biggish data

If you could vote in the U.S. Election

QUOTE (pangga @ Nov 18 2008, 03:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ Nov 17 2008, 11:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wow. You sure do have some nerve. I particularly like the demand for references, as if this is some sort of term paper. I'm still laughing at the sheer level of your audacity.

I disagree with most of everything you said, especially since you did so in a degrading and insulting manner. If you wish to have a conversation then I'd suggest you do so without looking petty. At the very least, no one will wish to discuss issues with you. I know I don't and I love debating. However, I refuse to engage in conversation with someone so full of themselves that they not only make inflammatory statements (and demand that someone else back up their assertions with references when they have none of their own), but they believe -- without a shadow of a doubt -- that their view is the correct and only one.

You have a lot to learn about debate. I would strongly suggest you take a few classes on the subject. Perhaps you may learn how to discuss issues with another person in a rational manner, instead of acting smugly superior.

That's too bad you feel that you are too far in over your head to even attempt to defend your posting. I did not mean to scare you. My hope is that someday you will realize that there is nothing wrong with learning something new. But then again, I didn't really expect anything of substance from you.

Ah, of course. Insult me further. Good call! I have to wonder why you'd think I would answer you (or your demands) by continuing to toss more inflammatory statements my way. Maybe you'll "scare me" into doing what you wish?

Tell you what: perhaps I'll be "willing" to learn something new when you learn to stop hurling insulting commentary. I'm not even sure what you're aiming to accomplish. Do you have some desperate hope that you'll make me look bad or pin me to the wall, so I "must" answer you? If so, your attempt is failing miserably. But by all means, go ahead and continue to look foolish. I'm enjoying this.

If you cease these childish antics, you'll see something of some so-called "substance" from me. In the mean time, I refuse to enter any sort of discussion with those who have the debate skills of a 10 year-old (i.e. "do what I say or you're an idiot!") and believe a debate is conducted by flaming the opposition.

Edited by DeadPoolX, 18 November 2008 - 08:28 AM.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-18 08:27:00

If you could vote in the U.S. Election

Wow. You sure do have some nerve. I particularly like the demand for references, as if this is some sort of term paper. I'm still laughing at the sheer level of your audacity.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-18 02:27:00

If you could vote in the U.S. Election

I'd like to weigh in here.

I think trusting any politician is a bad idea. I don't care what party they're from and how well they present themselves, no politician is to be trusted. They predominately want power and a legacy that history teachers will force upon students. It's hardly about the American people.

Obama makes a lot of nice speeches and wonderful promises. How many times has a politician said he or she would do something and then never carry through with it? Lots and I'm sure that's occurred in Canada too. Politicians actually have the psychological profile of sociopaths. I know that sounds extreme, but your typical sociopath does not run around hacking people to death with a hatchet. They use people by saying whatever is necessary to get their way. They benefit from lies and deceit and hurt others around them by taking advantage of all they know. Tell me... how well does that match up with your average politician?

I suppose what irritates me most about Obama isn't his supposed policies or that he's a Democrat. What bothers me is how so many in the U.S. react to him like he's the messiah and practically worship the ground he walks on. Even worse, many in the African American community see him as the panacea to all of their problems and those who're particular zealous out of that group view Obama as a way to "assist them and hurt their white aggressors."

I find the above amusing in a way, if not overly sad. Obama's mother (who raised him) was a white woman from Wichita, Kansas. Kansas is typically seen as a "red state." He speaks and acts like what many in the African American community would normally refer to as an "Uncle Tom." Yet somehow, that is all overlooked as Obama is considered the African American salvation. Something doesn't seem logical about this reaction, but then again, why should people actually look at a politician's history and information surrounding them? It's far easier to point and go, "Obama's black so he'll help us all!"

The reason some people say we shouldn't tax the wealthy hard or do something to destabilize those with wealth is due to their position. Who owns the companies and provides jobs? It's not the people on welfare. If the wealthy are heavily taxed, they will cut jobs in order to regain lost income. Overtaxing the wealthy is as foolish as dramatically raising the minimum wage. Both options will put more people out of work than previously before. That doesn't mean the rich can't be taxed, but to specifically target them because "they have more than other people" won't solve our problems and might actually exacerbate them.

I don't believe in paying for other people. I might hand out a loan to someone I know personally, but if I'm in California and someone I don't know at all needs monetary assistance in New York, how is my responsibility to help them? The answer is it isn't. While not everyone seeks to exploit the welfare system, there are many who do and would be just fine taking money from others in return for not having to work.

Disregarding welfare, the idea of using taxes simply to help out everyone won't work. People who are successful generally work hard their money. They've gone to college (or university, as Canadians like to say) and worked through the ranks at a company or set up their own business. Whatever they've done, they're apparently successful now. To punish such success by ripping money away from them to give to others is a true smack in the face of the American Dream. In the U.S., it's been said that anyone can become successful if they work hard enough. That's not always true, of course, but it's right more often than not. Why would people really strive for success if they knew their income would be dramatically reduced in order to help those they don't even know and will probably never know? All in all, such acts would decrease the drive of many Americans, since they'll know ahead of time that being successful isn't necessary in order to earn money.

I absolutely agree about the "elite" commentary. As was previously said, everyone wants the best doctor and the best lawyer. The "best" is among the elite. Who really looks for someone in any field who's merely "okay" or even "bad" at their career? No one I know.

And finally... capitalism has not failed. There have been economic downturns before. If you know anything about history, there was something called "The Great Depression" that occurred in 1929 and took World War II to effectively stop it. Was that crash the fault of then-President Herbert Hoover? Many irrationally blamed him, just as they now blame Bush today. There was also a crash in 1987, which actually resulted in the loss of more money than the 1929 crash. However, there were policies set in place and the country recovered faster and more easily than before. The economy is hardly a direct result of who resides in the White House. What happens in the stock market is mostly due to investors and business endeavors as a whole.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-17 07:22:00

Stupid DMV - so mad!!!!!

QUOTE (thetreble @ Nov 17 2008, 07:56 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Considering our driving is 99.9% the same, I am really confused as to why some states allow Europeans to practically exchange their licenses while Canadians have to be re-tested? Do any of you find that at all strange?

I find it odd. I'd normally think a Canadian DL would be accepted over a German or French license. Please do note that I don't have anything against Germany or France; however, since the U.S. and Canada are neighbors and alike in many ways, it'd seem logical for each country to accept the other's driving license.

To be fair, Canada isn't easy on American drivers, either. I've been driving for 14 years. Because my DL was recently renewed, the DMV here will probably make me retake the driving and written exams. Why? Because my license isn't over five years old and renewing it after having well over a decade of driving experience isn't enough.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-17 08:31:00

Extension of Stay??

Well, sure you can file for an extension. But just remember that this is government we're talking about here. So you'll need to do this ahead of time to accommodate the lack of urgency and disinterest the government may have in this issue. It'll get done, but don't expect it to be speedy process.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-19 13:39:00

I think I said something that was misinterpreted. I'm not on the corner of Burrard and Robson. My wife and I did live there for a couple of weeks while we scouted out apartments in Vancouver and the outlying areas. Finding a place to live is just too difficult when outside the province.

As for the whole "driver vs pedestrian" thing, I can understand where all the USC spouses are coming from. In the U.S., the chances of seeing a pedestrian (in most cases) is very slim. Everyone drives and those who don't (i.e. walk or take public transportation) are considered to be "poor slobs." That's not really an elitist stance, since even the illegal aliens have cars!

The first time I visited Canada, I was amazed at how Canadians just wander out into the street. It shocked me even more to find out that the cars are "expected to stop" and therefore, it's considered okay to do this. I would never walk in the street unless I had a visible crosswalk and preferably, a cross light. Maybe the cars are supposed to stop, but that doesn't mean they necessarily will. If a human and a car collide, guess which one comes out in better condition?

In the U.S., crosswalks are few and far between. Many places don't even have sidewalks. If someone were to venture out into the street, the likelihood of them becoming roadkill is high. Drivers don't stop for people on foot; in fact, many drivers joke that hitting certain people -- such as old people -- means more points. The only time drivers stop is if a crossing guard is there for school children. Half the time the only reason drivers do stop is because of the low speeds mandated in school zones.

I've known many people who believe that if kids don't know any better than to stay out of the road then they should be run over. That line of thought is generally reserved for high school students and not younger kids. Honestly, I can't help but agree -- if these are the people who're going to college and will be the future leaders of our country, they should damn well know better than to walk in front of vehicles propelling themselves at speeds which will kill a human. Perhaps some agreement could be reached and "dodging cars" could become P.E. credit.

To be fair, some American cities are set up better for public transportation. New York, Philadelphia, Austin and San Francisco are all good examples. Many cities, however, either have terrible public transportation systems or simply don't bother, since everyone has a vehicle.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-21 01:28:00

QUOTE (SapphireDreams @ Nov 19 2008, 09:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You guys have obviously never been to NYC! The pedestrian traffic there is just out of control.

Actually, I have been to NYC. Apparently pedestrians are so wrapped up in whatever they're doing, that NYC is making a law that disallows people from using iPods while walking. It seems that when people are using iPods (or messing around with their cell phones) while walking in high traffic areas, they have no idea what's going on around them and present a danger to themselves (and drivers, as well). A lot of individuals are complaining about this, but the fact they even have to enforce it is sad.

Perhaps the reason I didn't mention NYC is because it's actually more difficult to drive yourself there. I only mentioned cities where driving is a way of life in all areas and generally lack a decent form of public transportation. Walking or taking public transportation is much easier when in NYC. I've heard people say that if you manage to find a good parking spot then you leave your car there and take the some other form of transportation home.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-20 02:30:00

Perhaps the reason Canadians don't mind crossing the street is because there are generally less cars (yes, I know Toronto and Vancouver have many vehicles, but when compared to Los Angeles or Houston, the amount isn't even comparable) due to the population being much, much smaller than the United States. Another issue could be that Canadians simply walk than Americans, who consider driving the "normal" way of getting around. Very few people I know in the U.S. walk unless it's absolutely necessary. Therefore drivers are often given precedence over pedestrians.

I'm originally from Houston, TX. That's the fourth largest city in the U.S. by population and the second largest geographically. We probably have more drivers than Toronto and Vancouver combined. That wouldn't surprise me since the only way to get around efficiently is with a car. You could try walking (but it'd take you far too long to get anywhere) and the public transportation system is laughable. In cities like Houston -- which accounts for most of them -- the number of drivers far outweigh those who walk. If someone attempts to walk somewhere, it's something of an anomaly. I don't recall even seeing crosswalks and I've lived in Houston for my whole life.

The real problem with pedestrians was in downtown Vancouver. Aside from all the one-way streets and super aggressive buses (half the time they venture between lanes without a turn signal or even bothering to see if a car is there), the pedestrian count is astronomical. I have never seen that many pedestrians in all my life. To make matters worse, they'd cross the street at any time -- no cross light or crosswalk necessary -- and if cars didn't immediately stop or honked one when it wasn't the pedestrian's turn to go, they'd get pissed off and start hurling vulgar language at the driver. A number of pedestrians almost got violent and told off the drivers, stating that "they were walking there so screw off!"

I finally got so annoyed that I told my wife I'm going to run over the next pedestrian who crosses without a light. She said I couldn't do that. I responded that if they're going to go when they shouldn't, so will I. After that she wanted to switch seats with me and drive.

Maybe the above sounds a little over the top, but I was really getting pissed off. A drive that would normally take 10 minutes ended up requiring an extra 30 to 40 minutes, simply due to the pedestrian traffic. We had to add about an hour on to our travel time no matter where we went, so long as it was around downtown. That's just plain crazy.

I suppose that's what we got for having a temporary place (while looking for a permanent apartment, which we did find) on Burrard at Robson.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-19 19:44:00

All in all, I think Canada is pretty cool (pun intended). I like it and the people seem friendly enough, although you can find jerkoffs anywhere.

There was this one guy in a movie theater that had a seat in between two empty seats. The movie theater was very crowded (despite arriving half an hour before the movie starts) so my wife went up there and politely asked him if he'd move over one seat. The man looked at me as if I were asking him to commit suicide and replied, "You want me to move? No ###### way! Find your own damn seat." Then he laughed at us and shook his head. My wife and I were carrying drinks at the time, so I briefly considered dumping my soda on him "accidentally." But I didn't. Instead, we exited the theater and asked for either our money back or new tickets to a later show. Fortunately, the staff were very accommodating and did what we asked.

Most of the time, however, people have been quite nice.

I like the colored money. That makes it easier to see what bill denomination you have without even reading the number. I could do without $1 and $2 coins, though. I'm sure they last longer than paper money, but carrying $10 in either loonies or twoonies is a lot heavier than stuffing ten $1 bills into your wallet. I just give my change to my wife, since her wallet is larger and she has a purse.

Come to think of it... I ask my wife to carry pretty much everything in her purse. That might be why she recently bought a smaller version.

I'd like to visit Jasper sometime or another. My wife claims it's a neat place. Having never been to either Yellowstone or Yosemite, I'd like to go. Conversely, my wife would also like to see Yellowstone and Yosemite at a later date.

I've found British Columbia to be a nice place to live. I'm glad I live here, rather than the colder areas in Canada. I don't mind a little cold, but when it gets down -20C and you have to bundle yourself up from head to toe... well, I wouldn't leave the house. I don't like GST and PST, but I can't imagine anyone in Canada does (except perhaps the government). That really brings up the price. In Texas, we had sales tax but no income tax. To be fair, every state ran their tax system differently, so some states would have every tax imaginable. The provinces act the same or so I've heard.

Perhaps my two major complaints are with the Canadian government (you all know why by now) and the stupid pedestrians who decide to walk out in the middle of traffic and then get angry at the drivers for actually wanting to move when the pedestrian does not have a crossing light or crosswalk. I know pedestrians have the "right of way," but that also means they need to follow the rules (the same is true of drivers). When I walk, I never expect a car to stop. They should, but they might not. In that case, it won't matter that it was my turn to go, since I'd be dead after a car slammed into me.

Most importantly, my wife is here. Nothing against Canada, but I never would have moved here if not for her. I'm sure many of you feel the same way about your spouse and the United States.

So... that's about it. I'm sure I could think of something else if I really put some effort into it, but who wants to do that?

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-19 15:43:00

MTL (and others) Waiting for an interview date

Hmm... I hadn't been in here before, but when I saw the title, I thought "DOS" referred to either "MS-DOS" or "Denial of Service." I guess I'm revealing my place within geekdom, aren't I?

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-04-24 03:36:00

employed vs unemployed

QUOTE (Cassie @ Nov 20 2008, 09:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've considered myself as a homemaker when I was home and not working. Keeping the household running is a job IMHO, kids included or not!

I agree. Being a homemaker is quite possibly one of the toughest and least understood jobs today. There's much more to it than sitting on the couch, watching TV while stuffing bon-bons into your mouth, all in preperation to go out on a shopping spree.

Homemakers keep the house running and in order. If there are children, they also take care of them, seeing to their wants and needs. Many household chores are also completed by a homemaker.

To put this into perspective, if both spouses are working, they generally have to use their weekends or time after work to do chores. Not many people are too interested in doing this after a hard day of work or spending their time off completing these tasks. Even more importantly, if children are involved, a homemaker can save a ton of money on daycare costs.

So perhaps a homemaker doesn't bring in a financially recognized income, but in taking on that job, tons of time and money gets saved in the process.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-21 01:39:00

First Doctors visit

QUOTE (Kathryn41 @ Nov 21 2008, 01:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yep - you will get a statement from the insurance company showing what portion they covered, what isn't covered because of the deductible and what isn't covered but you are not responsible for because of the insurance company's agreement with the doctor. Don't worry - most doctor's offices overtest - you go in for a sinus infection and you get the full test treatment as well - they won't prescribe without the bloodwork, without the basic stuff - it is the American way, I've found. When you get the Blue Cross statement hold on to it until you get the invoice from the doctor's office, then when it comes in, compare them. US doctors and insurers are also notorious for getting the wrong amounts. Don't hesitate to call either to ask for clarification. You will find the most of those tests are covered and you will have a smaller amount to pay - but watch out for the deductible - insurance won't cover you until that is paid off first. Welcome to the US. Oh, and ask for copies of all of the test results - basically, you paid for them, they are yours.

American doctors over-test with good reason. They have to cover themselves in the event of a malpractice lawsuit. Suing people -- including physicians -- has rapidly become "the American way." Perhaps it seems unnecessary to test as much as doctors do, but patients will invariably sue the doctor for practically anything. Whether or not the lawsuit is frivolous is meaningless. If a physician gets sued, his malpractice insurance premiums rise. In the U.S., malpractice insurance can easily be as high as $200,000 per year. Many doctors are moving to Texas, where the malpractice insurance is considered "cheap" around $80,000 per year.

Just imagine that: $80,000 to $200,000 is more than most two income families make and yet, a doctor has to pay that out on a yearly basis to simply cover his butt. That's not including secretarial and nursing salaries, as well as office rent , which eats up a large portion of a physician's earnings. So while many believe doctors are "rich" (and they do make more than the average person), after all expenses are paid, they are far from among the country's wealthy elite.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-23 20:45:00

Ordering a gift from the USA and having it delivered to Canada...

QUOTE (BermyCat @ Nov 23 2008, 12:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Amazon.com is really good for delivering to other countries. You could send children's books or movies to your nephew. I can't remember if they offer gift wrapping services though.

~ Catherine

The thing to remember about Amazon.com is that while it's usually no problem to mail books or CDs to Canada (which makes Amazon.ca better for this purpose), there is often restrictions on other products. Most of the time it's software or technology that you can't mail. Not always, of course, but that's how it is the majority of the time. You'll also face higher shipping fees if ordering from Amazon.com instead of Amazon.ca, which may figure into the decision. Something neat I discovered is that if you have an Amazon.com account, it will also work with Amazon.ca; however, I don't know if the reverse is true.

It's also done haphazardly. For instance, my wife has been able to order a computer game or two off Amazon.com, but other games she can't. You need to look at the item's information. Of course, when typing in the Canadian address, it'll tell you whether or not you can ship it, too. However, it's easier to simply glance at the info, rather than go through the check out process, only to be disappointed.

Depending on what you're looking for, there is a Canadian version of buy.com as well. I believe it's "http://www.ca.buy.com/" (without the quotes), so you should be able to find a number of items there. Hammacher Schlemmer also ships most items to Canada, but some of their stuff can be very pricey without even considering shipping Another option might be eBay, since many items there are shipped "worldwide" or to North America. It won't matter what version you use --eBay.com or eBey.ca -- since you can see the same products. If you have a PayPal.com account setup with the U.S. or Canada, it should work. Aside from those places, I'd suggest Best Buy as there's a Best Buy Canada division and Future Shop is owned by Best Buy, as well.

If push comes to shove, a gift card always works. It may be a bit impersonal, but this allows the receiving party to get what they wish. I'm sure you can order a gift card from Canada to Canadian stores.

Edited by DeadPoolX, 24 November 2008 - 08:45 AM.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-24 08:45:00

QUOTE (Texanadian @ Nov 24 2008, 01:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What can I say? I'm the flip side of you. Used to live on Vancouver Island. Now I live in Houston.

Down here, We're paying $89/month for myself, $97/month for my wife's son. Both plans are 3000 deductibles. My wife's work plan costs $96 every 2 weeks off your paystub and her company pays the other $900/month for her single coverage. That's for a 3000 deductible as well.

I never had lineups for going to the doctor, nor did I have costs involved. Maybe it's because I wasn't in busy Vancouver. Who knows.

My wife on the other hand has had nothing but frustration with surgery here. She went for a thyroid removal at St Lukes, in the medical center in Houston. First of all they wouldn't give her a quote until it was within 4 weeks of surgery. Then the quote was different from the final bill. (They had another doctor help out, found out about that when I got that bill in addition to the bill from the primary doctor.) The anesthetist sends a separate bill for labour despite the actual medical anestetia being on the hospital bill.

So my wife goes for a follow up doctor visit 3 weeks after the surgery. (She couldn't even get a hold of the doctor for the first week after)....She goes in to see him. Have you had any tests done? Why would I have any tests done if you hadn't ordered them?

Visit # 2. She goes for a 1PM appointment. I'm outside polishing my car. At 4PM, I'm putting away my stuff and moving the car back into it's parking spot. She drives up. Didn't get to see the doctor. The nurse brought me into the doctor's office at 1:30 and I sat on the hard wooden chair for 2 hours.......At 3:30 she got up and asked the nurse what was up. Oh he still has 4 more patients to see first. He's still seeing morning patients.

My wife got up and left. (She was supposed to be working that day). The nurse asked if my wife would like to re-book. Can you promise I won't wait for 2 hours? No we can't.

So all in all, it wound up costing around $4,000 out of our pockets between the 3K deductible and the 70% that it covers until it hits her 5K max out of pocket.

The sheer amount of paperwork is nuts.

Hmmm... that's not too good. I've never been to St. Luke's so I can't comment on that. I'm sorry you and your wife had such a bad experience. Unfortunately, medical staff can be difficult anywhere.

One thing I do have a small issue with is the quote. A price quote is never the actual amount you'll pay. Quotes are used to merely get a "ballpark" figure, so you have some idea of the overall price. This extends well beyond medicine. In many areas of life, a price quote can be different from what you'll actually pay.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-24 16:59:00

QUOTE (thetreble @ Nov 18 2008, 09:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I understand. I had an experience once where I was extremely sick with laryngitis. I had an outrageous fever and got up to walk myself to the doctors as soon as they opened the next morning. In -40 degree whether I was sweating all the way down my mile walk to the doctor (I didn't have a car when I wasd a student)

any ways, I get there and I'm presumably the most sick person in the room. In fact, I'm so ill with fever and lack of sleep that I'm starting to hallucinate a little bit..you know..just generally doze off and not know where you are. I was completely weak and could hardly stand...and I ended up falling asleep.

NO ONE woke me up to see the doctor. an hour later I woke up to see that more patients had come in, in the mean time, and all were being taken in front of me.

But that is just one experience I have had with urgent care in Canada.

I didn't catch what you have besides asthma, deadpool. Unless the asthma is what is causing you to hurt so bad. That must be so frustrating. Also, it has cost you so much to move to Canada. What has made up the $35K in expenses?

I have a severe infection that's effected my lymph nodes and spread throughout my body. I'm on antibiotics, but those take a little while to work. If I didn't have that, perhaps I would've been more tolerant in my experience.

As for the $35K, it involved everything from moving up to Canada, moving to BC from Alberta, housing expenses, power bills, cell phone plans, Internet connection, furniture costs, car rentals, food and clothing, and more. Plus I've lost a ton of money due to the stock market. I've lost about $15K that way, without touching a cent in my Fidelity account. I've recently had to move some money from there, which meant selling some stock at an abysmal price and getting a relatively low amount for what I sold. However, I need the extra money.

Interestingly enough, my dad told me that he'd help out with expenses if things got exceptionally tight, but when I brought up the subject, he told me he "couldn't afford" to lend me any money. He's a physician that makes a whole ton of money and despite the current economy and job market, doctors will always be needed. If he couldn't help out, why did he offer in the first place? Just to sound nice? I don't really mind that he won't help (I'm not a kid anymore), but if he wasn't going to, I wish he hadn't said something.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-18 09:21:00

Thanks for the kind words. I've been in so much pain that I generally get about an hour of sleep at most. The rest of the time, I'm in complete agony (plus I often feel nauseated). When I'm awake, I can barely move and I feel like I could pass out because I hurt so much. I'm not a wimp when it comes to pain (having had migraines on a regular basis my whole life, I'm pretty used to it), but the only way I can function is if I'm completely hopped up on painkillers. Even then, it's only tolerable.

I apologize if I seemed overly critical (and perhaps a little unfair in my comparison) of the Canadian healthcare system. I'm sure it's great once provincial health insurance and BCBS is set into motion. Intellectually, I know this. However, it's hard to realize that when I've lost around $35,000 (probably more by now) due to expenses and the stock market tumbling. I don't even have a full-time job here to compensate. With that in mind, it's become very difficult to pay for medication or any procedures I need done. Adding in the frustration of long waits (which I am not accustomed to at all) and unprofessional staff, I think it only seems natural that I'd be a little annoyed.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-18 08:48:00

You're right -- I don't have a provincial health care plan nor do I have Blue Cross Blue Shield in Canada. I do have PPO coverage with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, but I don't think BCBS in Canada would care much about that. For reference, I'm in Vancouver, British Columbia.

I'd be happy to get provincial health care and BCBS, but I am not eligible yet for it (and won't be for a couple of months). Even after I am, I've been told here that it will take an additional three months to become fully insured.

Perhaps, once my provincial health care plan and BCBS sets in, I'll be happier and maybe most costs are taken care of. But that doesn't do me a lot of good right now, when I absolutely require medication and have a pretty nasty infection running through my body. I can't afford to purchase most of my medication (which is why I'm rationing it) and I certainly can't afford the doctor visits and lab work.

From my what I've read, provincial insurance won't absorb the cost of drugs. BCBS won't pay for the medication if you have any medical conditions prior to joining, as well. That doesn't surprise me much, which is why everyone lies to health insurance companies. If people told the truth, they'd most likely be turned down (I know someone who was rejected for simply having migraines) or at best, get an extremely limited plan that covers practically nothing.

Moving to and setting up in Canada has been an unbelievably expensive proposition. So much so that in three months time, I've spent over $20,000 USD. My savings are running low and with my investments in Fidelity going down due to the stock market (I've lost over $15,000 without spending a cent), I can't afford these large bills. Because of this, I'm hesitant to see a doctor or get my prescriptions filled. Money is more important right now than my health. A sad fact, but it's ultimately true.

Maybe I'm not using a completely fair comparison method here. It's hardly surprising, however, that I am very unsatisfied with what I've seen so far. Forgetting about health insurance of any type, those who're employed in the medical profession (to some degree or another) should have more working knowledge than their patients. I even had to explain what "BID" meant in medical terminology.

Contrary to some commentary here, I was not looking for negatives. Overall, I like Canada a lot. I would have been thrilled if none of what I described had occurred. Are there some issues that I find unusual or somewhat disturbing here? Of course. But it's a nice place and if I have to live somewhere other than the United States, Canada is my first choice.

PS - I'm not the Canadian government's best fan. I have trouble liking something that misspells my name and refuses to change it, despite mounds of evidence proving what my name. The fact they lost my PR Card the first time around certainly doesn't help matters. I recently received it... over three months after landing (with my name incorrectly spelled, of course). I also had to pay to fix a problem the government created on my SIN card. Call me crazy, but I think if they made the mistake, they should eat the cost.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-17 23:00:00

Well, I've always been told that healthcare (and prescription medication) is less expensive in Canada. Many here have also sung the praises of government-run healthcare in Canada. Well... I'm here to say that I not only find it far more costly than in the U.S., but run extremely unprofessionally.

Allow me to elaborate: I take asthma medication. In the U.S., this cost me $10 per month. In Canada, I got two months worth (which should be roughly $20 USD), but here it cost around $120 CAD. I've also needed some antibiotics. Naturally, these would be more expensive, but $63 CAD? In the U.S., that would've cost me half as much!

Now... let's get to the clinics. Every clinic here uses a number system. You walk up, pull a number and then they call you. Once they call you, you give them your info or you get it retrieved from their computers. After that, you sit back down and wait for the doctor to see you. I've only seen this procedure done before in terribly inefficient places, such as the Texas Department of Public Safety (usually called the DMV in other states).

That doesn't sound too complicated, right? Well, it's not. However, the last time I went to a clinic here (and that was last week), it cost me over $60 CAD to see a doctor. I could possibly deal with that (even though it'd only cost me $20 USD to see a physician in the U.S.), but what really pissed me off was the three hour wait! Not only did I have to wait three hours, but once I got into the doctor's examining room, I had to wait another half hour and then finally saw the doctor for about five to eight minutes, at most. I should note that I have never had to wait more than 15 minutes to see a doctor in the United States.

I went to a lab today to get some work done. Well, this was an interesting experience. After the lady called me up (once again, it had the number system), she proceeded to misspell my name several times and then have no idea how much the tests cost. After she called her manager, she found out that the two tests I needed -- a breath test and a stool sample -- would cost over $160 CAD. I wasn't pleased, but what else could I do?

So after I waited an hour (I had arrived just as the clinic opened up -- I can't imagine how long I would've had to wait if I had arrived later), they called me back. The nurse asked me what medications I'm on and I told her, having to spell each one out as she had no idea what they were for. After that, I did the breath test and then the nurse told me to drink some liquid in a container that looked a lot like a urine specimen cup. I asked her what's in it. She had no clue and responded, "Oh, I don't know. Some chemicals or something."

I was shocked. She's telling me to drink something and she doesn't even know what it is!? Needless to say, I refused until she found out or could find someone else who'd know. The nurse finally found out that it was safe to drink (not that I thought it was poison, but some chemicals can affect me adversely). Then I was told to go into the waiting room and wait another 30 minutes and then they'll call me back. So I waited and eventually someone called my name from the back in a voice so timid and quiet, I barely heard it. I went back there and did the breath test a second time, as previously instructed.

That's not all! Next, I was given two stool sample specimen jars. I had imagined they'd want me to do it there in their clinic. Not so! I was told to bring it home and use a cup of some sort to collect it on different days. After the stool was gathered, I'd take the impossibly tiny spoon (it made Baskin & Robbins ice cream spoons like enormous by comparison) and scoop out some to put into the container filled with liquid to preserve it.

Did I mention I had to pay for the opportunity to collect my own feces and then bring it back to them, thereby costing me even more?

As you all can plainly see, I am not particularly happy with the oh-so-wonderful Canadian healthcare system. I much prefer the U.S. version, where the staff are knowledgeable and the process is both timely and efficient. In addition, the cost for seeing a physician and obtaining medication is much, much less in the U.S. than in Canada, the supposed home of "cheap drugs."

I can't wait to see what other idiocy springs up from this joke of a healthcare system.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-17 13:13:00

Good point. The state of California has a higher population than all of Canada, plus it's confined to a smaller space. As you said, that can affect medical care or at least, its availability.

Apparently, my home city of Houston, TX has more MRI machines than Canada does as a whole. Houston's population is around 5.3 million people, but it's absolutely gigantic in geographical size. Another factor may be that the Texas Medical Center is there, which is the largest concentration of medical facilities in the U.S. and some have said even the world.

In a completely unrelated note... I almost spelled "center" as "centre."

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-25 13:50:00

Hmmm... well, a vastly limited ability to sue the doctors would make a difference. Half the reason it's so expensive to be a doctor in the U.S. is due to malpractice insurance.

Even still, there needs to be some sort of supportive plan to keep physicians here. The idea of making quite a bit more money in the U.S. is probably pretty damn appealing.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-25 13:42:00

Wow.

That was very informative. I didn't know about that situation. Thanks for telling me.

As far as GPs preferring fewer overall patients, you might be right. I'm not sure. I suppose I tend to think of specialists, all of whom would probably rather see more patients. Even if that's not the case, I still find it wrong to artificially limit the amount of patients a doctor can see. If doctors themselves wish to limit themselves, that's one thing. They'd know best about their own capabilities.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-25 04:15:00

As far as I can tell, there's a shortage of physicians in Canada and no end to how many patients need them. Maybe I'm a little slow on the draw about this, but I've only been living here since August.

The problem as I see it is that doctors have little-to-no incentive to stay in Canada. Why should they? They go through the same medical school training as those in the U.S. (which can easily be a decade long and more depending on the specialty), but end up making a lot less money. In addition, the number of patients they can see is limited in a day.

After everything it takes to get into medical school, pass it and go through residency, why should doctors accept what Canada's offering? Don't say "Doctors should be happy with just treating patients and pay should be secondary." Okay, most doctors do like treating patients. However, income is always a concern. Prices are generally higher in Canada than they are in the U.S. and since the American dollar has once again become valued more than the Canadian dollar, that's not helping. I've even heard people say that doctors should treat people for free. That's ridiculous. They have the ability to save lives and yet, they should do it for free? How about some other people do their job for free as well? Most wouldn't like that, but for some reason, physicians are expected to forgo payment.

I'm not suggesting we make doctors multimillionaires. Very few of them are in the U.S. and medical practices there earn more. But I think it's odd -- and wrong -- that someone who's spent years training and can treat the sick makes less than many other professions in Canada. For instance, accountants see fewer clients per year than doctors see patients. Somehow accountants make quite a bit more. I realize accountants are very handy (I'd certainly have one if I could afford it), but is their job quite as necessary to life as a physician in our society? There are other careers that make a lot more too. Even in the U.S., movie stars, athletes and CEOs far outweigh a doctor's earnings.

So to save the medical profession in Canada (since it seems the majority of physicians are heading south to the United States) there needs to be some major changes:

1. If the government insists on handling health care (and they do), then they have to increase a doctor's income. Unless it can somewhat compare to what a doctor makes in the U.S., a physician would have to be either extremely altruistic or patriotic to stay in Canada.

2. Allow physicians to see as many patients as they wish. If Doctor Jones can see 40 patients in a day, why not let him? If Doctor Smith can only see 15 patients, that's fine too. It really isn't the government's place to limit how many patients a doctor can see. I know the idea is to keep medical practices from utilizing an "assembly line" form of treating patients; however if doctors can only see a certain number of patients, they're probably pretty damn choosy about who they see and severely limit their patient load. That means fewer people who can see a doctor, especially in this environment where physicians seem scarce.

3. Make procedures and tests more readily available. It's ridiculous to wait months for an MRI or even more importantly, an operation. Contrary to popular belief, a doctor does not order an MRI, CT or PET without good reason. Surgery can't wait long in many circumstances. This is why I've heard of Canadians coming to the U.S. for tests and procedures. It costs a lot more, but they'll get it done immediately.

To sum it up, I'm not trying to bash the Canadian health care system, but there seems to be something wrong if so many Canadian doctors are leaving for the United States and Canadians have to wait months (or at best weeks) to see a doctor, get a test or procedure completed.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-24 15:58:00

Moving Information Question

QUOTE (Kathryn41 @ Nov 24 2008, 03:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Heheheheehe that is a BIG move - you'll enjoy winters in Texas after Northern Saskatchewan:-) - summers - not so much (maybe):-). No black flies, though.

Yes, your personal effects may accompany you when you cross the border or up to 10 years afterwards.

That would depend on where you move to in Texas. For instance, cities in the panhandle (such as Amarillo) can get quite cold during the winter. Not as cold as most Canadian provinces, but still colder than one might think for Texas. As for summers... well, that also depends where you are. Most people think Texas is hot and dry. That's true if you live somewhere like El Paso, but if you're in Houston, it's hot and humid. In fact, it's sometimes so humid there, I can walk out of the house or get out of my car and my glasses will immediately fog up.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-26 11:28:00

Making the move to be an immigrant

QUOTE (Sprailenes @ Nov 26 2008, 06:13 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't understand either and it is because we're Canadian, we have no big language barriers unless you're french, no real culture shock, unless you're coming from small town to big city. But I mean we are neighbors and we can blend in well. If I got a divorce, I could still live here and make it here on my own. But someone who can't speak English very well and depends on their husbands, they are... stuck.

I hate to use that word but they are. They are so dependent on their SO that they can't do anything without them for a while.

I can't even begin to put myself in their shoes because I can't even get myself into that state of mind. But when I try to imagine it, I get really frazzled so I can only imagine what they feel like.

Yes the immigrant needs to take some responsibility but many of them are coming here for a better life as well as love. I think that puts a lot of pressure on relationships too.

Well... some things are different. Barring the obvious, I'd agree that Canada and the United States are quite similar in most ways. Even so, there are many people who marry within their own country and have no idea what they're getting into. As I said before, simply because someone likes Chinese food or they're great in the sack aren't necessarily good reasons to get married. At this point in time, the divorce rate is around 60% and the idea of "starter marriages" have almost become commonplace. If more people would actually sit down and talk with their significant other, perhaps we'd see a decrease in the number of divorces.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-26 17:22:00

Making the move to be an immigrant

Many people get married for the wrong reasons. This includes people who meet online. I've seen individuals declare their love for one another and get married over ridiculous things, such as they both enjoy the same types of food and TV shows. That's great if you want all you want is a friend. Having a spouse is something else entirely and while your spouse should be your best friend, you need to give more consideration to being with them.

I think part of the problem is that couples don't talk. They see each other and focus on activities, physical features and sex. Those are good, but if you don't talk to your partner, how will you ever get to know them? Your date may be someone entirely different than you imagined, but if you don't talk to each other, you'll never know -- until it's too late. Perhaps the one advantage to meeting someone online is that you are forced to talk. There are no opportunities to go out and do something together (except on visits), so partners generally get to know one another.

There's also no way to see what someone looks like online unless they give you their picture and most people won't do that immediately. The problem with looks is that it can deter us or attract us right away. Maybe someone you didn't initially find attractive is a great person and conversely, someone whom you're attracted to may be completely awful. I've found that someone who lacks a little in the beauty department, but has an awesome personality, will not only "make up" for it, but eventually make that individual appear better looking to you. Personality goes a long way, since looks will fade and in the end, all you'll be left with (for the most part) is personality. If you don't like it, then you're effectively screwed and not in a good way.

As far as immigrating is concerned, I blame that on ignorance. Ignorance does not equal stupidity. All ignorance means is that someone lacks the appropriate knowledge about a subject. In this case, people who immigrate without knowing their partner well enough are ignorant. Unless you take the time to know them much better and truly understand the ramifications of moving to an entirely new country (and sometimes a vastly different culture), your relationship is doomed to fail.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-25 17:27:00

Tinned Vegetables Cheaper?

QUOTE (PlatyPius @ Nov 29 2008, 05:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (Reba @ Nov 29 2008, 07:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, I've never been able to figure out why the selection of fruits and veggies is so much less around here than back home. I mean really, the growing season is nearly double that of most of Canada, and yet I can't for the life of me find parsnips or rhubarb on a regular basis around here! And usually whenever I *have* found parsnips, they're old and wobbly. I don't think I saw any rhubarb this year at all. We couldn't even find any seeds or plants to put in our garden for crimeny! It grows like a weed up home, and can't find it here to save a life!

That's because rhubarb is one of the most horrible "foods" known to man. It is an offense against nature to eat it, and I think is grounds for removal from the US.

That's why they say: "Never rub another man's rhubarb."

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-12-01 23:56:00

Tinned Vegetables Cheaper?

I don't mind eating canned food, so long as it's not fruit or vegetables. However, your fiance is a bit ignorant (ignorance does not equal stupidity!) about finding fresh and organic food in the United States. Whole Foods Market, for instance, is a huge supplier of such items and they've spread out all over the U.S. and even a couple of places in Canada. The largest store, I believe, is their home base in Austin, TX. Another Texas store with food from all over the world is Central Market (also created in Austin), but I believe that store is limited to Texas and has not branched out beyond the state.

I'm sure there are similar stores available elsewhere. I don't know of them, but there should be if you look hard enough. Most of these stores have "deals" on fresh and organic food, especially produce. Not always, of course, since some items can be very difficult to get, but most of the time the costs involved are less than what you'd find of similar value in Canada.

For instance, I'm from Texas and there are least two Whole Foods grocery stores in Houston alone. I've seen the prices there (my wife really liked the place so we stopped in a couple of times) and most of the items cost quite a bit less than the Whole Foods Market in Vancouver. I should note that the Whole Foods in Houston and Vancouver are owned by the same company and merely in different locations.

If you're on a severe budget, however, you might want to limit how many fresh and organic items you purchase. While I wouldn't recommend getting all canned food, some food items can be bought frozen and are still quite good. Frozen vegetables are usually less expensive than the fresh ones.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-28 19:44:00

Getting to Know You -

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Neither. I have a menorah.

3. When do you put up the tree? I don't.

4. When do you take the tree down? I can't take it down if I never had it up.

5. Do you like eggnog? No, it tastes like vomit (only far less chunky).

6. Favorite gift received as a child? A Transformer called "Jetfire" back in 1985.

7. Hardest person to buy for? My dad and my in-laws.

8. Easiest person to buy for? My wife and my brother.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Nope.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Both.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I don't recall, but it was probably something from my aunt and uncle.

12. Favorite Christmas movie? Trading Places.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I start shopping for Hanukkah at various times, since it's never the same date.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Not that I can recall...

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Usually it's "Hanukkah Geld," but recently I've taken a liking to my mother-in-law's shortbread cookies.

16. Lights on the tree? No tree, therefore, no lights.

17. Favorite Christmas songs? "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" and "It's Christmas at Ground Zero."

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? It depends on airline availability, cost and what's happening during that time of year.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Sure! They are: Rudolph, Donatello, Blitzkrieg, Snagglepuss, Pikachu, Bambi, Scooby, Keith Richards and Skeletor.

20. What is a non-traditional tradition you do for the holidays? Roast marshmallows over the menorah.

21. Angel on the tree top or a star? Neither.

22. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? On Hanukkah, my family had us open all the gifts in the morning when we were young, but as we got older (and the presents more expensive), we opened one every night.

23. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? How celebratory Christmas ads and items make their appearance before Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) has even commenced.

24. Favorite ornament theme or color? Blue and white.

25. Favorite food for Christmas dinner? Who cares about food? Let's open some gifts!

26. What do you want for Christmas this year? I'd like... um... I don't know. But I'll think of it in time for Hanukkah.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-12-01 23:37:00

Whos going Home for Christmas?

I'll be in Canada around Christmas. Oh wait... I live here.

"Home" as in my home country is the United States, but I can't go. I did receive my PR card a week or so ago, but since I didn't know when it'd arrive, I never made flight plans. Even more important is the fact I've recently been diagnosed with mononucleosis, which I've been "enjoying" thoroughly. My dad doesn't want me around if I'm contagious (which I currently am and will be for months after the symptoms have gone away), so going anywhere is out of the question.

Edited by DeadPoolX, 25 November 2008 - 04:20 AM.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-25 04:19:00

Ridiculous!!!!!!

Laura, I understand. I really do.

It took the Canadian government three months after landing for them to get me my PR card. That includes the time they lost it, as well. Oh and did I mention they screwed up my name on my landing documents, so the Canadian government refuses to change it, despite mass amounts of evidence showing it's their fault.

So yes, I understand your predicament. It happens on both sides of the border.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-12-02 13:51:00

QUOTE (Carlawarla @ Nov 19 2008, 07:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's so sweet! True love.

We should pronounce it correctly: "Twue Wove."

The Princess Bride has messed my mind up permanently.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-19 12:42:00

Maybe I just can't taste food right, but I haven't noticed a difference between American and Canadian food (other than some cultural bits and pieces).

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-17 08:33:00

QUOTE (thetreble @ Nov 17 2008, 08:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah I think you got the wrong impression, deadpool, of what we are saying. As a substitute for sugar, fair game. I get that. But the only thing that HFCS doesn't seem to be in are vegetables and fruits. It is literally put in everything you consume, even if you try to eat healthy.

Okay, I guess I did misunderstand. If HFCS is in food that wouldn't normally contain sugar, then that's a gross misuse of the product. There's simply no need to add HFCS to something when sugar wouldn't have been there in the first place.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-17 08:25:00

QUOTE (PlatyPius @ Nov 17 2008, 12:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ Nov 16 2008, 11:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sometimes I can't believe the craziness that goes on here over HFCS.

You guys do realize that HFCS has no more or less effect than sugar, right? Perhaps in some cases it can taste different (there are actually different varieties of HFCS, some of which taste sweeter and others that don't), but weight gain can -- and does -- happen whether or not someone is using sugar or HFCS. If you're eating a lot of sugar, expect to put on the pounds and the same is true of HFCS.

To claim that HFCS is the reason for weight gain and/or is "evil incarnate" is ludicrous. If you prefer one taste over the other, that's different.

Perhaps I should note that HFCS or sugar by themselves aren't anything to worry about. If you combine the two -- as is the case in some U.S. products -- that's where the negative effects can occur.

I'm sure I'll meet with resistance here and be told how HFCS is the reason for poverty, war, famine and so on. That's fine. If even so much as one person listens and understands what I'm saying (instead of having a knee-jerk reaction and launching off on a tirade), then perhaps it's worth it.

The problem is, they put HFCS in EVERYTHING. Things that shouldn't have sugar have HFCS. Ergo, our systems are constantly being put into overdrive with all of these sugars. HFCS itself isn't really the problem, no. It's the fact that it's a main ingredient in SAUSAGE for f##k's sake. It's in bread. It's in lunch meat. It's in spaghetti sauce. Humans aren't made to consume sugar in every single thing we eat.

That I can agree with. If HFCS is merely substituting for sugar, then I don't see any harm (unless you hate the taste). If, however, HFCS is added to something that wouldn't normally have sugar, that's a serious issue. We don't need sugar or HFCS in every little item we eat. At best, we'll simply gain weight and at worst, it could be the foundation of diabetes type 2.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-17 06:30:00

QUOTE (MrsCat @ Nov 16 2008, 11:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ Nov 16 2008, 10:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'd agree. However, I've actually gained weight here. I was losing weight in Texas. So what does that say?

Things are not necessarily bigger in Texas - like your lunch plate.

Once again, I agree. So if limiting your portion size can help prevent weight gain in Texas, why couldn't it occur elsewhere in the United States?

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-16 23:39:00

QUOTE (MrsCat @ Nov 16 2008, 06:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ Nov 16 2008, 10:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sometimes I can't believe the craziness that goes on here over HFCS.

DPX, if you start to lose weight in Canada, I think the other side wins.

I'd agree. However, I've actually gained weight here. I was losing weight in Texas. So what does that say?

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-16 23:10:00

Sometimes I can't believe the craziness that goes on here over HFCS.

Edited by DeadPoolX, 16 November 2008 - 11:31 AM.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-11-16 11:31:00

Dual Citizenship?

QUOTE (thetreble @ Dec 15 2008, 09:32 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ Dec 15 2008, 12:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I suppose I've had to deal with a lot of adjustments in my life recently. Not only am I in an entirely new country and city, and having to deal with the government messing my info up, but I'm experiencing a winter that's cold! I realize that's probably amusing to many of you, but I'm used to winter in Houston (which is about 10C or so) and none of this "below freezing" stuff. It's quite a shock to the system. I now have to wear jackets for longer than a couple of weeks and actually layer my clothes! I've never layered clothing in my life! In addition, my first attempt at using a scarf met with riotous laughter from my wife. Somehow I designed a noose instead of a scarf.

Oh well. Both a noose and a scarf go around the neck.

You will learn in time how to tie a good scarf. It must be quite a change for you from Houston to Alberta. It can get mighty cold up there. Rest assured though that winter is such a beautiful season and is worth experiencing in Canada.

Fortunately, I'm in BC now. My wife is originally from Alberta, but we moved to BC since it's not quite as cold. Aside from the cold being... well, cold, it also affects my asthma badly. One time in November I was in Edmonton and I had a number of asthma attacks due to the temperature and wind. I think the wind was the main culprit.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-12-15 12:40:00

Dual Citizenship?

QUOTE (trailmix @ Dec 3 2008, 05:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You do know that not all people are 'ignorant' because they don't share your point of view - I hope.

Yes, I know. People can have a differing opinion than my own. In fact, it's often more interesting when someone doesn't agree with me. That makes for a debate, which I tend to enjoy.

When I do use the word "ignorant," I try and make it known that ignorance is not the same thing as stupidity. Someone can be very intelligent and yet ignorant about a topic. For instance... I'm quite ignorant about extremely cold weather and snow/ice conditions (especially when driving). That doesn't mean I'm a moron. It simply states that I lack the appropriate knowledge on that subject.

QUOTE (Krikit @ Dec 3 2008, 05:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's not your issues with how things are going for you in Canada that offend. Those are perfectly legitimate complaints. For me, it's the tone of your posts. It has nothing whatsoever to do with Canada.

That's fair. Sometimes my words (when online) come out sounding far harsher than initially intended. This normally isn't the case in real life, but then again, I have vocal tone, facial expressions, gestures and body language to help me out. Here it's text with an occasional smiley and that's about all.

My objective was not to seem insulting or rude. I apologize if that's how I came across.

I suppose I've had to deal with a lot of adjustments in my life recently. Not only am I in an entirely new country and city, and having to deal with the government messing my info up, but I'm experiencing a winter that's cold! I realize that's probably amusing to many of you, but I'm used to winter in Houston (which is about 10C or so) and none of this "below freezing" stuff. It's quite a shock to the system. I now have to wear jackets for longer than a couple of weeks and actually layer my clothes! I've never layered clothing in my life! In addition, my first attempt at using a scarf met with riotous laughter from my wife. Somehow I designed a noose instead of a scarf.

Oh well. Both a noose and a scarf go around the neck.

DeadPoolX

Male

Canada

2008-12-15 12:30:00