Still, Susan ought to improve my standing considerably. If my entire list suddenly croaks, I still doubt I’d get into the top ten this year. You bastards.
Seems like it’s going to be a very high-scoring year overall – is there some way to calculate average scores, or do the differing numbers of entrants each year skew that too much? I know I’m having my Best Year Ever, with Michael Jackson plus Farrah Fawcett plus Patrick Swayze.
Averages:
2007: 32.9
2008: 23.4
2009: 72
Points needed to get into top 10:
2007: 125
2008: 93
2009: 193 and counting
All right! Finally, some points I don’t even have to feel conflicted about! And, I can finally remove the “Susan Atkins” Google News Alert I’ve had set up for a while now. I should have known I could count on you guys to get me the news faster anyway. 
Dammit! I hear this morning that Ruth Bader Ginsberg was hospitalized, but this morning she’s out again and planning on going to work this afternoon!
Jesus, woman! 
Wow! Interesting.
Thanks for your fast response!
She’s the Patrick Swayze of the Supremes.
How many people had the Swayze-Fawcett-Jackson trifecta? And I’d be curious of the averages if those three were removed (ie, we treated them as still alive)?
Me me me me! And you can pry those points out of my cold dead hands.
Ditto! (x3)
You can’t list yourself, 'Dopers are ineligible. :rolleyes:
Maybe we need a ruling here. If I die, am I still in the running for Death Pool Winner?
(starting on my 2010 list right now!)
Please note I am not on my list, though I am tempted to put carnivorousplant on it. 
You’ll have to split the points with me.
You are a very naughty boyo!
I am out of town for a few days without access to my spreadsheets. But if anyone is up for a challenge, the question on averages can be answered using information found elsewhere in this thread.
11 had all three. If they were all still alive, the average score wold be 42 points lower.
Thanks, Andrew21.
Looks like removing those three would move the average down to the range of the previous two years – well, other than the fact that we’ve still got three months to go. (C’mon, Mitzi Gaynor! Give it up, Boris Spassky!)
The actor Robert Ginty
Here’s a link. He was 60, and starred in the film The Exterminator.
The Gray Lady just reported that William Safire has passed away at 79. 
A truly amazing life. Didn’t have him because he was all over TV during the election and was as erudite and witty as ever.
I have today’s (damp) Magazine and just went to look at his last column; however, this week’s was written by Jack Rosenthal who “often pinch-hits for Mr. Safire, who is on hiatus for a few weeks.” :eek: