...Air Shows

There have been 2 separate air show plane crashes within 24 hours of each other on opposite ends of America. Friday in Reno, NV a P-51 Mustang dubbed the Galloping Ghost slammed into the ground after the plane lost a little piece of equipment used to help the pilot control the plane. So far there have been 9 deaths reported with dozens more injured. Saturday in West Virginia a pilot died after crashing his post-World War II plane into the runway and bursting into flames. The plane was apart of the Trojan Horsemen. According to The Boeing Co.'s website, the North American T-28 Trojan was a basic trainer that was used by the U.S Navy, including for carrier operation. Its first flight was in 1949 and it was designed to transition pilots to jet aircraft. Obviously people go to these shows because they love planes and they love the stunts that the pilots put on. But it seems as if every year there is an accident that takes a life. Are the pilots too old to be flying? Possibly. The pilot in Reno was 74 years old, in some places they will not even allow people of that age to drive. Are the stunts too reckless? Possibly. What is the point in flying a plane really fast in a small part of the sky? What is the point in letting the plane nosedive just to pull it back up at what seems to be the last minute? Entertainment? Maybe, but there has to be a after way to entertain the people there. I am giving these air shows a Digit Down. I am sure there will be more air shows and more deaths, but what are the odds of having back to back deaths at different shows.

...Amy Winehouse

When we all heard that Amy Winehouse had died most of us assumed it was from a drug overdose or in some way related to drugs. Some of you change your mind when you heard reports that there were no drugs found at the scene of her death. Today her toxicology report was released and it too confirmed that there were no illegal drugs found in her system at the time of her death, though they did find alcohol. A report read, "Toxicology results returned to the Winehouse family by authorities have confirmed that there were no illegal substances in Amy's system at the time of her death. Results indicate that alcohol was present but it cannot be determined as yet if it played a role in her death. The family would like to thank the police and coroner for their continuing thorough investigations and for keeping them informed throughout the process." A formal inquest into her death is due on October 26. Her father believed that when Amy went cold turkey from alcohol that her body suffered from withdrawals and that may have lead to her death. Doctors told her to gradually reduce her intake but he says Amy gave it up altogether at once. "Abstinence gave her body such a fright, they thought it was eventually the cause of her death." Though I would still rather have Amy alive than dead, this does show that she was trying to change and that she could have changed if she were to have lived. I am giving this report a Digit Up for dignity.

...Russell Armstrong

Russell Armstrong was the estranged husband of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Taylor Armstrong. We all saw how their marriage was unraveling on the show thus why when she filed for divorce from him last month it came as no surprise. Sadly he committed suicide at the age of 47. Though the coroner has not done an autopsy, multiple reports have come out saying that he hanged himself at his house or his friend's house. Many people think that bad press and financial stress lead to him taking his life. Taylor previously reported that he pulled her hair and pushed her a few times. A restraining order was filed by his ex wife in 1997 as well. He filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2005, claiming he had less than $50,000 in assets ... and debt somewhere between $1 and $10 million. He was a successful investment banker who made most of his money during the dot com era of the 90's. I remember on the show when another housewife, Lisa, alleged that maybe Taylor was staying married to Russell because she was into "the life", the good life of the typical well to do Beverly Hill's kept woman. It seems life Russell was into it as well and it cost him a lot. I am sure there is much more to this that only her, Taylor and a few other know. Taylor's rep released this statement on her behalf, "Taylor Armstrong is devastated by the tragic events that have unfolded. She requests privacy at this time so that she may comfort her young daughter. Her thoughts and prayers are also with Russell's 11 and 13 year old sons." Bravo also released a statement, All of us at Bravo are deeply saddened by this tragic news. Our sympathy and thoughts are with the Armstrong family at this difficult time." I am giving this news a Digit Down. Though many viewers of the Housewives' series love drama, this is not the kind that we like.

...Centenarians

A new study conducted by researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have found that many very old people, age 95 and older, could be poster children for bad health behavior with their smoking, drinking, poor diet, obesity and lack of exercise. They followed 477 Ashkenazi Jews between the ages of 95 and 112 found out that they nearly matched the control group in terms of the percentage who were overweight, exercised (or didn't exercise), or smoked. One woman, age 107, smoked for over 90 years. The researchers think that genes may have a part to do in this. With that being said just because your mother lived to be 103 does not necessarily mean you will live as long, genes are a game of chance. Also people now age 100 lived in an era when obesity was nearly nonexistent and when daily exercise such as walking down streets or up a few flights of steps was more common. Their food was cleaner, less additives and mostly all natural. So what does this mean for us? Nothing at all. We are going to die before 70 and we still will not receive any Social Security. Science cannot use the Bible but it says that if you honor your mother and father your days will be longer. Can you imagine how short the days of our immoral youth will be? Now we are all confused and I am giving these researchers a Digit Down for telling us things that a lot of us already knew.

...Amy Winehouse

Believe it or not I ma still not fully over the death of Amy Winehouse. However she did leave her fans a parting gift, music. Spokesman Chris Goodman said Thursday that Winehouse left behind "plenty" of material, but there have been no discussions yet about releasing anything. The Guardian newspaper on Thursday quoted an unnamed spokesman "close to" record label Universal as saying Winehouse had left the "framework" of about a dozen songs. Producer Salaam Remi, who worked on both Winehouse albums "Frank" and "Back to Black" and was involved with her new material, told DJ Kim Kane of New York's Power 105.1 radio station that there were not large amounts of finished material, and Winehouse's estate had yet to approve the release of anything. I want nothing more than more songs from Amy, an album or two would be nice as well. However if it negates her legacy then I will be okay with her two albums and other songs she was featured on. I am sure her family will allow her music to be released with a large amount, if not all, of the proceeds from that album going to the charity her father is setting up in her name to help people with addiction who cannot afford treatment. Along with this news I found out a little more about Amy's on again off again boyfriend Reg Traviss. The accomplished British film maker on the rise was approved of by Amy's father. He said Amy felt good about life and was looking forward to a future with him. He also said she was happy, the happiest she had been in years. This just adds to the mystery surrounding her death. Still I am going to give this a Digit Up. I see good things for the legacy of Amy Winehouse.

...Dr. Drew Pinsky

Dr. Drew is not someone I would go to for advice. On Friday Jeff Conaway passed away. If you know Dr. Drew then you know he is on the show "Celebrity Rehab". Jeff was one of his clients and sadly he did not do as well as we would have liked him to do. Jeff is also the 2nd person to be on that show to die this year, the first was Mike Starr. Dr. Drew also has his on talk show along with the ever controversial "16 and Pregnant" and "Teen Mom" series' on MTV. For over a year now I have wondered, what does he do? He is always available for interviews whenever a celebrity's addiction become public or whenever a celebrity has an affair. He may have a degree in this or that but he seems to be addicted to fame himself. A man of his age who works out a lot and likes to be seen seems to have an addiction to me. He has 3 daughters, triplets, and he lives in the L.A. area, that is not cheap people. I guess he decide to use his looks and degree to make it in the reality TV world. If he were just a reality TV guy then I would not have a problem with him, but he is a doctor, a doctor who seems to have helped less people than Dr. Phil. In fact this guy makes Dr. Phil look like a real miracle worker. I am giving Dr. Drew a Digit Down because he seems to be abusing his doctor title by using it to land him fame and fortune rather than actually helping others.

...The Morning After

The morning after the morning after actually. Osama Bin Laden is dead or "dead" some would say. How do we know this is true? It is an awkward time to come out with this news. I just want o see a couple of pictures and then I will believe it is so. A lot of people think he died 8 years ago, if that is true then I guess the picture would be obviously dated. I was okay with the thought of him being dead until I heard he was dumped in the sea... Does that not raise a flag with anyone else? They said they did it because they did not want his grave to become a tribute or a shrine. That is okay, but you could have burned him or water. They said they did right by Islamic tradition, but several Muslim authorities said today that the sea burial in fact violated Muslim tradition and warned that it could help trigger calls for revenge from militant Muslims. Mohammed al-Qubaisi, Dubai's grand mufti, echoed that view. "If the family does not want him, it's really simple in Islam: You dig up a grave anywhere, even on a remote island, you say the prayers and that's it." So now I go back to my original thoughts moments after I heard the news he was killed, was this a ploy to distract us from the harsh economic realities? Think about it; our dollar is weak, inflation is going to happen at a grander rate than we thought, oil prices are sending gas prices close to $5 this Summer, and there is nothing we can d about it at this moment. This news made us happy and celebrate for a moment, but when happens when you go to the gas station this week or buy groceries? Osama's death came and went but this economy will last much longer. This is easily year 4 and there will be a year 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and beyond. So honestly I do not care if he were dead or alive, he has done what he wanted to do and he got what he wanted, though not through his actions. He killed a lot of Americans, and our economy is falling. Show me proof that he is dead and fix my economy, not necessarily in that order. If this is what the President had to do to get re-elected then that is sad. If this united us the way 9011 did and we get some actually bills passed and this budget figured out properly, then this would have been worth it. but as soon as we celebrated we were ready to debate so for now nothing has changed, nothing has gotten better and I do not feel safer. I am giving this all a Digit Down.

...Alcohol

It appears that alcohol kills more than AIDS, tuberculosis and violence around the world, says the World Health Organization (WHO). With more drinking in heavily populated area in Africa, Asia and India, the risk is growing greater every year. last year 2.5 million people died from alcohol related deaths around the world, roughly 4% of the world's total deaths, and yet alcohol control policies are always low on the list of most government priority list. Males lead the pack with most of them dying between the age of 15-59. 30% of the alcohol consumed is illegal or homemade, which can be more toxic than store bought alcohol. In Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), every fifth death is due to harmful drinking, the highest rate. Binge drinking, which often leads to risky behavior, is now prevalent in Brazil, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Russia, South Africa and Ukraine, and rising in other places. There are about 60 illnesses linked to alcohol including cirrhosis of the liver, epilepsy, poisonings, road traffic accidents, violence, and several types of cancer, including cancers of the colorectum, breast, larynx and liver. I am not an alcohol drinking, never have been, probably never will be. This does not surprise me. Asians and Indians are not large people so I am sure it does not take a lot to get them drunk and impaired, and if they decide to binge then poisoning could happen very easily. High school kids binge drink because they just want to have a "good time" or because they do not want to stick out from the crowd and their bodies are not built to handle the large amounts of alcohol they tend to consume at house parties. You cannot really regulate alcohol, because you can always buy in advance and have it stored for a later date. We tried Prohibition in America and we lost billions, in today's dollars, in tax money, and there was also the rise of the mafia, bootleggers, and many many many deaths. So what can we do? Nothing. All we can do is hope people will learn responsibility and self control other than that, just hope you do not get hit by a drunk driver. Digit Down.

...Jared Lee Loughner

Jared Lee Loughner, age 22. Who is he? No one really knows. He was arrested a day before his 19th birthday in 2007 for drug paraphernalia, he also has 2 other minor infractions. He tried to join the U.S. Army in 2008, but he was denied. January 8, 2011 he killed 6 people including a 9 year-old girl and injured 13 including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords(D). All day there were conflicting reports. Was she dead... Was she alive... Many publications posted online that she had died, we all thought she had died. Hours later a doctor set the record straight by letting us know she was alive and that she was out of surgery and while she was in very critical condition, he was optimistic. Jared basically tried to assassinate her. He shot her point blank in the head and then unload his semi-automatic gun into the crowd. He killed 8 people, a child, a judge, staff members on Congresswoman Giffords. Some say that he planned to kill himself, he maybe even had a suicide note on him, but 2 people tackled him and thwarted that plan. The Congresswoman received death threats last years after voting in favor of the Health Care Bill. Her offices in Arizona were shot at as well. She was re-elected in a tough campaign, in a state like Arizona that leans Right she managed to win. She is well liked and respected on both sides of the isle so it is still shocking that someone would want to do this to her. Jared did not just come up with this attack out of nowhere, he planned this, he knew what he was going to do. Police think that he had an accomplice, but he is not cooperating at all. From his postings on YouTube and other social sites you can obviously tell he has some mental issues, which is a shame. He will probably get off on a legal technicality, that legal technicality being insanity. I also find it a little sad that a guy with his mental issues and his criminal past was able to get a gun within days of this shooting. I know Arizona is a Red state and I know every state has its own requirements, but maybe more should be done. I like guns, I know why people like them as well and I am all for people having them, but the people that are responsible and reasonable do not do things like this with their guns and we need to weed out the good from the bad before they ruin it for everyone. Jared is going to get punishment. If not justice will not be served at all whatsoever. I am giving Jared Lee Loughner 2 Digits Down.

...Elizabeth Edwards

Elizabeth Edwards... Well basically she is telling us goodbye. She received news that her cancer has returned and it has spread to her liver. She has been battling breast cancer since 2004 and for a while it looked like she beat it. Her doctors told her that further treatment would be unproductive, so she has stopped and it seems as if it is only a matter of time before she will be gone. She wrote this on her Facebook page, "You all know that I have been sustained throughout my life by three saving graces -- my family, my friends, and a faith in the power of resilience and hope. These graces have carried me through difficult times and they have brought more joy to the good times than I ever could have imagined... It isn't possible to put into words the love and gratitude I feel to everyone who has and continues to support and inspire me every day. To you I simply say: you know." As you know her husband, John Edward, had an affair and fathered a child with another woman while running for President in 2008. They have been separated for a while now, but even he is by her side while she goes through this difficult time. I am sure I am not alone in wishing that this did not have to end this way for her, but in the end it may be best. Her family will miss her greatly and so will the people she touched across the nation. I am giving this news 2 Digits Down.

...Charlie Davies

On October 13th of 2009 soccer player Charlie Davies was involved in a serious car accident. How serious was it? The car split into two pieces and Davies suffered a broken femur and tibia in his right leg, a broken left elbow, facial fractures, a lacerated bladder and bleeding on the brain. Even worse his passenger, 22-year-old Ashley Roberta, was killed. The driver of the car only had a few minor injuries. Even though Davies was not driving that night you would think that the shock and near death experience would be enough for him to calm down and never ever speed or drink and drive. Wrong. It has just been released that last Saturday Davies received a speeding ticket for traveling 110 mph! Apparently since he missed the World Cup and since his coach told him he is far from getting back on the team he feels that he is just going to give up and do what he wants to do. Well no matter what it is still dumb, very dumb. Take it from me, someone who ha been involved in many accidents, it is not something you like to do or repeat and you usually try to avoid them at all cost. Speeding is not trying to avoid them, it is pretty much looking for one This is a stupid move on his part and this is not going to help him get n the team any faster, even as he makes progress on the field. I am giving Charlie Davies a Digit Down.

...Death

In the last 2 days there have been 4 deaths that I have heard, sen and read about.

-Tony Curtis: Actor famous for his works in "Sweet Smell of Success," "The Defiant Ones" and "Some Like It Hot." Also father to actress Jamie Lee Curtis, they look alike. He was 85.

-Arthur Penn: Director and Broadway Producer of Bonnie and Clyde, The Miracle Worker, An Evening With Mike Nichols and Elaine May and All the Way Home, just to name a few. He was a very serious man who was influential in the movie industry. He helped introduce sex and violence in movies in a way they had not been done before. He was 88.

-Greg Geraldo: Comedian known for his duties on NBC's "Last Comic Standing" and most notably Comedy Central Roasts. He was found unconscious last Friday in his hotel room after he missed a scheduled appearance in New Jersey. It seemed as if he had an accidental overdose, but it was not a suicide attempt. Greg's family pulled the plug on him after being in a comma for 4 days. He was 44.

-Seth Walsh: Probably the saddest of the deaths is this 13 year old California boy who hanged himself. He was found by kids hanging from a tree, 9 days later he died. He came out to his friends and they started to bully him. Another case of bullying...

-Tyler Clementi: The most recent death is a Rutgers student who committed suicide by jumping off of the George Washington Bridge after his roommate and his roommate's friend posted a live video feed of him having sex with another guy. Apparently Tyler's family did not know he was gay. The roommate sent Tweets and Facebook updates to others sot hat they could watch as well. The 2 students, Dhraun Ravi and Molly Wei, have been charged with invasion of privacy. If found guilty they could face 5 years in prison. More details will be coming out about this in the days to come. He was 18.

As always I will be giving death a Digit Down.