Classic hits live again in anti-Trump ads
My question about Walmart’s policy on customer masks is why didn’t the retail giant begin making them mandatory in March at the start of the pandemic?
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Some classic pop hits of the 1970s and early ’80s are back in heavy rotation right now.
“In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins is jetting up the charts again thanks to a video that’s gone viral of twin brothers reacting to the song after hearing it for the first time. (My mini-review: the drum solo is the best part.)
Meanwhile, several major artists have donated use of their songs, royalty free, to anti-Donald Trump commercials — “No More Tears, Enough is Enough” by Donna Summer and Barbra Streisand (for a pro-LGBTQ campaign) and Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain.” (I thought that was about Warren Beatty.)
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I know a physician in Victoria who has a keen interest in COVID-19. An interesting question was posed to him. “If your kids were still school-age, would you feel comfortable sending them in the fall?” His reply was interesting. “If they were on the Island, no problem, if they were in Vancouver... I’m not sure.”
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The arts are being celebrated in the Okanagan through Aug. 23 with the annual Ryga Festival, inspired by former Summerland resident George Ryga, renowned as one of Canada’s top writers. With COVID-19, this year’s event has — like everything else — been unique. Ryga organizers are offering most of their special events online and others at small venues. The festival needs community support more than ever in this challenging year. To check out a list of events and for ticket information visit: rygafest.ca. Thanks to artistic director Heather Davies, her committee and the volunteers who make this happen.
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I love Joe Biden’s pick of Kamala Harris as running mate on the Democratic ticket. It has led to some speculation that Trump needs a game change right away and he may dump Mike Pence from the ticket. Loyalty is not one of the strong suits of the 45th president.
Rarely does a VP pick generate this kind of excitement. (By comparison, I can’t remember the name of Hillary Clinton’s running mate in 2016.) One thing to consider, and forgive me for being morbid, is that if Biden was to die in office, his VP will take over as president. Both Biden and Donald Trump are men in their 70s and being president is certainly a stressful job.
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If you heard a loud roar from Penticton on Wednesday night it was Vees fans cheering the game-winning goal by Troy Stecher who lifted the Vancouver Canucks to a 5-2 win over St. Louis in the first game of a playoff series. He dedicated the goal to his father Peter, who died on Father’s Day due to complications from diabetes.
Stecher is one of three Vees’ alumni who qualified for the NHL post-season this year, the others being Duncan
Keith (Chicago) and Tyson Jost (Colorado).
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Congratulations to former Peachland View editor Dan Walton, who became a father for the first time. He and his partner, Kirby, are proud parents of a baby girl: Liberty Isabella, eight pounds, seven ounces, born Wednesday afternoon in Vancouver.
Also, best wishes to our friend Chris Cornett from Photography by Chris in Penticton who, on Friday, celebrated his 70th birthday. Chris once told me he began feeling old when he was shooting wedding pictures of third generation customers.
James Miller is managing editor of The Penticton Herald. His lighthearted column appears in Okanagan Weekend. Email: james.miller@ok.bc.ca