And at #1 on the BBC News Most Popular page list – comic actor Leslie Neilsen has died. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11860014

Ok he died in November 2010, but it is the thought that counts, I suppose…

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Like I said:

…we all know that death can be a wonderful career move…

Nineteen of David Bowie’s albums have entered the UK album charts, after fans sought out his classic hits in the wake of his death.
His new album, Blackstar, reached number one, selling almost 150,000 copies since its release last week.
It had already been on course to top the charts before news of his death was announced on Monday, said the Official Charts Company.
Thirteen Bowie tracks also entered the top 100, led by Heroes at number 12.
The song, which originally peaked at 24 in 1977, is joined in the top 40 by Life On Mars, Starman, Let’s Dance and Space Oddity.
In total, Bowie sold 241,000 albums and 167,000 singles over the course of the week, while his songs were streamed more than 19 million times on services like Apple Music and Spotify, which said streams jumped by 2,822% following news of his death.
The star accounts for 25% of this week’s Top 40, with the best-sellers including greatest hits collections Nothing Has Changed and Best Of 1969/1974.
Hunky Dory was the most popular of the Bowie’s classic albums, charting at 14. The 1971 record includes the singles Life on Mars and Changes, as well as Kooks, an ode to Bowie’s son whose lyrics went viral earlier this week.

David Bowie’s albums in the Top 100
1) Blackstar
5) Nothing Has Changed – The Very Best Of
11) The Best Of 1969 / 1974
14) Hunky Dory
17) The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust
18) Best of Bowie
23) Aladdin Sane
25) The Next Day
31) Low
37) Diamond Dogs
42) Let’s Dance
45) Heroes
55) Station to Station
59) The Best Of – 1980 / 1987
60) Young Americans
61) Scary Monsters
89) The Man Who Sold The World
95) Space Oddity
97) Five Years – 1969 – 1973

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35326988

However one must bear in mind this is Channel Five, the channel which brings you the likes of Big Brother and, like some TV institutions (some more than others) is more interested in raking in viewers rather than honouring those killed whether Axis or Allied.

Whilst I accept that this is Channel Five we are talking about it probably would be a mistake to blame them for anything other than the broadcasting of this tripe, guilty as they are of all the other crimes we can think of. These days most programmes are made by independent production companies who usually try to sell their idea to broadcasting companies – this one appears to have been initially sold to National Geographic before being passed on to Ch5, although whether it had been made or was still just a proposal at that point I don’t know.

Saturday night is an important time for all broadcasters so, whether this ‘show’ goes on air or not, making them aware that certain elements of the viewing public don’t regard this type of thing as respectful or even educational can have an effect, especially with the advertisers who could be aiming for a certain demographic into which we might all fall.

Amused me when I heard that, after Bowie started Tin Machine there was a rule that during press interviews each band member – in order to be fair to the lesser known (ie the other three) of them – could only be asked 25% of the questions; one well known music journo sat down before them, consulted his note pad then looked up to ask ‘right, which one of you is David?’

With a few exceptions his work from Lets Dance onwards did not interest me – it was too popularist, then it was just too desperate to be different and I gave up.
Guess he won’t be touring this album, but we all know that death can be a wonderful career move – if only Bieber and the reality show karaoke artists would take the hint. Apparently his ex-wife Angie hasn’t been told – she is in the Big Brother house, but who knew? – but will be informed this evening.

One wonders if they knew whether the site they dug up was a war grave or not…

Nevermind – a forum death list rarely works.