[lodwick]

HE'S HIS OWN WORST ENEMY II: Dennis Cohen, 47, had a problem with his
stove, so he decided to fix it himself. He disconnected the gas pipe --
without turning off the gas first -- then went to the bathroom. When he
returned, he was pondering the situation when he decided to light a
cigarette. The resulting explosion destroyed 10 apartments in his 130-
unit complex in Encino, Calif., and left Cohen with second- and
third-degree burns over 60 percent of his body. Fire investigators were
disappointed that Cohen died before they could interview him a second
time to get more details. (Los Angeles Times) ...Such as the answer to
their most pressing question, "What are you, some kind of idiot?"

[palo verde]

hi loddy
I am embarrassed to say this but was Dennis a new yorker
many many new yorkers are good at fixing things
but some, who spent their whole life in apartment where the landlord always fixed it
are not handy
if Dennis had always lived in nyc before he moved to LA
it could explain part of the problem
Love, Palo

have you ever seen ''The Honeymooners'' with Jackie Gleason and Art Carney
those stories are based on the real people who lived in apartment building where Jackie Gleason grew up