Canada from Eh to Zed

[JMohegan]

As someone has mentioned to me in the past, Canada has always come across as the US's younger brother who happens to be likable and laid back.

The older I get, the more apt this seems to me.

Your swipe belies the message, you know.

 

[waaitg]

Your swipe belies the message, you know.

Meh. There was no malice intended. It was more of an observation.

It's like saying I'm racist for observing that President Obama is black.

 

[JMohegan]

Meh. There was no malice intended. It was more of an observation.

It's like saying I'm racist for observing that President Obama is black.

Uh, no, it's not like that. One's a qualitative comparison and the other a simple statement of fact.

But relax! The wink was meant to show I was teasing. I know the rep the US has, and given the behavior of our more obnoxious citizens, I'm sure the rep is warranted.

 

[Keroin]

There would be no reaction, because no public library in this country would put a painting of a public official's genitals on the wall.

I don't have a negative reaction to the painting itself, but I do find the chosen venue curious. Apparently they keep taking it down when school groups visit! Seems a bit inconvenient, to say the least.

Well, for starters, it's not like the painting shows Harper lugging a mule between his legs. The offending appendage is neatly "tucked away". There are underwear ads on billboards that show more, ahem, details than that painting. Also, from what I saw in the video, the room doesn't look like a main part of the library, but a side room. I don't know how most people use their libraries but I don't generally just go wandering off into the meeting rooms unless I'm going to an event in one of them. (Or if someone's told me there's a painting in there of Harper in the buff, drinking a Timmy's double-double ) And it doesn't sound as if they're running in there every day to take it down, so I don't know if it's that much of an inconvenience. (They're probably happy that the attention is bringing more people into the library - yay libraries!)

Most of all, no one seems particularly upset about it - not the librarians, parents, Tim Horton's, or even Harper for that matter. The reaction is quintessentially Canadian; we don't tend to take ourselves too seriously. Frankly, the whole thing is a non-issue to me, but I do love that it has given us all an opportunity for some comedy.

And, last of all: it's art. One of the many functions art can play is to make us uncomfortable, to push social boundaries and provoke questions. If the painting was one of a soldier with a gun, would that be more acceptable? I'll take a portrayal of nudity over one of violence any day, even if the nude is Harper...*shudders*

(I'd be much happier is it was a nude of Obama, BTW ).

 

[JMohegan]

Well, for starters, it's not like the painting shows Harper lugging a mule between his legs. The offending appendage is neatly "tucked away". There are underwear ads on billboards that show more, ahem, details than that painting. Also, from what I saw in the video, the room doesn't look like a main part of the library, but a side room. I don't know how most people use their libraries but I don't generally just go wandering off into the meeting rooms unless I'm going to an event in one of them. (Or if someone's told me there's a painting in there of Harper in the buff, drinking a Timmy's double-double ) And it doesn't sound as if they're running in there every day to take it down, so I don't know if it's that much of an inconvenience. (They're probably happy that the attention is bringing more people into the library - yay libraries!)

Most of all, no one seems particularly upset about it - not the librarians, parents, Tim Horton's, or even Harper for that matter. The reaction is quintessentially Canadian; we don't tend to take ourselves too seriously. Frankly, the whole thing is a non-issue to me, but I do love that it has given us all an opportunity for some comedy.

And, last of all: it's art. One of the many functions art can play is to make us uncomfortable, to push social boundaries and provoke questions. If the painting was one of a soldier with a gun, would that be more acceptable? I'll take a portrayal of nudity over one of violence any day, even if the nude is Harper...*shudders*

(I'd be much happier is it was a nude of Obama, BTW ).

I honestly don't think I've seen a billboard ad with visible genitalia, though perhaps this will come with time!

There's enough dick in the painting to get it blacked out by the Vancouver Sun...

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Naked+Stephen+Harper+painting+causes+stir/6645369/story.html

and cropped by the Globe and Mail.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...harper-painting-causes-a-stir/article2437175/

The latter article, by the way, mentions ruffled feathers in the community and the fact that "a lot of people think it is disrespectful."

So it appears that Canada has diversity of opinion after all! What a shock.

I loved the quotes from the Harper rep and the coffee company. Good humor, in both meanings of the term.

 

[JMohegan]

What I like best about the painting is the fact that I got the overall point of it right away. This isn't always true for me with art, and I did need the title as a trigger. But I got it without outside explanation, so, you know, yay!

I could use some help with the takeout coffee, though. I don't know what the point of that is.

 

[Keroin]

So it appears that Canada has diversity of opinion after all! What a shock.

Who knew?

I loved the quotes from the Harper rep and the coffee company. Good humor, in both meanings of the term.

Yeah, the official statements are even better than the painting.

 

[Keroin]

I could use some help with the takeout coffee, though. I don't know what the point of that is.

Ah, Tim Horton's coffee is to Canada what apple pie is to America. But it's also a very "everyday Joe" symbol. I am not entirely sure what Sutherland's point is but I think the Tim Horton's goes hand in hand with the Emperor's New Clothes theme - in that he's just a regular schmuck like the rest of us.

ETA: Congrats on "getting it", BTW!

 

[JMohegan]

Ah, Tim Horton's coffee is to Canada what apple pie is to America. But it's also a very "everyday Joe" symbol. I am not entirely sure what Sutherland's point is but I think the Tim Horton's goes hand in hand with the Emperor's New Clothes theme - in that he's just a regular schmuck like the rest of us.

ETA: Congrats on "getting it", BTW!

Ah, ok. Seems sort of like putting an owl in so you know it's Athena.

And thanks!

 

[waaitg]

Uh, no, it's not like that. One's a qualitative comparison and the other a simple statement of fact.

But relax! The wink was meant to show I was teasing. I know the rep the US has, and given the behavior of our more obnoxious citizens, I'm sure the rep is warranted.

Oh I didn't get worked up about it.

The difference between a qualitative fact and a "simple statement of fact" is in itself a judgement call.

It's like asking at what point does someone become a person of colour? Someone who is from Africa? From Egypt? From Spain? From Italy? At some point we are called to exercise an opinion so that we can segregate and label data into discrete groups.

You obviously feel that my observation was qualitative. I however feel that it was not as I base it on "simple facts" like the status of marijuana in Canada, our policies on social programs & healthcare, and same sex marriage. I use this information to reach a conclusion. Others are free to reach a different conclusion.

I do know that when I have traveled abroad, and I were to ask people in the countries to describe the differences between Canada and the US, they would not feel it is an opinion.

But again, no worries, I didn't take offense to your post. It takes a lot more to get me worked up than a piece of artwork.

So it appears that Canada has diversity of opinion after all! What a shock.

Imagine that in a country where 3 of the last 4 elections have resulted in a minority government

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Canadian_federal_general_elections

 

[Keroin]

Happy birthday to my home and native land!

 

[Sir_Winston54]

Happy birthday to my home and native land!

Happy birthday, Canada!



Ermmm... could you send some of your cool breezes down our way? <insert red-faced sweaty people pic here>

 

[wicked woman]

Happy birthday, Canada!



Ermmm... could you send some of your cool breezes down our way? <insert red-faced sweaty people pic here>

Forecast here for the next week is high 80s to low 90s so not sure how cool that breeze is going to be, but maybe Keroin can help more.


The birthday celebrations started last night with all sorts of fire works across the city.

O Canada

 

[waaitg]

Happy Birthday Canada!

 

[Sir_Winston54]

Forecast here for the next week is high 80s to low 90s so not sure how cool that breeze is going to be, but maybe Keroin can help more.

Our local temps are forecast at 99-101º for at least the next four days, with "feels like" temps 100-105º, so breezes from your end of the continent could definitely help, especially if they were pushed down by breezes from above the Circle.

 

[wicked woman]

Our local temps are forecast at 99-101º for at least the next four days, with "feels like" temps 100-105º, so breezes from your end of the continent could definitely help, especially if they were pushed down by breezes from above the Circle.

We were about the same for parts of last week Well how about we share the 'cooler' breezes? Some for you and some for San Francisco, where it's only in the 60s.

Yeah! More fire works tonight.

 

[midwestyankee]

Happy birthday, O Canada,
Land of my grandparents.

I think there's a statue near the border crossing from Quebec province into Maine that reads, in part, "Bring me your tired, your hungry, your poutine."

I'm sure it says that.

 

[BonBon1976]

Happy birthday, O Canada,
Land of my grandparents.

I think there's a statue near the border crossing from Quebec province into Maine that reads, in part, "Bring me your tired, your hungry, your poutine."

I'm sure it says that.

HaHaHa I was amazed no one in the Souther US (Kansas) knew what poutine was then I saw the white gravy ...shudder lol we're even ha.

 

[Keroin]

Ironically, I spent most of Canada Day in the US, retrieving L from the airport. But we did save a turtle on the way home, which felt like a very Canuck thing to do, lol.

And for those looking for cool breezes, the Kootenays have plenty to spare. PLENTY. Would you like some rain too? Please???

 

[Slaveboy909]

I like Canada. I just can't respect a country who bows to a English monarch.

Half of us Canadians don't know shit about the royal family. They're all figure heads and nothing else.

On a unrelated note anyone from Alberta? If so PM me!

 

[Keroin]

 

[markyV]

Yay!! There are Canadians here!!!

 

[Sir_Winston54]

Yay!! There are Canadians here!!!

And Europeans, and Aussies, and Kiwis, and Japanese, and... It's a pretty eclectic group.

 

[Sir_Winston54]

Plastic bills: Quick! Spend them before they melt

Turns out Canada’s new $100 and $50 bills can’t stand the heat after all.

Under certain conditions they will curl up like bacon in a frying pan.

“The Bank of Canada cannot rule out that polymer notes may be damaged under certain extraordinary conditions,” Julie Girard, a currency spokesperson for the Bank of Canada, told the Toronto Star Thursday.

According to various reports, the so-called indestructible polymer bills will shrink under intense heat, be it the inside of a car or placed next to a heat source.​

Also, loved one of the comments at the bottom:

"Think before you post, panic-spreaders. Eesh. Make me embarassed to be Canadian. We're supposed to be smarter and more level-headed than our American neighbours!"​

 

[Keroin]

Plastic bills: Quick! Spend them before they melt

Turns out Canada’s new $100 and $50 bills can’t stand the heat after all.

Under certain conditions they will curl up like bacon in a frying pan.

“The Bank of Canada cannot rule out that polymer notes may be damaged under certain extraordinary conditions,” Julie Girard, a currency spokesperson for the Bank of Canada, told the Toronto Star Thursday.

According to various reports, the so-called indestructible polymer bills will shrink under intense heat, be it the inside of a car or placed next to a heat source.​

Also, loved one of the comments at the bottom:

"Think before you post, panic-spreaders. Eesh. Make me embarassed to be Canadian. We're supposed to be smarter and more level-headed than our American neighbours!"​

Actually, the biggest 'danger' with plastic bills, IMO, is that if they're the least bit damp they stick together something fierce. It is very easy to hand someone two bills without realizing it. Luckily, from my time in the Cook Islands - where plastic money was already in use - I knew about this. So when one of our clients gave us $50 more than the total of her bill, I figured out quickly what had happened. She was very grateful that I caught her mistake.

They are pretty freckin' durable though.