Dave Richards for April 24th…………….
--School is back in session and special events are popping up like dandelions. Soon, even the dandelions will be popping up like dandelions. In fact, except for a quick stop on Mother’s Day next month, it’s full speed ahead now until the unofficial start of summertime (Memorial Day weekend) and then summer school vacations.
--One of the many events this week is scheduled for the St. Ann Arts & Cultural Center on Cumberland Street this Sunday afternoon. The Rhode Island Wind Ensemble will perform a spring program in the grand hall with the acoustics performers yearn for and audiences come to hear.
For those not familiar with this type of music, don’t misunderstand, you’ll hear tunes both beautiful and familiar. If you’re expecting stuffy classical music, you’ll be surprised to see no violins, no chelos, no big string basses. You’ll find all the woodwind instruments, clarinets, flutes, saxophones, and more of them. You’ll see the brass instruments, trumpets, trombones, baritone horns and tubas. In fact, the only instrument with strings there will be the piano.
The point I’m making here is this concert is for the average person who just likes nice and familiar music played in a relaxing atmosphere by talented people who truly love to play for you.
Let’s show these folks that Woonsocket appreciates good music by turning out in large numbers. Tickets are available at The Honey Shop, Excel Salon, Pepin Lumber, Vose Tru-Value Hardware or on line at the St. Ann Arts and Cultural Center website.
--It appears all the screaming about the FCC’s repeal of “Net Neutrality” hasn’t caught on. I’m sure it’s because the average person has no idea how it will affect them. They’ll start screaming again when their streaming TV service starts skipping and stuttering. They’ll scream when their Internet provider tells them they need to pay extra money to watch streaming TV because they use “too much Internet” for the plan they have. I predict it will be the start of one of the biggest scams of this decade and will be a boon to over the air broadcasts station. The group we now call “Millennials”, so proud they live on the Internet and reject all previous forms of media will suddenly become activists when their Hulu and Netflix is no longer cheap.
--Here’s another thing the Internet Generation will hate. Congress is re-authorizing the Federal Aviation Agency, or F.A.A.. These folks regulate the airlines and aviation industry in general. You’d think that is fairly routine and rather boring until you hear the whining and screaming from the companies who run computers that help you to buy airline tickets and hotel rooms, and general travel stuff.
The way I’m hearing it, the airlines would rather you buy tickets directly from them instead of shopping for the lowest price with computer companies like Captain Obvious and KAYAK and such. So they’ve convinced the people at the FAA to change the rules governing large ticket selling operations in such a way that those computer companies can’t do it without additional information. Information the airlines will not be required to provide.
I’m sure there’ll be plenty of whining and screaming about that. But, if you’re smart, pick up the old 20th Century telephone, call your favorite local Travel Agency, and have them book your flights. You’ll still save money, and you won’t have to worry about Net Neutrality getting in the way of your shopping, either.
--I must end this week on a sad note. A friend of mine passed away last Friday morning. Her name was Jackie Boudreau. It’s hard to write about Jackie’s passing without expressing a feeling of frustration. Before I tell you why I’m frustrated, I need to say that I am not in the medical profession and what I’m about to write is purely my opinion, I don’t claim anyone did anything wrong.
Here is why I am frustrated. From what I’ve been told about Jackie’s final illnesses, it seems clear to me that she didn’t have to die. I am sure that if Jackie had been able to get certain tests done earlier her true illness would have been discovered much earlier. Discovering cancer early is the best defense. But the cancer fooled the doctors, masquerading as an infection and the tests which would have discovered the cancer could not be justified to the insurance company.
If this were 20 years ago, the insurance companies wouldn’t have been able to discourage the tests for financial reasons. But……and this is the big “but”……..20 years ago medical science may not have been able to find the cancer and cure it.
That’s the terrible frustration about all of this. The medical science breakthroughs which can save people’s lives today that couldn’t have been saved before are denied because they are too expensive. What good are advanced medical procedures if they are denied to those who need them? It’s just so darned frustrating. Medical professionals I speak to share my frustration. They are forced to deal with these realities every day. Some realities in this world are just an awful shame.
Jackie Boudreau was one of the kindest and most caring people I knew. I will hold my memories of her close to my heart as long as I live. I just wish she hadn’t suffered so at the end.
--That’s what I think. What do you think? Comments to: dave@onworldwide.com or postal mail to Dave Richards, WOON Radio, 985 Park Avenue, Woonsocket, RI 02895-6332.
Thanks for reading.
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