Taking a break from work I decided to check my emails and catch up on ScriptGirl reports I've missed out on for the past couple of weeks. Going to youtube first, so I would not be angered at the recent news, I watched my funny vid's. Then it was time to jump over and check my emails, unfortunately I have to see the headlines. To my newest wonder of the ignorance of our politicians, L.A. is going to foot the 1.4 million dollars for the latest celebrity overdose's funeral. Actually not L.A., but the taxpayers. The wonderful mayor has decided not to ask the family or AEG, Michael Jackson's promoters for the money. He apparently even shut down a site that was set up to collect donations for the funeral to offset the expenses. This was set up by the acting mayor while the mayor was on vacation. I'm glad I don't have to live under his guidelines. The full coverage of that story is here: http://omg.yahoo.com/news/la-mayor-city-will-pay-costs-from-jackson-event/25168?nc

We have a city and state here that is shutting down pools, public shelters, education programs, government facilities, and countless other programs because they are broke. Not just broke, but if the State of California was like a lot of it's citizens. It would be unemployed, living in a makeshift tent outside the Texas border and cooking soup cans over a burning trash barrel. To top it all off, they closed down streets and held up working individuals to get a most likely empty casket to a funeral. Not to mention the officer's pulled from duty or put on overtime to accomplish this lavish procession.

Personal feelings aside for this individual, and none of them are good, this was just plain stupid. You can not tell me the supposed King of Pop and the extravagant living family could not afford this. I have personally buried two people in my life, and yes it is expensive. I have even been an escort for processions and was stopping traffic, yes we were expensive. But none of it was put on the tax payers backs. Everyone paid for it out of their own pockets, and they did not have 1 Billion dollars in assets.

This publicity and media stunt put on by Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson was shameless. Living in the Chicago area the Big 89 WLS had Mr. Jackson on quite often. He was the "unofficial spokesman for the family". O.K. The microphones being shoved and pressed against the side of the poor girl's face at the funeral. That was shameless. The media selling it's papers, magazines, world wide coverage and none stop broadcasts, repulsive. Me having to write this is bad enough and makes me feel slimy. Now, the citizens of Los Angeles are going to have to kick over another 1.4 million to pay for this. I wonder how many of the TAX PAYERS were at the funeral, I'm guessing not too many. Probably saw some of the procession though, since they were stuck in traffic.

As a side note, Michael Jackson memorabilia from the concert and funeral is now on sale. Sadly you can probably get some at the bottom of this dribble. I'm sure the sponsors will have it at not too reasonable offers. Yes, I'm a capitalist and will try to make a few pennies off the death of another.