Carolyn Grant
Well folks, the Trump campaign is going off the rails on a crazy train, and when your candidate for President of the United States cannot manage to look more competent than Ozzy Osbourne, I think you might be in trouble.
The Olympics are in full swing now and I’m sure you, like me, have spent some time in front of the tube cheering/groaning at the athletic exploits.
U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps now has more medals than the entire Canadian team did in the 2012 London Olympics. For all our prowess in winter sports, we have a slightly more mellow attitude to the Summer Games. We cheer those bronze medals mightily. Can you imagine us being quite so thrilled if the bronze medal in question was for hockey? The Women’s Rugby team will get a hero’s welcome for their unexpected bronze. If the men’s hockey time tried to slink back into the country with a bronze, they’d be shown the door. And possibly smoothed out by a Zamboni.
BT dubs, did you notice the strange brown, circular discolorations on Phelp’s arms? Turns out he’s into cupping. Cupping is a Chinese therapy in which heated glass cups are applied to the skin along the meridians of the body, creating suction as a way of stimulating the flow of energy. Or something.
Scientists have mixed reviews on whether it works or not, but when a guy has won 21 gold medals and counting, I guess if he believes in it, you can’t deny the evidence. I know if someone stuck hot glasses on my meridians, I’d be jumping in the nearest pool too.
In keeping with the Olympic theme, I’m going to hand out some gold medals for political nincompoops. I continue to be completely gob-smacked by politicians of all levels who somehow think they can get up to shenanigans and not get caught.
A real good contender for gold nincompoop is the Mayor of Fairfax, Virginia, Richard “Scott” Silverthorne. Hizzoner got swept up in a sting last week. Fairfax County police said in a statement that they identified a suspect distributing methamphetamine through a website used to arrange for casual sexual encounters between men. An undercover detective created a profile on the site and police said within days the suspect, who turned out to be Silverthorne, made contact and they then communicated by text.
Turns out, in addition to being Mayor, Silverthorne is also a substitute teacher. Sounds like just the type of quality guy you want instructing your children and/or leading your city. And just in case you think I only award medals for nincompoops to Republicans, Silverthorne is a Democrat.
For the silver medal, Mayor Anthony Silva of Stockton, California has been charged with eavesdropping, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, providing alcohol to a minor and cruelty to a child by endangering health. It apparently occurred at a youth camp and Silva was alleged to be engaged in activities such as playing strip poker with some of the youth.
Silva is denying the charges and his lawyer says the timing of the evidence coming to light now is suspicious as Silva is facing re-election this fall. Silva had the chutzpah to return to chair a Council meeting and reports are, his reception was mixed.
Lest we in Canada get to feeling too smug I have two words for you. Rob. Ford. That was some platinum level nincompoopery.
In other news, wedding preparations in my household have reached Defcon 10. Can I come stay at your house?
Carolyn Grant is Editor of the Kimberley Bulletin
