Ponderables
Why does Blue Jays TV colour analyst Pat Tabler modify most of his statements with the phrase “a little bit?”
And why does play-by-play guy Buck Martinez always stretch out the word “season” as if it were spelled with five or six e’s
What’s the difference between a New York minute and a regular minute
Or, between a country mile and an ordinary mile?
Why are other people’s French fries so tempting?
Tiger Woods
Those of you who know me well, or have followed my blog for more than five years, know that, even though I’ve always appreciated his enormous talent and enjoy tournaments a lot more when he’s playing, I’ve never been a fan of Tiger Woods the person.
However, his golfing comeback, culminating in his victory last weekend, is an astonishing sports story and a remarkable example of what doggedness, dedication, hard work, and attitude can achieve. As these are all attributes I’ve always admired and encouraged, I have to admit that I was in his corner last Sunday
Woods was always an arrogant narcissist in interviews, but was so gracious in the post-game interview this time that I can’t resist punning that although a leopard can’t change its spots, obviously a Tiger can change his lines.
Julie Payette
When Julie Payette was named Governor General by Justin Trudeau a year ago, I wrote that I thought she was going to be a disaster. Although I’ve had a change of heart regarding Tiger Woods, I haven’t changed my mind about Payette. I wrote back then that I thought she had no concept whatsoever of what her job was. Based on the savaging she’s taken this past week in a number of newspapers, it looks like I may have been right.
Payette has no discernible qualifications for the position of Governor General, unless being relatively young for the post, is female, and is a francophone trump all other job requirements.
Her appointment was another example of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s judgement being seriously flawed by his obsession with identity politics.
Paul Simon
Paul Simon played what he characterized as his last “tour” concert last Saturday at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, less than two miles from his childhood home in Queens, New York City.
Simon is one of the greatest songwriters ever. Here are just ten of his incredible compositions: The Sound of Silence; Bridge Over Troubled Waters; Mrs. Robinson; Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard; Loves Me Like A Rock; Kodachrome; Graceland; You Can Call Me Al; Fifty Ways To Leave Your Lover; and, Slip Slidin’ Away.
Simon, who will be seventy-seven in two weeks time, has been active in the entertainment business for over sixty years. He and his on-and-off singing partner, Art Garfunkel, originally worked as Tom & Jerry, and Paul performed and recorded solo under the name Jerry Landis in his early years
Although I was heavily involved in the entertainment business for almost thirty years I never had the pleasure of meeting Paul Simon. And other than being in the same audience at a number of Grammy shows, don’t recall ever being in the same room with him. By all accounts he was a pretty difficult guy to get along with
Speaking of the Grammys, he was nominated twenty-eight times and won twelve.
Bill Cosby
Pathetic though it was, there was also satisfaction in watching Bill Cosby being led out of the courtroom in handcuffs.
Judge Brett Kavanaugh
On the other hand, there was precious little satisfaction to be gained from watching last Thursday’s U.S. Senate hearings regarding Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
All I learned is that: both Judge Kavanaugh and Dr. Christine Blasey Ford-Barrett passionately believe they are right, although one of them is clearly wrong; both their lives have, in many respects, been ruined; the hearing was farcical; and, my considerable lack of respect for most politicians (of all stripes and at all levels of government) is well-placed.
However, on Friday they finally got it right when Republican Senator Jeff Flake managed to broker a deal with the Democrats under which the FBI would take a week to conduct an investigation into the existing three charges against Kavanaghaugh before the vote by the full Senate.