Noteworthy: Energetic Brooks, TV comedy and Kenney, the next premier

By Medicine Hat News on August 18, 2017.

Paradise Valley Golf Club has an intereting promotion relating to Medicine Hat’s summer weather. If The Weather Network’s current temperature shows 33 degrees or warmer at check-in time, green fees are half price. Now that’s what you’d call a hot deal. … Still with the heat, is it fear mongering or the truth contained in the movie ‘An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power’ about Climate Change. In the movie, Al Gore says without steps to stem the heating of our earth, temperatures could reach as high as 74 C (165 F). Many of us won’t be around to worry about it, but if Gore is right, heaven help our future generations. … Garth Brooks must have a lot of stamina as well as a lot of money. The country singer must rent a Brinks truck to haul away the loot from Calgary after adding five early September shows to satisfy his legions of fans. … Federal Conservative Party of Canada leader Andrew Scheer has a brother-in-law who twice ran for the New Democrats in Saskatoon. Boy, those discussions around the kitchen table during family gatherings must be interesting. … A State Farm survey said 26 per cent of Canadians over the age of 85 want to hold on to their driver’s licence. In many cases, there is little in the way of alternative transportation unless one is lucky enough to have a family member or neighbour at their beck and call. … The Brian Jean campaign for leadership of the United Conservative Party may be playing subliminal games with its press releases. One arrived in our inbox the other day tagged “Brain Jean Campaign.” In the innermost sanctums of our brains, we’re being led to think Jean is the one with the most intelligence. Or maybe it was just a silly spelling mistake. … Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Drew Barnes coming out in support of Jason Kenney’s leadership is more than just an endorsement for the UPC front-runner. It’s securing a high-ranking position for Barnes in the almost-guaranteed Kenney government two years from now. Political favours are rarely forgotten. … Once again, I enjoyed Dairy Queen’s Miracle Treat Day last week. DQ annually makes donations to the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation, based on sales of Blizzard treats that day. If you can support a good cause and at the same time enjoy a delicious ice cream treat, why wouldn’t you? As if I need a reason to enjoy some ice cream. … Can’t decide who is more prolific at just making stuff up: My six-year-old grandson or Donald Trump. … Jason Kenney says it’s “Liberal politicized language” to refer to ‘carbon pricing’ instead of his preferred ‘carbon tax.’ Said Kenney: “A price is a value, something you’re prepared to pay voluntarily in exchange for goods or services.” My take is this: If the ‘carbon tax’ is used for what it’s intended, and our planet as a result is protected from overheating, I’d say that’s a pretty good exchange. That’s a big ‘if’ of course. … A regular complaint from people who don’t like Justin Trudeau is the way he speaks, peppering his verbiage with too many ‘uh’ sounds and other hesitations. But take it from somebody who has battled a lifelong stuttering problem, I’m more interested in what is being said than how it is being said. … Shoutout to Tony Ambrosio, who to me on a golf course is like a rabbit’s foot, a lucky horseshoe and a four-leaf clover, all rolled into one. Maybe I’ll take him along when I make my next Lotto Max purchase. … Candice Henson, chair of the committee which staged the recently completed Canadian Little League championships, is getting many well-deserved plaudits for the success of the 10-day event, but Candice will probably be the first to say the committee and dozens of volunteers were the ones really responsible for how things went. It always amazes me to see what can be accomplished if nobody cares who gets the credit. … Every time I stop at a traffic light in Medicine Hat, I think of the unfortunate drivers in other cities who don’t have the terrific sensor or metal detection systems used in the Gas City. … Wasn’t the word ‘Nazi’ in headlines supposed to have ended in 1945? … Speaking of Donald Trump, the late-night comedy guys are having a field day bashing the American president, who’s been a pretty easy target lately. The writing staffs of Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers, especially, have been brilliant. … Why can’t Canada have a late-night talk-variety show along the lines of Colbert, Fallon, Kimmel and Myers? … Every time I type the word ‘Myers’ I think of the terrific and prolific work done by local photographer Dwayne Myers, who loves taking photos (see above) and loves sending them to us. And we love receiving them. … Brad Wall, the guy many people thought would be the successor to Stephen Harper, is leaving politics and Jason Kenney, another potential Harper replacement in Ottawa, is on the verge of becoming premier of Alberta. I know we’re getting ahead of ourselves a bit, but c’mon, Kenney’s a lock to win the UCP leadership in October and the united right-wing UCP is a lock to win the next provincial election. Right? If that doesn’t happen, I’ll eat a whole plate of barbecued ribs. … For balance purposes, we’re looking for a guest columnist whose views lean slightly (or dramatically) to the right, because a good chunk of our editorial page offerings, much of it out of our control, tilt a little left. If you lean to the right and have a way with words, and don’t mind dealing with some possible criticism along the way, give me a shout via email at the address below. Politicians need not apply (Drew Barnes, I’m talking to you.) …People who drink in moderation live longer than teetotalers, says Dr. Gifford Jones our Monday columnist. Wonder how many people clipped out that column and showed it to a loved one? … Little League championships are over, Mavericks season ended after the second playoff round, but local sports fans won’t be starving for long because the Tigers season is just getting under way. … Headline that makes you go ‘yikes’: “Putin more trusted than Trump.”