Canada question

Hatunen wrote:

On Wed, 17 Sep 2003 05:49:44 GMT, Paul
wrote:



Hatunen wrote:

Tell us about the Doukhbors.

It had nothing to do with their religion and everything to do with destroying
property, both public and private. Those who did (the "Sons of Freedom" offshoot)
were not content with destroying their own personal property, and were prosecuted as a
result.

terms like "liberal", "nazi", "communist" or, of late, "terrorist"
come up. Considering the context in with they are often used, it's obvious that
the person or writer has no idea what those terms mean.

Are you claiming that Americans, as a group, are mor ignroant
about those terms than Canadians?

I haven't taken any surveys. It's based strictly on personal observations.

"If you're
not with us, you're against us."

So, you paint us all with the stupidity of our president?

No, not all, but, according to the latest surveys that I'm aware of, he still has the
approval of the majority, more than elected him into office, even though it slipping.

I have a very difficult time understanding why
that doesn't scare the hell out of most Americans,

Do you ahve any cites for the fact that it doesn't?

If you consider it a fact, why the question?

When I was still in the workforce, I was almost completely
unaware of the beliefs or religious affiliations of most of my co-workers. The
same can be said of most of my friends and acquaintances.

I had the same experience. What makes you think America is any
different?

Again, personal experience and observation. It's a question I get asked amazingly
often when visiting in the U.S.

Granted, there is opposition here as well, but it's my
firm belief that it's nothing like would be the case in the U.S.

Well, we do have ten times as many people to complain, so it will
be louder.

Are there also ten times as many in favour of?

I have a lot of relatives in the U.S., and even more friends. Among them are
people of every social and economic strata, including an ex-governor, engineers,
physicians, business owners, truck drivers, mechanics, etc. One thing that I
notice again and again is references to race/ethnic background/religion, etc.,
when that has no relevance to the discussion, things like, "My black dentist
drives a (whatever) and he really likes it", or "my Jewish neighbor had flowers
like that", or "my Mexican mechanic says that I should use (whatever) oil" or
"There is this terrific gay chef at that restaurant".

Boy, I don't have an acquaintanceship cluster anything like that.
I gotta wonder how you managed to get one.

I regret that it might have sounded like boasting. I merely wanted to show that it
was not something confined to the uneducated or the rednecks, but common among those
who, one would assume, should know better.

Americans do not seem to feel safe,
and I don't mean only since 911.

The fact that the Soviets had a gazillion H-bombs pointed at us
may have contributed to that feeling.

Take a look at a globe sometime and see what country the would fly over get here,
and those sent in retaliation. Guess where those that fell short of their intended
target would land. The DEW line was on Canadian territory.

Even before, I was often cautioned by well
meaning friends and relatives about the dangers apparently lurking behind every
tree. I have to say that I've never had any personal experience of someone
trying to harm me or steal from me that would've been avoided by me waving a gun
in someone's face.

But you still want to cite your "well-meaning friends and
relatives"?

Just an indication that one of us was more paranoid then the other, and nothing to
do with "having H-bombs pointed at us".

Canadians tend to look at violence only as a last resort, not as a way of
settling all differences. While there was some violence in the creation of this
country, most of it was done be negotiations. We were there when it was for the
purpose of driving back an aggressor (WWI, WWII, Korea, Gulf war, etc.) but not
for the purpose of getting rid of a system we didn't agree with.

Could yo be more specific?

Well, the most recent example was Iraq. This is not to say that Saddam Hussein
wasn't or isn't the monster, murderer, liar, thief and who knows what else that
everyone said he was, but Iraq was a sovereign country that was hardly in a position
to threaten to invade the U.S. Of course there are all thos WMDs. g

seems to be "my right to smoke", without any regard to my
right not to have to inhale your smoke.

So, Canada has managed to ban smoking, has it?

Reread the sentence.

And of course if "my right" is ever
violated, that willingness to sue, not only for actual damages but for amounts
that would rival the GNP of many countries.

You can sue for what you like. There are two apsects, though that
seem to be overlooked by those who like to spread scare stories:
(a) can you get it and (b) if yo do will it survive appeal?

Should've waited with that one until you read the next sentence.

but the worse
part is that the courts, administered by people who should know better, going
along with it. As yet we haven't had any billion dollar punitive awards in this
country, and I can only hope that it will remain that way.

You don't believe in punitive awards? Especially those that might
actually be punitive?

$23 billion? Or was it $28 billion. No, it will never be collected, but it makes you
think that the jury was smoking something other than tobacco, and the smoke drifting
up to the bench. This award was made in a court of law, not a couple of guys sitting
around with a beer in their hands.

and while we occasionally make suggestions to each other,
neither feels compelled to act upon them. I would wish for nothing less between
our two countries.

As the mouse in the bed with an elephant, Canadians are wise to
take that approach

Legend has it that mice can cause elephants to panic. This particular mouse has a
key to a very important elephant food supply. The U.S. would not be a great place
to live without the various forms of energy imported from Canada, not to mention
water.

But your statement underlines what has become painfully obvious throughout the
world, that when the U.S. doesn't get it's way, time for the guns to come out.
Remember how in school, bullies were not usually known for their intellect? In the
short term they might get their way, but in the long term they usually turn out to
be the losers.

Paul

Alan Pollock wrote:

You've obviously had too much of it to judge. Nex

Oh, yawn. Still full of yourself? Obviously lacking taste are you? It
shows. "American at all costs" - yawn, what a closed mind. fortunately
I've met open minded US citizens and they remind me that there are open
minded and reasonable people there as well as in the rest of the world.

Ken Pisichko wrote:


Alan Pollock wrote:

You've obviously had too much of it to judge. Nex

Oh, yawn. Still full of yourself? Obviously lacking taste are you? It
shows. "American at all costs" - yawn, what a closed mind. fortunately
I've met open minded US citizens and they remind me that there are open
minded and reasonable people there as well as in the rest of the world.


Still no humor, eh? Must be an intense, sad life you lead. Nex

"Alan Pollock" wrote in message
...
Ken Pisichko wrote: things snipped by a friendly mohel

Still no humor, eh? Must be an intense, sad life you lead. Nex

I assume you're using the word "life" advisedly. KM
--
(-:alohacyberian:-) At my website there are 3000 live cameras or
visit NASA, play games, read jokes, send greeting cards & connect
to CNN news, NBA, the White House, Academy Awards or learn all
about Hawaii, Israel and mo http://keith.martin.home.att.net/

alohacyberian wrote:
"Alan Pollock" wrote in message
...
Ken Pisichko wrote: things snipped by a friendly mohel

Still no humor, eh? Must be an intense, sad life you lead. Nex

I assume you're using the word "life" advisedly. KM


Absolutely.


The guy's doubly boring because he doesn't even bother looking around before
insulting folks so specifically. Here's something I posted about beer just
days ago in another newsgroup. Canadian refs toward the end of post:

snip


From: Alan Pollock )
Subject: Beer in Utah?
Newsgroups: rec.travel.usa-canada
Date: 2003-09-04 18:30:58 PST

Zane wrote:

I'm not a beer expert, but I kind of like most different types I've tried
at different times and with different foods (even Mexican beer), like

Mexican beer is pretty good. Corona, Dos Equis and some others are, and are
deemed to be by those who taste them, good beer. That's been my experience
anyway.

Some of the Danish beers I used to like but I now find too sweet. (Tuborg for
instance, but my Danish experience is limited to that Tubourg Brewery visit
mainly). Czech 'Pilsner Urquell' is one of my faves, if not tops in my book.
On a cold day (not here in San Diego for sure) I used to like a couple of
Feldschlossen (I feld it schlossen around - old joke)

Commercial US beers can be fine. Pabst Blue Ribbon for instance. I like that
one (can you tell I'm not a snob?). Won't even go into the micros as there are
so many.

Canadian beers? Moosehead - haven't had it in a while - good in bottles but
when you have it on tap in NB, excellent. Really very very good. Many other
Canadian beers, to me, are overrated. Lots of ho hum beers there, among the
superb ones.

I drink thin, less alcoholic beers in the heat, and thicker, stronger beers
when it's cold.

I'm going to stop because when you get right down to it, there are good beers
practically everywhere and taste is personal. Haven't even lauded Dutch and
Brit beers yet. And Guinness on tap. And .. and. Nex

snip


So hey, we could discuss beer till the hops start jumping. It's a very
interesting subject. Nex