Suffocation, Keith Richards, and more! / Mrs. Fields Party Time Cookies

Today's Suffocating Yet Truly Morbid Fact!

An inmate death at the Kirkland Correctional Institution in Columbia, South Carolina has been ruled a suicide. Howard Melton, age unavailable, suffocated himself by stuffing toilet paper in his mouth and his nostrils. Officers found Melton unconscious in his cell at about 4:45 AM Friday during an inmate count. He was pronounced dead at 6:10 AM. Melton was serving a one-year sentence for a conviction for a lewd act on a child.

Culled from: The State
Generously submitted by: Bruce T.

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I am always amazed at how people can voluntarily suffocate themselves to death like this. I'm such a wuss, I can't even hold my breath until I pass out. This guy was obviously DESPERATE to escape prison!

On a completely unrelated note, I'm sure you've all heard by now about Keith Richards' claim that he snorted some of his Dad's cremated ashes mixed with blow. Am I the only person who read this and went, "So?" Doesn't sound remotely shocking to me - seems like something I would do if I were the drug-sniffing type. I think it's kind of touching, actually.

Anyway, here's an update on the article. Apparently, his publicist is now saying that the original comment was a joke. Yeah, right... nice try.

Thanks to Remo for the link.

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Morbid TV!

jkatj writes to let us know that one of the Jonestown documentaries that I have mentioned in the newsletter recently is appearing on a PBS channel near you in the next week. My TIVO is set. Check your local listings!

"In case you're interested, it's airing on PBS very soon:

AMERICAN EXPERIENCE "Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple"
WTTW11
April 9, 2007 9 PM
April 11, 2007 3 AM

"I'm not sure how to find out where it airs other than Chicago."

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Morbid Link Du Jour!

Here's a documentary to keep an eye out for: No More Sunsets - the story of a dying (and now dead) meth addict. Of course, I don't like preachy anti-drug films, but the allure of watching a documentary on a self-destructive dying druggie is, of course, completely irresistible.

Thanks to Heather for the link.

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Wretched Recommendations!

Andrea has a book recommendation for us:

"I wanted to pass along a book I'm reading that I heard about on NPR of all places called An Incomplete History of the Art of the Funerary Violins by Rohan Kriwaczek. It's an amazing little book about the aesthetic of death and funerals, and the outcasting of musicians who made it their life's ambition to understand morbidity thoroughly and artistically. There's some question about how much fiction goes into the book, but who cares! There's also a CD sold separately of the violin dirges and such he discusses in his book... but until my relatives die and leave me money, I'll have to listen to the snippets off Amazon or the NPR website. :) ... Great cover, too."


Mrs. Fields Party Time Cookies

Categories: Cookies
Yield: 36 servings

3/4 cup Salted butter; soft
1/3 cups Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1/3 teaspoon Almond extract
1 cup Flour
1 cup Semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup Slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter and sugar together in a medium bowl using an electric mixer set at medium speed. Add extracts and beat well. Scrape bowl. Add flour, chocolate chips, and almonds. Blend on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix. Shape rounded tablespoonfuls into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on ungreased baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Press balls with palm of hands or bottom of drinking glass into 1/2 inch thick rounds. Bakes 15-17 minutes or until cookies just begin to brown. Transfer cookies to a cool, flat surface.