Bobsledding wasn't even Bree Schaaf 's sport until a couple of years ago. To be fair, she has been involved with sliding sports since 2002. She began with Skeleton and spent the next five years competing at the national and international level. In 2007 she made the switch to bobsled. During the first half of the 2008-2009 season Schaaf claimed one gold, one silver and four bronze medals on the America's Cup circuit. Her first place finish at the 2009 National Championships gave her a spot on the World Cup team for the second half of the season. She raced to 5th place in Whistler, Canada--one of the toughest tracks.
Bio
Schaaf graduated from Portland State University, where she played volleyball. When she is not bobsledding, she likes to spend time playing the piano, playing beach volleyball, cooking, sewing, metalworking, and reading. For the past nine years, she volunteered as a camp counselor for Stanley Stamm Seattle Children's Hospital camp. Awesome! Working with children is an excellent way to share our love for living life well.
(Above): United States' pilot Bree Schaaf and Emily Azevedo nine months ago in the Women's World Cup Bobsled Race at the Utah Olympic Park in Park City, Utah. They finished in fifth place. My money says look for them in Vancouver in 2010. They are awesome. More tomorrow...
Arguably one of the Best bands in Rock & Roll along with The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, I love this video. To borrow a broadcasting term, you will have to "pot-up" your volume, but this special revised edit features many more camera angles from a band that delivers plenty of candle power! This is my idea ---among others---of what a rock band should look and sound like in concert! This is the original line-up with: Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, Keith Moon and John Entwistle. It's not a short video, and it's not for everyone. But then, neither am I. So, crank it and enjoy it!
Thanksgiving Day was wonderful! I spent it with great friends and of course, some amazing Arabian horses at dusk on the ranch. We were "Misfits": Single people with no place to go. But we shared a passion for good food, great conversation, living well and yes, Arabian horses. We were raconteurs, all of us--even "Yours Truly" (hard to imagine, I know, but true). We grilled steaks and boiled crab legs before ending the day with tea and pumpkin pie. I was the luckiest person of all to have been among remarkable people who care and love and respect one another. I was in exceptional company. We had a wonderful day and it was well lived!
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Post Script Thanksgiving: For Friendship!
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Also, thanks to Blog bud Leah at South Breeze Farm. Her Giving Thanks Challenge led 50 of we bloggers us to sign up and I was the 29th person to join a great group.
On the few occasions whenever I am feeling a little blue (which is not very often, Thank God), there is one person I do think about immediately and the world becomes sane and brighter for me: Trevor Tredaway. His Mom, Melinda reports that Trevor is still doing great with the chemotherapy. His counts have remained stable, and he has not been sick. This is VERY good news! He had his fourth treatment last Wednesday, and his MRI will be done after Christmas. I have marked my calendar here at home because this will be Trevor's first MRI since he was started on Avastin and Irinotecan--two powerful cancer treatment medications. I firmly believe his tumor will show shrinkage and this is what so many of us are praying for. Long time readers of my site know that I have mentioned so often how Trevor's engaging personality endears him to everyone who meets him. His doctors and nurses, and in the most heartfelt experience, the entire staff of a Chili's Restaurant near St. Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis have fallen in love with this happy little boy! Recently, Memphis fire fighters surprised Trevor by showing up with a Fire Engine (see photo above). Weeks ago, President Bush learned about Trevor's story and helped arrange for him to visit the Texas Rangers baseball team. A group of bikers and policemen showed up at The Tredaway's home to provide an escort to the airport. You can imagine how moved the bikers were, as they each removed a metal pin from their vests to pin on Trevor's coat. Needless to say, I didn't have to think very long about what my last Thanksgiving thought would be for this month.
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Thanksgiving: I give Thanks to God for allowing me to meet and become friends with Trevor, age 4 and his amazing family: Melinda and Todd (Trevor's Mom and Dad) and Trevor's little sister Morgan, age 2. Thousands of us are pulling for this special little boy who makes friends easily wherever he goes and he loves everyone of goodwill. We all want to see Trevor cancer-free. He is a special Blessing to me, and I look forward to resuming work on his fundraiser for 2010.
Last Sunday, I felt the need to take a road trip out of Phoenix to Prescott, Arizona to catch some dinner at The Palace Bar. I do this about twice a year.
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Prescott, Arizona is well known to Steve McQueen fans throughout the world as the filming location ofJunior Bonner. This movie was shot throughout July and August, 1972 with a stellar cast including Ben Johnson, Ida Lupino, and Robert Preston. It was Steve's favorite among the 30 movies he appeared in. I first saw this film in a very small movie theatre in first run as a kid in Cincinnati, Ohio with my best buddy who grew up next door to me. As I recounted to Steve's co-star in the film, the lovely Barbara Leigh, my Special Guest on "The Interview", we had just discovered girls when this film was released. As the camera lens zoomed in on Barbara eyeing Steve on the grounds during Prescott's famous Frontier Days Rodeo, we both exclaimed "Oh my God!" We were two young boys who had never seen a more beautiful woman.I still laugh when I recall what we must have sounded like in that tiny theatre! And by the way, Barbara is just as beautiful today.
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On Sunday's outing, quite unexpectedly I met one of the owners of The Palace and we had the most enjoyable conversation about the filming of Junior Bonner. I learned so much from her about the bar and its history and she was quite surprised to learn details from me about Steve's generous philanthropy-- from his life-long support of The Boys Republic, to helping underprivileged children living on the South Side of Chicago during the shooting of his final film, The Hunter. It was a wonderful conversation.
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The film failed to find an audience at the time of its release. However, in recent years, Junior Bonner has experienced a resurgence. As I've previously stated here, there is something alluring about this pleasant motion picture anyone will enjoy. It captures McQueen as a hold-out, the last of a breed "going down his own road" pulling a horse trailer with an old Cadillac rag top across the country to rodeo events (and putting off the inevitable end of his character's career).
Last year: It was cold enough for my leather Harley Davidson jacket. I'm sitting roughly in the precise spot at the bar where co-star Joe Don Baker (who plays Steve's brother) decks him. You have to see the DVD to fully appreciate this factoid.
The Palace opened in September, 1877. Men came in to check for notices of work available; it served as an election central for several area political races and cattle spreads; and mineral claims were bought and sold over the bar. The Palace is still the oldest frontier saloon in Arizona and the most well-known and historic restaurant and saloon in the state. In the late 1870's, Wyatt Earp, Virgil Earp and Doc Holiday were patrons of The Palace.
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On July 14th, 1900, The Palace was destroyed by the Whiskey Row fire. The ornately carved 1880's Brunswick Bar, which is still in use, was carried to safety across the street to the plaza by patrons (a devoted following). The bar reopened in 1901 with a barber shop.
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The DVD, Junior Bonner is a gem! I highly recommend it. The Screenplay was written by another Special Guest of mine on "The Interview": Jeb Rosebrook. Go back and have a look through The Archives, conveniently located in the right column of this Blog Page!
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Thanksgiving: For all of the opportunities of a lifetime I have experienced, and many more that await me! For each of these, I am truly humbled.
Good Morning! My website will be 5 Years Old on November 26th. I use that date even though the BLOG Page began the following month. Here's how it came into existence.
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On Thanksgiving Day, 2004 I was a Guest at the apartment home of a wonderful friend of my family. Interestingly, the apartment was situated atop a building where I began my first job at the age of 14 on the ground floor in what was once a television sales and service shop.
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A friend of mine who graduated behind me in high school, moved to New York City and became a full-time actress and singer. She reminds me of actress Diane Lane and has been featured on televisions "Law & Order" and many stage plays. At any rate, she started a business designing websites and was enjoying Thanksgiving Day with us, so we struck up a conversation and this resulted in my hiring her to design my initial website. This BLOG Page actually came into existence through the encouragement of my friend and musician extraordinaire Deni Bonet(of Last Girl on Earth fame). She wrote to me: "Michael, you should really get a Blog Page". I replied, "I will when I get wings". She replied, "I hope you get wings soon, Michael". Interestingly, Deni was the very first Blogger whom I met in-person after seeing her in concert with Cyndi Lauper's World Tour in 2004. Deni was a band member touring with Cyndi in support of her CD release, "At Last". Later that year, I drove to West Virginia to attend one of Deni's concerts with her own band shortly after she left the Lauper tour in Australia to tour in support of her own CD "Bigger Is Always Better". Her latest release is "Last Girl On Earth" and I highly recommend both for your music collection. Deni is, of course, a simply amazing person and artist who has been a sweet friend ever since. Other bloggers I met in-person have included Comedian Andy Martello in downtown Chicago, author Kathryn Magendie in North Carolina, Tricia Weight in Atlanta, Teresa ( of The Life & Times of a Cool Single Mom fame ) in Indianapolis and broadcaster Doug Miles who had the guts to ask me onto his radio show in Sarasota, Florida as a Guest at least four times (I almost moved to Sarasota). I quickly discovered that I enjoy the experience of being a Guest on radio more than I ever did working in radio! It was a BLAST! A few of you may remember my 15 minute audio clip that I had posted on the REEL Page for years where Doug and Gary Schuster interviewed me about my kooky life, and I listen to it a couple of times a year to start my day with laughter. It was like listening in on a private phone chat with three people laughing hysterically out of control over my adventures. It was a Classic Moment and Great Fun!
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In the months that followed, I became friends with singer/songwriter Bud Buckley in Venice, Florida whom I visited twice. Bud's son Jason eventually took over as my Webmaster. My website today bears no resemblance to the early days of working from scratch. I believe we rebuilt it twice and revised it four times. It became the epicenter of many projects, including my work on a pilot for a children's television program (stolen from me and now a television hit, but we won't go there), and some industrial films. Concurrent to my broadcasting work, I traveled the country interviewing airline CEO's in-person for Airwaysmagazine. Sort of like being a "Mike Wallace" for a few hours on CBS' "60 Minutes". By November, 2007 I had traveled to a total of 39 cities along both Coasts. On December 5, 2007 I relocated to Phoenix. I may be coming to your town soon! Invite me with an offer of a great gig and we'll talk!
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While I was still unpacking moving boxes, I received a call from the National Parkinson Foundation to Emcee their Gala of Hope at The Saint Regis Resort on Fort Lauderdale Beach, Florida. The staff knew me from my visits to the Foundation in Miami in the years after I lost my Dad to PD and I was very touched that they chose me to Emcee. Dick Clark handled this privilege for us for 35 wonderful years. It meant so much for me to memorialize my Dad who died the week of Christmas.
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A lot has happened in 5 years. I lost 65 pounds, dropped seven waist sizes and continue to work out to this day. This BLOG Page is just one component of my full website (www.michaelmanning.tv). More than 90 photos were posted and removed with 7 reels of audio and video tape montages that became too dated for my tastes over time.
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We built out an entirely new Home Page and for 3 years and 4 months I created and produced a feature called "Friday Movie Suggestion Night". When I started feeling burned-out, I felt the time was right to discontinue the feature last December on a high note with a video performance by the late Eva Cassidy. Out of the ashes of FMSN, "The Annual Steve McQueen Film Festival" sprang forth. This past year was arguably the most successful McQueen Film Festival ever with in-person interviews featuring biographer Marshall Terrill, Jeb Rosebrook, Screenwriter of Steve's favorite film--1972's Junior Bonner(filmed in Prescott, Arizona) and more.It was magic. I can remember thinking, "What have I gotten myself into?" but with great Joy and the help of these wonderful friends, I managed to pull the Festival together with a great deal of pride. It is a privilege. Believe me.
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Life has improved dramatically for me since I entered the blogging world. Overall, it's been a dynamic experience and my faith in the Blog medium is strong for the long-term. It has been a privilege for me to be welcomed into your homes for the past 5 years. I am grateful for the love and supportiveness, the laughter and the shared tears we have all experienced. Along the way, we've lost some dear friends. But recently, others who have been on very long periods of hiatus have returned, and I expect that more will join us. I believe we all have something special to share and we all do our best to constantly update, reinvent ourselves and move forward. So, on this Anniversary, I celebrate my BLOG Page and all we have shared. Without you, it would be nothing. Thank you so much for your Love and Passion. Here's a Toast to the future! Michael
How many times have you walked into a restaurant or bar and when you look around, everyone has their Blackberry Phone out texting someone and giggling? What's wrong with this picture? I believe I have an answer.
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First of all, you've just walked into a social environment where friends meet for a drink or a bite to eat, ostensibly, to catch up with one another. The simple joy of communication means sitting with someone, in-person and listening, seeing their facial expressions when a point is made, noticing their hand gestures to amplify a point and above all--relating what they are sharing to a similar experience you may have had. I may be wrong. But I seriously doubt Steve McQueen would be using Facebook or Twitter if he were alive. I see him picking up the damn telephone (see photo above) and calling someone for a meeting on a given subject. My Point: People are not communicating anymore. They have "buffers" that have sadly become substitutes for true communication. I tell all of my friends, "Don't bother texting me. I don't text. If you want to see me, call me and let's get our schedules together".
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Yesterday, I took a meeting with a friend of mine who is a media and communications executive. I have to laugh at myself. My car was being serviced, so my friend swung by the garage where I was waiting and picked me up in his Porsche Boxster wearing a custom tailored suit. I, on the other hand, wore jeans and a light Autumn jacket and we stopped at an International House of Pancakes restaurant for a gluten-free lunch. We had talked about some concepts on the telephone, but we realized the phone was no substitute for a face-to-face meeting and it was a great discussion!
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In the airline industry, a friend of mine who was a CEO once proposed a merger between two ailing companies that actually made very good business sense and would have saved both companies and the jobs of nearly 30,000 employees. A billionaire who became interested in financing the transaction first asked for a meeting with my friend. The purpose behind this meeting was that the financier wanted to look my friend in the eyes as he was making his presentation to see if he was sincere. Satisfied that he had picked the right person to run the merged company, he flew to New York to hold another meeting. But my point is that neither Facebook, Twitter or a conventional phone call would have cut it.
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Rock artist Rick Springfield has a hit song he uses in concert called "Human Touch". The crowd usually goes wild when he performs it. At least part of this is due to the message being conveyed, and it hits home--emotionally-- with everyone. I really do believe this. People recognize that we have changed as a society. Life is fast and getting faster. Show me a company that will take a meeting with someone who walks into a lobby, much less offers to schedule one! Are your e-mails getting returned promptly? Your phone calls? A letter (God forbid you should snail-mail someone)?
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Don't get me wrong. Cell phones can be used to help others. Here are some examples from my own life.
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In the Mid-West, I was walking out of a store one afternoon when I witnessed three high school-aged guys abducting a young girl. Can you imagine this in broad daylight? Two boys held her arms behind her and another was about to punch her in the stomach. They were about two-hundred feet away from me and I yelled at them to get their attention. They stopped and turned to look at me. I held up my cell phone and told them I had just called the police. The boys shoved the girl in the car and started to drive away. They barely made it out of the parking lot when three police cruisers converged on them with six police officers. The guys were arrested. The girl was unharmed--Thank God.
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In Texas, I was driving my red sports car to the library on a Saturday to work on a magazine article. It was pouring rain. I looked over to my right and saw a crazed lunatic with an MK-47 assault rifle dressed in Army fatigues and standing in a parking lot about to fire bullets at a Synagogue. I floored my accelerator to get past the man and called 9-1-1. Others had telephoned ahead of me and the police had surrounded the suspect with guns drawn to arrest him. The incident made national headlines and I believe he is still in a federal penitentiary. Thank God for the actions of others!
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After a newscast at the television station, I was driving home around dusk when a man stumbled out in the middle of a two lane highway from the woods. He had been stabbed and shot several times. Fearing I was also in harms way, I accelerated around him quickly and called police and fire rescuefrom the top of the hill. Quite dramatic, I'll admit. But cell phones can be used for good purpose. Again, here's my point: On balance, there is no substitute for the "Human Touch" in communication. Take care! Michael
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Thanksgiving: I give thanks for the few times I needed help and a stranger responded. One day, my Nissan 300ZX car battery exploded under the hood during rush hour traffic on a busy Tollway. A kind man in an SUV stopped and offered me a ride to nearby repair shop where we ordered a wrecker. I went to offer him a cash tip. He refused and said, "Nah! It's all part of life! Someday, I might need the same favor." He smiled, waved and drove off. There are good people in the world, even as rushed as it is!
On a flight to Atlanta, I was seated one row behind the First Class section next to an absolutely exhausted young mother with a screaming 3 year-old son. He was seated next to the window. I always take the aisle seat. It was obviously a bad day for Mother and Son. The screaming and crying lasted 47 minutes and throughout it all, the Mother kept spanking the child on his butt thinking this would stop the crying fit. The spanking had no effect. Eventually, the boy chilled out and his Mom fell asleep. It was obvious to me she had suffered a tough day even without the commotion. She was beyond exhaustion and I felt badly for both of them. 'Okay, at least she is asleep', I thought.
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As a diversion and to keep the airplane cabin peaceful, I made funny faces with the kid. He was amused. This lasted for about 8 minutes. Next, he quietly showed me his crayon artwork, handed me a crayon and we both took turns coloring. I showed him my art creation, and then it was his turn to color a picture to show me. This was working out pretty well. Sensing the passengers behind me (who were about to commit "Mutiny on the Bounty") easing into the flight, I continued to keep the child occupied. While I was coloring during my turn, he made his move. Suddenly, I noticed him standing and facing his seat. This was not good. Ever so skillfully, he reached into his mother's purse and removed one of those orange drinks sealed in a plastic bag that you poke open with a straw shaped like a spear. He looked at me. I raised one eyebrow and shook my head "No". This next scene was remarkable. Without ever breaking eye contact with me, he used his teeth to tear open a corner of the orange drink bag, held it over his open seat and continued to stare at me. Sensing a disaster about to happen, I used both hands to wave him off shaking my head as if to say "NO, NOT THAT!" so as not to wake his Mother and cause a riot. Yup, he emptied the entire contents of the orange drink onto his cloth seat cushion (still without breaking eye contact with me--amazing). I must have looked horrified because he started giggling at me. This was now a matter of "Crisis Management". I flagged down a flight attendant who was cool, calm and corrected--as they say (of course we all know who 'They' are). She said, "No problem, it's Velcro'd in. I'll just swap it out," and she changed the seat cushion swiftly. We placed the boy back into his seat with the safety belt re-secured. I even made sure we ditched the evidence (the empty packet of the orange drink). We landed half an hour later and the Mother (still asleep) never knew what happened. Upon waking up, she turned to me. "I'm so sorry for the commotion", she said. "Oh, no worries. He has a sense of humor", I replied smiling. Al's well, ends well!
A great friend to Sahara & a truly fine person: Rick Springfield! -
Good Evening, Everyone. I began writing this post this morning and simply ran out of time. So please forgive my tardiness. Thursday, November 5th was the second anniversary of the passing of Sahara Aldridge. Those of you who have been following my Blogsite over the years recall this remarkable little girl who touched the hearts of thousands--and mine--in a way that is difficult to explain. Although I'm a little late with this post by traditional standards, I still feel the need to Honor her with a mention because meeting Sahara was one of the greatest gifts of my life and I was very fortunate. Rick Springfield's "Concert for Sahara" took place on December 8, 2006 at the Show Me Center in her home town of Cape Girardeau, Missouri. This incredible musician had known Sahara and her parents Shannon and Amy from the time Sahara was 7 years-old. She was diagnosed in July, 2006 with a brain tumor and she kicked its ass.
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When I awoke this morning, I had no idea what I would write. The Good Lord took care of that and there was no deliberating. On November 5, 2007 we lost this sweet angel who for 13 years on this earth was really the personification of everything that is good and true and right and positive about our world. They say The Lord works in mysterious ways. Well, that's true. Some people understand this and others miss it. Again, I was very fortunate because I did understand.
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In my own isolated corner of the world, I was wrapping up work rebuilding my Mom's home in the years following my father's death and a layoff from ABC News in the Southwest. I spent a year at an NBC television affiliate in Ohio before freelancing in cable television and becoming very busy employing myself in a number of adventures in television and radio. On October 16, 2006 I entered negotiations with my agent to be a field reporter in New York for a national weekend news magazine. The negotiations ended unsuccessfully at 10:35 PM on November 3, 2006. I felt nothing for some strange reason. I wasn't upset. I was a little disappointed but nothing on the magnitude of what anyone would expect. I have no idea why even tonight looking back. I just didn't care as much as I thought I would and felt more focused about carving out a space of sanity for myself away from the news business. I knew a chapter in my life had come to an end, and perhaps in hindsight, that consumed more of my attention than worrying about why a group of very good people and myself in New York just couldn't come to terms on my gig. So, before calling it a night, I turned on CNN Headline News. CNN was still using their scrolling ticker along the bottom of the television screen with the latest news. Suddenly, I read that Rick Springfield had announced a major concert fundraiser for a 12-year old girl battling brain cancer in Missouri. He was donating his performance fee. The following morning, I spent the next 13 hours on a rented computer in a print shop learning everything I could about this little girl who loved Basketball, Cats, Shopping, Cheesecake and Rick Springfield concerts. At one point, a store manager approached me at the end of his shift to see if everything was alright and I told him about Sahara's situation. This young man was into his third year of medical school before changing his mind and switching his focus to earning an MBA degree. From listening to him, I learned that he had spent most of his junior high and high school years taking classes from hospital rooms after many reconstructive plastic surgeries to his face to correct a severe birth defect. From this life experience, he said that he related to Sahara and that he would approach his company to underwrite my computer rental fees, faxing and printing services. (In all, Fed Ex Kinko's covered $4,000 of my fees over the next 18 days).
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During my conversation with the manager, I mentioned that I wanted to assemble a grass roots bus trip from Cincinnati, Ohio to Cape Girardeau, Missouri and the long story-short was that I was given the gift of meeting Sahara and her family. The concert was an incredible experience and an act of love from Rick's involvement as the performing artist, to approximately 3,000 of us who either flew or drove to Missouri for the show to celebrate Sahara's shining spirit of fun and laughter. Many loving friendships were made as a result of this concert that drew so many of us together.
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One of many newspaper articles written about Sahara put it this way:
"Sahara loved her family, friends, basketball, her school, her teachers, her coaches, her doctors and nurses, her beloved cats and dogs, Semo, Cleo, Puddy, Stormbringer and LuLu, the High Hill Hecklers, the Lady Redhawks, the Tennessee Titans, the Lady Vols and the St. Louis Cardinals.
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"She also loved going to Rick Springfield concerts and rocking out with the band. She loved traveling, loud music, pizza and hanging out with her best girlfriends. If one word could sum up Sahara, it must be LOVE".
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One place that was very important to Sahara was the Mississippi Valley Therapeutic Horsemanship Program where she rode a horse named "Candy". The horses name today is "Sahara's Candy". A year after Sahara's passing, Rick Springfield returned to The Cape to play an acoustic concert benefiting MVTH. In a season where we are about to give Thanks for all that we have in our lives, it just feels right to mention the following. If you'd like to make a contribution in honor of Sahara here's where you can do that:
Mississippi Valley Therapeutic Horsemanship P.O. Box 154 Jackson, Missouri 63755
- Until the world stops turning Until the wind doesn’t blow Until the sun stops shining Until the river doesn’t flow Until my heart stops beating Forevermore The legend lives on Remember the name Sahara “Hoops”, 21 With much love, Amy and Shannon -
Thanksgiving: For Shannon, Amy and Sahara Alridge.
Dusk has always been a magical time of the day for me. No matter what events may have transpired in a given 24-hour period, it is Dusk that brings to me a quiet, soothing period of calm and peaceful reflection. If the day has gone particularly well, it is the end cap of celebration. If the day has been challenging, Dusk reminds me that circumstances can swing back from Tough to Terrific. I am resuming the Giving Thanks Challenge initiated by Protege's friend, Leah over at South Breeze Farm. The focus is to post something you feel grateful about during the month of Thanksgiving. This is a very nice exercise because it helps us to reconsider our many blessings!
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Thanksgiving: I am grateful for my favorite time of the day: Dusk.
ALS: THE INTERVIEW PRESENTS RICH MACKNEY! (PART 3 OF 3)
The Power of Friendship John & Joyce join me with Rich! -
Manning: Rich, at the end of each interview, I ask my guests if they would like to summarize their appearance by making any point they want. I know you're continuing every day to be active and not passive with the ALS. The floor is yours!
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Mackney: Michael, when you first hear somebody tell you that you've been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and you ought to go home and prepare with your family to die, it's a shock to your system. You'll find that there are fighters or a run-awayer's. In my experience, if you're not going to stand and fight, you're only going to hasten your demise. I also understand that there are probably fewer fighters out there than there are people resigned to their fate. And so I think, on the one hand, I'm glad I'm like me. I want to fight. You can never do that looking the other way and beat this disease. But in addition, I want to continue sharing information with all the many people out there who are not necessarily fighting--to give them some hope, understanding that this is not standing still. It's moving---slowly---but it's moving. If the last 12 months is any indication, the next 2 or 3 years will see us moving ahead by leaps and bounds. We just need to hang in there for the ride. We do everything we can to stay hanging on.
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Manning: Is there anything my readers can do to help push things forward beyond a letter to a Congressman or Representative?
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Mackney: I think it's very simple. If you would be kind enough to point your readers to my BLOG, so they can stop and see the research I post there...
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Manning: Yes!
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Mackney: ..They will find opportunities not only for ALS, but how this technology touches so many other things. If your readers find something that is interesting to them for their family, for their loved ones, then I think it would be great if we opened up communication with their legislators and point them to the same research and ask the question: 'What are you doing to see that this comes faster in our lifetime for my loved one who has Cancer? ...or my loved one who has Parkinson's disease? ...or my loved one who has kidney failure? ...or my loved one who has a busted spinal cord?' I think that if the approach is multi-variable as that it will have a bigger impact, because then it's not one person with one disease who is screaming into the wind. It's a whole bunch of people saying this one technology--this stem cell technology is capable of fixing a whole range of diseases and illnesses. 'What are you doing, Mr. Representative to make sure that this government makes sure to bring this care to me and my family sooner than later?' I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity to share my story and my thoughts with you and your readers.
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Manning: Thank you, Rich.
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Note from Michael:I have learned many lessons from my incredible friend Rich Mackney. Among them, I've learned to be more patient and diplomatic--which hopefully makes me a better Gentleman! But I've also experienced in Rich a Generosity and Kindness towards mankind balanced by the Mental Toughness, Courage and Dedication required to fight Lou Gehrig's Disease. I am very grateful to Rich for making this interview possible. Here is an important piece of information, as I know many of you reading this interview worldwide will want to remain in touch with Rich's progress:
Website Contact for The Rich Mackney Warriors: http://themackneywarriors.wordpress.com This is a GREAT way to stay in touch with Rich!
Together we can win the fight against Lou Gehrig's Disease! -
ALS: THE INTERVIEW PRESENTS RICH MACKNEY! (PART 2 OF 3)
These photos remind me of the indomitable spirit of Friendship. Last month, 22 of us showed up at the Walk to Defeat ALS and we pushed Rich in his wheelchair 3 miles around Tempe, Arizona Town Lake. In this photo, captured a couple of weeks earlier at Rich's fundraiser there were over 200 people! There was also a live rock band, dancing and celebration. There are many members of "The Mackney Warriors". I joined Bill and Wolfgang pictured here with Rich!
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In this installment, I asked Rich to cover an excellent point he made with me during one of our conversations several weeks earlier. I felt it was a powerful point to be made and Rich agreed to recap for me some fascinating insights into Stem Cell Research. Let's pick up our conversation...
Manning: One of the things we talked about before that was a great point that you made was that all too often when we're talking about Cancer research, we focus on Cancer. With Parkinson's, we focus on Parkinson's and so forth. But if we were able to get representatives from every different disease that could potentially benefit from stem cell research, that might accelerate progress. Am I understanding that correctly?
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Mackney: I think you're exactly right, Michael. In fact, my understanding of this technology is that once we begin to unlock the secret of how you instruct a stem cell to do a certain job, then creating a data base of instructions that cover a whole host of different problems, sicknesses and diseases will come very, very quickly. The problem we have today in the U.S. is that the FDA mandates a multi-year process of clinical trials that starts in a petri dish in a lab and that moves on to mice and rats, and that moves on to a small handful of people and then moves on to a slightly larger larger group of people. Then 5, 7, 10 years after you started, the FDA will say, 'Now you can use this therapy on the masses'. I'm saying, we have to break the stranglehold that the FDA and big Phama have on slowing down the pace of stem cell research proper and create a mechanism in this country to allow terminally ill people to stand up and sign a waiver saying, 'We understand there are no guarantees. But we are living in a very shortened time line. We're seeing so far, that this type of stem cell therapy doesn't seem to hurt you, so we're willing to take the risk that this might just slow down the progression of the disease. So, I'm willing to accept the risks, why won't you let me try?'
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Manning: Sure.
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Mackney: And that speaks to, unfortunately, the nature of this country to sue anybody for anything all the time because there's money to be made. We need to figure out how to stop that because it's standing in the way of helping people stay alive to live.
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Manning: The plan that you and I talked about this past summer was one that I felt was very straight forward and well planned out--it was 'Let's try and slow it (ALS) down this year, stop it next year and reverse it the following year'. Is that still your plan?
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Mackney: That is absolutely my plan! Based on what I just told you, I do feel that I will have to continue to look outside of this country this year to slow down the progression of my disease and look outside of the country next to stop the progression of the disease, and I'm hoping that the year after, that we have found a way to open the eyes of our legislators and control agencies in this country so that we can be applying what will be proven methods of stopping and reversing this disease.
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Manning: One of the things that struck me about the point that you made in an earlier conversation we had was that if you were testifying tomorrow morning to Congress, and you asked the question: 'Would everyone in this room raise your hand if you have anyone in your family or a loved one who has a disease or an illness?' There would be a large show of hands!
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Mackney: Most assuredly!
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Manning: So, the question then becomes 'Why would you stand in the way of keeping this technology even one day from your loved ones?' And that's really what confounds me. It's a really frustrating process. Perhaps it's politics, perhaps it's...a number of things. But it's a very frustrating bottle neck.
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Mackney: I think if you look at health care in this country today, you find that the priority is not based on curing you of your illness. The priority is on treating your symptoms. I understand that in the case of big Pharma, it would be highly desirable to treat your symptoms and keep them in check for your entire life, because that means a big tremendous windfall for them. And I don't see them trying to find a cure tomorrow, because their money stream would come to an end. When you look at how tightly related big Pharma is to representatives and to the FDA directly, I think we have a system that has existed for many decades that cannot easily be undone. So, I think we need to be able to understand that possibly it is going to take being there in the stem cell arena that is developed in the near term outside this country, and then have people like me who one day soon can show up in Washington with my own representative and say, 'Look at me. I've stopped my disease. Look at me. I've reversed my disease. Look at me. This is what I did. This is the Science that helped me. I'm one of thousands of data points that exist today. How can we fast-track this tomorrow through the FDA and bring this therapy to the millions of Americans who can take advantage of this now?'
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Manning: We've seen an example of this, I think, in the U/S. Army where there was some research that found from the depths of the sea, some micro-organisms that you told me about where if someone suffered a gash--for example--and they were bleeding, they could put this paste of micro-organisms directly onto the wound and stop the bleeding. And I understand that when the Army heard about this and saw the potential for saving lives on the battlefield, it was fast-tracked through without any of these problems with the FDA. If only we could do this now!
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Mackney: I think that's a good example, Michael. What it says is that if you have a very promising technology and you also have a customer who has a tremendous amount of clout of with our own government who sees we can manage this from the technology, that you'd have a fantastic one-two punch to take this and ramrod a very positive therapy through the system in a fast pace. Personally, I feel stem cell therapy is ten-times more beneficial than this (current medical) therapy, which is very good in its own right. So, we just have to find someone we can show this to who has a lot of clout with our government to go to Washington and say, 'We need this now'.
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Coming Up Next: The Conclusion of Our Visit and more...
- Website Contact for Rich Mackney Warriors: http://themackneywarriors.wordpress.com Stay in touch with Rich!
Together we can win the fight against Lou Gehrig's Disease!
ALS: THE INTERVIEW PRESENTS RICH MACKNEY! (PART 1 of 3)
My Special Guest: Rich Mackney Visit: http://themackneywarriors.wordpress.com
Block Party with Brittany & Sedona
These neighborhood girls unselfishly turned over money generated from candy sales originally intended to finance a Cheerleaders trip to California to Rich's Medical Fund. These girls are truly an example of what is right about our world!
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From Michael: In December, 2007 I relocated to Phoenix, Arizona attracted by the warm climate and a badly needed change of scenery. I also needed to improve my health. So, by March of 2008 I began working out at a renowned Athletic Rehabilitation Center.
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During my long workouts, I noticed a very tall man who made it a point to make the rounds and visit with every patient lying on a workout table, seated on a recumbent bicycle or running on a treadmill. Standing at 6 feet 4 inches in height, this cyclist and all-around athlete had a remarkable gift for putting each of us at ease while urging us to "fight on" to reach our goals. Many young athletes were facing uncertain futures and they felt tense. All of us were overcoming some obstacle of one kind or another in our physical fitness. Enter Rich Mackney. He asked excellent questions and listened carefully. He was genuinely interested in each of our life stories and over time, a core group of us came to admire, love and respect this young businessman with a wife and family. In March, 2008 Rich developed the early signs of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. Last December, he was positively diagnosed with the disease. My friends John, Joyce, Bill and others too numerous to mention here--truly--made a transition. We were not only Rich's friends; we became Official members of "The Mackney Warriors", committed to urging Rich to "fight on" to win the war against ALS. As hard as it is to believe, 18-months have passed. Over the summer, I asked Rich at his birthday party if he would consider being a Guest on my BLOG Page feature, "The Interview". He accepted my invitation. We taped his appearance on Sunday evening. This morning, newly diagnosed patients and their families who are conducting searches on the topic of ALS, Lou Gehrig's Disease, or Rich Mackney will find this visit on the worldwide web crawler.
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There is no known cause or a cure for ALS at this time. With remarkable candor and a Determination to chart his own course to slow down the disease this year, stop it in 2010 and reverse it by 2011 Rich endeavors to bring HOPE to others who are facing ALS and a host of other diseases including Cancer, Parkinson's and Multiple Sclerosis. For Rich, there are two options: run away or stay and fight to live. He chooses to fight. Our 65 minute visit went like this:
Manning: For someone, Rich, who may not be familiar with ALS, what is it?
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Mackney: Michael, ALS stands for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, more commonly known in this country as "Lou Gehrig's Disease" after the famous baseball player. It is a disease that affects the motor neurons of the brain and spinal cord and over time, it kills off the motor neurons causing a loss of muscle control in the body. ALS begins in two classic ways. It can begin in your limbs--in your arms and legs which begin to weaken, or it can start in your upper extremities where you notice your speech and breathing begin to be affected by muscle loss. ALS affects, currently, about 30,000 people in the United States. But the shocking thing is that new diagnoses' are now exceeding 5,000 new cases per year. The average ALS patient survives anywhere from 2 to 5 years after diagnosis. A smaller number of people do survive for a longer period of time ranging from 7 to 10 years and in a very rare case, you have someone notable like Dr. Stephen Hawking who's still alive today--even though he's in his late 50's and he was first stricken when he was 28 years-old. So, why it affects people differently? We don't understand yet, and that's one of the sad things about ALS. Since there are relatively few cases of it in the United States, it does not--unfortunately--get the same amount of attention in the scientific world as do other mainstream diseases, like Cancer, for example. So, the research work in ALS is still sorely lacking.
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Manning: What has your approach been in your situation (after being diagnosed)? How have you responded?
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Mackney: Well, first of all Michael, in my case, I have to tell you that I believe that I inherited it from my mother who also died of ALS, and her mother died of Parkinson's Disease--another motor neuron disease. In my mind there is something genetic in my family that promotes the onslaught of the disease. That being said, inherited ALS today is only found in about 20 percent of the cases., while 80 percent of the cases are what's known as sporadic. They just happen. We don't understand why. There is a growing consensus as Science begins to advance that there are a host of influences on our genetic makeup that allow certain mutations to take place over time as we age. And then, coupled with that, there is a growing body of evidence that suggests that our greater environment--that means not only the air we breathe, but the products we use in our homes, our personal care and the output of technology from microwaves to electro-magnetic pulses to other aspects of technology that we will only fully understand in terms of health impact after we've been using them for 10, or 20, or 30 years. All of that is only slowly now being unraveled. So we think, mainly, first you have these genetic mutations that makes you a candidate for this or any host of other diseases. Secondly, the greater environment we're living in--over time pushes you over the edge. Some very interesting statistics exist right now. The first is that in the field of high endurance athletes, the rate of ALS diagnosis is almost double of the normal population. In the case of American servicemen and women serving in Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan, the rate is also about double of the normal population and affecting a greater percentage of younger people. So, when you combine the effects of the cases of the Army, the very serious inoculations you receive before you go overseas, and then the harsh life in hot, dusty, chemical-laden desert climate in the Middle East, we put together all the pieces that allow the body to be weakened to the point where they, in fact, find the onslaught of the diseases like ALS.
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Manning: Wow! You've taken some very positive, aggressive steps in terms of your treatment. Could you tell us about what you have done?
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Mackney: First and foremost, Michael, I have to say that my experience with ALS and certainly with comparing notes with other ALS patients is that when you are told by your doctor that you have ALS, there is a great tendency for the medical world to them tell you there isn't any real hope right now, so therefore, go home and prepare to die. Fortunately for me, that isn't my nature. I began to research globally what is being done along the lines of all research--meaning everything from drug therapy all to the way to the very exciting field of stem cell therapy. Now, I've found opportunities outside the United States to give experimental stem cell therapy to me whereas in the United States that is not possible without the approval of the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). And that process, unfortunately in this country, takes many, many years to happen. And it's difficult for someone who's been told who is the average ALS patient that you have a 2 to 5 year timeline and then you look at the FDA and you find that they work on a 5 to 10 year timeline and you realize you're going to be gone before they ever approve anything that might be able to help me. So, my approach was to look globally. I first went in March of this year to Germany to take advantage of some experimental stem cell therapy, which unfortunately has not been beneficial for me. On the other hand, I'll say that it also has not hurt me. And more recently, in July, I went to a facility in San Diego that has developed some new advances in stem cell therapy and operate out of a clinic in Mexico where they have Mexican government approval to go directly into human trials in cases of terminal illnesses. Again, I don't feel I've gotten any advantage from the therapy done in July. Then again, I don't think it hurt me either. I know from my research that we are making huge advances in updated stem cell research. And I see every week, a growing body of data that says more and more innovation of finding success in creating stem cells from simple things like skins cells, or fat cells, or liver cells, so that we can tale a small piece of you and now create and innovate millions and billions of stem cells of your generic makeup. The advantage in this is that we no longer have the ethical dilemma that surrounds embryonic stem cell research. Science has gotten away now from needing to use viruses to trigger the stem cells to do specific jobs. We now can achieve the same results by using a simple pair of stem cells anywhere and that's exciting. So, the near term future holds the promise of taking some simple stem cells from you, turning them into your stem cells, and giving them chemical instructions to do certain things. In my case, it would be to create new motor neurons for my brain and spinal cord where they'll re-attach to my muscles. In the case of other diseases, we're going to see that the same technology can rebuild the damaged liver, can rebuild your damaged heart, rebuild your damaged spinal cord, rebuild your damaged kidney, rebuild your damaged brain. So, the Science very shortly will be at the point where this learning will take root for humans. They're doing it in the labs today. My feeling is that if I am sitting here, certainly as a data point of one, I can say that stem cell therapy may not be the miracle cure, but it also is not injuring me further. And I, for one, would stand up and be a long-term candidate for anyone who wants to show me this new advancement called Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell--because they are inducing your stem cells to do a specific job. Then anyone tells me they're available can try it on me tomorrow, I'm going there!
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Manning: Sure!
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Mackney: Unfortunately, I don't see that happening tomorrow in the U.S. I see it happening in another country.
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Up Next: In Part 2 of this special edition of "The Interview", Rich addresses what we must do to take on ALS and many other diseases that regenerative medicine can help with Stem Cell Therapy.
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Website Contact for Rich Mackney Warriors: http://themackneywarriors.wordpress.com Stay in touch with Rich!
Together we can win the fight against Lou Gehrig's Disease!
This is a fun short video I was looking for over a cup of morning coffee. The sound needs to be turned up quite a bit, but it's fascinating and provides a nice thread of continuity from my previous post.
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Thanksgiving: I am grateful for all the wonderful times I have lived through and the many adventures still waiting ahead!
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It seems hard for me to admit this, but 29 years ago today Steve McQueen died at the age of 50. I became a fan of Steve McQueen at the age of 9 and recall hearing his final audio taped address to fans worldwide as he battled Mesothelioma. He is today regarded worldwide as "The King of Cool" for his anti-hero persona that is frequently imitated but will never be equalled. Steve became the highest-paid American movie actor by 1974's The Towering Inferno. He came to prominence replacing Ben Gazzara in the stage play, A Hatful of Rain after studying at Lee Strasberg's The Actor's Studio with Martin Landau. Memorable roles among his 30 films included: The Magnificent Seven with Yul Brynner, The Sand Pebbles with Lord Richard Attenborough, Never So Few with Frank Sinatra, The Great Escape with James Coburn, Jim Garner and Charles Bronson, Bullitt with Don Gordon, Robert Vaughn and Jacqueline Bisset, Love with the Proper Stranger with Natalie Wood, The Getaway with Ali MacGraw, LeMan's with Elga Andersen, Junior Bonner with Robert Preston, Ida Lupino, Ben Johnson and Barbara Leighand Papillon with Dustin Hoffman. In a tremendous career move, he produced and acted in Henrik Ibsen's An Enemy of the People, with Charles Durning--released for the first time this year on DVD. There was simply nobody like Steve McQueen--and there never will be.
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A throwaway kid from Beech Grove, Indiana who had a seemingly insurmountable upbringing, Steve, nevertheless, succeeded with hard work to forge one of the most varied and creative film careers in Hollywood that is unmatched today. Even after nearly three decades since his death, he is celebrated for the brilliant actor of instincts that he was, and the admirable man he grew to become.
A montage of Steve in the films The Thomas Crown Affair, The Great Escape, LeMans, The Sand Pebbles, Papillon, Nevada Smith and The Hunter. With Tuesday Weld and Ann Margret in The Cincinnati Kid.
Bullitt -
Thanksgiving: Continuing the Gratitude Challenge for the month of November that was introduced to me by Protege, I submit this entry for today: I give thanks for having been born when I was. I had incredible parents, I began work at age 14, and I have seen how society has changed so much today. I must say. I miss so many things from the past that preceded cell phones, texting (which I dislike), e-mailing and Facebook. In so many ways, I feel that I've lived in better times, when we kids had no computers; we created games outdoors and romance was free of ego and excesses. Life was simpler, and certainly more innocent than it is today. Life held more meaning and people were valued and appreciated far more than they are today. On this special day of remembrance, I appreciate the life of Steve McQueen. He was a private person and a tremendous philanthropist who finally found God in his life toward the end and made peace with himself and the world. He will always be "The King of Cool".
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The 5th Annual Steve McQueen Film Festival will be return here on this BLOG Page during the week of March 24th (Steve's birthday) in 2010.
My Aunt turns 90 today. Those of you who have been with me for any amount of time on this website (okay, technically this page alone is a BLOG site, which is part of my full website) will remember my BLOG post about a Beatles Tribute Band concert my Aunt attended a few years ago. The band was playing the entire "Revolver" album start to finish. She parked her car and walked with her nephew and his wife across the pedestrian bridge spanning The Ohio River into Kentucky for the show. She had a blast! Well, that is until she tried walking back to her car after the show. She was tired. So, a motorcycle police officer heard her mentioning to her nephew that she couldn't make the walk back. He said "Hop on!" My Aunt was surprised and said, "Really?" "Sure!"he replied. So, my Aunt carefully climbed onto the back of a Harley Davidson police motorcycle and they sped across the Ohio River pedestrian bridge to her car. She said it was thrilling! It was her daughter--my Cousin-- who introduced me at the age of 10 to her love of Arabian Horses. She raised them. As I've mentioned often, I lost my Cousin to breast cancer. She was young.
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Most of us have either a 50 or 100 "Things About Me" that is part of our BLOG Page Dashboard parked atop our BLOG Pages. In my "50 Things" I mention one of my Cousin's gifts to me was the love of horses. Her love of all animals was a God-given gift she received at the age of 3 while sitting on a park bench with her Mom. A bird landed on her shoulder and that was it! Today, I learn something new on a daily basis about horses...these beautiful and spiritual creatures.
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Thanksgiving: I am grateful for the Gift of my Aunt Nina. Growing up, there was nothing quite like sitting in her kitchen as a kid having conversations while watching her make soup and sandwiches. In the years I spent back in Ohio, there was hardly a week that went by where I wasn't in her kitchen having tea and honey recalling old memories...and creating new ones. Happy Birthday, Nina!
This is a rare video that has been edited out of Elvis' final television concert for many years, but I have decided to post it. It features Elvis backstage at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center in Rapid City, South Dakota on June 21, 1977. Monique Brave, a young girl from the Sioux Indian Tribe is taken backstage to present Elvis with a "Medallion of Life". He was very moved. The Mayor of Rapid City gives Elvis a plaque acknowledging him for being the first artist to perform in the new arena. There is much for you to take away from this footage. It is admittedly out of sequence from my earlier post. But it is consistent with what I intended to convey during November, the month of Thanksgiving and my Giving-Thanks-Challenge. This upcoming weekend, I will make my visits to those of you I might have missed recently.
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Thanksgiving: For friends who know what it is to stick it out. No matter what is working or not working in your life, true friends are available who are emotionally healthy, concerned for your life and your growth as a person. They never waver. They are always "on the same page" and supportive no matter what. Life is like the many angles of a cut diamond. There is a time when you will be lifted to meteoric heights of success, and times when turbulent winds blow and leave you bewildered in an environment of failure that is foreign and difficult. Nevertheless, true friends remain with you. They believe in you and validate you; they accept you and they encourage you. They don't go "Missing in Action". This is a Two Way Street--not a One Way Street or a Dead End. I give thanks today for true friends, old and new alike. May I be as good to you as you've been to me. Forever. Michael
Elvis Presley's final television concert was taped in June, 1977--a week before his final appearance at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, Indiana (June 26, 1977). CBS executives reportedly saw the post-production footage and elected to hold off airing it until Elvis was able to get his body back in shape and return to health. Few knew how serious his health situation was. After his death in August, 1977 CBS executives deliberated about what to do with the film footage. The outpouring of grief from his fans was so overwhelming that the special was re-edited to air nationwide on October 3, 1977 breaking all records for public viewing. Seeing this years ago was quite a shock for me. I didn't recognize the Elvis from my childhood. It had been only four years earlier that Elvis looked in peak form at age 38 during his "Aloha Via Satellite from Hawaii" concert that was beamed to 31 countries around the world--a first-ever. Rapid City, South Dakota was chosen largely because Elvis had never appeared there before and producers wanted to capture audience responses on camera that were favorable to Elvis changed appearance.
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Last weekend I went to see "This Is It"-- a documentary about the preparations and rehearsals involving Michael Jackson for what was to have been his 50 concert gig in England. It was very well done and not at all a sad occasion for me as much as it offered a glimpse at where Michael was in his professional life. I have two thoughts about al of this.
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First, it is so human and so easy to take life for granted and the simpler pleasures that happen to us. Protege's friend Leah, at South Breeze Farm has started hosting a "Giving Thanks Challenge", which I have accepted. I will post a single-sentence on each blog post listing something I am grateful for during this month of Thanksgiving.
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Lastly, Everyone has their own life and their own cross to bear. Some crosses are heavier than others. Having visited Graceland (Elvis' home in Memphis) twice, I could appreciate the immense wealth and fame this man had amassed. I also felt that it must have been suffocating to be isolated from the rest of the world because of his fame. Sheryl Crow once said that "We've learned how not to tour from Elvis" and she wasn't being disparaging. It was spoken with compassion. Elvis' eight years of grueling non-stop cross-country touring was handled very differently back in the 1970's from today's artists. In this brief film footage, Elvis is seen back stage only 6 weeks before his death at 42 years. I am not in the judgment business. Like Michael Jackson, 51, Elvis made many mistakes. But Elvis was also exceedingly generous to others in need (philanthropically) and watching this, I was struck with the courage it took to perform onstage when he was so obviously ill. He tried to capture the energy and the enthusiasm to be his personal best for his fans. The musical introduction, "Also sprach Zarathustra" (from the Stanley Kubrick film, "2001 A Space Odyssey") was a trademark opening for every Elvis stadium concert. This began during 1969--a year after he completed 31 motion pictures and returned to live performing. Whether you are a fan or not, this footage reminds me of the drive within each of us to do our best as we wake up and greet the day every morning. This itself is a gift. In the film, road manager Joe Esposito leans forward to whisper to Elvis to be careful walking out on stage, and you can see Elvis look at him and nod in acknowledgement. What a metaphor for life!
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Thanksgiving: I am grateful for the Hope we receive from the people who inspire us in our lives who carry crosses bigger than ours.
Tinkerbell and ThomasThe Tank Engine (aka: Morgan & Trevor Tredaway) -
Good Morning! Melinda Tredaway writes that she is preparing to fly back to St. Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis once again with Trevor. He has been doing very well and is scheduled for a Chemo treatment on Wednesday. This little boy is very, very important to me and I am honored to feature him whenever possible on this BLOGsite. Melinda (Trevor's Mom) is great about posting updates on Trevor's progress at: www.caringbridge.org/visit/trevortredaway and I know Trevor is very grateful for your many thoughts and prayers! Thank You All! Michael
Recently, I was reading an interesting review of Ireland's U2. They have collected 22 Grammy's. Still, Bono, guitarist the Edge, bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen, Jr. have their critics. I see these guys as a solid band with longevity who have been dealt a strong critical hand much in the same way The Rolling Stones were in 1994 when they released Don Was and The Glimmer Twins' "Voodoo Lounge". Back then critics were saying, "Come on. After 31 years these guys still think they can rock?" I found that amusing. It was a great CD. So, what are the main critiques of U2? Silvio Pietroluongo is Director of Charts for Billboard. "They're really not the type of band that is going to get pop airplay anymore", he said. Interestingly, Ray Manzarek, co-founder and keyboardist of The Doors sees it differently. "They are plugged into the universal energy of the cosmos. It translates to all ages, races and sexes".My Take: For my money, they are inventing new music all the time and not resting on past laurels. A fine band.
What can I say about this 47 year-old rock and roll band? They play loud and open with a blend of blues and are icons in America and worldwide. What critics harp on is their age--into their 60's--but what is ignored is that The Stones are constantly writing and performing new music. It is radio that ignores them. The new music is fitted into concert sets consisting of hits that hold up today every bit as well as they did when they were released decades ago. My Take: This is one band I haven't seen in concert. The interplay between Keith Richards and Ron Wood alternating instinctively with crunchy lead and rhythm guitar solos is quite a feat. They work extremely well together as a cohesive unit with original members Mick Jagger on lead vocals and drummer Charlie Watts with musical support from bassist Daryl Jones and keyboardist Chuck Leavell. "A Bigger Bang", their 2007 tour grossed $558 million--the highest grossing concert tour ever. They remain a force to be reckoned with!
Sir Paul McCartney can pack them in at stadiums around the world. The former Beatle has succeeded in reinventing himself while continuing to feature The Beatles song catalogue in concerts that leave everyone pleased. My Take: His bass guitar work remains outstanding as his strong vocals. Having lost a wife, endured a messy divorce and the death of Beatles band mates John Lennon and George Harrison, it is quite sad to think only Paul and drummer Ringo Starr survive. But that is the key word. They are, indeed, survivors. As an individual artist, Sir Paul's work stands on its own merit. His backup band plays close-in and delivers a punch. The concerts are long and generous. Here's a guy who could have retired a long time ago. He plays because he is a musician and he loves it! A solid concert ticket.
Don't call Bruce Springsteen "The Boss"--he doesn't like that, from all accounts. But this artist has been playing three and a half hour concerts (with an Intermission) since the late 1970's and he is simply indefatigable. One of the best decisions he made was reuniting with his "E Street Band" a decade ago. His breakthrough album "Born To Run" still manages to steam with a simmering energy replete with guitar driven melody's, keyboard dirges and hot Saxophone fills by Clarence Clemons that add an often balletic, if not operatic sense of urgency and intensity to rough hewn themes. These include: loneliness (Backstreets), desperation associated with survival and finding hope (Born To Run, Meeting Across The River, Badlands, Darkness On The Edge of Town), relationships (Prove It All Night) and women who have passed through his life (Rosalita, Candy's Room). Songs of hope are staged against the background of shuttered steel mines of the Northeast, hot rods, rock and roll and gang violence (Jungleland and Racing In The Streets). My Take: From Born to Run to Nebraska and The Rising, this artist has been on fire for many years. Like so many, he has overcome legal troubles and has bounced back with riveting tours and a fan base to forever secure his status as a true original songwriter who has paid his dues. His lyrics have grown more political in recent years, which isn't my thing. But credit must be given to his risk-taking with such projects as "The Ghost of Tom Joad" and solo acoustic tours. This is the working-class rebel who delivers in concert!
Green Day: This California pop/punk trio knows how to tour. Their five-month world tour is quite a refreshing change from bands of similar stature who will tour relentlessly for 12 to 18 months. Their 2004 rock opera "American Idiot" can't help but bring a smile and permit one to wonder to what extent the British rock band, "The Who" may have provided inspiration. However in truth, the band's sound is often mentioned along with The Ramone's, Sex Pistols and The Clash. My Take: They have survived more than 20 years and it's interesting that they performed "Blitzkrieg Bop" during The Ramone's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.
Coldplay: Formed in London, England in 1998, this alternative rock band's breakthrough came with their 2000 debut album Parachutes and the hit "Yellow". My Take: They have sold 50 million records and it's nice to see that the late Beatle George Harrison is among their artists of influence. Even more admirable, among their charity concerts, "Teenage Cancer Trust" was a recipient of their philanthropy!
Basically, I'm a Public Relations Consultant with a background in Broadcast News. I've worked as a Reporter and Anchor with PBS, ABC, CBS & NBC affiliates and in Cable Television. I'm active in Radio & Television Commercials, Guest Speaking engagements and I enjoy writing, music and sports.
