Posted on September 24, 2008 at 5:58 p.m.

As an uninsured person, I can assure anyone of you that might ever even think of going to the Parkland Emergency Room, Don't! If you have a true emergency, any hospital you go to must treat you, or face a law suit. They will bill you. On the other hand, this voice of experience will tell you that the 19 hour wait that this poor man suffered, is in the grand scheme of Parkland E.R. wait times, not so long. I have spent up to 36 hours SITTING in that E.R., only to finally give up and go home. Now, they are a fine hospital for traumas. Also, I had a surgery there once, and the experience was no different than any other "for profit" hospital. However, in the E.R., you better be bleeding PROFUSELY from a gunshot, or have a limb hanging, or you are in for a hellish wait. It's a sad and scary thing to be forced to forego health insurance. I surely wish our system was different! And, I feel so sorry for Mr. Hererra and his family.

On Mike Herrera, of Dallas restaurant chain Herrera's, dies at Parkland Hospital

Posted on March 20, 2008 at 7:55 p.m.

"How cool!" I thought to myself when I got the email that said I had won tickets from Pegasus to see Gogol Bordello at the Granada Theater. I had scarcely heard of this band before, but free is free and I love a night on the town.

Being late runners as my partner and I characteristically are, we decided to go grab a quick bite of dinner at Snuffers before the show. Then a quick dash next door and Whaa?! We see this huge line of people waiting outside to purchase their tickets. But wait! Much to my delight, “we” are shown the door to direct entrance, as our “tickets” awaited us at a will call line. Sweet! Thank you, Pegasus!

So, As I don’t consider myself a writer by any means, here’s my humble attempt at a review:

When we got inside, we had missed the opening band, but there was some great world music playing, and we found our way to the small space we would occupy for the evening. The band was setting up and there was a palpable feeling of anticipation of the band taking stage. A couple of false starts by the audience, and then the band is suddenly on stage. The audience is frenzied, and then they dramatically reveal their backdrop: “GOGOL BORDELLO”…Gypsy Punks! Wow!

Before the show, I had tried to find out more about the band by going to their website. I have to say that I found it completely baffling, but admittedly highly entertaining! Also, we had listened to a few of the band’s CD’s before, but we were unprepared for the full force of the live performance! As my husband said (to someone else in an email), “Their records don’t even begin to compare to their show.” At one point in the show, I thought to myself that the massive crowd on the floor looked like one huge organism moving rhythmically to the beat of this awesome music.

To my mind, Gogol Bordello is a spirited mix of Reggae, Polka, and Funk all rolled up with a few more spices in the mix. To say they were “high energy” would be an understatement. It was as fun and inventive a performance as I’ve ever seen.

And that was probably the best reggae accordion I’ve ever heard played. So, thanks again to Mike Orren and Pegasus News for a great night out.

On Favoriting contest: Gogol Bordello at the Granada