I read two stories today that made me shake my head and wonder what the hell is wrong with people. Do they have nothing better to focus their minds on? Does the press have nothing better to focus our minds on??

First, is there a thing between Peter McKay and Condoleeza Rice? WTF? She is the most eligible bachelorette on the planet, she's almost old enough to be his mother, and she's American ferchissakes! What does she want with a Merry-timer when she has the whole world at her fingertips?

Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met in Nova Scotia this week to mark the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and discuss trade issues.

But any rehearsed political messages were overshadowed by the image of MacKay and Rice smiling and clasping hands while gazing into each other's eyes at the conclusion of a news conference on Tuesday.

Oh barf! As if the Conservatives aren't already accused of "getting into bed with the Bush administration", this is the last thing we need!

And then there's the tempest in a teapot of Sean Penn's oral fixation.

Ontario's smoke police have allowed actor Sean Penn off the hook.
But the Sutton Place Hotel isn't as lucky.

David McKeown, Toronto's chief medical officer of health [formerly of the Department of Redundancy Department - RG], told thestar.com late today that the Oscar-winning actor, who lit up a cigarette at the Sutton Place Hotel last Sunday during a news conference, will escape with a warning.

However, McKeown said the Sutton Place Hotel will be issued tickets totalling $605 for breaking the tough new Smoke-Free Ontario Act, which bans smoking in enclosed places in the province.

You see what kind of a backwards little cesspool Toronto is? Oh yes, come here and bring your Hollywood money, but whatever you do, be a puritan about it! I haven't seen such un-cosmopolitan behavior since... well, since Madonna almost got arrested for a racy scene in one of her shows... IN TORONTO! Or wait, maybe it was when Toronto's own Bare Naked Ladies weren't allowed to have the band name on any marquee, because it said BARE NAKED LADIES!!! This town pretends really hard to be a city, but it's a backwater. Always has been, and always will be.

"I think this incident has really drawn attention to the issue and the requirements under the act, and I hope it will be less likely that we will see charges in the future," McKeown said.

He also said he hopes Penn gets the message and complies the next time he is in town.

"I hope Mr. Penn comes back to Toronto and we look forward to his next visit and hope he kicks the habit," McKeown said.

Yeah, you'll be lucky.