So, a person who spends his life saving the lives of others writes a passionate article in the paper about the tragic, all-too-common and preventable loss of teenage life due to drinking and driving...then along you come and write post after thoughtless post against him. If you stand against someone who stands against the loss of young lives...where does that leave you standing? —beats me

I am from Cape Breton. I would love to stay here and raise my family but there is such a lack of decent paying jobs. To have at the least a lower middle class life for my family I have to leave. Leave my kids, and leave my family. Sorry but besides nice scenery, Cape Breton sucks shit and is the asshole of Canada. Thanks politicians. —Jobless and Alberta bound

listen up, dickbag, if I am walking down the street, smoking a cigarette, it is completely within my rights to do so. Similarly, if you are running down the street, sweating buckets in your lame ass doo-rag and too small spandex, it is your right to do so. I could have commented to you on my disapproval of your ridiculous attire" wow you look like an idiot!'', or on the bio-hazard that you are while you sweat your bodily fluid all over the general population: "wow, you are repulsive!", but I would not do that, because I prefer to mind my own business. Perhaps you should learn to do the same. I didn't ask for your opinion, I didn't wish to speak to you, nor was I interested in your commentary. So, when you ran across the street, into my path, and said to me "Wow, you stink" it left me with only one logical response: "Wow. You are an asshole!" — sweat smells like flowers

I love and enjoy biking to Dal every morning. I love the fresh air in my face, the sing of the birds, the happy people walking around. Everything is so perfect until I pass by a certain corner, where one of the houses looks like a garbage dump. There’s been a TV on the grass for weeks! plus old couches, garbage, etc. Sometimes, there is even litter across the sidewalk! Please, whomever who lives there, stop being the dirty and ugly spot in all Dal campus. —angry biker

Late last year, I moved into an apartment in the North End. I was really drawn to the building's location because there was an off-leash dog park a stone's throw from my door. The park was covered in "dogs welcome" signs. I visited regularly with my dog.

I was new to Halifax and got to meet a ton of my neighbors this way. Also, I felt the dog park helped keep the area safe: lots of people coming and going mean eyes on the neighborhood and people looking out for one another and homes, cars, etc. This was good because my neighborhood has a slightly patchy record.

All was well in the world until an asshole with two aggressive dogs started a campaign to remove people from the park. As it turns out, the park was run on the condo fees of one of the buildings in its area, and this is the condo complex that this asshole lives in. This mature gentleman didn't like to share the park because his dogs are aggressive, and got sick of waiting for other users to leave. So, instead of compromising with people, he took it to his 'community meeting' or whatever, raised a stink, and now there are signs on the park saying "FOR *the condo* RESIDENTS ONLY." He avoided any effort to organize/cooperate with neighbors, instead just kicking everyone out so he can have the palace to himself (most dog owners in the condo don't ever use it). I've heard he was quite rude to one woman who has a very friendly dog, but other than that he just started an us-versus-them campaign to alienate the neighbors.

Well lo and behold, the park is EMPTY all the time now.

I can't decide if I want the space back, or if I want the land re-purposed so that the empty space doesn't attract crime (a few weeks ago there was a string of arsons in the neighborhood, and there may have been witnesses if neighbors had still felt comfortable using the park). Either way, I feel like I have a right to have some input in what goes on because, as I said, it's a stone's throw from my door.

I've tried to contact the building management but no response. What would you do? —James

You guaranteed I wouldn't regret or be rejected by you again if I called .Well I did call, you did reject me and made me regret I tried once again to speak with you. Also,I would never run away from you if I knew you were looking for me.YOU made me feel as though I am not good enough for the last time.....If your NOT married why do you have to wait before we can be together?What kind of bullshit game are you playing on me??

Your a smart person you know how to find my phone number.I guarantee I will NOT call and BOTHER you again. —Set up

Fuck off with the beard please. Give it back to the low tide. Make a clever little slingshot ( betcha can gentleman hobo!) out of your wishbone and suspenders, and poof! let it go. Then maybe write a growly song about it. About how hard times are. How it made you blue/drove you to whiskey. Leave the (dark?) carnival for awhile, have some soup- you'll find a new blankee soon, and the old one will find its way back home to the shifting archipelago of shit and tampon applicators just off Point Pleasant's wind swept shore. —beard enthusiast

To the assholes I see on a regular basis, be it on the streets of Halifax or the parks and green spaces, please extract your ignorant, abusive heads from your asses and realize that when you yank as hard as you can on your dogs leash, and therefore neck, you are being abusive as hell. If you can't take the time and patience it requires to train your dog, you shouldn't have one. At the very least, you should get a proper harness to control them (and not those annoying little ropes that go around their nose). Why do you have one? I sincerely hope and pray, that in your next life, you come back as a dog and you have an owner just like you. An owner who drags you past the lovely smells that you want to spend a minute or two taking in, an owner who yanks your neck off when you don't move as fast as they would like, or pull with excitement in an effort to forge ahead. An owner who threatens you, yells at you, and scares you for being who you are, a dog. The loyal dog that loves them despite all the terrible treatment.

You're not training them, you are abusing them. You're not animal lovers, you are assholes and you will get what's coming to you in your next life, whether you believe in karma or not.

And to my neighbor who walks her dog 10 feet across the street to the shitty little park every morning and then leaves him alone all day long. GIVE HIM AWAY TO SOMEONE WHO WILL TAKE CARE OF HIM. He is a sweet dog and deserves more than to serve the one purpose which is ensuring you don't have to sleep in your apartment alone. —SO Tired of shitty dog owners

So I have been on a vast spiritual journey exploring all options, recently I attended a Pentocastol church in the area and after asking these three questions was politely asked to leave.

1)If an individual is a Schizophrenic and he or she is a great person however one day has a psychotic break down and does a terrible act due to his or her condition does he or she go to hell?

2)If an individual is the medical textbook definition of the term retarded(terrible term I am aware) he or she can not form words, recognize their own face, and is incapable of understanding the concept of Christ does he or she go to hell?

3)If a person has a massive brain tumour and can not control his or her own actions does he or she go to hell?

Not really a bitch, not reaallyy a love just want to know peoples thoughts. —The Bing

I am getting Married! I know, you're all absolutely delighted to hear about the complete stranger on The Coast page is getting married.

We really wanted to have a tiny little wedding. My parents, his parents, and my brother, sister in law and my nephews. but nope. Someone put it on Facebook. Well they didn't put it on Facebook "hey my friend ______ ________ is getting married, congratulations." But it was a little half assed, off the cuff, she's secretly 13 years old Facebook update "So A Certain cousin of mine is getting hitched, apparently no one is good enough to go to this wedding, but don't tell anyone because no one is privileged enough to be invited"

From the outside looking in, it looks like I am a selfish twat who wants all the celebration to myself. And it looks like I am embarrassed to have my family at social events. Well, yup. This is the family who does not posses indoor voices and everyone in the restaurant gets to hear about how the dog got the runs after eating garlic bread. So my new in laws, who are wonderful people are encouraging me to have a larger wedding so everyone can celebrate together. We have a 1000$ budget.

So my extended family is insulted. And this is after 4 years of living together, and in those years, I have received zero birthday cards, zero Christmas cards. and zero thank you's for the countless birthday and baby shower gifts I have sent out. So my family is now in world war three because after so long of not acknowledging me, They believe they are entitled to a huge party in their honour but on my dime. "weddings are a time for family celebrating" yeah, so was my college graduation that no one could be bothered to attend. And my 30th birthday that everyone had other plans for. The miscarriage and job loss I fought through alone. So what the hell are they entitled to?

So it was a 66 comment battle royale on my cousins facebook page on team me and team her. (Which I didn't not indulge in) and my phone has not stopped ringing. for the record: 86 texts about how selfish I am and 2 people saying congratulations _____ is a great guy, I'm happy for you.

What the hell do I owe these people? They are my family and I love them. I like being with my cousins, we are all adults now, I think the youngest cousin is out of high school now. But the cousin who started the fight is in her 40's.

My first wedding was a little bigger and these are the same "family" who were making bets on how long it would last. And when it ended and I was miserable watching his new girlfriend help him move his stuff out, I get a msn message (I know, msn) inviting me out as that friend won the bet, and wanted to buy me a drink.

All I know is that I love my fiance and he makes me very happy and I feel loved. That is really all I need. I shouldn't have to justify my decision to my family, they should accept my decision.

and even if they feel that they should be hurt or insulted, why not just come to me, instead of making it seem like I am doing something wrong by not throwing a huge over the top tacky wedding for people who have proven time and time again that they couldn't care less.

I am not indulging them, I am having my wedding and, so far: My budget of 1000 is seeming quite adequate as the license and Justice of the Peace are only 250 total. the cost for resizing an heirloom ring is less than 100. And I am going to be barefoot in a dress I made. So the difference is going to be donated to the IWK. Which my fiances aunt has agreed to match dollar for dollar. And I told the very few supporting family members the same, if they want to celebrate, they can make a donation as well to the IWK.

If I can't help my family see how love helps. Maybe another family can benefit instead. —Blushing Bride