Comments on: Helping Me Understand the Fearful Contempt Towards Brainpower

By: Factory

Factory — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 22:51:12 +0000

Well, we did burn down the White House….and we repelled American “invaders” as well as hegemony (ever hear the phrase 54 – 40 or bust? That is a reference to a line of latitude, and American invasion of Canada).

Incidentally, we never seceded from the British Empire. We still belong, only now it’s called the Commonwealth.

Yet, we have freer trade with the US and Mexico than we do with the Commonwealth OR La Francophonie.

Meh, yeah, we Canadians are a weird lot. Hell, just look at the RCMP uniform sometime….

By: zingerella

zingerella — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 21:27:30 +0000

Synikal, I’ll take the Queen on my currency and my health care supported by taxes over a buncha dead white dudes and fear of sickness or unemployment, any day of the week.

And I do love my country. I also love yours. I’m not especially fond of the actions of either of our governments, of late.

By: Thene

Thene — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:34:42 +0000

Factory – plutonium isn’t a naturally occurring element. It’s produced by using uranium in a reactor. This is how civilian nuclear energy projects are used as trojan horses to acquire nuclear arms.

But yes, it amazes me how Americans can simultaneously love their country and fervently degrade half that country’s inhabitants. I still blame the fact that they never actually talk to each other about their belief differences.

By: Synikal

Synikal — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:08:16 +0000

Jefferson was critical of the U.S. and its people, but I doubt he is thought of as hating his country. Maybe if you guys would have “hated your own country” a little more you could have had independence before 1982. Maybe you wouldn’t still have a Queen on your money. Blah. See when you have to fight for your freedom you tend to hold on to those guns and want more. Comparing a country that fought for it’s independence to a country where the masters just got tired of running it and is part of the Commonwealth is a joke. It would be cool to live there though. I mean all the joys of democracy without the messy defense spending.

China called they want to know how Canada is in the G-8 and they aren’t. Spain too!

By: Factory

Factory — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 06:02:43 +0000

Oh, I don’t get all huffy about that stuff too much. I do like bringing up Cliff Claven-ish factoids to appear smart though.

S M R T

That’s me!

In point of fact though, there are several issues like softwood lumber, fresh water (currently illegal to sell in Canada), the fact that the worlds richest (in fact, nearly “weapons grade” Uranium (I thought it had to be “Plutonium”, but the press assures me othwerwise) deposits are about 4 hours north of where I sit…Second largest oil deposit either straddles the border or exists entirely in Canada, depending on viewpoint. Uniquely entertwined military structures. World’s longest undefended border.

See where I’m going with this?

How about if I told you the greatest sources of “Western” funding for “terrorist” activities come from Canada?

I count National Security, the security of ample sources of freshwater (which I understand will become premium in the SW), economic ties unrivaled by a country with approximately 40 times the population, secure (and ample) oil deposits outside the US (Gee, can’t imagine why they’d want that hey?), along with the only source of Uranium richer and bigger than the one in the former USSR.

So really, only those who have no grasp on larger issues discount the Canadian influence.

If you’se guys didn’t have all those guns I mean.

Ergo, the aforementioned “nose tweaking”.

By: Antigone

Antigone — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 02:53:54 +0000

No, that passport thing is legitimate. Years and years of not needing one, then all of a sudden post 9-11 and people go crazy.

By: Lisa Kansas

Lisa Kansas — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 02:03:57 +0000

Note to any other Canadian posters, including fellow bloggers who are Canadian–I think Canada is awesome. I am merely harrassing Factory.

By: Lisa Kansas

Lisa Kansas — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 01:48:01 +0000

Well, they really don’t. But I know Canadians hate that so I’ll stop tweaking your nose about it. I won’t even tease you about how most Americans aren’t even fully aware that Canada isn’t just a reeeeallly big northern territory of the US. I used to have a Canadian coworker that would turn green every time somebody would go, “You need a passport to visit Canada?”

By: Factory

Factory — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 01:19:03 +0000

Yeah, I guess the fact that we are your largest trading partner by like – a factor of two or three I believe – and Free Trade meaning many things made here (think GM, Ford, and Chrysler alongside the Honda, Toyota, and heretofore ONLY Lexus plant outside Japan (RX driver? The Canadian Economy thanks you…:)

We sold you 58 billion worth of goods, China (in second place) sold you 38.4 Billion…this month.

Yeah, I can see why you wouldn’t think Canadian politics have any effect on your life.

By: Lisa Kansas

Lisa Kansas — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 23:49:09 +0000

We don’t hate our country any more than a master chef hates his most difficult-to-prepare dish–we complain a lot and slave madly away at improving it, but only ’cause we know the end result is worth it.

We have a Republican-shilling media outlet, it’s called “Faux News.” or “Fox News,” I can never remember which…

I’d express an opinion on Canadian political parties (you are Canadian, right?) except that Canadian internal politics have so little effect on anybody outside Canada that I, like the rest of the world, have no idea what your political schedule is or who your major statespersons even are. oops.