Tuesday digest

- People in England who don't take care of themselves may be facing a reduction in government-provided health care services. Wouldn't it be nice if we could have the same type of discussion in Canadian society? Meanwhile, in the socialist utopia of Cuba, they've had to fly in the proper medical equipment so that ruler-for-life Fidel Castro can be treated for whatever illness they're not admitting he's suffering from.

Humph.

- A quick word tonight about the death of the Godfather of Soul. Instead of pretending that I'm all down with the Brown and that his music spoke to me on some deeper level, like every posing wannabe hipster walking the face of God's green earth did after Johnny Cash died, I'll just pay tribute to the man by mentioning that his concert in July 2001 at Bluesfest in Ottawa was the only one out of the dozens and dozens I've seen for which I've ever been backstage. I didn't meet Brown, but I'll never forget the brass-plated toilet seat that was part of the, shall we say, "facilities".

I think that about says it all.