BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Caitrin
Date: 17 Apr 00 - 09:27 PM

Quite alright, Wavestar. The misunderstanding was just as much my fault...in rereading the post, I see that I didn't quite make clear what I was saying.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Gary T
Date: 17 Apr 00 - 09:20 PM

You're quite right there, Kendall, though I'd like to think that I'm not difficult about it. I hope it was clear that my previous response was essentially playing with the clever and funny slogan on your friend's hat.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: kendall
Date: 17 Apr 00 - 07:23 PM

Rave on smokers..I know your little secret. You convince yourself that you "enjoy" smoking..right? BOLLOX. You smoke to avoid the discomfort of NOT smoking. You are addicted, and, you dont have what it takes to quit, so, you defend your addiction by being difficult. How do I know? 48 years of smoking, thats how.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Wavestar
Date: 17 Apr 00 - 04:19 PM

Relating this to music a little... (Just for a change) what is that wonderful Peggy Seeger (I think it's Peggy Seeger!) song about the woman in the restaurant who gets the cigar smoker to stop by eating nothing but beans and cabbage for a week?

I heard it on public radio and thought it was hysterical... Anyone else familiar with it?

-J

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Gary T
Date: 17 Apr 00 - 03:32 PM

The problem there, Kendall, is that wouldn't keep me from smoking. It would probably just encourage me to start farting along with it. (BG, but still true!)

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: kendall
Date: 17 Apr 00 - 03:18 PM

Thats a good question about the pipe. No it is not a prop. When that photo was taken, I did smoke, but, I've wised up since then, and have become one of those converted pain in the ass ex smokers!! By the way, I dont have asthma, but, I know people who do, including my youngest daughter. A non smoking friend of mine has a cap that says IF YOU WONT SMOKE I WONT FART. 'nuff said.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Wavestar
Date: 16 Apr 00 - 03:49 PM

Caitrin -

You're certainly right there! Once again I seem to have put my foot in my mouth - in turn, I did not mean to imply that Southerners were all loud, arrogant or difficult! I think it is just an amusing phenomenon. And you're very right about the cultures within the US... It's a huge country, full of different people and different ways that never ceases to surprise me.

I have a friend from your area of NC (I think) near Bryson City, and I've seen him react interestingly to our Northern ways... I tease him about his southern drawl, which comes out when he's tired, drunk, or reading Shakespeare (!), and he teases me that my skin's so pale! (He's Choctaw.) Someday I'd love to see his home...

-J

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Caitrin
Date: 16 Apr 00 - 02:50 PM

Wavestar...I wouldn't know about American tourists. I've only been to Canada once, so I haven't had the opportunity to see how many Americans behave in other countries.
I was just pointing out that around here, people say that Yankees are rude, pushy, and loud. That doesn't mean it's true. However, it is true that there's more than one kind of American culture. My culture, having been raised mostly in North Carolina, is very different from that of someone who's grown up in L.A., or NYC, or Texas cattle country, or Kansas. What's considered passable politeness in Chicago or Philadelphia is different from passable politeness in Boone. Different regions of the US have different cultures, at least to some extent.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Pixie
Date: 16 Apr 00 - 02:35 PM

For the truth about cultural differences, watch "This Hour has 22 Minutes" (CBC Mondays at 8:00 p.m. EST). Would any "American" politician (ie: President?)allow themselves to become a living parody of themselves on National television? I watch the show faithfully and am always amazed at what those 4 Newfoundlanders get away with and I can't help but think "it would never happen in the States". Check out "Talking To Americans" on the same show when Rick Mercer does the segment......gives the impression that the world stops at the 49th parallel for the citizens of the U.S. (even though we KNOW this isn't true!)

....and its how us Canucks currently keep up with the political news in this country....through a "comedy" show....pretty scary!

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Wavestar
Date: 16 Apr 00 - 01:19 PM

Gee - I always find, actually, that whenever I see one of those REALLY annoying loud obnoxious American touristy types that give us such a bad name, he / she has a Southern accent.. I'm sure it's all in how you look at it...

And thank you, Daved Oesterreich, for that definition of Yankee... I may not be from New Hanpshire, thank God, but I fit every other definition in there. I've eaten pie for breakfast all of my young life.

Jessica, apparently a Yankee, and proud of it.

Oh... but I still can't say Ayup or wicked quite right.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Caitrin
Date: 16 Apr 00 - 11:13 AM

I've been away from the house for a couple of days, so I've had a chance to think about this a bit. Somewhere on I-40, it occurred to me that the stuff Canadians say about Americans is nearly identical to what Southerners say about Yankees (who exist north of Maryland. There ain't a single Yankee living anywhere in my house.)

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: wildwoodflower
Date: 15 Apr 00 - 10:58 PM

Metchosin- I was just thinking, reading the posts that the Scottish heritage is one thing in particular that we have in common with many Canadians, especially those of us in the southern United States. Our folk music, expressions, right down to our accent have their origins in Scottish culture (according to linguists) and from our Scottish descendants. I know that Canadians of Scottish origin are proud of their heritage and Americans of Scottish heritage are no less proud. Check out the folk song data base for Scottish tunes and you'll find many of them were in turn played as bluegrass tunes and many bluegrass songs are about Scotland, no doubt many of them were handed down. When I began researching my genealogy, my dad, who was never very interested in genealogy and hardly knew the names of his great grandparents said that at one time he had our family crest which had been handed down to him but it had been destroyed in a house fire. I was amazed that such a thing existed and that he was familiar with HOW it came to be that the heraldic symbol for the Baird clan was a boar. My ancestors came to America in around 1640. My paternal grandmother, whose heritage was also Scottish was a champion "clogger" (that is what she called it, NOT buckdancing), "clog" being a Gaelic word meaning to step in time. If you've ever seen a clogger (not the square dancers, but rather a single clogger) you would see the resemblance. Even with French Canadians, while they certainly have their own distinct culture in many regards, I would think they would have many similarities with French Americans and Cajuns in New Orleans, Louisiana. Do Canadians have Zydeco music? (o;

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Clinton Hammond2
Date: 15 Apr 00 - 12:08 PM

Kendal...
Downwind on the street?? Yer asthma that bad?? You probably should BE outside in the toxic sludge most places call air!

LOL!!

{~`

Canada has yet to be dumb enough to try to tell people that there are places outside where they can't smoke... and if they ever did, I'd be very surprised... Talk about an unenforcable law eh?!?!?!?!

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Metchosin
Date: 15 Apr 00 - 10:38 AM

Perhaps there also is also a cultural difference between Canada and the U.S. because Canada, apart from Quebec, was virtually built from the ground up by Scots.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Metchosin
Date: 15 Apr 00 - 01:50 AM

kendall, is that pipe in your mouth at bbc's Photo Page just a prop then?

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 08:45 PM

Ah, Spaw, classic, to say the least.

I am sorry, phoaks, I didn't mean for this to get into a debate about smoking, either. We had a thread earlier this year on that if anyone would care to look it up. This was just the first time smoking has ever directly effected my health. It was scary and potentially lethal, so, there ya go. Oh, and I did have an ex-bother-in-law who left three kids behind to my sister to raise alone, due to his death from smoking-related emphysema in his mid-50's. And, my husband smokes, but not around me.

Thanks for your understanding,

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: catspaw49
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 08:07 PM

Hey Clinton, You would love this little sigh I had made up ...... Red plastic with white lettering, a little smaller than 3x5 so it fit easily in my inner coat pocket. Had a little jobbie that flipped out so it would sit upright on a table. I used to hate those signs that said. "Thank You For Not Smoking" and then I saw this one in a cartoon so I had it made. It said, "Thank You For Minding Your Own Business."

I dunno' what happened to it.....Probably went out in a yard sale or garage sale or something where we raised a few bucks to help us pay for the quad by-pass, atrial ablation, CPOD treatments, or the aortic aneurism....only ran about a quarter of a million all together. 'Course it would have been a lot better if we lived in Canada, socialized medicine and all..............

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: kendall
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 07:44 PM

Your right to swing a bat stops where my nose starts. Your right to create toxic fumes stops where my nose begins. Sure, I can avoid smelly people making filthy smoke in restaurants. However, downwind on the street is bad news for people with asthma ( one of the side effects you may aquire some day from your filthy smelly habit.) I say, you have a God given right to smoke as long as you dont force it down MY throat, and, when you do, be prepared to defend your "smokers rights" (another oxymoron)

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: GUEST,Steve Latimer
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 07:12 PM

What makes Canadians so funny? I think it's the fact that we don't take ourselves too seriously. I can't think of many Canadians who wouldn't snicker through the equivalent of a daily Pledge of Allegiance.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Metchosin
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 06:20 PM

Jeez LEJ, them kids are exceptions. They're stubble jumpers from Alberta (sort of like Texans) and suffering from prairie brain damage to boot.*BG*

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Clinton Hammond2
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 05:49 PM

Re: the smoking thing I inadvertanly started...And was not my intention... Sorry! LOL!!

Here in Windsor, Ontario there's a push to overturn the decision to ban smoking... We, the addicted are hoping for a return to our sences and let it be a freedom of choice issue... If a pub or restaurant want's to cater to the non-smoking crowd, let them go right ahead... If yer an adamant non smoker, don't go places that allow smoking... Is that such a diffucult leap of logic for people to make???

Apparently it is... There are some people out there that aren't gonna be happy until they have their say on ever aspect of everybody's life... what we can eat, what we can drive, how we sit, how we stand...

To them I say, "Get Bent" and leave my life the hell alone... Do what you want with yours, you are even welcome to make suggestions for what I should maybe do with mine... But don't you DARE tell me I HAVE to do something, just because YOU think I should... I'm of age to make my own decisions, be they healthy or not!

We'll have to see what happens...

{~`

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: sophocleese
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 05:49 PM

Why are Canadians so funny? Because we ain't the powerful ones. The outsider's few tends to be a little sharper, perhaps less blinded, perhaps not, than the insider's. With any hierarchy there will always be more people who aren't in power than there are in power. So the twisted sense of humour that the perennial outsider has will be understood and appreciated by more. Gary Larson always cracks me up.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 04:50 PM

LeeJ, LOL, at the Canadian Mystique. We have a big new billboard which just went up in several places in town, this week. Featured on a white background is a huge bottle of Candian Mist (whiskey?). It looks like a clear liquid laundry detergent bottle with built in handle. The words on the billboard are something about "Smooth to taste....and, now, easy to carry!" THIS in the state which just passed a mandatory seatbelt law, yet maintained the right to have open containers of booze in your car, while driving! That jug of Canadian Mist will go down real easy now; using that handle ya only hafta have one hand on the wheel!

As for smoking: our town council just passed an ordinance banning smoking in restaurants, then the smokers had a petition drive, got enough signatures to bring it to a referendum vote in May. This was all going on whilst we went out for our 20th to a restuarant which quickly filled up with a terrible pall of smoke. As a result I have just been sicker, in more dire circumstances than I ever care to repeat in this lifetime, directly related to the smoke. I will be glad to see smoking restricted. If ya wanna pollute your own lungs, go ahead, but leave mine and the employees who work in eateries etc., alone!

Sorry for the rant, it's just really fresh in my mind right now!

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: black walnut
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 04:33 PM

okay, that does it. i'm moving!

~black walnut

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: MMario
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 04:23 PM

uhm - you can get black walnut coffee at this little store I know in upstate NY.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: black walnut
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 04:20 PM

we're different, but there are bridges. bless you americans for some of the best music (kelly joe phelps), some of the best teachers (lorraine lee hammond), and some of the best beauty (oregon)....bless you canada for some of the best music (bruce cockburn), some of the best teachers (sharlene wallace), and some of the best beauty (the gaspe penninsula). we have much to give to one another.

see? i didn't even mention coffee this time.

~black walnut (which is not a coffee flavour)

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 04:13 PM

I think that the reason Canadians didn't rebel against Britain was primarily an economic one. The American colonies were less reliant on England for support, and more self-sufficient. In fact, the American Colonial economy was a cash cow for Great Britain, and it was not long before interference by the Crown in terms of taxation, tariffs and legal interference instilled the first concept of nationhood in New England.

Someone mentioned the American teenagers who carouse in Canadian border towns. What about the hordes of Wild Canadians from places like Calgary who drive across the border to places like Great Falls, Montana, packing the strip joints, Malls, and causing 30 minute waits for a table at Denny's? And another question...what makes Canadians so damn funny? John Candy, Jim Carey, The Kids in the Hall, Second City, the list goes on and on. Is it the long winters in those windowless cabins with wolves snarling at the door that make you hone your skills at levity? And if so, why is Gordon Lightfoot so depressing? All part of the Canadian Mystique, I suppose. But isn't that an oxymoron? Canadian Mystique? Like American Subtlety?

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 03:51 PM

I learned the following some years ago:

All the world knows that a yankee is someone from the United States.

Everyone in the United States knows that a yankee is from New England.

Everyone in New England knows that a yankee is someone from New Hampshire.

Everyone from New Hampshire knows that a yankee is someone who eats pie for breakfast!

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Metchosin
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 02:59 PM

Clinton, I'm with you on the coffee. Nothin worse than paying a premium to grind your own beans and find them permeated with vanilla or some other crap, from the person who used the grinder prior to you. Argh! at least now they are putting in grinders exclusively for folks to use only for their perverse "flavoured beans" that they have the gall to call coffee.

But if you want a smoke with your coffee or beer on the Wetcoast here, I'm afraid you are the one who has to go outside, by law, not the non-smoker.

Its created some hardships for musicians. Even my brother, an ardent non-smoker, wishes they would allow smoking in the Pubs again, as he has come to the conclusion that "smokers" are a far livelier bunch and more likely to come out and spend the money on "live music" and stay longer. The pub where he plays has been sort of dead since the smoking ban.

We had a friend visiting from Australia who commented we sure had a beautiful city, but he couldn't get over the number of hookers standing on the sidewalk, especially during the day. We had to point out to him, they weren't hookers, just government workers stepping out on the street for their cigarette during their coffee break.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 02:57 PM

Clinton,

Thank god there's someone here who understands coffee. Just the way it comes out of the bean, thank you. If I wanted nut and chocolate flavour I'd buy a Snickers bar. You can even keep your cream and sugar.

Tim Horton's is the place. The last stop I make before entering the U.S. is at Tims because I know I won't be able to get a real coffee while I'm out of the country.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: MMario
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 02:38 PM

Unless you are south of the Rio Grande, then "Yank" is anyone from north of the Rio (or so I'm told)

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Caitrin
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 02:31 PM

We're not all Yanks. Yankees are North of the Mason-Dixon. : )

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Clinton Hammond2
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 02:24 PM

There's another difference... Canadians can laught at themselves and others.... Americans can't.. my above comments were in jest for the most part... the sweeping generalisations about American Kids coming to Canadian bordertowns to drink and be arses is just that.. but generalisations are true for a reason... You may not do it, but a hell of a lot of yer fellow countrymen (and women, sometimes they are the worst of the bunch!) are making up fer yer lack, pal! LOL!!

And don't get me started about how Yanks and Canucks interpret the War Of 1812!! Spent an afternoon at Put-In-Bay last summer with some good friends...All hosers... all university educated, 3 of us in history... The things they have the tour guides saying is in some cases a matter of interpretation... and in some cases is flat out fantasy!! LOL!! We were howling with laughter!! That and we were taking the video camera around and sorta doing out own "Talking To Americans" thing.... Entertainment like that, people should have to pay for!! But it's all in fun eh!! If we can't laugh at ourselves (the human race) then who can we laugh at?!?! LOL!!

To chime in on the coffee sub-thread... I'm with Dennis Leary and Garnet Rogers... Strip Malls, StarBUCKS, Hortons ect ect are a blight on the landscape... Do we need one ever 27 feet across this continent of ours??? And you can keep yer maple-nut-crunch, flavour of the month and give me coffee flavoured coffee!! And if ya don't like that I'm smoking, go the hell outside!!! LOL!!

And pull up yer pants!!!

{~`

(public service announcment for the hopelessly uptight... the above is in jest!!! Do what ya want, I couldn't care less!! LOL!!!!!)

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 01:41 PM

Rick,

Something tells me that Duckboots could never fool the guards into thinking that she was a native Canuck, it's best that she admits she's from that strange wee land that she hails from.

You're right about baseball strategy,(although Susan may be able to give you a run for your money). I was at the Skydome the night that Dave Stieb took a perfect game into the ninth against the Yankees. I was sitting behind four guys from Cleveland. They couldn't believe that people were getting up to leave before the start of the ninth, (second batter singled or doubled). But I've also been amazed at the lack of hockey knowledge Sabers fans exhibited at the Marine Midland Centre.

Speaking of Hockey, I don't know if I'm happier that the Leafs ended up in first place in the division or that those guys from your home town missed the playoffs.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: ceitagh
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 12:49 PM

Javelin...who wants to compete? Confederation was a sort of mutual defense strategy that Upper Canada (who had the army) offered Eastern canada...and they took the deal 'cause of those pesky fenians from across the border who kept trying to get back at the British by attacking us. If it weren't for that bunch of expat Irish with guns leftover from the revolutionary war, Canada would extend from Quebec westwards, and who knows what the maritimes would be doing?

But the railroad played a big part later on, when we started offering huge chunks of practically free prairie to immigrants.

Ceit

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Gary T
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 12:46 PM

Hi, Doug--you got it exactly right--the American definition is the first one and the correct one, all others are wrong. I believe this principle applies to, well, everything.

Okay, joke! joke! it was just a joke! Seriously, it was a true case of culture shock. We did see that the "Canadian" style salad bar was as deserving of the term as the "American" style. It was just so unexpected. Our initial reaction was pretty much what I shared in my previous post, to wit: Naturally our (typically American) thoughts were, "Don't these folks know what 'salad bar' means?", a rhetorical question since they obviously didn't. But actually, we found the lesson amusing from two angles--that someone would have a different type of salad bar, and that we would be so surprised by it. The experience taught us more about our assumptions than anything else. (P.S.--I don't even eat salads, though my wife does.)

Some other points that stick in the memory from that trip:
Bilingual labeling on packages (here we're heading in that direction, but adding Spanish rather than French)
Prohibition against smoking while walking in the woods. Smoke or walk, but not simultaneously.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 12:34 PM

Kendall and Steve. Can I hire you two obviously trustworthy looking guys as "border crossing" companions. Duckboots would be perfect except she always has to tell them that she's still a citizen of Great Britain...and then hand over her passport. Don't they know that Scots aren't likely to want to overthrow the Government?

Oops, another cultural difference! Bluejay fans don't know beans about baseball strategy....and I do!

Rick

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: GUEST,Javelin
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 11:21 AM

I thought Confederation happened because a way had to be found to build a railroad to compete with the American railroads. so that British business could have a fair chance against American business.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: GUEST,Javelin
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 11:14 AM

I thought Confederation happened because a way had to be found to build a railroad to compete with the American railroads. so that British business could have a fair chance against American business.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Mbo
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 10:40 AM

Alan Reid of Battlefield Band said the greatest thing about touring in America was getting to eat at Denny's every morning! When it poured down rain at Wolftrap in '96 (I think) Andy M. Stewart said "Look at this weather! It's pouring and windy...how do you people live in a country like this?" Ah...love that guy!

--Mbo

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 10:29 AM

James,

I love that one. Probably the best definition of us that I've heard yet.

I visit the U.S. four or five times a year and have never had a problem. My favourite was two summers ago when the customs agent asked why we were going to Boston. I told him to sightsee and see the Blue Jays at Fenway. He must have talked to us for 2-3 minutes about Fenway, telling us to get there early, mention that we were from out of town to get the best seats, what concession stands to buy food from, how much he liked our Skydome etc. I guess he finally realized that cars were lining up behind us and quickly sent us on our way.

By the way if you're a ball fan and haven't seen a game at Fenway, do everything you can to go, it's magical.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: GUEST,Doug
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 09:24 AM

Pete T - which "type" of salad bar is that ? !

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Peter T.
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 09:23 AM

A friend of mine says that the only successfully surviving legacy of the 1960's is the salad bar. yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: GUEST,Doug
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 09:10 AM

Gary T - A very interesting comment, but again you have made the assumption that the "American" definition of what is a salad bar is what you are used to i.e. ... a grouping of vegatables which are mixed together. The other "type" of salad bar i.e. a grouping of different types of salads is an equally valid definition for a "salid bar" - It is just not your definition. What is it that makes your definition corrent and the other wrong ? Answer - because it is the American defintion and therefore it must have been first and therefore correct - making all others wrong ? (I hope you see the saracasm - sorry another Canadian custom!)

Doug

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: GUEST,Doug
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 09:04 AM

Micca, Little historical note about the war of 1812. You are absolutely correct that the Canadians (i.e. British) did burn down the "White House" (which by the way was actually pink at the time and the Americans should be grateful that we did otherwise they would have a "pink house" instead of a white house). It should also be noted that the Americans did retaliate and razed Toronto to the ground - so I think one might call that a draw !

Doug

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: kendall
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 08:09 AM

I've crossed the border at Calais Maine to St. Steven N.B. too many times to count, and, I have NEVER encountered a surly or impolite customs agent. The last time, August of '99, the agent asked me if I had anything to declare, I said, "Yes, I declare that is the longest line I ever saw at this crossing." she chuckled and said "Go, and enjoy your stay." Now, thats how it should be.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: GUEST,James
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 07:56 AM

Why did the Canadian cross the road......to get to the middle.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Sourdough
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 02:30 AM

Definition of a Canadian: An unarmed North American with adequate health care.

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 14 Apr 00 - 01:45 AM

Regarding the folks at Customs' booths. You bet they've got attitude. (most of them) I read an interesting article a couple of years ago that implied that a lot of those folks first tried to get into various police forces (and couldn't make it). Sometimes they act like the staffs in music stores...except with uniforms. They can be quite surly.

Love American jam sessions! Course they play a lot of old-time and bluegrass, which I love...and often they play it well, which I love even more.

Rick

Subject: RE: BS: Cultural differences: Canada/U.S.
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 13 Apr 00 - 10:49 PM

Neil, would you be singing that song Wasting Away in Margarita's Bay?

Little Neo