Wager Mage
Photo by Anna Shvets Pexels Logo Photo: Anna Shvets

Can you watch your own funeral?

One of the wildest innovations is “living funerals.” You can attend a dry run of your own funeral, complete with casket, mourners, funeral procession, etc. You can witness the lavish proceedings without having an “out-of-body” experience, just an “out-of-disposable-income” experience.

Do flushes count in 2-7 single draw?
Do flushes count in 2-7 single draw?

First, it's important to understand that the hand rankings are different in 2-7 than in other low games. In 2-7, straights and flushes count...

Read More »
How much does a VPN cost?
How much does a VPN cost?

10 Best VPN Services 2022 Service Monthly price Max number of devices ExpressVPN $12.95/mo. 5 CyberGhost $12.99/mo. 7 Private Internet Access...

Read More »

My cousin’s husband owns a funeral home, so I’m anxious to hear his take on a front-page article from the Nov. 4 “Wall Street Journal.” According to the article, morticians are innovating ways to put the “fun” in funeral (including burial plot raffles and “open house” family events featuring food, live music and bouncy houses) — or maybe it was putting the “monument” in monumentally screwed up ideas! I get those mixed up. The article talked about undertakers enticing their potential customers to deal with the elephant in the room (their own mortality) and be more proactive about end-of-life planning. This will take the burden off your loved ones, so they will be tanned and rested and in a positively chipper mood as they fight over your estate. (“Step back from the Hummel figurines or I’m snatching you bald-headed … bless your heart …”) A funeral industry convention workshop was titled “How to build your pre-need customer pipeline,” which, I’m sorry, dredges up too many memories of my dearly departed childhood goldfish. Many undertakers report positive feedback for the laid-back attitude, but traditionalist customers are adamant that recent experiments in funeral marketing are disrespectful. (“We’ll talk more when I get back from the King Tut exhibit. Need any souvenirs?”) Some of today’s off-the-wall customized services leave me with mixed emotions. I can handle a funeral sanctioned by the Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers, but not one sanctioned by the Board of Ouija. I suppose some ways of jazzing up the funeral experience are more tolerable than others. I could see a Grim Reaper with a tie-dyed robe, or a magician sawing someone’s ashes in half. I’m cool with a standup comedian whining, “Hey, I’m dying up here.” Tequila is probably a counterproductive libation for promotional events. It’s a real buzzkill to think about the worms biding their time to get their revenge. Whacking a piñata filled with organs some bozo failed to donate to medical science? Let’s not and say we did. And a mime trapped in an invisible box is probably not going to sell many funeral packages — unless you get to nominate the mime as your “plus one.” One of the wildest innovations is “living funerals.” You can attend a dry run of your own funeral, complete with casket, mourners, funeral procession, etc. You can witness the lavish proceedings without having an “out-of-body” experience, just an “out-of-disposable-income” experience. This supposedly gives you peace of mind, but it sounds more anxiety-producing to me. (“I knew it — Ralph came just for the free calendars, not for me! And why isn’t Mike hitting on my ‘surviving spouse’? Does that conceited jerk think he’s too good for her?”) Seriously, this is all artificial and skewed. Past performance is no guarantee of how your actual funeral will be in five, 10 or 20 years. A “living funeral” is like the “air guitar” of shuffling off this mortal coil, except the groupies are all hanging around the undertaker, who is raking in extra dough. As my son noted, this is a brilliant way to get consumers to pay for a service twice. Maybe other professions will follow the funeral industry’s lead. (“Just drink this awful liquid and sit on the potty all day. Then come back when you’re 40 and we’ll do all that again PLUS run a scope inside you. Let’s put endless co-pays in colonoscopy!”

What sport is most mental?
What sport is most mental?

Gymnastics Gymnastics is one of the most physical and most mentally challenging sports in the world. Many people don't realise the amount of...

Read More »
Should I split 7s against a 10?
Should I split 7s against a 10?

Dealer's Upcard If the playing rules are S17 and NDAS then: You should split against a dealer's upcard of 2-7. Hit against a live blackjack dealer...

Read More »

Does the D count as outside the box?

Every other player must be outside the area, and at least 10 yards from the ball. The 'D'marks the part of the pitch outside the penalty box which is closer to the penalty spot than 10 yards, into which players must not encroach before the kick. It is usually called the D.

THIS SPORTING LIFE

There is a D-shaped area outside the penalty box on a football pitch. What is its purpose, what's it called, and why that shape? THE CURVED part of the 'D' is an arc of a circle, of radius 10 yards, centred on the penalty spot. When a penalty is taken only the penalty taker and the opposing goalkeeper (who must stay on his line until the ball is struck) are allowed in the penalty area. Every other player must be outside the area, and at least 10 yards from the ball. The 'D'marks the part of the pitch outside the penalty box which is closer to the penalty spot than 10 yards, into which players must not encroach before the kick. It is usually called the D. John Charnock, Warrington (j.m.charnock@dl.ac.uk) As far as I remember, although it's a phrase not often heard any more, it's officially called the penalty arc. Cameron M. Black, Munich, Germany

How common is football match fixing?
How common is football match fixing?

Football had the highest frequency of suspicious matches, with 694 detected by Sportradar – or almost one in every 200 games. Mar 6, 2022

Read More »
What are the 10 bets in a round robin?
What are the 10 bets in a round robin?

The 'Round Robin' bet contains 3 selections which amounts to 10 individual bets within this bet type. These bets are as follows; 3 doubles, 1...

Read More »
What is the best way to BetOnline?
What is the best way to BetOnline?

Best online sports betting sites 2022 DraftKings Sportsbook. $50 free + up to $1,000. ... Caesars Sportsbook. Free bet on Caesars up to $1,250 +...

Read More »
What does BTC mean in slang?
What does BTC mean in slang?

BTC — This acronym has two meanings. One stands for Bitcoin, as players can “mine” for Bitcoin in a game called Roblox Bitcoin Miner. The other...

Read More »