The headlines read Ford Funeral -

and all I keep thinking about is that's the worst name i've ever heard for a new car. no wonder the american auto business sucks. if there's an american who deserves a state funeral it is james brown. i just want to hear the preacher use all his names - Goodbye, the hardest working man in show business. Jesus welcomes mr. please, please himself. Open up the pearly gates for the godfather of soul. Come sit at the right hand of god, soul brother number one. i loved james. i used to think that criminals would think twice about committing any crime if the punishment was having to touch james's hair after a performance. and do you get the feeling that as james felt he was leaving he'd reach out for maceo or bobby byrd (brother bobby byrd to some) and they'd put the cape on him and tell him to head on over to the other side and james would nod and breathe a little shallower...and then as his vital signs kept fading he'd throw off the cape and scream and say "no, I wanna live", and this would go on two or three more times until he finally passed away? james quotes we should all know: "L.A.? I know you went to L.A. on a Greyhound and came back on a stray dog." "Maceo, can you take me to the bridge?" "Hit me!" "The main reason why we mens love hot pants? Because what you see is what you get! Hit me!" (What I wouldn't give for a politician who punctuated his/her statements on policy with a quick screaming "Hit me!" and then had a back-up band that went into a funky riff.) So long James. As you used to say, it's a new day so let a man come in and do the popcorn. amen to that.