23-11-2004 06:02									#271
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quote: Originally posted by Tingkai There's a belief that Americans barricade themselves in their homes while Canadians do not (The old joke about Americans having ten deadbolts on their door). True or not? What do you think?

I know people, in College Park Maryland, who never lock their doors.

While we do use a deadbolt at times, it is mostly just to be sure that the door is locked for the night (the door is not locked when people are awake).

Jon Miller

	23-11-2004 06:17									#272
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I feel sorry for people who insist on keeping their doors locked while they're home and going around.

	23-11-2004 06:52									#273
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quote: Originally posted by Tingkai I'm just trying to figure out the NYEverse. You seem to want a PM who has the power to decide.... well not much. The NYEverse PM can't make any decisions unless he gets the okay from the cabinet. Rule by committe in other words. The PM would have to have cabinet approval to fire a disloyal MP, to determine budgets and to determine which bills party MPs must vote for. Seems like a pretty lame PM. And lord knows why don't want the PM in Parliament. And in the NYEverse, if people wanted to create a party with a real leader, they would have to get the approval of Canadian voters before an election. Party members would not be allowed to decide their own party rules. Yes, the NYEverse is a mighty strange place.

I never said I wanted any of what you posted here.

I'm sorry, Tingkai, but discussions between you and I just seem to end up in the ditch, so the value starts as small and rapidly goes negative.

	23-11-2004 07:01									#274
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quote: Originally posted by Oerdin Nope, the more oil that is recovered the better. I am curious how they are getting it out since most of the rock is what we geologists call "tombstone"; meaning there is no pore space left for liquids (water or oil) to flow through. I imagine they use explosive charges to fracture the rock to free up trapped oil. Is that correct?

They mine the rock and haul it off to process it to get the oil out. They crush it and then use steam and high pressure, among some other things I would imagine. The process(es) have been being developed for 30 years or so by now.

They mine the rock in open pit mines (strip mining). They do one plot at a time. When they are done with a plot, they use the processed rock to fill it back in and then restore the surface to the surrounding ecology. One of the requirements of the lease(s) is that restoration of the mined areas, so one of the things that the oil companies have been developing along with the oil sands has been techniques for ecological restoration.

	23-11-2004 07:10									#275
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quote: Originally posted by KrazyHorse quote: No. But they should have a say on the process and what can and cannot prevent a person from standing as a candidate for member of Parliament in this country. Nothing's preventing anybody from standing as a candidate.

What about ridings where the leader simply appoints a candidate over the objections of the locals? Is that democratic?

Besides, no one is preventing women from getting jobs, so why would anyone complain that they are shut out from the choicest jobs? Bad analogy, perhaps, but the point is that the nomination for certain parties are massive advantages in various ridings across the land.

You could run a haystack in some areas of Alberta and elect it as a Tory, and the same is true of some areas in Ontario for Liberals, Quebec for Blocists, and so on and so on. Thus the ability to veto nominations has the same effect as deciding who the representative of a riding will be. That is not democratic.

	23-11-2004 07:14									#276
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quote: Originally posted by Ned I was just favoring NYE in his debate about the all powerful parliament he justly disfavors.

I'm fine with Parliament having the power. That is in fact what I am arguing for. I want backbench MPs to have a stronger voice in the governing of our country. That is the way it works in the model that we copied (Westminster).

	23-11-2004 07:17									#277
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quote: Originally posted by optimus2861 MLAs (members of the legislative assembly). In Quebec they're something else again, but I can't recall it off the top of my head. They call their provincial legislature the "national assembly" IIRC (one of those French-identity things), so that would make their provincial legislators -- MNAs?

Oh, ok. I know in Newfoundland they're MHA's though. Thats probably just Newfoundland though.

	23-11-2004 07:32									#278
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I've lived here for nearly six years now.

Ten of my (somewhat idiosyncratic) observations.

1. In Toronto everyone is foreign, so no-one gives a toss if you come from somewhere weird like the Antipodes.


2. Canadians are excruciatingly polite. It is their national disease. My favourite joke is:

Q. How do you get 100 Canadians out of a swimming pool?

A. Say please.

Canadians are so polite it is hard not to feel like a complete churl all the time. There is one exception: hockey. All the pent up rage and violence in Canada is released at hockey games, where people bay for blood like wild dogs.


3. Quebec is the coolest province.


4. The largest object in Canada is the chip on Alberta's shoulder.


5. Tim Horton's is the place to go before, during and after a fishing trip.


6. Ice fishing is just an excuse to get terribly drunk.


7. Even other Canadians cannot understand what Newfies are saying.


8. The natural population of raccoons in Canada is about 2 per square mile. In Toronto the population is something like 120 per square mile (or so I'm told).


9. Only a dumbass would throw stones at a skunk to see what will happen, Agathon.


10. The most frequent crime committed in Canada is when people get to the front of a queue and immediately take that as a license to **** around and count their change and generally take as much time as they can.

All in all it is a lovely place.

	23-11-2004 07:41									#279
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quote: 10. The most frequent crime committed in Canada is when people get to the front of a queue and immediately take that as a license to **** around and count their change and generally take as much time as they can.

As an American this is the one of the only things that pisses me off about about Canadians. No one every seems to understand that I'm in a hurry... all the time.

quote: 2. Canadians are excruciatingly polite. It is their national disease.

This is true, but non-Canadians seem to get this confused. They're polite, but they're not friendly. They're about as friendly as Northerner Americans. I find alot to be rather cold actually.

Not that I care though. I'm from Boston, so I'm usually way less friendly than they are.

	23-11-2004 07:45									#280
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quote: As an American this is the one of the only things that pisses me off about about Canadians. No one every seems to understand that I'm in a hurry... all the time.

See.. I knew it wasn't just me. I really hate this.

quote: They're polite, but they're not friendly.

Got it in one.

	23-11-2004 07:54									#281
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quote: Originally posted by Agathon quote: As an American this is the one of the only things that pisses me off about about Canadians. No one every seems to understand that I'm in a hurry... all the time. See.. I knew it wasn't just me. I really hate this.

Yeah, it really annoys me. Like when no one is in line except me yet I'm forced to wait 2-3 minutes because someone who has already been served is chatting up the server. That burns me up, but alas... I'm used to it now. Its almost quaint.

Off topic, Agathon... do you find that Canadians always sound like they're speaking in questions? Like they'll be making a statement, but they add that extra inflection to the end of every sentence so it sounds like they're asking you something. That really confused me when I first came here.

	23-11-2004 08:00									#282
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quote: Yeah, it really annoys me. Like when no one is in line except me yet I'm forced to wait 2-3 minutes because someone who has already been served is chatting up the server. That burns me up, but alas... I'm used to it now. Its almost quaint.

Never happens at work.

People have their money ready before they get there, and sometimes (if you're a regular) the Tim Hortons girls even have your coffee ready by the time you get to the cash.

	23-11-2004 08:02									#283
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quote: Off topic, Agathon... do you find that Canadians always sound like they're speaking in questions? Like they'll be making a statement, but they add that extra inflection to the end of every sentence so it sounds like they're asking you something. That really confused me when I first came here.

No, eh?

Because Kiwis do exactly the same thing, eh?

I didn't even notice it until an American friend of mine pointed it out, eh?

	23-11-2004 08:02									#284
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quote: Originally posted by JimmyCracksCorn Off topic, Agathon... do you find that Canadians always sound like they're speaking in questions? Like they'll be making a statement, but they add that extra inflection to the end of every sentence so it sounds like they're asking you something. That really confused me when I first came here.

Even I notice that, eh.

	23-11-2004 08:03									#285
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quote: People have their money ready before they get there, and sometimes (if you're a regular) the Tim Hortons girls even have your coffee ready by the time you get to the cash.

He said people were chatting up the server. Perhaps everyone at your job plays for your team.

	23-11-2004 08:05									#286
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On the other hand, no one calls you "bro" or "al" here and they look at you funny if you do. Eh bro?

	23-11-2004 08:05									#287
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quote: Originally posted by JimmyCracksCorn Yeah, it really annoys me. Like when no one is in line except me yet I'm forced to wait 2-3 minutes because someone who has already been served is chatting up the server. That burns me up, but alas... I'm used to it now. Its almost quaint. Off topic, Agathon... do you find that Canadians always sound like they're speaking in questions? Like they'll be making a statement, but they add that extra inflection to the end of every sentence so it sounds like they're asking you something. That really confused me when I first came here.

That is an established phenomenon in Canadian English. Far more widespread than the "aboot" caricature, especially among younger Canadians.

	23-11-2004 08:05									#288
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quote: Originally posted by Asher Never happens at work. People have their money ready before they get there, and sometimes (if you're a regular) the Tim Hortons girls even have your coffee ready by the time you get to the cash.

I know, some places are good. But I would call that service normal more than really good.

You should go to a fast food place in alot of parts of the US. They're run like factories. You make your order and in seconds your order is being hurled at you. Meanwhile the boss is like a slave driver in the back yelling "more fries!!". Of course there are some slow places too... just an observation.

Actually at the Wendy's I would go to at home, someone would take your order while your still in line and give you a number so when you get to the cash your order is there. Now thats service... for fast food that is.

	23-11-2004 08:07									#289
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quote: Originally posted by Agathon He said people were chatting up the server. Perhaps everyone at your job plays for your team.

A large number do, surprisingly. Once a month we book an entire place on Church St. for a "social gathering".

Tomorrow we're going out for a large lunch.

It's funny because I know my manager's manager's manager probably better than my manager does, because I've gone to lunch with him as part of a group about half a dozen times now.

	23-11-2004 08:07									#290
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quote: You should go to a fast food place in alot of parts of the US. They're run like factories.

That's because the standard American response to bad service is gunfire.

	23-11-2004 08:12									#291
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quote: Originally posted by Agathon No, eh? Because Kiwis do exactly the same thing, eh? I didn't even notice it until an American friend of mine pointed it out, eh?

Really? Wow, didn't know that. Do Aussies do that too?

Actually to my ear Canadians sound very Californian because of this. Alot of Americans do this too... all out west though.

I remember on one of my first nights in Canada on my campus this girl from my residence floor came up and said "Hi, my name's Jen", to which I replied "How should I know, I just met you". Needless to say I didn't get any that night.

	23-11-2004 08:12									#292
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This is a sports story from Canadian Press. Only in Canada, eh.

(CP) - Monday's NHL scores as provided from a season simulated for The Canadian Press by Electronic Arts, using the NHL 2005 video game. A roundup of the week's games is reported every Tuesday.

Second entry is the home team in each score.

Columbus Blue Jackets 1 Buffalo Sabres 4
Pittsburgh Penguins 2 Atlanta Thrashers 2
Florida Panthers 1 Phoenix 2
Detroit 2 Vancouver 3
Dallas 1 Anaheim 2

http://www.canada.com/sports/hockey...36-758be113d2cd

	23-11-2004 08:14									#293
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quote: A large number do, surprisingly. Once a month we book an entire place on Church St. for a "social gathering".

Uh oh. Does that certain special someone get jealous?

quote: That's because the standard American response to bad service is gunfire.

Well if it gets me my big mac faster then its all good. Like I said, I'm in a hurry.

	23-11-2004 08:14									#294
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quote: Originally posted by JimmyCracksCorn Actually to my ear Canadians sound very Californian because of this.

And I have a glorious mixture of both accents.

	23-11-2004 08:14									#295
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at CP holding a computer game season.

The really funny thing is some people are going to care about the results.

	23-11-2004 08:15									#296
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quote: Originally posted by JimmyCracksCorn Uh oh. Does that certain special someone get jealous?

He comes with.

	23-11-2004 08:17									#297
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quote: Originally posted by Asher He comes with.

Where's the fun then?

	23-11-2004 08:17									#298
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quote: Really? Wow, didn't know that. Do Aussies do that too?

Yeah. Not so much though. They do add "mate" to the end of sentences a bit more than we do.

	23-11-2004 08:17									#299
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quote: Originally posted by joncha That is an established phenomenon in Canadian English. Far more widespread than the "aboot" caricature, especially among younger Canadians.

Is that out and about thing still true?

How would you pronounce "about"? How do Americans pronounce it?

	23-11-2004 08:18									#300
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I always knew that IBM was teh gay.