PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19^TH HOLE: This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus use an image from my favorite sport, golf. Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as a Congressional press secretary in Washington, D.C., an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and a private sector lobbyist. This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.

I direct the Department of Pet Peeves will full and complete authority to make the decisions I feel need to be made. No one tells what to do.

So, the Department is open again.

BIG PHARMA ADVERTISING: Big Pharma has had many grand successes – at least it would claim credit — but its TV commercials continue to make me sick. Across the dial, but especially on cable news, it’s hard to avoid drug ads in which the dominant theme seems to be a risk of sudden death. Worse, if the prescription doesn’t kill you, there’s a chance you’ll simply kill yourself.

Consider Chantix, which calls itself “the #1 prescribed Rx quit-smoking aid.” Its commercials mention the usual side effects, such as weight gain. Then, while happy-go-lucky background images roll, the announcer also warns of “suicidal thoughts or actions.” Talk about a dilemma: Die from smoking, or kill yourself because you finally tried to quit.

I say end the ads and focus, instead, on quality relationships between citizens and their medical providers who can provide good counsel on prescriptions worth taking.

SENATOR JEFF MERKLEY FOR PRESIDENT: This one is hard to believe and, for me, it becomes a pet peeves because of the conduct of Oregon’s junior senator was he served in the Oregon Legtislature.

Here’s what the Wall Street Journal reported a few days ago:

“Yet when Majority Leader Mitch McConnell last week asked for unanimous consent to take up Mr. Grenell’s nomination (he was a nominee for an abasssador position), Oregon’s Jeff Merkley objected. Merkley has positioned himself as the leader of the anti-Trump resistance with visions of running for President—which proves that some people will believe anything.”

When he was in the Legislature in Oregon, Merkley came across as a holier-than-thou legislator who thought he had the right answer to every question. In fact, he didn’t even want to ask or answer any question.

To believe he has the chops to run for president is a thought only in his mind.

THE USE OF THE PHRASE “CENTER AROUND:” From time to time, I write about language issues, which is a risk because, when you write about such things, you can easily make mistakes yourself.

But, one of the phrases that continues to bug me is “center around.” Think about it. It’s impossible.  It should be “center on.”

This quote from the Wall Street Journal:  “The case raises issues that are crucial in the technology world. The dispute centers around how software developers use application program interfaces, or APIs, which are pre-written packages of computer code that enables programs, websites or apps talk to one another. APIs also spare developers the time and expense needed to write fresh code.”

Now, I add that the technology description escapes me, a techno- nerd, but the sentence would have been stronger, not to mention accurate, if the writer would have used “centers on,” not “centers around.”

CELL PHONE MARKETING IRRITATIONS: My wife and I went in the other day to the local AT&T store to try to bundle services, including cell phone and Direct TV, both under AT&T.

We ended being irritated.

First, AT&T promotional offers often are designed for new customers, not veterans like us.

AT&T advertising emphasizes the benefits of bundling, but, when you get to the decision point, there are few, if any, advantages.

Major companies such as AT&T should honor veteran customers, not just new ones.