Little Ollie was watching the funeral procession and asked his Mom -- "Hey where's the basket Mom? Where's the basket?" She wasn't sure what he meant and so when the casket came rolling by he stood up and pointed -- there's the basket Mom!

It broke the tension and we all laughed fleetingly -- and the word basket was in my head the rest of the day.

Why do we have funerals I ask myself over and over. The dead don't care -- they aren't here. The funerals I suppose are for the living. They tell me that through the process of a funeral specific emotional needs are met for those left behind who are grieving and that the funeral is like any other important ceremony that we all go through -- weddings, birthdays, graduations, bar mitzvahs etc... It's to remember, honor, and commemorate someones life and honor their death -- so I guess those who knew the deceased and the family have an opportunity to pay a tribute. I am also told that funerals help those who are in denial about losing someone they love, if they see them dead they accept they are dead.

I am like my Great Grandmother I guess -- I have this fear of funerals. I hate them -- hate hate hate them. She didn't have one. Her daughter, my Grandmother didn't have one. My Grandfather didn't have one. I don't think my parents will either.

Many years ago I lost two babies at birth and the Chaplain at the Navy base helped me with their very small funeral. It wasn't even really a funeral, it was a lovely prayer, a few short words and I chose to have them cremated, and I spread their ashes in the ocean so they would always be with me. I couldn't bare the thought of putting them in the cold hard ground and knowing that I'd never be able to visit a grave. I dreamed for months of their little faces, frozen in time, in forever sleep.

And perhaps it was then began my aversion to funerals and baskets.

I loathe menopause. And if anyone tells me otherwise I am going to punch them square in the face.

Okay - The funerals over. I know for me I wouldn't want to be reading about, seeing, or hearing about my loved one in the media.

Let's let the family grieve in peace.

This is shut up already part one...

Yes the United States is a mess -- and screwed up. Fucked up almost beyond repair actually. I refuse however to point fingers and say it's the Republican parties fault or it's the Democratic parties fault. Because the reality is you just can't blame one specific party. Each party through the years has committed its fair share of blunders that's cost the country lots of money and set us back.

Republicans think that Democrats believe in killing babies and old people. I don't know of one Democrat who's for abortion. Who think abortion is cool, or hip, or the right thing to do. I know lots of Democrats who are Roman Catholic who are not comfortable with abortion. What I do know is that it's not up to you or me to tell someone else what to do with their body. My personal stance on abortion is that I think every woman has the right to choose and my hope is that she chooses to have her baby, and if she is in a position that she can't or won't care for it to place it with a set of parents who will. There's plenty of them standing in line who are dying to be parents. But please -- I want the government to stay out of my uterus.


Republicans think that the various plans to modify American medical care, they(Democratic party) believe in killing everybody else, too. Except for murderers -- murderers will get a "time out" and a chance to speak at the graduation ceremony of a prominent liberal arts college. ( I don't thin any murderer should get any time out -- they should all be sent to an island, put amongst themselves and let them duke it out.)

Republicans seem to believe that anyone who doesn't agree with them is against them completely by default.

Democrats seem to believe that anyone who doesn't agree with them is against them completely by default.

Democrats want to make sure that the poorest amongst us are treated just as well as the richest. While I agree with that -- if I work really really hard and bust my ass to make a good living and my neighbor chooses to sit on his ass all day, drink beer, and watch TV, should he share in my spoils even though he didn't earn it?

Democrats want to raise taxes to help Americans in need. While I don't have a problem with helping American truly in need I do have a problem supporting the lazy and those who feel they have a handout coming to them because they won't get off their asses and work.

The Republican party doesn't want to recognize that two people regardless of sexual orientation can love one another and be happy. I think that what happens between two consenting adults is their business -- not ours.

I want the government to keep out of my religious beliefs as well. If I want to worship tree's, God, life guards, or Star Bucks coffee I should be able to without the government interfering. If I want to not believe in God I should be able to do that as well.

And oh my God -- the war. Just thinking about it gives me a headache. The Bush Administration has made it's share of mistakes, blunders, etc... over the past eight years. President Obama inherited a huge mess. How that man is going to make any headway is beyond me. However, The Bush Administration isn't the only Administration to do stupid, ridiculous, and costly things that's caused the USA much grief.

Roosevelt got us into World War II, the Lend-Lease act was passed stating Roosevelt could direct aid to whomever he wanted. This meant that the US was no longer neutral. The US ended up contributing 42 billion dollars to the war effort by 1945. With Hitler taking over Europe, FDR saw fit to aid the British and French troops with arms, etc. Roosevelt didn't get us out of the Depression. Six years after he was elected president, unemployment was about as high as it had been under Herbert Hoover. Even World War II didn't end the Depression.

Then it was Kennedy who got us involved in Vietnam,Kennedy increased the number of military ad visors from 100 to 1600 by 1963. He also helped to equip the South
Vietnamese Army - and we can't forget the Bay of Pigs and what a big damn mess that was - One could also say that not making sure the Jupiter missiles were removed from Turkey as he had ordered was a mistake that complicated the Cuban Missile Crisis. But even had those missiles been removed, the Russians would probably still have done what they did.

And then we have Nixon and Watergate - I could write volumes about who screwed up, and stupid and horrible that was. I can remember my folks watching the hearings all the time -- and I remember clearly watching that crook resign. And really I should use the word "Crook" lightly -- most politicians are crooks in my book and are all in bed together.

Moving on --

Carter was ineffective -- the most ineffective president ever.

Reagan had a long list of failures, Clinton pulled his fair share of boners and then of course the Bush boys who operated this country literally by the seat of their pants.

It doesn't help to have morons like Rush Limbaugh and Anne Coulter who attempt to speak for the GOP either.

My point through all of this -- is that it's just not one party. It's too much pork, too many personal agenda's (Can we say one Bush is doing another Bush's dirty work because he's too stupid to stand on his own two feet?), and too many politicians who are drunk on power, and glory to see the forest through the trees.

Whew.

Okay.

I am done.

I think.

...It was strange what he had to deal with!"


I like many other people in the world watched the funeral service of Michael Jackson. First thing's first -- it was a funeral not a memorial. The difference being a “funeral service” is any official ceremony that takes place in the presence of a casketed body. In other words, the body (inside a casket) is present during the ceremony. The casket lid may be open or closed.

A “memorial service”, on the other hand, is any official ceremony that takes place without the casketed body being present. For example, the ceremony might take place with just an urn containing cremated remains (i.e. “ashes”) serving as the focal point of the ceremony. Alternatively, the focal point could be just a picture of the deceased displayed on an easel.

So this was a funeral service. It was a celebration of his life which I thought was great --and you'd have to be a troll if his daughter's statement about her father didn't choke you up. It sure choked me up.

Years ago I used to feel like I had missed the boat money wise. There were so many things I could have done a chose a different path -- and because I chose a different path I have lived my life as a regular person, working hard, raising a family, and making my way in the world. However, there's no way in hell I would trade my privacy for money. No way.

I saw a documentary not long ago about Michael Jackson and the fact he couldn't go to a grocery store without drawing a mob. The grocery store -- for God's sakes the man couldn't even buy a package of Charmin without company. For that matter my guess is that he couldn't take a crap in peace either.

The fact his kids wore masks for the first 5 years of their lives so the world wouldn't be able to identify them makes me very sad. And now these kids are without their dad -- and will be raised by others. Others that I don't think they know very well because they lived in such isolatation.

There's so much more to bed said -- but frankly, I don't have the energy. I just know that Michael Jackson was a huge part of my growing up years. His music really spoke to me -- and there are so many memories good and bad that define who I am associated with his music.

Did he get weird? -- sure. Did he moleste children? I honestly don't know. Does it bother me to think he might have? Yes, absolutely. Do I think he should have been having sleep overs in his bedroom with children and just him? Not on your life. Would I let my kids spend the night in at his house? No way.

My hope now is that he's laid to rest, his children are raised with love, honor, and respect. And that we as a world move on like we do with everthing else.

I did however have some fun with numbers this morning -- while waiting for some software to update. I see others have been having fun with numbers as well.

Michael Jackson signed his will on 7/7/02
Michael Jackson's memorial was on 7/7/09 seven years after his will was signed.
TMZ says that Michael Jackson's two biggest hits -- "Black & White" and "Billie Jean" -- were each #1 for 7 weeks.
They also say Michael Jackson's three biggest albums -- "Thriller," "Bad" and "Dangerous" -- each produced 7 top 40 hits.
We know that Michael Jackson was the 7th of 9 children.
And if you look at his birthdate Michael Jackson was born in 1958 ... 19 + 58 = 77
And finally - Michael Jackson died on the 25th ... 2 + 5 = 7

Weird or coincedental?

I admit our health care system needs a huge over haul -- we don't meet the needs of those who truly need it. However, I think there is something to be said about the quality of our healthcare. The United States is on the cutting edge of so many medical discoveries. I cringe when I think that the US will adopt Canada's health care system, or Italy's or Englands health care system where the common saying is "I would feel uncomfortable to have to rely on the English's health care system for anything other than getting me two aspirin and a cup of water."

The Swiss government mandates that all individuals purchase health insurance. While the insurance is subsidized by the government–and more heavily subsidized for poor Swiss individuals–most Swiss pay a large percentage of their insurance premiums. The government pays 25% of the premium while the individual pays the rest.

In the Swiss healthcare system:

•there is an insurance mandate for all individuals,
•the government defines a what the insurance benefit will be for all standard health insurers,
•insurance companies are not allowed to deny coverage to any individual,
•health insurance and medical procedure prices are made publicly available,
•in exchange for providing health insurance to consumers, insurance companies receive premiums from consumers and risk-adjustment payments from the government in order that insurance companies are not punished if they decide to insure a sicker population,
•premiums are community rated, meaning that sick and healthy individuals pay the same price within each age group (the age groupings are 0-18, 19-25, >25 years old).
•individuals are allowed to purchase supplement insurance as well (there is no regulated benefit for supplemental insurance),
•there is significant cost sharing in all insurance plans (i.e.: deductibles, 10% coinsurance rates up to an annual ceiling),
•open enrollment occurs twice per year (June and December).

What concerns me most about socialized medicine like that of England and Canada is that a patient has to wait a really really long time to be seen by anyone who isn't treating them for the common cold. Many people come from the UK and Canada to the Mayo Clinic for treatment because they can't wait 6 months to receive care for free.

I am not sure what the answer is but the closer we move towards socialized medicine, the more concerned I become.

You know when you go on vacation and then you come back and it takes a few days to get back in the swing of things? Well that's how I feel when I don't write every day. It's absolutley maddening to have so many things take up my entire day that I don't have time to do what I need to do for myself which is write.

I suppose I could "make time" but that would require planning on my part.

Okay so I am here -- and I just need to download "stuff"

Michael Jackson's Death

There's so much to say or not to say about Michael Jackson's death. I can honestly say I was stunned, dismayed, and in denial when I heard about his death. I am going to be shocked if the cause of death was anything other than drugs. Over the past several days I have been revisiting his music and his videos and his lyrics all point to someone who was lonely, tired, and frustrated.

Don't get me started on his father.

On a funny note my son sat with me and saw Thriller for the first time, and he thought it was funny that Michael Jackson became a Zombi and a Werewolf. It was neat sharing something that made such a huge impact upon me as a kid with my own kid.

However, I must note my son wasn't that impressed with the moonwalk. He got up and did it himself without even really trying. I tried for months to perfect that.

Sarah Palin

Ten reasons why Sarah stepped down:

1. Her political standing has slipped enough that she could have lost a re-election bid if she tried to retain her current office.

Iidly: I don't buy it -- she's too hard headed and stubborn to do that.


2. Her political standing has slipped enough that even if she had run and won, she would have likely been bloodied in the race, maybe even in a primary.

Iidly: Again I don't buy it see #1

3. Even more ethics complaints (many frivolous) would have been filed against her.

Iidly: That may be more like it, she is spending upwards of 500k on legal fee's.

4. She's got a book to write.

Iidly: Could be. Although I am not buying her book.

5. She's got a special needs baby to raise.

Iidly: I would be taking the time to do that if it were me.

6. It is logistically impossible to run for president as the sitting governor of Alaska -- because of flight times. (Not hard: *impossible*)

Iidly: This is scary to me and I think it's more of what she's thinking about doing.

7. She couldn't truly explore her money-making potential as an incumbent governor.

Iidly: If she's smart -- she will explore her money-making potential outside of Alaska.

8. She couldn't truly explore her media potential as an incumbent governor.

Iidly: See above #7.

9. The legislature has turned so much against her that the job wasn't much fun any more.

Iidly: Sarah doesn't seem to me as a "fun" type of a person. If I were her I'd be mighty pissed at the media but in the same breath -- she knew what the downside was when she signed up for this.

10. If she wants to be the Republican Party's presidential nominee in 2012, she needs to spend more time raising money, establishing her international and national expertise, and traveling the Lower 48. And she needs to start now.

Iidly: BINGO -- if she doesn't run in 2012 I will be shocked. God help us all.