09-09-2005, 05:28 PM | #42 (permalink) |
I read your emails.
Location: earth
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I love the concept of these threads, but when it comes down to certain subjects it can turn ugly quick......anyway I am glad to see the diverse answers to the question. Good or bad, its always nice to hear what other people think. I would still though, like to take this chance to apologies for something.
Every year during the winter months my grandparents DRIVE to there winter home in florida. I do apologies to any who may enounter them on the highway doing 30mph. Or stopped by the side of the road, letting the snake drain as my grandfather says. And when you happened to get behind them inline and they talk for 15 minutes to you about there grandchild. Again i am sorry. I invite everyone over to my place from some episodes of the BeachCombers and some Moosehead beer. Afterward we can play some road hockey! Last edited by canuckguy; 09-09-2005 at 05:36 PM.. |
09-09-2005, 05:37 PM | #43 (permalink) | |
Junkie
Moderator Emeritus
Location: Chicago
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09-09-2005, 05:44 PM | #44 (permalink) |
...is a comical chap
Location: Where morons reign supreme
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Honestly, I don't really have an opinion about Canada, which I think is probably typical of many Americans. I've never been there, never met a native (I've only talked to people online from Canada), and honestly know little about the country. The only thing I really can say about Canada is that they gave a very beautiful memorial service after 9/11....I watched it on TV and was very impressed and honored, as an American.
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09-09-2005, 05:45 PM | #45 (permalink) | |
Getting it.
Super Moderator
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09-09-2005, 07:15 PM | #46 (permalink) | |
Betitled
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My perception of Canada? The US with nicer people, less crime, and a better government. I'd be afraid to visit for fear that I'd want to stay. My tax-shrunken paycheck would definitely piss me off, though. |
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09-09-2005, 07:48 PM | #47 (permalink) |
Minion of the scaléd ones
Location: Northeast Jesusland
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Canada is what America should want to be when it grows up.
If it weren't so goddamn cold in the winters (It has to be colder than Connecticut, and that is way too cold for me), I would be figuring out how to emigrate. (BC keeps looking better every year, though.) It seems to me that all of the dawsigs, moosenoses, and uncle phonys in Canada are in Alberta, where they can be safely ignored. Finally, Flyman is Canadian. That's good enough for me.
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09-09-2005, 08:06 PM | #48 (permalink) | |
Junkie
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As for more general opinion, I consider Canada a second or third-tier player on the world stage. I see what influence they do have being mainly due to their proximity to the US. They seem to be what mainland European countries would be like if Europe were to lose their desire to be involved in world affairs. So in terms of world affairs, I don't think of them much whatsoever. Windsor seems more American than Canadian, Toronto is a great city, the rest is kinda ehh. People seem decent, a little more backwater than what I usually deal with (excepting Toronto). Although I haven't been into western canada, and almost all my experience comes from heading east through Ontario and Quebec. |
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09-09-2005, 08:42 PM | #50 (permalink) | |
Degenerate
Location: San Marvelous
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But, Ben, the fact remains that most people around the world hardly share your enthusiasm for all things Canadian. In fact, I'd bet you a dollar (U.S. please) that if they know anything about your country at all it's that Canada is the cold place inhabited by people who are so strikingly like Americans it is hard to tell them apart.
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09-09-2005, 09:20 PM | #51 (permalink) |
Junkie
Location: Detroit, MI
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I live right on the border and have been to Canada many times (2 words: Exchange. Rate.). 99% of the Canadians I've met were laid back, friendly people. And good manners, too. Even the homeless are polite in Canada. Having lunch in Montreal years ago, an elderly street lady flashed her dirty, saggy boobies right outside the window not 2 feet away. Pressed them right onto the glass. Big city fun!
Once upon a time, I went to hockey school in Montreal, stayed with a hockey exchange family in Toronto, had the best Chinese food dinner of my life in Toronto, stayed in a very, very fancy hotel in Quebec City, gone to multiple Canadian Grands Prix, Toronto Science Center, Niagara Falls, on and on. Both Toronto and Montreal have superb subway systems. I hope to be able to explore the Western, mountainous half of the country in the near future. Speaking from a tourist POV, I love Canada. |
09-09-2005, 10:13 PM | #52 (permalink) | |
Fuckin' A
Location: Lex Vegas
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I think of Canada often as a teenage kid. They aren't surer of who they are, but they try and emulate the fastest-growing trend (which in this case is Continental Europe). Most of the culture seems to be like the US, but in most other respects seems to be like Europe (i.e. the centralized healthcare). I've only been to Canada once, and seeing as I was only eight, I can only comment on its beauty, which it has plenty of.
And I hate to threadjack, but: Quote:
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09-10-2005, 07:20 AM | #54 (permalink) | |
Une petite chou
Location: With All Your Base
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Canadians. Hee Hee... I live in Florida. My lifetime experience with people from the Great White North?
--Frequently lobsterfied on the front, still frozen on the back. --Shopping carts full of vinegar, yogurt, baking soda, oatmeal... and aloe. Notably absent? Sunscreen. --Teva and Birkenstock Gurus. And those gym shorts from 1972. Green ones. With the white piping. --Maybe just my dad's family, but they washed the plastic plates, utensils, and cups from get-togethers and hauled them in the trunk all of the way back to Ft. St. John every year. I have 82 cousins. That's a lot of forks. --Really, really annoying quarters. Get your own designs, man. The washing machines won't take them and I have to search through 10 coins to figure out which is the wrong one. Great sense of humor, occasionally good musicians (take Celine back!) and actors (that 90210 guy, too!), slow drivers, endless entertainment for the sarcastically-inclined. All in all... pretty cool people.
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09-10-2005, 07:23 AM | #55 (permalink) | ||
Une petite chou
Location: With All Your Base
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Quote:
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Here's how life works: you either get to ask for an apology or you get to shoot people. Not both. House Quote:
The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me. Ayn Rand
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09-10-2005, 08:06 AM | #56 (permalink) |
Insane
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as a country, i don't really give canada much thought. i hate to say they are insignificant, because that just comes off so rude. but their impact on the world as a country just isn't as pronounced as many others.
i think their healthcare system stinks in practice but can appreciate the theory behind it. i'm hardly one of the wealthy, but i much prefer the system we use in the states. canada is beautiful in many places--but i can say the same of the states (and while i don't have experience, i'm pretty sure every country has its own beauty to offer). as for the people there, i don't notice a difference between them and us to be honest. i've met nice canadians and i've met some real jerks--same with my own countrymen. |
09-10-2005, 08:30 AM | #57 (permalink) |
narcissist
Location: looking in a mirror
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I tend to get up north fairly often (I've been to Montreal 4-5 times this year, with two more trips planned), so I figured I'd try to give my opinion. It's very hard for me to make comparisons, since I'd be comparing (mostly) my part of the US (rural southern towns) with Montreal (large city with a diverse population), but here goes:
I find that Canda does tend to be a little full of itself, especially when talking to/about Americans. However, they often have good reasons to do so. The health care isn't exactly the quickest or most personally attentive, but then again, I'm from a town where the doctor not only knows you name, he asks how your mother, father, and grandfather are, and says how sorry he is about your grandmother and uncle. They know you personally. It's hard not to in a town of 4,000. Having been without healthcare before, I definitely respect the ability for anyone to get what they need done without going bankrupt. However, when I was up there one time, ophelia and I went to see one of her friends in ER and they had her on a gurney in the middle of a giant room with everyone else that was staying over that night. Here, when you're sick, you get a private (or at least semi private) room. I find that the culture tends to be quite diverse, at least in Montreal. As for politics, I tend to agree with the overall liberal and accepting mindset, but tend to find myself disagreeing with some specific policies. I find that a lot of Canadians tend to poke fun at Americans for being "die hard patriots", yet insist of having everything they own embroidered with maple leaves. Overall, I love Canada, and honestly, I'll probably end up living there for at least a portion of my life. I don't see it as America Jr. or anything like that, although I do think it's quite like a more liberal brother...maybe America's the brother that's a CEO, right-wing politics, aggressive, capitalist...Canada's the 24 year old grad student in the family, still idealistic, still reading all the banned books, clinging hard to the liberal politics and long ponytail.
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09-10-2005, 08:34 AM | #58 (permalink) | |
Heliotrope
Location: A warm room
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I don't think we're that much different (people wise) from Americans, at least not until you get to the East Coast. (then they're crazy! I haven't been, but man, are they nuts! Newfies are the only people I know who identify eachother by the shape of their province on the rear window of their car! ) I agree with many of you on your views. I'd rather be in BC. We have both good people and assholes. Our government is practically useless at times, and the hospital lines are too long. If you like snow or adventure, Canada seems like a good place to be. The boys are cute, but not so much as Canadian chicks. We try so hard to define ourselves against Americans that we look silly sometimes, and we perpetuate our own stereotypes. All in all, I like Canada. We're screwed up, but we're at least headed in the right direction. If we just warmed up a bit, there'd be no place I'd rather live. |
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09-10-2005, 08:37 AM | #59 (permalink) | |
Junkie
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09-10-2005, 11:12 AM | #63 (permalink) |
Pissing in the cornflakes
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About the only way I can tell the difference between Canada and the US besides the money, is that in Canada the roads are a bit worse and every now and then you are forced to see a bit of written French no one pays attention too.
Otherwise the stores are the same, the food is the same, the people dress the same, though I'd say the standard of living is lower. (Guys your 'free' health care costs you more in taxes per-person than I spend on my insurance by far, go go socialism).
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09-10-2005, 11:49 AM | #64 (permalink) | |
Insane
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I .. AM... CANADIAN! |
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09-10-2005, 01:20 PM | #65 (permalink) | |
Junkie
Location: upstate NY
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Canoeing in Canuckistan
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We had trouble choosing for our first trip: Temagami versus Algonquin. We went to Temagami first, figuring we would go to Algonquin the next year. Well, we never made it to Algonquin because the paddling in Temagami is so spectacular, we went back every year. I think you could spend a week there every year and not come close to covering half of it. It's endless. |
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09-10-2005, 01:22 PM | #66 (permalink) |
... a sort of licensed troubleshooter.
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Canada has loads of potential on the whole, a few really good writers, some honestly nice people, and the kind of snowy weather that'd make a polar bear shiver - and I love cold weather. And I think Michael Moore has a cruch on you (but you didn't hear it from me).
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09-10-2005, 05:52 PM | #67 (permalink) | ||
Free Mars!
Location: I dunno, there's white people around me saying "eh" all the time
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William Shatner? He's Canadian, what more do you need to know? Quote:
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09-10-2005, 08:59 PM | #70 (permalink) | |
Free Mars!
Location: I dunno, there's white people around me saying "eh" all the time
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Plus, will it be tilted?
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Looking out the window, that's an act of war. Staring at my shoes, that's an act of war. Committing an act of war? Oh you better believe that's an act of war |
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09-10-2005, 09:08 PM | #71 (permalink) | |
lonely rolling star
Location: Seattle.
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And GODDAMNIT MAN, I FUCKING LOVE CANADA.
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09-10-2005, 09:46 PM | #73 (permalink) |
Cautiously soaring
Location: exploring my new home in SF
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Canada?
Robin Williams described it as "a loft apartment above a great party" My personal view of Canada? Amazing place. Gets a bad rap sometimes from American's, but personally I love it. I don't have experience with much of canada, but I do have some. My girlfriend is Canadian. It's cute when she says Eh? Shes beautiful (a lot of canadian women are) very kind (ditto) and intelligent (yep). When I've visited her I got to meet some of her friends and other people from Montreal. They were all very nice (one girl apologized to me for adressing me in her first language, french, because I don't speak it and didn't understand what she asked). There are exceptions, of course, but I view Canada having a lot of qualities that I would like to think MN has. Its effing freezing but I've lived my whole life in either Fairbanks, AK or Minneapolis, MN it doesn't bother me. I go to Winnipeg for a rugby tournament every year to much success. A shit tonne of fun and nice people The company I work for is based in Vancouver (I'm very excited to visit!!!) and they are a pleasure to work with. I may even be moving to Montreal next year, and to be honest I'm very excited!!
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09-10-2005, 09:48 PM | #74 (permalink) | |
Deja Moo
Location: Olympic Peninsula, WA
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09-10-2005, 10:18 PM | #76 (permalink) | |
will always be an Alyson Hanniganite
Location: In the dust of the archives
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Canada? Canada's cool. The metric system blows my mind...but what're ya gonna do? I remember crossing the border into Manitoba, seeing a speed limit sign marked 100, and thinking...Awesome! Then thinking...Wait a minute, looked at the little orange numbers underneath the big white ones, on my speedometer, and going...Shit! Canadians? Like anyplace else, you get the really cool and friendly ones, and you get your foul and ill tempered ones. To this day I want to know just what I did to piss off what appeared to be a very nice lady that ran an antique shop in Winnipeg. At least I assume that I pissed her off. Why the hell else would she have recommended "Foody Goody" to me. By the way...if you're ever in Winnipeg...and you feel like having Chinese...stay the hell away from Foody Goody. I think that Canada keeps a "low profile". They don't piss anybody off. They mind their own damn business, and tend to be pretty laid back. Overall...I'd say that Canada is just about as good a next door neighbor as you're likely to find.
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"I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice it always coincides with their own desires." - Susan B. Anthony "Hedonism with rules isn't hedonism at all, it's the Republican party." - JumpinJesus It is indisputable that true beauty lies within...but a nice rack sure doesn't hurt. |
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09-11-2005, 04:13 AM | #77 (permalink) | |||
Getting it.
Super Moderator
Location: Lion City
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My favourite non-TV example of this is Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone vs. the Philospher's Stone. Apparently the US publisher condescendingly decided to "dumb down" Philosopher's Stone to Sorcerer's Stone. Quote:
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"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars." - Old Man Luedecke |
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09-11-2005, 06:25 AM | #78 (permalink) | |
Degenerate
Location: San Marvelous
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Quote:
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Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam. |
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09-11-2005, 07:46 AM | #79 (permalink) | |
Getting it.
Super Moderator
Location: Lion City
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We sit on the border of the world's biggest economy and exporter of culture (aggresively so). We know we are different in our bones but have trouble expressing this in the face of movie theatre, radios and televsion prime time brimming with foreign culture. We are their biggest trading partner (not like most notice). 1812 is often raised because tweaking the US's nose is fun. No harm, no foul. We just think it's funny that many in the US don't know about the war of 1812 (we won) and the Fennian Raids shortly thereafter (we won again). For years we have been subjected to American chest thumping and sometimes deflating that chest is fun. Again, don't read too much into... we are a nation of irony and sarcasm (it's Mother's milk). As for Maple Leaves on everything... you have to realize that isn't always patriotism. Stars and stripes are unmistakably the US flag... sometime a leaf is just a leaf. The Canadian flags on backpacks is so we can be differentiated at a glance from Americans. Don't blame us for the fact that Europeans like us and find Americans obnoxious (rightly or wrongly).
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"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars." - Old Man Luedecke Last edited by Charlatan; 09-11-2005 at 07:49 AM.. |
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canada, noncanadians |
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