TWID Notes - The Valentine's Edition

This Week in Death brings you: Notes from around the pool! We ride Cupid's Golden Arrows as they take us from the shallow to the deep end, and catch us up on all the news we need to know to be an educated death pool competitor.

Fare thee well, Charlie Norwood and Maurice Papon. Watch out, rest of El Esta Adead's roster... Fair Warning.

Johnson unfazed by low-functioning brain - Back to Work
Sen. Tim Johnson is reading news clippings and starting to do some office work from the hospital, almost two months after suffering a life-threatening brain hemorrhage.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/politics/4541998.html

Ali Khamenei in danger of becoming Ali Coma-nei
The War of the Persian Succession is on, as Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's worsening condition becomes an open secret. His bad health is discussed in the Iranian press, and in the last week the former president and the supporters of potential successors have begun literally and figuratively fighting each other all over the country.
http://www.aei.org/publications/filter.all,pubID.25615/pub_detail.asp

And now, other deaths. We mourn their losses and hope that they were picked in the Death Pool in the Sky...

Good Genes Gone Bad. Guaranteed Not to Run for Reelection
Former Congressman M.G. "Gene" Snyder, who represented Kentucky for 11 terms in the House of Representatives, died late last night in Naples, Fla., according to a family friend. He was 79.
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200770217015

The tragedy was that Triumph the Insult Comic Dog had Mustard... For Him to Poupon!
Ian Richardson died Friday at age 72, his agent said. In addition to his many stage, screen and TV roles, Richardson also appeared in one of the mustard commercials as the man in the Rolls-Royce who asked, "Pardon me, would you have any Grey Poupon?"
http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/02/09/obit.richardson.ap/index.html

At last, Her Feet Finally Rest
Florence Zacks Melton, who took a material invented as a helmet liner for World War II tank crewmen and turned it into cushy foam-rubber slippers that have soothed billions of tired feet and have been a familiar gift for four decades, died Jan. 8 near her home in Boca Raton, Fla. She was 95.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/14/obituaries/14melton.html?ex=1329109200&en=c4fd487775e06c16&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Hit The Mute Button for a Moment of Silence
Robert Adler, the co-inventor of the wireless television remote control, has died at the age of 93 in Idaho, Zenith Electronics said in a statement on Saturday.
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1080574

We're Just glad El Esta Adead didn't pick us...

The Commissioner's Council

TWID Notes - The TWIDDD Edition

This Week in Death brings you: Notes from around the pool! We ride Anna Nicole Smith's flotation devices and take you from the shallow to the deep end, and catch you up on all the news you need to know to be an educated death pool competitor.

Goodbye Frankie Laine. We Barely knew ye, but we are sorry your name was Frankie and not just Frank.

We will push off health notices and start this week, for two big reasons, with Notable, albeit points-less, deaths...

Do You Still Have to Sleep with Heff in the Playboy Mansion in the Sky?
Anna Nicole Smith died Thursday at a South Florida hospital after being discovered unconscious in her hotel room. The reality TV star, Playboy Playmate and former Guess model was 39.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/02/08/anna.nicole.collapses/index.html

Mod Squad Captain Makes his Final Arrest
Tige Andrews, the Emmy-nominated character actor who portrayed a police captain in charge of a trio of hip, young crime fighters in "The Mod Squad," has died. He was 86. Andrews died January 27 of cardiac arrest at his home in the San Fernando Valley of California, his family said.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/02/06/obit.andrews.ap/index.html

White Gives up Track, Will Stay in Field
Willye B. White, who willed her way out of the Mississippi Delta cotton fields and became the first American track and field athlete to compete in five Olympics, died yesterday in Chicago. She was 67.


http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/07/sports/othersports/07white.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

After Steve and Barber-O, Tiki and Ronde Better Be Careful
Steve Barber, the first 20-game winner in modern Baltimore Orioles history and the losing pitcher in one of baseball's wildest no-hitters, has died. He was 67.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2755169

This Must be the Only Thing Jack Can't Prevent
Hank Bauer, a hard-hitting, hard-nosed outfielder for the New York Yankees and former major league manager who made his home in the Kansas City area, died today after a battle with cancer. He was 84.
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/baseball/16663076.htm

And Some Health News to Report...

Norwood Pulls a Buchwald; He is on His Own
US Representative Charlie Norwood has decided not to receive any more hospital care for lung cancer. The popular congressman declined a surgery to remove a tumor on his liver, and tonight he's back home in Augusta.
http://www.wrdw.com/politics/headlines/5654691.html

If Only TWID Would Have Come Up With This...Hmm...

There are two inescapable facts of life. Death and taxes. Obit Magazine's planned launch has definitely been "taxing." The "lifestyle of death" publication was scheduled to be born this month. However, the birth has been pushed back until midyear. Bob and Barbara Hillier, publishers, are partners in a local Princeton newspaper, Town Topics.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/02042007/business/obit_magazine_is_waiting_for_shelf_life_to_begin_business_steve_viuker.htm

We are one tenth of the way through... Congratulations to Die Hard on his early lead. Don't worry everyone, it's a long year. There is much death to come.

The Commissioner's Council

TWID Notes! Volume 3

This Week in Death brings you: Notes from around the pool! We take you from the shallow to the deep end, and catch you up on all the news you need to know to be a Syms-like educated death pool competitor.

Please accept TWID's sincere apology for our one day delay. The TWID committee was slightly ill this week. Don't worry, had it been serious, it would be one of the headlines...

I would still rather be Charlie Norwood than Scott Norwood
Georgia U.S. Rep. Charlie Norwood could be forced to miss work as he fights through chemotherapy for cancer that has spread to his liver, his spokesman said.
http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/news/politics/16448046.htm

Conte Can't-e Hack it
Guinea's president, Lansana Conte, is unfit for the country's top office, Guinea's Trade Unions have said. They say that his health condition is not good enough to lead Guinea and thus should step down.
http://somalinet.com/news/world/Africa/6656

Healthy Enough for...... A NEW CAR!
Barker, who turned 83 in December, said he wanted to retire "while I'm still young," and credits his vegetarian diet for his good health. He had a different answer when asked how he's able to maintain his energy. "Booze," he said to a laugh.
http://keyetv.com/entertainment/entertainment_story_019121601.html

And now for something completely different...

Which Came First- the Cancer or the Egg?
A common breed of hens known as ISA browns were genetically modified such that they lay eggs containing certain cancer-fighting drugs, according to a new study published in the upcoming issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
http://foodconsumer.org/7777/8888/C_ancer_31/011407342007_GM_chickens_lay_cancer-fighting_eggs.shtml

Obama's Assassination Chances Rise like his Popularity
Sen. Barack Obama launched a historic campaign Tuesday to become the first black president of the United States and immediately tried to turn his political inexperience into an asset with voters seeking change.
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070116/D8MMJ9E81.html

It was a big week for non-points related deaths...

He's not First; He's Last
Benny Parsons made a career of beating the odds, rising up from a childhood of poverty in the North Carolina foothills to a job as a Detroit cabbie, and eventually, becoming a NASCAR champion. He died Tuesday in Charlotte, N.C., where he had been hospitalized since Dec. 26 because of complications from his treatment. He was 65.
http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/story?seriesId=2&id=2732630

Pookie Passes on. Three Men and a Baby Live On
Thornton James "Pookie" Hudson, lead singer of the Spaniels doo wop group best known for the 1954 hit "Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight," has died. He was 72.
http://www.examiner.com/a-513604~Doo_wop_singer__Pookie__Hudson_dies_at_72.html

No Crying in Baseball; Death/ Sobbing Policy Undetermined
Betty Trezza, a pioneering player in the World War II-era All-American Girls Professional Baseball League and a model for one of the characters in the 1992 movie "A League of Their Own," has died. She was 81.
http://wcco.com/sports/local_story_018160347.html

He was Kind of a Big Deal and Had Many Leather Bound Books
Former U.S. Sen. George A. Smathers, a polished, dashing politician who forged friendships with presidents, waged war against communism, resisted civil rights legislation and was an early voice cautioning of Fidel Castro's rise to power, died Saturday. He was 93.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/nation/4485495.html

Final "Greetings from Asbury Park"
Former professional wrestler Scott Bam Bam Bigelow has passed away from an unknown cause at age 45. Bigelow, a native of Asbury Park, New Jersey, retired from professional wrestling officially in 2004.
http://media-newswire.com/release_1041696.html

20 days, 4 deaths and counting...
The Commissioner's Council

TWID Notes - Volume 1

This Week in Death brings you: Notes from around the pool! We take you from the shallow to the deep end, and catch you up on all the news you need to know to be a Syms-like educated death pool competitor.

Like Diem on the Duel, he probably shouldn't lift 150 bags of Coffee

Ed Koch was in the hospital on Monday but it wasn't anything serious, just a routine hernia operation. He went into Columbia-Presbyterian early that morning, had the surgery and was asked to stay overnight as a precaution in case of bleeding, because he's been on a blood thinner since a mild stroke in 1987. He was expected to be back at his office the following day.
[The Villager]

Seems like Someone should have just picked "Guinea" this Year
The ailing health of veteran President Lansana Conte has raised fears of a power struggle while economic collapse and rampant inflation have provoked the long-dormant unions into a wave of general strikes this year.
[Reuters]

More wood for Norwood, he is Okay!
U.S. Rep. Charlie Norwood was released from a hospital and was in good condition Friday after receiving chemotherapy treatment this week for a cancerous tumor doctors found near his liver. [AccessNorthGa.com]

It's Official, Castro may never Die
"Regarding my recovery, I have always warned that it could be a prolonged process, but it is far from being a lost battle. I collaborate as a disciplined patient, attended by the consecrated team of our doctors.

[Miami Herald]

Blind Sheik's other Senses are not Heightened
The health of imprisoned Egyptian cleric Omar Abdel-Rahman, known as the Blind Sheik, is deteriorating, renewing fears that his death in prison could trigger an attack on the United States, officials said Thursday.
[Boston Herald]

And Finally... One Piece of Possible Good News for Future Research!
In future years, look for newsmagazines to do roundups not on who died during the previous year, but on who's going to die in the year ahead.
[Slate]

Let us know what you think of our new segment. Feedback keeps us going!

Rest in Peace, Teddy Kollek.