The Canada Thread

@ossobuco,

whale blubber

@Mame,

Oh! That must be aromatic. A few friends have pellet stoves, and only pellet stoves, which sound smart to me (or are they?) - one in a winter cold area, but not as cold as yours.

My bro in law who built his own mountain house had only a wood burning stove, on purpose.
My house in north north had an oil burner that had been changed to gas and cost me a zillion a month. I finally sprang for a new gas furnace famous at the time for efficiency and it worked, huge amount less in bills except that I had to pay for the furnace and installation. Now I'm back to an early tacky furnace, but this area is not that cold, considering, and my house is way smaller.

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@ossobuco,

I survived a winter in a farmhouse heated by two wood stoves. Jeeeezus, the amount of time I spent chopping wood!
I finally said screw it! I'd sleep in an electric blanket and let the stoves die out.
One morning I woke up and all the aquariums were frozen and all the rats had abandoned the farmhouse.

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@panzade,

I think you could make a song about that, not kidding.

When we - friend I'd met but didn't know well, when I signed up for a small, I do mean small, studio in the St. Charles Hotel - went looking for her to get a new studio, the place she wanted me to see was an old Eagles Lodge. I wasn't interested in moving, just had had my cousin's husband build me a small loft (this was waay before I knew how to do that), a big gift.

How could I resist, 3400 sq. feet, brick walls, seven window in the front, a kitchen, two bathrooms (mens, womens), and two office rooms, $500/mo. Together we could do it. I was the full time employed person, she part time but had the stronger personality which was helpful with the landlord and his consort. My cousin's husband was grumpy but moved the loft.

The first night we slept there was in January, no heat, seven large broken windows. Not like Canada but ugh. This was not your better neighborhood.*

So, I relate, but I never have dealt with rats like you must have (except in the lab).

Yet.

*now about-priceless real estate

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@panzade,

Ah, the fish..

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@mckenzie,

Ach! We don't follow the rules.

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@Ceili,

Real quick while I have Ceili on the line.

I love this thread of yours as I love Canadians in general.
Ever since my sister dragged my parents to Vancouver some 15 years ago I've spent a lot of time up there.
If I could put my finger on one particular trait that I admire, it's their commitment to the common good. Not everybody, not always, but generally they really care about each other in contrast with what's going on down here.

I've also become aware through my sister's in-laws of the great sacrifices made by the Canadian soldiers in World War 1 &2, even though it's just a footnote in the history taught here.
Both my brother-in-law's uncles died in dogfights over Holland protecting the Arnhem expedition; within days of each other and most sadly, within miles of each other.
Both have a lake named after them, as is fitting and I often look at pictures of their namesakes.
They died with a bravery and a quiet dignity that befits your great country.

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@panzade,

I'm blushing over heyah...
I used to think that too. That we cared, but then we kept voting in Harper. So, now, I'm not so sure.
It's because of men like these, that Canada is still feted on the streets of Holland though. And that every time I go on a vacation and bump into a dutchman (or woman) they end up thanking me for something I clearly had no part in. I'm dead serious.
The first world war defined Canada. Introduced us to the world. The second world war confirmed it.. But we payed a very heavy price.
If you think Canada did great service, you should read about the Newfoundlanders. The weren't part of Canada at the time, but they were members of the commonwealth. Their service in WWI is still considered the greatest in terms of sacrifice. Unbelievably, 1/5 of the entire population died in the battles. Their biggest university, hospitals, parks, schools, arenas and malls are all called memorial this or that.

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West Jet Christmas Video

http://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/westjet-surprises-weary-travellers-in-christmas-miracle-video-1.1582699

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The Alberta Premier, reading "Twas the night before Alberta Xmas".

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Canada is having a big anniversary in 2017. It's 150th.

Quote:

Recently, CBC.ca published an article showcasing and exploring five logos currently in development by the Federal Government for the country’s 150thanniversary, via a report prepared for the Department of Canadian Heritage.

As a Graphic Designer that has been working in the field of Design for 14 years, I was appalled by the quality and standard of the designs being presented. That sentiment was also shared by many other Designers like myself.

As cries of protest and disgust started to fill the digital airwaves via Facebook and twitter, I decided to do something about it. I went forth and contacted a group of esteemed, professional and award winning Canadian Graphic Designers and Art Directors and challenged them to create something better than what is currently being circulated in the media, and the response was very positive and supportive.

This website is the culmination of our collective efforts. The whole purpose of this activity is to prove that good design does exist in Canada, and as Canadian Designers we believe that Canada deserves better than what is being offered.
Ibraheem Youssef

http://www.ibraheemyoussef.com/the150logo/

I would do more then just post this quote and link but I'm dead tired and almost brain dead ... so I needeth sleep. Great graphic designs for the big anniversary logo.

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Another victory for Canada's sex workers in their search for safety

Quote:

Canada's highest court has struck down the country's prostitution laws in their entirety in a unanimous 9-0 ruling.

The high court on Friday struck down all three prostitution-related laws: against keeping a brothel, living on the avails of prostitution, and street soliciting.

The ruling is a victory for sex workers seeking safer working conditions because it found that the laws violated the charter guarantee to life, liberty and security of the person.

But the Supreme Court of Canada decision also gives Parliament a one-year reprieve to respond with new legislation.

Ontario's Appeal Court previously struck down the ban on brothels on the grounds it exposed women to more danger.

Friday's landmark ruling comes 34 years after the Supreme Court last upheld the country's anti-prostitution laws.

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@panzade,

I like their defiance to market trends and so they still hve really good news and magazine sales departments in coffee shops. I love Frederickton NB for it has several, as well as really good art supply tores.
US has given up on books magazines and art.

The only thing I think they screwed up on are those "ergonomic snow shovels" with the bent handles. They are just stupid

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@farmerman,

Ha! Funny you should mention that. I just heard a radio interview with a guy who did his masters thesis on just that topic.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/shovel-handle-key-to-painless-snow-removal-researcher-1.2463538

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@panzade,

I think this is a good thing. I'm a pragmatist. The sex industry is never going away.
Too many girls and women who work in the industry have been killed or hurt. We have to come up with a better system. They need protection.
I've been listening to interviews with various interested parties and there are some interesting experiments going on in many countries. But the safest seem to have been built from the bottom up. In other words, the prostitutes themselves have had a large part in making it a regulated industry. Where girls don't walk the streets and neighbourhoods don't have to have to comply with johns and used condoms.
I'm really hopeful our government will listen. They've got a year.

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@tsarstepan,

It's going to be a big party. I liked some of the designs a lot. Thanks for posting the link.

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Star gazing in Jasper.

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@Ceili,

Those ergonomic shovels are amazing. Great on the back.

(we must have been listening to the same show)

Would it be bad to get Setanta a fancy shovel for Christmas?

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@ehBeth,

Quote:

Would it be bad to get Setanta a fancy shovel for Christmas?

What? For all the manure?

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@panzade,

We are NOT going to the farm for Christmas.

We've got enough snow here right now that he could shovel for quite a while - if we could go outside (freezing rain has made the streets like a skating rink - and he's a southern boy, not a skater).

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The Canada Thread

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