Leaders, lead by example
Rod Phillip is selfish. Ontario’s finance minister enjoyed a family trip to the lovely Caribbean for the holidays at a time when everyone else was told to avoid unnecessary travel and face-to-face interaction. Additionally, Phillip took some strange liberties with his posts to social media. (In Watergate, they were called “mistruths.”)
Ontario premier Doug Ford ordered him home at which time he will have to self-isolate for 14 days. Following this, I suggest he head over to Queen’s Park and immediately move his desk from the front row to the back benches.
—
It’s comforting to know that when so many people are struggling in Kelowna, city council will receive a pay raise effective Jan. 1. It should be the opposite. It would be great if elected officials at all three levels voluntarily accepted a 25% rollback in pay, retroactive to the start of the pandemic. New Zealand’s government and official opposition both supported this measure. Prime Minister Jacinda Arden has the highest approval rating of any world leader.
—
Just when I thought 2020 couldn’t get any worse... Dawn Wells died. The “Gilligan’s Island” actress, who played Mary Ann for three seasons, plus all of the reunions, died of COVID-related illness.
Usually, when I meet or interview someone famous, I don’t go all fan boy and I’m seldom nervous. She was the exception. “Gilligan,” after all, was part of my childhood.
I saw Dawn in a summer theatre production, going on opening night so I could get the free food-and-drink after the performance.
Here I am in my early-40s babbling on like a fool.
“I, I, I used to watch, watch your show every day after 4:30 when I got home for school.”
Her answer was something that Mary Ann would say.
“I raised a whole generation of you kids.”
She was the only “name” actor in the play and, as only Mary Ann would do, insisted I speak to her co-stars because they were also the stars.
—
A friendly reminder that both The Daily Courier and Herald will not publish this Friday and Saturday due to the holiday weekend. This allows our carriers to enjoy some well-deserved R&R with four consecutive days off. We will be back to five days per week of home delivery Jan. 5. In the meantime, we doubled the size of today’s edition. Enjoy and please let me know if there are any specific features that you enjoyed.
—
A record 39 holiday-themed songs landed in Billboard’s
Hot 100 last week headed by Mariah Carey and Brenda Lee. But shockingly, Alvin and the Chipmunks weren’t on the list.