “to go back and share” what she’d learnt. And, suddenly, she “felt herself being drawn back into her body” and was back in her hospital bed.

Charlotte made a full recovery and was released from hospital two weeks later, after which she did her utmost to share her story with as many people as possible.

“People need hope,” she said. “They want to know that there really is something out there, they want to know that everything’s OK.” She continued: “Heaven is more than you can imagine. I’m so grateful I can look you square in the eye and tell you for sure, heaven is real.”

Charlotte died four years later, at the age of 72, on 28 November, 2023. She was survived by Danny, their daughter, two grandkids and one great grandson.

Last Week’s Birthdays

John Cleese (85), Robert Picardo (71), Cary Elwes (62), Seth MacFarlane (51), Jon Heder (47), Roger Allam (71), Katy Perry (40), Nancy Cartwright (67), Glynis Barber (69), Kevin Kline (77), Charlie Vickers (32), F. Murray Abraham (85), Ryan Reynolds (48), Emilia Clarke (38), ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic (65), Derek Jacobi (86), Christopher Lloyd (86), Jeff Goldblum (72), Bob Odenkirk (62), Catherine Deneuve (81), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (49), Andrew Scott (48), Kim Kardashian (44), and Ken Watanabe (65).

Posted by  |  29th October 2024 | Categories: 2024 | Leave A Comment »

Dead Pool 20th October 2024

I don’t know if you heard, as the media have barely covered it, but a member of One Direction died last week… 

Look Who You Could Have Had:

In Other News

A British influencer has plunged to his death while attempting to scale Spain’s highest bridge without safety equipment for an Instagram stunt. Lewis Stevenson, 26, fell from the 630ft Castilla La Mancha bridge on Sunday morning after ignoring his family’s pleas to call off the risky climb. Speaking from his home in Derby, his grandfather Clifford Stevenson, 70, told the Flying Monkeys: ‘We all tried to talk him out of it. We were always trying to talk him out of doing things but that was the way he was. He loved doing it, always went out there believing he’d be alright. He did what he did for his own pleasure. He did not get any money for it, he was an adventurer’. Tributes to Lewis were led by his heartbroken girlfriend Savannah Parker, who revealed that the last thing he said to her was ‘Good night, I love you’ the night before his death. Stevenson showcased some of his ‘rooftoping’ around the world on his Instagram page under the name expedition. Dizzying photos of Stevenson atop a New York skyscraper and resting on a metal beam overlooking the City of London were among those documented by Stevenson. Other photos showed the daredevil hanging from a structure in Croatia and a hotel roof in Mexico City. One of his most recent climbing stunts on October 3rd was to the top of a stand at Nottingham Forest’s ground. Authorities in Spain said Stevenson was accompanied by a 24 year old friend. He was said to be in shock at the tragedy but is unlikely to face any criminal charges. The pair had scaled a quarter of the 630ft bridge when Stevenson lost his grip and fell. Local councillor Macarena Munoz said accessing the bridge was ‘totally banned’ and said Stevenson’s body was found at 7.14am on Sunday. A source close to the investigation said: ‘Both the dead man and the companion that survived were climbing without any harnesses or other protection.  

Olympic legend Sir Chris Hoy has revealed he has “two to four years” left to live after a recent terminal cancer diagnosis. Hoy, 48, announced in February that he was being treated for cancer. However, after a scan last September showed a tumour in his shoulder, a second scan found the main cancer to be in his prostate – which has since spread to Hoy’s shoulder, pelvis, hip, ribs and spine. The six-time Olympic cycling champion, who has two children aged seven and 10, has now revealed he has been given a terminal cancer diagnosis and has two to four years left to live. He added that he had kept his terminal diagnosis private for a year and also divulged that his wife, Sarra, has “very active and aggressive” multiple sclerosis after a scan last year. “As unnatural as it feels, this is nature,” Hoy told the Flying Monkeys. “You know, we were all born and we all die, and this is just part of the process. You remind yourself, ‘aren’t I lucky that there is medicine I can take that will fend this off for as long as possible’. But most of the battle for me with cancer hasn’t been physical. For me, it has been in my head.” The former track cyclist is an 11-time world champion as well as a six-time Olympic champion, who competed for Great Britain at four Olympic Games between 2000 and 2012. Hoy is Scotland’s most successful Olympian and has the second-most British gold medals behind Jason Kenny.  

Jeremy Clarkson has undergone a heart procedure after experiencing sudden health “deterioration”. The Clarkson’s Farm host, who recently cut his professional ties with Grand Tour co-stars Richard Hammond and James May, has said a doctor told him he was “maybe” days away from dying. Clarkson first started struggling while swimming from a boat to the beach while on holiday on a small island, explaining that: “It wasn’t far, maybe the length of two swimming pools. But when I finally reached the beach, there was more water in my lungs than there is in Lake Superior, and I was mostly dead.” His worries were heightened when he struggled to walk up the stairs without holding somebody’s hand. He told the Flying Monkeys: “I’m not exaggerating. These problems all manifested themselves in one day.” He returned to the UK and, after feeling a tightness in his chest and pins and needles in his left arm, he was rushed to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford in an ambulance. Clarkson said that the “sudden deterioration” that “began to gather pace” left him especially concerned after the death of Alex Salmond from a heart attack earlier this month. However, after having several checks, including an electrocardiogram (ECG), the presenter was told he was not having a heart attack – but that he was “maybe” days away from death. Clarkson wrote: “It seems that of the arteries feeding my heart with nourishing blood, one was completely blocked and the second of three was heading that way. “So he made a hole in my wrist, inserted his Dyno-Rod equipment and went in for a closer look. The question was this. Were the arteries so ruined that I’d need an emergency heart bypass? Or could he use his Dyno-Rods and some ultrasonic battering rams to loosen them up before inserting a stent?” Clarkson said that “mercifully”, the doctor was able to insert a stent, which he said “wasn’t especially painful – just odd”. The presenter said the scary experience made him think, “Crikey, that was close.” 

On This Day

  • 1947 – The House Un-American Activities Committee begins its investigation into Communist infiltration of the Hollywood film industry, resulting in a blacklist that prevents some from working in the industry for years. 
  • 1973 – The Sydney Opera House is opened by Elizabeth II after 14 years of construction. 
  • 1977 – A plane carrying the rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd crashes in woodland in Mississippi, United States. Six people, including three band members, are killed. 
  • 2011 – Rebel forces capture Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi and his son Mutassim in his hometown of Sirte and kill him shortly thereafter, ending the first Libyan civil war. 
  • 2022 – Liz Truss steps down as British Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party after tanking the British economy, serving for the least time of any British Prime Minister [49 days]. 

Deaths

  • 1964 – Herbert Hoover, American engineer & politician, 31st President of the United States (b. 1874). 
  • 1977 – Steve Gaines, American guitarist (b. 1949). 
  • 1977 – Ronnie Van Zant, American singer-songwriter (b. 1948). 
  • 1984 – Paul Dirac, English-American physicist and mathematician (b. 1902). 
  • 1994 – Burt Lancaster, American actor (b. 1913). 
  • 2003 – Jack Elam, American actor (b. 1918). 
  • 2010 – Bob Guccione, American publisher, founded Penthouse magazine (b. 1930). 
  • 2011 – Muammar Gaddafi, Libyan colonel & politician, Prime Minister of Libya (b. 1942).
  • 2020 – James Randi, Canadian-American stage magician and author (b. 1928). 

Rest in Peace, Patti McGee

The skateboarding world is heartbroken by the news of legendary Patti McGee’s passing on October 17, 2024. An icon, an innovator, a skateboarder, and a straight-up badass, Patti’s influence on skateboarding will live on forever.

All of skateboarding felt this one. It’s a tough pill to swallow, and while I’ve seen countless heartwarming posts from top pros, skateboarding enthusiasts, friends, family and everyone else in between sharing memories and stories of Patti, I really enjoyed former TWS alumni, Miki Vuckovich’s post and all the kind words he shared

“FAREWELL TO THE QUEEN – I last saw Patti McGee less than two weeks ago at the Oceanside Band Shell, site of many historic skateboarding events. Except this time she was there cheering and supporting a group of youth and adaptive skateboarders at the @poseidenfoundation competition, more than a half century after she made national and international news, winning the first Women’s National Skateboarding Championship title in 1964,” he wrote on Instagram.

“She would appear on the covers of both LIFE magazine and Skateboarder magazine the following year, plus the Dick Clark Show and other popular TV programs. She was the poster girl for the ‘Craze And The Menace of Skateboarding,’ as LIFE magazine called it. And in the past couple of decades, she and her daughter @yeahailey could be seen at skate events, large and small, continuing to share her story, her presence, and her support for the new communities that have adopted skateboarding as their own – groups that hadn’t previously seen themselves in skateboarding, but have stepped in to become part of our growing community.” 

I was fortunate enough to meet Patti a few times myself and she was always the kindest, most charming human. An absolute legend! Yet so humble, real and sincere. One thing was certain – she loved skateboarding. And skateboarding loved her right back. The mark she left on the culture is incredible and the influence she had is monumental. Style like hers can’t be faked! She was as real as it gets.

“A couple days after we were with her in Oceanside, Patti entered hospice care,” Miki continued. “She passed last night, and the tributes have been rolling through the channels like a champion skateboarder who saw an opportunity to share what she loved and went for it. And she continued sharing, right to the end.” 

News like this is never easy to take, but it’s a great time to reflect and remember just how amazing of a person Patti was. If you skate, then I’d guarantee you’ve been seeing posts about the news as well. Take some time and read through the stories, scroll through some photos and honour the life of skateboarding’s official queen, Patti McGee. Our hearts go out to her entire family.

“The Queen is dead,” Miki concluded. “Long live the Queen.”

And we’ll echo that, Mik. RIP Patti McGee.

Last Week’s Birthdays

Viggo Mortensen (66), John Krasinski (45), Snoop Dogg (53), Kamala Harris (60), Rebecca Ferguson (41), John Lithgow (79), Katja Herbers (44), Barry Keoghan (32), Zac Efron (37), Jean-Claude Van Damme (64), Pam Dawber (73), Felicity Jones (41), Michael McKean (77), Eminem (52), George Wendt (76), Tim Robbins (66), Dominic West (55), Lori Petty (61),  and Steve Coogan (59).

Posted by  |  20th October 2024 | Categories: 2024 | Leave A Comment »