They're checking out

First on our list is Ferdinand II of Aragon.  As in Ferdinand and Isabella.  His marital motto with her was "they amount to the same", which explains why you never hear of him without her.  Of course, she funded Columbus, so the same rule doesn't necessarily apply there.  Pshaw!

Next on our list is Mary Jane Kelly.  Never heard of her?  Not surprising.  She didn't do much of note until this date in 1888, when she got herself killed by Jack the Ripper.  Better late than never, right?

Neville Chamberlain died on this date too.  Since it was only a few months after he left office as Prime Minister, he could have been exhausted and overworked.  Or not.  He's not popular, since he tended to be an appeaser, but there's now a movement afoot to review his actions, and credit him for putting off the War until Britain and France were better prepared.  Where the theory lapses is when one realizes that Germany was better prepared too.  But that's not important. 

Ironically, Charles de Gaulle also died on this date, thirty years after Chamberlain.  Given what a pain in the dupa de Gaulle was, Chamberlain might well have been happy to not be forced to deal with him.  God knows Churchill couldn't stand him.  It might have driven Churchill to drink, if he weren't doing it all the time anyway. 

Art Carney died on this date in 2003.  He was only 5 days away from getting the Daily Double.  He was pretty good in the Honeymooners.  Did you know he was wounded at Normandy, and left with a slight limp?  Neither did I.  But now we're both smarter, which is why I do it. 

Ed Bradley also died, in 2006.  I remember one time going to see Jimmy Buffett in concert.  The lights dimmed, and my friend and I looked up at the overhead video screen. I said "Isn't that..." and she replied "no... it couldn't be!"  I came back with "it sure looks like him though..." And then the figure on stage said "Good evening.  I'm Ed Bradley from 60 Minutes", and he then went on about being "nevillized" by the Neville Brothers.  It was kinda odd... but nowhere near as odd as it got later in the night, when Bradley came out on stage to shake a tambourine and do leg kicks with the Reeferettes during the song "some white people can dance".

And on that note (no pun intended)

Finis.