Greetings from Aberdeen, where I am enjoying the grey granite, blustery gales, and Justin‘s wireless internet and satellite television. I’ve been flicking through the channels, and BBC News 24 has just reported that Saddam Hussein is due to be executed either today or tomorrow. This is not good news, as he is on my Death List for 2007.

I usually enter a Death List competition each New Year with a bunch of friends, and I have already finalised my list for this coming year. The idea is that you list 10 well-known people you think will die during 2007. For each correct guess over the year, you get 100 points minus their age – so the younger they are, the more points they are worth. You also get 10 bonus points if you correctly guess the way in which they die. I’m never hugely successful, but like to go for a mix of well-known old or ill people plus a few randoms just to spruce things up.

So it’s a bit annoying that Saddam Hussein might die before 2007 even begins, but at least Justin and Mark have him on theirs too, so we’re all equally put out.

If you’re interested, my list is as follows:

1. Saddam Hussein al-Tikriti – retired politician (execution)
2. David Blaine – attention-seeking stuntman and magician (own stupidity)
3. Patrick Moore – TV presenter and monocle-wearer (peacefully in sleep)
4. Brooks Mileson – owner of Gretna FC (lung cancer)
5. Ismail Haniya – Prime Minister of Palestinian Authority (assassination)
6. The Queen – The Queen (complications during routine surgery)
7. Pete Docherty – professional druggie (drug-related)
8. Magnus Magnusson – TV presenter (heart attack)
9. Sandi Thom – singer (car crash)
10. Fidel Castro – President of Cuba and beard-sporter (heart attack)