samhexum

Man who drove generations of students to be laid to rest in school bus casket It’s the last stop for a small town’s favorite driver. Glen Davis, a driver for Grand Meadow public schools in Minnesota, will be laid to rest in a casket designed to look like one of the yellow school buses he drove for 55 years before his retirement in 2005. Known by the thousands of schoolchildren he hauled to and from school as Glennie, Davis died Saturday at the age of 88. But he’d had his funeral planned — including the zany coffin — since 2015. Davis began driving a bus in 1949 when he was just 17, and logged over 800,000 miles in five vehicles throughout his career, according to his local paper, the Post Bulletin. Davis also worked as a farmer on the side, and could be found milking cows after completing his morning route. The idea for a bus casket was originally thought up by Davis’ son-in-law years ago — although this summer, a beloved Tennessee bus driver, David Wright, was buried in a similarly custom casket. A few of the uncanny details on Davis’ afterlife-bound box: a red stop sign painted on the side; black hardware finishes and replicas of safety lights; and a “03” emblazoned in black paint to signify the number of the first bus Davis drove. The flashy wares were a gift from Jim Hindt, owner of Hindt Funeral Home, who says Davis and his family extended him neighborly love when his daughter, now 16 and healthy, was diagnosed with cancer at 18 months. “We were going through a hard time. Both him and his family were just very good to us,” Hindt said in a 2015 Post Bulletin article about the casket. “I wanted to repay it somehow.” When Davis saw the particular piece, he reportedly got emotional. “Oh, good gosh, I cried a few times,” he told the Bulletin. His family hopes the sight of the casket will lighten the mood at his funeral, to be held on Friday morning. http://synd.imgsrv.uclick.com/comics/cl/2020/cl200320.gif

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Does an octopus dream? A stunning new video from an upcoming PBS documentary suggests that not only do they dream — but they put on a light show when they do. The clip, titled “Octopus Dreaming,” shows the mollusk clinging to the side of a large fish tank when it begins changing colors in rapid succession — from pale white, to dark brown, back to white and then into a camouflage pattern. The video, which has gone viral, is an excerpt from an upcoming episode of the PBS Nature series called “Octopus: Making Contact.” Scientist David Scheel, who narrates the clip, called it “something I’ve never see recorded before.” “You know if she is dreaming, this is a dramatic moment,” Scheel says. “You could almost just narrate the body changes and narrate the dream.” “It’s a very unusual behavior, to see the color come and go on her mantle like that,” he said. “I mean, Just to be able to see all the color patterns just flashing one after the other. You don’t usually see that when an animal’s sleeping. this really is fascinating.” The episode is scheduled to air Oct. 2.

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I didn't like Buck's or Maddie's new storylines this week. Otherwise, I'm enjoying this season. Ronda Rousey's been fine in her small role so far.

I'm enjoying EVIL. CAROL'S SECOND ACT is too formulaic for me so far & Carol's over-the-top enthusiasm is grating and too silly to be even remotely realistic. I like Bob. I like Abishola. I hate the cliche-ridden dialogue for almost all of the other characters on BOB HEARTS ABISHOLA, but it's from Chuck Lorre so I'll give it some time. Christine Ebersole is enjoyable as Bob's mom & we even got to hear her sing I'll be seeing you in the first episode. I've known she has a lovely voice for years.

He got the last laugh. Loved ones at an Irish funeral for Defense Forces veteran Shay Bradley were shocked — then delighted — when they heard the voice of their late friend calling out from his coffin. “Hello, hello — let me out!,” they heard on Saturday at Bradley’s funeral in Kilmanagh, Leinster, as his casket was lowered into the ground. The pre-recorded message continued, “Where the f - - k am I? Let me out, let me out. It’s f - - king dark in here. Is that the priest I can hear? This is Shay, I’m in the box. No, in f - - king front of you. I’m dead.” A video of the posthumous prank, posted to Twitter Sunday, shows mourners laughing and crying as Bradley’s voice began to sing, “Hello again, hello. Hello, I just called to say goodbye.” The footage has gone viral with more than 500,000 views and over 16,000 likes. Friends and family said the good-humored officer and father made the recording because he knew he was dying of a “long illness bravely borne” — and wanted “to make his family laugh rather than cry at the funeral.” Those close to him are now using the hashtag “#shayslastlaugh” to share the story. “My dad’s dieing [sic] wish, always the pranksters,” wrote his daughter Andrea on Facebook, in a post with more than 70,000 views. “Ya got them good Poppabear and gave us all a laugh just when we needed it!! I will love you forever #shayslastlaugh.” She added on Twitter, “What a man . . . To make us all laugh when we were incredibly sad . . . He was some man for one man . . . Love you forever Poppabear #Shayslastlaugh.” Other veterans of the Defense Force said the video of their colleague’s funeral “says it all” about military humor. “Was asked a question the other day, it was what’s the difference between military humour and Civilian humour it’s simple it’s black. This video should say it all,” they posted on Facebook. Bradley, who died Oct. 8, is survived by his wife, Anne, and children, Jonathan, Susanne, James and Andrea.

Devoted school bus driver David Wright left this world in the vehicle he was committed to driving while alive. The 76-year-old was buried in a bright yellow custom casket, made to look like a school bus for the Tennessee school district he drove for. “Besides the grandkids, that’s something he loved more than anything, being behind the wheel of that bus,” his son Calvin said. Wright, who passed away on Aug. 13, had served the Wilson County school system for 50 years, driving over three generations of families on his bus. A Wilson County Schools representative said he was “an incredible man with so many amazing stories to his credit.” “Mr. Wright was a selfless leader his entire life by being the example we should all strive to be,” the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement to Local 12. Wright had been honored for his service weeks prior to his death, when Wilson County Schools announced they would rename their transportation department after him. His funeral at Lebanon High School attracted a huge crowd. The casket was made by family-owned Nashville Casket Sales and was the idea of Wright’s son Calvin and his grandkids. Photos show the inside of the casket with an image of Wright smiling behind the wheel of his bus.

Liz Smith, the late gossip columnist, almost never wrote anything negative about anyone, so this one stood out to me. Diahann had done a show (for some reason, I’m remembering in Philly) and afterward a woman in her 20s came up to her & said something like “Diahann, you were wonderful; I’m such a fan.” Diahann thanked her and said something to the effect of “You know, dear, I have a daughter about your age, and when she was a child I taught her that it’s impolite to call your elders by their first names.” Liz called her out for being less than gracious with a fan.

I thought everyone knew & knew that she was in the car when Jayne was decapitated. BTW, Mariska's daddy had a teeny tiny role in one of the first SVUs.

A married United Arab Emirates woman reportedly is seeking a divorce — claiming her life is “hell” because she feels suffocated by her husband’s “extreme love,” according to reports. The unnamed woman told a Shariah court in Fujairah that she wants to divorce her spouse after one year of marriage due to his overwhelming adoration for her, the Khaleej Times reported on Friday. “I was choked by extreme love and affection,” she griped to he court. “He even helped me clean the house.” She claimed that his kindness turned her life to “hell” and made her long for marital conflict. “I long for one day of dispute, but this seems impossible with my romantic husband who always forgave me and showered me with gifts,” she reportedly said. “I need a real discussion, even an argument, not this hassle-free life of obedience.” The case, however, was reportedly adjourned so the couple could attempt to reconcile after her husband pleaded with the judge. “It’s not fair to judge a marriage from the first year, and everybody learns from their mistakes,” her husband reportedly said.

Pitcher Shane Bieber called Justin on card Shane Bieber is a vital part of the Cleveland Indians' playoff push. One thing he is not: pop singer Justin Bieber, a fact that baseball card maker Topps seems to have forgotten. The 24-year-old righty tweeted a photo of his baseball card that mistakenly refers to him as "Justin" in the blurb on the back. Topps took the issue in stride, replying to Bieber with song lyrics from a popular Justin Bieber tune. A tweet that Shane Bieber amusingly acknowledged. This is not the first time the Indians pitcher has addressed sharing a last name with the Canadian pop star. In 2018 during Players Weekend, when MLB allowed players to put their nicknames on the backs of their jerseys, Bieber decided to go with "NOT JUSTIN."

A South Carolina man recorded himself singing the iconic opening to "The Lion King" while joined by an unlikely singing partner ... a donkey. In a video posted to Facebook, Travis Kinley records himself singing the opening lyrics of "The Circle of Life." As he bellows, a donkey steps into the frame and begins loudly braying. "Did the Lion King opening and Nathan (the donkey) joined in with me!" Kinley wrote on Facebook. "I love this dude!" As of Saturday afternoon, the video had 1.1 million views and more than 33,000 shares. The first words of the song are in Zulu: "Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba Sithi uhm ingonyama." "Nants ingonyama bagithi baba Sithi uhhmm ingonyama Ingonyama Siyo Nqoba Ingonyama Ingonyama nengw’ enamabala." That translates to: "Here comes a lion, father. Oh yes, it's a lion. "Here comes a lion, father. Oh yes, it's a lion. A lion. We're going to conquer. A lion. A lion and a leopard come to this open place," according to Insider.com. https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10216809100434042

August Wold pulled on his tiny green No. 19 Athletics jersey, began swinging a Khris Davis bat from both sides while standing in front of his very own locker, then made sure everyone knew something was still missing. "I hope I get to use batting gloves,'' the boy said. "Do I get to keep all this stuff?'' Soon, slugger Matt Olson had provided a pair of his gray gloves. No matter they were several sizes too big. All this 8-year-old Little Leaguer wants is to play for the A's. They gave Wold the next closest thing with a mock contract and signing, complete with a press release announcing the deal, in collaboration with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. "I feel good. It was an exciting thing for me, I didn't know this was going to happen,'' Wold said. Wold, who is from the Northern California town of Redding and suffers from a gastrointestinal disorder that has required numerous surgeries, was unofficially added to the roster for Saturday night's game against the Texas Rangers. He visited the clubhouse in uniform, and watched batting practice on the field. He even had his own press conference alongside general manager David Forst the way new players typically do when joining a team. Six members of the A's stood behind him as he answered questions from the media. After a quick reminder from his mother, Julie, that is: "Sit up tall, August.'' "This close to the trade deadline, we were excited August Wold was still available, so we have signed August to an A's contract to be a member of our 2019 A's team," before the two signed the contract and shook hands on the podium. Of Wold's strengths, Forst noted the boy's versatility as a catcher and shortstop and, "August clearly loves the game, and we thought he would fit into our lineup pretty well for the last two months of the season.'' Wold sat in the dugout next to Liam Hendriks, who said, "Come on in, bro.'' "It's hot in here,'' Wold told the pitcher. The boy received fist bumps from other players and walked to the batting cage with Olson. Wold compared haircuts with Matt Chapman and chatted with shortstop Marcus Semien. Wold has been playing baseball for a couple of years and already emerged as one of his team's most reliable hitters. "It's great that he can be with us and see what we do, see what a professional's life is all about, the way we work, practice and are passionate about baseball,'' Semien said. "A lot of us in this room still feel like young kids ourselves. It's our passion for the game, as much fun as we have. Hopefully we can brighten up his day and make him feel better because I'm sure he's not feeling great all the time. For me as a parent, I feel for his parents, too. You never want anything to be wrong with your kids. Any time your kid's sick, you worry. It's just hard.'' Later, Wold was set to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Along for all the fun and special moments were his parents and five of his six siblings. "You're doing lefty, too? You're switch-hitting on me?'' his father, George Wold said. "How'd you get to be a pro so soon?'' Wold has Hirschsprung's disease, a birth defect in which the infant is missing some nerve cells in a part of the bowel. But he wasn't diagnosed until nearly age 7. Wold's health is far better and "he's on the road to recovery, hopefully,'' his dad said. "This is the world,'' George Wold said. "Make-A-Wish is so phenomenal and they're so great at figuring out what a kid wants. This is what he's wanted for so long. He knows all the players, their numbers and everything. This is just so cool. He's been through a lot and being able to come to this has been awesome.'' How did manager Bob Melvin plan to use him? "I don't know yet, I haven't gotten the scouting reports yet,'' Melvin said with a grin.

Dad who left twins in hot car is an Iraq war vet described as an ‘amazing’ father By all accounts, he was a doting dad to his year-old, twin son and daughter, setting up a bouncy castle in the yard for their recent first birthday party and dressing them in their latest cute outfits while his wife made breakfast in their Rockland County split-level. Then, on Saturday, Juan Rodriguez, 39, was hauled handcuffed before a judge, charged with the babies’ hot-car deaths. He forgot to drop them off at their day care Friday morning, Rodriguez has told cops — and didn’t realize they were still in the back seat when he parked at the Bronx hospital where he’s a social worker, court papers reveal. Eight hours later, the twins, Luna and Phoenix, registered an internal temperature of 108 degrees when coroners examined their bodies in their car seats. “I assumed I dropped them off at day care before I went to work,” Rodriguez told cops at the scene, according to the criminal complaint against him. “I blanked out!” he cried. “My babies are dead! I killed my babies!” Rodriguez was still sobbing at his arraignment Saturday night before Bronx Criminal Court Justice Patsy Goldborne. A disabled Iraq war veteran, he still wore the same turquoise blue polo shirt he’d worn Friday as he cared for homeless and ailing vets at his job at a VA hospital in Kingsbridge — oblivious that his twins were in the back seat of his Honda Accord in the parking lot. “He carried on with his day,” Assistant District Attorney Jaime Breslin told the judge. “He forgot his children in the seats.” “This is a tragedy of horrific proportions,” his lawyer, Joey Jackson, told the judge, who set bail at $100,000. Two hours later, Rodriguez made bail and was released to his cheering, weeping family members. Rodriguez exchanged a tight embrace with his crying wife, Marissa — the twins’ mother — when he was released. The mother had come to court wearing all black, and with the couple’s surviving child, a 4-year-old boy, in tow. The dad had dropped the boy off at a different day care before forgetting the twin babies, officials said. The mom held the boy on her lap as she waited in a second-floor holding area for the arraignment to begin. With her were some two dozen family members and friends. At one point, the mom broke into loud, hysterical sobs as she embraced a female relative. At another point, Rodriguez’s mother, Cathelina Valerio, cried out, “Mis nietos! Mis nietos!” — my grandchildren — as she hugged a male family member. “Do you know what I’m scared of?” she told The Post. “When he gets out, he can’t handle it. He’s going to need help.” It was a horrific double death — a baby brother and sister, side by side and helpless, as the temperature in the parked vehicle spiked. It was also a tragedy made inexplicable by Rodriguez’s reputation as a caring father. How could a dad whose social media is crammed with photos of him snuggling with Luna and Phoenix — and whose neighbors universally describe as loving and attentive — have forgotten his twin treasures, all day, in the back seat of his car? “This was just a horrible mistake,” neighbor Tony Caterino, 45, said of Rodriguez. “That one time you make a mistake, and you have to live with it for the rest of your life.” On Friday morning, Rodriguez had driven to work, as usual, from his home in New City, a middle-class, heavily wooded suburb an hour’s drive north of the city. Video shows it was 8:22 a.m. when he parked in the hospital parking lot, police sources said. The video shows him returning at one minute before 4 p.m. Rodriguez started the car and drove north toward home — only to pull over less than 10 minutes later, while still in The Bronx, on Kingsbridge Terrace. “I left them in the car!” he began screaming. Witnesses called 911; arriving medics could not revive the babies and they were pronounced dead at the scene. Family friend Temple Barros, 41, who lives with the family, told The Post that Rodriguez routinely took the twins to a day care in the mornings. The twins would stay there throughout the day, Barros said, as Rodriguez was at his hospital job and Marissa worked as a tourism and travel sales manager at the Empire City Casino in Yonkers. And while Barros didn’t see Rodriguez and the twins leave the house Friday, it would have been the dad, not the mother, who put them in the car, he said. “An amazing guy,” Barros told The Post of Rodriguez. “He’s always been there for his kids. Always. This is just a horrible situation,” he said. “The family isn’t doing so well,” he added. Rodriguez was “always doing things with the kids,” Caterino, the neighbor, said. “Always in the yard playing. They had a big camp-out last weekend, with tents in the back yard. “He would always play catch or basketball with his older kids,” Caterino said of Rodriguez’s two older sons from a prior marriage. “I just can’t wrap my head around it,” said another neighbor, Paul Barlett, 39. “No one here can believe it.”

Probably not anymore.

I wrote the "I don't see the appeal" post because your pics weren't showing up for me. It was a joke. I just saw the little icon that indicates a pic didn't post. In fact, my reply didn't show any pics when I posted it, but now they're showing.

World’s most frequent flyer has an insane weekly itinerary Tom Stuker loves going the extra mile. Give or take a few million. The world’s most frequent flier just racked up a record-setting 21 million miles flown. That’s nearly 844 times around the equator. “I’m a flying junkie,” the 65-year-old Nutley, New Jersey (Martha Stewart's home town), resident told The Post. “If I spend more than a week in one place, I’m like, ‘I gotta get back in the air.’ I’m more afraid to be on the ground than in the air.” On July 19, he broke his own record of 20 million — which was set only in January. “That’s the fastest I’ve ever done a million,” said Stuker, who flies exclusively with United. His jet-setting devotion began in 1984, when he traveled to Melbourne, Australia, to do management consulting for an auto dealer. “I fell in love with the country,” said the now semi-retired Stuker. “I’ve been back over 350 times since.” By 1997, Stuker’s business was thriving — and so was his obsession. “All of a sudden, after I hit 10 million [miles], I started getting into the world records and flying more competitively,” he said. The married father-of-three added it’s “the romance” of flying, not the destinations, that’s his passion. For the most part, he’s traveling just to travel — not for work or vacation — and is known to stay in Australia or Japan for a day. “I mean why does Joey Chestnut eat hot dogs?” he asked of the competitive-eating champ. “I just really love everything about flying.” That includes the first-class seats, “mega VIP status” and lavish perks that come with being the top miles gatherer, he admitted. United regularly treats him to a multitude of luxurious bonuses, like tarmac-transfer service in a Mercedes-Benz, complimentary cocktails, the ability to skip lines and membership in its exclusive Polaris Lounge — outfitted with showers, private offices and, often, a slew of celebrities. Stuker is full of starry stories: sitting next to Janet Jackson and Steven Tyler in first class, and getting Bill Murray to leave his brother a voicemail. (Stuker’s wife, who often travels with him, was treated to a call from Kenny G.) “I usually try to engage them in conversations they may have never had before,” said Stuker of celebs. “I’ll ask, ‘What was your biggest disappointment growing up?’” When he’s not chatting up his cabin-mates, Stuker will blow through all the in-flight entertainment “in about a week” — so he spends his time in the air texting, watching sports and planning more trips. He also pops an Ambien to doze through the flight. Once he arrives at a far-flung destination, he’ll take a three-hour power nap to combat jet lag. Many compare his lifestyle to the 2009 film “Up in the Air,” starring George Clooney as a travel addict. “So much of that movie is bulls–t,” Stuker said. “The biggest fallacy is [that] it’s impossible for him to do the flight schedule he does when he lives in Omaha.” Stuker also pays out of pocket for every one of his trips, saving his miles to give to family members, charities and others. And his favorite place to go? “Home,” he said. “I don’t get to go there that often.”