I’ve just finished a book written by Jane Leavy, Sandy Koufax. I had admired Sandy for his good character and his amazing pitching skill. He became famous when he refused to pitch in the opening game of the 1965 World Series because it was Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. A private man, he refused to cooperate with the author of the book and referred to her as a “CPA” (a certified pain in the ass) In…
A friend sent me an E-mail with photos and the story about the Billingraph Gardens located in Theodore, Alabama ( http://www.bellingrath.org/).).The 65 acre garden estate is filled with beautiful flowers in a landscaped setting. The Bellingraph estate is a 10,500 square foot home built in 1935 by Walter and Bessie Bellingraph. The gardens were first opened in 1932. I found the story behind the Garden’s even more interesting. Walter Bellingraph (1869-1955) and his brother purchased a franchise to sell Coca-Cola…
Seven years ago today, on an early Friday morning, July 7th 2000, my mother Mary Thelma Babarovich, died in her sleep at the San Juan Care Center. Her death was not unexpected. After all, she was born on December 28, 1905 and was ninety four years old when she died. She had been in failing health for some time. Her passing was, in fact, a personal blessing to her as she had been ready for a number of weeks. My…
I just finished a couple of books. One, Pilot Error by Phaedra Hise is a book about a small plane crash in October of 1998 which killed the pilot. A lawyer, Ron Sinzheimer, was flying a Grumman Traveler from Albany, New York to Provincetown Cape Cod when it went down in the ocean as he approached the small airport in bad weather. The book describes the pilot and outlines the details of the flight in a way that keeps your…
The news reports that Pope Benedict has named Archbishop Raymond Burke of St. Louis to the Vatican Supreme court. As a result he will be made a cardinal and move to Italy. I am not surprised that Pope Benedict picked the nation’s most conservative, right wing Catholic Bishop for the position and has decided to make him a cardinal. They think alike. I have expressed my opinions about Pope Benedict and Archbishop Raymond Burke both of whom have exhibited ultra conservative moral…
Here’s a selection of excerpts from a couple of poetry books I enjoy reading. These are from the very old The Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1918: Perfect woman She was a phantom of delight when first she gleam’d upon my sight; A lovely apparition , sent to be a moment’s ornament; Her eyes as starts of twilight fair; like twilight’s, too, her dusky hair; But all things else about her drawn from May-time and the cheerful dawn’ A dancing…
Ann McFeatters a PI columnist has written about John McCain’s willingness to switch position for political motives. I’ve commented on what I see as his changed character, in his drive to be elected, from the maverick U.S. Senator to a desperate presidential candidate. It is also galling to me as a Northwest resident that he played a major role in the Boeing Company’s loss of the bid for the Air Force refueling tanker to a French company. But, this involves…
In the 2007 movie The Bucket List Morgan Freeman’s character tells Jack Nicholson’s character that in ancient Egypt they believed when they died the gods would ask them two questions before allowing them to enter: (1) Have you found joy in your life? and (2) Has your life brought joy to others? I was impressed enough that I began a search of ancient Egyptian religions to verify this, but I didn’t find anything to support the movie. It seems that…
I've already commented on the attempts of some Catholic bishops to dictate their morality on American voters and elected Catholic officials. However, in doing some research I was reviewing Brian Meyer and Mary Murray compiled a book of quotations of Mario Cuomo entitled Quotable Cuomo which I read some years back. I was reminded of the attacks made on then New York governor Cuomo by New York City’s Catholic Auxiliary Bishop Austin Vaughn in 1990. Governor Cuomo refused to ask…
MSNBC reported on instruments and other devices left inside patients after surgery recently. The article discussed the number of cases where this has occurred and where the patient wasn't told. My law partner Ralph Brindley has handled a number of these cases, but one was particularly shocking. The doctors had left a long metal retractor inside the patient after a surgery in Seattle. The patient wasn't aware it had happened, but noted pain on bending and the fact he set off…
