Because I expected to be in Vancouver last weekend, this week’s column was written last Thursday.
It was a collection of headlines from various news sources that, IMO, should have gotten more attention than they did.
None of them concerned any of our current crop of corrupt politicians but nonetheless they were depressing — our world really is going to hell in a handbasket.
Then it snowed Friday morning.
That not only limited my mobility in town, it meant no trip to Vancouver.
Friday night I was home alone, watching TV, feeling sorry for myself, when I accidentally came upon the musical Oklahoma on PBS with Hugh Jackman as Curly.
The mobility issue persisted on Saturday with icy streets and sidewalks, but having Oh What a Beautiful Morning and other songs running through my head did wonders for my psyche.
That evening I went to the Cowboy Christmas concert with Ed Wahl, Ed Peekeekoot and our own Frank Gleeson, another plus in the happy department.
It would be irresponsible to ignore the rain clouds threatening the world (most recently in the form of typhoons and tornadoes) but maybe it’s just as irresponsible to ignore the sunshine. We need a balance.
The women garment workers who went on strike in 1911 for better working condition had the right idea, they said they needed bread AND and roses. We all do.
I have room for two headlines.
“BC Ferries changes executive bonus plan to save $900,000 annually’ (Times Colonist)
— but they’ll get back most of it through a salary hold back plan and raises (Province).
“New warships to cost more than $100 billion Ottawa says.” (Globe and Mail)
Canadian taxpayers will pay millions of dollars more for the warships than the federal government originally disclosed.
No wonder there’s no money for benefits for the Afghanistan war veterans.
Diana French is a freelance columnist for the Tribune. She is a former Tribune editor, retired teacher, historian, and book author.
