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.

This is one three departments I run. The others are the Department of Pet Peeves and the Department of Good Quotes Worth Remembering.

I am the director of these three departments with an absolute free hand to decide when they are open and, if they are, what they will consider. Just call me a dictator.

So, Bits and Pieces is open again.

CAN YOU IMAGINE THIS GOLF TWOSOME?

In the recent British Open – knowledgeable golfers, especially those from across the pond, call this “The Open” – there was an incredible twosome, at least by name. Two letter names, to boot.

One was Kevin Na. The other was Beyong An.

So, the twosome was Na and An. Not hard to pronounce.

Why do I notice stuff like this? Well, the answer is too much time on my hands in retirement.

“ROARING AND BROODING”

The Washington Post labeled Trump with this phrase about a week ago.. And that is cause for concern for all Americans.

Who knows what Trump will do when he broods? In this case, the worst act was to call out none other than pro basketball player LeBron James because, in a TV interview, James didn’t support Trump.

I say, who cares? Doesn’t Trump have better stuff to do than to rail against a basketball player?  I would hope so.

One just has to hope that Trump won’t do something really bad as he broods.

WANT TO BE TRUMP’S LAWYER?

Speaking of an impossible task, consider this one. Almost every time Trump bangs out another tweet, he gives his counsel a new, steep hill to climb. This time, Trump, perhaps without thinking about what he was doing – which isn’t unusual – admitted that his son had met with Russians to get dirt on Hillary Clinton, then almost admitted that he knew about the meeting.

If I was Trump’s lawyer – perish the thought! – I would quit. Can’t represent someone who thinks he is his own best lawyer, which amounts to “having an idiot for a client.”

A GREAT DECISION BY THE OREGON GOLF ASSOCIATION!

I just returned from a afternoon-long stint as an official for a junior golf tournament at Mallard Creek in Lebanon, Oregon. The news here is that the Oregon Golf Association (OGA) displayed its usual good sense by allowing a handicapped junior golf to ride in a golf cart in order to be able to play in the event.

Having volunteered for the OGA for a number of years, I have found the leaders and staff there to be well-organized and smart, especially when it comes issues like treating handicapped persons with respect and sensibility.