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"By the Time You Read This...": Meanwhile DC Fiddles...

By kredwyn, Section Diaries
Posted on Tue Aug 05, 2008 at 11:23:01 AM EST
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I'm sitting here at work (the day job) trying to get stuff done for day job and my students (aka the night job). But I took a small break and wandered over to Murder She Writes--a blog on mystery writing and so on.

And I was stopped short by the posted clipping:

(AP) A 53-year-old wife and mother fatally shot herself shortly after faxing a letter to her mortgage company saying that by the time they foreclosed on her house that day, she would be dead.

Police said that Carlene Balderrama used her husband's high-powered rifle to kill herself Tuesday afternoon, shortly after faxing the letter at 2:30 p.m.

The mortgage company called police, who found Balderrama's body at 3:30 p.m. The auction was scheduled to start at 5 p.m. and interested buyers arrived at the property in Taunton, about 35 miles south of Boston, while Balderrama's body was still inside, according to Taunton police chief Raymond O'Berg.

Police did not immediately release the name of the mortgage company. O'Berg said Balderrama's fax read, in part, "By the time you foreclose on my house I'll be dead."

The actual event happened one day before Congress passed the legislation known as "House Passes Homeowner Rescue Bill."

One day??? And even then according to the various reports I heard over the weekend, there are so many different requirements and loopholes in the legislation that it may or may not have even helped Carlene with her situation.

If anything, Carlene...and the others like her who are suffering from hopelessness and despair...I don't know. Government means a lot of things to a lot of different people. And while I'm not sure that it can be everything to everybody, and I recognize that personal responsibility is necessary, I'd like to see a legislature that can help folks deal.

I don't have the answers to this. But I do know that Carlene's suicide should be a wake up call to someone somewhere.

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    "By the Time You Read This...": Meanwhile DC Fiddles... | 1 comment (1 topical)

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    I came here after reading (none / 0) (#1)
    by Xanthe on Wed Aug 06, 2008 at 09:51:36 AM EST
    your comment pointing it out on another diary.  I knew this - but yes it is sad and it is common - this despair.

    Also, I occasionally go on DK to read Eve - there is a particularly - well let's say monumentally - sad diary re dentistry in the U.S. with a video to tear your heart out. I almost signed in (don't know if I could anyway at this point) to thank her.  But no - I won't.

    Have we heard much about dentistry, health by the two candidates?  No - and it is an opportunity for Obama. Don't worry about the dollar bills - worry about us.

    I'm glad to see diaries like yours, K.

    "By the Time You Read This...": Meanwhile DC Fiddles... | 1 comment (1 topical)

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