Rant About Things that are Annoying Me

Warning:

I may seem quiet and mild most of the time, but if you hit on something about which I'm passionate, you could get an earful. Or an eyeful in this case...I'm usually careful about things I blog because I don't want to offend anyone, but there are a few things I'd like to get off my chest. So if you're sensitive about lawsuits, gay rights, abortion, big development, the religious jewelry debate, or infant baptism, you should probably stop reading now!

"Hasboro sees Scrabulous as a Risk to their Monopoly"
I saw this comment on one of the discussions under an on-line news article, and I quite like it. I went on Facebook to make a move in my games this morning, and I got a message saying the application was shut down. Hasboro is suing the two brothers who invented it for copyright violations or some such nonsense. There are arguments for both sides here, but I'm annoyed that Hasboro can't find some way to settle this without pissing off the thousands of people who apparently use the application on a daily basis, including me! Not only is it fun and a good mental exercise, it's put me in touch with some friends I haven't been in contact with in ages. Argh...

My brother made a comment on one of his friend's photos, and it showed up in my news feed. This particular friend was part of the gay pride parade in Halifax, and she took her toddler along. The toddler was carrying a desecration of the Canadian flag - the center portion with the red maple leaf on the white background had been applied over the rainbow gay pride flag. Our family has strong military heritage and we're all quite conservative, and so Simon commented on how while that flag might make some people feel welcome, it certainly offends others. Preach it little bro! It's one thing if members of the gay community want to have their own flag - that's their right, but when you start mucking around with our nation's flag, that's a whole 'nother matter. I have to say, I've never really been a flag-waver, and when I was in Israel and Quinn was marching around waving the flag on Canada Day, I thought he was a little crazy. But having seen that photo on Facebook, I've suddenly become a bit more of a patriot!

The Order of Canada - again, not something I've ever really thought a whole lot about. Until this announcement was made...
"Henry Morgentaler, Member of the Order of Canada
For his commitment to increased health care options for women, his determined efforts to influence Canadian public policy and his leadership in humanist and civil liberties organizations."
"Health care options for women" my butt! Baby killer, more like. I know there's a strong camp out there that says it's a woman's choice to do what she likes with her body. To that I like to quote my old youth pastor, Jerod. He used to say that you have the right to swing your arms around all you like, but the moment your arm comes in contact with someone else, that right ends. So yes, you have the right to do whatever you want to yourself, but when that right infringes on the right of an innocent baby to have life, your right ends. There was a picture of me in our local newspaper when I was about 6, walking a picket line with Mom, outside the hospital where my brother and sister were born, yet were babies were being killed. There were a lot of things I didn't understand then, but I understood that babies like my brother were dying, and I wanted to help. I still do...I sent letters to my MP, Art Hanger, to the PM, to the Governor General, and the committee that appoints the Order. I've heard back from all of them - a fairly personal email from Mr. Hanger, a form email from the PM's office, and a mass email from the GG's office, but nothing from the committee. Interesting, hey?

Trevor and I go to the Calgary Farmer's Market in the old Currie Barracks a couple of times a month for brunch and a little shopping. The lease the farmer's market has on the old hangar is expiring next year, and the company that owns the land is planning to tear it down and build a development there. I've written to my alderman and the development corporation asking them to save the farmer's market - it's important for a whole bunch of reasons and it shouldn't be ground to dust under the wheels of big business because they want to build expensive condos or some such nonsense. Urban sprawl is out of control!

I read a news article today about a Sikh schoolgirl in Britain who goes to a school with a 'no jewellery' policy. They're only allowed plain ear studs and watches - makes sense to me because it means no one is bringing expensive jewellery to school to show off or get stolen, and makes everyone a little more equal. This particular girl has a bracelet that she wears as part of her religion, and kicked up a fuss when they told her not to wear it, so the family took the school to court and won. The girl said "I'm so happy to know that no one else will go through what me and my family have gone through". Oy! But my burning question is would the Christian girls who go there be allowed to wear their crosses now? Or is it just freedom of religion for non-Christians, which is so often the case? Thankfully we have a religion that is based on one's inward appearance, not symbols which we wear!

Heading off to youth group tonight to talk about infant baptism...a subject which I feel much conflict over. If I had a time machine, I'd go back and ask Jesus to be a little more specific about exactly what He had in mind when He commanded that we baptize all nations!

Back to work...I also have a rant about people who come to work and don't do anything, so I should do my best to avoid being the topic of my own annoyance. :)