I'm on this page pretty much every day - for work reasons, you understand.

Have to say I didn't spot that Ramaz Shengelia had passed on, though.

'Hanley Funderburk' - whoever he was - deserved to live into his eighties with a name like that.

I got rhymes galime I got rhymes galilla
And I got more rhymes than Phillis Diller

That's fascinating, that page. If not for heart attacks and cancer, you can pretty much plan on living forever.

It is intriguing when you see a recent passing in red letters only for it to turn blue a matter of hours later when all manner of questionable (and ultimately unquestionable) facts come to light.

I do recall something like that happening when the legendary Nicol Williamson’s death was announced, which ended up opening a whole world I never knew existed to include a page on Facebook. I was so sad that I still invited him as a friend. Stupid really but I couldn’t help myself.

Three o'clock and no-one's died yet? Come on, people.

On August 18th, nine people died.
On August 19th, five people died.
On August 20th, four people died.
On August 21st, no-one died.

Mumpo wrote:


I've just gone outside the office and murdered the first person who crossed my path. Do I win five pounds?

But was he or she 'renowned' though? This is what's it's all about.

If not, you've merely killed Joe Public. I'm not sure what the law is these days - does that need to be reported or anything?

Ask Simon Harwood . . .

I had a mate called Jones who used to check births and deaths every day and do a Smith v Jones scoreline.

He died a few years back.

What was the score?

Bored of Education wrote:


Late equaliser.

Antepli Ejderha wrote:


I thought it was sudden death...

I'll get me coat.

erm, Paying the penalty? Final whistle?...

Going back to old people though, the only part of our local paper my Mother-in-law (them again) would read when they visited was the obituaries, despite her living on the other side of the world and there being absolutely no chance she would know anyone mentioned.
I think it gave her a sense of superiority.

I don't find death notices terribly interesting, but proper obituaries are fascinating. It's astounding how much living some people can pack into a life. People's lives are the most interesting stories of all, I think.

Old people are obsessed with other old people dying - comes with the territory.

By my calculations, it kicks in about five years after you stop paying attention to the television news and start commenting who the people on it look like.

Ah, come on. I mean, I'm sorry she (or he) is dead, but jesus christ.

A lot of academics on that list. Must be the ones who didn't publish.

WOM wrote:


This chap's obituary was doing the rounds on twitter a while back. The original article from the Telegraph website has been taken down, but this seems to be a transcipt of the original

ROBERT de La ROCHEFOUCAULD

Analogue Bubblebath II wrote:


You never see old JC on this list, given his annual brush with death. Maybe Wikipedia ought to do a reincarnation page to redress the balance...