Easy Sainthood:

Previous to his untimely demise, Gord Downie's music was not a factor in my life. I stopped paying attention to popular music about 40 years ago. Persistent media hype at the 6 pm news brought him to my attention and dismissal all in one shot. 

A solid 15 minutes of breathless tribute is a good indicator that there really was no significant news other than this media elevation to sainthood.

Justin Trudeau's tearful performance before the cameras brought to mind the fact he is, first and foremost, a drama coach. A+ for that performance, Justin. You did good.

The Canadian flag being lowered to half mast was a bit much. To my mind, it demonstrates the degree to which we Canadians are starved for real heroism.

We seem ripe for some major catastrophe to snap our social consciousness back into a more realistic perspective.