January 23, 2005, Heeeeeeeeeeeeere's... sad news
A CNN breaking news e-mail tells me that former Tonight Show host Johnny Carson died, at age 79, of complications from emphysema.
As, IIRC, former Tonight Show hosts Jack Paar and Steve Allen have kicked off in the not too distant past, well, insomniacs of times past are losing some of their heroes.
Time marches on. Here's the thing (for those wondering just how I was going to make this about Bush): this is not atypical. Vaunted gains in American logevity have been a tad... illusory (we remain a dismal 42nd or something in world health measures such as longevity and infant mortality and so forth). Hence, the main reason that "social security is in crisis"-- the explosion in the ranks of the superannuated-- is a complete and total f***ing lie. As if you'd expect anything different from this President. The fact is, because of such factors as NOT universal health care, we don't live all that long as a nation, and hence, social security, our national retirement program is not at risk of insolvency during the expected natural lives of just about anyone currently alive.
Unless the President gets his grubby little hands on the program, of course...
Sorry to hear about Johnny. The man was a professional: his life was a freaking mess off stage, but on, the man was the epitome of grace and class, who made his guests feel as if they were the star of the show. In our ever more "in your face" world, he will be missed.