There are celebrities and then there are artists. Joan Sutherland was a superb singer with a magnificent voice who gave pleasure to millions of people. It's not honoring them so much as being grateful to them for giving incredible number of hours of pure pleasure, beauty and joy. As have many novelists, instrumentalists and actors. I would never try to physically go near them. What for? To touch them, as people did Medieval kings for the magic that would come to one? The magic was in the performance. And I would seek neither picture nor autograph. Not needed. The voice in this case is enough. Re Obama, amen brother. Except that I am astounded that he has not yet been executed. Veronica Caley Milford, MI ----- Original Message ----- From: Mike Geary To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Monday, October 11, 2010 8:44 PM Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: La Stupenda Sure, you say R.I.P. to these celebrities, but are you going to say the same for me? What does R.I.P. mean anyway? Roar In Pride? Rebirth Is Propositional? Reason Is Problematic? Regeneration Involves Putrefaction?-- I could go on for hours, getting grosser and grosser. The thing is, why do we honor the death' of celebrities? I've never known a celebrity. I once got within a hundred yards of Elvis, but he didn't acknowledge me. Tupelo Asshole! Here's my point just in case you'r wondering what the hell it is -- it is this....... Oh, Christ, now I can't remember what I was going to say. It had something to do with envy and resentment and jealousy and feeling unappreciated and all that stuff. -- It'll come back to me in a minute. Meanwhile let's talk about our President. This is all I have to say: Get the fuck out of Iraq, out of Afghanistan, out of Pakistan. For God's sake, Hussein, we didn't elect a socialist-Marxist-Muslim-terrorist-Kenyan President to continue the policies of George W. Bush (i.e. Dick Cheney). We want jihad against the Republican demons. Do it now!!! Ach! I'm worn out. Maybe tomorrow I'll continue my rant. Mike Geary Memphis On Mon, Oct 11, 2010 at 5:37 PM, <Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx> wrote: Dame Joan Sutherland passed away on Oct. 10, 2010 Bio: "A Prima Donna's Progress" From online source: "Sutherland was born on November 7, 1926, in Sydney, Australia, to William and Muriel (Alston) Sutherland. Her father, a Scottish immigrant and tailor, died of a heart attack on Sutherland's sixth birthday. Joan and her elder sister Barbara were raised by their mother, an amateur singer and music teacher, and members of her family. Early Musical Education While attending St. Catherine's Girls' School in Waverly, Sutherland received her first education in music, primarily piano, from her mother. Muriel Sutherland had been taught in the bel canto tradition which her daughter would later help revive interest in." R. I. P. Speranza ------------------------------------------------------------------ To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html