42
So how many of you out there (really, how many of you are out there???) think I am going to talk about the meaning of life with that title? Wrong! Although that could be for another blog (reference is Hitchiker's Guide, fyi).
I am actually talking about the 42nd President of the good ole US of A, Bill Clinton, who was in our fair city today for a talk. And I, and my 3,999 closest friends, got to hear him. Of course they put him at the end of a gruelling day of motivational and inspirational speakers. I must be a hard nut to crack, because I was feeling neither inspired nor motivated by the time he came on. I was feeling refreshed though, as one of our Canadian comedians had just done a rousing stand-up routine about Canada and Canada-US relations, replete with a sprinkling of anti-US sentiments. Nice intro, dude.
Anyway, Bill came on and gave us about 50 minutes of his time. I wonder how much he got paid for that? Probably around $100,000, I'm guessing. Nice work if you can get it. But considering they probably grossed over a cool $1 million on the event, it wasn't such a bad idea.
His theme was not on globalization, but on interdependence. How we're all connected now. And need to be more so. And how 50% of the world does not enjoy the lifestyle that we in the West do, and that we need to do something about it before the War of Interdependence breaks out (my words, not his). Let's make friends, not enemies.
And that we need to do something about global warming - and that the Internet (didn't his VP Gore invent the damn thing?) has changed the world. And that HIV/AIDS is bad. And that we have the power within us to change the world. Sigh. I suppose he is right, but it all sounded so simplistic. I guess you can't get too technical in a 50-minute speech, and he is a good orator, but I've seen him do better.
I just don't think he brought his A-game to Calgary. And after we showered him with millions of our tax dollars yesterday to help him change the world.
But on balance, considering what 41 and 43 have done lately, I'm thinking 42 isn't so bad. The meaning of life? Not quite - but he can talk about bringing meaning to life quite well.
So how many of you out there (really, how many of you are out there???) think I am going to talk about the meaning of life with that title? Wrong! Although that could be for another blog (reference is Hitchiker's Guide, fyi).
I am actually talking about the 42nd President of the good ole US of A, Bill Clinton, who was in our fair city today for a talk. And I, and my 3,999 closest friends, got to hear him. Of course they put him at the end of a gruelling day of motivational and inspirational speakers. I must be a hard nut to crack, because I was feeling neither inspired nor motivated by the time he came on. I was feeling refreshed though, as one of our Canadian comedians had just done a rousing stand-up routine about Canada and Canada-US relations, replete with a sprinkling of anti-US sentiments. Nice intro, dude.
Anyway, Bill came on and gave us about 50 minutes of his time. I wonder how much he got paid for that? Probably around $100,000, I'm guessing. Nice work if you can get it. But considering they probably grossed over a cool $1 million on the event, it wasn't such a bad idea.
His theme was not on globalization, but on interdependence. How we're all connected now. And need to be more so. And how 50% of the world does not enjoy the lifestyle that we in the West do, and that we need to do something about it before the War of Interdependence breaks out (my words, not his). Let's make friends, not enemies.
And that we need to do something about global warming - and that the Internet (didn't his VP Gore invent the damn thing?) has changed the world. And that HIV/AIDS is bad. And that we have the power within us to change the world. Sigh. I suppose he is right, but it all sounded so simplistic. I guess you can't get too technical in a 50-minute speech, and he is a good orator, but I've seen him do better.
I just don't think he brought his A-game to Calgary. And after we showered him with millions of our tax dollars yesterday to help him change the world.
But on balance, considering what 41 and 43 have done lately, I'm thinking 42 isn't so bad. The meaning of life? Not quite - but he can talk about bringing meaning to life quite well.
Comments
I just need to get an email addy from you to sign you up as co-author on Corrie.
If you could send it to me at glacia at gmail dot com that would be fab.
Ta.
On the subject of 42, I once saw an episode of Sesame Street (don't ask why I was watching it - that's a looong story) and Telly was flustered by a phone that kept ringing and ringing. At first he answered it with a question but by the end he just picked up the phone, yelled "42" into it and hung up. I laughed myself silly.
Anyway, I'm glad to see you're posting again. I quite enjoy reading your blog!
Take care,
JB
He takes you from the depths of despair to rejoicing hope in the span of an hour.
Maybe he should lead a country.