I’m a Bigot

It's a difficult thing to have to admit, but I'm afraid it's true. As I come clean and admit my horrible bias, let me give you a little backstory first.

In my career, I listen to a lot of podcasts. For the uninitiated, podcasts are just downloadable audio talk shows on whatever subject you may choose. Mine are obviously technical oriented. Some are good, some are awful, some purport to be related to one subject and then for some reason choose to focus on another (a rant that will come later today). But regardless, they are all technically related.

I tried listening to one called Plumbers @ Work. The content is actually pretty good but there's one huge problem.

They're Canadian.

Having grown up near Canada and having watched NHL hockey all my life, I'm very sensitive to Canadian accents. I hear them without even trying. The problem is that while it's amusing during a hockey game, it's very irritating while I'm trying to work. I'm trying to work and I keep hearing things like "I'm a-boot to do a conference that's a-boot .NET" "It's a-boot time Microsoft did something a-boot that problem. I get emails a-boot that all the time."

And another thing. You know the round pork-based meat that we put on Egg McMuffins? It's HAM! It's not bacon, it's HAM!! Putting the word "Canadian" in front of something won't change what is. Just because you don't have a cuisine of your own doesn't mean you should go trying to co-opt meats as something that's yours.

"Mmmm...this is good turkey!" "It's not turkey, it's Canadian chicken!"

And what's with your flag?

A big leaf? At least you have a good national anthem. I suppose that has to count for something.

Speaking of leaves. What's up with that? The plural of leaf is LEAVES. So why do you have the Toronto Maple Leafs? Shouldn't it be the Toronto Maple LEAVES?

See? This is what happens when I have to listen to Canadian accents. I need to get back to work.