Oh, now I remember him: that Buster Palmtree guy! He was the old guy who made that video with all those hot girls around him which inspired that video by that rapper who used to build houses whom I also barely recall who made another pile from stealing that Van Halen lick.
Did he come up for a cure for cancer in his later years or something, or are we all suffering from some sort of 1980s nostalgia?
He didn’t happen to die from a heart attack as a result of cocaine abuse, did he?
As the poster of the 1:24 p.m. link in the OP, I offer the following defense:
I didn’t learn that there was a slightly earlier post about Palmer until well after I submitted my OP, read it over, put the baby down, then came back and decided to check the main CS page to see what else was happening. I can’t speak about the presence of the 4 threads that came thereafter. I hadn’t seen any of them until now.
But we all know that multiple threads are going to happen with any noteworthy death, why futz about it? As with any other topic, if the thread bothers, don’t read it!
It had to be a tranny radio, I remember there was a lot of David Bowie, Marc Bolan, Elton John etc on air in those days.
What else could I call it ?
There was a period in which, I think it was three times in a row, Johnny L.A. beat me to the “We just had an earthquake!” thread. And I’m talking about a difference of one minute. And then everybody would post in his thread and ignore mine…
At last, however, I managed to “break” the news before he did because when it happened, he was nowhere near a computer. Thus vindicated, I retired from the field. I think the last time we had a tremor, I didn’t even comment on it.
The answer might be (for those into this curious and competitive sub-culture) to do what newspapers do; prepare your Obits in advance and prey the day comes soon when you can steal a few minutes on your competitors by cutting and pasting rather than wasting crucial minutes after the fact composing your heartbroken reaction to the breaking news.
Better still perhaps, compose a generic thread starter:
*Oh my God, I just heard <insert name> just died. I can’t think right now, < he / she > meant so much. I grew up with their < acting / music > and now they’re gone. That’s all I can say right now, I feel . . . numb.
RIP <name>
<insert link to news source>*
That should get ya a few minutes advantage over the rabble. Good luck !
Do you remember when the BBC were flamed by all and sundry because they had a pre-prepared obit-ducu-wotsit for the circumstances of the Queen Mother’s death?
Oh, how I laughed.
Also, because of short notice, all the graphics used when Princess Di died were actually the Queen Mum’s, adapted.
No I don’t and I’m surprised. It’s been standard practice for decades for newspapers/media to have prepared Obits for people ‘in the public eye’. There’s no choice if you want to do a good job.
But do I remember the sea of satellites and the whole international broadcasting circus parking up opposite Buck House and Clarence House on Death Watch every time the old girl took a tumble – similar thing I suppose.
Must be great to be 90+ years old and have, right outside your window, the electronic vultures aching for you to turn your toes up. Bloody generators must have kept her up all night as well. All very considerate.
casdave, I’m down with Tranny Radio (all crossover, all the time), but it’s the “paper round money” that has me confused. All my round money is metal, and all my paper money is rectangular. Do you live in a magical place where pogs are currency?
???
Such a sad day. He was truly one of the great ones. RIP, Robert Palmer. You will be missed. I’m crying on the inside.
Oh yeah, and … celebrity deaths must come in threes! This proves it!
With the number of celebs keeling over at present, maybe this would be of some service. Yeah, it’s clumsy and poorly written, but hey I’m a biologist not a kernel haxx0r dammit. And, yeah, I’m on the short bus to hell.
#!/usr/bin/perl
$Usage = "$0 sudden/protracted m/f cause celebrity-name birthyear profession
";
$argn = @ARGV;
if (!($argn == 6)) {die $Usage;}
($timing, $gender, $cause, $name, $birthyear, $profession) = @ARGV;
@time = localtime;
$thisyear = ($time[5]) + 1900;
$Subject = "OMG! $name died today! ($birthyear - $thisyear)
";
$age = $thisyear - $birthyear;
if ($timing eq "sudden") {
$death = "suddenly due to $cause.
";
}
else {
$death = "after a protracted battle with $cause.
";
}
if ($gender eq "m") {
$pronoun1 = "He";
$pronoun2 = "his";
}
else {
$pronoun1 = "She";
$pronoun2 = "her";
}
$Body1 = "$name, reknowned $profession, died today $death";
if (($age) < 60) {
$Body2 = "$pronoun1 was taken so tragically at $age. It makes us all realize how valuable life really is.
";
}
elsif (($age >= 60) && ($age < 75)) {
$Body2 = "$pronoun1 died at age $age, after spending much of $pronoun2 life mastering $pronoun2 profession.
";
}
else {
$Body2 = "$pronoun1 lived to $age, and was considered by many to be the living legends of $pronoun2 field.
";
}
printf $Subject;
printf $Body1;
printf $Body2;
printf "
";
Eh, sorry I fucked up the column spacing for everyone.
Dave, Don’t Ask Me is going on about “paper round” and “Paper route”.
BTW, is that how you saved for the Robin Reliant also? 
Dear God, mypoor thread’s gone pear-shaped.
Noble effort, brave biologist ed-wino
*
" . . . protracted battle . . . "
" . . . how valuable life is . . . "
" . . . living legend . . . "*
I’m breaking up already. Anyone for a pre-emptive candle light vigil ?
Dear God, mypoor thread’s gone pear-shaped.
Noble effort, brave biologist ed-wino
*
" . . . protracted battle . . . "
" . . . how valuable life is . . . "
" . . . living legend . . . "*
I’m breaking up already. Anyone for a pre-emptive candle light vigil ?
[~edwino]$ ./obitgen protracted m “heart disease” “Donald O’Connor” 1925 actor
OMG! Donald O’Connor died today! (1925 - 2003)
Donald O’Connor, reknowned actor, died today after a protracted battle with heart disease.
He lived to 78, and was considered by many to be the living legends of his field.
Eh, it needs some work. But it is a promising start.
[~edwino]$ ./obitgen protracted m “heart disease” “Donald O’Connor” 1925 actor
OMG! Donald O’Connor died today! (1925 - 2003)
Donald O’Connor, reknowned actor, died today after a protracted battle with heart disease.
He lived to 78, and was considered by many to be the living legends of his field.
Eh, it needs some work. But it is a promising start.
[~edwino]$ ./obitgen protracted m “heart disease” “Donald O’Connor” 1925 actor
OMG! Donald O’Connor died today! (1925 - 2003)
Donald O’Connor, reknowned actor, died today after a protracted battle with heart disease.
He lived to 78, and was considered by many to be the living legends of his field.
Eh, it needs some work. But it is a promising start.