I watched the landing of Air Force One today while on a break. It’s not anti-Americanism that has Canadians so uptight. It’s planus envy. The CBC couldn’t stop reminding viewers of the “armour plated limousine” and “snipers on the rooftops”. As the entourage made their way down the red carpet on the tarmac, was it just me — or did George W. Bush glance at the yattering Prince Adrienne like a dog who wouldn’t stop licking himself in public?
It all seems to have been too much excitement for Pierre Berton. He was 84, doddering beloved old lefty historian. The non-fiction railway track genre mourns a giant.
Peaktalk has a good roundup of more useful Canadian reaction and commentary.
For the most part, I spent the day up to my elbows in automotive base coat, and haven’t caught on my own reading. (Or bathing, to be unnecessarily honest….) Some links of interest I’ve spotted here and there:
Chair of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Senator Norm Coleman calls for Kofi Annan’s head in the WSJ.
Websters announces “A four-letter term that came to symbolize the difference between old and new media during this year’s presidential campaign tops U.S. dictionary publisher Merriam- Webster’s list of the 10 words of the year.”
Related: Dan Rather, still crazy after all these years. Brian Williams – because his parents didn’t know how to spell “brain”.
And, in local news: best. agribition. party. ever.
I’m saddened by Berton’s passing. A great writer and a good man, even if I don’t share all of his convictions.