I've been obviously away from my blog way too long.
In a rather stunning announcement, the U.S. President has declared that now is time to work on overhauling the American health care system. What an idea. Why didn't any of us other 306 million Americans ever think of such an idea?
Well sadly, political leaders in the 1990s failed to tackle this issue, which IS the number one family issue in the U.S. Even more sadly, once many of these same leaders failed at their earlier attempts to adopt health care reform measures, they simply quit and walked away from the table. Guess what? The health care issue in the U.S. did not go away and it grew to become worse. Today, an estimated 45 million Americans do not have health care coverage. Many more can not afford their prescription medication.
The lack of effective health care reform is killing Americans.
Despite the President's suggestion for an overhaul, there are very few families who have not been negatively impacted by the sorry state of health care affairs in the U.S.
Yes Mr. President, the system needs to be fixed. Yes Mr. President, there virtually will be little consensus in this nation on how to accomplish this seemingly impossible task. And yes Mr. President, the successful pursuit of effective health care reform in this nation CAN NOT be based solely upon the potential outcome of future elections.
So when I read such statements that the U.S. President is calling for health care reform, I quietly laugh to myself with extreme cynicism. And when I think of the sheer number of American lives, families and yes, even voters, who have unfairly suffered because the health care reform issue was never very highly regarded as much of a priority say as --- defense spending, tax cuts for the rich and now climate change -- well then who among us does not cry a little every day?
I alone do not have the answer. I do agree health care reform is needed and long overdue. But without a viable plan and without an effective process, the idea that now is the time for health care reform is about like saying let's just voluntarily cut our U.S. oil imports by 50 percent or more and we all walk or ride a bicycle to get where we want to go.....for the rest of our lives.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
Australia Fires Change Lives Forever
More than a decade of severe drought, prolonged daytime temperatures in excess of 110 degrees and an unknown amount of deliberate intent led to ignition of hundreds of fires in and around Melbourne in southeast Australia during early February. As many as 400 separate fires, some which investigators believe were intentionally set by arsonists, killed nearly 200 people. Approximately 850 square miles of land were scorched beyond recognition resulting in the destruction of 750 homes that have left 5,000 people homeless.
The death toll, property damage and number of homeless is expected to increase.
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was visibly upset during more than one television interview and said the actions of any alleged arsonists constituted an act of mass murder. Ironically, the country's Institute of Criminology says arson is quite common and responsible for nearly half of the 60,000 or so fires which occur across the country each year. Officials also said large sections of the scorched land represented crime scenes.
News accounts reported that some people were burned alive in their vehicles as they attempted to flee many of the fires which erupted without warning. Farms and forests near Melbourne were left in piles of ashes as flames up to 100 feet high swept across the vast area.
The unfortunate tragedies are sure to affect many thousands of Australians whose family members, friends, neighbors and co-workers perished in the fires. Many of us who live "in the States" need perhaps to remember how lucky and how blessed we are each day, but to also pray for those who are made less fortunate by the tragedy they endure.
JW
The death toll, property damage and number of homeless is expected to increase.
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was visibly upset during more than one television interview and said the actions of any alleged arsonists constituted an act of mass murder. Ironically, the country's Institute of Criminology says arson is quite common and responsible for nearly half of the 60,000 or so fires which occur across the country each year. Officials also said large sections of the scorched land represented crime scenes.
News accounts reported that some people were burned alive in their vehicles as they attempted to flee many of the fires which erupted without warning. Farms and forests near Melbourne were left in piles of ashes as flames up to 100 feet high swept across the vast area.
The unfortunate tragedies are sure to affect many thousands of Australians whose family members, friends, neighbors and co-workers perished in the fires. Many of us who live "in the States" need perhaps to remember how lucky and how blessed we are each day, but to also pray for those who are made less fortunate by the tragedy they endure.
JW
Thursday, January 15, 2009
All Were Saved: After Jet Lands In Hudson River
There is goodness in the USA and there are miracles. This one played out on live TV in front of an international audience during the mid-afternoon of January 15 in New York City.
As thousands of commercial airline flights depart from U.S. airports each day, one would not think anything was particularly special about US Airways Flight #1549 that departed at 3:26 p.m. of January 15 from LaGuardia Airport in New York City en route to Charlotte, North Carolina.......except for one thing.
Pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger.
"He is the consummate pilot," Sully's wife, Lorrie Sullenberger, told the New York Post shortly after his crew of four fellow employees and 150 passengers were rescued alive after he set the plane down upon the icy cold waters of the Hudson River near 48th Street in midtown Manhattan in a flight operations procedure known as a hard-water landing. Pilot Sullenberger, an airline safety expert and NASA consultant, today was hailed as a hero by the 154 other souls on board that aircraft and also recognized by other observers for his training experience.
"He did precisely what he was trained to do," one aviation expert said in the hours immediately following the accident.
Good training? Experience? The intervention of angels, or a Higher Being?
I believe what the world saw occur the afternoon of January 15 was the product of professional training, the wisdom of experience and the hand of Divine intervention. What a blessed moment it was indeed for the crew of five and the 150 passengers aboard Flight #1549. And to think of their many family members, the co-workers and neighbors, the fellow church goers and literally hundreds if not thousands of lives that were, directly and indirectly touched in such a positive manner on this magnificent winter day in New York City.
"We heal from tragedy in our lives," a friend reminded me earlier today.
The miracle near 48th Street could have occurred anywhere in the world, but instead it occurred where it was most appreciated and perhaps where it was most needed -- near the site of the terrible tragedy of September 11, 2001.
In the days ahead, many of us likely will be preoccupied by winter weather, the outcome of sporting events, the economy, the news of the day, a petty jealously, a stupid argument with a partner or family member --- maybe even preoccupied by the driving habits of others, what to select from a restaurant menu and which TV program to watch next?
Before today's Miracle on the Hudson is forgotten -- think if your loved one, your co-worker, your family member, your friend, your neighbor, your distant relative, your jerk in-law were on that plane January 15 -- how would you feel knowing they survived? How would you feel had they perished? This is the reality we need more often to quietly embrace within our hearts and our souls and to periodically keep in our thoughts --- the interaction and quality of relationship we want to maintain with another. There remains goodness in this world and we need to look perhaps a little closer within ourselves and toward one another to see it --- and maybe, simply to remember and to acknowledge that miracles do happen and we are that miracle in someone's eyes and in someone's life.
As thousands of commercial airline flights depart from U.S. airports each day, one would not think anything was particularly special about US Airways Flight #1549 that departed at 3:26 p.m. of January 15 from LaGuardia Airport in New York City en route to Charlotte, North Carolina.......except for one thing.
Pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger.
"He is the consummate pilot," Sully's wife, Lorrie Sullenberger, told the New York Post shortly after his crew of four fellow employees and 150 passengers were rescued alive after he set the plane down upon the icy cold waters of the Hudson River near 48th Street in midtown Manhattan in a flight operations procedure known as a hard-water landing. Pilot Sullenberger, an airline safety expert and NASA consultant, today was hailed as a hero by the 154 other souls on board that aircraft and also recognized by other observers for his training experience.
"He did precisely what he was trained to do," one aviation expert said in the hours immediately following the accident.
Good training? Experience? The intervention of angels, or a Higher Being?
I believe what the world saw occur the afternoon of January 15 was the product of professional training, the wisdom of experience and the hand of Divine intervention. What a blessed moment it was indeed for the crew of five and the 150 passengers aboard Flight #1549. And to think of their many family members, the co-workers and neighbors, the fellow church goers and literally hundreds if not thousands of lives that were, directly and indirectly touched in such a positive manner on this magnificent winter day in New York City.
"We heal from tragedy in our lives," a friend reminded me earlier today.
The miracle near 48th Street could have occurred anywhere in the world, but instead it occurred where it was most appreciated and perhaps where it was most needed -- near the site of the terrible tragedy of September 11, 2001.
In the days ahead, many of us likely will be preoccupied by winter weather, the outcome of sporting events, the economy, the news of the day, a petty jealously, a stupid argument with a partner or family member --- maybe even preoccupied by the driving habits of others, what to select from a restaurant menu and which TV program to watch next?
Before today's Miracle on the Hudson is forgotten -- think if your loved one, your co-worker, your family member, your friend, your neighbor, your distant relative, your jerk in-law were on that plane January 15 -- how would you feel knowing they survived? How would you feel had they perished? This is the reality we need more often to quietly embrace within our hearts and our souls and to periodically keep in our thoughts --- the interaction and quality of relationship we want to maintain with another. There remains goodness in this world and we need to look perhaps a little closer within ourselves and toward one another to see it --- and maybe, simply to remember and to acknowledge that miracles do happen and we are that miracle in someone's eyes and in someone's life.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Holiday Cheermeister
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.
In most recent years, it was simply enough and quite acceptable to greet everyone with a simple Merry Christmas. Times have changed, however, and most of us now are asked to make a better personal efffort to embrace diversity and realize that a "Merry Christmas" greeting is no longer so simple a greeting this time of year.
Again, the many Christmas specials were broadcast on television throughout much of December. Unlike decades past when viewers often had but one, perhaps two opportunities at most, to watch "A Charlie Brown Christmas" or "It's A Wonderful Life", the existence now of cable TV, DVRs, TiVo, and other gadgets, makes it possible to view any Christmas special at any time. One of these Christmas specials, in fact was not about Chritsmas at all, but aired on network television once each December for many years. It's ultimate message though ("there's no place like home") serves as an excellent interpretation of at least one specific meaning of Christmas. It is theme of the 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz".
Some in the media industry this year have hinted that a truer meaning of Christmas may have emerged as many families have been forced to severely reduce their holiday spending and gift giving. A deeply recessed global economy this year has in some respects for many people put a damper on what is perceived to be the collective Christmas spirit. However, I quite agree that Christmas does not come from a store, but perhaps means something more.
Be joyful this Christmas Day and holiday season. Be thankful, be spiritual and share at least one kind moment with a family member, a friend, a stranger, and an animal.
In most recent years, it was simply enough and quite acceptable to greet everyone with a simple Merry Christmas. Times have changed, however, and most of us now are asked to make a better personal efffort to embrace diversity and realize that a "Merry Christmas" greeting is no longer so simple a greeting this time of year.
Again, the many Christmas specials were broadcast on television throughout much of December. Unlike decades past when viewers often had but one, perhaps two opportunities at most, to watch "A Charlie Brown Christmas" or "It's A Wonderful Life", the existence now of cable TV, DVRs, TiVo, and other gadgets, makes it possible to view any Christmas special at any time. One of these Christmas specials, in fact was not about Chritsmas at all, but aired on network television once each December for many years. It's ultimate message though ("there's no place like home") serves as an excellent interpretation of at least one specific meaning of Christmas. It is theme of the 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz".
Some in the media industry this year have hinted that a truer meaning of Christmas may have emerged as many families have been forced to severely reduce their holiday spending and gift giving. A deeply recessed global economy this year has in some respects for many people put a damper on what is perceived to be the collective Christmas spirit. However, I quite agree that Christmas does not come from a store, but perhaps means something more.
Be joyful this Christmas Day and holiday season. Be thankful, be spiritual and share at least one kind moment with a family member, a friend, a stranger, and an animal.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Some Common Sense Returns
Following a precipitous decline in global stock markets recently, it appears some of the emotional mania created largely by the news media has subsided. Stock markets have shown a modest rebound worldwide, but undoubtedly remain upon an unstable platform due largely to the fact they can be readily upended by irresponsible reporting.
Several industry observers have come out to say publicly that in fact now is a good time to invest in stocks as there now are plenty of bargains to be had here in the USA and in foreign markets. Energy prices have sharply declined as well and it appears some stability may be returning to the economy.
The truth is that families and individuals are affected by economic downturns in various ways. A tightened credit market, job losses, higher overall energy costs and a generally poor attitude about economic matters serve collectively to help shape a personal economic reality. Much of the reality too, is that Americans certainly as a society, have been living well above our means. We had succeeded in creating our own perceptive economic realities that grew farther and farther from the truth. In other words, we created a lot more economic prosperity for ourselves that actually was affordable and now we are paying the price in a massive economic readjustment.
Becoming informed and knowledgeable through a diversity of resources is the key in attempting to assess an economic conditions -- in your home, in your state, in your country and across the world. It takes a real effort to get informed as opposed to say opening oneself to the emotional windfalls and pitfalls of simply reading something on the Internet or watching a news broadcast. And yes, it is easier to be an emotional person without intellect instead of an intellectual person without emotion which explains why so many Americans are victims of their own wayward emotions rather than masters of their own collective intellect.
Several industry observers have come out to say publicly that in fact now is a good time to invest in stocks as there now are plenty of bargains to be had here in the USA and in foreign markets. Energy prices have sharply declined as well and it appears some stability may be returning to the economy.
The truth is that families and individuals are affected by economic downturns in various ways. A tightened credit market, job losses, higher overall energy costs and a generally poor attitude about economic matters serve collectively to help shape a personal economic reality. Much of the reality too, is that Americans certainly as a society, have been living well above our means. We had succeeded in creating our own perceptive economic realities that grew farther and farther from the truth. In other words, we created a lot more economic prosperity for ourselves that actually was affordable and now we are paying the price in a massive economic readjustment.
Becoming informed and knowledgeable through a diversity of resources is the key in attempting to assess an economic conditions -- in your home, in your state, in your country and across the world. It takes a real effort to get informed as opposed to say opening oneself to the emotional windfalls and pitfalls of simply reading something on the Internet or watching a news broadcast. And yes, it is easier to be an emotional person without intellect instead of an intellectual person without emotion which explains why so many Americans are victims of their own wayward emotions rather than masters of their own collective intellect.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Media At Fault For Causing Global Economic Panic
I'm a little embarrassed to admit I once was firmly embedded within the journalism profession and still have considerable activity in the that industry. But make no mistake that I attribute 75 percent of early October's global economic crisis squarely upon the shoulders of the media industry.
"It is the No. 1 story in the world right now," a respected and retired news director commented to me on October 10.
I say that much of the media industry is ruled by a liberal bias and it is through political motivations on the eve of elections in the USA that has the media industry creating a story rather than reporting it. The domestic and international news content for October 10 readily proves my point that the media industry is out of control on this subject matter. In one story, the idea that capitalism as we know it is about to die could not be farther from reality. A second story carried by many media outlets reported that J.D. Power was predicting for 2009 a total global collapse of the automotive/light truck industry -- again a gross speculation that could not be farther from the truth.
Sadly, many consumers and investors believe such reports because they are too caught up in a collective mania fueled largely by a runaway media industry. While it is true that some components of the U.S. and global economy need to achieve a more balanced realignment, much of the current so-called economic crisis is a product of mind control engineered and freely distributed worldwide by media outlets.
Here's some reality: Americans are still getting approved for car and truck loans and they are purchasing new vehicles. Americans are still buying homes and condominiums and getting loans to do so. Americans are still traveling, in some cases, even to foreign destinations. Americans are still paying on their monthly credit card bills and planning to go Christmas shopping. Do not believe for one second that there is any truth to the media industry's collective cry that "the sky is falling, the sky is falling" because it very simply is not true.
Unfortunately, our politicians and social reformers have in recent years so wanted to ensure a fair and balanced approach to some of the have-nots within their respective electoral borders that standards were lowered for some people so they could borrow money. Never mind their apparent lack of credit worthiness, which the rest of us will now take responsibility for in the coming years as we bail out much of the world from its economic crisis. And never mind America still pays people not to work instead of stepping in to help create real jobs.
Here's what you do. Turn off the television news. Stay away from Internet media sites. Skip reading the newspaper. Go about your business for awhile as you are accustomed to doing and keep in mind that the world is not ending, industries are not becoming extinct and chaos will not become the new political, economic and social order. For investors, now is the time to be putting money into stocks, not selling them. For workers, now is the time to increase personal savings. Give your family a good Christmas and try to remember the spirit of the season is why we celebrate such holidays -- not because of anticipated year end investor and retail industry reports, which are more mind control products of the media industry.
In fact, just ignore the doomsayers. I now believe there is a lot to be said for those of you who have said to me over the years "Oh, I don't ever watch or read the news---it's too depressing."
It is and doesn't need to be. With each new day comes a little more sunshine and I see it, do you?
"It is the No. 1 story in the world right now," a respected and retired news director commented to me on October 10.
I say that much of the media industry is ruled by a liberal bias and it is through political motivations on the eve of elections in the USA that has the media industry creating a story rather than reporting it. The domestic and international news content for October 10 readily proves my point that the media industry is out of control on this subject matter. In one story, the idea that capitalism as we know it is about to die could not be farther from reality. A second story carried by many media outlets reported that J.D. Power was predicting for 2009 a total global collapse of the automotive/light truck industry -- again a gross speculation that could not be farther from the truth.
Sadly, many consumers and investors believe such reports because they are too caught up in a collective mania fueled largely by a runaway media industry. While it is true that some components of the U.S. and global economy need to achieve a more balanced realignment, much of the current so-called economic crisis is a product of mind control engineered and freely distributed worldwide by media outlets.
Here's some reality: Americans are still getting approved for car and truck loans and they are purchasing new vehicles. Americans are still buying homes and condominiums and getting loans to do so. Americans are still traveling, in some cases, even to foreign destinations. Americans are still paying on their monthly credit card bills and planning to go Christmas shopping. Do not believe for one second that there is any truth to the media industry's collective cry that "the sky is falling, the sky is falling" because it very simply is not true.
Unfortunately, our politicians and social reformers have in recent years so wanted to ensure a fair and balanced approach to some of the have-nots within their respective electoral borders that standards were lowered for some people so they could borrow money. Never mind their apparent lack of credit worthiness, which the rest of us will now take responsibility for in the coming years as we bail out much of the world from its economic crisis. And never mind America still pays people not to work instead of stepping in to help create real jobs.
Here's what you do. Turn off the television news. Stay away from Internet media sites. Skip reading the newspaper. Go about your business for awhile as you are accustomed to doing and keep in mind that the world is not ending, industries are not becoming extinct and chaos will not become the new political, economic and social order. For investors, now is the time to be putting money into stocks, not selling them. For workers, now is the time to increase personal savings. Give your family a good Christmas and try to remember the spirit of the season is why we celebrate such holidays -- not because of anticipated year end investor and retail industry reports, which are more mind control products of the media industry.
In fact, just ignore the doomsayers. I now believe there is a lot to be said for those of you who have said to me over the years "Oh, I don't ever watch or read the news---it's too depressing."
It is and doesn't need to be. With each new day comes a little more sunshine and I see it, do you?
Monday, June 23, 2008
George Carlin United Us In Laughter
When NBC's Tim Russert died this month (see blog of June 13) many of his fans, including yours truly, were nearly brought to tears with grief over such an immediate and unexpected death. He died of a heart attack while working in his office. But when news came that comedian George Carlin had died June 22, many of his fans were brought to smiles and perhaps a little laughter.
"Everything God makes, dies," Carlin quipped in one of his many comedic routines.
Everything?
"Yup everything, every blue hog....."
It is my sincere belief that George Carlin perhaps was among the most honest and irreverent human beings on Earth during the 71 years of his life. He told it like it was, in his opinion yes, but also in the shared opinions of many others, including those who would not publicly claim to be a fan of George Carlin's rude and often disrespectful behavior.
I thought he was right on target with many of his routines derived from his unique observations on life. And who could truly argue with some of those observations?
"The forecast for tonight is dark, and continued dark throughout most of the evening with some widely scattered light towards morning," said one of his early characters -- Al Sleet, the noted Hippy Dippy Weatherman. It truly was a routine for the ages as Carlin so cleverly and simply outted the true ridiculousness displayed by nearly every TV weather person in the United States today.
If human cloning ever was a reality many years ago, then Carlin certainly may have been cloned from the DNA of the late social writer, comic, critic and American satirist Leonard Alfred Schneider (aka Lenny Bruce). It was from Bruce's style of raunchy humor and satire launched during the 1950s and 1960s, that some say ignited the generational culture change among the first of the Baby Boom generation. Many thought that Bruce was responsible for a growing tide of social and civic disrespect in the U.S. In fact, he was arrested in Miami during 1951 because he impersonated a priest attempting to secure donations to assist a leper colony in British Guiana.
That sounded so Carlin-esque.
Carlin was no stranger to priests, having been raised an Irish Catholic in New York City. In fact, among his largest followings were Catholic schoolboys who grew up in the U.S. during the 1960s and 1970s. As many of us were trained by our Catholic educators to recite noted works such as the Gettysburg Address, learn Latin and also be able to name in correct chronological order all the U.S. Presidents and their respective terms in office by year -- then it should not have come as any surprise that many of these same Catholic boys, including a few who today are Roman Catholic priests, were able to entirely and accurately recite some of Carlin's comedy routines. Topping this list of course, and ranked No. 1 well ahead of any other subject matter by Catholic boys and perhaps Jewish boys, and Protestant boys and so on and so forth, was Carlin's "Seven Dirty Words" routine.
Those of us, who among a consensus of our youthful peers back in the 1960s and 1970s, could accurately and with proper inflection, recite Carlin's "Seven Dirty Words" routine in its entirety without being caught by parents, teachers, Catholic nuns and priests, relatives, neighbors and the police --- became journalists by trade. I am proud to say I became one of those journalists.
What struck me about George Carlin perhaps above all other things was his ability to convince audiences that his comedy routines in fact were not comedy, but acute satire which he believed to be a truism for life as we have come to know it, but afraid to admit it. Carlin was the quintessential expert, who successfully crafted and offered in highly public fashion, his judgements about people as merely his "observations" of life.
"Everything God makes, dies," Carlin quipped in one of his many comedic routines.
Everything?
"Yup everything, every blue hog....."
It is my sincere belief that George Carlin perhaps was among the most honest and irreverent human beings on Earth during the 71 years of his life. He told it like it was, in his opinion yes, but also in the shared opinions of many others, including those who would not publicly claim to be a fan of George Carlin's rude and often disrespectful behavior.
I thought he was right on target with many of his routines derived from his unique observations on life. And who could truly argue with some of those observations?
"The forecast for tonight is dark, and continued dark throughout most of the evening with some widely scattered light towards morning," said one of his early characters -- Al Sleet, the noted Hippy Dippy Weatherman. It truly was a routine for the ages as Carlin so cleverly and simply outted the true ridiculousness displayed by nearly every TV weather person in the United States today.
If human cloning ever was a reality many years ago, then Carlin certainly may have been cloned from the DNA of the late social writer, comic, critic and American satirist Leonard Alfred Schneider (aka Lenny Bruce). It was from Bruce's style of raunchy humor and satire launched during the 1950s and 1960s, that some say ignited the generational culture change among the first of the Baby Boom generation. Many thought that Bruce was responsible for a growing tide of social and civic disrespect in the U.S. In fact, he was arrested in Miami during 1951 because he impersonated a priest attempting to secure donations to assist a leper colony in British Guiana.
That sounded so Carlin-esque.
Carlin was no stranger to priests, having been raised an Irish Catholic in New York City. In fact, among his largest followings were Catholic schoolboys who grew up in the U.S. during the 1960s and 1970s. As many of us were trained by our Catholic educators to recite noted works such as the Gettysburg Address, learn Latin and also be able to name in correct chronological order all the U.S. Presidents and their respective terms in office by year -- then it should not have come as any surprise that many of these same Catholic boys, including a few who today are Roman Catholic priests, were able to entirely and accurately recite some of Carlin's comedy routines. Topping this list of course, and ranked No. 1 well ahead of any other subject matter by Catholic boys and perhaps Jewish boys, and Protestant boys and so on and so forth, was Carlin's "Seven Dirty Words" routine.
Those of us, who among a consensus of our youthful peers back in the 1960s and 1970s, could accurately and with proper inflection, recite Carlin's "Seven Dirty Words" routine in its entirety without being caught by parents, teachers, Catholic nuns and priests, relatives, neighbors and the police --- became journalists by trade. I am proud to say I became one of those journalists.
What struck me about George Carlin perhaps above all other things was his ability to convince audiences that his comedy routines in fact were not comedy, but acute satire which he believed to be a truism for life as we have come to know it, but afraid to admit it. Carlin was the quintessential expert, who successfully crafted and offered in highly public fashion, his judgements about people as merely his "observations" of life.
- "First of all, the Catholic boys where I grew up would always go to a Spanish priest, like Father Muerta, to confess their sins because they didn't seem to understand the sins: "Ah, Bless me Father for I have sinned....I've touched myself in an impure manner -- thought, word and deed.....etc., etc., etc---"that's okay man, tres Santa Marias ---- brrrrrrroooooo (with a roll of the tongue). Whereas the Irish priests---well first they knew your name -- why did you do that George? Oh God, he knows! And, they were heavy into Penance.
Carlin indeed proved himself to be the world's ultimate class clown. He often regaled television audiences with his observational humor, not only as the very first host of Saturday Night Live in 1975, but also as a frequent and regular substitute host for the late Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show".
I can say with laughter and forever a huge smile, that Carlin's death will likely reunite him with the place where all of his "lost stuff" throughout a lifetime of 71 years likely now can be found to some extent. His death will certainly put him right there in touch with Johnny Carson as some sort of heavenly co-host. Carlin's death perhaps means that he could one day become united with his greatest known fan of all time -- the Lord himself. As irreverent as that may sound to a few people, I think the Almighty might just agree that he is a fan of the most honest and directly outspoken comics, authors, satirists and entertainers known in this millenium.
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