Hate much?

Name the only country in the world where a racist group (KKK) shows up at a protest (Ferguson) to raise money for a "hero" cop who shot an unarmed black teen. and in the same week, a church group (Westboro Baptist) would (plan to) show up to heckle the funeral of a beloved comic (Robin Williams) who brought so much joy and laughter to the world. Sad.


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Is it possible to dislike Beatles music?

The recent release of the new Beatles electronic game (and subsequent remastered works) has brought out the Beatles haters in force. I have always wondered how--no, more like questioned, whether someone can genuinely not like their music. I have explored this question from every angle I can think of...and have not yet found a plausible case for disliking the genre. I call it "genre" because it is a body of work large enough and different enough to warrant it.

And that brings me to my conclusion that it is not possible to hate Beatles music. I will concede that with a mild brain defect, it is fathomable that one may dislike many of the tunes the Fab Four produced. After all, some people don't like steak. Others still, don't like lobster. Therein lies the rub and the crux of my argument. The Beatles "buffet" consists of not only juicy steak and succulent lobster, but also lasagna, cherries, ice cream, cheesecake and several other recipes I can't put my finger on at the moment.

You tell me, dear reader, how anyone cannot find something to enjoy in that array. From She Loves You to Twist and Shout to Sgt. Pepper to Something to Back in the USSR to Long and Winding Road to--I'd better stop myself here or I might name every one of their songs. Their music spans much of the universe of sound. From the child-like tunes to the amazingly crafted ones, there's something for every taste. To continue the gastronomic metaphor, to say you don't like Beatles music is like saying "I don't like food".

So, to those who insist they hate the Beatles, I can only feel sorry for you...just as I feel sorry for those who suffer from anorexia...or mental illness.

I am outraged and ashamed

There is no bigger proponent of multi-culturalism and racial diversity than I. I am also a proud Canadian trumpeting far and wide on this medium how great a place Canada is as the most culturally diverse country in the world. We seem to get along much better than most countries, celebrating our differences in so many ways--via parades, food fairs, picnics, festivals, etc., some of these events attracting over one million participants, many travelling from other countries to join the festivities.

But this past week, an incident has tarnished Canada's image. It is alleged that three drunken Vancouver-area, off-duty police officers brutally assaulted and robbed a man of colour. In the process, the victim alleges that one of the officers uttered a racial statement. As of this writing, no charges have been laid, but it seems very likely that there will be soon.

You may be asking yourself why I'm bringing this to light. I'm conflicted about it, really, but let me try to explain. It's not the Canadian way to sweep things under the rug. If we do wrong, we acknowledge it, hold those responsible accountable, make reparations, and fix things that need fixing. Hopefully, the publicity this case attracts will inspire authorities and politicians to work that much harder to ensure that conditions that allow something like this to happen, are rectified.

For anyone to commit such a heinous crime is appalling, but for members of those sworn "to serve and protect", it is nothing short of sickening. I just hope that justice will be served in the way of severe punishment for the guilty. The last thing we need is for the poor victim to be victimized again.

The Story.

Woman faces charge after dishwashing dispute

FORT WORTH, Texas – Police say a 20-year-old woman faces an aggravated assault charge after she bit her boyfriend, broke a picture frame across his face and swung at him with a sword during an argument about him not doing the dishes.

The woman was arrested Thursday afternoon at the couple's apartment, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported on its Web site.

The 21-year-old man told police that he became involved in an argument because the woman was upset that the dishes were not clean. Police Lt. Paul Henderson said the woman told the man to leave the apartment, but he refused.

Henderson said the woman then tried to physically remove the man. During the ensuing struggle, the woman bit the man's right shoulder and broke a picture frame across his face, causing visible cuts, Henderson said.

The woman then grabbed an approximately 2-foot sword and swung it at him, but missed, police said.

The woman was released from a Mansfield jail after posting a $10,000 bond, jail officials said.

Henderson said the man and woman had lived together for four months.

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I wondered as I read the above:

1. Were the subjects wistfully gazing into each other's eyes, professing their undying love mere weeks before this incident? Days?

2. Shortly after they met had they confided in each other that they believed they had found their soul mate?

3. Did their hearts pound in unison when they decided to move in together?

4. Did they last week tell everyone they knew that they had just got engaged?

5. Would they be getting back together like the incident was nothing at all to be concerned about and say they still love each other?

6. Will the police arrive next time to a body?

7. If they don't resume their relationship, will someone new fall madly in love with the psycho bitch?

8. What does she do if the laundry isn't done?

How much do you hate waiting in line?

Yesterday evening, I got a yearnin' for a chocolate sundae. I hadn't had one for years and was dying for one. It was warm out--not hot, so I figured the Dairy Queen shop shouldn't be too busy. I walked the ten or so blocks there and as I approached, I could see that there was a queue of people all the way out the door. It took me about .001 seconds to decide to walk back home. I think I would rather have a candle burn the underside of my foot than wait in line like cattle. If they were giving away cars, my reaction would be the same. Back home, the pralines and cream ice cream in my fridge tasted better than usual.