The Whirled turns 14

Fourteen years ago, this blog began with a mere stub of a post, and over the years it has grown into something quite unwieldy that, for reasons that sometimes puzzle even me, I still insist on perpetuating. Well, everyone has to have a hobby, and this is one of mine. I won't spend time and energy here recapping the history or ruminating on the purpose of this Whirled, as I've done on past "blogaversary" posts, for I got all of that down on a pinned post I wrote when I finally changed my blog template in late 2019. Here's a link to that page.

But I did want to acknowledge the anniversary, and to thank readers and friends who have enhanced this blog over the years with comments: the good, the bad, the thoughtful, the rambling, the complimentary, the downright nasty. Blogs, though not nearly as hot as they were a couple of decades ago, are still about conversations.

And I want to give a special shout-out to those who have generously contributed to the tip jar or who may even just be considering doing so. Donations are always, always appreciated, particularly in these tough times. On the Web version of this blog there's an icon towards the top of the right-hand column that will lead you right to that tip jar. If you don't see it here is a direct link.

Thank you for continuing to be part of this journey.

Colleen Conaway: 11 years since her death at a James Arthur Ray event

On July 25, 2009, 46-year-old Colleen Conaway died during a San Diego event held by New-Wage/McSpirituality guru James Arthur "Death" Ray, of whom Colleen was a devoted follower. She plummeted to her death from an upper-level balcony of a San Diego mall during one of Ray's weekend "wealth creation" seminars, and when Ray and his top people discovered she was missing, and later learned of her death, they kept it under wraps and partied on.

Ray was later convicted of negligent homicide, not for Colleen's death but for the October 2009 deaths of three other people -- Kirby Brown, James Shore, and Liz Neuman -- in a phony and dangerous sweat lodge in Sedona, Arizona. He served less than two years in an Arizona state prison, and has been spending the time since he got out of prison trying desperately to make a comeback in Scamworld.

Today marks the 11th anniversary of Colleen's death. If you want more information, start with the post I published last year, on the 10th anniversary. I included a number of external links, including to content by bloggers who have told Colleen's story much more comprehensively than I have.

Never forget.

PS ~ Very soon, I will post my thoughts about a powerful and beautifully rendered new memoir, This Sweet Life, by Ginny Brown and Jean Brown, the mother and sister of Ray victim Kirby Brown. Stay tuned.