Stephen Gately 1976-2009 - Rest in Peace

It is sad the passing of anyone you may know and respect, but even so when they are just young and in the case of Stephen Gately a member of the Irish Band Boyzone just aged 33, but yesterday's Funeral in his home city of Dublin was most fitting to share grief but also celebrate the life of this young guy and what he loved so much music.

The Service was full of Music and also real words of comfort some from readings but also in the Eulogy from band member Ronan Keating, though his voice broke several times it was easy to see his words came from the heart and showed the love and respect they had for each other, describing Stephen as "a man, a friend, a brother, a son, a hero".

What is sad is the personal intrusion at such a time of grief from the media and one UK daily newspapers and a named regular columnist, who chose the day before the funeral to draw her own conclusions and to dissect Stephen's life and make judgements, even differing from the official post mortem which took place on the island of Majorca were he died, stating death was due to "natural causes". If anyone is going to Judge I accept that will only be One Person!

Having managed a Boy Band at the same time as Boyzone I also identify strongly even as a manager how you become Family and Brothers, that was shown with Stephen's mangers Louis Walsh and the four remaining band members, Ronan, Mikey, Shane and Keith yesterday. Boyzone featured in a TV documentary with the band I managed and we appeared with them in concert dates several times, two normal group of lads from similar backgrounds of Dublin and Liverpool.

Stephen clearly enjoyed life, in the latter years he seemed to also find the happiness that he searched for, may he now find an even deeper Peace and Joy, may he now Rest in Peace

Virus?

VIRUS? and this time we are not talking about the "Swine Flu" last Thursday afternoon I turned on my laptop only to find I kept getting a warning that my system was going to close down in 60 seconds due to "NTAUTHOIRTY.SYSTEM" this it did only to show the warning once again.

Friday morning I took my laptop into my computer dealer and he said he had never seen this warning before but he should have it resolved later in the day. I called back around 4.30pm to be told it seemed to be fine now and nothing had been lost, but they would run and test it overnight.

Saturday morning I went to collect my laptop, £35 which was more than I expected, but I was so glad to have it back. Until I powered it up and found that all my computer had been wiped, documents, photographs, birthdays, addresses and to even make it worse my PC which is made by HP keep all software on a divided hard drive had also been lost, including Microsoft Office and Word that I use daily.

It took me all day to get back onto line with my broadband ISP provider and to get my wireless set up working, then hours of updates and installing such as McAfee security.

I suppose the lesson is to backup, but how many of us do that daily?

Fitting, Reverent, Dignified Memorial

What a most fitting and reverent Memorial & Celebration for Michael Jackson was staged last night at The Staples Centre in Los Angeles. Dignified as I hoped it would be.

It was a Memorial Service and a Tribute, not as so many of the media this morning are calling it, a Concert.

There has been much discussion if it was right to allow his three children to attend, in my opinion it was, I missed the Funeral of My Grandad as it was felt I was too young at 12, it is something I have regretted since. I don't honestly believe Paris was pushed to speak, but it was so poignant and moving.

The above picture with Janet hugging Paris, with Prince Michael resting his head on her shoulder is what it is all about Family. Added to that the innocence of young Prince Michael II (Blanket) holding his doll of his Loving Father.

All I want to see is Michael Now in Peace and I Pray that The Jackson Family will soon be able to be once again a True Family with legal matters all completed.

Michael Jackson - 1958-2009

My Prayers and Thoughts today are with the three young children of Michael Jackson, as they grieve the loss of a Loving Father. I Trust the day will be dignified and a fitting memorial of the life and great contribution Michael made - May He Rest in Peace.

Back from The Coast once again

Back from a week at The Coast again, the above photo is from Fleetwood, once known more for its fishing industry, now sadly in decline and a famous old sweet still manufactured there The Fisherman's Friend, now you are more likely to see the marina.

It is always so good to get away, but last week was one of the few heatwaves we get in England and ever day and every night was just so humid, Once I always thought of living in Portugal, but I know clearly it would not suit me now, the heat would be too much.

Still long for the day to move to live full time by the sea, but it will have to be facing the ocean with waves and hopefully a cooling breeze most of the time.

The week was really relaxing, good food and for once even though there was bedroom Internet connection I only used it once!

Now time to start thinking of the next break away, on a budget!

Photo taken by EB - Thanks.

No arms, No legs, but All the Love in the World

Thursday evening I started to plan to write om Friday morning about a very brave little boy, but as we all know yesterday we awoke to very sad news, but even at this time I feel it is still more fitting to tell you about four year old Harley Slack from near me in Stockport Cheshire.

It was like any other night when Harley woke with a sore throat and high temperature, Adam and Samantha quickly took him to hospital, were very quickly Harley was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis and he was fighting for his life. It was the very worst thing for any parent and no more so than Mum Samantha and Daddy Adam.

Harley went into cardiac arrest three times and at one time he was dead for four minutes, before being revived. But more more was ahead for this little fighter.

Doctors managed to stabilise him, then though septicaemia set in and his circulation packed in, this was devastating. His Daddy Adam said, "Harley was in a bad way and he went black from head to toe, his little body was an open wound as his circulation had packed in. It was at this time his young parents must have prepared for the worst, Harley was and is a fighter.

Bacterial meningitis is more serious than the common viral form, and it can lead to brain damage. Doctors quickly came to the conclusion that they would have to amputate Harley's arms beneath the elbow and legs from his knee, to save his life.

Now as you can see from the photo's, the little boy who had been running around weeks earlier at nursery now has "No Arms, No Legs, but All the Love in The World" from his Parents.


It is simply amazing the smile Harley has, he has such more surgery ahead of skin grafts and is expected to stay in The Royal Manchester Children's Hospital for the rest of the year. So many times he asks to be picked up and to be able to sit on his Mummy or Daddy's knees, but it is not possible yet.

How does this make us feel when we complain about the least little ailment at times. Family and Friends have opened the Harley Slack Fund, they want to be able to provide him with the best available artificial limbs and will need to adapt their home. The aim is to raise £100,000 so Harley can be given the best chance in life.

The latest news last night is that Harley's wounds are healing even faster than expected, which is such good news.

The story brought tears to my eyes and sadly I can only help in a small way, but I'm sure many will feel the same.

For information on Harley and how to help:

harleyslackfund.giving.officelive.com

Michael Jackson - Rest in Peace

It is with such deep shock that I woke this morning to hear the sad news of the Passing of Michael Jackson.

Last night I was planning to write a new blog about a very brave young boy Harley Slack, I will write that later, but as I went to turn the TV off at the end of the late news here in England, news was just breaking that Micheal had been rushed to Hospital. This morning I woke at 5am to hear this sad news.

Michael Jackson and his Family have been a huge part of my life as The Jackson Five were my teen era. I remember seeing Michael and his Brothers for the first time at The Liverpool Empire, he was still not a teenager and to see his dance steps and hear his voice and see his youth and pure enthusiasm to music. I went on to see Michael many times in Concert and the radio station I worked for in 1988 staged one of the biggest concerts ever in the UK on his Bad Tour at the famous Aintree race course, what an event that was!

Micheal played such an important part in the History of Pop, to become the modern day King to follow Elvis, he will never be forgotten, he has left us such rich memories with his Music that no one can take away.

My sincere Prayers, thoughts and condolences are with His Three Children and all His Family.

May this day MICHEAL Rest in Peace, one that he searched for!