Ok, it's not fun that she died, but when I saw the news cross that she had indeed passed on, I wondered about the recent stories about her tour cancellation following a debacle performance in Europe.

And like any good meltdown, it was YouTubed and I had a bit of fun using the youtube videos within stories about the show and subsequent call off of her planned tour.

I wondered, should I feel bad. In short, no, I don't. She knew — or should have known — what she was doing. When the world mocks you for your addiction, perhaps it's a sign you should watch out. She didn't. She lived in the limelight and stayed there, going to court, being hunted by the tabloids. So, though she was talented, she still was an addict who fed her addiction instead of seeking help, and she, like thousands others, died. Every week in Oakland County, one, two, sometimes a few, die of drug overdoses. Every week, a body is found by sheriff's deputies and the person is well known as having spent years or decades abusing alcohol and drugs.

Such a lifestyle is not going to help one keep on living, and she just burned out a bit quicker than most.

I still think the trainwreck videos are funny. Here's a sample from Belgrade:

I kept saying that I thought that Pat and Dick in ole DC would have a better shot at reaching a deal on the debt limit than the NFL players and owners would have to get the season going. Sorry for being so blind to think that greed would stop two sides from making THEIR money. It's their money so they'll make it and not leave it on the table.

However, when it comes to OUR money, it's going to be easy for Dems and Republicans to keep it on the table and then flush it - along with our country's good credit and reputation - down the drain.

Easy come, easy go with the economy.

Ok, we all hated the verdict and sure they may have served the justice system by voting how they felt.

It's too bad they needed more evidence, because I'm a believer in lying serving as proof of misdeeds. Otherwise, why lie? And it should teach people not to lie.

But the best story I saw the issue was "Nightline" on the night after the verdict. Not too much sensational coverage but a lot of quality analysis. Great viewing, and I wasn't even staying up to watch it; my wife had it on and I was reading.

I was shocked to hear the juror who said the first vote was 10-2 to acquit. I didn't hear all the evidence, but prosecutors can make too much of some stuff without focusing on the crime itself. Too bad, as justice could have been better served.

Negotiate means to fight for what you want, up against someone else who wants something different. By meeting and seeing what you can do and what they can do, you compromise.

In the end, a decision has to be made. Sure, there might be a winner and a loser, especially if people are drawing lines in the sand.

But I'm sick to death of the dragged out fights lately, thinking specifically of the NFL and the Debt Ceiling. Just figure it and go on from there, once your compromise is reached. Dragging it out and then losing only makes one look like a bigger loser.

If you have to give up something, say a tax hike, doing it early and being proactive is better than caving at the last minute.

Just do what you're hired to do... lead.

As for the NFL, it seems they let the lawyers have the lead role, meaning that these pricey hours of negotiations are necessary for the billing.

As for the political leaders, isn't there anything in the great nation that we can agree upon?

As I waited breathlessly for the vote in Greece on austerity measures that would determine the direction of the U.S. markets this week, listening to CNBC and driving into work, I caught the end of an interview with Michael Dell of Dell Computers.
The one-time kind of computer companies has struggled of late, though their cash reserves are heavy and their optimism of the future remains publicly strong.
In talking about the health of the American company, they ended with a bit on the jobs market, perhaps the most important part of the U.S. economy right now. Dell said that it's not easy getting the skilled employees. They questioned him about that, noting the high unemployment. Dell noted that yes there's unemployment, which is why for a 100 jobs in a warehouse, 10,000 people will show up.
However, when needing to find educated employees to filled highly skilled positions, it's a struggle to find the qualified candidates. Did they talk about reforms that could help? You bet ya. Dell said it may be helpful to have some kind of immigration reform to help companies find the employees that will help them thrive in their fields.
Education reform? Not a mention. Of course, Dell has a company to run now and such a long-term solution helps him not at all, but with all this chatter nationwide about teachers, tenure, the waste of money spent on schooling and education, well, it seems like we're not going to find smarter workers if we keep cutting on education.
Here's some of the comments on the story about MEA officials feeling that teachers are being attacked when tenure is targeted.
In the short-term, we may need some kind of reform to get the skilled workers into the jobs that will help companies grow and succeed. Success in one area breeds success in others, just as auto companies doing well means suppliers do well, meaning jobs create jobs as long as jobs are boosting the economy.
Here's a story on the lack of skilled workers in the U.S. This is a real problem, and it doesn't fit into the current political arguments to keep immigrants out and to cut as much out of education as possible. It's like we (or some of us) are shooting ourselves in both feet.
But to get past this problem, we'll also need long-term solutions to boost and improve our education system. We need smarter workers.
Oh, and great coverage on CNBC about world's markets reacting to the fighting in the streets outside as inside the Greek parliament voted on drastic cost cutting, something we here may face one day.