(*a line from Monty Python and The Holy Grail)

Whilst I was at the Avs game, I decided, I'm not sure why, to go check out the memorabilia shop. Sure enough, there was nothing I felt the need to buy, as not being a sportsman, I see no need to wear sports apparel.

That's something that for whatever reason, occasionally bugs me. People who wear sports clothing, when they are not now, nor ever, going to indulge in playing the sport for which they're dressed. Sure, in the case of ice hockey fans they're showing their support for their team - when they wear a team jersey to a match - but apart from that, I think wearing sports apparel all the time just looks dumb. It's a bit like the 80's craze for "shell suits" - where the wearer, basically abdicated all responsibility and decision-making for their appearance, in favour of donning what in the 70's would have been seen as a costume on a low-budget sci-fi show, depicting a future where no-one had any imagination.

At $250 a shirt, there was certainly no danger of me falling for this fashion faux pas.

On the way out of the shop, I bumped (almost literally) into Governor Owens. FYI for non-Coloradoans, he's our state's governor. I didn't say hi, and I didn't, on this occasion, give a nazi salute. I was too busy psyching myself up for the game!

A week later, I was out for beers with a fellow radio broadcaster, hatching a plot for a new (non-jazz) show, when I ended up in a bar that whilst normally quite nice, was saturated with Republicans. Not people who vote Republican, but actual lackeys of Colorado's current right-wing administration. Sat on the table next to me, again, was Governor Owens.

He seemed to be having a good time, and so did his underlings. It was funny, I thought, just how much like British Conservatives they acted, even whilst having a drink. It's as if there's a certain way for right-wingers to behave, even socially.

It reminded me of an incident with my (registered Democrat) roommate. She told me that, years ago, she was at a party, everyone was in jeans and t-shirts, or whatever, and all had had a goodly amount of alcohol. She was then introduced to this young man, who was wearing slacks, a business shirt and tie, and a blazer. He had an over-confident and smug air about him, especially for someone so over-dressed, and so prematurely middle-aged.

The person introducing them said, "...and this is xxxxxxx, he's a Republican." to which my roommate (a little the worse for some beers), started patting the young man's tie, and replied, "Ah yes, y'know they have to dress like this, so that we can tell them apart from normal people.". The Republican was speechless, that anyone would question his importance.

I, after several Guinnesses, did make a few loud references to Nuremberg, and gassing Democrats, as we left the bar, but none of it was heard, over the teutonic chanting of "Cheney Cheney Über Alles".