Published in 1900, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz tells the story of a young girl who finds herself in a magical world filled with fantastic characters. Still, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore, when…

The Scarecrow, in need of a brain, but with superior olfactory ability, is the president of "the world's largest economy". 

The Tin Man, in need of a heart, is the president's chief medical advisor who says the FDA's vote against Covid booster shots is 'not the end of the story'!

The Cowardly Lion, in need of courage, is every person in the world who is being forced to take part in the charade for fear of losing their jobs and access to…well…everything. 

Mind you, offhand, I can think of at least 100 other "high-profilers" who would fit the bill. And some of them even walk away with a nomination in each of the three categories. Like…erm… Gladys Berejeklian… New South Wales premier, and one of Covaids' season's rising stars, with her "gold standard" contact tracing regime. Oh, and when I say 'walk away', I mean resigning amidst a corruption investigation. 

Surprise! 

If Glady B was on your list of "people's faces I would like to see connect with a baseball bat", worry no more. So that's one piece of great news in today's Lucy & Jeff show – with more horror, drama, comedy, murder mystery and Best & Worst Acting Awards where that comes from…

Oh, and talking about gold standards, here's something I bet you didn't know… 

In the 1939 movie, Dorothy's ruby-red slippers represent the little guy's ability to triumph over powerful forces. As the item that she – a simple teenage farm girl from Kansas – steals from the dictatorial Wicked Witch and ultimately uses to liberate the oppressed people of Oz, they're nothing less than a symbol of revolution. 

Except… in the book those slippers were silver – swapped for red because it looks better on film. And the story was inspired by the real-life economic struggles during the Gold Standard, with many economists and historians insisting that each character represents a person or group active in the late 1800s. 

-The scarecrow represents the farmers in the west, most of whom had mortgages and owed money to the bankers in the east. When deflation hit, the value of the farmers' debts rose. The amount they owed the bankers was now worth much more than at the time of the loan – bad for the farmers but great for the bankers. The farmers (and industrial workers) were pushing for silver to be recognized as part of the gold standard so that more money would be available for them to borrow. 

-The citizens of the East (who are represented by the munchkins) wanted to keep the gold standard in place, which is why they urge Dorothy to "follow the yellow brick road". 

-And of course, there is a nod to gold in the title. O-Z is the abbreviation for an ounce of gold. 

-Finally, there is the Emerald City, America's capital, Washington, D.C. where everything is seen through dollar-colored glasses literally (which is why everything appears to be green). 

Everything has a message. For those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, a mind to think, a body to resist, and a heart to care. 

How you use it is up to you.