Vol. 1, No. 32

In this edition, your erudite correspondent reveals the lack of intellectual perspicacity in the American President and one of his lackeys, busts open a bulging reader mailbag and includes a book excerpt from The Casefile of Jay Moriarty.

This week: a 6-minute read

WE’VE SEEN THE ENEMY

Honestly, we do our best not to stray into politics unless circumstances demand it and, well, in this case circumstances have demanded it.

Kristin Raworth of Edmonton posted on Twitter a post from Donald Trump’s Truth Social platform that concerned a conversation the U.S. President was having with Prime Minister Trudeau. In it, Trump wrote, “[Trudeau] was unable to tell me when the Canadian election is taking place, which made me curious, like, what’s going on here? I then realized he is trying to use this issue to stay in power. Good luck Justin!”

Really? Trudeau wasn’t able to answer the question because he didn’t know the answer. It hasn’t been decided yet. Nevertheless Trump, with presumably a classic example of projection, just assumed Trudeau was trying to finagle his way into staying in power. The man has the intellectual depth of a bird bath. 

That brings us to the people who surround Trump. Some are vile and dangerous, some are clownish and dangerous, some are just dangerous, and then there is Kristi Noem. You might remember her as the South Dakota governor who shot her own dog. Now she is Homeland Security Secretary. 

According to the Boston Globe, Noem was visiting a library in Derby Line, Vermont, that straddles the Canadian border. She repeatedly stepped over the library’s taped boundary marker, and then back again. Reported librarian Deborah Bishop: “She stood on the American side and said, ‘USA No. 1.’ Then she crossed the line and said, ‘The 51^st state.’ She did it at least three times and was very clear in saying, ‘USA No. 1,’ and didn’t even say ‘Canada.’ Just, ‘The 51^st state.’” Bishop confessed the library staffers were unimpressed.

Ladies and gentlemen, these are the people who want to take over our country.

RELATED TOPIC

From the “We Can’t Be Sure It’s Not Made Up, But It’s Funny Anyway” Dept. comes this billboard, presumably erected within sight of the Manhattan skyline.

MORE ‘DEAR TERRY’ LETTERS

Re ‘The Globe Reports,’ March 2. I’m not usually this cynical, Terry, but Wayne Gretzky is just another Richie Rich in America who doesn’t want to pay income taxes. Bobby Orr is in the same yacht. (And the Niagara wine bearing Gretzky’s name isn’t very good, either.) Brian McAndrew, Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario 

Great newsletter as always, Terry. Good to see old (sorry, former) newspaper guys like yourself continue in this grand old practice of journalism. About Gretzky: In my mind, his Trump association will be a stain on Wayne forever. But it could be worse. He could be wearing a MAGA hat and a Calgary Flames jersey. Cheers, and keep up the good work. Your offerings are a Sunday treat for this old (former) newspaper guy. Bruce Penton, Medicine Hat, Alberta.

Terry, your loyalty to Wayne Gretzky is admirable ... and blind. Yes, it's true “The Great One” did not finish high school and that he lived and breathed hockey for 40 years. It’s also true Canadians have turned on Gretzky, and according to his wife, they have “broken his heart.” Well that’s one broken heart for Wayne, and 40 million broken hearts for the rest of us. Wayne is a full-blown MAGA Trump sycophant, selfishly unable or unwilling to see that it comes with consequences linked to what being Canadian means to all of us. Gretzky was a truly great hockey player. That's a fact. Canadians, in their quest for a sports superhero who would always embody Canada and Canadian ideals first, made him something he never was and, sadly, can never be. Larry Carrick, Puce, Ontario

Wayne Gretzky has enough life experience to know better, Terry. Being drawn to a mean-spirited man like Trump shows that Gretzky lacks character. He may have been our hockey hero, but I call him a disgrace now. Sandra Houston, Edmonton, Alberta 

Wayne Gretzky has tarnished his title “The Great One,” Terry. During the Canada-U.S. final for the 4 Nations Face-Off, Canadians rightfully felt betrayed as Wayne pandered to the Americans and did not even pay lip service to his title of honorary Canadian coach. Why should Wayne Gretzky be cut some slack? A lack of formal education and political savvy does not excuse his blatant lack of gratitude to the country that raised him. The allegiance and loyalty overwhelmingly displayed by Canadians over time is not being reciprocated. I am disappointed. Gail Buick, Stouffville, Ontario 

I try to avoid regrets, Terry, but I still wish I’d been successful all those years ago in persuading people the bit of Edmonton pavement formerly known as the Capilano Freeway should have been renamed Wayne Gretzky Pass. Wayne Gretzky Drive? Why, was he a pro golfer? Murdoch Davis, Valparaiso, Indiana

Re ‘’This Week’s Shameless Plug,’ March 2. Just read your brilliant, as always, Sunday file, Terry. I love it when a Moriarty creeps into your writing. Wayne Moriarty, Vancouver, B.C.

If you want to drop me a note (and risk me publishing it here), just reply to this email or, if you prefer send it to mysundayreader@gmail.com.

MICROSOFT EARNS OUR LOYALTY

OK, get this.

We received an email from Microsoft the other day, concerning our Microsoft 365 subscription. First they told us with some emphasis they are committed to improving our subscription. The key word is ”improving.” Then they proceeded to tell us all the features of our subscription that will, in their words, be “going away.”

Among them:
“You will no longer have access to 60 minutes of monthly Skype calls;” and

“Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported as part of Microsoft 365.”

Chee, don’t you just love it when our tech overlords tell us how they are going to make our lives better by taking away the stuff we pay them for?

THIS WEEK’S SHAMELESS PLUG

What follows here is the introductory passage from Page 1 of Sebastian Moran Inflicts Six Traumatic Brain Injuries, the fifth book in the series The Casefile of Jay Moriarty that we wrote about in last week’s newsletter. The author is Kit Walker who, as we mentioned, is the nom de plume for our daughter Carson McConnell.

So far, Carson has serialized six stories about the duo, and we present them here, in a PDF format for your consideration. This particular book, all 41 pages, sells for 99 cents—in the grand tradition of the serialized adventures of Sherlock Holmes written by Arthur Conan Doyle and published in London’s Strand Magazine in the 1890s. For fans of ebooks, it’s also available at Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books and, in Carson’s words, “all the other usual suspects when it comes to ebooks.”

Sebastian Moran woke from a sound sleep to the sharp trill of his phone.

He groaned and pawed blindly at the nightstand, nearly fumbling the phone onto the floor. It automatically silenced itself from midnight to 0600; only calls from a handful of numbers were allowed to override that. Sebastian peered at the screen, squinting at the brightness in the dark. Jay was calling him. He thumbed the “answer” button and put the phone to his ear with a sleepy, “Yeah?”

“Sebastian?” There was a tremor in Jay’s voice.

Sebastian’s eyes snapped open as he sat bolt upright in bed. “What’s wrong?”

“I need you.” The words were rushed and stumbling. “Help me.”

Sebastian kicked the covers aside and leapt to his feet. “Where are you?”

“Home, but—but I can’t stay here. I think they followed me. “There was a sharp intake of breath—a reaction to something Jay had seen. ”Fuck.”

Sebastian hurried to the dresser, yanking drawers open. “Who’s following you?” No answer; only silence. “Jay?”

With a beep, the line went dead.

Sebastian tossed the phone aside and dressed as quickly as possible—jeans and an old Henley, clothes he wouldn’t mind getting bloody. Same went for the worn bomber jacket he shrugged into as he made for the door. He hesitated with his hand on the doorknob and circled back, retrieving the nine-inch Bowie knife he kept under the mattress and shoving it into his belt.

Then he was out onto the street, phone in hand as he called for a cab.

Well, that’s it. See ya next week. / T.

© Terry McConnell, 2025