Originally Posted by charlene (Post 145291)

It's amazing how so many walk around these days so totally unplugged from the actual world they inhabit but are literally plugged into the electronics of the day, listening to chatter/music and watching small screens with texts/videos etc..

I like to walk around, make eye contact, smile, say HI, how are you? to people. When you are unaware of what and who is around you the tendency to be polite and friendly is diminished, doors are not opened, banging into people while walking around occurs all the time, the tendency to be short tempered happens more often..it makes for a disengaged and sometimes surly population amongst those who don't engage in the hi-tech gadgetry.

I too would have found that experience way too weird RJ..but kids are used to so much TV from such a young age in some cases that voices coming at them with no person attached is normal I guess..lol

I'll never get used to folks walking around with their hands free phones, talking out loud, and sometimes TOO loud, having conversations in public that are totally inappropriate.

There seems to be an epidemic all over the world of the 'if you say something 'pro' or in praise" it automatically makes you 'anti' something..that speaks more to the listener than the speaker I think.
If I am 'anti' something I'm more than capable of making it crystal clear.

I must say, with thanks, that for the most part I have found folks quite appreciative of hearing/learning some facts/trivia about Canada/Canadians, be it posted here or in private e-mails. We here in Canada have U.S. news as front page coverage in our papers, the top story on our nightly news - our national magazine - Macleans, was just delivered with Obama on the front cover. Were there any U.S. magazines with our PM on it when he won the election a month ago? That's a rhetorical question by the way..
;)
Yet Canada is the largest trade partner of the U.S.:
As of December 2007 and according to the US Census, the ten largest trading partners of the United States represented 64.87% of U.S. Imports, and 58.67% of U.S. Exports in goods. The largest partners with their total trade in billions of US Dollars are as follows:

Canada: $561.55
China: $386.75
Mexico: $347.34
Japan: $208.13
Germany: $144.02
United Kingdom: $107.19
South Korea: $82.27
France: $69.00
Taiwan: $64.66
Saudi Arabia: $46.03

I try my best to hold a high standard of decorum here, for myself and hopefully for all posters. I have stated before that I always imagine that Gordon Lightfoot may at any time tune in so the deep respect I have for him must be reflected in the atmosphere of this board.

When he sees me he asks "Char! - what's new on the web?" I always tell him that his fans here send their hugs and love and are looking forward to the concerts coming up and hope he's doing great.

Yes JJ - we have 'election on demand' - channel 0 on the dial..lol
You can be my finance minister..I'll give everyone all the money they need to get to Lightfoot concerts..that's my election platform!..
;)
I ain't a gun totin', moose killin', snomobile ridin' hockey mum tho.
BUT from Toronto I CAN see the state of New York across Lake Ontario!
lololol

Originally Posted by timetraveler (Post 146082)

And speaking of Gord's music, sometime around the first part of next month I'm going to see if Barnes & Nobles can, or will, order me any of his other albums that may be on disc.

Originally Posted by fezo (Post 145454)

Thanks, Sir John. Very well said.

I kept wanting to poke in here and tell everyone to stop responding because it looks like a case of hit and run by the original poster but I like a lot of what came out of it.

As far as Americans/Candians, several years ago we were up in Simcoe, ON and got hit with the quiz of what do you as an American know about Canada. I did OK, being able to name provinces, capitals and one or two politicians but it was quite an eye opener to find how much more Canadians knew of our land to the south than we did of those to the north.

Originally Posted by timetraveler (Post 146266)

to be perfectly honest, Sir John, I don't trust eBay. At least through Barnes & Noble, while it is a bit more expensive & takes a bit more time to get, they will have them mailed to my house, since I'm going to pre-pay for them.