I called “Canada” as one of them. I have extensively travelled both nations, and aside from the money and the stereotypes, there is much that is interchangeable about them.
From Language to Media to Food to Shopping to City development to Education, there are many similarities. These two have a massive trading relationship - one of the greatest pair for years. We have the longest shared border in the world with remarkably few problems about it (at least very few reported problems or disputes).
The take on our politics is real in fact, however in practice we have a lot of similarities. Despite the fact that Queen Elizabeth (and by proxy the Governor General) is our head-of-state, the GG is actually handpicked by the Prime Minister who serves with much the same responsibilities and power as the President of the US. Our Parliament functions much as the US House of Rep’s, and we have a Senate which is a weak shadow of the US Senate.
With the exception of Quebec, we both subscribe to the common-law system (as opposed to the civil law).
Finally our cultures are nearly identical. Americans are utterly unable to discern between American and Canadian comics, actors, musicians and are buying more and more into our television shows, movies, and music - as we have bought into American culture for decades. We also have similar enjoyment of many of the same sports teams with both US and Canadian hockey, baseball and basketball teams in the same leagues.
Posts made by cystic crypt
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RE: The closest to
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RE: Tank found
@Imperious:
Thats freeking unbelievable… its been sitting in mud for 70 years and they just dig it up and drive it away???
I think that must be a hoax. The water would have rusted everything and the electrical would have required a new battery.
i declare shenanigans on this.
Actually, it was 56 years from the article. And peatbogs are actually great preservers…many mummies have been excavated from them, revealing information about history.
Once after a lot of drinking, i fell into a peatbog. I woke up 3 months later, hadn’t aged a day!! Not even a single whisker. Mind you, my pants were pretty stink-y . . . .
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RE: Prostitutes and pornstars
@Bunnies:
Nah, just different interests. <flashes wallet=“”>How ya like me now? :lol:</flashes>
I loves u.
I got smited over that. :lol:
i applauded you for that.
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RE: Prostitutes and pornstars
i “know a guy” who had the name of a woman tattooed on his arm in exchange for a week of . . . favors. He was in the navy, and it was WW II then, mind you.
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RE: School sucks
oddly enough i am agreeing w/ Imp Leader in this forum.
@Smacktard:@cystic:
To the original topic - consider your goals, and then develop the plan to address those goals. NOT setting a goal is simply setting a bad goal. Saying “be wealthy” or “be happy” as a goal - IS a goal.
It is very difficult to attain these last two goals without an appropriate education.Lincoln has a great quote: “people are as happy as they let themselves be”. I’ve known plenty of college drop-outs who were perfectly happy being cops, mechanics, electricians, etc. Formal education just wasnt for them. Doesnt mean they’re any less happy because theyre driving a Honda instead of a Lexus. Maybe M36 is perfcetly happy being a grunt. Maybe serving his country is his idea of bliss. He’ll never get rich from it, but so what? Do what you love, even if its toting around an M16 in some shithole like Iraq.
note - i did say an “appropriate education”.
And you are right - i need people to be garbage collectors. However Cops, Mechanics, and Electricians are all educated people. I was talking with some police officers who brought a guy into my ER about law enforcement as a career for my step-son who was interested at the time. They were quite emphatic about getting post-secondary education in order to further round one out before applying to the force. My friends in the trades - plumbing, electrical etc. are quite well educated in their profession - otherwise i wouldn’t let one near the sockets in my home.because although i am working my a** off now, i am building an amazing house, i’ve got a great car, i’ve got the most amazing wife, and i’m taking 4 people that i love to Orlando soon. I can take a day off whenever i need/want, and yet i expect to retire in my early-50’s as a multi-millionaire.
My wife’s father was a bit like this. Very prominent tax attorney here in the states. Worked very hard, even argued a few cases in front of the Supreme Court. Married a Circuit Court of Appeals judge. He was worth a couple million by the time he flew his Cessna into a mountain on a clear blue day. Maybe it was an accdient, but he was a fighter pilot in Korea and knew his way around planes. She thinks he killed himself. What she thinks happened is that he had this IDEA that money, status, and things would make him happy (this is a very powerful idea in America, and is what drives our economy, in fact). So when he got those things, and still wasn’t happy, it was like, what can I do now?well - fair enough. It all depends on what you are accumulating the money for. With me - it’s not about simple accumulation, but the freedom to do what i want, when and where i want. I worry less about stalling, and a new house means fewer problems (once it’s built). Suicide is not on the radar.
I’m not saying you’re like that my father-in-law, but basing happiness on a nice house, great car, and loads of cash, can ultimately leave you unfulfilled.
true. Unless these are things that actually DO make you happy.
Now if pumping gas is your idea of a great time, then drop out of school RIGHT NOW!! Who knows - you could even aspire to be a waiter or a retail worker!
This is elitist crap. My brother-in-law was never happier than when he was working as a checker at Albertsons, making like $30K a year. Very much a people person. Then he got a job that paid twice as much working as a prison guard. He now makes $90,000+ a year working as a Probationary Officer and hates every minute of it. I ask him why he doesn’t go back to checking, but he’d have to sell his house, and his car. He’s become emotionally invested in this idea that money will make him happy.
it’s not elitist crap. If you disagree with it, then ok. But i am not sure how you can. You do not need to go to school to be a gas jockey, waiter, or retail worker. My sister started working at The Gap, and now is the regional manager of a major women’s clothing chain with a great office in Vancouver blah blah blah. Whether her degree in Sociology helped at all or not i don’t know. But i don’t think it hurt.
You don’t have to be a doctor or lawyer to be happy. Its all your attitude. Why do you think there’s so much suicide, divorse, and substance abuse among the rich and famous? Don’t they have everything you listed? Car, house, money, vacations?
Here’s a good article:
http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/invest/forbes/P95294.asp
“Surveys have found virtually the same level of happiness between the very rich individuals on the Forbes 400 and the Maasai herdsman of East Africa. Lottery winners return to their previous level of happiness after five years. Increases in income just don’t seem to make people happier – and most negative life experiences likewise have only a small impact on long-term satisfaction.”
this is all true. I think this is because wealthy people don’t know what to do with their money, and the poor have learned to make the most of what they have. Studies have shown that people’s happiness has more to do with their neighbour’s income than their own. I think this is screwed up, but whatever.
So yeah - if you think you will be happy LONG TERM without an education, then drop out now. Just keep in mind - it is tough to get back in.
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RE: How canadian are you?
That was AWFUL!!
It looks like some guy from Winnipeg went to Toronto and took a couple of pictures, and slid some pix of Avril Levigne in there with a couple of flags and a map. There were THREE pix of Winnipeg, two of Toronto, one niagara falls, 2 avrils, and a bunch of flags. And the song was SOOO repetitive.
There is MUCH better than this out there i pray. -
RE: Vancouver
Thanks CC. Where ya been?
married,
working at my clinic 3 shifts/week, the personal care home .5-1 shifts/week, the ER 3-5 shifts/week, 4 weekends/year in a small town working, also married with a step-son.And do I look Asian to you? lol
naaa - just pointing out that Vancouver is not the SAFEST city in the nation.
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RE: Prostitutes and pornstars
As usual - my question was largely ignored - hole-y non-sequitor IL/M36 (as usual - but thanks for coming out).
@ncscswitch:1. Why is it illegal to sell something you can give away free completely legally?
interesting question. unrelated of course. I think because of the whole exploitation thing. I do know a couple of crack-whores - i.e. patients of mine - and i think that prostitution has them in a pretty nasty position(s)
2. If there is one thing we learned in this nation during prohibition it is that, if you make an action that people want to engage in illegal, you INVITE the criminal element to come in an control it.
like car theft!
As for the difference between Pornstars and Prostitutes…
There are websites galore that would seem to indicate that the presence of a camera, and the “cash for modeling” or “cash for your release waiver” is indeed a viable alternative to the illegal “cash for sex”.right. and this is the line that i was wondering about. I know what Bunny is trying to say, but a good lawyer should be able to get someone out of this connumdrum wif they have a camera and a website, no?Or does one need some kind of business address etc.? I guess one could always get nailed for tax fraud then.
What makes her a victim? Because a guy gives her some money for a service? How is that different then taking a woman out to a restaurant and a movie? I mean, other then it being cheaper! You’re still paying money on her behalf, you are just dictating how that money will be spent. And I can almost assure you that the boy/man is expecting something in return, what it will be he does not know, but there’s some expectation there.
As for the man’s side, it’s not making him a victim either. He’s choosing to purchase a service he wants at a reduced price and improved chance of success.
too complex a theme to tackle, and way out of scope for my simple question.
I had thought that the man is being exploited, however, becuase we are suckers, and we have this testosterone thing that compels us to put our twinker into something akin-to apple-pie. Women take advantage of this vulnerability by charging us for something that should be free!
(JK)anyway, i guess another way to ask the original question, is how are porn directors not charged with prostitution-related crimes? Or is this a freedom of speech thing? In which case, any john could plead freedom of expression - i.e. expressing his desire with a “lady-of-the-night”.
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Prostitutes and pornstars
Ok - so this isn’t intending to be political. I don’t really give a shit what people think about prostitution. I just have a simple question (well - two):
- how is pornography not prostitution - i.e. how are porn stars not prostitutes? How does a camera change the fact that people are paying for sex?
- could i get away with solicitation if i had a friend with a camera in the car? “hi there streetwalking lady. I was wondering if you would be interested in staring in a movie with me as your co-star . . . ?”
Don’t get me wrong - my wife is my fantasy woman. But i am just curious given society’s surging interest in porn, and the increasing profile that prostitution as a newsworthy subject is getting.
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RE: School sucks
To the original topic - consider your goals, and then develop the plan to address those goals. NOT setting a goal is simply setting a bad goal. Saying “be wealthy” or “be happy” as a goal - IS a goal.
It is very difficult to attain these last two goals without an appropriate education.
My advice - use the time to learn that you have as effectively as possible. Be focused, and pack as much in in the little time you have to learn that you can.
I worked in a factory to pay my way through university. I do not regret a single second of the time i spent studying - if anything, i regret the time that i spent goofing off, moping about losing my flavor-of-the-week, because although i am working my ass off now, i am building an amazing house, i’ve got a great car, i’ve got the most amazing wife, and i’m taking 4 people that i love to Orlando soon. I can take a day off whenever i need/want, and yet i expect to retire in my early-50’s as a multi-millionaire. This is all despite living in a sociallist country. Boo-ya.
Now if pumping gas is your idea of a great time, then drop out of school RIGHT NOW!! Who knows - you could even aspire to be a waiter or a retail worker! -
RE: Drink of Choice/Prescription Drug of Choice
EtOH - Port
“drugs” - i have an increasing penchant for Rx’ing tramadol.
TMJ - i usually start out with NSAIDS - Aleve - then go to Flexeril, then Valium - in a less-to-more-addictive-substnaces pattern. -
RE: Vancouver
i worked in the ER at the Vancouver General for a month. If you are Asian - be careful where you go at night.
The walk around English bay and the Park are lovely. A ferry ride to the Sunshine coast and a drive from Gibson up to the end of the road would be lovely. One might see the beach from White Rock, but i wouldn’t recommend it. They have a lovely symphony with an excellent conductor. Mind you - i was staying with the woman of my dreams - at the time - and did not do too much sight-seeing . . . .
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RE: Your dying thought?
"she’s Married?!?! Did i just s**t myself?!?!
Speaking of Custer
Didja’ hear the one about:a wealthy history buff commissions a painting
“i want Custer’s last thoughts on the canvas. Paint it just like you were there, reading Custer’s mind”Several weeks later, the painting is brought before the buyer. He is shocked to see a number of naked native people in various very sexual poses. In the middle is a large fish with a halo over its’ head.
“what the hell is this?” the history buff asked?
“well, it’s like you asked - you wanted Custer’s last thoughts! I imagined it was something like:
holy mackeral - where did all of these f**king indians come from?” -
RE: Rick
stupid Family Guy when Peter goes back to the 1980’s got this song stuck in my head
“here’s a song written by a gay guy” -
RE: What's your ride?
BMW 325 xi 2004. A bit of a step up from my Sentra . . . .
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RE: Funny email scam.
(wife is at work, there’s only re-runs on . . . )
One could make a game of looking for certain buzz-words/phrases:
Christian, God, Jesus, Church - in order to demonstrate a religious (read: moral) background)
father, grandfather, uncle - demonstration that one is in line for the money
angola, nigeria, kenya, insert-banana republic-here
a large sum of money apparently variable and random - of which you will only receive a small (but substantial portion)
the requirement of a small sum of money - hundreds to thousands - for strictly legal reasons - an insignificant amount, next to the winnings, however.
words conveying a sense of urgency
legal terms and phrases - transaction, batch/certificate/reference numbers - alphanumeric,
diplomat, charge d’affairs, envoy, attache,They will typically ask for personal communication info, but may provide a phone number.
I recommend making collect calls to this phone number. Either that, or provide a number that you will not be using for a while. Request a flight to their home city, or invite them to meet with you in your city. Not because you want to meet these animals, however because it would be fun to mess with them for a while. And who knows - you might get a free trip to Lagos out of it - i’d recommend getting off at Heathrow . . . see London . . . . -
RE: Castro Resigns!
Bush won the cold war with Castro!!!
:-D
Oh yeah, and I completely missed the wedding thread.
So, congrats CC!!!
plays queen’s another one bites the dust… :-)
Oh DM. I missed you sooooo much!!
I believe that Castro’s actual resignation occurred months ago IMO. Don’t expect any sudden significant changes - the nation has been ruled by committee and his brother for the last while. Castro was too clever to leave anything up to chance.
I do expect, however, that there will be an easing of the tension between the US and Cuba, however, and i think that this will be with the US loosening tensions, slowly allowing trade with the tiny country, and allowing for improved relationships. -
RE: Castro Resigns!
@ncscswitch:
How many Presidents did he and his government outlive despite our best non-military (and one military) efforts?
Eisenhower
Kennedy
LBJ
Nixon
Ford
Carter (still alive but out of power)
Reagan
Bush 41 (still alive but out of power)
Clinton (still alive but out of power)
Bush 43 (almost made it through his 8 years… Castro though is still alive…)somehow Bush promoters will claim that “Bush won the Cold War” with Castro - the way that Reagan “won” the cold war . . . .
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RE: It is finished!!
Thank you all for the good wishes.
Ghoul - my cell phone number is still the same. I would love to get together with you and Ryan and Dan again for a game sometime. I really enjoy playing with you guys.Dezrtfish - I am sure that my beautiful wife and i can make some time to go to Phoenix over the next year. After Hawaii we will work on something.
GG - thanks for clearing that up. Yes - i have been raised Mennonite-light. I am a half-breed by birth, but many of the Mennonite principals stuck with me. I do make a good burger too . . . :D
I am looking at Hawaii, Maui and Molokai for now. Other islands may have to wait . . . .