Is This the Mental Illness of the Decade?

Las Vegas Hoarder Found Dead in Her Cluttered Possessions

by Hugh Collins, AOL News

(Aug. 28) -- A Las Vegas woman who had been missing for four months was found buried beneath a mountain of garbage and clutter in her own home.

Bill James brought the search for his wife Billie Jean to a horrifying conclusion on Wednesday when he spotted her feet sticking out from the pile of junk that filled the room from floor to ceiling.

The collected clothes, trash and knicknacks in Billie Jean James's house was so vast that sniffer dogs had searched the home without finding her corpse, The Associated Press reported.

"For our dogs to go through that house and not find something should be indicative of the tremendous environmental challenges they faced," police spokesman Bill Cassell said.

Billie Jean, 67, went missing from her home in April, according to a local ABC affiliate. Bill James says he woke up from a nap and could not find his wife anywhere.

He assumed that she had wandered away. She had recently had a mini-stroke that left her disoriented, and he worried that she had suffered another.

Authorities launched a massive hunt for the woman, using sniffer dogs and even helicopters equipped with infrared to search the desert. Meanwhile, Bill set up a Facebook page to promote the search and offered a $10,000 reward.

Little did they know that she would eventually be found exactly where she was meant to be -- at home.

Family friends told the Las Vegas Review Journal that Billie Jean was a compulsive hoarder, with a passion for shopping for trinkets and clothes. One friend said that Billie Jean referred to the room where she was found as "her rabbit hole."

Sari Connolly, a friend of' Billie Jean's, said she had become so obsessive in her hoarding that she kept people out of her home, even refusing to let them use the bathroom.

"She became this hoarder person, and she wouldn't let anyone come in her house," Connolly said.

Cassell told the AP that the house had only small amounts of clear space so that people could get around, and that the home was filled with strong odors from animals, garbage and food.

Billie Jean is not the first person whose hoarding instincts proved fatal. In May, an aging Chicago couple was trapped for two weeks after being buried in their belongings (click to read story).When they were rescued, they were found to have rat bites on their bodies.

In 1947, police found a body inside a Manhattan row house. Brothers Homer and Langley Collyer had filled the house with possessions, including a Model T chassis, 14 pianos and more than 25,000 books.

Both brothers were found dead among the clutter.

Michelle Carro, an assistant psychology professor at the University of Nevada, told The Las Vegas Review Journal that hoarding happens when people find it impossible to make decisions, organize themselves or focus on immediate tasks.

Billie Jean's death is "an example of what can happen when your hoarding behavior is out of control," he said.

Friday the 13th

Are you a Paraskevidekatriaphobic? 

You know, one of those people afflicted with a morbid, irrational fear of Friday the 13th.  Yes believe it or not society has a name for everything and this is one of them!

Fear of the number 13 is Triskaidekaphobia. the belief that the number 13 is unlucky is the most common Western superstition. Coincidently, the word "superstitious" has 13 letters! Friday the 13th is considered a day of bad luck in English, French and Portuguese speaking countries around the world, as well as in Austria, Germany, Estonia, Finland, The Netherlands, Belgium, Republic of Ireland, Poland, Bulgaria, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, and the Philippines...as well as in some teen-targeted  horror films.

With all that common knowledge here are a few things to consider with respect to Friday the 13^th:

The Superstition (kind of)

• Personal Grooming is bad on Friday the 13^th. If you cut your nails on Friday, you cut them for sorrow. Never change your bed on Friday; it will bring bad dreams.
• Don't start a trip on Friday or you will have misfortune.
• If 13 people sit down to dinner together, all will die within the year.
• If you have 13 letters in your name, you will have the devils luck; Jack the Ripper, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, Theodore Bundy and Albert De Salvo all have 13 letters in their names. (Does his birth certificate really say "Jack the Ripper"?  Couldn't the police just have looked him up in the phonebook?)

• There are 13 witches in a coven.
• Thirteen had been revered in prehistoric goddess-worshiping cultures, we are told, because it corresponded to the number of lunar (menstrual) cycles in a year.
• According to at least one interpretation of the Mayan calendar the world will end on 13.13.13.13.13.13.13.0.0.0.0 or in the Gregorian calendar, Friday, October 13, 4772.
• Christians also vilified the number 13 as the number of people who attended the Last Supper.
• One hundred years ago, the British government sought to quell once and for all the widespread superstition among seamen that setting sail on Fridays was unlucky. A special ship was commissioned, named "H.M.S. Friday." They laid her keel on a Friday, launched her on a Friday, selected her crew on a Friday and hired a man named Jim Friday to be her captain. To top it off, H.M.S. Friday embarked on her maiden voyage on a Friday, and was never seen or heard from again.  Cool story - too bad it's an urban legend.  It would have been better if the captain was named Joe Friday.  Just the facts, ma'am.

The Facts (maybe)

• The risk of hospital admission as a result of a transport accident may be increased by as much as 52 percent. Staying at home is recommended. (Findings of a 1993 study published in the British Medical Journal, "Is Friday the 13th Bad for Your Health?")
• The Crucifixion took place on Friday the 13^th
• The Code of Hammurabi omitted the 13^th law.
• The Turks so disliked the number 13 that they practically expunged it from their vocabulary. 
• Norse mythology tells of 12 gods dining at Valhalla when a 13th uninvited guest, Loki, arrived and persuaded the god of darkness to slay the god of happiness.
• Ancient Persians stayed home on the 13^th day to avoid bad luck.
• After 13 years of being the richest man in the world, Microsoft Corporation chairman Bill Gates lost this title, according to Forbes magazine's 2008 list of the world's billionaires.
• Many buildings do not have 13th Floor.  Well, they do, they just name it the 14th Floor.
• Many cities do not have a 13th St or a 13th Avenue.
• Many airports skip the 13th gate.
• Most airplanes have no 13th aisle.
• Italians omit the number 13 from their national lottery.
• Friday, October 13, 1307, is the most well known Friday the 13th in history. On this date hundreds, or perhaps even thousands, of Knights Templar were rounded up on the orders of King Philip IV of France and subsequently tortured.
• Jacques de Molay, the last known Grand Master of the Knights Templar was burned to death on a slow fire outside Notre Dame on Friday, March 13, 1314.
• Apollo 13 was launched on April 11, 1970 or 11/4/70, which when added together equal 13 (4+11+70=85 8+513). Although launched from Florida, the time of launch at Mission Control in Houston, TX was 13:13 CST. Failure of the number 2 oxygen tank occurred on April 13th at 02:08:53.555 UTC, which when converted to the Eastern time zone is 9:08:53.555 and equals 13 (9+8+53+555=625 6+2+5= 13). Finally it's estimated that had the explosion happened prior to launch the bill for repairing the damage would have been $13 million.  Clear as mud, folks. 
• "Black Friday", Friday, July 13, 1987, was the day a F4 tornado ripped through Edmonton and killed 27 and injured more than 300.
• The Great Flood occurred on Friday, July 13, 1951. It flooded over 2 million acres in Kansas, causing $760 million in damages and killing 24 people.
• Al Capone who was arrested and sentenced to jail on Friday 13th
• Months with a Friday the 13th always begin on a Sunday.
• In a traditional hangman's noose there are 13 twists of the rope and 13 steps to the gallows.
• In Formula 1 Racing, there is no car with the number 13. The number has been removed after two drivers were killed in crashes both driving cars numbered 13.

And The Suggested Cures?

• Stand on your head and chew a piece of beef gristle.
• Throw socks with holes in them off a high mountain or skyscraper.
• When you can pronounce the word paraskevidekatriaphobia you are cured.
• Saturday the 14th! Because the workweek is over and it is a Saturday. Enjoy the weekend.

OK...But I'm Not Riding Next.

From Bare Knuckles to Bare Everything: 
102 thrillseekers strip off to break the naked rollercoaster world record
By Daily Mail Reporter

From bare nipples to white knuckles - more than 100 thrillseekers rode a rollercoaster naked today.  The 102 enthusiasts bared all to take their seats on the Green Scream rollercoaster at Southend-on-Sea, Essex (England). 
Organizers (this is a fantastic pun - do you think it is intentional?) were hoping they had broken a new record after 32 attempted the same feat in 2004 at Alton Towers in Staffordshire.

Organiser Tracy Jones said, "We wanted to raise as much money as possible for this brialliant charity and give everybody who was brave enough, the chance to be a part of the world record.  Consequently, we had to run the Naked Coaster three times."  (And consequently, Lysol is now completely sold out at all the stores in Essex.)   

The ride took place at Adventure Island, raising money for Southern Hospital Charitable Foundation's Bosom Pals Appeal.  

Barbara Warner, of Bosom Pals, said "it takes a lot of nerve to take off all your clothes in front of so many people and the world's media."  She added the Appeal would like to say a massive thank you to eveyone who was brave enough to bare all and raise such a huge amount of cash - more than 22,000 pounds - for our vitally important cause."

   

A few comments: 

Why are these mostly men?!  A carload of naked models would have raised more interest as well as selling out an event admission fee.

And shouldn't the Department of Health burn these cars after this event?  

Don't think about it too much, but would you want to ride in these after the first group?  How about after the third?  Ewwwww!!!   

That’s Just Gross, But Maybe Yummy

At Mulligan's, in Decatur, Georgia, you can get what's called a Luther Burger, supposedly named after singer Luther Vandross. It's a ground beef patty topped with bacon and cheese, sandwiched between two Krispy Kreme doughnuts instead of a bun.

While there, try the hamdog – a hotdog wrapped in a beef patty and deep-fried.

And as a bonus - you're already within 2 miles of two cemeteries.  So chow down!

The 3 Ms at the Bayfront

Go Ask the Crank, I Mean, Your Father

There comes a time in your life when you realize that you turned a corner and you are on your way to Curmudgeonhood.   I don't know how it happened.  Like age it just kind of creeps up on you. But I do know the moment I realized that I had arrived on the cusp of becoming a grumpy old man. I'll get to that in a minute.

But first, Hello my name is Rick and I'm a crank. It was inevitable. Most of my favorite characters are cranks. My favorite Muppets are Statler and Waldorf, the two old guys in the balcony. I love Oscar the Grouch. I can relate to Garfield the cat. The Grinch is a soul brother ("Blast this Christmas music! It's joyful and triumphant" - Jim Carey, How the Grinch Stole Christmas). Mr. Roper was the funniest character on Three's Company. I actually like watching Bill O'Reilly! I completely understand where Eeyore is coming from. I really did want the coyote to catch and eat the Roadrunner.

There have been other subtle "hit-you-upside-the-head" cues along the way. Looking back I clearly see the blaze marks along the path. One shining moment happened like this; my 21 year old told me that I should watch House, MD. Why? Because he's a lot like you, Dad, he likes telling people what they don't want to hear. I start to open my mouth to say, "Thanks, Josh, I try to be honest with people and just say it like it is." But before I can Steven adds "Yeah, cause House doesn't really like people either." At which point, Joshua gives Steven a look and then cracks a grin as he turns back to the tube. These moments loom as my Dickensian ghosts of Christmas. I'm merely waiting for the bony finger pointing at the decrepit and unkempt tombstone with the engraving "CRANK." It is more depressing to think that the tombstone next to mine will be bright and cheery, all manicured and flower bedded, with the engraving Beloved Mother, We Miss You. We reap what we sow. I'll show all them; I'm considering cremation.

My suspicions are now aroused. I noticed the tact that Josh used. A tact which had completely escaped Steven. I realize that, though the process may be long, eventually my children will learn to be smart enough to make implications that sound like one thing but actually mean another. We cranks are a paranoid bunch. We hate being talked around. Crankiness is a way of taking control. It isn't pleasant but it has its security.

I've been on a roll lately. This spring we watched Survivor for the first time in many seasons. The player with the self-designated nickname of Coach started up saying that as long as he had a brain cell in his brain… And I'm thinking, a brain cell in your brain? Of course, brain cells are in your brain – where else would they be! Isn't the definition of a brain an organ made up of brain cells? Is there a medical condition where other organ cells invade your brain? Should I be concerned about spleen cells taking over my brain? Or is it more like a mass exodus of brain cells? Can your brain just decide to up and leave you? I already have enough to keep me awake at night; and now, this? Hey Brainiac, it should be "as long as I have a functioning brain cell in my head." Just saying.

I do this to my kids all the time, especially my 18 year old daughter. She is the queen of the dangling participle and the misplaced modifier. I take undue delight in making fun of these little gaffes. Of course, as the true curmudgeon, my little comments are made as dryly and drolly as possible. This results in the fact that half of the time she doesn't even know I'm making fun; which is probably good. I don't want to give her a bigger complex than the one she inherited by paternity. Meanwhile, Daughter #2 has these teenage angst periods where she doesn't really communicate verbally with me. So I make fun of her on her Facebook page. Recently she posted a new status, "Live life like you were dying." I knew what she meant. But I thought it was phrased funny. So I responded, "You mean grab your chest and roll around on the ground?" She was not amused. I'm surprised I haven't been unfriended already.

Curmudgery presents the strongest in lack of patience. My son, Steven, decided that he was going to practice all of his ball-handling skills with this 18 inch plastic ball that we bought for the little kids.  And when I say skills I use the term loosely.  He was through the legs and behind the back, around the head, crossover, etc.  He was a veritable Meadowlark Lemon.  Except for the fact that he stunk.  The ball was too big and too bouncy and he kept losing the handle.  The ball would fly off and hit a chair.  He would lose it and it would bounce against the table.  I'm sitting there getting more and more annoyed.  My wife isn't saying a word. Celebrity Password or something was on. Under these conditions you can't pull her away from the Game Show Network.  So finally I say, "Steven, that's enough."  And amazingly enough, he stopped.  For about 5 minutes.

Bonk, bonk, rattle.  Bounce, bonk.  I look into the kitchen area and now he is practicing his soccer skills against the back door.  Our back door is a double entry way made of many smaller panes of glass.  Off the knee, against the door, off the head, hit the ceiling, on and on it went.  Since the kid has never played organized soccer in his life (maybe gym class) he was in less control and had more fumbles than when he was practicing for the Globetrotters.  He knocked a cup off the counter, bounced the ball into the sink and really, really annoyed me.  "Steven what did I say?"  I've said it before and I'll believe it to my dying day, adolescent boys are clueless and have a 5 second memory retention span – tops! 

"Oh, oh, sorry, Dad." 
I've been a father long enough that my reflex was to mutter back, "Yeah well, I'll sorry you."

And then, I had my epiphany. When those words came out of my mouth, I knew that I am officially a cranky dad. I have joined my ancestors and a fraternity too ancient to be denied. It runs in the genes. So I have begun my practice of standard Dad-crank talk. It's great, you can take anything the kids say and turn it back on them.

Well, ALMOST anything can be turned back on them. You have to be careful not to habitually genuflect.

"Hey Steven, why aren't you out there mowing the lawn? Your mom said she wanted it done before she got home?"

"I have to go pee, Dad."

"Yeah well, I'll p… um…I'll …you… Okay then. Carry on, son."

You see, Dad crank talk is usually counterproductive. It has the potential to be embarrassing, sure, but mostly it has the potential to be laughed at as an empty threat.

"What are all these towels doing on the floor?"

"I'll get them in a minute. I was just going to finish doing my hair."

"You better or I'll finish you."

I would love to say "Your mother will finish you" but she just doesn't have that killer instinct. The kids know it. I know it. Which disproves the theory that men marry women who are like their mothers. Sigh. So I'm left to do all the parental threatening without actually ever backing my threats up. But I believe this is just another manifestation of crankiness. Talk is easy, but is it really worth the effort to follow up on your threats? I think not. If they did what I told them, what would I have to be grumpy about?

The Amazing Human Mind - Example 3

Created in 1981 by artist Isia Leviant (Click Image to Enlarge)

Stare at the image for at least a minute. Watch as the lines jitter around the circle, as the circles move up and down the line. Even weirder, most people see an alteration in the color of the circle after a few moments of intense staring.