Penalty flags ruin flow of the game
Re: “Flag frenzy frustrating for all,” George Johnson, Opinion, July 15.
Bravo to George Johnson for his column about the penalties in the CFL. As I was trying to watch the Stampeders game on Monday, I came up with a rule change to make the game easier.
At the start of each quarter, all officials should throw their flags to the turf. In the unlikely event that they decide not to call a penalty on the play, an official can pick up his flag.
Apart from the new rule about converts, most of the changes are destroying any flow to the game.
Philip E. Carr, Calgary
No common sense
I’ve been watching the CFL for close to 60 years and have seen good, bad and ugly officiating. Unfortunately, Kim Murphy and his crew set a new standard for ugly in Monday’s game.
The Stampeders were the least penalized team going into the game and the least penalized team all last year. Now, all of a sudden, they do a 180?
C’mon. Until Monday, I’d never seen face- masking called on the receiving team of a kick, nor had I ever seen illegal interference on a kick return.
If a flag flies, there must have been a reason. Not when Murphy’s in charge.
Granted, several calls were warranted against both teams, but where does common sense come in? Murphy and his crew really should take a lesson or two from Al Bradbury and his crew. D. G. MacLean, Calgary
Oust homeless
Re: “Construction begins on $ 8.8M underpass enhancement,” July 14.
Finally. Maybe we won’t need to walk under the underpass with a sense of dread early in the morning or in the evening.
I understand the attraction of protection from the elements for the homeless, but we have so many places in Calgary that offer food and shelter for the homeless that they could take advantage of, so why not? I only hope the enhancements don’t make them feel their “home” is getting a renovation.
Why not add a loudspeaker announcing every 10 minutes: “Please do not loiter in the underpass”? Maybe this annoyance would discourage people from sleeping and gathering there. Nancy Cochrane, Calgary
Feeling safe
Re: “No carnage on Stephen Avenue,” Letter, July 13.
Thank you, City of Calgary, for having the vision to establish inner- city bike lanes. This is the first time in 15 years that I have felt safe and tolerated riding a bicycle in downtown Calgary. We bikers now have rules, road signs and traffic signals to observe and uphold.
Before this, as a vehicle driver, I have been frustrated by bicycles, with no rules, darting in and out of traffic dangerously. As a biker who was too scared to ride on the road, I’ve often woven in and out apologetically among sidewalk pedestrians.
I’ve also felt constant fear when riding dangerously close to vehicles on leftover, potholed road edges.
Those of us who ride bicycles through downtown can now ride with a sense of pride and belonging. To our mayor, councillors, transportation department and biking advocates — a huge thank you! Eilis Hieber, Calgary
Bold move
Re: “Making a deal with Iran is like playing the lottery,” Michael Gerson, Opinion, July 15.
Michael Gerson obviously thinks diplomacy and negotiation are synonymous with bystander status. I disagree.
John Kerry just completed the longest mission of any secretary of state in more than 30 years. He has been hard- working and relentless.
Moreover, it seems to me the economic pressure Gerson speaks of hasn’t really been working all too well since Iran continued to amp up its program.
A strategic realignment was needed and it took President Barack Obama’s bold move to get it done. I applaud the brain over brawn we’ve seen with this administration and I hope time will prove it was the right decision. Ruth Steele, Calgary
Israel’s the threat
Seriously, how long can we continue to support Israel, and its purulent prime minister? We can see Iran agreeing to eschew nuclear weapons when Israel is an acknowledged nuclear power.
If there is a threat to peace in the Middle East, it isn’t Iran, a country which hasn’t invaded any other country for 800 centuries, as opposed to Israel, which oppresses the people of the West Bank, and imprisons the people of Gaza. James Currie, Calgary
Accord is wrong
President Barack Obama’s approach to foreign policy scares me. After seven years of it, how many people can say they feel any safer?
At the heart of his policy is a puzzling determination to antagonize America’s traditional friends and seek rapprochement with those who hate the American way of life.
The Iran nuclear accord is almost a guarantee that Iran will, after a 10- year delay, develop nuclear weapons. How will this accord discourage other rogue nations from doing the same? It’s a step toward nuclear proliferation, which is far more dangerous than anything ISIS can do.
The accord doesn’t require Iran to release American prisoners or abandon its goal of destroying Israel. Small wonder Iranians are celebrating in the streets while our traditional friends in Israel are stunned. Peter Mannistu, Calgary