ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
CanadaWeird Things Americans Have Said To/Asked Me
You know what I don't understand about Halloween? Why don't kids go door-to-door when trick-or-treating anymore? It seems parents take them to malls or other gatherings now. I remember checking out the entire neighborhood while looking for candy. That was in the 80s, but come on... it's not like it's suddenly become too dangerous to trick-or-treat. Hell, I'd do it if it wouldn't look so odd. tongue.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-10-27 12:07:00
CanadaWeird Things Americans Have Said To/Asked Me
QUOTE (Rob and Mel @ Oct 27 2009, 07:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Sprailenes @ Oct 27 2009, 06:33 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Then someone wanted to know what we do on Halloween in Canada... uhh same stuff, the only difference is we buy our kids costumes in adult sizes so they can fit over their snow suits. laughing.gif


Hmmmm now you've got me there. I'm not quite sure whether that is sarcasm or real. Normally, I'd ask my wife and she'll either laugh at me for believing it, or give me the look. It is far to early for me to call her and wake her up to ask this. Last time I did, It was to ask her what cross buns were at 7:00 in the morning. laughing.gif

I'm not "allowed" to talk to my wife until she's had her morning coffee. I stepped over that line once. Never again! helpsmilie.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-10-27 11:47:00
CanadaWeird Things Americans Have Said To/Asked Me
The "elastic = rubber band" issue came up a while ago for my wife and me. She calls them elastics. I had no idea what she was talking about. I know what elastic is, but the usage eluded me. When she explained it, I said: "Oh, like rubber bands?" Same thing, just different terminology.

Idaho has cowboys? I didn't know that. Learn something new every day.

Lots of places have the same name. There are 12 cities named Houston in the U.S. (not including the one in Texas) and one in Canada and the UK. Naturally, when someone says "Houston" they first think of Texas, just like someone would think of Toronto in Canada before the seven cities in the U.S. with the same name. When someone says "London" I bet the majority would think of England before Ontario or Texas (yes, there's a London AND a Paris in Texas, if you can believe it).
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-10-18 03:24:00
CanadaWeird Things Americans Have Said To/Asked Me
Someone asked (much earlier in this thread) WHY Americans say "lieutenant" while the British say "leftenant" right?

Well, from what I understand, it all stems from a misunderstanding. At one point in time the letter "U" resembled a modern-day "V." The British, for some odd reason or another, misread the word thinking there actually was a "V" instead of a "U" and then proceeded to pronounce it as such. The word slowly changed into the current pronunciation of "leftantant."

Due to the American Revolution and because France assisted us in defeating England, the U.S. adopted the French pronunciation. I can only assume the U.S. also wanted to be different from their former oppressors.

The Canadian Armed Forces pronounces the rank the same way the American military does. Canada used to say "leftenant" but doesn't do so anymore and as far back as the 1950s, the Canadian Navy changed their pronunciation to that of the American version.

To be fair, the U.S. kept many of the ranks already mangled by the British. The rank of "colonel" is a good example. The word was originally written in Latin as "columnella" (small column) but the Roman Empire never used it as a rank. Centuries later, countries like Italy and Spain adopted the word for their own use. When the British started using the rank, they changed it to "colonel."
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-10-16 12:18:00
CanadaWeird Things Americans Have Said To/Asked Me
QUOTE (warlord @ Oct 16 2009, 09:20 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ Oct 15 2009, 09:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I have to admit that I sometimes tease my wife about the spelling differences. I'll purposefully pronounce "centre" as "sentry" or "colour" as "col-hour" and while that's fun to do, nothing insulting is meant by it.


My mother hated it when I pronounced it the same way growing up as a kid. I still always said then why not just spell enter as entre?

Now here's something I have come across and not sure if it's a regional thing or just certain states or if it's a distinctive US/Canadian thing:

When you're talking to someone and you are describing the spot directly diagonal across the intersection how do you say it?

I've always said Kitty Corner. I hear a lot of people saying Katty Corner...

I say: "the spot directly diagonal across the intersection." No, really. I've never heard of the terms "kitty corner" or "katty corner." Maybe I'm out of the loop? unsure.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-10-16 11:25:00
CanadaWeird Things Americans Have Said To/Asked Me
QUOTE (Sprailenes @ Oct 15 2009, 05:42 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (borderdriver @ Oct 15 2009, 03:18 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Why do i always feel like americans are always correcting my speech?

the other day, my coworker and I were talking about Veterans... and right after I said Veterans (just like how its spelled) she corrects me and says "Vetrans". mellow.gif ....

ok i am done with the speech correction thank you


That's happened to me several times and I wish I had an example off the top of my head but I don't.

It's more how they think their way is the only way and the right way.

A couple of weeks ago I spelled humor as "humour" by accident and my coworker pointed it out. I apologized and told her I grew up spelling it that way and she basically told me: "I think you're spelling it the stupid way"

That kind of stuff gets to me.

The stupid way? While I use American English, I don't think Canadian English is stupid. It's just a different form.

I have to admit that I sometimes tease my wife about the spelling differences. I'll purposefully pronounce "centre" as "sentry" or "colour" as "col-hour" and while that's fun to do, nothing insulting is meant by it.

QUOTE (Rob and Mel @ Oct 15 2009, 07:54 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Sprailenes @ Oct 15 2009, 06:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Yea I sometimes say things that sound funny to others.

I can't stop saying "eh" because it finishes off certain sentences so nicely.


My wife virtually NEVER says "eh"..... but I do, a lot now that I think about it blush.gif

I imagine that Americans living and working in Canada get much the same treatment when they mispell or mispronounce words according to Canadian standards. I wouldn't think much of it myself, it is the manner in which words are spelled and pronounced in that country, so technically they are right and no matter how much you insist, you would be the one butchering it tongue.gif

I haven't changed how I spell or pronounce words. I've never been corrected, but then again, Canadians are more accustomed to seeing and hearing American English than Americans are to seeing and hearing Canadian English.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-10-15 21:16:00
CanadaWeird Things Americans Have Said To/Asked Me
QUOTE (Sam and Ben @ Oct 14 2009, 06:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I always get such funny looks when I call it Amex in the US... I've always had to correct myself and call it American Express so that the cashier/my in-laws/fiance know what I'm talking about. sad.gif

Really? While I've never heard anyone actually say "AMEX" instead of "American Express," I've seen it abbreviated as "AMEX" on paper tons of times.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-10-15 01:18:00
CanadaWeird Things Americans Have Said To/Asked Me
QUOTE (kizza @ Oct 14 2009, 09:30 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
This isnt really weird, just appalling, so we might as well laugh...
The Border Patrol officer who gave me a secundary interview at customs in Texas asked me what currency we use in Canada!!

That's easy: beaver pelts. Everyone knows that! biggrin.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-10-14 11:51:00
CanadaWeird Things Americans Have Said To/Asked Me
QUOTE (LiLMermaid @ Oct 13 2009, 05:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Udella&Wiz @ Oct 7 2009, 12:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Sc0tt28 @ Oct 7 2009, 11:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (IR5FORMUMSIE @ Oct 6 2009, 11:54 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (trailmix @ Oct 6 2009, 02:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Sc0tt28 @ Oct 6 2009, 12:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
So maybe it is you that has the "brain the size of a peanut" because you go to the states where you know that people say "zee" and not "zed" and yet you repeatedly use a word that is unfamiliar to Americans. I guess it would take a person with a brain bigger than a peanut to just start out saying "zee" when in the United States.


So I take it you use 'zee' when in the U.S. then Scott?

Ok that was a cheap shot - nah, what the hell, you deserved that laughing.gif

On another note, I wouldn't expect any American to identify the word zee.



Zee discussion is over children. laughing.gif Scott I sense some hostility, care to discuss?


Nah I just haven't been on VJ for a while and I got myself caught up on the old posts. It just ticks me off when people point a finger at someone else and say "this person must be stupid because they don't understand what I mean when I say 'zed'" when the person isn't stupid at all but rather the person speaking a language that is foreign to both -- Greek.


The point made a few times was that Canadians adjust if someone says 'zee' up in Canada, but sometimes you run into Americans who can't adjust and have hear what they're used to.

Wonder how many Americans start saying 'zed' when they move to Canada - shall we take a poll?


My fiance lived in Canada for 2 and a half years and spent the whole time telling us that pop was soda, zee was zed and even went so far as to help the kids with spelling....colour had no U according to him. I didn't let him help the kids with spelling homework after that. So I really don't get the "Canadians are supposed to change to accomadate the Americans thing when I know for a fact they wouldn't change for us". My neice married an American as well, they live in Canada...he hasn't changed either.

I've been in Canada for over a year now and I say the following: soda, zee, sneakers and I don't add any U's to words that wouldn't normally have them in American English.

Do you know why I don't? Because the American sayings/spellings aren't seen as "weird" in Canada. If I say "zee" then everyone knows what I'm talking about. It's the same with "soda." Unless I was writing some sort of official/legally binding document, I wouldn't spell "color" as "colour" (or anything similar) because there would be no need to do so.

My wife told me that it's common for Canadians to use a mix of both American and British English. I can see she was right. I've even met Canadians who say "zee" instead of "zed." There's virtually no reason for me to change since Canada seems to acknowledge both.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-10-14 05:10:00
CanadaWeird Things Americans Have Said To/Asked Me
QUOTE (MrsCat @ Oct 9 2009, 11:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ Oct 10 2009, 12:35 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (MrsCat @ Oct 9 2009, 11:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (JillA @ Oct 9 2009, 01:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Scott are you DPX in disguise? laughing.gif

rofl.gif

So funny because you'd swear it was him.

Who the hell is Scott? And why is he trying to mimic my routine? blink.gif


We thought you started a new profile and renamed yourself Scott. laughing.gif

If I made a second profile, I'd have it start a fight with me. That way I could argue both sides! cool.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-10-10 01:44:00
CanadaWeird Things Americans Have Said To/Asked Me
QUOTE (MrsCat @ Oct 9 2009, 11:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (JillA @ Oct 9 2009, 01:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Scott are you DPX in disguise? laughing.gif

rofl.gif

So funny because you'd swear it was him.

Who the hell is Scott? And why is he trying to mimic my routine? blink.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-10-10 01:35:00
CanadaWeird Things Americans Have Said To/Asked Me
My wife was initially surprised that I not only knew of Edmonton, but where it was in Alberta. She said that most of the Americans she's met hadn't known. I replied, "Texas and Alberta have some oil contracts between each other. Besides, I've heard of the Edmonton Oilers."

I later told her about Houston's original football team, the Houston Oilers. The colors, symbol and sport were different, but had the same name.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-03-31 15:58:00
CanadaWeird Things Americans Have Said To/Asked Me
I've met with more than my fare share of Texas stereotypes in Canada. Some of what's been said to me include...

1. "You're from Houston? Wow. So what's a desert like?" (Houston isn't a desert; it's actually very humid, surrounded by quite a few forests and is near the gulf coast)

2. "So you guys wear guns all the time, right? Ever been in a shoot out?" (Please... stop watching TV)

3. "What's the horse-to-car ratio in Houston?" (It's actually illegal to ride a horse within the city limits and if someone did, it'd probably be hit by a car)

4. "Do you really have saloons?" (We HAD them in the 1800s...)

5. "If you're from Texas, why don't you speak like a Texan?" (Because most of us don't sound like the stereotype and just how many Texans have you met?)

6. "You guys sure do act like a bunch of cowboys down there, don't you?" (Considering this was asked to me by someone in Calgary... wink.gif )
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-03-30 22:44:00
CanadaDual Citizen Travelling back to Canada.....
I'd consider getting a NEXUS card if I traveled enough to make it worthwhile. When I do travel, it's usually by plane, so an EDL probably wouldn't amount to much. I guess it'd be useful if my wife and I wanted to drive into the U.S., but that probably wouldn't occur too often.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-12-09 00:24:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
QUOTE (Peachey @ Dec 10 2009, 06:32 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
So my mom's decided that she's going to get a labradoodle as her next pet.

Now to seek out labradoodle breeders in Ontario!

The one combination of poodle and another dog I've always found ridiculous is the Cockapoo (cocker spaniel and poodle). Seriously, Cockapoo? Who came up with that? The reverse (Poocock) doesn't sound any better. No matter what you do, it sounds like some sort of perverted sex act.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-12-10 09:55:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
I'd remain wary. Open book tests are NEVER as easy as you might imagine.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-12-09 00:36:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
QUOTE (Peachey @ Dec 7 2009, 01:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
When I was at my mom's on the weekend, I was petting our dog, Lady, and found 2 huge lumps under her chin in her neck area.

My mom's taking her to the vet today(I'm meeting her there). I have a feeling she's going to be down to just 1 dog after tonight :'(

Hopefully your dog just has lipomas. A lipoma is a benign tumor compromised of fatty tissue. It's very common for dogs to get these.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-12-07 16:15:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
QUOTE (Krikit @ Dec 6 2009, 01:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
It's sad, because the US is full of beautiful, wonderful, really really nice American women..... and their worth is trashed through generalization. Not to mention the fact that their own mothers and sisters and cousins and aunts and grandmothers are all women. So demeaning. The nice thing is that they've eliminated themselves from the pool of potentials. laughing.gif

People do that. They rally against a particular group for whatever reason and don't stop to think how it may affect them or those close to them.

QUOTE (Rhiann @ Dec 6 2009, 01:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I love America too.
There's so many things to love about it.
It really is pathetic it gets so many negative generalizations, America doesn't deserve it.
I love the different cultures, the food, the cheaper prices (Oh I love that), the food, the food, did I mention food?
You don't even need to travel the world to try different things here, I can find about 5 different cultures of food in the city I live in. It's just crazy, and awesome.
(I love food if you havnt noticed tongue.gif)

I think the U.S. gets a bad name because of two reasons:

1. The first thing anyone outside your country see is your country's government. It's the face of your country. So if a foreigner doesn't know anyone from your country, they'll simply see your country's government and base much of their opinion on that. Regardless of who is in the White House, the American government can be quite pushy and many nations resent that.

2. Someone sees an American tourist acting like an a$$hole and then proceeds to tell their friends, who in turn tell their friends and so on. The result is that Americans are given a bad name in foreign nations due a few idiots. The majority of American tourists aren't a$$holes, but you'd never know it because a few morons act as the "face of the American tourist."
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-12-06 20:06:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
Yeah, I've noticed the prices of a lot of items are more expensive in BC (particularly Vancouver) than in the United States. That depends on the area within the U.S. of course, but overall, I've found BC to be more expensive. From the sound of it, BC is more expensive than other areas in Canada, too. I know it's certainly pricier here than in Edmonton (where my wife is from), but then again, Edmonton has freezing winters and Vancouver doesn't. A trade-off, I suppose.

Coquitlam Centre (sorry Mal, I agree that "center" is the right way to spell it, but in this case, "centre" is part of the mall's name) isn't a bad mall. Sometimes the stores are of so-so quality. No matter how many times I go there, I always get turned around and somehow find myself in the food court. tongue.gif

My favorite mall here is Oakridge. It's too bad it takes a LONG time to drive out to Oakridge Centre. It's right near VanDusen Gardens and Queen Elizabeth park (West 41st Ave and Cambie St), so it's quite the drive from where I live.

My wife and I were in that area recently as we went to Temple Sholom. I was looking for a good-looking menorah (technically a Hanukkiah) that wouldn't break the bank and they had a bunch of them there. After getting the menorah, my wife wanted to stop by Oakridge since it was less than a five minute drive from there. And I still got turned around and found myself at the food court... dry.gif



DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-12-05 13:08:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
My wife and I both use NoScript and AdBlock (or as it's called now, AdBlock Plus). We also use an add-on called Cookie Safe Lite which allows for detailed management of cookies.

I'd also recommend the following add-ons:

I've found all of those add-ons to be very useful.

QUOTE (Krikit @ Dec 2 2009, 07:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Sure wish I could get used to firefox. sad.gif I failed to adapt. blush.gif

It just takes time. Firefox by itself, without any add-ons, is a very bare bones browser and to be honest, quite uninteresting. It's really about finding the right add-ons for you. That can make all the difference.

QUOTE (Marilyn. @ Dec 2 2009, 07:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I tried out Google Chrome.. I couldn't figure it out so I went back to Firefox tongue.gif

Really? I liked Chrome. It was very simple and user-friendly to use. I'd switch to it if it had add-ons like Firefox. Even so, I have Chrome (and Opera) on my system. I have various uses for all three browsers and since I have a dual-monitor setup, having more than one browser open at a time can be very useful.

Sometimes Firefox and Opera can have some difficulty with some websites, especially if NoScript is activated. I've found certain websites, such as airline sites, can be quite finicky with Firefox and Opera. Chrome seems to handle it without any problem, so I use that unless IE is an absolute requirement.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-12-03 08:41:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
I want a ninja penguin. That won't happen, but damn... that would be cool.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-12-02 15:53:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
QUOTE (lgg @ Dec 1 2009, 04:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Can someone please make all the ####### about Tiger Woods stop!! Oh my god I'm so sick of hearing someone's private ####### splayed all over the interwebs, tv, papers.

Good gracious now...

It's nuts. Sometimes I feel like we know the intimate details of actors, athletes and politicians far more than we know our neighbors. That's sad, but probably true for the most part.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-12-01 19:56:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
Finally something GOOD has happened! kicking.gif

Autoplan accepted my previous insurance record from Texas and now I get 40% off my total auto insurance cost! It's also retroactive, so all the money I've spent before gets adjusted as well. I just received two checks for a total amount of $823. That'll go a long way -- if for nothing else, to help pay for next year's insurance! tongue.gif

My annual cost was $3388 and now it's $1924. That's a 40% reduction PLUS an extra $109 in additional discounts. That's a HUGE difference. biggrin.gif

DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-11-30 19:17:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
That question is virtually impossible to answer. No one can say "America is this" or "Canada is that" as a definitive statement. How others are treated boils down to the individual and who you associate yourself with.

Based upon your experiences, you might have found more sexist people in one city or state or country. Does that mean the country -- as a whole -- is more sexist than another one? Of course not. Just as you've experienced more sexist attitudes in one area, so have people experienced less sexist ones in that area as well.

Edited by DeadPoolX, 25 November 2009 - 02:46 AM.

DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-11-25 02:44:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
QUOTE (Wyatt's Torch @ Nov 19 2009, 02:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Yeah, I asked my wife why she wears bras with wires if the wires dig into her skin...but she says that she NEEDS the support that only a wire can give.

Guys are so lucky in many ways. All we have to worry about is having underwear that isn't too tight.

Yeah, that and not somehow banging ourselves there. I returning a rental a car and I had the seat too low, so I somehow managed to crush myself down there. I had to keep myself from screaming. That seriously hurt.

Of course... I'm also very accident prone. My wife says that's because I get easily distracted and therefore don't pay attention to where I am or what I'm doing. If I can somehow bump into something, I will (accidentally) do it.

Fortunately I heal fast. Definitely not like Wolverine (although that would be awesome!), but I rarely get bruises and I seem to heal cuts -- both minor and major -- far faster than most people. That's good, too. I'd probably be in a wheelchair by now if I didn't heal like that. tongue.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-11-19 17:24:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
QUOTE (Malrothien @ Nov 15 2009, 06:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
How you likin' this Pineapple Express, Wyatt? It's been pissing rain here in Coquitlam for hours now.

Yeah, it's been a real miserable day out there. On the plus side, my wife and I figured the weather was a good excuse to stay indoors and play video games all day. biggrin.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-11-15 21:41:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
QUOTE (trailmix @ Nov 14 2009, 12:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Wyatt's Torch @ Nov 14 2009, 01:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
It's true...I never have, but then again, I've never seen a need to.

I was a moderator for a few years at a fairly high profile Professional Audio forum...and I tell you, there was a LOT to moderate there. Here? Well, I don't see much, but then again I don't go through all of the forums...mainly just the CR-1 forums, this one, and very occasionally the off-topic forum. The latter of which has its fair share of extremism, but I kinda follow the "don't like it, don't read it" philosophy.


Yes, and I don't doubt there are threads or people here who need to be reported - someone makes a racist remark - someone personally attacking a VJ member, that kind of thing.

You just described 95% of the discussion in OT.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-11-14 17:00:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
I really can't tell the difference between American and Canadian ketchup. I'm not saying there necessarily isn't one, but I certainly can't taste it. Maybe I don't eat a lot of ketchup? unsure.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-11-10 22:17:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
QUOTE (Sprailenes @ Nov 10 2009, 07:56 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
My husband wanted to make some really fancy thai dish...

But we're Canadian! You know no one is going to be making Canadian food because no one thinks Canada has anything to offer that's different. So I am going to offer it and show them. tongue.gif

You could always make some poutine... tongue.gif

DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-11-10 12:28:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
QUOTE (charles! @ Nov 6 2009, 10:01 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Kathryn41 @ Nov 6 2009, 11:41 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Oh, I love crabapples - crabapple Jelly is THE best! They don't seem to have them here in the South so I suspect it is a northern tree.

Thanks for the coffee and pie, Carla. Beautiful weather here too - into the 60s during the day but down to the 30s overnight. We had a strong frost this morning. Clear azure blue sky with not a cloud in sight - cool and dry :-). Kind of like a perfect Fall day back in Canada:-).

I should put this in the vent column but I woke up with a sore throat this morning so I may be coming down with something if I don't fight it off - have loaded up on vitamin C, sambucol and throat lozenges - hope it helps.

i read that as sambuca blink.gif

good morning all, i'm working nights again, so you won't see much of me during the day.

So did I. tongue.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-11-07 04:13:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
Moving to Victoria would actually make visiting my wife's family a LOT easier. As it is right now, the ferry ride takes about an "hour-and-a-half" to get there from Horseshoe Bay. My wife's sister and her family live in Victoria and I think my inlaws are planning to move to Comox. They're on Gabriola Island right now, which is even more of a hassle.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-10-30 15:40:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
QUOTE (Malrothien @ Oct 30 2009, 01:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ Oct 30 2009, 12:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Here's something I do like about Vancouver and the outlying areas: it's a lot easier to find your way around and it's much faster than driving in Houston. I really like Houston, but the streets are completely screwed up. There's one street that changes its name THREE TIMES and then later reverts to its FIRST NAME! wacko.gif




Just don't drive anytime during or near rush hour. tongue.gif

I found that out a while ago. HWY 1 can get crazy.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-10-30 15:07:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
Here's something I do like about Vancouver and the outlying areas: it's a lot easier to find your way around and it's much faster than driving in Houston. I really like Houston, but the streets are completely screwed up. There's one street that changes its name THREE TIMES and then later reverts to its FIRST NAME! wacko.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-10-30 14:57:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
If you want some neat pumpkin designs, try Pumpkin Glow. I really like the M1 Abrams Tank (PDF) pattern, but my wife doesn't. tongue.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-10-30 14:45:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
QUOTE (Krikit @ Oct 30 2009, 07:20 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Good morning everyone. star_smile.gif

I love Topo Gigio's trick-or-treating outfit. luv.gif

DeadPool, the next time you're on the Island, go to Coombs Country Market where they have the goats on the roof. They sell the grocery bags for 89 cents. Plus, it's a great market! lol

I hate those carts that you have to put money into. But I do appreciate the fact that there are no carts left all over the parking lot. And you are right..... BC is very much more expensive than the rest of the country. That's the paradise premium. wink.gif

One of our local supermarkets credits you 5 cents for every bag you bring and they use. It's becoming more and more prevalent that Florida is going the way of Canada with the grocery bags. I'm a bit OCD with the environmental thing, so I like that. smile.gif

I have no idea whether to buy Halloween candy or not this year. I've seen a few more kids in the subdivision..... but most of them appear to be beyond the trick-or-treating age. We have never had trick-or-treaters since I've been here, though. lol

Hmm. Now that I think about it.... maybe the bags were 75 cents at Coombs. unsure.gif

I've been there! biggrin.gif No goats, though. crying.gif

You're right, it's pretty neat. I like Vancouver Island a lot, especially Victoria. If we were going to move anywhere, I'd definitely want to go there.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-10-30 14:34:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
QUOTE (JillA @ Oct 29 2009, 02:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
$30 for a reusable bag?! blink.gif They are usually a dollar or two, where I shop. I have like a dozen reusable shopping bags in my trunk, so I never need to worry about bags. I love Trader Joe's though, because they give nice sturdy paper bags.

As for hospitals, all the ones I've been to you have to pay for parking. When I volunteered in the Oakville Hospital, they gave me a parking pass though, as of course I wouldn't pay to volunteer.

Yeah, that's crazy. But then again, I think BC charges more for everything. Seriously, my wife has lived her entire life in Canada and even she's been surprised by the cost differences.

I'd definitely pay $1 for a reusable bag. But I'm certainly not paying double-digits for one. tongue.gif

QUOTE (IR5FORMUMSIE @ Oct 29 2009, 02:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Don't come to Toronto. Sunnybrook even charges some of the staff for parking.

Well, they charge doctors and staff here too. I could MAYBE see them charging patients (although that still seems wrong to me), but doctors, nurses and staff? The charge is $2.50 for an hour, $5.00 for two hours or $7.00 for six hours. I guess they don't want patients parking there. Even the receptionist suggested I park nearby on the street.

QUOTE (trailmix @ Oct 29 2009, 02:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
The only place here that I have seen charge for plastic bags is Superstore - but they are the discount bare bones store - they also don't pack your groceries for you.

For reusable bags, we just bought them at Sobeys, they are a generous size and sturdy - I think they were $1 each.

If you are willing to pay a bit more, you can go to Co-op, where they are happy to take your groceries to your car for you (they will do that at Safeway and Sobeys as well, but at co-op it's automatic).

Co-Op, huh? I don't think I've seen them were I am, but I know I've seen them somewhere. Maybe it was in Nanaimo. Not sure, really.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-10-29 16:22:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
QUOTE (Krikit @ Oct 29 2009, 04:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
One thing different about shopping in Canada vs shopping in the US..... in the US they ask "Paper or plastic?" In Canada (Ontario) they ask "Do you need a bag?" laughing.gif

Yeah, I've noticed that. Lots of places CHARGE to give you flimsy plastic bags. The charge isn't much, but still... that seems a little ridiculous. The only place that actually uses paper bags (which I vastly prefer to plastic bags) is Whole Foods. Unfortunately, that's in North Van, so it's a long drive from where I am.

Something else I've noticed is that most places charge to get shopping carts! That's crazy. Sure, you get your quarter or loonie back, but it's still nuts. I've never seen that in the U.S. and I've shopped at a lot of grocery stores. Once again, Whole Foods is the only place that doesn't make you pay for a cart.

I know the philosophy behind making people pay for the carts (they'll return them in order to get their money back), but it's an inconvenience to carry change all the time. Half the time people still leave their carts in random places in parking lots. One time I actually saw a cart parked up on a curb between two trees. Oddly enough, there was also a picnic bench there. I'm not sure who wanted to have a picnic in a parking lot, but apparently someone did. blink.gif

I know what a lot of people say: buy reusable bags! Sure, but those cost quite a bit. I'd pay maybe $5 for one, but I've seen them for as much as $30 per bag! Why should I have to pay for any bags when grocery shopping? It's standard in the U.S. to not only get bags for free (and have a choice between paper and plastic), but no charge to use carts and baggers are available (who'd sometimes take the cart out to the car for you and help get the bags into your trunk).

EDIT: Something else I've experienced is that hospitals charge for parking. When did this happen? I've been to a lot of hospitals before (my dad's a physician) and parking was always free for patients and staff. The crazy thing is it's pay-parking only and even the doctors and staff have to pay.

Edited by DeadPoolX, 29 October 2009 - 04:07 PM.

DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-10-29 16:05:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
My wife and I play Team Fortress 2 together online a lot. The following discussion occurred between my wife and someone else (on the opposing team) that was broadcast to everyone.

TF2 Discussion:
[PLAYER] "You know what the world needs?"

[WIFE] "More defensive measures in our base?"

[PLAYER] "No, it needs condoms. Women love condoms since they can't get pregnant that way."

[WIFE] "Right now I'd settle for a few more engineers setting up sentry guns."

The guy she was talking to suddenly got quiet and remained that way for the rest of the round. I have a feeling he thought my wife was a homosexual man and got freaked out. I guess the stereotype of "women don't like gaming" is still alive and well.

DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-10-25 11:20:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
This is silly. I learned in a well-known documentary entitled Canadian Bacon that the capital of Canada is Toronto. star_smile.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-10-22 18:19:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
QUOTE (Krikit @ Oct 21 2009, 09:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Phew. I'm glad it ended well.

Ugh. I'm having computer problems. I keep getting booted off. And then this machine just magically rebooted itself. That's nice.

I don't know why it keeps booting you, but if you want to turn off the auto-rebooting function, follow these steps:
1. Right-click on MY COMPUTER and choose PROPERTIES.
2. Click on the ADVANCED tab.
3. Click on SETTINGS under the "Startup and Recovery" heading.
4. Under the "System Failure" heading UNCHECK the box labeled "automatically restart."
5. Click OKAY and then APPLY and then OKAY again.

If the computer has a system-wide error now, it won't auto-boot you. However, you'll probably get a blue screen (which does little to help you in this case), but at least you won't have random reboots.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-10-22 10:42:00