Disconnected

Those numbers you have dialed that are no longer in service will ring a little more hollow. Jane Barbe, the voice of voicemail jail for more than 40 years, died last month at the age of 72. In the 1980s and '90s she was especially busy, with 90% of telephone intercepts and 60% of time and temperature updates featured her signature stylings, making her a major operator in the recording circuit. Although her voice was heard more than 40 million times a day, Barbe remained modest, without the hangups of other famous recording artists. In her retirement, she was the receiver of a more manageable number of calls, and the Southern belle maintained a quiet dignity to her dying day.

Idi: Meany Mighty Gone

Inspiration for the title from Ali.

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Coup d’estate


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Ugandan dead spotIdi Amin, the Butcher of Africa, the self-proclaimed King of Scotland, His Excellency President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin, VC, DSO, MC, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Sea, and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular, died Saturday morning. In one of the most fitting pairings of a life of cruelty and karmic comeuppance, the legendarily murderous former dictator of Uganda suffered from multiple organ failure, with a touch of sepsis to ice the celestial cake. Living a life equal parts bizarre and bizarre, Amin was reportedly responsible for the deaths of between 100,000 and 500,000 of his subjects, some of whose heads he kept stored in a refrigerator for use as centerpieces for state dinners. At one point, so many bodies were fed to crocodiles that the remains occasionally clogged intake ducts at Uganda's main hydroelectric plant at Jinja. But he had a lighter side, declaring himself king of Scotland, banning hippies and mini-skirts, and appearing at a royal Saudi Arabian funeral in 1975 wearing a kilt. He also awarded himself the Victoria Cross, offered to visit Northern Ireland as a peace mediator, and said that he, not the Queen, should be head of the Commonwealth. Along the way, he earned a few fans. Milton Obote, whom Amin overthrew in a bloody coup to seize power, once called Amin "the greatest brute an African mother has ever brought to life." President Jimmy Carter said events in Uganda during Amin's rule "disgusted the entire civilized world." The joy in the streets at his passing suggests more than one Ugandan had Amin in their dead pools: An Asian who gave her name only as Susan, who returned from exile even though Amin's security forces had killed her uncle and brother, said: "The world is a better place with his death."

Locally, the biggest beneficiary of the buffoon’s bon voyage is Kirsti, who takes the lead with 4 dead and 46.2222222 points.

The leaderboard:
1st Kirsti 4 dead, 46.22222222
2nd Me 4 dead, 33.88888889
3rd Conni 4 dead, 23.88888889
4th Greg’s Wily Veterans 3 dead, 26.22222222
5th Keith 3 dead, 21.66666667

Do You Believe in Seat Belts? No.

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Miracle Man on Ice
Herb Brooks, architect of one of the greatest moments in American sports history, died yesterday in a single-car accident in his beloved home state of Minnesota. Brooks first displayed his hockey acumen at the University of Minnesota, turning around a long-struggling program to win 3 national titles. But his greatest moments came as the head coach of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team that overcame the dominating Soviet team and then the Finns to win the gold medal.

Taps

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Will and GraveLong-time dance virtuoso Gregory Hines will have to make his fancy steps wearing a toe tag after passing away yesterday at the age of 57. He made the leap from stage to screen with 1981's History of the World Part I, but his best screen role was 1986's Running Scared with Billy Crystal, and he recently found success with a recurring role on Will and Grace.