Amy Winehouse

Amy live on Irish Television station RTE.

Singer Amy Winehouse, 27, has been found dead at her home in Camden Square, North London. A Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed that a 27-year-old woman had died in Camden and that the cause of death was as yet unexplained. Winehouse had won widespread acclaim, aged 20, with her 2003 debut album, Frank. But it was 2006's Back to Black which brought her worldwide stardom, winning five Grammy Awards.



The troubled singer made her last public appearance on Wednesday night when she joined her goddaughter Dionne Bromfield on stage at The Roundhouse in Camden. The singer danced with Bromfield and encouraged the audience to buy her album in the impromptu appearance before leaving the stage. The troubled singer had a long battle with drink and drugs which overshadowed her recent musical career. She pulled out of a comeback tour last month.


This is Amy last Wednesday (20.07.11) @ iTunes Festival 2011 at the Roundhouse in Camden. Dionne Bromfield's performance of Mama Said with Amy Winehouse (her godmother) making a guest appearance.

It is so sad about that Amy Winehouse is dead at 27. I bumped into her when visiting in the London Clinic, Harley Street, December a year ago and she looked so much better as if she was really on the mend. Her drug use had given her chronic emphysema, a lung disease more commonly associated with people who are 40 +. as a result she used to go into the clinic about 4 times a year for treatment.



There is nothing good to say about emphysema, it is serious illness and just does not get better, in fact the opposite is the case. Others have made this point but that night it struck me how small and waif like she was. No doubt she had her demons and the compulsive behaviour which led her into addiction to drink & drugs has been well documented elsewhere as she has been relentlessly pursued by a wolverine and amoral Tabloid industry looking for the latest Winehouse "money shot."

http://daithaic.blogspot.com/2008/11/paparazzi-insight.html

However the girl I exchanged a hesitant greeting with in the cloistered sanctuary of a London hospital that night was a frail, damaged, perceptive and hugely gifted individual whose music and not her lifestyle will be her real and enduring legacy. A great pity too that it is only that for she had much more to give and would have used the years ahead to change and grow. She used to be "hidden" in a corner room on the top floor with her security outside the door, even in these protected surroundings there was no question of a "normal life."


Fan's tributes outside Amy's Camden Square home where she died

Whilst we both exchanged a nervous "hi" the nurses on duty told me she always came down to them when visitors were gone and patients were asleep for a good old natter. She was there again when I was visiting in the Clinic some six months latter. Close up she came across as frail and I wouldn't have compromised her privacy but mention it now to emphasise that whatever the reason she died, Amy's underlying health was poor. As always we should remember addiction is a disease, not a choice. She was a great talent whose resonant songs sprung from the trials of her existence and this is a terrible waste of a talented young life.

Shalom aleikhem, שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם

Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011)

...Ted Williams

About a weeks or so ago I wrote about this man, the homeless man with a "golden voice". Well by now if you have not seen and or heard about him, tell me how that rock feels that you must live under. Today he and his ex-wife a 5 of his children, he has 9 total, are going to appear on a pre-taped episode of Dr. Phil. I am sure after the show they will have the update that I am about to give you. Ted has decided to check himself into rehab. Two days ago he got into an altercation with one of his daughters at a Los Angeles hotel, provided by the show, and he and his daughter were taken into the police station to talk it over. His family revealed that he has been drinking daily. We already knew about his previous drug and alcohol addiction, but it seems as if some things are harder to quit than others. He is checking himself in for drug and alcohol dependency. I am hoping that he does receive the proper treatment he needs to get better. I am sure he will. He has been battling these addictions for decades, but maybe this is finally what he needs to get clean. I am giving him a Digit Up for realizing he has a problem and seeking treatment for it.

...Willie Nelson

Well well well once again it seems as if legendary country singer Willie Nelson has been arrested for marijuana possession. He pulled his bus in at a checkpoint in Texas and the officers smelled marijuana. After searching the buss they found 6 ounces of marijuana on the bus. Willie claimed it as his and was arrested. He was later released after posting $2,500 in bail. This is not unusual. It was have almost been stranger if he did not have marijuana with him. He is a known advocate of the legalization of marijuana nationwide and he has a history with the drug. You almost just think, ''eh" and want to let him go. But the law is the law and I understand the arrest. I for one am not a fan of any illegal drug and would never approve of the legalization of marijuana, just for the record. In the end I have to give Willie Nelson a Digit Down for being 77 years old and still not willing to give up the dope. I guess you cannot teach an old dog new tricks...

...Georgia

Living in Georgia now for a while has made me miss Florida with a passion. This state seems to be a little too backward or...not as culturally diverse as I would like. Now some people may love it here, and that is okay, but for me I can live without it. This brings me to 2 recent articles I read about the state.
The 1st is about Georgia's plan to reach out to gay and bisexuals to help educate them about HIV and HIV prevention. On the surface that sounds wonderful and like something that should be done. But after living here and seeing the way people operate I think that may be wasted money. Why? Well because although there is a high gay and bisexual population here, it is the bisexual and the infamous Down-low (DL) crowd that you have to educate, but cannot because they are not about to be spotted doing anything that may make them seem "gay". The spread of HIV cannot be controlled if some guy is sleeping with men and then running home to be with his girlfriend or wife. There are so many DL men in Georgia, it almost feels as if every male in Georgia could be on the DL if they are not out. Married or just dating that does not mean a thing. If we may look at the latest scandal involving Bishop Eddie Long...enough said about that. Will it help? Maybe, I guess you would have to try it out and see, but I am not holding my breath.
Topic #2, prescription drugs kill more in Georgia than illegal drugs. I found this one interesting. Apparently illegal drug deaths, due to overdose, were down from 2008-2009 while prescription drug deaths were up! It is so bad that Saturday the DEA held its 1st ever prescription drug take-back event. The type of drugs being abused most are pain killers and anti-anxiety drugs. Leading the pack would be: Alprazolam, or Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug, Methadone, Hydrocodone, and Oxycodone. To break it down furthermore:
Age 15 and under: 4 deaths

Age 15-24: 45 deaths

Age 25-34: 125 deaths

Age 35-44: 182 deaths

Age 45-54: 221 deaths

Age 64 and older: 13 deaths

-608 White

-60 Black

-2 Asian

-376 Males

-294 Females

Obviously this a major problem that will hopefully get solved. I could blame this on a lot of things but of course this will have to fall under the "Recession Umbrella".

I know that no state is perfect and every state has its own problems, but this state just seems to be a lot worse than what I am used to. Florida did have lots of problems yes, but I did not have a state income tax which helped me get over a lot of things. I am giving Georgia 2 Digits Down.

...Japan

Paris Hilton has already been barred from the Wynn in Las Vegas and some night clubs as well. She could live with that I guess. But now a whole country is barring her from entering. That country is Japan. Japan has strict immigration laws that bar entry to those convicted of drug offenses. Sometimes exceptions are made, but not this time. Paris should feel lucky, Paul McCartney was given the same treatment decades ago. This is all stemming from her arrest and admittance of cocaine possession. She was held at the airport and stayed in an airport hotel, so not luxe, and was questioned for 6 hours over 2 days before being denied entry into the country. Paris had this to say to reporters, "I'm going back home, and I look forward to coming back to Japan in the future." She took it like a champ, because Japan is no 3 hour flight, it is a journey. Paris was supposed to be promoting her new fashion line, perfume and store not only in Tokyo, Japan but Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Jakarta, Indonesia. I think this was a good thing. Sometimes you need to be humiliated in public, it humbles you and grounds you sometimes harshly, sometimes gently. I am a Paris fan, not as much as I used to be and the drugs have nothing to do with that, but this is a good lesson for her to learn and grow from, finally, we hope. If this affects her finances, then she will take it more seriously than before. She is 29, 30 will be here fast, and you cannot claim to be too young not to know right from wrong, as if she is now. I am giving Japan a Digit Up for not making any exception to Paris and treating her like a normal citizen.

...Admitting the Truth...About Drug Use

Both Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan have come clean about their drug use, sort of. Lindsay Lohan failed a court-ordered drug test, possibly her 1st since being released from jail and court-ordered rehab just 20 or so days ago. She confirmed this via Twitter saying, "Regrettably, I did in fact fail my most recent drug test." She continued later by adding, "Substance abuse is a disease, which unfortunately doesn't go away over night. I am working hard to overcome it." For each time she violates her probation or misses a drug test she will be ordered to serve 30 days in jail. If true then she will be off to jail in less than 2 weeks. Although even if she did go to jail 30 days would result in a few hours or a couple of days. I really do hope she gets it all straightened out eventually, she seemed to be getting there but then those reports of her staying out all night at clubs, but they said she was not drinking, but drugs and drinking are different.


On the other hand there is Miss Hilton, Paris Hilton to be exact. She has made a deal with the D.A. in Las Vegas to avoid jail time. Instead she will serve 1 year of probation complete a drug abuse program, pay a $2,000 fine and serve 200 hours of community service and avoid a felony conviction. This is just typical Hilton. She doe not live in Vegas so this will not be a major hit for her, although some say she will miss the Vegas party money, she can party everywhere else and still make money. I doubt she cares much about this and I doubt this will be the last time she gets into trouble dealing with drugs. If she gets into any trouble while on probation she will have to serve a year of jail, this could actually happen. Probation did not stop her in 2007 and it may not stop her in 2010, but this time it will be worse for her. For some reason I think she may care less and be more reckless than Lindsay, this new Lindsay anyway. I do hope that both girls gt their acts together and go back to being good at whatever it is they do, acting and...being famous for being famous? Actually both could make another album, I would probably buy it. Until then though I must give them a Digit Down, but coming clean about it is a nice improvement.

...T.I. and Tiny

Really? Newlyweds T.I. and Tiny were arrested in West Hollywood after a police officer smelled marijuana smoke from their Maybach. When the officer searched the vehicle he only found methamphetamines...ecstasy. What makes it worse is that T.I. was just released from jail earlier this year for weapons charges. After that he talked about how he was trying to change his life and become a better father and example for his children,. He also married his longtime girlfriend Tameka "Tiny" Cottle. This does not bode well for him. He is on probation so there is a chance he could go back to jail or prison or get a harsher probation. If he were to go back to jail or prison it would be deserved. He should have known that if Paris Hilton got pulled over for marijuana vapors then he could have, although the did not find that drug in the car. He must be smarter than this, or weak. Both of them are too old to still be doing something that they should have gotten out of their systems many years ago. The are legitimate parents to 5 children and T.I. has been there so I do not know why he would ever want to go back. I am giving both of them a Digit Down for being so stupid.

...Lady Gaga

So if you know Lady Gaga, who does not really, then the fact that she did/does cocaine is not surprising. In the past she admitted to doing bags of cocaine while sitting at home listening to The Cure. She recently told Q Magazine this, "[Using drugs] I really figured out the art I wanted to make and was inspired. Some people find inspiration in dark places. I guess I'm one of them. What always made me different is that if I was doing drugs I was also making music. I wasn't just doing drugs." The problem with this is that a lot of her fans are young lost and impressional. If taken out of context it could be seen as her saying drugs are okay, you will find out everything you need to know through drugs, etc. What makes it even odder is what she said later during the interview, "People who say they need [drugs] to be creative are full of shit. I'm not some chick on the road getting high and fucked up every night. I wake up, drink coffee and get on the phone to talk about the creative direction of the next video." So she admitted she did drugs and that it "helped" but she is not like a Lindsay Lohan or anything, she has her stuff together and knows how to work it and if you do not then shame on you. As a lover of the 80's I know how powerful a drug cocaine is and the good and bad it can cause you. I do think that she should clarify these statements and I think she should do it ASAP. For some reason her fans will stand by this and defend her, I am sure a lot of her fans do some sort of illegal drug, it just makes sense. I hope she clears theses things up bur for some reason I doubt it. I am conservative yes, but I have a liberal side, but I am never going to approve drugs. I am giving her 2 Digits Down because I think drugs are bad and I think her fans may not fully understand what she tried to say.

...Paris Hilton

My my my, what has she done. Earlier this Summer Paris Hilton was arrested in South Africa after a World Cup match for suspicion of possession of marijuana, but those charges were dropped. It was then I started to remember all of those past pictures of Hilton smoking what seemed to be marijuana. I shrugged it off and gave her the benefit of the doubt. But now as this latest news of Hilton comes out about her being arrested for suspicion of felony cocaine possession it seems as if something needs to be done. Friday night Hilton and boyfriend Cy Waits were arrested in Las Vegas after a motorcycle cop smelled marijuana vapors from the Escalade they were in. Hilton asked if they could go into the Wynn resort for privacy, a crowd had gathered. When she reached into her purse for lip balm a small bindle of cocaine fell out and she was then arrested ( her boyfriend was also arrested for suspicion of misdemeanor driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs). Cocaine! Really Paris. I am not one to look past any type of drug abuse, but cocaine! Cocaine plus marijuana plus alcohol equals a lot of messed of life moment in the present and future. This would explain her thin figure. I am waiting for her to start having random nose bleeds, that would be the icing on the cake. I am a Paris Hilton fan, a big one, but this is not hot. It makes me wonder why a guy was trying to break into her house earlier this week. She lives in a guard gated Beverly Hills area, you cannot just sneak in. Was he looking for drugs or drug money? I am disappointed in Paris and so I must give he two Digits Down indefinitely.