At least it's not a total loss.
The big loss is the death of esteemed crime novelist, Elmore Leonard, of a stroke at age 87. Among his 45 novels are Get Shorty, 3:10 to Yuma, and Rum Punch (remade by Tarantino as Jackie Brown).
Canada also says goodbye - and good riddance - to U.S. Tea Party senator Ted Cruz who has announced his intention to renounce his Canadian citizenship. Cruz says he's really got nothing against us or our country, it's just that people might talk if they knew he had foreigner status.
So it's farewell Elmore and don't let the door hit you on the ass on your way out, Ted.
We'll all miss Leonard, Mound. As for Cruz, he's not the first Canadian to become an American political activist.
ReplyDeleteBut unlike John Kenneth Galbraith -- who never forgot Canada -- Cruz wants to forget his Canadian connection.
And that's good for us.
Mound, I'm glad to learn that you and Owen are fans of Elmore Leonard too. After reading of the raid on the Guardian computers today, I was feeling bad enough; shortly after, I read of Leonard's death. As my wife said, without flippancy, "You're really having a bad day."
ReplyDeleteLeonard's quirky characters and his keen ear for speech made each of his novels a real pleasure to read. I will miss his skewed perspective a great deal, but glad he lived a life of prodigious output. He has earned a well-deserved rest.
Blame the goof-ball political environment in the US rather than Cruz. He's pretty much forced to do what he's doing if he doesn't want to get primaried.
ReplyDeleteI think you're right, CRF. He doesn't want dual citizenship being used against him in the presidential primaries.
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