I assume the reason the family wanted it in the open is to combat the shame and stigma associated not just with suicide but with bipolar disorder. One in three people with bipolar disorder attempt suicide, and half of them succeed in doing so. (the stats dispel the often romanticised image of our lives).
Reading Sedaka's wiki bio, I realize I know quite a few of the songs he wrote and sometimes sang, but didn't know until now that they were his.
Love Will Keep Us Together was one of those "soundtrack to my childhood" songs, the sorta thing that always seemed to be playing at the mall etc.
Years later, in Korea, I one day randomly sang the titular lyric of Stupid Cupid to a class of middle schoolers, while improvising some vaguely appropriate little dance. They thought it was hilarious, and would often ask me to repeat it. I suspect the word "stupid" had something to do with its appeal.
I know this loss is relatively insignificant to the larger world, but Reece Jenkins, the boy's basketball coach to a local community died of pancreatic cancer just three months after being diagnosed. Sometimes such a loss can impact more people than a world leader's death. Not only is the man's family impacted, but so are those on his team, as well as the members of the high school faculty, the community, the county, peers who have competed against him, their teams, and on. Once the pebble drops in a still pool, the waves keep extending into nothingness, but that is some ways out around here.
Years later, in Korea, I one day randomly sang the titular lyric of Stupid Cupid to a class of middle schoolers, while improvising some vaguely appropriate little dance. They thought it was hilarious, and would often ask me to repeat it. I suspect the word "stupid" had something to do with its appeal.
Stupid Cupid just finished playing in the cafe I'm sitting in.
Margaret Farquhar, first woman to be Lord Provost of Aberdeen, has died. She was a tireless worker and greatly admired.
Many years ago when Nelson Mandela visited Glasgow, all the Scottish Provosts were lined up to meet him. They were in alphabetical order of city, so Aberdeen was first. The BBC commentator assumed that the woman at the head of the line was some sort of assistant, because she was female, and described the second in line (a man!) as Lord Provost of Aberdeen, got every succeeding name wrong, and found himself with a name left over at the end.
Nelson Mandela was more switched on, and asked her how things were in the Granite City. He managed to get all the Provosts right!
Marvel comics artist Jacopo Camagni, 48, gay Italian comics artist who was currently working on a series, died of complications during heart surgery today, far too young. 🕯🕯🕯
Margaret Farquhar, first woman to be Lord Provost of Aberdeen, has died. She was a tireless worker and greatly admired.
Many years ago when Nelson Mandela visited Glasgow, all the Scottish Provosts were lined up to meet him. They were in alphabetical order of city, so Aberdeen was first. The BBC commentator assumed that the woman at the head of the line was some sort of assistant, because she was female, and described the second in line (a man!) as Lord Provost of Aberdeen, got every succeeding name wrong, and found himself with a name left over at the end.
Nelson Mandela was more switched on, and asked her how things were in the Granite City. He managed to get all the Provosts right!
I wonder what'll happen to the bloke who killed him?
I remember it very clearly, too. Although Soham is as far to the NE of Cambridge as we were to the south, it felt almost as though it was happening in a neighbouring village.
From what I have read, the one who killed him (if it was just the one that has been named) is a pretty violent man with more than one murder & a rape to his name already, soI wouldn't think there's much more they can do, other than add another offence to his crime sheet & lengthen his sentence, which I assume is already a life one. I don't expect he will have much chance of parole, if that hadn't already been denied him.
From what I have read, the one who killed him (if it was just the one that has been named) is a pretty violent man with more than one murder & a rape to his name already, soI wouldn't think there's much more they can do, other than add another offence to his crime sheet & lengthen his sentence, which I assume is already a life one. I don't expect he will have much chance of parole, if that hadn't already been denied him.
It does make one wonder whether we have the balance between allowing inmates to interact with each other vs keeping inmates confined for safety quite correct, when dealing with violent murderers.
When an inmate in your prison murders another inmate in your prison, that must be a failure of the system.
From what I have read, the one who killed him (if it was just the one that has been named) is a pretty violent man with more than one murder & a rape to his name already, soI wouldn't think there's much more they can do, other than add another offence to his crime sheet & lengthen his sentence, which I assume is already a life one. I don't expect he will have much chance of parole, if that hadn't already been denied him.
It does make one wonder whether we have the balance between allowing inmates to interact with each other vs keeping inmates confined for safety quite correct, when dealing with violent murderers.
When an inmate in your prison murders another inmate in your prison, that must be a failure of the system.
Fair comment but only up to a point. However much one may blame 'the system' or 'we' for not running prisons more safely, making the wrong decision, not taking decisions at all or not spending enough public money, that does not somehow dissolve away any of the moral guilt that might rest upon any individual that killed him. As with Baby P and so many other instances in recent years, there's far too prevalent an acceptance that when bad people do bad things, it is somehow somebody else who has sinned rather than them.
If it turns out to be true, as has been alleged in the media, that his killer bludgeoned him six times with a makeshift weapon and cried out afterwards, "I’ve done it, I’ve done it”, that is murder and wilful, however obnoxious the victim.
Huntley was a man who had done dreadful things, and there are many other people in prison for having done dreadful things but that does not entitle fellow convicts to kill them.
I see that at least 50,000 people have signed a petition that the normal practice of getting a very basic funeral at public expense if a person dies in prison should not apply in this case. From that it would be a small step to the gutter press and certain politicians - not naming either for fear of writs but I have names in mind - proclaiming that his killer should not be tried for murder, or should even be given a medal.
I see that at least 50,000 people have signed a petition that the normal practice of getting a very basic funeral at public expense if a person dies in prison should not apply in this case.
What does go on in some people's minds? What do they think that would achieve?
It's not going to upset Huntley, and probably not his family either, as no-one has claimed the body.
It's not as if there is going to be a grave, or any record of where his remains will be disposed of.
People can be amazingly vindictive. I remember when Myra Hindley was dying and she was admitted into the hospital where I worked. The tabloid newspapers had headlines screaming that nurses should refuse to care for her. Not only was that a bizarre understanding of nurse employment contracts but it was also a poor understanding of the basics of a nurse’s job; we care for patients regardless of their background.
I see that at least 50,000 people have signed a petition that the normal practice of getting a very basic funeral at public expense if a person dies in prison should not apply in this case.
What does go on in some people's minds? What do they think that would achieve?
'Aunt DooDah's funeral cost us £54321.99; why should that scumbag get one free on my taxes?'
Maybe they'd like to go back to the 18thC method.
When I was on the archaeological dig around Norwich Castle, where the Castle Mall shopping centre is now, we needed to excavate a portion of the castle mound so a lift could be installed. we found about a dozen jumbled skeletons, some still shackled. The bodies had just been tipped down the side of the mound at the time when the gibbet was at the top of the mound, so presumably these were executed prisoners who had nobody to claim their bodies.
I think that not wanting to punish someone who killed a child murderer, or even reward them, is an understandable impulse given the horrific nature of murdering children. Ditto people who want to just, I don’t know, dump the body (of the child murderer) in a pit or something after they’re dead, rather than give them a proper funeral. I believe at least a funeral is appropriate regardless, and praying for their soul.
Comments
Dave, Rob's dead
Rob, Dave, is dead.
https://www.ganymede.tv/2026/02/rob-grant-rip/
Wait, are you trying to tell me Rob's dead?
I think he'd appreciate the joke.
Oh smeg! That's really sad news.
Love Will Keep Us Together was one of those "soundtrack to my childhood" songs, the sorta thing that always seemed to be playing at the mall etc.
Years later, in Korea, I one day randomly sang the titular lyric of Stupid Cupid to a class of middle schoolers, while improvising some vaguely appropriate little dance. They thought it was hilarious, and would often ask me to repeat it. I suspect the word "stupid" had something to do with its appeal.
I too was sad to read about Neil Sedaka, just an amazing contributor to popular music.
Stupid Cupid just finished playing in the cafe I'm sitting in.
Many years ago when Nelson Mandela visited Glasgow, all the Scottish Provosts were lined up to meet him. They were in alphabetical order of city, so Aberdeen was first. The BBC commentator assumed that the woman at the head of the line was some sort of assistant, because she was female, and described the second in line (a man!) as Lord Provost of Aberdeen, got every succeeding name wrong, and found himself with a name left over at the end.
Nelson Mandela was more switched on, and asked her how things were in the Granite City. He managed to get all the Provosts right!
https://bleedingcool.com/comics/marvel-comics-artist-jacopo-camagni-died-this-morning-at-the-age-of-48/
What a splendid story - well done Mr Mandela!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tatjana_Wood
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/mar/07/soham-murderer-ian-huntley-dies-after-hmp-frankland-prison-attack
I expect many of you in the UK will remember the case.
I hope this brings some sort of "closure" for the families and friends of the two little girls.
I wonder what'll happen to the bloke who killed him?
From what I have read, the one who killed him (if it was just the one that has been named) is a pretty violent man with more than one murder & a rape to his name already, soI wouldn't think there's much more they can do, other than add another offence to his crime sheet & lengthen his sentence, which I assume is already a life one. I don't expect he will have much chance of parole, if that hadn't already been denied him.
It does make one wonder whether we have the balance between allowing inmates to interact with each other vs keeping inmates confined for safety quite correct, when dealing with violent murderers.
When an inmate in your prison murders another inmate in your prison, that must be a failure of the system.
If it turns out to be true, as has been alleged in the media, that his killer bludgeoned him six times with a makeshift weapon and cried out afterwards, "I’ve done it, I’ve done it”, that is murder and wilful, however obnoxious the victim.
Huntley was a man who had done dreadful things, and there are many other people in prison for having done dreadful things but that does not entitle fellow convicts to kill them.
I see that at least 50,000 people have signed a petition that the normal practice of getting a very basic funeral at public expense if a person dies in prison should not apply in this case. From that it would be a small step to the gutter press and certain politicians - not naming either for fear of writs but I have names in mind - proclaiming that his killer should not be tried for murder, or should even be given a medal.
It's not going to upset Huntley, and probably not his family either, as no-one has claimed the body.
It's not as if there is going to be a grave, or any record of where his remains will be disposed of.
'Aunt DooDah's funeral cost us £54321.99; why should that scumbag get one free on my taxes?'
I'm so tired of people.
When I was on the archaeological dig around Norwich Castle, where the Castle Mall shopping centre is now, we needed to excavate a portion of the castle mound so a lift could be installed. we found about a dozen jumbled skeletons, some still shackled. The bodies had just been tipped down the side of the mound at the time when the gibbet was at the top of the mound, so presumably these were executed prisoners who had nobody to claim their bodies.