Best Rope a Dope since Cassius Clay

Kim Jong-un Rope A Dope

There once was a ruler named Kim,
Who found himself out on a limb.
His nuke site eroded and nearly imploded,
And people were laughing at him.

He knew if he tried he could find
A new way to come from behind.
He dreamt up an offer to add to the coffer,
Then sit back to watch it unwind.

The world would fall for his ruse,
And Trump would jump at the news.
He'd "give up" his Nukes and end our rebukes
An offer no one could refuse.

"Since my weapons are broken and battered,
I'll pretend my resolve has been shattered.
Let The President Tweet that he brought my defeat.
But my arsenal no longer mattered!"

We don't want to break Donald's bubble,
And tell him Kim's nukes are just rubble.
Trump might beat his chest but Kim comes out best
With an end to his sanctions and trouble.


The Brewster

Press Corps Dinner Bombs

Trump Gets It Right This Time 

I was looking forward to the annual Press Corps dinner / roast last night. The one featuring Obama with Trump in the audience was great. That is to say Obama was great - Trump not so much.  What a letdown this year. Trump stayed away again. In hindsight I don't blame him. It sucked big time and that is not fake news.

Things started OK but the current president of the group, nice as she seems, was not a great speaker. She appeared to lose her place a lot. The remarks and awards were sincere enough but the agenda, if there was one, was completely disorganized throughout. There should have been a professional MC to keep things flowing and on track.

Unfortunately I was watching CNN at the time and they oversold the guest speaker, Michelle Wolf. The CNN anchors also suffered from poor dinner scheduling. I lost count of how many times they said that Michelle would be coming on in "Just a few minutes!" I was beginning to think she had cancelled.

As it turned out perhaps she should have. This guest was horrible. Any stand-up speaker who relies heavily on the "F" bomb and other vulgarities in a vain attempt at humour is a failure from the outset - in my opinion. That was matched only by her far too personal attacks on various attendees.

It is very difficult in any of these "roast" situations to strike a balance between poking fun and hitting well below the belt. It takes class to accomplish this. Wolf had none.

Shame on the Press Corps. Their members deserved a lot better. The worst thing - you played right into DT's hands.

The Brewster

Incel? What a Crock

Hell Hath No Fury Like a MAN Scorned 

Before the horror that recently unfolded on Toronto's Yonge Street North, I had never heard the term "Incel". Now that I have, as a man it leaves me speechless. There are so many things wrong with looking for any rational "motive" for what this animal did that I don't know where to begin.

It reminds me of "Road Rage". Please! Every time people demonstrate totally unacceptable and often illegal behaviour someone invents a new name, disorder, or syndrome for it. In the case of so-called Road Rage I have seen guilty women as well as men. They don't usually punch each other out on busy streets but their driving and anger can be just as unacceptable.

Does that mean that we will soon see sexually frustrated women annihilating people in as violent a manner as they can muster out of sheer rage against men? I seriously doubt it. They would have far more reason to do so than most men given the disparagement that women have traditionally experienced socially, at home, in religion, in the workplace etc. However can anyone imagine a female slaughtering others just because she isn't getting any?

Some things never change. For the most part if a woman of any age won't go out with a man there is usually a good reason for it. The same goes for losing interest in him or saying no to sex. Frequently he is just a jerk. On the other hand men think nothing of saying NO to even dating a woman based upon physical appearance alone. Will such spurned women start shooting soon? I hope not.

This is a male problem guys - time we started facing up to it. If you hear another guy talking spitefully about a woman just because he struck out engage him in dialogue. Share an experience when you were rejected as well. Try to gauge just how angry he is.

Who would have thought that the old slang term getting "Shot Down" would some day be so poignant?

The Brewster

Florida Judge's Despicable Behaviour

Tasmanian Devil Judge

The recent video we saw of a female Florida judge chewing out a young girl at the other end of a video feed was outrageous. 

I don't know all the circumstances surrounding this but I don't have to. What I saw was behaviour that was totally unwarranted towards anyone but a misbehaving hard criminal or arrogant lawyer or prosecutor in her courtroom. I saw neither.

It almost looked as though she was auditioning for yet another "reality" court program (as if we need another "Judge Suzy Q"  Jerry Springer wannabe show.) 

Her early retirement was appropriate. If she just got up on the wrong side of the bed now is her chance to stay there for a long sleep.

The Brewster

They Don't Make'm Like Barbara Bush Any More

Now THAT'S a Lady

Just like your grandmother (at least those in my generation); Angela Channing on Falcon Crest (Jane Wyman); or Kate Lawrence on Family (Sada Thompson), this was a lady who exuded respect, control, and grace from you or any of her family members.

I was very impressed with the tributes I heard last night after her passing. Most of us did not know Mrs. Bush but now I have much more of an appreciation for the person. When I saw footage of her husband's inauguration her eyes were just glued to him the entire time like the adoring wife she was.

However she managed to walk a line somewhere between the '50s stereotype housewife like June Cleaver and the '60's burn your bra feminists apparently not taking static from anyone lightly. She supported her husband throughout all of her endeavours and I suspect her husband would have done the same in return.

There will no doubt be some great documentaries or specials to follow. I hope I don't miss them. They were probably the ideal American Dream couple.

The Brewster

Open Letter to Trump and Putin

Dear Presidents Putin and Trump

In your latest "I'm not afraid of you" or "Mine are bigger than yours" showdown, you are both ignoring some basic facts. Each of you has the capability at your disposal to destroy in horrific fashion much of our world and everything in it - living creatures; creations of man; creations of nature. We all get that. Furthermore you will render these areas and vast terrain around them uninhabitable for decades or longer.

President Trump:

1. So far America is the only state to annihilate two entire cities and their residents with nuclear weapons.
2. Who can possibly believe the U.S. after the totally false claims, broadcast to the world, of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq?
3. Who will ever forget the images of that poor naked girl in Vietnam with her back on fire from your own chemical - napalm? She only represented thousands of others I am sure. Thankfully she still lives and is not fake news.
4. How many thousands of others have had their bodies blown to bits as part of American "collateral damage?"
5. Thankfully it has not happened but what would the feds do if one of your states decided to secede? Would force be used?

President Putin:

Your country and its history is no better.

1. In 1956 your country sent tanks into Hungary to violently suppress any attempts by its people to break free of the iron curtain of the Soviet Union.
2. In 1968 Czechoslovakia received the same treatment. In both cases the state being suppressed allegedly requested your help.
3. Let's not forget Georgia in 2008
4. There can be no doubt about the contribution that Stalin made to saving your country and the world from Hitler and ultimately defeating him. However he was also known to be a ruthless military man executing some 170,000 of his own men. See: Stalin and WWII
5. Stalin attempted to starve an entire nation - the Ukraine - and thousands of his own peasantry because they were "trouble makers'. It appears now that you and your government are attempting to suppress any acknowledgement of this brutality.

Both of You:

Unfortunately the educated world does not believe either one of you. Neither one of you is qualified to play the "holier than thou" role. There are many countries in the world whose people reject both of you and your systems. Ask Scandinavian countries or Iceland and their peoples if they would rather be a part of either of your nations.

You are both schoolyard bullies but the world is the schoolyard. If you are acting on behalf of and with the best interest of your people then how is it that you are both billionaires?

Why don't you pause and take a lesson from Kennedy and Khrushchev who had a similar standoff, and BACK OFF. There is too much at stake.

You live in different societies that will always be too different for one to convert the other. Brutality to fellow men and women is wrong whether in the open or under some other guise.

Please stop and think

The Brewster

You might also like to read my post: Americn and Russian cooperation: Stellar examples

Space and the Cosmos - The Great Equalizer

COSMOS: the world or universe regarded as an orderly, harmonious system

The above is a real definition. Having just viewed a recent video of a live broadcast between the space station and Queens University featuring Dr. Drew Feustel, it represents a tragic irony.

What I saw and heard was a magnificent example of astronauts from the United States, Canada, Russia and many other nations all working together in perfect harmony in that fascinating unknown - the Cosmos (or Space). What I heard was awe inspiring.

Yet here on this tiny spec we call Earth in that Cosmos, those same nations or their leaders can't get along and even scheme to destroy each other. Both Russia and the USA have cooperated to shuttle each others scientists to and from that station. Surely there is a lesson here. If they can be colleagues up there, why can't their political leaders at least get along down here?

Such thoughts inspired the following:

With mortal sight we do behold
This awe inspiring vision.
Mysteries of our sky unfold
Immaculate precision. 

A home away from home we share.
Depending on each other.
When we return how will we fare?
Will I still call you brother?

We share this vast celestial sight.
It casts on us a spell.
We fear our heads of state just might
Change Earth to living hell.

As we observe these planets far
In this communal space,
Are we being judged from distant star?
Have we used up our grace?

If our great leaders would agree
To take a turn up here,
As one team they soon would see
That trust surpasses fear.

There will come a time when we
Will have to conquer space.
Cooperation will be key
To live beyond this place.

. 

Lives, Loves, and Futures Gone in a Second

Humboldt Broncos Remembered

Do you have sons or daughters of any age? Think about all of those families now grieving who will no longer share your good fortune. Everything you cherish can be gone in an instant.
Now would be a good time to give them a long hug and to tell them that this horrific tragedy makes you realize how lucky you are to still have them with you.

The Brewster

Trudeau to visit Western Canada. Fashion Gurus Abuzz with Speculation

Turban or Stetson?

Apparently Justin Trudeau is to visit Western Canada to discuss the approved oil pipeline. The question of the day is just what ceremonial garb will adorn his person. Here the top 10 items circulating in the fashion world: 

1. Bright yellow oilskins complete with matching Sou'wester. Please don't let him show up with a couple of oars as well.
2. Brand new coveralls with some fresh black oil smears, a Stetson, and his Italian loafers with polka dot socks.
3. Jeans and a denim shirt also suitably greased with a brand new hard hat and shiny western boots.
4. A Service Station uniform with peaked cap and an oil rag hanging from his back pocket. We all know they don't exist anymore but does he or his fashion advisor?
5. His best business suit but wearing Kodiak approved safety boots.
6. Some form of indigenous outfit with head dress and moccasins or sealskin and mukluks. Both would be equally inappropriate.
7. Any of the above but dressed as a woman thus doing his bit to further the just cause of equal opportunity and diversity.
8. The same boxing gear he wore in a widely published bout he had in the ring with a fellow Member of Parliament some years ago. This would show those rowdy western premiers who is the boss.
9. A Prairie Dog costume covered in oil sludge.
10. The same Indian marital outfit we recently saw thus showing he is trying to save the taxpayer a few bucks as he rides up on a rented quarter horse. We all know that hardened oil industry men and women ride their horses to work in the fields.

Your guess is as good as mine.

The Brewster

Please! Your Perfume Stinks!

Did You Bathe in that Stuff?

Perfumes, colognes, after shaves etc. have been advertising for decades. No problem. What is a problem is that some of them reek! It seems that the people who purchase the inexpensive products are also prone to practically bathing in the stuff.

Isn't it time for some clever ads from the better name brands featuring for example people choking in an elevator or office because of somebody wearing a horribly strong and offensive scent? If enough of them ran these kinds of ads maybe people would begin to get the message.

There are lots of commercials that feature bad breath; perspiration stains and wetness; yellow teethe etc. Let's have a movement to eliminate cheap and overpowering fragrances. 

By getting that message across ever so subtly followed by a scene showing the application of just a little dab of their brand, they would do us all a huge favour and probably sell more product as a result.

The Brewster