THE REGULARITIES OF BEING A REGULAR

Last year, Jason, a friend of mine, came back from buying breakfast from Druxy's and was marveling to another friend and me that the guy making his breakfast sandwich gave him a bunch of extra toppings. At. No. Extra. Charge.

We congratulated Jason on his new found wealth, because anytime you get something for nothing it's a boon. This friend shook his head, and said that he did not like being a regular and would have to go to another Druxy's the next day to get his breakfast. My friend and I warned Jason not to be, well, stupid, because as he clearly found out being a regular has its benefits.

The next day Jason did go to a different Druxy's, and not only didn't get any free extra toppings, but thinks that they may have shortchanged him on the condiments. There was nothing more to say to Jason than "We told you so." Lesson learned, Jason went back to his regular Druxy's.

I've become a regular at this fantastic premium salad. The owner knows me. The manager knows me. I know their names. One of the guys who works behind the counter knows me - he's always asking how I'm doing. I'm so regular there, that the manager gave me his cell number to place my orders in case no one picks up the main line. Once, I even got them to toss in green apples into one of their chef designed salads. FREE DICED APPLE!!!

If you have a chance to become a regular, or a "Norm" was on Cheers, I commend you for taking it. It can sometimes lead to free stuff, and c'mon, who doesn't like free stuff?

FRINGE GROUPS AMONGST US

If the KKK threatened to boycott Ford because it advertised in a magazine such as Ebony, most people would be agahst if American corporations gave into such demands. The only difference between the KKK and the AFA is the colour of the sheets that they wear. So why is everyone quiet now?

The AFA is condemning corporations for trying to earn as much money as possible - by advertising their products where they best think would reach their target consumers - and by trying to treat all their employees with equality and dignity.

Unless companies like Ford and P&G are setting up gay bathhouses on company grounds, the pursuit of profits and equal treatment should not be even remotely considered endorsing a homosexual lifestyle.

It's about time that the public and large corporations called a spade a spade
and saw such groups like the AFA for what they really - a fringe group that is hiding behind a noble cause such as promition of family values as a means to promote hatred and discrimination.

Goodbye Tookie

Last week Stanley "Tookie" Williams was executed. Tookie was the founder of the notorious Crips, the gang that battled the Bloods for supremacy in L.A. Vigils held by celebrities calling for clemency by Governor Schwarzenegger fell on deaf ears.

Tookie's execution raises some interesting questions.

What's the point of the eventual sentence in a criminal case - whether it is jail or the death penalty.

Is it punishment? Rehabilitation? Protection of society? General deterrence?

In a death penalty case, clearly it has to be punishment of the individual. After all, once they are dead, there's really not too much else you could do with them.

However, it takes a number of years between the time the death sentence is passed and it is actually carried out. For Tookie, that was over 24 years he spent on death row. In that time, there were numerous appeals. Over that time, he wrote children's books condemning the very institution, gangs, that he helped propel to notoriety, was nominated for the Nobel Prize in peace and literature. Those opposed to the death penalty say that clearly, Tookie has been reformed, and should be spared the death penalty. Afterall, that is what prisons do - they reform people.

But, as some have pointed out, this entire time, Tookie has maintained his innocence. How could you have been redeemed if he didn't commit the crime, never apologized to his victims, or accept responsibility for what he did, as Larry Elder said.

Is there a possibility that Tookie is innocent? Sure. As the founder and leader of such a huge gang, an arrest and conviction of Tookie's stature would've sent out a message to the rest of the gangs in L.A. And, L.A. cops are not exactly known as the cleanest ones around.

End of the day, Tookie was being punished for the crimes he committed. Had he been sentenced to prison, then an argument could be made that prison in its best case scenario is a place to rehabilitate people. Afterall, maybe had Tookie faced up to the mistakes he made, you could say he redeemed himself.

THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED?

As much as I love empirical evidence, I'm going to go against what the statistics tell is and say that the music industry is in a lot of trouble. You just have to go to a local HMV, and take a look at the prices of CDs, and even DVDs: 2 CDs or DVDs for $30; 2 CDs for $25; or if the retailer is really lucky: 2 CDs or DVDs for $40. Of course, there is also the combination of 3 for $30. Given that most retailers buy hit CDs from distributors for around US$12, it's not hard to see how selling CDs can be a losing proposition for the retailers.

The recording industry estimates that it loses about $4.2 billion dollars to illegal piracy each year. Sales of music has fallen by 10% in the last four years. Only so much of that can be blamed on the crappy music being put out the last little while. And while some sales are being diverted to legal music download sites, there still has to be that part of decline in record sales that can be directly attributed to illegal downloading, regardless of these studies that show that it is not having a negative effect on music sales.

Retailers have to be feeling the pinch from the Napsters, Kazaas, Limewires, Bit Torrents of the world. Otherwise, why else would they have CDs, like the new Coldplay or Sheryl Crow on sale for $9.99, which has to be at a loss for them?

Those who don't feel the need to have the extra-packaging of a CD, such as liner notes, a case or even a disc, can't really justify downloading a song and not paying for it. While, in Canada, it is not legally illegal according, the artist is still being shortchanged out of a royalty. With iTunes and other avenues that will direct the royalties to the artists' pocket, no one has an excuse to not pay for their music.

Afterall, if you have a job, you'd want to get paid for the work you do, too. Don't you?

I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU MAN AND DOG

There's an election campaign taking place in Canada. Again. And what topic has already been brought forward as an issue? Same-sex marriage. Again.

You'd think that it would be put to rest since the federal government changed the law. Nope. Stephen Harper, leader of the Conservatives has said that he will change the law, if elected Prime Minister - put the issue of same-sex marriage to Parliament. Again.

The issue of same-sex marriage reminds me of Jesus. It just seems to keep coming back. Which. Really. Baffles. My. Mind.

It seems like there are really three camps on this issue: those who are really opposed to it (read: right wing Christian fundamentalists); those who are really for it (read: really liberal left minded thinkers and gay people); and those who just don't care (read: most people).

I had a discussion about this very topic with a colleague who falls into that first category. He argues that sexual orientation is not an enumerated clause in the Charter of Rights and Freedom, who someone wants to have sex with should not be equated with these enumerated clauses, one of which is the right for the government to actually pass laws that violates the Charter. Actually his exact words were that he finds it "unequal and degrading" because it is just sexual preference.

The notion of love being the foundation for a marriage to him doesn't necessarily give someone the right to marry, just because they love someone. On that point, I agree with him. He did say that just because he loves his dog and his blood relatives, he shouldn't have a right to marry them.

A marriage is a legally binding contract. (Ed. note: here's where some of that fancy law degree of mine comes into play). A contract requires: offer - where someone makes an offer of some kind; acceptance - where the other party accepts that offer; consideration - where something of value is given (usually an exchange of promises); and an intention to form a contract, which basically means you have to be of sound mind, i.e. not crazy.

If a dog could give acceptance to a contract, and someone really, really was in love with a dog, then by all means, tell me where you've registered and I'll get you a matching set of doggy dishes. And as for marrying a blood relative, well I hear the Appalachian Trail has a wonderful place to honeymoon.

Scientists can't say for certain, but studies have shown that sexual orientation is biological. To me, that makes perfect sense... wome have curvy, sexy, beautiful bodies. Men, ugly ones. I mean what guy would want to "choose" another man. Men already have one penis with which to play... it's got to be genes that make them want to get into another man's jeans.

While religion is an enumerated clause in the Charter, I find religion to be much more of a choice than sexual orientation. It's December 9th, and I've already changed my religion 6 times since the start of the month. I'm saving some branch of Christianity for the 23rd to 26th so I can get Christmas presents. Over the same time period, I haven't changed my sexual orientation once.

Now that same-sex marriage is legal, I can just picture him tossing and turning during those sleepless nights, now that his marriage is worth less because gay people can get married, and he can't marry his dog. His. Annoying. Little. Dog. Next thing you know, they'll give them the right to vote!

Love should be the foundation of any relationship, and marriage a celebration of that love. I don't think it's inconceivable that two men could fall in love with one another (if someone fell in love with Lyle Lovett, anything is possible!) and would want to get married, then we should let them, and celebrate and congratulate their marriage, just as we would every other marriage, including the one of the guy to his dog.

Maybe the government should not make marriages between right wing Christians legal anymore... they probably wouldn't have children outside of marriage, and we could eventually get rid of their ass-backward ways of thinking...

NOT JUST A RIGHT BUT A CIVIC DUTY

A war is being waged in Iraq, an illegal one, but one that provides an important lesson. The Iraqi people held their first real election a little while ago. For years, they were under the despotic rule of Saddam Hussein.

In January, Canadians will go to the polls. Again. Just like they did 18 months ago. Well, approximately 60% of eligible voters will go to the polls, which is really embarrassing.

People in other countries have died for the right to vote, and in a lot of cases, even when they do, they are really just voting for a single party. A. Single. Corrupt. Party.

The United States was founded because some people did not like that the King was setting taxes on them without their input. There was no vote for the king, so they revolted.

Those Canadians who do not vote are doing a disservice to themselves, and more importantly to their country. You don't have to be informed on all the issues but you should know where each party stands on the important ones - education, health care, taxes, etc. - and vote based on that.

By casting a vote, you are not only taking part in the democratic process in Canada, but also taking part in it for everyone in the world who cannot.