One of the Greatest Comedians Has Passed On

So I enjoyed my break from blogging and was waiting for the right moment to come back and sadly it has come. For those that have not heard, George Carlin has passed away yesterday in Santa Monica, California. For those of you that do not know who George Carlin is, I am not sure where to begin. (Click here to see all YouTube videos that involve George Carlin.) Carlin is most famous for his "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television" routine that he released in 1972, and subsequently released a similar version called "Filthy Word" in 1973. For education purposes only, I will list them below. This routine was aired publicly without censorship and ultimately led to a Supreme Court case, which ruled that the FCC could establish indecency regulations in American broadcasting.

Carlin had been viewed as one of the greatest stand-up comedians of all time, as he constantly changed his routine and usually focused on the flaws in modern-day America. Like all major celebrities, Carlin did have an arrest record. He was arrested for performing his Seven Words routine in Milwaukee. In addition to being a stand-up comedian, Carlin had written a popular book, Brain Droppings, and appeared on numerous television shows and talk shows.

Mere words cannot express how big of a loss this is to a society how needs to learn how to laugh more. Carlin was a mastermind at finding humor in even the most serious situations. George, you will be missed!

Below are a few quotes from Carlin:

When cheese gets it's picture taken, what does it say?

If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted?

Is a vegetarian permitted to eat animal crackers?

Before they invented drawing boards, what did they go back to?

I have as much authority as the Pope, I just don't have as many people who believe it.

If the #2 pencil is the most popular, why is it still #2?

If all the world is a stage, where is the audience sitting?

Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.

I think it's the duty of the comedian to find out where the line is drawn and cross it deliberately.

As promised, here are the seven words. If you do not want to see them, STOP reading.

1. Shit
2. Piss
3. Fuck
4. Cunt
5. Cocksucker
6. Motherfucker
7. Tits

Just for completeness, I should note that Carlin later added three more:
8. Fart
9. Turd
10. Twat

Stupid Thieves or Stupid Community?

So I have read two different articles recently that led me to ask this important question. Are thieves getting stupider or are we as a society just missing a few screws?

The first story comes from La Crosse, Wisconsin, where thieves stole a 6-foot-tall, 2,000 pound anchor. The best part of the story is that no one noticed. The anchor used to be mounted outside the Naval Reservist Station, but no one is sure if it has been there since December 31, 2007. This story raised a few questions. One, how do you not notice that a huge anchor is missing? Two, what in the world would thieves do with a 2,000 pound anchor? Third, are you kidding me?

The second story comes from Sydney, Australia, where a robber was polite enough to wait his turn in a queue before holding up the post office. While waiting in line, no one suspected that a robbery would be happening soon, because the robber was very polite. Once it was his turn, however, he overpowered the employee and stole some money. While making his getaway, he left behind some of the money, as well as his knife that he used to hold up the post office. This story is more perplexing than the first. If you are going to rob a store, why would you be so polite before hand? Did the robber’s parents teach manners but not “thou shall not rob?”

So what are your thoughts? Are crooks getting stupider or is are community really sinking?