The Cost of Dying

Some of you may know that my dear mother passed away last July.  I wrote about it here - RIP Mom. I received a string of sympathetic comments, many from readers that I've never heard from before, for which I'm very appreciative.

Last Saturday I got an invoice from ProMedica, listing the following items:

Cardiology	$1,875.00
Emergency Room	$6,068.00
IV Administration	$1,009.00
Pharmacy	$126.00
Procedure	$2,847.00
Radiology	$280.00
Respiratory	$2,691.00
Treatment Room	$2,066.00
Total	$16,962.00

Seventeen large to cash in your chips.

Somehow, there's something inherently wrong with a system that charges you seventeen grand and fails to keep you alive.

I, by the way, am doing okay.  Not great, not bad.  Just okay.  Some days are easier than others, and the estate is difficult to pack up and sell.

Happy Repeal Day!

On December 5th, 1933 the infamous 18th Amendment was repealed, ending prohibition and legalizing what most Americans had been doing anyway: Drinking.  It also cut the incomes of famous, upstanding citizens such as Al 'Scarface' Capone, Bugs Moran, Ellsworth Raymond "Bumpy" Johnson, Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll, Owney Madden, Big Frenchy De Mange, and a host of other upstanding citizens who made their fortunes on illegal liquor (the manufacture, wholesaling, retailing and import of same) and often came to an untimely demise.

The Way CCW Ought To Work

When Ohio passed CCW law (many years behind everyone else), they got the application wrong.  Getting licensed to carry a concealed weapon is a good idea, but the practical application of having a license has a glaring error in it.