Things I didn't know about Canada

[Evo]

I've been a lurker, but I thought this might be a fun point to jump in
& post something.

I talked to pal of mine in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada last night. I asked what the current temp was. He said it was something like -5(F). Living in San Diego & me telling him aboot suffering 50 degree temps in the evening brought guffaws all the way from the Great White North to Southern California.

If'n I'm going to get hit with a fish, please don't make it as big as these bluegill!

Happy New Year!

Someone killed those beautiful fish?

<WHAM>

<WHAM>

 

[whitay]

I've been to the US but I've always wanted to go to Canada and I really want to go to Montreal Comedy Festival.

 

[JasonRox]

That's probably because there's traffic on the roads in America!

Then why am I able to go really fast and everyone else can't?

I'm always passing everyone literally. I remember I was just driving with the Americans on the highway thinking this is freaking slow. Then I saw two cars fly by with Ontario plates on them. After that, I was gone off joining my Ontario friends.

 

[jim mcnamara]

Boxing Day is celebrated in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and possibly many other countries as well. People in countries that do not celebrate Boxing Day are, nevertheless, aware of its existence. Those that aren't aware, are still able to absorb the idea that the rest of the world need not follow the same traditions as themselves. I bet it is only the Americans that lose the ability to tie their shoelaces correctly when someone tells them about Boxing Day!

I've never been able to tie my shoelaces. I still fail to see any connection to Boxing Day - I'm with -> stupid <- over there (the guy in the Presidential Portrait on the wall) when it comes to understanding jokes...

 

[jim mcnamara]

Someone killed those beautiful fish?

<WHAM>

<WHAM>

hmm - tears shed over a Photoshop-ed fisherman's tale. Bluegills are sunfish and a reeeeally big one is maybe 8-10 inches long -- not three feet. The world's record fish is 4lbs 12 oz, about 14 inches long. Probably hatched at the end of the last Ice Age.

 

[ranger]

Does anyone know what "Canadian rednecks" are called?

 

[ranger]

I've never been able to tie my shoelaces. I still fail to see any connection to Boxing Day - I'm with -> stupid <- over there (the guy in the Presidential Portrait on the wall) when it comes to understanding jokes...

Boxing day for me is a day to enjoy good English football. I think there were like five EPL games on boxing day. If you're in a Canada, England, or any former colony that celebrates boxing day (most do); its just another excuse to say at home on the 26th. There doesn't have to be any connection.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Everytime I go to the States, everyone drives so darn slow especially on the highway.

You mean we drive slower on the highway than on local roads? I don't think so. The real problem is that we Americans only drive on the right hand side. This is a waste of 50% of our roads as the left hand side is not used at all. My hat's off to England and the other countries of the world that use the left hand side.

 

[ShawnD]

Canadians drive faster than Americans.

Everytime I go to the States, everyone drives so darn slow especially on the highway.

It probably depends where you are. I knew a guy who took a trip to LA and he said they drive crazy fast down there, like 100mph on the freeway. That's about 160km/h. The freeway I drive every day is usually around 130 (80mph) in dry conditions or 110 (70mph) in icy conditions. Yeah, we have a lot of accidents in winter time.

edit: is it true that you need to pledge to the queen when you get citizenship?

 

[mgb_phys]

Here is one that surprised me when we investigated the requirements to attain Canadian citizenship: You have to pledge allegiance to the Queen of England!

She is Queen of Canada aswell.

 

[JasonRox]

She is Queen of Canada aswell.

That's true.

She's on all of our coins.

 

[mgb_phys]

It probably depends where you are. I knew a guy who took a trip to LA and he said they drive crazy fast down there, like 100mph on the freeway.

I lived in LA it used to annoy me how everyone drove at 55-60 on the freeway.

There's a great scene in "Gone in 60s" where Mr Cage has stolen a car and it can go at 120MPH because it has Nitrox, the police in a 7 series BMW can't catch him! In Germany soccor-moms take their kids to school at 120Mph in 7 series BMWs, and never get in front of one on the autobahn to Frankfurt airport unless you either A, Michael Schumacher or B, driving an F16.

 

[ShawnD]

There's a great scene in "Gone in 60s" where Mr Cage has stolen a car and it can go at 120MPH because it has Nitrox, the police in a 7 series BMW can't catch him! In Germany soccor-moms take their kids to school at 120Mph in 7 series BMWs, and never get in front of one on the autobahn to Frankfurt airport unless you either A, Michael Schumacher or B, driving an F16.

People driving on the highway between Edmonton and Calgary go about that fast as well. I used that as a test road to see how fast my car goes. Did you know Honda Civics govern themselves at 125mph? Neither did I.

 

[EnumaElish]

Does anyone know what "Canadian rednecks" are called?

"Trailer park people"?

There is actually a faux reality TV program titled "trailer park boys"; it's sort of popular based on what I have heard about it.

 

[EnumaElish]

Boxing Day is celebrated in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and possibly many other countries as well. People in countries that do not celebrate Boxing Day are, nevertheless, aware of its existence. Those that aren't aware, are still able to absorb the idea that the rest of the world need not follow the same traditions as themselves. I bet it is only the Americans that lose the ability to tie their shoelaces correctly when someone tells them about Boxing Day!

Fair. AFAIAC, Canadians may take the whole week off.

 

[ShawnD]

Fair. AFAIAC, Canadians may take the whole week off.

Most do. Today I went to work and there were 3 cars in the parking lot. A normal day has maybe 50 or so.

 

[EnumaElish]

She is Queen of Canada aswell.

We were shooting sh*t, and the subject of unsecured border came up. People here jokingly commented that the only thing that stops the U.S. from coming for Canadian water and/or oil is Canada's special relationship with England (and to some extent, with France).

 

[JasonRox]

We were shooting sh*t, and the subject of unsecured border came up. People here jokingly commented that the only thing that stops the U.S. from coming for Canadian water and/or oil is Canada's special relationship with England (and to some extent, with France).

Um... The US has a special relationship DIRECTLY with England. Those comments obviously came from idiots. (England joined the US...)

 

[Astronuc]

There's a great scene in "Gone in 60s" where Mr Cage has stolen a car and it can go at 120MPH because it has Nitrox, the police in a 7 series BMW can't catch him! In Germany soccor-moms take their kids to school at 120Mph in 7 series BMWs, and never get in front of one on the autobahn to Frankfurt airport unless you either A, Michael Schumacher or B, driving an F16.

I got a mid-size car (don't remember the make or model) up to about 137 mph (just over 220 km/h) on the autobahn. Man it was smooth. I had to slow down when I came to wet pavement. Even then the traction was still satisfactory.

BTW, I may be head up to Canada next year. I have plans to head over to NB/NS, and maybe AB/BC to see Banff/Jasper National Parks.

 

[EnumaElish]

Um... The US has a special relationship DIRECTLY with England. Those comments obviously came from idiots. (England joined the US...)

No; U.S. used to have the identical special relationship with England as Canada does today. But that came to an end some years ago if I was taught correctly.

If the U.S. has a special relationship with England then how would you characterize the kind of relationship Canada has with England? "Privileged"?

Perhaps it's all semantics, but the point is that Canada has the Queen's engraving on its coins. (Is that what's upsetting you? If not, what is?)

 

[mgb_phys]

I suspect the "special relationship" is with the Uk rather than England (unless there is a joint USA/English invasion of Scotland being planned)
The UK's current special relationship seems to be on the same terms as Canada's - the UK+Canda supply troops which the Americans accidentally shoot at.

 

[D H]

A long time ago my wife taught me something I didn't know about Canada. We met my brother in Vancouver. He made fun of the funny way Canadians talk, eh. My wife leaned over and whispered to me "I can't tell the difference". "What do you mean?", I replied. I could clearly hear my brother when he slipped into fake western Canadian accent. She answered, "I can't tell the difference when he tries to speak Canadian and his Minnesotan accent." Ouch! (At the time he sounded more like a North Dakotan than a Minnesotan. Go figure, eh.)

 

[Danger]

the UK+Canda supply troops which the Americans accidentally shoot at.

I find it highly weird that the only time a Yank soldier can hit anything is when it's the wrong target.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I find it highly weird that the only time a Yank soldier can hit anything is when it's the wrong target.

Heh, let's just make things up so we can insult the Americans.

 

[EnumaElish]

I suspect the "special relationship" is with the Uk rather than England (unless there is a joint USA/English invasion of Scotland being planned)
The UK's current special relationship seems to be on the same terms as Canada's - the UK+Canda supply troops which the Americans accidentally shoot at.

A long time ago my wife taught me something I didn't know about Canada. We met my brother in Vancouver. He made fun of the funny way Canadians talk, eh. My wife leaned over and whispered to me "I can't tell the difference". "What do you mean?", I replied. I could clearly hear my brother when he slipped into fake western Canadian accent. She answered, "I can't tell the difference when he tries to speak Canadian and his Minnesotan accent." Ouch! (At the time he sounded more like a North Dakotan than a Minnesotan. Go figure, eh.)

Heh, let's just make things up so we can insult the Americans.

I hope not to insult anyone when I type "U.S. vs. Canada, U.K. vs. England, same difference."

 

[EnumaElish]

Fair. AFAIAC, Canadians may take the whole week off.

Most do. Today I went to work and there were 3 cars in the parking lot. A normal day has maybe 50 or so.

In fact, take off the rest of the year!

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I hope not to insult anyone when I type "U.S. vs. Canada, U.K. vs. England, same difference."

Now I am lost. Considering that we have by far the world's most effective fighting force, I found Danger's comment to be absurd in the extreme. Our foreign policy stinks from here to Hades, but we have the best trained soldiers and the most effective fighting force in the world; bar none.

 

[EnumaElish]

Now I am lost. Considering that we have by far the world's most effective fighting force, I found Danger's comment to be absurd in the extreme. Our foreign policy stinks from here to Hades, but we have the best trained soldiers and the most effective fighting force in the world; bar none.

I'll paraphrase this as "U.S. forces are tactically unmatched."

Strategically, it is a different ball game.

 

[mgb_phys]

Heh, let's just make things up so we can insult the Americans.

I think we recently passed the point where more British troops in Afghanistan had been killed by the enemy than friendly fire - I don't think Canadian troops have reached that point yet.
To be fair I believe that in Gulf War I more US troops were killed by their own side in friendly fire than by enemy action.

 

[JasonRox]

Now I am lost. Considering that we have by far the world's most effective fighting force, I found Danger's comment to be absurd in the extreme. Our foreign policy stinks from here to Hades, but we have the best trained soldiers and the most effective fighting force in the world; bar none.

I thought the US only had the best technology and not the best trained soldiers. References for this "fact" that the US has the best trained soldiers? I hear all the time but I have no idea what this is based on and where this is coming from. Probably a marketing tactic to get citizens to join the army.