Comments by WalterGulag

Written on Anderson County ponders charging inmates for toilet paper, toothpaste, other personal items:

'What barbarity can be greater than for gaolers (without provocation) to load prisoners with irons, and thrust them into dungeons, and manacle them, and deny their friends to visit them, and force them to pay excessive fines for their chamber rent, their victuals and drinks; to open their letters and seize the charity that is sent to them! And when debtors have succeeded in arranging with their creditors, hundreds are detained in prison for chamber-rent and other unjust demands put forward by their gaolers, so that at last, in their despair, many are driven to commit suicide... gaolers should be paid a fixed salary and forbidden, under pain of instant dismissal, to accept bribe, fee or reward of any kind... law of imprisonment for debts inflicts a greater loss on the country' -1862

It's only taken us 151 year of progress to get back to where we started.

Written on [Updated] Ex-jailer denies making 'show me something' remark to inmate:

Paper Gown + lighted cigarette =

Written on Unveiling of 'In God We Trust' sign hailed in Anderson County :

A short Courtroom drama:

"Mr X is it true that God was present when you first came up with the idea to murder Mr Y?"

X: "Yes, Sir he was. God's been watching over me since before I was born and knows all"

"And did God try to talk you out of the crime or prevent you from committing the brutal act of murder?"

X: "No sir"

"God didn't contact the police or the victim to warn him of your intentions?"

X: "No Sir"

"God did nothing?"

X: "God said it was up to me what I did and that he'd wait until the end of days when I and everyone else who would have ever been born in the universe was dead and gone before he would make any judgement"

"So God will one day punish you for murdering Mr Y?"

X: "No, Sir. I said I'm sorry and that I believe in him and him alone and so he's forgiven me my sins against him"

"Case dismissed...Next"

Written on Letter: Hoax emails aim to create more hate:

Let me help you out Viperr. The party you're thinking of is an anagram of...

'Claptrap By Urine'

Written on Urine not mine, Grainger County woman tells deputy:

If she was ejecting a pill which belonged to her Aunt then wouldn't her Aunts urine also contain traces of those pills?

Is been in possession of other peoples urine an offense?


What proof have we that Lee Strobel was ever an Atheist?

Everyone who is planing to go to this already knows Jesus existed and the Bible is real and that Jesus loves them. So why do they need to pay Lee Strobel $35 to comfirm what they already believe?

Why do they need to buy a book other than the Bible to remind them of the truth of Jesus's existence?

You know the sky's blue but if you want to pay me $250 just to remind you of the fact I'm game. But wait that would be immoral of me surely?

Written on Spices, mushroom ingredients were items found:

'spices his 19-year-old client used in his Hindi diet' ?

What an odd statement. It's like saying he had seasonings which he used in his Christian diet. I'm sure the truth is he had packets or jars full of brightly colored powders which the police had no idea what they were for.

I'm interested to know what other 'ingredients' he had. I'm not an expert but I'd take a wild guess they were soil and water?

Written on Letter: Enemy combatant is appropriate label:

I just wonder just what is a 'military objective' as opposed to a 'criminal objective'? If some one walks into a room and shoots someone they doesn't like or they disagree with what criteria makes it Military and not Criminal? How many people do you need to have before you can call it a War? Does it make it a Military War if they shoot them for Political or Religious reasons? Could a Drugs War or Turf War be classed as a real War? Are people who own military weapons classed as Military Combatants? It's a little unclear to me where you draw the line?

Written on Officials: Suspect described plot before Miranda:

in response to nuhuhnoway:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)


Oh look. 'Liberal'='Noble' in the new version. But clearly a fool can't be called 'noble' or a 'liberal' because he's neither. So that means that people showing liberal/noble qualities are good those who are not noble or liberal are bad...possibly evil in pratice.


Written on Boston bomb suspect hospitalized under heavy guard:

in response to Rifleman:


What is it with your animosity of current day Law Enforcement?

Since violent crime has notably declined since your time maybe you could tell us how YOU, with a handful of tough guys & six-shooter, would have done it back in the day when most homes didn't have washing machines with the permanent press settings?

At one time they called it 'schadenfreude'.

Rifleman there maybe hope fo you yet. Be brave.

Written on Chechen terror suspects present riddle to experts:

in response to olejake42:

In reply to this statement made by Walt on a closed thread:

"The so called LWNJ's haven't wanted to take this story anywhere."

And that was after this post. Having a bout of forgetfulness there Walt?

I think this nails it:

He certainly understands the progressive mind.

There is no problem with my memory. If you read the first line I 'strip away the politics' but I explore the same themes. I've tried to look at things from diffrent view points. And it seems the end result would be those with extreme views provoke others with the opposing extreme views in order to justify themselves. One needs the other to exist.

And from trying to appoach things from as neutral a point as I can it appears that those leaning to the right have far more difficulty in approaching the middle ground of any arguement. They dig themselves in deeper rather than submit to any possiblity of compromise in any dispute no matter how small or large. The evidence is on every post out there. The LWNJ's in this country are roughly the middle ground in any European country. They aren't Stalin, Lenin or Trotksy. There just the average joe (not Uncle Joes)The right are the ones who have built the walls around themselves. People like me are just holding up the mirror and saying look at yourselves is this really how you see the world.

We do it because we care and we worry about your well being and NOT to make you angry or destroy the country as you seem to believe.

Written on Boston bomb suspect captured, brother killed :

in response to olejake42:

Most men are "testosterone" fueled. But maybe not all.

It is interesting to see where the LWNJ's have wanted to take this story from the beginning. While conservatives are likely correct in suspecting Islamist influences, the proggies' hopes were that it was American on American. Why would they want that? Why do they work so hard to divide us? Is that how they get their "revenge" on their fellow citizens as urged by their Dear Leader? And which position provides aid and comfort to our enemies?

Their actions beg the question as to whose side are they really on? Or are they just like these terrorists who took advantage of our freedoms and values in their attempt to tear us down?

One has to wonder if they've morphed Kennedy's famous line into "It's not what your country can do for you, it is what damage can you do to your country."

PS - It appears the KNS' in-house commenters were up late last night so I suspect they'll be sleeping late today. I wonder if they got overtime?

The so called LWNJ's haven't wanted to take this story anywhere. Muslim extremists are extreme right wingers. Only the religion is different. They both thrive on hate of others.

If you think that's a good thing then choose your God and stock up on your ammo and pray your on the right side.

I'm not sure why you'd what to hate on the folks who says 'hold on, lets talk this through, we don't want any trouble, we can sort this out if we just sit down and listen to what everyone has to say. Maybe we don't need to kill each other today'

Written on Boston bomb suspect captured, brother killed :

in response to fatherc6231860:

Prepare yourself for about a hundred arrogant testosterone-fueled posts saying, "if those two came to my house, the feds wouldn't need to search, I'd just point to their bodies."

It is of course a hypothetical question. They would be out in the streets driving around whooping and a hollering, drinking beer with the radio blaring and shooting at anything that looked like a hat.

Written on Chechen terror suspects present riddle to experts:

Stripping away all the politics and religious reasoning the main question we all should be asking is just at what point does someone flip that internal switch that turns off all ethics and morality to commit such an act. What imputs from the world around us winds the spring so tight it breaks?

Is it the negative media coming from all directions. Which either supports or attacks the individuals sense of anger or hatred of others? Can we say such commentators and 'shock' jocks are blameless in provoking reactions from their listeners or the readers of forums? On the internet there are whole communities which cater to every fear and paranoia you care to believe in. In fact there are whole home industries been made of the backs of such fears. Books, T-shirts and Bumper stickers etc. So they have no interest in breaking the cycle regardless of what the actual truth may turn out to be. Fiction will always sell better than the boring truth.

And how do you know when your fears are been used by others for their own profit. Should all media, state or private have a warning attached?

'Caution: May contain Propaganda'

And how do we separate Good propaganda from Bad propaganda? Or the Truth from Fiction contained within each?

We live in a society were every fact or truth is questioned and is called a lie by someone who will never believe it even if it's true.

In the days,weeks and years to come just sit back and watch each conspiracy theory of this weeks events take wing and fly off. And take special notice which direction they fly off in.

Written on Chechen terror suspects present riddle to experts:

in response to Ringo:

"there are still questions about why the attackers chose the marathon as a target."

Gee, I dunno. Remember Beslan. The Chechens are particluarly vicious players in a career choice that is already well known for it's viciousness. That's why they targeted the Boston Marathon. They knew it would shock and terrify. And it did. That's the Chechen way.

Or maybe simply they just so happen to live in the area and knew lots of people would be there and it was on TV.

Written on Chechen terror suspects present riddle to experts:

in response to fratricide08:

I doubt any of this is related to Chechnya -- Chechens hate Russians because they want an independent state. The last thing they'd want to do is get the US and Russia to finally agree on something and that something being that Chechen rebels were a problem. It would be disastrous for Chechen rebels to do such a thing. More than likely big brother radicalized himself because people feeling their lives are crappy like to have a reason and some of them will find one. Big brother also had a loner type personality but he held enough influence over his little brother to get him involved in it.

Yes this may well turn out to been the most likely turn of events.

One would hope that his self- radicalizing wasn't assisted by listening to the voices on the right which would only seem to confirm all the propaganda he might have heard coming from Musilm extremists. I always fear every time a right winger opens his mouth another terrorist is born. They seem quite happy to fuel each others hate for their own self interest without any regard for anyone else on the planet.

Written on Boston bomb suspect captured, brother killed :

Just how many progun, NRA supporters and preppers in this fair state would allow armed Feds onto their property or into their homes to search for a criminal or terrorist?

I only ask because after reading past threads on the subject they never seemed very keen on the idea.

Written on Boston bomb suspect captured, brother killed :

in response to bobo1593028:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

There's not been any debate on here or on any other posts for years. I think the wingnuts have forgotten what the word means. I think they burned the last dictionary for been too socialist.

Written on Boston bomb suspect captured, brother killed :

"Not all living creatures kill but all the creatures which kill are living" - (Enter name here)

Written on Boston bomb suspect captured, brother killed :

in response to mightycujo:

You people want to put guns on a register because you think they kill people. Why not muslims, too.

Not all Muslims want to kill us, but the people that do want kill us are muslim.

'Not all the people who believe in God want to kill us but all the people who do want to kill us believe in God'

I can't argue with your logic. So it's agreed we can ban Guns and ALL religions and the world will be a safer place.

Written on Boston bomb suspect captured, brother killed :

How are Muslims turned into radicals well I'm sure just a read of this thread would be a good start. Somedays it's hard to say who what's to bring about Judgement Day more? Religious Extremist or Republicians just so they can say 'We told you so'

You know some of us are in no hurry to get there any quicker and some of us liberal types are quite optimistic that if some people shut up and stop gnashing their teeth it might not happen at all.

Written on Obama in Boston for interfaith memorial, with live video:

in response to murphy:

Delegates to a state funeral are appointed by the president. Cheney and Kissinger attended as did Michelle Bachman. Those are the ones reported by the press. Notable that the president did not send a delegation.

It may have looked like a state funeral but officially it wasn't one.

Written on Boston bomb suspect captured, brother killed :

in response to stryker:

We are in a war but the news media doesn't mention it. Everyday members of the so-called "religion of peace" are murdering people all around the world and it doesn't even make the news here. And our government continues to let them in. We do not need any here. We need a Constitutional amendment outlawing islam in the USA. It is not a religion.

So you'd be happy to demand Islam be banned in the US because a very tiny minority of followers are dangerous. Would you like to see all Muslims put on a register? Would that make you feel safer if you knew which of your neighbors had a Koran in the house?

Written on FBI issues photos of 2 suspects in Boston bombing :

in response to drewdawg87:

They actually look Asian or Malaysian to me.

Really? Asian or a Malaysian? I think you need to check your big book of racial stereotypes again.

These guys are more likely to have European background French, Spanish, Greece or even Italian.


in response to mountainViews:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

It may of missed your attention but NO member of the Bush family bothered to attend in fact not one serving Republician went either. So we can say both parties are more than equal in their respect.


in response to MerrieLong:

OMG, I'm too late, it has already started.

-"It's just a photo op"
-"Why doesn't/didn't he care about *another incident*"
-"This was somehow Obama's fault, anyway."
-"He didn't shed a tear. He doesn't care."
-"Those tears were fake."
-"His tears made him look weak."
-"If he does't mention it in every speech, he's insensitive"
-"If he mentions it in a speech, he's just using the tragedy to further his political gain."

I'm really surprised that we don't also get, "OMG did you see his shoes?!". Being the president, whatta sucky job that would be.

Your 100% right. Sadly some folks have been so tainted by the propaganda they surround themselves in that they can't see anything good in the world or in people no more due to their hate tinted glasses they refuse to take off.

Written on Letter: Country needs more patriotism, belief:

in response to Destroyer2112:

You don't feel that the wars between the tribes in present day Israel (Bael, et al) were Holy Wars?

From "Religious Wars" on Wiki:

"Jack David Eller, an anthropologist of culture, violence, and religion who himself is an atheist, claims: "As we have insisted previously, religion is not inherently and irredeemably violent; it certainly is not the essence and source of all violence."[16] and "Religion and violence are clearly compatible, but they are not identical. Violence is one phenomenon in human (and natural existence), religion is another, and it is inevitable that the two would become intertwined. Religion is complex and modular, and violence is one of the modules - not universal, but recurring. As a conceptual and behavioral module, violence is by no means exclusive to religion. There are plenty of other groups, institutions, interests, and ideologies to promote violence. Violence is, therefore, neither essential to nor exclusive to religion. Nor is religious violence all alike... And virtually every form of religious violence has its nonreligious corollary.""

In my comment I say

'History doesn't record any religious holy wars before the rise of the Monotheism religions do they?'

In the period you refer to it is the a Monotheisic religion/cult who are seeking to drive out those local deities by demonizing both their gods and worshippers in order to control the area.

The point I keep making is the Monothesic religions forced their God upon those they conquered where as the Romans incorporated the Gods of the defeated nations into their own in order to control the population. One uses God as a stick to control the people the other as a carrot to show how they honor the defeated nations peoples and believes.

Which is the more savage people?

Written on Letter: Country needs more patriotism, belief:

in response to erdingerchamp66:

There are a couple of problems, from a historical standpoint with this post.

1) The "Holy Roman Empire" was an actual historical entity that was formed on Christmas Day 800 when Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne "Emperor of the Romans". The Holy Roman Empire was not disbanded until Napoleon disbanded it in 1806, and replaced it with the Confederation of the Rhine. After Napoleon's defeat at Leipzig (and then Waterloo), the German speaking lands of Central Europe was organized into a series of "German Confederations" until Prussia united German Central Europe (excluding Austria) in the 1860s and 1871. So you're very much incorrect when you say that the Holy Roman Empire died out in a few years. 1006 years is not a "few years".

2) Most scholars do not follow the notion that the Roman Empire "fell" in the west. But that's a debate that's of little importance to this topic. More important is your claim, which is completely unsubstantiated, that the Roman empire in the West fell because of Christianity. If you're going to argue this, and many people have, don't get me wrong, but if you're going to argue that, you have to explain why the empire in the East didn't fall, and managed to last another 1000 years. The Christian religion was present in the East too (it was probably more influential there) after all. But the Eastern Roman Empire (sometimes called the Byzantine Empire - although they called themselves Romans - Imperium Romanum or Βασιλεία Ῥωμαίων) managed to last for another 1000 years until 1453 when the Turks sacked Constantinople. After all, the Empire was divided by Diocletian in the late 3rd century, before any major Christian conversions, so if Christianity had this impact on the West, then why not the East?

Believe me, Christianity can be blamed for a lot of things, not the least of which is wanton death, rape, murder, destruction, and even genocide throughout history, but the decline and fall of the Roman empire isn't one of them. If you're getting your thesis from Gibbon, just know that most scholars of Rome no longer believe Gibbon got it right. Just an FYI.

The Byzantine Empire did have a slight advantage due to various nomadic tribes finding and looting Rome. Plus been at the boarder between the west and the eastern trade routes for gold and spices. Thus becoming a great ecomonic power. But to call it a true Roman empire in the classical model is like saying America is still a continuation of old British,Dutch,French,Spanish and German Empires.

My arguement of Christianity been a factor in the Fall of Rome is of course just a rough theory but not without merit as a starting point. The Roman Empire built an empire by never usurping the Gods of other tribes and nations but by openly embracing them into the identities their own Gods. When Christians came along they (The Christian)were far less tolerant than the Romans to others religions. History doesn't record any religious holy wars before the rise of the Monotheism religions do they? I'm sure you'll put be right if I'm wrong but I can't think of any off the top of my head.

I suppose thats the trouble with the one God model when you have three or more peoples/nations all claiming the one true God is fighting on their side alone and all the other one Gods are false or not worshipped as fanatically as He/She really should be. I guess that's how ,patriotism, nationalism, hatred, racism, xenophobia and then wars start.

Written on Letter: Country needs more patriotism, belief:

in response to OldMP2:

Article VII of the Constitution makes two statements to define the date that the Constitution was Ratified.


and Second: “and of the Independence of the United States of America the Twelfth”

Both statements reference actual occurrences to document the date -- in “the Year of our Lord” and “the Independence of the United States of America.”

The Founders referenced two Historic events in Article VII:


Whether you doubters like it or not, the Founders referenced two Historic occurrences.


America only adopted the Gregorian calander in 1752 so maybe people still needed to be reminded which calander was been used. Some conservative types may still of had their Julian Calanders. The Russians waited till the 1918 before they changed to the Gregorian. And some faiths are about 400 years out. So it seems more true to say the 'Year of our Lord' bit is just a matter of clerical red tape and nothing more. After all Semptember is named after a pagan Roman Emperor and we're using Arabic numbers and a greek alphabet and Roman numerials with pagan Anglo Saxon words.

Written on Letter: Country needs more patriotism, belief:

"Getting history wrong' is the precondition of nationalist history because it requires not only collective remembering but collective forgetting."

I think this quote will cover all bases if I get some of my historical facts wrong. Of course people are right to point out there were other factors but we can't blame everything on the Barbarians at the gate or the Goths.

Written on Letter: Country needs more patriotism, belief:

in response to Destroyer2112:

"Suddenly"? No.

'Suddenly' in historical terms YES. The Roman Republic started in 509 BC and was pagan until 325 AD ish. Over 800 years of Empire building (And tolerance of other religions). Come Constantine I 's convertion and Theodosious I (who made Christanity the state religion and declared intolerance to all other religions) the last emperor of the entire Empire (east and west) 479AD. Just 139 odd years and the empire under Christian rulers it was gone. So according to the letter above that must of been the time of 'greed and corruption' which led to the fall of the Empire.

Written on Letter: Country needs more patriotism, belief:

The Roman Empire was once run entirely by Pagans worshipping a miriad of Pagan Gods from all over the empire. No one God was placed above the others and they ruled the known world. Then they became the Holy Roman Empire with one Christian God and suddenly the Empire collasped didn't it?

Written on Pressure cooker bombs used in past by militants:

So if we boil this article down to it's purest essence we can safely assume that anyone wishing to make a bomb for whatever purpose, religion or political cause will find how to do it on the internet. And to make it easier here are the key words to look for if you wish to follow the links. I think you've given us a little too much information.

Written on Boston bombings: Search for motive, suspects begins:

12 comments so far and not one has even mentioned the victims of the attack. Well done people.

They must be brave or stupid to post anything as according to their own conspiracy theories the Government is as all powerful and all knowning and will have no problem tracking them, identifying them and adding them to their blacklists. That's if they actually truely believe anything they are always telling people.

Keep your paranoid fantasies to yourself and lets put the victims first or is that too un-American and too Socialist for you people to put others first before you and your big mouths?

Written on Obama: 'We will find out who did this':

It also never fails to surprise me how some people think the Government knows everything that happens. Despite how much some like to believe it the Government is NOT all seeing and all knowing. In a football game everybody knows the ball is coming and they have to stop it and yet it still gets through doesn't it sooner or later no matter how hard you defend against it.


It always amazes me how some people seem to think that any crime like this should some how be solved within less than 2hrs. This is real life not some TV show or movie. And if it's not they start leaping onto any conspiracy theory bandwagon passing by because it's easier to believe than whatever the actual truth will turn out to be because they want quick 'simple' solutions no matter how far fetched.

Written on UPDATED: After finish, bombs shatter Boston Marathon :

My thoughts go out to those in Boston.

I also hope all those conspiracy nuts/false flaggers out there from what ever side of the fence they sit on keep their mouths shut. All the rumour mongers and finger pointers who will muddy the waters of the investigation which will follow. That includes all those 'Unoffical sources' on the case who seem always to be no better informed than the rest of us.

And lets not forget all the 'hater' who will use anything that happens as an excuse to attack those they hate. We know who they are. Don't play into the hands of those who want to gain capital out of what has happened today.

Written on Laws, rumors have ammo flying off store shelves:

in response to cejensen:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

I know I'd feel a lot safer knowing my neighbor is hand loading and unloading his gun over and over and over and over into the wee small hours every night in front of a mirror while timing himself. Sounds like a great hobby.

Written on Volkswagen's Chattanooga factory at center of labor fray:

I'm not sure what all the fuss is. A Works Council is not a union run thing. If you actually read this you might notice they say

'the German system of co-determination where the company has strong collaboration with management, unions and works councils'

The works council has people from all areas of the company who the management consult with about the day to day running of the company they don't have any powers beyond been able to consultate. In fact if well run and supported by the workers at all levels including the management they reduce the need for Unions.

I believe it's the Law in Europe that all companies over a certain number of workers must have a Works Council. So VW are used to the idea and so must think it works for them to create one over here.

Written on Laws, rumors have ammo flying off store shelves:

Maybe these Ammo and Gun hoarders should head on over to North Korea I'm sure they'd be welcome. They can sit in the bunkers and swap tales of how the US government is coming to take their guns.

Written on Letter: God's clear on what marriage should be:

Well I'm glad God didn't make any mistakes. Just imagine what a mess this world would be in if he had? Of course even if he did accidently make even one mistake he's God and so it wouldn't be any trouble for him to correct it even before we noticed it had happened. After all it did only take him 6 days to create everything so curing all the worlds ills wouldn't take any time at all. I mean he wouldn't want generation after generation of people to suffer needlessly for one little mistake a woman made would he?

Written on Letter: Science, faith compatible:

in response to Longhunter:

I guess next you're going to tell us that sodomites are born that way.

You seem a little confused. Not all sodomites are homosexual or even men. It is true to say in nature some people are born whose physical and mental balance between the x (female) and Y (male) is on a sliding scale and they have no choice in the matter. How they choose to express that 'natural' if confusing sexual instinct might be open to interpretation.

Written on Tenn. governor signs guns in parking lots bill:

It's against the law to drive through TN with a deadly snake in your car but it's ok to 'store' a gun in your glovebox or in the cup holder? I wonder which is more dangerous to human life when the driver gets cut up on the freeway.


Well if the Bible is anything to go by what Jesus would do is preach against the organised religions, over turn the tables in the churches gift shops and then get arrested and then fail to get pardoned by the governor and then be executed by the state for our sins. I'm not sure it's a good plan it didn't seem to work the last time he tried it.

Written on Police: Monroe County man shot by son claims it was unintentional:

So lets tally up. Today I've read one case of a Three year old shooting himself with his Aunts gun, A man shooting his wife and daughter, Police shooting a man in the street with a shotgun and now a fourteen year old shooting his dad in the neck.

Nope no problems with guns at all in this great nation of ours. I can't see any connection with people getting shot and people having guns. Nope none at all.

Written on Police: Man shoots wife, daughter and kills self:

Maybe it is time that all married men should give up their guns.

Written on Police: Tenn. toddler recovering after shooting:

So did the 3 year old wrestle the gun out of Aunties hands before shooting himself as his parents stood by?

Written on Argentine Jorge Bergoglio elected Pope Francis:

He's a man voted in by a group of other men. If God had a plan then why all the black smoke before the white smoke? Surely God would inform all the Cardinals and Bishops who are making the choice who he wants before they even vote. Did he pick Pope Francis because all the Youtube conspiracy and prophecy nuts were wanting a Pope Peter so the world could end quickly?

Written on Sponsors won't advance abortion ultrasound bill:

Bob I'm guessing your no lady. Women do think for themselves you know these days. It's not for you or me to tell them whats best for them.

The easiest way for a man to help is to have been a gentleman in the first place and shown some respect and use protection.

Or better still in schools they should get all the BOYS together to watch both a birth and an abortion so they can make the right choice long before the girl or woman has too worry about it.

Written on MTSU poll: 62 percent in Tenn. against gay marriage:

in response to HoarseWhisper:

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

'In a study of Sandhill Cranes in Florida, seven out of the 22 pairs studied remained together for a 11-year period. Of the pairs that separated 53% were due to the death of one of the pair, 18% due to divorce'

The d.i.v.o.r.c.e is when the mating pair fail to product any offspring and so separate to find new mates. The other 27% were into musical theatre I think.