Shit That Annoys Me Today

Those of you who have ever read this blog understand that that there is no shortage of things that tend to aggravate me.  For the most part, in my daily life, I keep my mouth shut, because no one wants to listen to someone who bitches all the time, no matter how right they are.  Occasionally, a perfect storm of crap comes together and I can't hold in my ire anymore, and it spills out into the blog.  So, today's post.  In no particular order, the junk I find irritating right now:

1. Saudi Arabia.  Today's NYT reports that women aren't allowed to drive in the country.  Of course, they also can't vote or work (without a man's permission).  If you can seriously name one thing other than oil reserves that should command respect from this country, I'd like to hear it.  I'm all for respecting another culture's beliefs and ideals, but it's ridiculous to treat this kind of institutionalized sexism as anything other than repellant.
2. Pending public education budget cuts in Pennsylvania and elsewhere in the nation.  Let me get this straight.  It's okay to cut programs from the poorest school districts so that we can continue tax breaks for industries?  You're poisoning the future, you're wrong, and you should be ashamed if you support these policies.  If you're too stupid to understand that, then you probably didn't go to a public school.
3. The Free Pass For Wall Street.  The longer the economy languishes (and by every measure, it still is) the more it irks me that those responsible have suffered very little compared to the average citizens of the country.  Their business-as-usual mentality, while the American taxpayer picks up the tab, is a national crime.
4. Celebrity Culture.  Our nation's slavish worship of every glittering freak show is turning us into oatmeal-heads.  We're spending so much of our time worrying about what these fools are doing that nobody is actually, well, doing anything.  Write your own book, make your own movie, sing your own song.

Okay, that's it for today.  It's still early so I may be back, I reserve that right.  If you're pissed off about something, or at me, why not let me know?