Not the best day

The beloved and talented tenor, Jerry Hadley, died at 11:20 this morning, 2 days after being taken off of life support. According to the woman living with him, she found him with a gunshot wound to the head - from an air rifle. My sister, who is quite familiar with guns, being a markswoman, indicated that it's impossible to shoot oneself in the head with an air rifle. While all the investigations into the truth won't bring our beloved Jerry Hadley back, the truth needs to come out. A light has indeed gone out in the world, and those of us who were privileged to hear this wonderful man sing felt as if he were singing to each of us individually. His love of singing, his love of humanity came through his TV performances and his CD recordings.

He often teamed with the famed baritone Thomas Hampson, and their duets were legendary. Both gentleman possess good looks and good voices, and I used to call them Thomas HANDSOME and Jerry PRECIOUS.

A life snuffed out too soon. Jerry, may you be greeted with a choir of the world's finest as you journey to your final rest.

WARNING: TO DOCTORS WHO CARE

This little news item just came to my attention:

http://www.comcast.net/news/national/index.jsp?cat=DOMESTIC&fn=/2007/07/13/713814.html&cvqh=itn_vapaindoctor

It seems that if a doctor prescribes enough medicine to relieve intractable pain, he's going to be accused of drug dealing. This is forcing more and more caring physicians to go against their SOUND MEDICAL JUDGMENT AND COMPASSION AND THE HYPOCRATIC OATH - not to mention THE PATIENT'S BILL OF RIGHTS - and treat the worst pain with an over-the-counter Tylenol!

Wake up, America! Wake up, Judicial System (a name I use with a great deal of reserve). Patients in pain are NOT drug-seeking addicts. They are people, who could be your mothers, daughters, sisters, fathers.....just ordinary people in your lives. They deserve quality of life - in other words, not spending 24 hours in crippling, disabling pain!

This latest bit of hysteria at the hands of the "Judicial (?) System is going to have more pain treatment centers throw away their prescription pads and compassion.

So, to what country do we have to travel to be relieved of pain? The US medical profession has turned its back on those who need us most because they're afraid of losing their country club memberships and yachts, only to end up in a jail cell.

This is a sad commentary on what USED to be a caring profession, one in which decisions were made between the doctor and patient - not an over zealous bunch of narcs!

Jerry Hadley

One of the Met's former idols is lying in a hospital bed with serious brain injury, on life support, with the decision to be made to remove him from life support as his injury is too severe, even as this is written, and it breaks my heart.

Discovered and promoted by the late Beverly Sills, Jerry Hadley's lovely lyric tenor voice, versatility for all types of roles and musical styles, and handsome matinee idol looks made him very much in demand. Leonard Bernstein himself chose Jerry Hadley for some his major production projects. The Met was quick to feature him when they needed a "Go-To" tenor. He and the baritone Thomas Hampson teamed up and were featured duetists on recordings and in recital. Jerry Hadley peformed everything from opera to musical theater and did it beautifuly.

What led to this horrible situation? Jerry Hadley's name has not been heard in quite some time - no new recordings, no TV appearances, etc. The news article states that he was filing for bankruptcy, was suffering from depression, and had one DUI dismissed. He was found by police in his bedroom with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

The glitter and fame in the music business are fickle. Sometimes a quickly rising star reaches its zenith too soon. Other times there is simply no explanation. One day the bank account is bulging. The next day you're wondering where the next paycheck is coming from. We will never know what led this gifted young man to take his own life.

Another bright light has gone out from the musical community.

Jerry, thank you for your lovely voice, your smile, for gracing the world with your presence.

Not "True Church?"

Open mouth, insert foot. Thank you, Pope Benedict, for telling Christians that they are not "true church." This is akin Hitler telling certain Germans that they are not "true Germans." Sound familiar?

http://www.comcast.net/news/international/index.jsp?cat=INTERNATIONAL&fn=/2007/07/10/710968.html&cvqh=itn_pope

People wonder why I left "the church" period! I am not a Christian, but am proud to be a Wiccan. Everyone must find his/her own path. No one person has the entire truth, nor can a white-robed (hmmm....sound familiar?) gentleman living in palatial halls tell a person that HIS church is the only true church and the only path to salvation. Salvation from what? From a woman's right to decide her own destiny and follow her conscience where her body is concerned. Salvation from a child being taught ALL theories of creation?

The article says it all. Thinking people from all walks of life should be outraged at this pronouncement. I am stunned and outraged and will let it stop with just that statement.

Every Woman (Maya Angelou)

Thanks to the friend who sent me this poem. Maya Angelou's poetry says it all:

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
enough money within her control to move out
and rent a place of her own,
even if she never wants to or needs to...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...something perfect to wear if the employer,
or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..
a youth she's content to leave behind....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to
retelling it in her old age....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .....
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....
one friend who always makes her laugh... and one who lets her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....
a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family..


A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems,
and a recipe for a meal,
that will make her guests feel honored...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
a feeling of control over her destiny...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to fall in love without losing herself..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to quit a job,
break up with a lover,
and confront a friend without;
ruining the friendship...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
when to try harder... and WHEN TO WALK AWAY...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that she can't change the length of her calves,the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that her childhood may not have been perfect...but it's over...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she would and wouldn't do for love or more...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to live alone... even if she doesn't like it...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW.. .
whom she can trust, whom she can't,and why she shouldn't take it personally...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW..
where to go...be it to her best friend's kitchen table... or a charming inn in the woods...when her soul needs soothing...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she can and can't accomplish in a day... a month...and a year...

Government, utilities, transportation, and lay-offs = ZERO

Maybe the recent events in the State of PA have been national news - and maybe not. But with the extent of partisan politics in this country, the sense of right and wrong and what is GOOD for the voters, those of us who actually got the politicos their jobs, well..... who cares about the voter?

Our esteemed Governor Rendell, former Mayor extraordinaire of Philadelphia, pulled a Corzine (Gov of NJ) dumb-ass move. In an attempt to get the kids of each party to set aside their own agendas and actually do some work on the overdue budget, Rendell stomped his foot and shut down what he termed "non-essential" state government services until the budget was agreed upon. So, people whose lives depend on every single day's pay were thrown out of work indefinitely while the fat cats in Harrisburg played tug of war with our lives. (Fortunately, they did reach a compromise, and our workers are back at work today, but their paychecks will be short a day's pay - major short-fall when one lives paycheck-to-paycheck. Who is going to make up the difference when the rent is due?)

One of the sticking points was a surcharge to our already overly inflated electric bills, allegedly to be used for alternative energy funding. Uh, excuse me, Governor Rendell. PECO (owned by Excelon Corporation) already charges outrageous rates for minimal usage. During the summer when people need their AC, some of them just to breathe, are hurt worst. If anything, you need to strong-arm PECO into REDUCING their rates! You should have addressed the Philadelphia-run (ineptly) gas company, known as PGW. They've admitted to having higher rates than necessary and have bragged about their right to keep them that way!

Now on to public transportation. SEPTA is the bus/train/subway service that is about as poorly managed as a mouse condo in a neighborhood of cats. Highest fares in the country, I'm told. $2 just to get on a bus, plus $0.60 for a transfer to a second bus. SEPTA deserves and needs state funding IF we are to encourage greater usage of pubic transportation and reduce usage of the SUV. SEPTA put a fare-hike in place today for weekly and monthly transpasses - from 11-20%, depending on the zone. Next month, they are eliminating transfers, so if it takes 2 buses to get to work, you will spend $4 on the trip - $8 a day for the privilege of waiting 45 minutes for a bus that is scheduled to run every 10-15 minutes. SEPTA has also decided that the $2 fare is no longer enough, and an increase is in sight. This is the company that has a strike every couple of years when contracts are up.

Governor Rendell and "esteemed" legislators: Why not address some of the real problems: Let the utility companies know that they are on notice about their rates. Let SEPTA know that you will fund them - provided they keep their fares affordable, eliminate the excess paid to upper management (private cars, etc...), and INCREASE service rather than decrease service.

You want to make money? Put some of it back into our hands. Hold utility companies and public transportation accountable. Better yet - get the municipal government out of the utility business. Allow competition for utilities AND public transportation. Guaranteed, service would get better and more quickly than one could read this blog!

St. Francis of Philadelphia

His name was Francis, and he admitted to being about 90 years old. He constantly wore either his WWII cap or a Baltimore Orioles baseball cap (my home team). He lived up the street from me and was seen outside for walks or just to see who was passing by. I walked my dog past his house everyday, and he introduced himself to us as St. Francis because all animals loved him. He was right about that! My dog, Gwyn, would drag me to his front steps, hoping that he was outside. She promptly greeted him with kisses and a wildly wagging tail. St. Francis and I chatted about weather, and his love of bowling, or whatever. I worried over his being alone in that house, but he assured me he had his children and friends looking in on him and that he was warm enough in the winter and cool enough in the summer. All of a sudden, St. Francis was no longer outside to greet us. I wondered. Then I started to see trash bags outside once a week, along with crates of miscellaneous dishes and glasses. Finally I was able to find out that he had left this world and that his family had sold the house and was getting rid of what they did not want. Is this what was left of this gentle and kind man - bags of stuff at the curb? I looked through a box of glassware and found two lovely cordial glasses and a small glass dish, all of which I have a special use for. I brought them home and gave them a good cleaning until they sparkled. If his family had only told someone in the neighborhood, there would have been a parade of folks to pay their respects, including one red-headed little dog who misses his special touch. St. Francis, may you be surrounded by dogs and cats and people who like to bowl. We do miss you.

POPULAR HEALTH CARE

My sister lives in Charleston, South Carolina - home to gracious southern living, warm and friendly people, incredibly beautiful places to see, history, elegance, culture, great food, charm, a host of wonderful things. She is surrounded by friends who love her and is a major part of the life of Charleston.

She has one problem. She suffers from chronic pain from severe spinal damage.

Pain - a medical condition that robs one of all physical and psychological and emotional energy and ruins quality of life.
Pain - a medical condition that CAN BE HELPED IF the members of the so-called medical community would care more about their patients and less about their country club memberships!

Case in point. South Carolina has almost NO pain treatment centers. The one large center at MUSC will only take patients referred by MUSC doctors. Now, how does a patient gain entry into this secret society? My sister jumped through all of their hoops, obtained medical records from anyone who had even shaken hands with her, went through testing, went through six weeks of false hope, only to be told by an MUSC neurologist that surgery was not indicated and he could not help her - to go to the Pain Center. Uh..... that had been the whole purpose. Do you think this guy with a medical degree would refer her to the Pain Center, knowing that he was virtually the only one who could do so? A BIG FAT NO!!!! When I called on my sister's behalf (I've worked in medicine for a helluva long time, and I'm becoming ashamed of it), the person I contacted basically told me through my sister that I was not to call. Excuse me?

So, Sis, please don't get offended by this post, but this is a heads-up to people in SC or those contemplating a move: Check your medical condition first. If you have no pain, but have politically correct diseases that require no pain medications, then you will probably do okay. Otherwise, I'm sorry to say, if you are in pain, the medical community Charleston will turn its back on you.

Bubbles - a Tribute

The great American opera star, Beverly Sills, left his world last night, having been diagnosed only weeks before with lung cancer (she never smoked in her life).

She was called Bubbles first by the doctor who delivered her because she was born blowing a spit bubble. Who knew that this name would suit her so? She was a vibrant, exuberant, driven, intelligent, fun-loving red-head, who paved the way for numerous AMERICAN singers and helped dispel the false belief that only European born and/or trained singers were any good. She was home-grown and trained.

I grew up knowing who Bubbles was. She appeared on Ed Sullivan, on the Muppet Show, with Carol Burnett. She designed clothes for a brief time. She became a force to be reckoned with in the arts and in business. She worked for numerous charitable endeavors, mostly involving children.

Quite simply - she had a beautiful voice and a magnetic stage presence. This article says it best:

http://www.comcast.net/music/index.jsp?cat=MUSIC&fn=/2007/07/03/705525.html&cvqh=itn_sills

To quote from "Die Fledermaus:"

A toast, a toast...... we toast champagne!

Bubbles, here's to you and thank you.

Mr. Mayor, You have a phone call!

Guess everyone in the country heard the news about Mayor John Street of Philadelphia and his new I-Phone. On City taxpayers' time, this esteemed public servant (NOT!) waited in line during business hours to be among the first. With him were his executive assistant and a security team member so that if he had to leave, another one of our paid public servants could hold his place in line. When confronted by the news media and by CITIZENS (in other words, those dumb enough to vote for this known crooked hot-head), his reply was that it was okay for him to be there because he "worked long hours" and was buying this as a "management tool." He then had the nerve to say that he was working.

How many of us with real jobs were able to skip away from our work and camp out for an I-Phone - unless we had used an approved vacation or personal day? Better yet, how many of us with real jobs can afford the blasted things? Okay - enough said about the subject.

Which brings me to the mayoral race. Virtually EVERYONE in the city expressed the same sentiments: We don't want anyone elected who is already in City Hall. "Throw all the bums out." "Clean house." One such champion emerged. His only connection to city government had been during the previous administration under now Governor Rendell. This man was asked by Rendell to balance the budget with the aim of eliminating a monstrous deficit. He agreed to do the project at the phenomenal salary of $1.00 (ONE-DOLLAR) a year. Well, $1.50 later (18 months), we had a budget surplus!!!!!!!! New administration (Mayor I-Phone Street) later, and we're back to a deficit, and the only surplus we have now is the murder rate of at least one per day.

Who do you think won the Democratic primary? A 14-year City Council member! Way to go, Philly. Thinking with cheesesteak brains as usual.

That's all for the political soapbox today. Wonder if Michael Nutter stands in line on our time for the newest gadget when it comes out. Hmmm..... After all, the practice has been established. He can now quote precedent.