Topic: Funeral

Despite a plea from Jesse Jackson Jr. to keep his father's funeral non-political, speakers including Joe Biden and Kamala Harris reportedly used the service as a platform to criticize Donald Trump. Critics on social media and Substack accused the Democratic party of turning the "homegoing service" into a political rally.

Sir Gary of Casco Point promotes "Bugles Across America," a non-profit organization that provides live "Taps" performances for veteran funerals. The hosts praise the organization for ensuring veterans receive a live tribute rather than a recording.

Police discovered 115 improperly stored bodies at the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Fremont County, Colorado, which specialized in "green burials." The facility reportedly eschewed embalming chemicals and metal caskets, leading to a biohazard situation that requires DNA testing for victim identification. The incident is used to satirize the "green" industry, with a dark joke about starting a "wood chipper burial" business.

Videos from China show citizens clashing with police at Guangzhou airport over mandatory quarantine procedures for inbound travelers. Additional reports highlight long lines at funeral homes in cities like Nanjing and Xi'an, which the hosts suggest may be exaggerated or part of an anti-CCP propaganda effort by outlets like NTD News.

Over 500 world leaders and dignitaries, including President Biden and the Emperor of Japan, are scheduled to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London. King Charles III and Prince William made surprise visits to mourners waiting in long lines to pay their respects at Parliament.

Foreign dignitaries attending the Queen's funeral were reportedly asked to travel via shared government buses rather than private state cars. However, an exception was made for President Biden, who will utilize the armored presidential limousine known as "The Beast" for security reasons.

The global media response to the death of Queen Elizabeth II dominates news cycles as the UK prepares for her funeral on September 19th. King Charles III is formally proclaimed sovereign in London, though his behavior during the signing of the accession proclamation draws public scrutiny. The Queen's coffin is scheduled to travel from Scotland to Edinburgh and eventually to Westminster for the lying-in-state.

Sean Lavalier Adam donated $1,000 to knight her husband, Dominique Adam, as "Sir Dom Nasty." The request included a complex series of jingles and a promotion for her business, "DIY Dying," which offers both midwifery and funeral services in Southern California. The hosts use this to remind producers about the constraints of reading long notes during the show.

While the U.S. lands a rover on Mars, the domestic focus remains on overwhelmed funeral homes in LA County and "super spreader" events. The "Delta variant" is introduced as a highly contagious new threat. Critics label the official narrative "major league bullshit" and "disinformation," arguing that the science-based recommendations are inconsistent and politically motivated.

Service Corporation International (SCI), a major funeral and cemetery provider, raised its 2021 earnings guidance due to higher-than-expected death volumes. The CEO attributed the growth to the Delta variant and "non-COVID excess deaths." The hosts suggest that financial reports from the death care industry are a more reliable metric of mortality trends than government data.

Service Corp International (SCI), a major funeral home operator, reported a 47% increase in earnings due to an unexpected surge in both COVID and non-COVID deaths. The report specifically noted an uptick in mortality among younger populations starting in August 2021.

A home care nurse provided clarification on the administration of Midazolam, noting it is typically delivered via pump or injection rather than left in vials by the bedside. Additionally, it is reported that UK funeral director John O'Looney was suspended from his professional society after speaking out about pandemic-related death protocols.

A funeral director from Milton Keynes, UK, alleges that the British government and hospitals utilized the sedative Midazolam to euthanize elderly patients in care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. He claims he was scripted by the BBC early in the pandemic to exaggerate death counts and notes a 1000% increase in Midazolam purchases coinciding with a spike in care home deaths where no doctors were present.

Reports from Oregon and Central Florida claim that hospitals are using refrigerated trucks to store bodies because morgues and funeral homes are at capacity. In Tillamook County, Oregon, officials cited a low vaccination rate as the cause for the surge. Critics suggest these stories are recycled "scripts" from earlier in the pandemic and encourage verifying the claims with local funeral directors.

Proposed changes to the UK's Official Secrets Act could see journalists facing 14 years in prison for stories that "embarrass the government." A viral video from a UK funeral director claimed that death rates were normal in 2020 but spiked dramatically following the start of the vaccination campaign in January 2021. Such reports are cited as the type of information the government seeks to suppress.

Adam Curry shares a personal struggle regarding a family email thread about his late father's funeral in Armonk, New York. His relatives, including former CIA and NASA employees, express strong pro-vaccine views and fear of the unvaccinated. Curry discusses the ethical dilemma of attending the ceremony while remaining unvaccinated.

A traveler arriving at JFK from Amsterdam reports new questions on New York State health forms regarding vaccination status and COVID-19 history. In Chicago, a funeral home begins hosting vaccination clinics. Meanwhile, the CDC considers relaxing outdoor mask guidance for vaccinated individuals.

Ken McKenzie, a funeral home director in Long Beach, California, reports a surge in cases and a shortage of granite for headstones. The Rangel family is highlighted after losing three members in 16 days, while the hosts suggest the media is over-leveraging these tragic stories to sustain public anxiety.

A news report from Tarrant County, Texas, discusses the use of refrigerated trucks for body storage. However, the report clarifies that the backlog is partly due to families delaying funerals until pandemic conditions improve, rather than a sudden surge in infectious deaths alone.

The hosts discuss Prince Charles testing positive for COVID-19 and review Prime Minister Boris Johnson's address to the UK. Johnson's strict new rules include banning meetings with friends or family, closing non-essential shops, and empowering police to issue fines for gatherings of more than two people.