Musitorial, noun, a mashup of musics, musings and editorials: music and song that evoke thought and commentary.
Everyone knows the surefire way to distract your dog when it’s being naughty or annoying is to yell, SQUIRREL! Even an old dog can be tricked in this way, it’s nearly foolproof. Just point the dog in a different direction. It sometimes works for a surprisingly long time. Throwing a stick works well too.
With apologies to respected Political Science teachers and students, I sometimes suspect that distraction tactics (spirits) are part of the core curriculum in advanced public service political science wannabe programmes. They have reworked that old social science maxim to read, ‘alcohol is the opiate of the masses.’[1]
For hundreds of years, alcohol has been the opiate of choice for politicians vying for public support and for a seat at the public trough. I’m by no means a teetotaller and, from time to time have erred on the side of “just one more,” but shouldn’t the price of beer and the nationality of distilled grains and grapes chosen by sophisticates be the least of our worries these days? As attractive as the idea of “a dollar a beer” sounded to Ontario voters <link below>, a dollar a litre for milk seems much more important to the big picture as opposed to the big pitcher, right?
With all due respect and apologies to the folks who rely on suds for their income and their jobs, therefore their family’s wellbeing, the price and availability of spirits should be pretty low on a list of personal priorities. If you want a shot or a pint you pay for it; if you need milk for the kids or to do some baking, you pay for it. Which is more important?
I have no idea how much fresh water is needed per litre of spirits, but I do know how much milk is needed per week in the life of a child in its growing years: a lot. Likewise, eggs flour and raw vegetables, etc. And I know that water is life itself. Shouldn’t that be our focus for affordability? There are other similar distractions I often contemplate, such as agriculture (writ large) and energy.
To speak of alcohol again for moment, I note (with a measure of dismay) that recent research (the kind that many of us hide from our spouses), says two drinks a week is plenty, in order to avoid health risks. TWO!
If that’s the case, what is the point of our political obsession with booze? As a measure of our disdain for unfavourable U.S. trade policies, most Canadians jurisdictions took U.S. brands of spirits off government-licensed shelves. I think a majority of Canadians supported (and continue to support) that demonstration of Canadian sovereignty, but really, who cares? As the matter seems so very important to the U.S., conceding this point just might be the sort of gesture that balances the scales a bit.
We should, however, stand firm on dairy products. In fact, subsidize Canadian dairy products the same way Premier Ford wants to subsidize beer. Who’s for ‘a dollar a litre’ for milk?
This is not to say I’m sick & tired of the debates, and I do pledge to keep up the fight, but The Beatles get the nod for today’s musical selection: “I’m So Tired” (Lennon-McCartney, The Beatles, 1968, George Martin prod., Apple).
I'm so tired, I haven't slept a wink
I'm so tired, my mind is on the blink
I wonder, should I get up
And fix myself a drink?
No, no, no
Enjoy!
=30=
Link to news article from 2016 campaign of now-Premier Doug Ford. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/08/doug-ford-beer-ontario-canada
Link to The Nature of Things, CBC Docs article “The new science of alcohol,” by Laura Tennant (Aug 13, 2026) on alcohol consumption guidelines: https://tinyurl.com/yftzh535
Link to Geniius.com for the lyrics to “I’m So Tired” by The Beatles, including a ‘play’ link: https://genius.com/The-beatles-im-so-tired-lyrics
Link to Wikipedia article on “I’m So Tired,” by The Beatles: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I'm_So_Tired
[1] Originally Karl Marx’s "religion is the opium of the people" (opium des volkes), 1844, usually quoted as ‘religion is the opiate of the masses.’ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium_of_the_people
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