A time to predict

Here’s my list for next year’s AO Deadpool. I feel bad about Phil the Greek. He’s been on for years, but I still hope he pulls through from his recent heart flutter. Even the bad guys, Assad and Brady. I don’t wish them dead.

Only exception – comatose Ariel Sharon. He’s been blocking lists too long. Hope he’s not dead already.

Last year I missed plenty – Gerry Rafferty, Betty Ford, Seve Ballasteros, Steve Jobs, Nat Lofthouse, Donald Nielsen, Osama bin Laden, Jack Kevorkian, Kim Jong Il, Christopher Hitchens, Sidney Lumet, Geraldine Ferraro, Peter Falk, Jimmy Saville and Vaclav Havel. But three big hits, Elizabeth Taylor, Amy Winehouse and Muammar Gaddaffi. Overall a good year. Not so good for them.

1.                   ANDRE, Carl.  (Minimalist sculptor and acquitted wife murderer)
2.                   ARMANI, Giorgio. (Fashion designer.)
3.                   ASSAD Bashir. (President of Syria)
4.                   BOULEZ, Pierre. (Conductor and composer.)
5.                   BRADY, Ian. (Moors murderer)
6.                   CAMPBELL, Menzies (Ming) (Liberal Party leader)
7.                   CHAVEZ, Hugo. (President of Venezuela)
8.                   DOCHERTY, Pete.  (Pop singer.  Lead singer with Babyshambles)
9.                   DOMINO, Fats (Musician)
10.                FERMOR-HESKETH, Thomas Alexander. (Lord Hesketh. Conservative politician and founder of Hesketh Motor Racing)
11.                FOX, Michael J.   (Hollywood Actor)
12.                GRIFFITHS, Richard. (Actor)
13.                HAWKING, Steven.  (Astronomer)
14.                HEALY Dennis.  (Labour politician.  Foreign secretary.)
15.                HEANEY Seamus.  (Poet)
16.                HEFNER, Hugh.  (Publisher of Playboy.)
17.                HESELTINE Michael.  (Conservative politician.)
18.                JOHN Elton, aka Reg Dwight. (Pop singer)
19.                LYNN Vera.  Singer.  (Forces sweetheart.)
20.                MOORE Patrick.  (Amateur astronomer.  Presenter of “The Shy at Night”.  TV show)
21.                NAIPAUL VS.   (Novelist)
22.                NORDEN, Dennis.  (Writer.)
23.                NORMAN Jessye. (Opera singer)
24.                MATHIS, Johnny. (Singer)
25.                PARSONS, Nicholas.  (Radio presenter, “Just a Minute”)
26.                PHIL THE GREEK.  Prince Philip.  (The Duke of Edinburgh.)
27.                PRATCHETT, Terry. (Novelist)
28.               PRICE, Leontyne. (Opera singer)
29.                RIVERS, Joan.   (Comedienne)
30.                RIX, Brian. (Farceur. Star of the Whitehall farces.)
31.                ROTH, Philip.  (Novelist)
32.                SEEGER, Pete. (Folk singer)
33.                SHARON, Ariel.  (Israeli prime minister.)
34.                Da SILVA Lula Ignazio “Lula” (ex president of Brazil)
35.                SOAMES Nicholas.  (Conservative Member of Parliament. Mid Sussex.)
36.                SPASSKY Boris. (Chess ex world champion)
37.                STILES Nobby.  (England footballer.  Member of the 1966 World Cup winning team.)
38.                THATCHER, Margaret. (Prime Minister of Britain)
39.                THORPE, Jeremy, (UK Liberal Party leader)
40.                WOOD, Ronnie.  (Pop star.  Rolling Stone’s guitarist)

Jim Thornton