So, drugs and drink claims another.
48 years old, what a talent what a waste. Reading Whitney’s wiki biography takes me back to my single and courtship days. Thanks for the memories.
Rolling Stone; “Her voice is a mammoth, coruscating cry: Few vocalists could get away with opening a song with 45 unaccompanied seconds of singing, but Houston’s powerhouse version of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” is a tour de force.”
Boadicea's Chariot 
I initially opened this post with the final scene from The Bodyguard, it seemed a fitting tribute but the copies that I’ve found don’t allow embedding, I enjoyed it, if members would like to remind themselves of it here it is.
I recall a judge during one of our Idols audition shows stating, after yet another hopeful had her hopes dashed, that contestants should avoid Whitney Houston songs like the plague, her range and power was just impossible to imitate, he was quite right!
I will always remember her cover of Dolly’s big hit. The girls treated us to a bravura performance of it as we drove through the lanes of Brittany on a memorable camping holiday.
It’s really a shame. She was extremely talented but threw it all away. Poor lifestyle choices do have their consequences. Still, one of the great voices of the late 20th century is now gone, another true talent has left us.
I didn’t hear that news yesterday. How very sad.
What a great shame. She had such talent and that clip you posted is my favourite recording of hers.
Very sad news.
Ditto #3
He was getting old and paunchy and his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Legion, telling stories of the past.
Of a war that he had fought in and the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies; they were heroes, every one.
And tho’ sometimes, to his neighbors, his tales became a joke,
All his Legion buddies listened, for they knew whereof he spoke.
But we’ll hear his tales no longer for old Bill has passed away,
And the world’s a little poorer, for a soldier died today.
He will not be mourned by many, just his children and his wife,
For he lived an ordinary and quite uneventful life.
Held a job and raised a family, quietly going his own way,
And the world won’t note his passing, though a soldier died today.
When a celeb ups and leaves this earth, their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing and proclaim that they were great.
Papers tell their whole life stories, from the time that they were young,
But the passing of a soldier goes unnoticed and unsung.
Is the greatest contribution to the welfare of our land
Them who stuff themselves with drugs and booze and cons his fellow man?
Or the ordinary fellow who, in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his Country and offers up his life?
A celebs daily stipend and the style in which they live
Are sometimes disproportionate to the service that they give.
While the ordinary soldier, who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal and perhaps, a pension small.
It’s so easy to forget them for it was so long ago,
That the old Bills of our Country went to battle, but we know
It wasn’t so-called celebs, with their posturings and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom that our Country now enjoys.
Should you find yourself in danger, with your enemies at hand,
Would you want some drugged-up celeb with his ever-shifting stand?
Or would you prefer a soldier, who has sworn to defend
His home, his kin and Country and would fight until the end?
He was just a common soldier and his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us we may need his like again.
For when countries are in conflict, then we find the soldier’s part
Is to clean up all the troubles that they wouldn’t think to start.
If we cannot do him honor while he’s here to hear the praise,
Then at least let’s give him homage at the ending of his days.
Maybe just a simple headline in a paper that would say,
Our Country is in mourning, for a soldier died today.
I was a great fan of Whitney Houston, but, perhaps a little perspective? With apologies to A Lawrence Vaincourt
Bravo, good evening. Your #8.
I too was a fan of the late Whitney but I have to agree with you that the media circus which we are having to endure today is totally disproportionate to the sad event itself.
So, I liked your take on the Vaincourt poem, which, of course, contains that particularly powerful line:-
‘Who won for us the freedom that our Country now enjoys.’
How true it is that ordinary men and women of my father’s generation took up arms in the face of Fascism and Japanese Imperialism and defeated the forces of that evil Axis. I am sure that I and my friends in other countries of the Commonwealth would be far less free today if those forces had prevailed.
I don’t have a problem with the time and exposure that the media are giving Whitney’s death, nor did I with the attention given to others (Amy, Jackson etc.)
The more that our youth are exposed to the evils of drugs the happier I am.
As for ‘Bravo’s poem’ – bulldust! Not a single member of your or our armed forces dies without me hearing or reading about it, I go cold, sure, I don’t write a post about each and every casualty but I’ve often commented when others have posted.
‘He will not be mourned by many, just his children and his wife’ Has he not seen the repatriations and solemn processions? (Wootten Basset) Or bought a poppy. Or attended a Remembrance Sunday service? Where millions and millions mourn and remember fallen soldiers
There will not be many who remember the passing of ‘celebs’ on an annual basis but the services for fallen soldiers will be eternal.
One blogger likes this comment.
So Whitney Houston wasted millions of dollars on crack and basically killed herself. At least it was her own money.
This guy is wasting thousands on killing himself.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2100052/Worlds-fattest-man-Keith-Martin-lives-London-58-stone.html
Unfortunately it is our money that is being wasted on allowing him to carry on doing so.
I have no sympathy for either of them, but at least Whitney Houston’s voice has been recorded for the future.
Aye weel Soutie, there does come a point.
I respect your comment but my #9 was, in fact, #10 when it appeared. Part of it was intended to respond to the then #9 which has vanished without trace (because it can as always). As I recall, it accused Bravo of saying all sorts of things which I do not believe he was saying. In particular and as I recall again, the comment accused him of glorifying people who had been ‘brainwashed’ into killing and who were not worth any form of respect.
That #9 was. in my opinion, intemperate and deliberately offensive.I am glad that it has vanished without trace. Said vanishing still makes a nonsense of my post.
The reason that I chose to post in this forum was that I believed that we could all state our beliefs without fear or favour. It is becomingly increasingly clear to me that that is not strictly the case.
Not a problem, of course, Boadicea’s (and Bearsy’s site) and their rules. Still don’t want to not post here and am grateful to them for all their efforts but I do worry about the cherished authors who we have clearly lost and about a certain arbitrary element of moderation which will, in my opinion, lose more if it continues unabated.
Ah well, Mr Mackie, I cannot disagree with your last paragraph. It’s a worry, because this is an excellent site but we are too few.
The original reason for the founding of this site was I believe to escape the arbitrary moderation on MyT, and it was open to all. Now I do understand that some are no longer welcome which is regrettable because I truly believe that here we are free from trolls, and attracted some of the best bloggers from that site.
I have always supported this site, and wish to continue to do so. I appreciate that Boadicea and Bearsy are in charge, and have done an amazing job, with Soutie’s assistance, but I believe the relationship between owners and authors should be symbiotic; one cannot exist without the other.
I hope that this will not be construed as criticism, because it is not intended as such, but I fear it will. 😦
Mr. Mackie – I watched silently as the orignal thread evolved last night. To my eternal discredit i tucked my tail between my legs and slunk away.
OZ
I did the same, OZ, and not for the first time; and I’m not proud of it either. 😦
Particularly if you’re me. Obviously I am not allowed to have an opinion, as far as Mackie is concerned.
It was disagreeable to see a post celebrating the life of a great entertainer hijacked by an off-topic comment which incorrectly deplores the lack of remembrance offered to returned servicemen. Soutie’s comment cogently puts the lie to this assertion.
Nobody’s comments have been moderated except my own heartfelt ripostes – I removed them after reflecting that it was Soutie’s post, so he should be allowed the platform to defend his welcome article.
Mackie’s ” intemperate and deliberately offensive” slur is incorrect, defamatory and, quite frankly, nasty. The jingoistic poem was out of place, and it is offensive – deeply offensive – to those of us who regard Whitney’s demise as a regrettable example of how talented people’s personal demons can be their undoing, and who refuse to glorify armed conflict. You may not agree with me that war is hell, but you will never convince me that killing people is a sensible way to settle a dispute.
Boadicea is very busy with other matters.
I suggest Araminta checks her facts about who has been banned; it’s a very short list. Other bloggers have left because they chose to. Some because they had other things to do, some because they did not like the way the site is run. I remind all of you that you are under no obligation to post or comment here, but if you do then you have to accept that I have as many rights to an opinion as you do. Boadicea sets and administers policy, not I.
Personally I find attacks such as these hypocritical and distasteful, but fill your boots if that’s what turns you on.
Regarding Mr Mackie’s comment, currently #12, but that may change, I thought that this might amuse. Also from the Amy Winehouse Post. https://charioteers.org/2011/07/23/amy-winehouse-rehab/
Morning Sipu
I’m not quite sure what a member’s comments on the death of Amy Winehouse has to do with the death of Whitney Houston?
Your second quote is as valid now as it was then however, I understand the limitations of member’s html prowess and accept that not all can always comply.
I am indeed very busy, and, I might add, under considerable stress.
I look in every morning – sometimes at 3 or 4 am and try to make at least one comment to let people know that I am still around. Some comments on this post need addressing – so here goes.
Only two posters have been banned. One is, at the moment having comments moderated… for the very good reason that they have a history of posting abusive comments.
Very few comments are removed by the moderators. Authors have the right to remove comments from their own posts – even the owners of the site. That most people ‘choose’ not to use that facility does not mean that that those who do remove comments they don’t like should be castigated.
It is true that the moderators do have an ‘unfair’ advantage in that they can remove their own comments from any post – and Bearsy often self-moderates. I sometimes wonder how many others would, if they could.
I shall not comment on the appropriateness of any comment on this thread. I don’t particularly like the media hype that follows the death of celebrities – but I am totally in support of Soutie’s comment:
Hi Soutie, I was just pointing out that the death of one celebrity attracted very little sympathy from a particular blogger while the death of another, in what appear to be similar circumstances, seems to have attracted considerably more. I was wondering what lay behind such an apparent change of heart. Perhaps it was a taste in music or a personal connection to one of them. Both women were extremely talented, but both brought about their own downfall through extreme abuse of drugs and alcohol.
As for the item about comments, it can be futile to refer to a comment by number if it is going to be removed at a later point in time. As JM says, it rendered his remarks somewhat meaningless. By using the full quote, other readers do at least know what is the reference.
Sipu they were chalk and cheese!
Perhaps the fact that Winehouse along with Pete whatsiname flaunted their anti-establishment lifestyles and gave most of us the two fingers resulted in a lack (or certainly lesser) sympathy.
It certainly did me.
Arrers, “……this is an excellent site but we are too few.” I agree. The ‘critical mass’ is worrying these days.
Soutie, I am not sure that I agree with the validity of your assessment. Anybody who does drugs to the extent that they both did, is asking for trouble. But we can agree to disagree.
It absolutely staggers me that anyone should even contemplate getting ‘excited’ over the deaths of junked up jongleurs.
A None of us know them
B Most wouldn’t want to!
C Singers are hardly a rare commodity and don’t actually sound like their recordings without a serious lot of techno bollocks. (Exceptions being opera,leider, etcetc.
D Most live unacceptable lifestyles.
E Would you really want such as your neighbour?
F Suggest all and sundry calm down, why on earth would normal middle class people get so excited over such? Think you’ve all taken leave of your senses
Well I have to say I found the live coverage just a little ghoulish.
The networks had an aerial camera permanently trained on the back entrance of the Beverly Hilton hotel while some talking head kept banging on about Bobby Brown, Betty Ford and interjecting the scene with clips of a ‘slightly the worse for the vimto’ Whitney staggering out of a night club and being poured into a car by her minders. I assume the camera was hoping to catch a glimpse of a shrouded cadaver being inserted into some vehicle or other.
Kindly enlighten me as to how this can be deemed the stuff of Pulitzer?
I was never a fan of her music, she warbled on far too much for my taste. Her rendition of the SSB that time at the Superbowl has led to every artist since, turning the tune into a miserable funeral dirge. I do accept she was a very talented singer and this is a sad loss, but I won’t shed any tears, sorry.
Soutie makes an excellent point re: highlighting the perils of drug/alcohol abuse, but just like Whingehouse, Keith Moon, Jimi Hendrix, Elvis, John Belushi, Janis Joplin and a whole host of others over the decades, the message seems far from a precautionary tale.
Christina – well said! 😀
Thank you, Bearsy and Boadicea for your thoughts.
Bearsy “some” does not translate into many, and I know that most have left of their own accord.
I much preferred Soutie’s response to Bravo, which was rather more more measured, which, incidentally I agree with. Good call to leave the response to the author of the post then.
Boadicea. I absolutely appreciate your task at the moment does not leave you much time to deal with events here. I’m aware that self-moderation is possible for authors on their own posts, and for administrators, but it does mean one can waste one’s time replying to comments which then disappear, for whatever reason. From the point of view of an author it is impossible to know by whom, or why they were moderated. Now I do appreciate that this is how it is, but this is why we tend to lump it all under “moderation”.
I hope that your stress is not caused by any deterioration in your mother’s health.
Araminta – I shall reply to your continuing stream of criticisms in a new post; this one has been hijacked enough. It may take a while for it to appear.
It is hardly criticism, Bearsy, merely my response to your thoughts, but I agree, a new post may be the correct way to continue the discussion.
No rush, I may or may not join in the discussion; it depends on what is going on chez moi, and the contents of your new post.
Then I won’t bother.
It is entirely up to you, Bearsy.
Like the Valentine header, by the way. 🙂
Were it entirely up to me, Araminta, I would have closed this site months ago.
I sort of gathered that, Bearsy, but I think Boadicea and I and a fair few others would really appreciate it if you would persevere. This is only my opinion of course, I really shouldn’t speak for others.
We have all worked hard to make this site a success, but particularly you, Boadicea and Soutie.
You may want to moderate the last couple of comments, Bearsy, but your choice.
Bleedin’ Eck!!!!!
When are you two just gonna do the wild thang and clear the air? 🙂
Furry, is that a polite way of saying “get a room”?
I tend to agree, I shall email The Bear, it’s getting a bit heavy. 😦
Go easy on the bear Minty MBE,
Today is never a good one to be half a world away from your soulmate. 🙂
I know, but I do feel I haven’t been unkind, Furry. I have just emailed the Cause of our Concern with profuse apologies.
I’d better not comment further in case it appears I am taking sides in this.
It’s good to talk. 🙂
Indeed, 🙂
Er, I meant it’s good to talk, nothing else, I don’t think you are taking sides, Furry One.
I know Minty MBE. 🙂
Erm (slinks out of shadows with paw raised), I really like the way a thread can veer off topic – keeps one on the toes, don’cha know. This is an excellent, high-tech, well managed site in my humble whatsit with oodles of experience, knowledge and humour on display. I would be bereft if it closed. (Slinks back into the shadows.)
OZ
I’m slinking off now, OZ, I’ve raised my tiny paw too.
Nighty night. x
A distant, mournful howl, fading to the silence of the wilderness……
OZ
Relax, OZ.
For as long as Boadicea wishes it so, this site will remain open.
However, although I have ceased posting my cute little articles on
I shall continue to make my erudite, idiosyncratic, WYSIWYG, Peacenik, Hippy-like comments whenever I feel like it.
Not aimed at you, OZ, but it’s probably time for some Charioteers to re-read the ‘About’ and ‘Lex Icenorum’ pages.
This is the polite, edited, smoothed down, calmed version of the comment that I originally wrote. In deference to Boadicea’s wishes, no names are named, no specific incidents are recalled, and there are no growls, snarls or claws visible. But don’t push me any further, good people. I do bite.
#47. Not so much a flounce as a flouncette!
#47. Made me smile this morning! Well done for your restraint 🙂
Three bloggers like this comment.
Bearsy: for what it’s worth, and that is as much as you’re willing to grant it, I’ve always appreciated your posts. They’ve been consistently brilliant, witty, and insightful. You’re a talented writer, don’t let that go to waste. Your posts about the use, abuse, and cold-blooded murder of the English tongue were especially brilliant.
It worked!!! 🙂
Thanks, Christopher. Greatly appreciated. 🙂
Seconded.
OZ
ON some blogs I’ve noticed a little ‘thumbs up / thumbs down’ facility at the bottom of each comment… maybe we could make use of that? I’d like to add my thumbs up to number 49, please.
Sadly no, Pseu. It would be nice if we could, but … 🙄
Presumably not available with this ‘skin’? I though the widgets were available on all styles….
EW, I see my avatar has been added to 49! Clever Bear
They are – but I’m not aware of a widget for that. Anyway, widgets apply to the sidebar, not to comments. On this template, anyway. 😕
Hello Pseu
I did the ‘like comment’ thingy as an experiment hence my expression of joy in comment #51. Having said that, I do genually ‘like’ Boadicea’s comment and was flummoxed for a reply 😕
I was merely copying Bearsy’s example (see my comment #10), so he started it!
As a said, I was experimenting (as you can on your own posts, using the edit comment facility) but then the Bear added his gravatar to mine and made it 2! That really made me laugh.
I will now ‘edit’ the comment, check out what he’s done and save for future reference, all good fun 🙂
Bearsy, I had the thumbs up activated on my blog for a while, but can’t for the life of me see where I did that now. Going out just now, will try to find later.
Soutie, I shall have a look at the edit comment on one my own posts….. thanks
Thanks Pseu, that’d be great. 🙂
But Bearsy, why have you ceased posting articles, cute or otherwise, on cricket, Australian current affairs, etc? I enjoy them. It’s good to have different topics and points of view from the US, South Africa, Australia, Denmark as well as the UK.
I have just fund this:
“Go to your dashboard, click Ratings. The main page of Ratings settings shows you three tabs where you can choose to enable your thumbs… “
Don’t forget Portugal!
I’ve done it! (under the second tab on that page.)
Sheona – “le jeu ne vaut pas la chandelle” 😦
Désolée de l’apprendre, Bearsy.
Christopher, you’re right. How could I have omitted Portugal!