It must have been fate. We’ve been talking about death and cremations (whether in a Dyson vacuum cleaner or a smoothie!) and here comes along a story that ties in nicely with today’s Fourth of July holiday and our morbid themes.

So anklebiters, this one is for you.

Hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday! Did you decide to do the picnic thing or hit the malls for the sales?

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Cremated remains part of fireworks show
Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS — One of the fireworks bursting above the city this year will contain a bit of cremated remains — a fitting tribute, organizers say, to the man who ran the annual event for 40 years.

Meredith Smith died in February at age 74. About a half-teaspoon of his ashes will be in a fireworks shell that will create a white burst in the sky for the finale of the show, which was set for last night.

“I can’t think of a better way,” said family friend Kevin Moss.

He also will be memorialized through hundreds of T-shirts referring to the tribute as “the last shot.”

Smith, a school maintenance worker, was a trained pyrotechnician. His widow, Charlotte, said they started the fireworks shows as a community service and sometimes paid for them themselves.

“Meredith felt like the people in this area didn’t get the opportunities that other people got, and so he wanted to give them the opportunity,” she said.

The release of the ashes shouldn’t harm public health, said John Althardt of the Health and Hospital Corp. of Marion County.

“I think that whatever a family can do to remember their loved one … is great,” he said.

The fireworks will be shot over the White River.

According to Indiana law, cremated remains may be disposed of on the property of a consenting owner, uninhabited public land or in a waterway.

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So where would you like your ashes scattered? From an airplane, out to sea or maybe left in a vase on a family bookshelf? I think I would be against having it scattered because it seems like it’s just being tossed away in the wind. One minute it’s there, the next it’s gone. I still prefer using it to make some kind of family jewel that can be passed on for generations. It could be the start of a jewel collection that the eldest child passes on… I guess mine would be a ruby cause it’s my birthstone.

And on a lighter note, this next story drives home the point of why us copy editors are so important. Double checking dates, phone numbers, etc. can prevent a lot of confusion and possibly some angry customer complaints…

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Wrong number! Job hotline was sex line
Associated Press

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Looking for work in all the wrong places?

That’s what happened to job seekers who dialed a phone number listed on the state’s Family Health Administration’s Web site — which actually was a phone number for women looking for sex.

The number for the Maryland Job Service Hotline was listed incorrectly on the state Web site, as well as in the Verizon Yellow Pages and other Web sites.

State officials say they are aware of the problem and are working to correct it.

The correct number to call for Maryland Job Services is 410-767-2148.

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Hmm, I wonder if anyone would be successful in suing over emotional distress…

Speaking of phone numbers, I think it’s clever when companies use numbers that incorporate their business name or the product they sell to make it easy to remember. Seen any good ones lately?

Music is such a big part of our lives that certain songs can evoke both special and painful memories. The first dance. The break-up song. Your song — where the lyrics express what you and your partner feel for each other.

But are you familiar with funeral songs? Maybe I haven’t been to that many funerals yet but I don’t recall a lot of music being played.

In Australia, popular rock classics are becoming the song of choice at funerals…

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Australians making odd choices for funeral songs
Associated Press

ADELAIDE, Australia — Hymns are being replaced at funerals in one Australian city by popular rock classics like Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” and AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell,” a cemetery manager said Wednesday.

At Centennial Park, the largest cemetery and crematorium in the southern city of Adelaide, only two hymns still rank among its top 10 most popular funeral songs: “Amazing Grace” and “Abide With Me.”

Leading the funeral chart is crooner Frank Sinatra’s classic hit “My Way,” followed by Louis Armstrong’s version of “Wonderful World,” a statement said.

The Led Zeppelin and AC/DC rock anthems rank outside the top 10, but have gained ground in recent years as more Australians give up traditional Christian hymns.

“Some of the more unusual songs we hear actually work very well within the service because they represent the person’s character,” Centennial Park chief executive Bryan Elliott said.

Among other less conventional choices were “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” by the Monty Python comedy team, “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead,” “Hit the Road Jack,” “Another One Bites the Dust” and “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead.”

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Have you thought about what kind of music you would like played at your funeral? Would you go with a traditional tune or something that more reflects your personality?

On a lighter note, what are your choices on a great wedding song? Do you prefer the bride walk down the aisle to the traditional “Here Comes the Bride” or a love song specially picked out by the couple? Do you remember your wedding song? Or do you have a song that is a must-play if you were to get married?

Notice that whenever you see slideshows, the bride picks the sweet and slow songs and the groom chooses some rock or alternative for contrast. Then when they do the pictures of the couple, it looks like the girl got to pick…

I haven’t posted anything on dumb behavior for a while so here are two unrelated stories. For those who remember the whole germophobe talk, I wouldn’t even want to think about what would’ve happened if these skinny dippers having fun in a city reservoir weren’t caught…

2 caught skinny dipping in Portland reservoir
Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. — Two people caught skinny dipping in a Portland reservoir that is a main source of water for the city nearly caused officials to dump millions of gallons of water and close the facility.

Ryan Langsdorf, 28, and Ashley Moyer, 23, were found in one of two sections of the Mount Tabor Reservoir at about 3 a.m. Saturday during a spell of unusually hot weather. They were cited for trespassing.

But the two were swimming in a section of the reservoir that was not being used. Had that section been in use, water bureau officials say they would have had to dump millions of gallons of water from that pool and possibly shut off the reservoir.

Earlier this year, millions of gallons of water were dumped when someone put latex paint, a construction cone and hundreds of fliers into the water.
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And what’s up with men getting arrested for various activities using thongs? I’ve come across many stories with this theme…

Man accused of strolling in thong, fake breasts
Associated Press

MANCHESTER, Conn. — A Manchester man has been arrested after he allegedly strolled along Interstate 291 wearing nothing but a thong, fake breasts and a wig. Police say they received several calls about the man, which prompted an hour-long search over the weekend.

Police said they found the suspect Saturday fully clothed and collecting cans behind a business in Manchester. Police said they also found a wig and fake breasts in the man’s car.

The man, 42, was charged with disorderly conduct and simple trespass. He’s free after posting $2,500 bail.

Information from: The Hartford Courant, www.courant.com

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And here’s an interesting story by The Washington Post on compulsive buyers that also caught my eye. Maybe it was the word Coach in the first paragraph… (At least I said Coach, and not Gucci or Louis Vuitton!)

It made me wonder if we really are aware of our shopping habits or are many of us in denial…

WASHINGTON — Shannon Hassemer went on a shopping spree when she got her first credit card in college. Tired of owning just one pair of tennis shoes, she quickly filled her closet with luxury items from designers such as Gucci, Coach and Louis Vuitton.

“I wanted to fit in,” she said. “I was tired of looking like a boy.”

It was a boost to her self-esteem, which she describes as particularly low. Over the years, shopping became a source of comfort. It was a daily habit. When she had children, she started buying them expensive clothing. Now at 36, shopping has become a source of pain. She has enrolled in a debt-consolidation program to pay down the $35,000 she owes on her credit cards, and she is getting therapy once a week.

“When I’m unhappy, I want to shop to make myself happy,” said the mother of two from Bakersfield, Calif. “I’m happy for a brief moment and then angry with myself because I’ve spent money.”

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“It’s the ideology of America that you are what you own,” said Lorrin Koran, a professor of psychiatry at Stanford University’s medical school who co-authored the 2006 American Journal of Psychiatry study. “You’re encouraged to identify yourself and value yourself based on what you own or buy or display.”

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The story goes on to share how some compulsive shoppers have jeopardized their retirement savings and entire net worth.

According to a study in the American Journal of Psychiatry, 5.8 percent of Americans are compulsive buyers. They buy things they don’t necessarily need or can’t afford to the point that it affects their relationships, their finances and/or their health.

Even mounting bills aren’t enough to keep some hard-core shopaholics from spending money on clothing, vacations or meals at fine restaurants, psychiatrists and financial planners said.

Have you ever monitored your shopping habits? Do you buy things for instant gratification only to regret the purchase later?

Sales can be the worst. I’ve been scolded in the past for buying something just because it’s on sale. Almost everything is “on sale” nowadays (just walk through a Macy’s) and could be a trap for you to unnecessarily spend money. I’m good about not having to shop (except at Costco, where I can go a bit overboard…) often without feeling sad. But if I do shop, I like to go home with something and the sale often justifies the purchase.

Is shopping your favorite pastime? Is our nation obsessed with material goods and designer names? What’s your favorite brand(s)? What sales can you just not resist? I’m always amazed when I see teen girls sporting brand-name bags and clothes…

Childhood possessions. Jewelry from old sweethearts. Photos before the days of digital cameras.

Some folks lovingly hold on to such items as they journey into adulthood. But as we accumulate more items over the years, where do you draw the line between becoming a pack rat and cherishing memories?

Do you keep that “perfect attendance” certificate from the fifth grade? How about that trophy from your days in the band?

Or ever imagine something of yours turning up 50 years later that was found by a stranger?

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Woman gets back ring she lost in lake in 1954
Associated Press

LUDINGTON, Mich. — A woman who lost her class ring in Lake Michigan in 1954 has it back, thanks to a metal-detector hobbyist.

Robert Savage told the Ludington Daily News for a story Saturday that he found the ring about 12 years ago but only recently began looking for its owner.

He did a bit of detective work by looking at the initials and the year on the ring. He found a Ludington High yearbook for 1955 and found that Jan Pedersen was the only person in the class with the right initials.

Now Jan Zacharda, she says she had forgotten about the ring she lost at Ludington State Park. And she’s even more puzzled that Savage found it in a lake about a dozen miles away.

Zacharda now wears the ring on her index finger, where it fits better.
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Ever lose something that miraculously turned up years later? Or ever find something that you barely remember why you kept in the first place?

How do you decide when to toss out possessions from years past? Are there some items that you absolutely have to keep — whether to display, store or to show your great-grandkids?

Parting ways can be hard, even when you’re only downsizing. I had a huge collection of stuffed animals that I eventually donated or gave away over the years. It got too hard to clean (yes, those fuzzy creatures are just a magnet for dust bunnies) and too humbug to properly put “in order.”

Remember those hammocks that you could string across your room? Problem with those were that if some tall person didn’t duck, the whole hammock would swing and all the animals would fall to the ground…

Interestingly, I downsized the bulk of my collection only to receive more cute critters. And nowadays, bigger seems to be the trend as I now have stuffed animals that literally are half the size of me! Since they can’t fit on a shelf, they now sit on chairs around the room. Okay now…

Well this next story is not about donating some stuffed bear, but classic cars — and we’re not just talking about one or two either!

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Entrepreneur auctions off 200 classic cars
By JOHN ROGERS
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — As he prepares to watch his treasured 1940 Howard Hughes Cadillac and hundreds of other meticulously maintained automobiles be driven right out the door, broadcasting pioneer Art Astor is realizing a piece of his heart will be leaving with them.

A Southern California native who grew up with a passion for automobiles, Astor began collecting classic cars 30 years ago when he began buying radio stations and making the kind of money that would allow him to own something like the 1927 Rolls-Royce roadster that once belonged to movie cowboy Tom Mix.

Now 83 and unable to find anyone willing or financially able to take on his collection after he’s gone, Astor has decided to part with about 200 of his approximately 270 cars.

Those he’s selling went on the block yesterday at the Astor Events Center in Anaheim, where much of Astor’s large collection of antique radios and telephones also began being sold Friday. The sale of all items concludes today and is expected to raise $20 million to $25 million.

From Cadillacs to Rolls-Royces, 200 of radio veteran Art Astor’s cars are going up for auction. (AP Photo/RM Auctions)

It is parting with the cars, however, that is breaking the heart of Astor, who owns radio station KSPA, which broadcasts in Southern California’s inland region, and stations KFSD and KCEO in the San Diego area.

“I don’t have any car that I ever bought that I didn’t like,” the normally effusive entrepreneur says quietly during a recent phone interview from his museum. He’s just gotten back, he says, from taking his 1955 Cadillac Coup de Ville out for a spin.

“When you part with an automobile that I purchased myself and test drove it and looked at it and fell in love with it,” he adds with a sigh. “It almost borders on trauma.”

That’s why he won’t part with the 1947 Ford Woody that once belonged to actor Steve McQueen. He tried and failed to acquire it when McQueen sold his own car collection shortly before his death in 1980 and had to wait 15 years for it to come back on the auction block.

“That’s one of my favorites,” he says, even if it’s not the collection’s priciest. But then Astor, who says he moved on from hosting a local TV show early in his career to running radio stations because it was the guys who did that who seemed to drive the really nice cars, didn’t buy any of his vehicles with strictly dollar signs in mind.

“I prefer to have maybe a 1950 Oldsmobile holiday coup that’s worth maybe $50,000 instead of a Deusenberg worth a million-and-a-half,” he says. “I don’t like to drive a Deusenberg. I’d rather drive an Oldsmobile.”

Or the 1939 Plymouth with only 9,000 miles on it. It’s probably worth no more than $25,000.

“But it gives me joy because it’s an example of a prewar automobile,” Astor says. “It’s still got the ‘Elect Roosevelt’ sticker on it.”

Unlike most cars found in automotive museums, Astor could take that Plymouth or one of his Rolls-Royces or Packards or Jaguars or Buick Roadmasters out on the road right now. He keeps every car in his Astor Automotive Museum polished and ready to drive.

A 1948 Packard Custom Convertible Coupe that is part of the Astor Collection. (AP Photo/RM Auctions)

“It’s the only museum in the world that I’m aware of that everything here works — including its curator,” Astor says, laughing heartily.

And that’s part of the reason he’s cleaning it out. Maintaining a staff of a half-dozen or more people to keep his cars, radios and phones working costs him a fortune, he says, adding: “I’m not wealthy enough or have the deep pockets to throw a couple million dollars away every year.”

So when the auction is complete there will still be an Astor Events Center, albeit with a scaled-down museum.
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What memories do you have of your first or favorite car?

Can you see yourself holding onto a prized car for a long time just to show to your kids or grandkids? I know some guys who kept their “hot little sports car” despite it missing a door handle or other functional feature (that most girls gravitate toward) when they got a new set of wheels.