# The official CMF coffee lounge -- make friends here!



## the-royal-mail

Toronto.Gal suggested we should have a loosey-goosey coffee lounge where we could come and safely discuss all manner of nonsense, post a gripe, make some friends, kick up your feet and just chat with your fellow CMFer on a casual, friendly basis. If you're having a rough time at work or at home, are afraid of actually being banned in the "ban the user" thread or just want to hang out, this is your thread. 

We can discuss pretty much anything as long as we keep things friendly among us. This isn't the place to fight with your fellow CMFer. It is intended as a friendly, fun place. 

All are welcome, no matter when you signed up.

Spammers not allowed!


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## Toronto.gal

Thanks for starting it TRM. 

Non-alcoholic beverages only.


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## the-royal-mail

LOL. It was a great idea. Though I think there are many calories in that coffee you pictured. I actually take my coffee black (the few times I drink it) as it has almost 0 calories. McDonald's coffee is the best.


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## brad

Sounds like a great idea, but I thought that the entire "General Discussion" area was meant for just these sorts of conversations: anything goes. I wonder if the General Discussion area could just be renamed "Coffee Lounge" or "The Pub"?


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## the-royal-mail

Careful brad. TO might ban you -- you said pub but she she said "non-alcoholic beverages only."


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## brad

Ah, I forgot about that! Coffee Lounge or Tea Room, then.

Now, you ought to know that in the grand hierarchy of Internet Sins, creating a "General Discussion" thread within a "General Discussion" area is actually several orders of magnitude worse than...quoting.


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## Echo

Hey everyone! So what are we chatting about today? Don't you hate how all your favorite TV shows get cancelled after one or two seasons? I mean, c'mon, the Event was pretty good...but I guess it's no Bachelorette in the eyes of the networks.


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## Four Pillars

I've been more of a tea drinker for the last few years - hopefully I can still participate. I do enjoy Tim's when I'm on the road.


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## Toronto.gal

brad said:


> I thought that the entire "General Discussion" area was meant for just these sorts of conversations: anything goes. I wonder if the General Discussion area could just be renamed "Coffee Lounge" or "The Pub"?


Alright Brad, maybe *after market hours* you can order a drink. 

This is an open discussion thread, meaning that you can write about any topic without having to create a thread......like dropping in for a chat so to speak.

TRM, would you like to be the moderator of this thread? 

Echo, I don't watch a lot of tv and right now I'm missing DWTS, but I have replaced it with 'SYTYCD', those are the only reality shows I watch. The Canadian version is pretty good too btw.

Have to go, have a good day all.


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## humble_pie

my 2 crumbs:

Coffee Lounge or The Pub sound good to me.

Tea Room is too strait-laced. And i drink a lot of tea myself. Don't all coffee lounges serve tea ?

also it's a good suggestion, to rename the entire division. Maybe should keep a soupçon of general discussion, though. Maybe something like Coffee Lounge: General Discussion or Join the General Discussion in The Pub.

don't know about TRM as moderator, though. He's so strict. How about he campaigns for the position, & promises to lighten up, plus a couple other candidates, & then we vote.

do we have a young NDP candidate stepping forward ? remember, no need to speak french.


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## the-royal-mail

Yeesh, tough crowd. 

Tell us about your avatar.


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## brad

Or we could split the General Discussion area into three sections:

The Pontificatorium (for those who wish to make pronouncements and show off their expertise)

The Degustatorium (for the Recipes to Trade by thread)

The Solarium (for those who want to lounge and chat idly in the sun).


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## Kim

Well so nice to drop into the coffee bar. I'll have a large cup straight black please. Hmm now where to sit and who to talk to???? 

Humble please tell us about the bird. 
And of which Zylon, it is my belief that you have to have one, to flip it. Have you heard Foster the People's new song - Pumped up Kicks? My fav right now.


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## humble_pie

avatar is a print of kenojuak. She was one of the original cape dorset artists; her most famous print is the owl with the magnificent tail. 

kenojuak is still alive, in her late 80s now, a greatly-honoured & greatly-loved canadian artist.


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## humble_pie

royal i take it all back, i just checked (didn't before, so very sorry) & you are the OP who started this thread.

maybe an associate youth moderator in addition to yourself, though ? Somebody posted that there seem to be an increasing number of young people joining this forum. So we need to listen to them ...


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## the-royal-mail

Everyone (except spammers) is welcome to post in this thread. No moderation needed. At least I don't think so?? All of us here are just goofing around. No need to take anything back. We're all friends hanging out and enjoying each other's company here, rules are at a minimum. It was really TO's idea (and a good one at that).

It's just a place for all of us to chill.


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## Plugging Along

Toronto.gal said:


> Thanks for starting it TRM.
> 
> Non-alcoholic beverages only.


+1 for TRM for starting, -1 for non-alcoholic beverages only, I think that goes against some freedom of mine...

Are there any bans on quoting in this thread?


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## zylon

TRM is a *HE*? - who woulda thunk 

@ *Kim* ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDTZ7iX4vTQ

My head too much in the market: 
as one does not need to own a stock to short it - it can be borrowed;
perhaps I can borrow a bird, to flip it.

more irish creme in my coffee please 

______________
voting TRM for mod of this thread


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## humble_pie

no bans on anything. TRM said he'd be good.

even mode will be happy, over there in his teutonic stronghold (hey mode you growing them Valkyrie horns yet ?)


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## CanadianCapitalist

humble_pie said:


> don't know about TRM as moderator, though. He's so strict. How about he campaigns for the position, & promises to lighten up, plus a couple other candidates, & then we vote.


TRM has my vote if he promises special tax credits for CMF posters between the ages of 25 and 55. 

Not sure I like the idea of non-alcoholic beverages only though. That's far too limiting. Especially today, when Cancucks fans may want to drown out their sorrows.


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## Toronto.gal

I meant to ask TRM if he wanted to be the caffee manager/bartender [not moderator]. 

As a lot of us have different schedules, let's all volunteer to run/serve our guests.

*CC:* I already said Piña Colada's may be served after 4 pm, so come back later. 

What's the news/topic of the day, the budget? 

For Zylon, as requested.









For Kim and our other guests:


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## kcowan

CanadianCapitalist said:


> Especially today, when Cancucks fans may want to drown out their sorrows.


You mean Roberto (The Sieve) Luongo?


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## CanadianCapitalist

kcowan said:


> You mean Roberto (The Sieve) Luongo?


Sieves are going to be offended. After all, they manage to at least keep some things out. Luongo lets everything through!!


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## Kim

I am all for the Canucks winning but cheap head shots have to go. I don't want my son in hockey if he has that to look forward to. I think that move pushed the Bruins into a frenzy to play harder than they had before. 

Love my hockey

Oh and this coffee is really good too, thanks Toronto. gal!


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## I'm Howard

Could we have a Men's only Room and a Woman with Escorts, i'm tired of being hit on by older Women, Cougars be damned.?


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## Plugging Along

Howard is worried about the cougars? I'm much more worried about the grizzlies here. 

Howard are there any cougars that would apply to you here? Under 1/2 your age plus 7, makes it okay =). So if you're fify (I don't know for sure), a cougar would have to be 86 to qualify. 

Now these younger guys that are coming on here, I could technically be a cougar for any one under 25


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## m3s

humble_pie said:


> even mode will be happy, over there in his teutonic stronghold (hey mode you growing them Valkyrie horns yet ?)


I'll take advantage of the quoting liberties but I'm not sure what horns you're referring to? In spite of maybe poor perceptions Germany is probably the most forward thinking society there is, I am in awe. I've become a coffee snob though and I would quickly scoff at Timmies now. I'm avoiding the expresso-machiato-cappuccino latté-fratté craziness but I enjoy a quality cup of freshly ground caffeine. After 4 PM I hope I'm allowed to share a bottle of single malt Islay in this lounge (mix and ice strictly forbidden) or a case of German beer? No piña colladas for me thank you 

Unfortunately I am missing out on hockey but being from the East coast I don't mind seeing the "Canucks" and their Swedish-American star lineup struggle. Bruins do have more Cdn players I believe? Go Sebastian Vettel!


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## humble_pie

plugging he meant to say the 20-year-old gold diggers.

but really it's his rich 92-year-old papa they're after.




mode they are those mythic horned norse creatures usually seen today at the opera.


the bishop is invited to tea at the manor house.
lemon with your tea bishop asks lady thorncrestofcrestwellontrent, daintily.
no tea growls the bishop.
scotch and water bishop inquires milady.
no water growls bishop.


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## Plugging Along

Humble - thanks... I was thinking that Howard was scared of those 80/90 year olds after his fortune =). If it's the 20 yr gold diggers he's worried about, doesn't that make him a Grizzly himself. 

Hmmm... can a male be a gold digger too? Or that reserved for the females?


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## Toronto.gal

Don't you all feel sorry for Howard's problem? 

*PA:* lol at the grizzly comment. 

Cheers everybody, the bar is open now mode3sour.


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## KaeJS

Toronto.gal said:


> Cheers everybody, the bar is open now mode3sour.
> ]


Can I get a nice, cold glass of CANADIAN?

The only thing this country really has to offer, besides taxes and a high cost of living?

I think Canadian should be "a-buck-a-beer".

They're always advertising how it comes from Canada. And yet, its still over $6/pint!


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## m3s

Toronto.gal said:


> Cheers everybody, the bar is open now mode3sour.


Thanks but I have some serious time zonage issues with these CMF lounge rules. I snuck in my own pocket flask during the last post anyways. At least I can day trade until 10PM now  Is drinking and trading frowned upon at CMF?

Also KaeJ, CANADIAN is ironically a-buck-a-beer in Québec, but it's a better deal if you just visit to buy it unless you need cheap day care (depending how many CANADIAN you drink). Brad may already have such return on investment graph to post


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## humble_pie

the problem is it's 1 or 2 am for mode right now, so it's a long time to wait in a parched state for the bar to open.

maybe we could start serving him single malts straight at 9:30 am EST.

easy to remember because market opens, mode's drink gets poured. He might feel a bit lonely, though, tossing back his 16-year lagavulin or macallan while the rest of us are still on coffee.

here's my favourite toast. It's a highland scottish toast. Traditionally raised after a battle in which all the rival clan were slain. 

hair's tae us.
wha's lich us.
damn few
an they're all daid.


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## Jungle

I've always wondered if we had a local meeting what people would be like..

humble_pie?
Andrewf??
Toronto.gal???
KaeJS????
Belguy??????
Dogcom???????
royal_mail????
Jungle????? 

Who would buy coffee? Would we be too cheap?
Toronto DRIP club has meetings..


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## the-royal-mail

Frugal Jungle, not cheap...

Yeah we might buy...as long as we had our 3 tiers well fortified. 

Seriously though, all those photos by toronto....isn't she the greates bartender/host ever?? Wow, I'm impressed.


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## the-royal-mail

And if we meet you jungle I'm envisioning someone overweight, orange and black stripey and loves lasagna. How's my aim?


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## m3s

humble_pie said:


> easy to remember because market opens, mode's drink gets poured. He might feel a bit lonely, though, tossing back his 16-year lagavulin or macallan while the rest of us are still on coffee.


Ok humble, you either have some kind of investigative acumen, or I need to start watching my back more? I don't keep any money under the mattress fyi, and I'm a marksman shot


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## KaeJS

LOL! mod3sour!

That's hilarious!

Receipt and everything! Wow! That's just incredibly creepy, humble.


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## KaeJS

Jungle said:


> I've always wondered if we had a local meeting what people would be like..
> 
> Who would buy coffee? Would we be too cheap?
> Toronto DRIP club has meetings..


I'd be too cheap for coffee. 

I'd bring a thermos with tapwater to drink while I chat


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## m3s

I keep most of my receipts like a good CMFer, KaeJ. This one was still in my pocket. I'm not coming to any local meetings but I have an idea how things would go. It would probably start out pretty dry based on the music thread, with TRM making up a few random rules as we go, caverman would surely be ranting up a storm and eventually someone would snap and things would spiral off topic from there. Humble would be intently observing every detail and CC and frugal would not be impressed. The final draw would be the whole tip issue, and the cougars and grizzlies would already be gone. I'm actually supposed to meet someone from CMF who's traveling in Europe, making CMF history?


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## brad

Mmm, we had a couple of these tonight to celebrate the opening of the CMF Pub:










It's called a "Biz Fizz" -- you pour a bit of Midori (honeydew melon liqueur) into a glass, add a tablespoon of white port, and fill the rest of the glass with Prosecco. If you want to get fancy you can drop in a couple of scoops of honeydew melon and watch 'em bubble.

The hard part was going back to work for an hour afterwards


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## Plugging Along

Oooooh... that looks good, I may have to try that instead of green beer for St Paddy's. What is Prosecco?


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## brad

Prosecco is sparkling wine from Italy, think of it as Italian champagne, but much cheaper.


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## Jungle

the-royal-mail said:


> And if we meet you jungle I'm envisioning someone overweight, orange and black stripey and loves lasagna. How's my aim?



Garfield lol. 

And Humble calling out mode's drinking is just.. Physic! Does it work for the markets humble??

Pretty much what mode said, the meeting would be a disaster?


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## Jungle

Right now Loblaws has PC specialty coffees on for 5.99, I think it's about 400G. Pretty good deal. I bought the Hawaii one. 

I read an article in the Globe and Mail that crops have been $hit in columbia for coffee farmers and we will see coffee prices go up more than inflation. ive already started to notice.


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## marina628

Time to break out my Alcohol and Coffee drinks .BTW I will gladly pay for coffee anytime for the Toronto Gang as I need the write offs  Saving on bandwidth and keeping it small lol


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## Jungle

Wow that looks like an entire dessert!

We have been buying duncan donuts coffee from the grocery stores in the states and we find it really good.


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## marina628

I don't drink much coffee but I probably have 30 different blends of tea in my pantry.


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## the-royal-mail

You're all missing out by not getting McDonalds coffee. It's really quite good. Highly recommended. Sorry I have no sexy photo to post like the others herein.


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## Kim

Yes why doesn't McDonalds sell their coffee in a can like Tim's s does so that I can bring it home and have it here on the ranch - closest Mickey D's is an hour so I am buying whatever is cheapest at grocery store as I have sworn off Tim's.


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## Jungle

YUMM!!

Google images is your friend.


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## brad

I'm pretty sure McDonald's gets their coffee from Starbucks; I remember reading about that a few years ago. So if you like Starbucks coffee you'll like McD's coffee; I'm not sure which of the many Starbucks blends McD's uses.

marina628, your note about having 30 blends of tea reminded me of a visit from some friends from the UK about 12 years ago -- I took them on a four-day trip around New England (I was living in Vermont at the time) and we stayed with different friends of mine each night. They drink a lot of tea, of the strong black English Breakfast variety, but at the end of the trip they observed that everyone in New England seems to have 30 varieties of herbal teas in their pantry, plus "a few bags of black tea that taste like cobwebs."


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## Four Pillars

I've never like Starbucks coffee - can't understand why they are so popular.

Maybe that explains why I've never liked McD's coffee as well.


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## Toronto.gal

KaeJS said:


> LOL! mod3sour! That's hilarious!
> 
> Receipt and everything! Wow! That's just incredibly creepy, humble.


Not creepy at all and why were you guys so shocked? All posts written by hp prove not only attention to detail, but also attention to what *you have to say on this forum *, hmmm, and maybe a lil photographic memory as well; most definitely CMF's best writer IMO.

Btw humble, your bird reminded me of the many birds, monkeys and other animals I saw in the Rainforest of Panamá last summer.


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## Toronto.gal

Good morning to the early/late birds!

I don't think so Brad because I like MCD coffee, but not SBUX as the latter is too strong for my taste. 

Thanks Marina for offering to treat us, in that case, let's go for coffee/tea & desserts to the Windsor Arms so we can really help you with the write-off, lol, j/k. 

http://notabletv.com/2011/lifestyle/weekend-tea/

Anyone like some Krafty Café this morning? How about you mode3sour?


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## I'm Howard

Our Town is kind of a throwback, we only recently allowed Tim Hortons in, but on the main street ia a bakery that serves coffee and a coffee shop that serves coffee made from Beans that originate in Africa.

The owner of the coffee shop, white, had to flee before Mugabe's Thugs killed him, transferred the ownership to his Black Foreman, now buys the beans from him to keep his former employees working.

The aroma is very pleasing, it is definitly not Starbucks, they alsoe serve baked goodies that they prepare on site.

http://www.ashanticoffeeshop.com


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## I'm Howard

http://www.ashanticoffee.com


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## Toronto.gal

brad said:


> I'm pretty sure McDonald's gets their coffee from Starbucks


On second thought, maybe you're right Brad. When I was in university and living in downtown Toronto, my friends and I use to frequent Swiss Chalet a lot because we loved the coffee and once I asked what brand they used and was told Mother Parkers. I then bought it, but it was nothing like Swiss Chalet's coffee, so likely MP made a blend for the restaurant and probably same with SBUX making a blend exclusively for MCD.


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## the-royal-mail

I for one happen to think Toronto.gal is a hoot. Anyone else notice this? 

LOL at all the coffee pix inserted into the thread, esp that last one with one of those fiber trays.

But we do need to consider formal tea time (more high brow) also, despite humble's earlier snub against royalty.


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## humble_pie

salut t.gal

would you be able to give me another lesson about images in cmf messages.

i have this coffee picture:










she's picking organic coffee cherries on the finca of the angels in usulutan, el salvador.

but i can't get this reply to show the image. I did get a message saying some blocking script has to be enabled; and i did temprarily allow the script; but still all that appears is the link.


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## humble_pie

royal ! what a good idea ! shall we serve high tea ?

i had an aunt who used to make tiny elegant strawberry sandwiches.


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## m3s

Toronto.gal said:


> I don't think so Brad because I like MCD coffee, but not SBUX as the latter is too strong for my taste
> 
> http://notabletv.com/2011/lifestyle/weekend-tea/
> 
> Anyone like some Krafty Café this morning? How about you mode3sour?


I love McD coffee, especially when it's free! Otherwise I just can't stand McD's other food. I also don't care for $BUX coffee, I much prefer Timmies on the go but I think it's my frugal taste buds. I just dislike Timmies from the whole wait-in-drive-through-like-herded-cattle just for a coffee. We had Keurig at work and my fav was Green Mountain Nantucket or Vertmont blends. Now in Europe I drink senseo coffee; it's individual coffee packets like a tea bags that you store in a sealed container. I find it cheaper and more "sensible" than K Cups, and the machine makes it foamy. Haven't seen a to-go coffee in those trays since I got here though. I looked at some coffee makers in a big box store and they were all €500-1000+, I can buy a lot of scotch for that price. Actually I think scotch is cheaper than $BUX!


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## brad

I see that I was totally wrong about McDonald's using Starbucks coffee; I was sure I remembered reading a news story about that a few years ago but I must have been mistaken!

My coffee maker is a simple French-press stainless steel variety, I think it cost me $25 or $30 and it makes fantastic coffee. I grind the beans with an old-fashioned hand grinder.


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## the-royal-mail

LOL

MCD coffee is a new blend from the past year or so. I know I totally sound like a spammer but it seems they are giving hortons a run for their money. Many of us here enjoy MCD. It has a nice taste, not sharp like hortons.

Not to be confused with that deluxe thing that jungle posted. I think that's something else.


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## CanadianCapitalist

humble_pie said:


> salut t.gal
> would you be able to give me another lesson about images in cmf messages.


Just wrap the image url with the "


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## Plugging Along

I thought the McD's coffee was Seattles Best. I don't mind it at all, especially free. I try to bring my own coffee (tim's) from home.

I am totatally in for high tea! We just took the girls to a little U Pick and they had High Tea there. It was really fun, except small, so we ended up getting burgers and milkshake right after. If we could have high tea with little sandwiches, but lots of them.


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## brad

Or a Devon Cream Tea...scones with jam and clotted cream. I have friends who live in North Devon and we had a few of those near Dartmoor, my arteries will never forget the experience.


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## zylon

mode3sour said:


> ... I'm not coming to any local meetings but I have an idea how things would go. It would probably start out pretty dry based on the music thread, with TRM making up a few random rules as we go ...


I'm quite used to people not sharing my taste in music, however, I think you just insulted others who participate in that thread, not to mention the musicians and singers.

sour-puss banned for being music unappreciative.

*T-O gal* - thanks for keeping irish coffee available ... I'll have a triple whenever Management allows 

_______________
sitting at end of bar 
listening to mp3 with headset


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## MoneyGal

Zylon I've been meaning to say that I appreciate your music picks. I had, in fact, just been listening to that "Trio" album in the gym right when you posted it. Perhaps we will be over in the corner enjoying various kinds of music while the others are discussing hockey and coffee.


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## humble_pie

zylon i *love* your music selections. When you have time, would you be able to post a song from the Incredible String Band. And one of your commentaries would be priceless.


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## brad

My vote for a song from the Incredible String Band would be October Song, it's a brilliant piece of songwriting from Robin Williamson; Bob Dylan called it one of his favourite songs from that era. It's been covered by a million people, but the original is still the best!


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## humble_pie

here is the incredible string band's original album. The part i like best begins around 3:25 - stranger than that we're alive & the next song keep on walking where the angels showed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd5yq76q51c

october song must have come later. By then they seemed to be including a 3rd member. But i think the other-world-like purity of the original duo got diluted with time.


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## brad

Here's October Song -- it's just Robin and his guitar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCnJdQ9izto

Edited to add lyrics, this is poetry:


October Song 
Robin Williamson  

I'll sing you this October song, 
Oh, there is no song before it. 
The words and tune are none of my own, 
for my joys and sorrows bore it.  

Beside the sea
 The brambly briars
in the still of evening,
 Birds fly out behind the sun,
 and with them I'll leavng.  

The fallen leaves that jewel the ground, 
They know the art of dying, 
And leave with joy their glad gold hearts, 
In the scarlet shadows lying.  

When hunger calls my footsteps home, 
The morning follows after, 
I swim the seas within my mind, 
And the pine-trees laugh green laughter.
  
I used to search for happiness, 
And I used to follow pleasure, 
But I found a door behind my mind, 
And that's the greatest treasure.  

For rulers like to lay down laws, 
And rebels like to break them, 
And the poor priests like to walk in chains,
 And God likes to forsake them.

  I met a man whose name was Time, 
And he said, "I must be going," 
But just how long that was, 
I have no way of knowing.

  Sometimes I want to murder time, 
Sometimes when my heart's aching, 
But mostly I just stroll along, 
The path that he is taking.


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## the-royal-mail

What do you do when the following attempts to figure out the credits of a song you recorded from the radio in 1989 have yielded no leads?

-googled various parts of the lyrics (nothing even remotely close came up)
-checked the track/album listing of the likely singers based on the sound of their voice (they sound like either jesse winchester or cher)
-tried that cell phone app to say a few bars of the song to find a match (failed)
-checked various types of clever searches on youtube

The song seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth. Maybe this never made it to CD and was a local artist I heard from the radio? Not really sure what else I can do. I don't think I even have the tape anymore but I never forgot that song.

_"...I was branded by just one kiss....looking back now...."_

Any other ideas?


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## zylon

*music to ashes*

*Everyone* ... all are welcome and encouraged to post any type of music in the music thread; I don't consider it to be "my" thread at all. In fact to be honest, it was another idea of our very own fabulous T-O gal 

changing subject:
Clive Maund posted a series of photos of the volcano in Chile here.

Here is a photo of the day - resulting ash in Argentina
http://stevequayle.com/News.alert/11_Photo_of_Day/110608.photo.of.day.html

The "photo.of.day" url might only be good for 24 hours.


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## humble_pie

you're right, it's robin williamson singing alone. But why are they showing 3 on the cover.

i never looked into the history of this band & still have not looked very far. It seems in the early days they were 4 - robin, mike & 2 gals who left soon.

then i found this version of job's tears. Same words, keep on walking where the angels showed. But robin is alone now, emaciated, an old man with white hair. All the spirit & energy are gone. It's like he's singing a dirge to the disappeared others.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnGsUaauTJk


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## brad

humble_pie said:


> then i found this version of job's tears. Same words, keep on walking where the angels showed. But robin is alone now, emaciated, an old man with white hair. All the spirit & energy are gone.


Ah, but that's not Robin, it's someone doing a cover of his song!


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## Toronto.gal

zylon said:


> The "photo.of.day" url might only be good for 24 hours.


About the music thread, it was totally Zylon's idea, I have just been a loyal supporter. And by the number of views, the music section is one of the most popular threads, you guys should share your music taste sometime and post there. 

Thanks for the link; Chile is famous for earthquakes & volcano eruptions [not just copper, gold & wine].

Here is some VCO for those in the right time zone: 










And for the rest, some refreshments to keep u kool; uf, what a hot day here:


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## brad

Hot is right, it's 30 Celsius in my office right now and I realized too late this morning that I gave away my fan last year, and I've been too busy at work to go out and get another. I am a fair puddle of protoplasm at this point, drinking ice tea to stay cool and awake.


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## humble_pie

brad now you have got me intrigued.

the mysterious life & times of robin williamson.

this is robin at a date later than keep on walking where the angels trod, don't you think. Please notice the harp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR2UebK2Mls&feature=related

and here he is again in 2003, a still later date.
now he's playing the harp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5bo10takGE&feature=related

here the voice sings out, stronger & more beautiful than when he was 30.
(unless brad is going to tell us that this is not robin williamson it's somebody else)

an aged man is but a paltry thing
a tatter'd rag upon a stick unless
soul clap its hands and sing
and louder sing for every tatter in its mortal dress.

finally, the emaciated silver-haired man who sings job's tears by himself.

brad how do you know it's not williamson after losing serious weight & possibly after a serious illness. I'd say the face could be the same. You are the musician & the expert, but i'd say the voice could also be the same, given that he's mimicking his style of decades ago.

and here's the killer detail. In both versions he strikingly mispronounces the word "trod" from the past tense of the verb to tread. He doesn't say the saints trod. He sings, making the identical mistake 35 years later, that the saints "trode." He says it to rhyme with rode, or showed in the lyrics. Across all the decades, the voice inflection in "trode" is identical.

so i think it's williamson, and i think he has been seriously ill, and i have a lot of compassion for this great artist.


----------



## brad

humble_pie said:


> brad how do you know it's not williamson after losing serious weight & possibly after a serious illness.


Three clues:

1. Here are recent photos of Robin Williamson on his website: http://www.pigswhiskermusic.co.uk/index.htm

2. On the "emaciated old man" Youtube clip you linked to, it says at the top that it's a cover of the song.

3. The clincher: If you click on the name of the person who uploaded the video of himself (LightGauge), you can see all the other covers he's posted:

http://www.youtube.com/user/LiteGauge

He probably mispronounced that word the same way as Williamson because he learned the song from Williamson's singing and was imitating him.


----------



## Four Pillars

Toronto.gal said:


> uf, what a hot day here:


It wasn't too bad this morning, but I just went outside for 5 minutes and melted.


----------



## humble_pie

ooh you're good.

actually i was relieved to see that williamson is still large as life & twice as natural at pigswhisker in wales.

he is the guy with the harp, though, right ? and i did think that his voice at that time - with the harp - was richer & even more interesting than the sweet ethereal tenor of his youth.

as for litegauge i didn't look at your suggestion to follow. Just glad to know that this is not how the Incredible SB ended up.

(aside to zylon) (if you're in The Pub) i'll be good & post music in the right thread after this. What i like in music, mostly in this order, are folk, gospel, folk/rock, gregorian chants, chamber music up to the 18th century.


----------



## brad

humble_pie said:


> he is the guy with the harp, though, right ? and i did think that his voice at that time - with the harp - was richer & even more interesting than the sweet ethereal tenor of his youth.


Yup, that's him. Interesting that he's touring these days with John Renbourn, one of the guitar heroes of my youth. Renbourn is actually someone who did suffer a serious illness and didn't play for many years, but he released a new CD fairly recently and he has his old touch back. I saw him once, in Boston, but he was jet-lagged and played very badly.

Okay, I'll shut up on music here now too so we don't take this off-topic thread in the off-topic discussion area any further off-topic!


----------



## m3s

zylon said:


> I'm quite used to people not sharing my taste in music, however, I think you just insulted others who participate in that thread, not to mention the musicians and singers.
> 
> sour-puss banned for being music unappreciative.
> 
> _______________
> sitting at end of bar
> listening to mp3 with headset


Haha I apologize zylon I didn't put much thought into that post really. I appreciate any music people are passionate about but I think we are all most passionate about our own era and the radio has bored me to death of a lot of classic music. I don't think I would have much in common with the CMF crowd beyond soaking in wiser people's knowledge. I do love Neil Young, but I think he was only mentioned once, criminal! I will go hang out in the corner with KaeJ but maybe he thinks I'm old and boring too

On another subject, I bought a Weber BBQ today and reacquainted myself with the simple joy of charcoal BBQ! Best $80 investment in a long time. I think I'll be on a BBQ kick for awhile and potentially some smoked ribs or pulled pork in the future. This was inspired by the best ribs ever from a junk BBQ scrounged off the steets in Vancouver. Does anyone have a good rub or mop recipe? So many to chose from


----------



## I'm Howard

mode, I have a Weber BBQ sitting in the shed, I went back to Gas Grilling, not nearly the same taste but more predictable, and cleaner.


----------



## Toronto.gal

the-royal-mail said:


> What do you do when the following attempts to figure out the credits of a song you recorded from the radio in 1989 have yielded no leads?


It must have been a memorable song if you still think of it after all this time, but I don't know what to say as you remember so little of it. Jesse is a male, Cher is a female, so you're not even sure of the gender of the singer.

You've done pretty much all you could thus far; maybe more lyrics will come to you.

What a storm this evening!


----------



## zylon

mode3sour said:


> Haha I apologize zylon I didn't put much thought into that post really. I appreciate any music people are passionate about but I think we are all most passionate about our own era and the radio has bored me to death of a lot of classic music. I don't think I would have much in common with the CMF crowd beyond soaking in wiser people's knowledge. I do love Neil Young, but I think he was only mentioned once, criminal! ...


hey, it's all cool ... was just giving you a hard time 

Neil Young - Heart Of Gold
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh44QPT1mPE


----------



## Addy

Avoiding tonights game. Hubby is watching it but I find I am bad luck so I've given up cheering for our home team. Hope this means they win tonight!


----------



## ddkay

I'm disappointed Harper didn't name his cat Earl Grey


----------



## humble_pie

morning brad,

would you be able to play the google.ca instrument ... and ... rather wild idea ... post it here somehow ... or a link to your performance ...


----------



## brad

Hi hum. At first I didn't understand what you were talking about -- now I see that google has an online instrument. But it's like playing a guitar with a keyboard, and I don't play the keyboard!


----------



## MoneyGal

mode3sour said:


> I do love Neil Young, but I think he was only mentioned once, criminal!


My all-time, number one, desert island CD is Rust Never Sleeps. 

And for a charcoal rib recipe, I would personally use some ras-al-hanout, a spice blend, I hand-carried back from Morocco a while ago. Chermoula would also be very good (and, speaking of usernames, that is a name I've used lots of times on other boards).


----------



## humble_pie

... hmmmn i see.

but all we need, here in the cafe, is for a keyboard artist to work up a tune, & then cmf forum would have its signature melody ...

?


----------



## Toronto.gal

humble_pie said:


> but all we need, here in the cafe, is for a keyboard artist to work up a tune, & then cmf forum would have its signature melody..


Good morning!

Great idea; hopefully he/she will visit here soon.

Yesterday was apparently the hottest day in TO in 60 years and some people seem not to have wasted any time in making the most of it; a guy was caught in the subway taking pics. under a woman's dress with his camera equipped lunch cooler, lol.  

Don't know if true or a myth, but apparently hot tea cools you down, so how about some high tea à la Turkish style? They serve it in very thin glasses and the reason for it, is so that the colour of the tea could be seen clearly, did u know that before?


----------



## brad

Toronto.gal said:


> Don't know if true or a myth, but apparently hot tea cools you down


It cools you down if the humidity is low, but if the humidity is high you just get hotter!

I didn't know that about the clear glasses. I love going to North African restaurants and watching them pour mint tea, starting near the cup and then pulling the tea pot up and up while pouring the rest of the cup. No spills and you get aerated tea, it's very impressive. I've tried it at home and failed miserably.


----------



## Spidey

MoneyGal said:


> My all-time, number one, desert island CD is Rust Never Sleeps.
> 
> And for a charcoal rib recipe, I would personally use some ras-al-hanout, a spice blend, I hand-carried back from Morocco a while ago. Chermoula would also be very good (and, speaking of usernames, that is a name I've used lots of times on other boards).



I also like Neil Young but unfortunately my wife reacts to his voice the same way she does to a key being dragged along a chalk board. However, even she admits that the lyrics in "When God Made Me", are sensational.


----------



## the-royal-mail

Actually I think water is the ultimate cool drink. I drink lots of it sometimes when it's really hot and it cools you from the inside out and goes right to work without your body needing to "filter out" any sugar, sodium or other additives. No harmful effects with clean water. I drink it all the time and in fact Canada Food Guide recommends lots of water.

TO, would you have a nice glass of water for me? Just don't throw it at me k?


----------



## MoneyGal

We are in total agreement TRM! I drink water, green tea, black coffee and, uh, that's it. 

Off to make a cup of coffee...I've already had quite a few cups of water so far today - that was kind of a hot ride into the office.


----------



## Toronto.gal

OMG, by bike, I bet it was; 'noneomb & ishouldkmms', but on such a hot day, you should conserve energy M.gal. Btw, I bought green tea yesterday for the very first time!

I agree, clean water is the best & most refreshing [but I prefer coffee in the mornings]. 

Keep kool everyone! 










Btw, why am I the sole bartender here? I'll start to charge if no one helps out.


----------



## the-royal-mail




----------



## brad

I've been drinking iced white tea, which is so delicious and light: you just take a pitcher of cold water, add a few tablespoons of loose-leaf white tea (green tea would work as well), and let it sit overnight in the fridge, then strain. Add a slice of lemon if you like.

Another easy summertime favourite is water flavoured with a star anise -- you drop a star anise in a glass of cold water and let it sit for a few minutes. The same star anise will flavour many glasses, so I just leave it in my glass all day and refill with water as needed.


----------



## MoneyGal

I appreciate all these jugs of delicious water! I flavour water with mint, cucumber, orange peels, barley, and chlorophyll among other flavourings. I am going to try the star anise!


----------



## ddkay

Some chords for the Google instrument:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...e-guitar-chords/2011/06/09/AGygMCNH_blog.html


----------



## humble_pie

sob. Like sleeping beauty's coach, on the stroke of midnight the les paul google guitar turned back into the pumpkin of its former self.

ps royal mail that beautiful lemonade spread is cooling & refreshing just to look at.


----------



## Four Pillars

That Google guitar is my favourite of all of the Google theme pages. Fantastic.

Speaking of fantastic, I was able to ride my bike to work this morning at the speed of light without turning into a puddle of melted mush.


----------



## MoneyGal

This! It was a great day for riding. 

I switched jobs a little earlier this year and now I live closer to work. I actually kind of mourn my longer daily bike commute...now I'm down to about 25 minutes each way, instead of 35. I liked those 10 extra minutes of being "in the zone."


----------



## brad

I work at home, but I make myself "commute" to work by bike anyway, just to get the exercise. It works like any other commute: I have a set time that I have to be out the door. In winter and on really stormy days in summer, or days when I just don't feel like biking, I "row" to work on the rowing machine in the basement. If I were more disciplined I'd bike or row back home in the evening, but my morning workout's pretty intense -- 45 minutes of fast biking or 10 kilometers of rowing (which works out to around 40-45 minutes for me). Rowing is a lot more work, but I love it.


----------



## MoneyGal

That is a great workout! Rowing is a fantastic exercise. I am only doing freeweight exercises these days (no machines) but in the past I have logged my share of kms on a rowing machine.


----------



## Four Pillars

What a great idea Brad! If I end up working at home someday, I will definitely do something like that.

Good way to "start" and "end" the word day.


----------



## Kim

Impressive crew - not only are you money minded but you have great taste in drinks and like to work out. I work at home and am walking, lugging, pulling, climbing, throughout the day - what I miss the most is running / jogging. For some reason it really gets your mind focused or maybe it's just time to yourself that you can clear your head. 

Great to hear you all bike. 

Appreciate the picture of water! Get it? Picture? hahaha


----------



## MoneyGal

I really like this thread and the overall infusion of pictures and lightheartedness on the forum these days. Thank you for adding so much enjoyment to CMF, peeps!


----------



## kcowan

ddkay said:


> Some chords for the Google instrument:
> 
> http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...e-guitar-chords/2011/06/09/AGygMCNH_blog.html


Kevin O'Leary played a few chords on his autographed Les Paul on The Exchange yesterday.


----------



## Plugging Along

Being totally off topic, and nothing to even do with coffee. I just has to share... I'm a eating the most ridicously rich and bad for you lunch right now, but boy am I ever enjoying it... ready...

I went to a Poutinary (yes, you read that right, a place that sells just different kinds of poutine), in prarie AB. 

I am now eating fries, with really poutine cheese (squeek and all), gravy, with a chicken, double smoked bacon, peas, and a few other things I can't figure out...  I have decided that I will probably now die of an early age from this stuff, and will leave part of my fortune to the shop... 

I have only had a quarter of it, and am full, but don't want to stop eating.

I have no idea why I am posting this, other than to share my pure joy. This was the best investment I've made in terms of value/happiness in a long time.


----------



## brad




----------



## Plugging Along

This is SOOOOOO Much better than the one you posted. I wish I had my camera here.


----------



## m3s

Plugging, having lived next to an authentic Québec fromagerie, I was going to call you out , but if in fact the poutine cheese was squeaking loudily in Alberta, I'm damned impressed!! As I've also spent a few months/year in AB and steak is more their forté. Howard, switching to propane BBQ is the epitome of American laziness if you ask me. We have all the time in the world for work, but not an extra 5 mins to enjoy the finer things in life? Apologies for any spelling mistakes German beers is damned good


----------



## Plugging Along

Mode: I do understand your skeptism about AB poutine. I remember the first time I had poutine in the 80's, while I was on an exchange in Quebec it was the best thing I had since sliced bread. I tried to find it in AB, and poutine was just not heard of out here. I was exstatic when restaurants started serving here years later, but found it was not really the same as I remembered. Then when I started a a company where head office was from Montreal, I knew why. These guys would import cheese, and other Quebec things from there, and they always talked about the 'squeek'. I thought they were crapping me, until I put in an order of the squeeky cheese. Now, I know the difference. 

This place also had a poutine with AB steak on it. 

The stuff I had today, had the squeak, and it was twice the size of the pic that Brad posted. I didn't finish it, but I do feel like I'm going to throw up now. Was that ever worth it.


----------



## brad

Yeah, the one I posted was from a roadside poutine stand along the St-Lawrence northeast of Québec City. It was pretty disgusting. My stepdaughter, who was around 14 at the time, ate almost nothing but poutine that entire summer -- she had it for lunch and supper every day. She was trying to gain weight, but at the end of the summer she still only weighed 85 pounds, and by then she was seriously sick of poutine. I don't think she's touched it since.


----------



## humble_pie

ah, she was 14, the stepdaughter, trying to gain weight ...

i was wondering whose was the lissome midriff & bare right hip that we glimpse behind the styofoam tray of, er, whatever it is ...

[ed] on 2nd thought it could be a left hip ...


----------



## the-royal-mail

PA, did you see the photo of himself that brad posted earlier today? With a bod like that I am surprised he even knows what poutine is. Just looking at that stuff will cause your weight to spiral out of control.

Now, anyone here familiar with borscht and perogies?


----------



## Kim

Really! No weight gain from poutine 7 days a week? I was envious of Plugging enjoying such a treat but am even more envious of the step daughter who must have the metabolism of a hummingbird! I wish for both


----------



## brad

the-royal-mail said:


> Now, anyone here familiar with borscht and perogies?


Honest, I try to make a pilgrimage once every year or two to the Future Bakery in the Annex in Toronto for their perogies, which may not be the best in town but I bet they're the cheapest. I love that place but my girlfriend won't go there, she thinks it's dirty and gross.

As for poutine, yes my stepdaughter's metabolism is the envy of all her friends.


----------



## humble_pie

how about we have some special parties around st-jean-baptiste day on friday june 24 & on canada day friday july 1st.

i'm thinking maybe british high tea on saturday july 2 when william & kate will visit montreal.


----------



## the-royal-mail

LOL - humble are you trying to score brownie points with me?


----------



## Toronto.gal

Nice idea humble; we should celebrate an event every month here [a thread rule I forgot to mention]. 

Given the heat-wave we got this week, how about an early summer celebration today? 










Enjoy your weekend gals 'n guys!


----------



## Plugging Along

My random thoughts...

Just for the record, I don't eat poutine everyday, but don't look even close to that pic. Though if I had a choice between the poutine once and a while, and the midriff. I think I would choose the pouting 

I'm in for perogies. I don't know how to make them, but I do get them brought in from this great little place in WPG. Not sure if I like borscht or not.

I am totally in for high high. That's a great idea to do it when the duke and duchess are in town. I think I may take the girls for real high then.

We have crappy crappy pouring rain right now. I don't think any amount of cocktails will help. Though I'm thinking I'm going to throw in a little Irish cream in my coffee right now to warm me up.


----------



## Kim

Well I was going to drop into the shop this am but got busy had to have my coffee on the run BUT I have a few minutes tonight after my child's baseball game to see how everyones wknd went. It was sunny then rainy and then sunny all wknd here in central / northern AB. Is the Canada Post strike affecting anyone? I am not a CP supporter. I am willing to pay premium to courier my mail and will phone the utilities and ask them to email me my bills, my mailman sucks. I have a mailbox at the end of my 1/2 mile driveway and I am sure he skips coming on days that it rains....

Anyhoo did Boston win tonight - I caught it when they were ahead by 2 but then it was ball. Doom and gloom in the economic sector, are there that many negative factors contributing to the insecurity? Investing pyschology is so very interesting - there must be a ton of books on it - I'll have to go get one from the library.


----------



## Sampson

Kim said:


> Anyhoo did Boston win tonight - I caught it when they were ahead by 2 but then it was ball.


So you watched the first 3 minutes of the game? If you are a Canucks fan, don't turn on the news, and just know that they can win on home ice tomorrow.


----------



## Toronto.gal

Kim said:


> I have a few minutes tonight after my child's baseball game to see how everyones wknd went....Is the Canada Post strike affecting anyone?


Thanks for checking in Kim. Weekend weather here was so so, cool in fact, but I prefer it to hot/humid.

We're now getting mail delivery just 3 days a week here.

I'm sorry to admit that I'm not a hockey fan, so I can't comment.  

I hope everyone is having a good week thus far.


----------



## MoneyGal

My cat is coming home! He's been in the emergency veterinary clinic for 9 days. 

And to add a money angle: he got sick while he was in the emergency clinic for something totally unrelated (he picked up a virus while he was in the emergency clinic getting treated for hyperthyroidism. This was not an emergency but was done in the emergency clinic because they have the specialized staff.)

Because he got the infection while under their care, they re-admitted him to their ICU and provided 10 days of ICU care in isolation *at no additional charge to me.* (I don't even want to speculate about what the cost would have been otherwise.) He received IV hydration and nutrition via a nasalgastro tube, plus a whack of x-rays and medication including things like interferon and various antibiotics, painkillers and sedatives. 

Anyways. I'm just thrilled he is coming home. I can't say enough good things about the VEC in Toronto.


----------



## brad

Good news, MoneyGal! I'm happy for you and your cat.

I worked for a vet in the early 1980s, doing emergency services and assisting in operations, and I have to say I'm amazed at the advances in veterinary medicine over the past 30 years. A lot of pets can be treated today for conditions that vets probably couldn't even diagnose back then.

My funniest vet story was of a man who brought in his cat to be neutered; he told us it was a female, so we wrote her down for an "O/H" (ovarian hysterectomy), opened her up but couldn't find any ovaries, looked down and discovered that this was in fact a male cat. After that it was just slit-slit, yank-yank (sorry to be graphic) and we sewed him all up. We charged the owner the higher rate for a female neutering, since it's a more complex and time-consuming operation, including the sutures.


----------



## m3s

yank yank?? *cringes* Glad I'm not a cat

German mail rules, it's like being in the future. It's speedrail-autobahn fast and I can pick up parcels 24/7 by an automated mailbox and no crazy fees at all from the EU countries anyways.

Just had a long weekend and went castle hunting in my avatar country. Kinda odd there's 3 long weekends in June and then nothing here until the day they took down that wall, in Oct


----------



## brad

mode3sour said:


> yank yank?? *cringes* Glad I'm not a cat


It's how it's done with dogs too, I'm afraid. The yanking part stretches the blood vessels and prevents bleeding. The animals are under general anaesthesia and don't feel a thing. I cringed myself the first few times, but after a few hundred you get used to it ;-) Neutering was the most common operation we did in the animal hospital, closely followed by dealing with animals hit by cars. And then there were all the cows with milk fever, but I didn't have to deal with those...I just rang the vet in the middle of the night and he'd take care of it.

When I was on duty I slept with the phone by my ear, and it would go off in the middle of the night when I was sound asleep, usually someone with a dog hit by a car or a farmer whose cow had milk fever. I had to answer the phone "Champlain Valley Veterinary Services," which is a mouthful even when you're wide awake, but very challenging to say when you've just been woken from a sound sleep. I didn't always manage it.


----------



## Toronto.gal

*M.gal:* I can imagine how excited you & the entire family must be!

*Brad:* the story you told is kind of unbelievable. I'm with mode3sour, glad I'm not a cat either [but wouldn't mind being a bird sometimes].

3 long weekends in a single month and then nothing for 3 months, especially in the summer months, seems odd indeed.


----------



## kcowan

What kind of guy does not know the gender of his cat? Especially when taking it in for the yank-yank!

Congratulations MG. I am sure he will be happy too.


----------



## Four Pillars

brad said:


> My funniest vet story ...


If that was the funniest story, please don't share the unfunny ones.


----------



## humble_pie

Q: what kind of vet does not know the gender of the animal he's sterilizing ?

A: that must have been when brad lived in vermont. Vermonters are so laid back they're borderline flyés.

if that had been a new york city cat its owner would have sued for botched transgendering operation.


----------



## brad

humble_pie said:


> Q: what kind of vet does not know the gender of the animal he's sterilizing ?


Actually it was in Plattsburgh, but your answer still applies 

The thing is, with young cats it's not always so easy to tell, and if an owner says the cat's a female you don't ordinarily feel the need to verify, you mark it on the chart as female and get on with the operation.

We were the biggest animal hospital in the region at that time, and it was busy. We even got Santa's reindeer from the "North Pole" in the Adirondacks; they came to us every year for inoculations and a check-up; it was a little disconcerting to walk into the garage and see eight not-so-tiny reindeer standing there.


----------



## the-royal-mail

I got a credit line increase today and am looking for a mortgage pre-approval.

Just information, in case life should change in the future.

It's always good to be well setup in case of upcoming changes.


----------



## Kim

Are you trying to tell us something TRM? 

Pandora's shares surged this am as expected. 

Hump - day today - still raining here - good for the grass - not so good for getting much done outside.


----------



## Four Pillars

Any calls on the game tonight? Very strange series - Vancouver should win if they play the way they have at home. However, they've so incredibly bad in Boston that it's a bit iffy for tonight.

I believe there has never been an overtime for a game 7 of the cup final - let's hope tonight is the first.


----------



## Kim

My nerves will be shot if it goes into overtime - just play a good game and WIN!

TRM are you looking at buying Greece? It is a rather nice property.


----------



## zylon

*Right brain / Left brain*

Today I was reading Yukon's blog and I see where he calls himself "_a very right brained person_". So that got me wondering if right/left brain thinking has an effect on how one invests.

According to this quiz I'm 9-left, 7-right, not too much dominance either way.

Which way do you see the dancer turning in this video? clockwise or anti-clockwise?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CEr2GfGilw


----------



## the-royal-mail

LOL, poor greece. The 2008 disaster continues to produce its effects across the globe.

No, I was just saying that I did a little financial housekeeping at the bank. I wanted to know what was available to me in terms of mortgage etc. I got a pretty decent pre-approval. It's good to know this in case I change my mind and want to move into a house at some point. Mortgage rates are really good right now. I will continue to save for down payment even if I don't buy a house. That is my 4th tier. This saving will keep me busy for the next couple of years, all things remaining equal.


----------



## Toronto.gal

What an ugly year 2011 is turning out to be. 

I feel little sympathy for the Greeks for the rampage of destruction they seem to do every single time they take to the streets for whatever the cause of their demonstrations [not only related to the economic crisis]. They indeed live in fantasyland, not only our own people on strike here.

It's simply appalling and what can be said for Vancouver's pathetic hooligans? Disgraceful. They should learn a lesson or two from the Japanese.

*Zylon:* I'm L9, R4 [whatever that means].  But I'm sure results would be different if I were in better mood 2day.


----------



## humble_pie

zylon i never click on ads or even embedded links. Sorry.

i see the dancer rotating clockwise. Does that mean anything ?

i'm a southpaw. I think that means right-brained.


----------



## zylon

*@ h_p:* I see the dancer turning to the right, hit pause, come back in a few minutes and the rotation is to the left. The perceived direction of spin is not something I can control. Being able to see both directions falls in line with my results in the quiz; being 9 and 7, I think would mean I'm not a strong left or right.

Quoting from the youtube page:


> The Right Brain vs Left Brain test ... do you see the dancer turning clockwise or anti-clockwise?
> 
> If clockwise, then you use more of the right side of the brain and vice versa.
> 
> Most of us would see the dancer turning anti-clockwise though you can try to focus and change the direction; see if you can do it.
> 
> LEFT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
> uses logic
> detail oriented
> facts rule
> words and language
> present and past
> math and science
> can comprehend
> knowing
> acknowledges
> order/pattern perception
> knows object name
> reality based
> forms strategies
> practical
> safe
> 
> RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
> uses feeling
> "big picture" oriented
> imagination rules
> symbols and images
> present and future
> philosophy & religion
> can "get it" (i.e. meaning)
> believes
> appreciates
> spatial perception
> knows object function
> fantasy based
> presents possibilities
> impetuous
> risk taking


*@ T-O gal:* Thanks for the drink 
I'm guessing that if you do the quiz again when you're in top form, the results won't be much different.


----------



## zylon

*some left brain humour*

*Jeanne Robertson* refers to her husband as _*Left Brain*_.

So for y'all "_left brain_" husbands ... be prepared to be outed 

"Don't send a man to the grocery store!" 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YFRUSTiFUs


----------



## Kim

It's still pouring rain here today...

I am 10L ,7R - could not see the intoxicated ballerina going left at all! Read what Zylon wrote and darn it if I'm not predispositioned to being good at Dungeons and Dragons! 

I have always thought left handed folks were very creative/ artistic.


----------



## m3s

Haha exactly 9/9 and I can see the dancer spinning both ways if I focus away for a bit and look back. How come everybody's scores add up differently though?..


----------



## zylon

mode3sour said:


> ... How come everybody's scores add up differently though?..


Because we're all different?  LoL!
But I know what you mean ... why are the totals different?
... good question.

*@ Kim:* I don't know how "far" north you are; couple days ago I went on a tour through the Atlas Coal Mine at East Coulee (30km east of Drumheller). I found it quite interesting, and was surprised at the number of women who were into it as well. 

The timing was perfect; just as we were making our way down the steps the western sky turned dark, dark blue and by the time everyone got to the parking lot, it started to pour, which meant the next destination was the pizza place. 


click on image to enlarge


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## humble_pie

i looked at a couple of videos in addition to the main one. Couldn't find the scoring page, though.

this has something to do w right-n-left-brain. I mean, if i mobilized my detail-oriented left brain i could find the danged scoring page. But my impetuous right brain says thwithit.

i only saw the dancer spinning clockwise. When one version added helpful white lines - to assist viewers to visualize the figure spinning first one way, then the other way - i only saw the dancer turning clockwise plus truly irritating white lines like tiny zigs of lightning in the graphic.

i paused like zylon said. Looked away. Came back. And on and on she turned. To the east. To the right. Clockwise.

eventually i did stumble on a video where the dancer was clearly spinning first clockwise, then counter-clockwise. But on the counter-clockwise i could sense my right brain telling me nah, nah, this is too weird.


----------



## zylon

*@ h_p:* the scores show up on the quiz page.
http://www.intelliscript.net/test_area/questionnaire/questionnaire.cgi?q=questionnaire_ini

For a real life experiment ... next time you're sitting under a ceiling fan, ask people if the fan is turning clockwise or anti-clockwise. I tried that over a period of a few days, asking one person at a time to avoid giving the opportunity for consultation, as some people really can't make this decision without looking for help.

Out of about 20 people, roughly half said the fan was turning clockwise, the other half said anti-clockwise.

Is that weird or what?


----------



## Plugging Along

I scored 10/10, and it was spinning right, however, it started to spin left, but then it paused (that could have been from the my computer feed  )

Does this mean I can use both sides well, or neither very well. 

I really like these things


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## m3s

Hmm I suppose the scores are different because each question has a "contradicting" question. So you could maybe score 0 if you never turn your head when asked a question, you wear a watch but you lose track of time, you follow direction but you assemble things without instructions, you can tell if someone's guilty by looking at them but you need the facts before taking a stand, you've considered being a politician and a lawyer, you use your gut instinct and you'd make a good detective, you believe there's 2 sides to a story and there's a right/wrong, you can express yourself with words yet prefer to draw maps

I think the test is kinda pointless really


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## humble_pie

plugging you've got it. It's just the computer.

it's a plot from apple to drive windows users up the wall, turn their brains into sludge.

i'm L7, R10.


----------



## Plugging Along

Great... now not do I only have to worry if I'm right or left brain... now it's 
Apple or PC... we have both there too. I'm beginning to feel a little schitzo...


----------



## humble_pie

mode my minor mode left brain is saying that the contradictory questions are taken into account by the scoring system & when they occur they seem to be cancelled out or else they are arithmetically modified according to some formula we aren't told.

i conclude this because some people are getting like 10/10, or a total of 20, while others are getting numbers that add up to less than 20. So some weighting of answers has to be going on.


----------



## zylon

oh, bah humbug 

who says there has to be a *point* to everything? 

can't I enjoy a diversion whilst sipping on whatever T-O gal is serving?

if you must have validation for every minute perhaps there's something of value here.

I think it beats stomping around the barn yard while waiting for markets to unload the uncommited.


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## m3s

Yea that's what I was saying about the scores humble. I agree with the left-right brain thing but I don't think the short test actually "diagnoses" one or the other

The pictures were cool, zylon. This forum and café needs more pictures imo


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## humble_pie

zylon that's your right brain saying bah humbug.

my minor left brain says to itself hmmmmn what is that scoring formula they're using ... just like checking out an option value ... 

and the major right brain says thwithit where's that lovely t.gal it's time for ice-cold gin & tonic in the garden out back where a cool breeze is blowing over the herb garden


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## Toronto.gal

Speaking of brains, I would like those violent folks from yesterday, to have a frontal lobotomy. 

Apparently,

1. if you're left brain dominant, 'you would make great Jeopardy contestant';
2. if right brain dominant, ' you would make a Survivor contestant' and
3. if middle brained, then you would get hired/fired on 'The Apprentice.' 

I know for sure that I'm a market, not jungle survivor, so I guess that makes me #1 or #3.

*Mode3sour:* you can be an assistant bartender here; any brain-type qualifies for the job! 

Cheers & bon appétit!


----------



## MoneyGal

Just ate dinner in the back yard; it is very herby these days. I am on my way to the gym but will have a workout booster first: iced coffee.


----------



## Toronto.gal

And of course I did not forget the Pièce de Résistance! 

*English Trifle.*










*My favourite: Crème Caramel*


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## the-royal-mail

What a fantasic host, to.gal is.

But I'm always careful about what I eat -- those last two delightful items appear to be bad for the bottom line. 

Then again, this is a night out with friends, so I think calories are par for the course.

The best part about these calories is they're virtual.


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## KaeJS

zylon,

I got 7R, 7L

And I first saw the dancer moving clockwise, but then I looked away and looked back trying to visualize it the other way, and I saw her going counter clockwise.

Crazy.


----------



## Kim

GOODMORNING! It is still raining here - which should help put out any forest fires we have burning. I am up to my neck in MUD! 

OMG I just looked at RIM shares and I hate to watch things dying - even if it is a fast death - uck. 

Has anyone seen that picture of the "kissers" in the middle of a riot? Do you think that was a planed shot?

The trifle looks amazing - so much so I might have to try and re-create it - thanks for posting T.gal 

And I wanted to ask HP and T.gal if "le beau gars" refered to bueno tipo?


----------



## brad

Kim you may have rain, but here in Montréal we have snow:


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## MoneyGal

Brad! You must explain. I am on my way to Mntl later today and I absolutely have no snow gear packed.


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## brad

It's "la neige des peupliers" - it really does looks like snow but is just the fluff from the poplar trees. We get a lot of it in my neighbourhood here at the northern end of town; some years it piles up 10 centimeters deep in the parks! It's not as impressive this year because we had a lot of rain earlier this week.


----------



## m3s

Burn RIM, burn!

Snow!? Thundershowers and sun here. Hoping for a sunny break to put in some good laps


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## kcowan

Went to dinner last night in downtown Vancouver. Wandered around for an hour afterwards. Nothing happening. L'Abattoir was very good. And full so people are not staying away.

We also have poplar pollen blowing around but nothing like we used to get in Alberta.

Estimates of damage repair/losses in the multi-million range so look for insurance rate increases to come.


----------



## zylon

*@ KaeJS:* did you notice the comment on the spinning dancer vid:


> this vid is rigged﻿ the actual direction changes multiple times
> dedblu2005 2 days ago


Haha! too funny. I have a brother like that, the thinking is: it's not possible that the same image can appear to spin both ways, therefore, it doesn't.


----------



## Toronto.gal

Kim said:


> And I wanted to ask HP and T.gal if "le beau gars" refered to bueno tipo?


Kim, the meaning is handsome tipo [bueno = good]. 

As for RIM, never would I have predicted this drastic fall; now I have no choice but stay with it, my only consolation is that AAPL more than covers my RIM losses. I guess next time I'll listen to mode3sour, but if you must, could you do the gloating on the RIM thread please? 

Time for tea/coffee break with some Italian Biscotties.










Enjoy your day!


----------



## Toronto.gal

the-royal-mail said:


> What a fantasic host, to.gal is.
> The best part about these calories is they're virtual.


Thank you, thank you, I try! 

That's right TRM, the beauty of virtual calories is that you can have 2nd & 3rd helpings without gaining an ounce of fat.


----------



## m3s

T.gal, I never say "I told you so" I just tried to warn people what I saw as a tech user. I enjoy watching them crash only because that irrational brand loyalty irks me

I forgot you offered me a job? I can always use the tips but my hours are pretty haphazard and I don't have much experience (I drink straight) I'm sure I can find a bartender app or something to help me out.

For legal reasons I'll also have to cut off anyone with more than 3 typos per post


----------



## Toronto.gal

Yes, I know what you meant, but you must also know how those who own the stock [as well as RIM employees soon to be unemployed] feel right now. Regardless of 'irrational loyalty', it's never nice to celebrate people's misery/losses and that had been my point. Having said that, you warned us and you were right!

Anyway, enjoy your 3 long weekends this month as you'll have nothing the next 3 months [my turn to gloat].


----------



## m3s

Meh if the RIM employees made a better product they'd be fine! This is capitalism in all its glory. I hope they were at least conscious of such a risky industry given the recent history, and we can only hope they all lurked the CMF and followed the renowned TRM 3-tiers of savings gospel

Besides I didn't expect any sympathy when I own job was cut last week: Canada to pull out of key NATO air defence program

I still have a 4-day bender and I will enjoy  And I might even find a flag pole for my Cdn flag and a few fireworks in a few weeks


----------



## kcowan

mode3sour said:


> Meh if the RIM employees made a better product they'd be fine! This is capitalism in all its glory. I hope they were at least conscious of such a risky industry given the recent history, and we can only hope they all lurked the CMF and followed the renowned TRM 3-tiers of savings gospel.


Would all those who have a RIM dependency, please come forward:
- committed user
- employee
- stock holder


----------



## humble_pie

ouf very hot & humid today.

guys there is a RIMM saloon just down the block where they're serving beer now. Our bar is not open til 4 pm. While you're here, though, perhaps you might like a glass of pink lemonade ...


----------



## KaeJS

humble_pie said:


> ouf very hot & humid today.
> 
> guys *there is a RIMM saloon just down the block where they're serving beer now.* Our bar is not open til 4 pm.




Beer AND frozen treats, now?

Wow. They must really have increased earnings.


----------



## brad

That was a rim shot, KaeJS. 

To help beat the heat, we had a cool cucumber salad for lunch: cukes marinated in rice vinegar and lots of minced fresh ginger, topped with seared Nova Scotia sea scallops, onions sautéed with turmeric, and everything topped with toasted sesame seeds. Deelicious!


----------



## KaeJS

^ That actually looks really, really good...


----------



## the-royal-mail

Wow. humble and brad are giving toronto a run for her money. What friendly hosts and colleagues we have in this thread. That pink lemonade looks awesome but being in Montreal I had been hoping brad could have offered a famous smoked meat sandwich. YUM.


----------



## KaeJS

the-royal-mail said:


> being in Montreal I had been hoping brad could have offered a famous smoked meat sandwich. YUM.


I'll take one of those, too. 

Montreal Smoked Meat is amazing.


----------



## Plugging Along

I'm eating my lunch of left over pizza and mac & cheese, and debating if I should just lick my screen... that stuff looks awesome, I hope someone saved some for me.


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## humble_pie

plugging you might check out brad's recipes up higher in this section. It's a sticky now. Last year brad wrote up & posted enough fabulous recipes to start an entire cookbook. Each one as delicious as the scallops.

i'm hoping brad will help me cater a high tea for the royal cambridges on saturday july 2. I thought we could rent the historic chalet on top of mount royal.

it has a famous lookout over the city to the port, and past the river & beyond, all the way to jay peak in vermont on a clear day.

but here's the view from the same lookout just as the british found it in 1760, a year after the battle of the plains of abraham in quebec city, soon after montreal fell to british forces & french rule was officially ... whatever one can diplomatically say ... set back ? temporarily set to one side ?










i can't make out the signature, but he would be a military artist from the british army. There were only a few of them & their surviving prints are valuable today. In this era long before photography, the duty of the military artists was to record, with scrupulous accuracy, all the newly conquered realms of empire so as to inform & delight his imperial Majesty the king of england.

the amazing thing is that so many of these faithful military landscapes are so beautiful that they have become collector's works of art today.


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## m3s

That's pretty cool, humble. I've spent a lot of time in Mtl, and Jay Peaks, but didn't know about that lookout. Makes me want to drink some high tea and look at military paintings. I've read a lot about those times but the paintings I've seen weren't as realistic or nice as that



humble_pie said:


> soon after montreal fell to british forces & french rule was officially ... whatever one can diplomatically say ... set back ? temporarily set to one side ?


They haven't forgotten though, according to the licence plates


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## humble_pie

salut mode,

but you've already seen works, or copies of works, by these military artists who were sent with the british troops to capture pictures of la nouvelle france for the british monarch ... let the right brain take take over ... some of their pictures are even christmas cards now ... those famous watercolours of quebec city, of montmorency falls, ste-anne-de-beaupré, general wolfe climbing les falaises ... remember them now ?

interesting factoid: many of those who fought with montcalm were scotsmen. An entire highland brigade came out to quebec to slaughter their old enemi the british. Many were veterans of 1749, the battle of culloden moor which defeated bonnie prince charlie. The auld blood ran deep.

after the plains of abraham, many of the scots remained. They married into french families. This is why we have so many cent pour cent pure laine families in quebec that speak french only but carry surnames like macduff, mackay, macclure, maclean, gregory, kieran.


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## m3s

The Wolfe one yes, but we sure didn't exchange Christmas cards out east of _la nouvelle France_. I found the history interesting though, and I visited most of the original settlements such as Tadousac

About the Scottish names, do you remember that CBC commercial about the Irish orphans? "Molly, sir, Molly Johnson" When a Québecois types my name they add a couple funky dots, and now it's stuck on my ID!! I've heard lots of stories of Québec forcing people to change back to their maiden names as well, not to mention the whole middle name thing. If you look at a phone book outside of Montréal, it's page after page after page of the same surname. I think they were smart to keep the Scottish ones to switch it up a little.

It's also interesting how many _cent pure cent_ Canadians have french names and don't speak a word of it


----------



## Addy

mode3sour said:


> Besides I didn't expect any sympathy when I own job was cut last week: Canada to pull out of key NATO air defence program


Sorry to hear, hopefully it won't happen quickly. It does nit surprise me though, the con's were running a campaign based on cuts, and that's what we're getting. Just sucks when it affects you directly.


----------



## brad

the-royal-mail said:


> being in Montreal I had been hoping brad could have offered a famous smoked meat sandwich. YUM.


I'm embarrassed to admit that I've lived here for nine years, and have been visiting this city since the 1960s (my older sister and brother both went to McGill), and I've never eaten a smoked meat sandwich.


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## Karen

> ...stories of Québec forcing people to change back to their maiden names...


Before I retired I worked with a woman who had been born and raised in Montreal, and I remember her being terribly upset on her mother's behalf. The mother still lived in Montreal and was forced, as an 86-year-old widow, to revert to her maiden name. She was so upset that my colleague had to fly from BC to Montreal to calm her mother down.


----------



## Plugging Along

brad said:


> I'm embarrassed to admit that I've lived here for nine years, and have been visiting this city since the 1960s (my older sister and brother both went to McGill), and I've never eaten a smoked meat sandwich.


Perhaps you have never had a need to eat one of those sandwiches because of your suburb culinary abilities.

But really, you should have one. I haven't been to Montreal very often, but I've actually had the guys in my previous work bring me back smoked meat, and it was really good. I did have it once at the airport during a stop over, and it was still better than what I could get in Calgary


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## brad

Plugging Along said:


> Perhaps you have never had a need to eat one of those sandwiches because of your suburb culinary abilities.


More likely it's because every time I walked by Schwartz's there was a long lineup out the door and I didn't feel like waiting an hour. 

It's funny, though, I still havent' tried many of the iconic places to eat: I've never eaten at Tim Hortons, for example. But I'm definitely a fan of Montréal bagels (and no, I don't have a preference between Fairmount and St-Viatur).


----------



## Kim

Happy First Day of Summer everyone! Finally the morning dawned with sunshine so hopefully by tonight the lawn will be dried out enough I can mow! I'll have to bale the grass it's so long - I can hardly see the pansies. 

Sunshine across the board as even RIM is up. Perhaps the thoughts are that the vote will go well in Greece today.

I would like to know how to insert pictures - I just tried inserting a http address to a pic off the internet and when i submitted it just showed the address not the picture. Hmmm???


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## MoneyGal

Enjoying coffee, the coffee lounge and a little bit of work in the Mile-End district of Montreal (my sister sent me here - to Fairmount Bagels - to get her loaded up for her trip back to Saskatchewan, where there is nary a Montreal bagel to be had, she claims).


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## Kim

Hey I got one!


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## the-royal-mail




----------



## MoneyGal

Looks like Schwartz's. The lineup there on Saturday was 100 people, no joke, so we skipped it. Apparently there is also a Schwartz's musical. Who'da thunk it?


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## humble_pie

kim is that your colt ? he's gorgeous. how did he grow so big.

& i'm dying to know what did you name him in the end.


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## humble_pie

inserting pix - t.gal helped me. 

i didn't find that the icon thingy for insert picture worked.

what works is the url with







added after (again, no spaces.)

watch out for CC though, he offers the same helpful advice but there's a little typo in his instruction ... he has a backward slash before the 2nd img instead of a forward slash ... system does seem to want a forward slash ... other than that CC's advisories are always 99% perfect ... the missing 1% is only because he has such terrible taste in options ...


----------



## brad

Kim's colt photo inspired me to post this photo of Princesse, my stepdaughter's cat, whom we hired last year as our Interior Desecrator. She did her job well.

Here she is resting after a hard day of chasing flies and spiders.


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## the-royal-mail

What a beautiful cat - I'm always amazed at how well they do at catching flies. Many times my cat sees the fly long before I do lol.

MG - 100 in line at schwartz?? Wow that's madness. What time of the day was that?


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## kcowan

Flash on top is the bugger. He can catch a fly half way up the wall. Great jumper! Boots prefers to chase a pen across the carpet. Or chew on the earpieces of glasses.


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## MoneyGal

St. Laurent street sale! The whole street was hopping.


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## the-royal-mail

Hey, where's toronto.gal? This thread just isn't the same without her wonderful hospitality.


----------



## Kim

Thank you Humble for the info - I had to go and do some much needed picture taking before I could reply so that I could show you who was who.

Before the horses though, here is a picture of the view out our back door from a month ago - it's prettier now as there is more grass.


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## Kim

This is Vertical Challenge, I think the name will be a witty one as he won't be verticaly challenged at all - he should be quite tall. 








And here is Challenging Times, which could mean "hard times" or "challenging the fast time of the race" He was born a week ago.









The picture I posted yesterday was of his full sister at 6mths of age. She was born in May 2010.


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## humble_pie

awww. What a spectacular creature.

i won't say adorable, although he must have been when he was born. Now he's grown past adorable, enough to have developed that spunky sideways glance ... ears pricked forward ... that says Hey Guys i'm Making up my own Mind about That.

kim do you remember that he has 2 godparents in this forum - it was another member (sorry i don't remember his name) & myself who named him.

blessings upon you, little horse.


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## Four Pillars

Ditto - great looking horses! And what a nice view from your backdoor.


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## brad

Agreed -- gorgeous animals, gorgeous countryside. You're lucky, Kim!


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## the-royal-mail

Kim has it right.

A study came out yesterday: *Urban stress changes brain, scans show*
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2011/06/22/city-stress-brain.html?ref=rss

_"Seriously, if you lived in the country and you didn't have to deal with the traffic and trains and all the noise, I think you would be a calmer person," said David Smith._


----------



## brad

the-royal-mail said:


> _"Seriously, if you lived in the country and you didn't have to deal with the traffic and trains and all the noise, I think you would be a calmer person," said David Smith._


Oh I dunno. When I lived in my little cottage in Vermont, 10 kilometers up a steep dirt road, I was frequently woken in the middle of the night by the resident fox, packs of coyotes (who eventually caught the fox), and barred owls, and then the birds would start their chorus around 4am, waking me up. During the day there was often the noise of chainsaws and tractors to contend with.

I actually sleep better in the city than I ever did in the country, even though I consider myself a country person at heart and need my daily dose of nature to remain sane.


----------



## MoneyGal

Brad, thanks for this! Whenever I hear people talking about "how quiet" the country is, I wonder where they lived. I spent a decade on a farm (in North Gower, Ontario) and my dead-end street in Toronto is, seriously, much quieter. No one is getting up at 3 or 4 a.m. to start milking.


----------



## brad

I'm also not convinced that country living is any less stressful than life in the city, especially if your country living involves keeping any livestock and growing crops. E.B. White, one of my guiding lights as a writer, wrote a hilarious essay years ago in the New Yorker in which he detailed all the things he needed to do around his farm in rural Maine but couldn't do them because he was so busy writing his lists of things to do.

I remember encountering a couple from New York City who were visiting the village of Grafton, Vermont when I was teaching at the Grafton Museum of Natural History, and they asked me "what do people do around here to keep busy?" I just laughed, because my life in rural Vermont was busier and more hectic than it had been during the 10 years I lived near Boston.


----------



## MoneyGal

I assume most of the time when people write about "country living" they mean a scenario where you live in "the country" and work in the city. Actual country living is dirty, noisy and, depending on what you are doing, risky.


----------



## Four Pillars

I think when people talk about "country living", they are referring to a dream world where they live in a century farmhouse (which needs no repairs) on big low-maintenance acreage, have a garden to grow their own food which requires very little work and they spend most of their days enjoying the perfect weather writing poetry by a picturesque pond.


----------



## the-royal-mail

Nah MG, that's not "country living"...that's a commuter lifestyle and I don't think the authors of this report consider commuters who spend hours a day in their cars and working in the city are any better off than those who simply live and work in the city. Anyway I don't see a lot of risk and noise by true country living, which I've done for nearly half my life. We lived, worked and played in the country, only going to the city on occasion for an outing or to buy certain goods not available in town. If you compare the decibel rating in the city vs. typical country (away from commuter routes) there is a huge difference. Not everyone who lives in the country is a farmer.


----------



## m3s

Most people will always find stress, just like people will always find ways to spend a pay raise. There will always be something to complain about or a long list of things to do. It's interesting that when something worse happens, you completely forget about those previous "stresses". If you understand this, you can actually relieve yourself of lots of bad stress.

Stress comes from things out of your control, and the typical person has far more control over their life in the country. Besides noise there is less crime, pollution and the people are more trustworthy. I milked cows for years and I'm not sure how that could bother anyone? The fields it takes to feed a decent herd of cattle more than buffer any noise if you left some trees. And don't tell me nobody gets up early in the city as well! A neighbour once asked us to stop running the hay fan at night, so we did. In the country you can control more of what stresses you and you know the people around you. If they could hear that hay fan it must have been damned quiet environment, but it still stressed them. Having moved around a lot, I've learned that you get used to noises. Things I heard when I first move are gone after a month or so.

North Gower is right on the 4-laner a stones throw outside of Kanata? I'm sure the city can be less stressful for certain people, but overall there has to be less stress in the country (it's only natural). I couldn't stand spending 4-6 hrs per day on the 401, as many city-folk do. It stresses me just to park my car in the city, knowing the chances of someone keying or breaking into it. It's just automatic stress to not trust the people around you. Of course you get used to it just like anything else, but I still think the country is far less stressful overall.


Kim's photos remind me of my annual trips to the upper Albertas. One time having diner next to some local girls in some small town, my friend went to ask them what party they were going to or something. I couldn't stop laughing knowing he thought they were all dressed up.


----------



## brad

mode3sour said:


> It stresses me just to park my car in the city, knowing the chances of someone keying or breaking into it. It's just automatic stress to not trust the people around you.


It's true that when I lived in Vermont, the first place I lived in (for five years) did not even have a lock on the door and most of my friends in Vermont have always left their doors unlocked. However it's also true that I had more things stolen in Vermont than I did in 10 years living within a 30-minute drive of Boston. Kids went into the barn and stole my winter boots and a bunch of camping equipment; another group of kids stole a trampoline out of the front yard one night. And there was a lot of vandalism -- smashed mailboxes, illegal dumping, covered bridges burned, etc. I lived in a relatively poor area: 70% of the population in the nearest village was on welfare, and rural poverty can be even more grinding than that in cities due to lack of services and transportation.

I suppose that if you assume that 80% of the population are idiots, which may be a fair assumption, you are likely to encounter more idiots in the city simply because there are more people. Your chances of encountering dangerous people is higher because you encounter more people every day.


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## MoneyGal

I lived in The Gore before the 416 went in. I'm really old. 

Actually if you are from North Gower you call yourself a North Gorean. 

Don't get me wrong. I loved living there. And I'm from a farming background. I know milking cows in itself creates no real noise. I just meant that farming life, which often involves heavy machinery, starts early. (I should have used a different example than cow milking, I guess; but that's the farm life I know.)

I'm not trying to argue that "country living" is more or less stressful than "city living." I've done both and like both. I left the farm because I was (I became) a single female, and I found country life isolating and worrisome for that fact alone.


----------



## Kim

Well it's Friday, another work week over - it is raining here again. Thought I would treat whomever is in the coffee lounge to free coffee.


----------



## brad

We practically live on our porch during the summer, eating all our meals there, and I bring my laptop down from my office and work there on hot days or weekends. Last night we celebrated the end of a very busy and productive Saturday with a couple of these:










Camparisoda: fill a glass one-third full with Campari, fill the rest with club soda or any sparkling water, add a slice of orange for good measure. Lovely, although you have to like the slightly bitter taste of Campari.


----------



## Addy

All this talk of stress has me thinking. In six weeks I will be unemployed the first time ever (besides mat leave) since I was 14 yrs old!!!! I plan to not work but am not adverse to it over the next 3-4 years. I plan to do more if the things I enjoy, hope to find a few hobbies I enjoy, and looking forward to taking care of my family better. Exciting stuff!


----------



## Kim

That's terrific Addy - now you'll get to enjoy the week as well as the weekends - sounds like it's much deserved.

Here is a fun cup o joe for the morning crew:









It is the third day of sunshine here on the ranch -  And my son's last day of grade 1, so I'll be heading into town at lunch for his party. Anyone else with children completing a grade in their education? We entered him in french emmersion but I am not sure how good of a program a small rural town in northern AB can offer.

Enjoy the day everyone - it looks green! And as a small note EEE in my world means Eastern Equine Encephalitits!


----------



## humble_pie

champagne for Addy the day she leaves the job ...

nice new bottle, ice-cold, crack of the cork as it's pulled, have a glass ready to catch the bubbling foam if it pours out, faintest whiff of brut very dry smoke ...

a small plate of thin buttered rye w sturgeon caviar & lemon on brad's porch or on kim's back steps overlooking the pasture sloping down to the pond ... it's June Moon Heaven.

here's to addy, she's paid her dues


----------



## the-royal-mail

Apparently we don't pay our dues until we reach "freedom 55"??

Anyway, it should be interesting to see how this turns out for Addy. Many people who have worked so long quickly become restless if they are unable to continue working. Even many retirees end up going crazy sitting around the house and want to do more than just run errands and have coffee. Every person reacts differently to this.


----------



## Addy

Thanks everyone, looking forward to a celebratory drink 

I agree with TRM about possible restlessness - I am a bit apprehensive about this. I refer to myself as a very socially-needy person, so being at home on my own during the day will be a challenge.

One obstacle to socializing, is the mind set of a fair number of women in the town - bored military spouses can make for bad company! 

One example I've seen already: when we were on our house buying trip, I went to a book club meeting. They discussed one question about the book, then spent the rest of the time saying mean things about people. It was awful! I was embarrassed, left early, and plan never to return! I found another book club since then, based out of the local library, so hopefully it will be better.

I've contacted some organizations asking if they need volunteer board members. Hopefully volunteering will keep my mind active and meet positive minded people.


----------



## the-royal-mail

Absolutely. Plus you'll have the fun and excitement of a new city, new people and things and places to find and explore. There's a ton of positive stuff going on and it always takes a few tries to settle in to the right groove for you. Hobbies are a great idea and can provide many social outlets and volunteer opportunities. Have fun and best of luck, I'll be interested to hear how it turns out for you.


----------



## humble_pie

royal she's a nurse. They are the saints of the earth. One nurse workyear = 10 regular workyears.

besides, addy isn't 55 

you will be coming for a glass of bubbly, though, won't you. It will be so nice to see you.








. . . . . . .


----------



## Addy

humble_pie said:


> you will be coming for a glass of bubbly, though, won't you. It will be so nice to see you.


Yes, I'd be glad for a glass, thank you! As long as I don't take up too much a liking for it, I've heard a bottle can be a bored persons best friend!


----------



## Toronto.gal

Hope you guys & gals are having a nice week. 

Maybe this drink will provide much needed energy for those who may be a bit tired, anyone care to join me? 










*Enjoy some delicious hors d'oeuvres.*


















*Kim:* I'm jealous of your location.
*Addy:* good luck with the move. 
*TRM:* still feeling sorry for the Greeks?


----------



## the-royal-mail

Ah there you are t.gal! I was just about to page you over the PA. I have missed you and your wonderful hospitality and delicious eats. Speaking of eats here is my contribution. I just finished my latest batch of borscht and am quite pleased & hope you will be too. Enjoy!


----------



## Toronto.gal

Oh you missed me, nice to hear. 

I like that soup a lot, thank you!

Have you heard of 'chilled sour cherry soup'? It's a Hungarian dish, perfect for summer.


----------



## the-royal-mail

This thread makes me LAFF. It also has the best eats anywhere in CMF. Funny though, HaroldCrump hasn't spent much time in here. Can humble-pie please page HC?

I've never heard of that soup! Looks and sounds delicious. I love soup.

This is what I had for lunch.


----------



## Toronto.gal

I'll post that recipe under HP's thread another time.

I had that last week at the Pickle Barrel, yummy!. 

I read all the talk about Schwartz & smoked meat.....is that the Hebrew delicatessen? There isn't one in Toronto? If not, I wonder why given the city has a large Jewish population. But anyway, a great falafel can be had at Tov-Li.


----------



## humble_pie

harold's much too busy working on a project that is the darkest of darkest noir. 

(signed)
detective armand chocolate ganache
for louise penny mystery writer


----------



## Kim

Alright - I'll try one of those drinks that T. gal brought... hehe ...should make the last work day go by REALLY fast, and then I can pretend that each wedge of Humble's cake is really a case holding new expensive treats inside, perferably watches!

Yesterday was a nice day wasn't it! Finally got rid of a couple things I had been holding onto for much too long - so patience paid this time. 

I hope everyone has a fun & safe holiday weekend and is able to spend time enjoying the people and things around them.

Oh and I love flowers so......


----------



## the-royal-mail

I love the smell of lilacs. I often stop to smell them.


----------



## brad

I miss the lilacs already...the air around here gets heavily perfumed with them in late May.

Two weeks ago as the irises were fading, I was riding my bike on an errand and passed a group of schoolchildren and their teacher, walking by a garden full of irises. I kicked myself for not having a camera with me, as it would have been a great photo with a great title: Irises and Pupils.


----------



## Toronto.gal

*Wow, Kim/TRM, such beautiful flowers!*

Some early Canada Day treats in case I'm not around tomorrow. 





































Happy holidays everyone!


----------



## the-royal-mail

Toronto.gal rocks! I'm a fan! 

Speaking of Dominion Day, apparently Will and Kate will be at the Ottawa celebrations tomorrow. It is truly an honour to have the royal couple here. Their wedding brought a lot of peace and happiness to the world.


----------



## brad

I like the "eh" cupcakes, which reminds me of a joke that surprisingly few Canadians have heard:

How do Canadians spell "Canada?"

It's C, eh? N, eh? D, eh?


----------



## CanadianCapitalist

Happy Canada Day everyone! Have a great weekend!!


----------



## Four Pillars

Happy Canada Day everyone - I'm taking the kids camping so wish me luck. 








<-- My favourite beer.


----------



## MoneyGal

GOOD LUCK! We're going to Toronto Island to ride our bikes and have a picnic.


----------



## MoneyGal

p.s. TRM the honeysuckle in my front yard is just outstanding this year - incredibly fragrant. I've been drinking my morning coffee out there just to bask in the scent.


----------



## the-royal-mail

That's great. I'm usually lucky that nobody sees me sniffing their flowers as I walk along sidewalks and encounter the pleasant smells. I definitely take time to smell the flowers. Enjoy your bike ride but be careful out there.


----------



## Four Pillars

@MG - Thanks. Have fun at the beautiful island, but make sure you go early or you'll be waiting for a long while to get on the ferry (as you probably know).


----------



## MoneyGal

Thanks, FP - that's a good reminder!

First day of summer vacation today. My six-year-old rolled over in bed and asked sleepily, "is it a school day?" and I reminded her she doesn't have school again until September. 

Then she popped right out of bed! It was 7 a.m. I doubt she has actually gotten up at 7 a.m. on a SINGLE school day during the year. 

Happy Canada Day from Frances:


----------



## humble_pie

aaWWW. What a fairytale little girl. She is so-o-o-o beautiful. Those cheeks !!

i love it that your post is about the early morning, so it seems like she's having chocolate cake for breakfast to celebrate School's Out.


----------



## the-royal-mail

I bet she got that food from this thread.


----------



## Karen

She's looks so adorable, MG. How could such a dear little face not cheer us all up??!!


----------



## Addy

Agree with Karen, what a cutie!


----------



## financialnoob

humble_pie said:


> i love it that your post is about the early morning, so it seems like she's having chocolate cake for breakfast to celebrate School's Out.


That's awesome. I wish I started every day with chocolate cake. Life would be much better.

Maybe I'll try that out for a while.


----------



## Toronto.gal

the-royal-mail said:


> I bet she got that food from this thread.


You're right, LOL! 

*M.gal:* your little girl looks just like you IMO!

Ice-cream anyone?



















*TRM:* A Ben & Jerry's special just for you.


----------



## the-royal-mail

Bless you, to.gal. This thread is funny. Here is my contribution to the food theme, delicious home made strawberry/rhubarb pie. 'tis the season. (to.gal gets an extra piece for being such a great host, even though my pie may not be as humble.)


----------



## brad

We stayed with friends on Saturday night at their off-the-grid camp north of Craftsbury Common, Vermont. When I woke up Sunday morning to a loon calling on the pond, I walked down to the water's edge. The water was mirror-smooth, and our friends' canoe looked like it was flying in the clouds; I think I'll call this photo Paddle to the Sky in honour of one of my favourite children's books when I was growing up, Paddle-to-the-Sea, by Holling Clancy Holling.


----------



## MoneyGal

Brad. That is amazing! In your shoes I would blow that piece up and put it somewhere in my house.


----------



## brad

Thanks, it was a surreal moment and the photo captures that perfectly (someone asked me if I Photoshopped it but I can assure you that no pixels were manipulated, I didn't do any post-processing or even any cropping); I'm just kicking myself for forgetting to switch to RAW mode when I took it; if I had, I might even have been able to sell it. As it is, I took it in high-quality JPEG and could blow it up to 8x10 -- I'm printing a copy for our friends so they can put it up at their home to remind them of camp.


----------



## kcowan

That is an amazing shot brad. Now if we could just hear the haunting cry of the loons:
Loons singing


----------



## Addy

brad said:


> Thanks, it was a surreal moment and the photo captures that perfectly (someone asked me if I Photoshopped it but I can assure you that no pixels were manipulated, I didn't do any post-processing or even any cropping); I'm just kicking myself for forgetting to switch to RAW mode when I took it; if I had, I might even have been able to sell it. As it is, I took it in high-quality JPEG and could blow it up to 8x10 -- I'm printing a copy for our friends so they can put it up at their home to remind them of camp.



It looks so serene... maybe you'll have to go visit again just to capture that shot in raw mode. Maybe have to visit a few times until you see that perfect vista once again


----------



## brad

Addy, you always make such sensible comments


----------



## Toronto.gal

the-royal-mail said:


> This thread is funny.


I agree, I like the visuals/pics./colours of this thread [though not as interactive nor friendly as I thought it might become].

In the mood for some Frappuchinos? I hope I spelled it right. 










And this cupcake station should last the rest of the week, so I don't have to work so hard every day. 










Nice pic. Brad.

Have a nice week everybody!


----------



## the-royal-mail

to.gal!!! *runs up for a friend hug* haha

Uh oh. Wait until MG's daughter sees all those cupcakes haha.


----------



## Four Pillars

Nice cupcakes!

Anyone else watching the Tour de France? You should check it out, even if you don't like cycling - the scenery is very nice.


----------



## the-royal-mail

I just picked up a bunch of these yesterday!


----------



## Toronto.gal

Kate is way too skinny and looking at pics before her wedding, she used to be a regular size [10], but now she looks like size 2 or 0 even, so it is obvious she's on some unnecessary diet.  

I was disappointed with the coverage as it was just a fashion show where Kate was concerned [I love fashion, don't get me wrong]. She's educated and not the 19 or 20 year old Diana that married Charles, she's a good decade older and would have been so nice to have heard a little speech from her too and not just Prince William. There, I said it and hope I did not bother anyone. 










*Harper Seven* - know who she is?


----------



## the-royal-mail

Yeah, for some reason the royals are really trying to control what they say in interviews. Not sure why.


----------



## humble_pie

it seems obvious why they stayed on the prudent & conservative side, speechwise, while letting their pro-active democratic actions speak louder than words.

this is a princelet on his first official foreign state tour. Plus he's got his bride of 9 weeks on his arm. 

in every community they listened intently to one & all. They visited community centres for distressed street youth, schools in skid rows, cancer wards, fire-devastated slave lake, you name it, the royal pair probably saw more challenged citizens in more marginal situations than harper or any member of his cabinet ever sees in an entire year.

with regard to kate speechifying, surely that little red hat on canada day was worth a trillion words.


----------



## Toronto.gal

Yes, they did all that, but they were here on official duty after all, not on their honeymoon and did what they were expected to do and probably more, I would agree with that. 

As well, this trip was more about impressing & reviving an interest in the monarchy than anything else IMO, so I had expected to hear a little from both.

Kate is an educated 29.5 year old Duchess now & potential future Queen, as such, a simple speech of some sort [not political] would have been appreciated by me & many others. I thought Prince William was charming though and a lot like his late mother.

What can I say hp, am a demanding gal. 

Cheers!


----------



## m3s

Please don't exile me for pointing out that we are oggling over 100% traditionalism here. I respect William for having a real military career and getting out into the real world on his motorbike. Note also he first saw Kate on a fashion runway or something which I think is all too fitting. They do serve a valuable purpose I think. Much better role models than some other celebrities


----------



## Karen

I read someplace that William has been adamant about avoiding having Kate subjected to the kind of pressure that was put on his mother so soon after her marriage to Prince Charles. The article said that, as part of William's plan, Kate will not be speaking publicly for some time to come. So I guess that's the reason we didn't hear from her when they were here. As much as I would have loved to hear more from her, I respected the fact that William is trying to protect her from the harm he feels was done to his mother by the media.


----------



## Toronto.gal

For those who live in TO, hope you're taking advantage of summerlicious days [not sure where else this is offered]. 

Some ideas: 

http://www.thesultanstent.com/

http://www.sierragrill.ca/ 

Have a great weekend!


----------



## dubmac

summerlicious days?... Not here in Vancouver...the media is calling this the "bummer summer"..I'm envious of anyone living east of the Rockies! The weather here has been wet & cold..Hopefully improvement next week.


----------



## Toronto.gal

Yes & it's a great time to visit some popular restaurants, jealous? 

http://www.journeysontario.ca/Adventure/Summerlicious.html


----------



## the-royal-mail

Summerlicious looks good, gal. Are you going? 

A friend introduced me to a delicious Jamaican restaurant downtown last weekend. Amazing. I drove past that place a million times and never knew there was a restaurant there. It is delicious and I will definitely be back there. Fresh components, limited menu options so as not to have food inventory taking up space and going bad etc. YUM.


----------



## Toronto.gal

the-royal-mail said:


> YUM.


TRM: you reminded me of the YUM stock. I guess I just had to quote you. 

Yes, checking a couple of places this & next weekend; prices are irresistible. So what's the name of the Jamaican restaurant?

I think it's up to you and me to keep this thread alive, or should I have created a 'summerlicious' thread, lol.


----------



## Four Pillars

We'll be checking out Summerlicious for sure. I don't think it's a great deal, but it's a good excuse to make the effort and go out for dinner.


----------



## MoneyGal

Is anyone down for a real-life Toronto get-together? Somewhere frugal, of course. I'm on vacation this week and can finally get my head around doing something social.


----------



## m3s

I'm not visiting Toronto until the Leafs make the playoffs again but yall are welcome to stop by in DE. I've hosted 1 CMF backpacker but I don't plan to open a bed & breakfast anytime soon


----------



## rookie

count me in


----------



## Addy

Not this time around, but I'm up for one for sure when we get to Ontario!


----------



## the-royal-mail

I do not live in Toronto.


----------



## Toronto.gal

I'm not available this week and shortly going on holidays, but perhaps in the Fall.

I thought you lived in TO TRM, that's why I had asked for the name of the Jamaican restaurant.


----------



## humble_pie

did you say. jamaican. restaurants ? here's a verbalicious recipe for jamaican goat curry that's worthy of brad himself. It's too long to post on a sunny summer heatwave day so here's a link:

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/jamaican_goat_curry/

do ya'll see those 2 habanero scotch bonnet peppers ? these are the hottest peppers known to man. Their seeds are the hottest part.

sometimes i buy these small round red habaneros at the big farmers' market when they arrive in august or september. String em up on long threads. Because it's the seeds that are so hot, a stitch can be taken in each pepper casing without burning the fingers off. There are other tiny hot peppers, though, that are literally too hot to handle.

then i hang the threads in the sides of doorframes. They look like red christmas decorations. The peppers slowly dry. Take em down after christmas & grind em up. OMG. Phew. Hot.


----------



## MoneyGal

I really love goat. Should I put that in small type? I just had goat last week at the local dive Indian shop (well, *one* of the local divey Indian places). We had it "dhaba-style" - i.e., like they serve at Indian truck stops.


----------



## MoneyGal

Oh - and Humble - I need to roast all the beautiful poblanos I picked up last week...


----------



## humble_pie

we're on !!

all get together for a fabulous & frugal meal at a jamaican or indian restaurant featuring goat curry stew plus other main dishes.

byob an artisan beer or (me) a cold white wine ...

btw if black mac can make it from the west coast could he please bring one of them heavenly key lime pies.


----------



## the-royal-mail

*pout* Indian and Jamaican food.

I've spent time in your area and that's about the only thing I miss from down there: all those great foreign restaurants! I hope you all have fun (share some photos!) if you decide to have a CMF get-together. I've done so from other forums when I was down east and there were many members from that area. Made some good like-minded friends that way.


----------



## Kim

Hey Folks!

Been busy with the horses and went to the lake last week so I haven't been at my comp as much as usual. 

Harper Seven - finally a girl for the Beckham's. I like Harper and am assuming that 7 is her Dad's #. 

And any clue as to why Verisante had such a jump? They said themselves they didn't know why it happened. 

Brad I really like that picture - it's a real conversation piece.

I read the book Bossypants while on vacation and it was very funny IMO.


----------



## the-royal-mail

For today's lunch I had an incredible Jamaican ROTI. I got the jerk chicken and veg version and it was amazing. I'll definitely be back there. It's a small, tiny local place that I had driven past dozens of times and never even knew it was there until a friend pointed it out. Last time I was there I had the jerk chicken with fried rice and salad, and that was also very good.

What did you have for lunch?


----------



## MoneyGal

I am doing some hard-core weight training stuff and most of my meals are a little like science experiments at this point. I had what we call "protein pudding" because I had just spent an hour in the weight room.


----------



## cannon_fodder

humble_pie said:


> do ya'll see those 2 habanero scotch bonnet peppers ? these are the hottest peppers known to man. Their seeds are the hottest part.


I really enjoy watching the TV show Man Vs. Food. On a recent rerun he claimed the ghost chili was by far the hottest pepper. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoville_scale

Myself, I like spicy but I don't think I could even handle a tiny bit of habanero. In fact, Nando Chicken's midway heat level is plenty for me.


----------



## rookie

i got 2 bottles of habanero chilli sauce from mexico. man, that was great. not just the spiciness, but the flavour was amazing. gave away half a bottle to my friend and this has been one of my biggest regrets


----------



## Kim

Another great morning - glad to see everyone enjoying the culinary delights provided by their cities. For some reason my constitution does not like it when I try new foods - so I am a very basic eater - which fits in great with where I live. I am wondering what goat tastes like though? I have had lamb before and found it "fatty" and fairly strong in flavour. Are they similar? 

Hmm here is a coffee to go as I am off to weed the garden and work up the arena.


----------



## donald

Goat meat is abit tougher than chicken,ive had curry goat stew before,not in a restaurant thou,i had a contract in the caymans islands after hurriciane ivan in 2004 and lived in a work house with about 20 jamicians all on work visa.

The most esotic meal ive ever had(prob for the remainder of my life)for new yrs eve my boss got one of the guys to butcher a goat he had on his farm,they prepared it that night and made curry goat,the best part was they took the brians and made a soup out of it too...thats eating really jamician food lol.

I remember because it wasnt profesionaly butchard the skin and hair was still on some parts of the meat and you could feel the hair through the sauce when eating it,and i seen the goat we ate several times.(the things you do for a high paying,tax free,at the time strong currancy exchange,job)

If you want classic jamican food oxtail is good,so is brown stew chicken,with a red stripe of course to wash it all down.


----------



## m3s

MoneyGal said:


> I am doing some hard-core weight training stuff and most of my meals are a little like science experiments at this point. I had what we call "protein pudding" because I had just spent an hour in the weight room.


Be careful, a lot of that protein stuff is hype imo. People often get more than enough protein without trying as we enjoy eating meat. I just don't understand why pay and force feed yourself protein concoctions when you can have a big juicy steak? I'm sure there are situations for it but I see a lot of people who obviously don't need it. I see people buff up super fast with protein supplements, and then it all turns to fat as soon as they get sick or take a break



Kim said:


> Another great morning - glad to see everyone enjoying the culinary delights provided by their cities. For some reason my constitution does not like it when I try new foods - so I am a very basic eater - which fits in great with where I live. I am wondering what goat tastes like though? I have had lamb before and found it "fatty" and fairly strong in flavour. Are they similar?


I grew up on the standard country steak and potatoes myself. Nowadays though I need my usual fix of Indian curry w naan bread, sushi, Turkish lamb kebabs etc and sometimes Chinese Peking roast duck

I stumbled upon this gem of a bottle the other day for €50. After looking it up it, people are willing to pay outrageous prices for it as it's sold at random stores and it's getting rave reviews. It was made in haste after a roof collapsed from snow. Grab it if you see one! Unfortunately now that I know this I feel like I have to save it instead of trying it


----------



## Toronto.gal

Uufff, 34c [46c with humdity]....hope those affected by this heat are keeping cool.

Some Shaved-Iced Cupcakes should help.


----------



## Four Pillars

Nice work TO Gal. I'll take one of those cupcakes.

It'll be interesting to see if we (Toronto) hit the expected high of 38 C (400 with the humidex).


----------



## kcowan

Cloudy with sunny periods and a forecast high of 18 here in Vancouver. Almost warm enough for shorts and flipflops. We have all windows and no AC so it is just fine for us.


----------



## Toronto.gal

Four Pillars said:


> It'll be interesting to see if we (Toronto) hit the expected high of 38 C (400 with the humidex).


Indeed we did. 

*Kcowan:* be happy!


----------



## nathan79

kcowan said:


> Cloudy with sunny periods and a forecast high of 18 here in Vancouver. Almost warm enough for shorts and flipflops. We have all windows and no AC so it is just fine for us.


I don't know, 18 would be nice in May... not so much in July. Good news though, it looks like it may finally warm up this weekend. Environment Canada is forecasting sunshine and 25-27 for the Fraser Valley this weekend. That will be more like low 20's at the beaches in Vancouver. Pretty much perfect summer weather, which we have not seen a lot of this year. Hopefully there's more of this in store for August.


----------



## Kim

Keep your cool in TO! 










In northern AB.......It's raining again
Oh no, my love's at an end...

Does that ever happen to anyone else? When you'll hear famous lyrics used in everyday speak and suddenly your mind starts playing the song in your head?


----------



## kcowan

Had dinner at Bridges last night on their deck. Sunny but long pants weather.

The only bad thing was the fish and chips on the menu for $23! Serves me right for going to a tourist place. I had the mussels for $18...


----------



## Four Pillars

T.O. feels downright cool today compared to yesterday - only 36 with the humidex (vs 48 yesterday) and it's somewhat cloudy which also helps a lot.

I'll still take a popsicle.


----------



## brad

I spent all week in Washington, DC, just back today -- it's 31 right now in Montréal (37 with humidex) but that feels downright comfortable compared with what I experienced in DC. I'll take it!


----------



## the-royal-mail

brad is banned for not taking any photos while in Washington DC.


----------



## brad

It was too hot to take photos, my camera would have melted. 

I did take some photos of my hotel room and emailed them to my girlfriend so she could see where I was staying, but I don't think you'd be interested in those ;-)

I was there for work so didn't do any sightseeing; we were putting on a conference, so work started at 6:30 am and didn't finish until 9 or 10 at night. I saw a lot of mockingbirds every morning and quite a few fireflies each night on my walk back to the hotel from the Metro station.


----------



## Kim

Oh I would be interested in seeing the decor. Last month my brother in law stayed in a hotel room he said had a glass walled bathroom / shower - very "interesting" concept as he described it.

Of course you all heard about Norway yesterday....

Saturday morning and I am putting my long underwear on as it is so cold Brrrr.


----------



## Toronto.gal

Human evil kim; not possible to understand. 

Just heard that Amy Winehouse has been found dead at her London home...only 27 years old.


----------



## humble_pie

*norway*

if it could happen in norway it could happen in canada.

even in cmf forum we've seen a recent gun poster who seemed possibly quasi-serious. It's when they start ranting & raving about the 4 Gs - guns, groceries, gold, no government - that i begin to get concerned.

this will maybe not be a popular idea. But i'm wondering if cmf forum could make itself a gun-free forum. In memory of the children of norway. One of the slain might possibly have become a future prime minister.

of course, i'm not talking about belguy & his shiny little cap pistol from Toys R Us. That's ok imho. It's the 4 Gs plus fundamental religiosity that can turn dangerous in a flash.

i don't mind groceries, gold or government. In fact i like em. It's the addition of guns that creates the tinderbox.


----------



## m3s

He was quite active on forums and the media is quoting his rants now.



> Writing in online forums dating back to 2009, Breivik became increasingly critical of multi-culturalism, which he described as a 50-year failed project and began to cite his hatred of Muslims, who he claimed were a threat to Norwegian society.
> 
> "When did multi-culturalism cease to be an ideology designed to deconstruct European culture, traditions, identity and nation-states?" , stated one entry, posted on February 2nd, 2010.
> 
> "According to two studies, 13 percent of young British Muslims aged between 15 and 25 support al-Qaeda ideology," read another entry dated February 16 last year.
> 
> In another rant he wrote offensively of Somali immigrants with "full Norwegian passports sitting at home on benefit", sending money back to Al-Shabab - a terrorist group with links to al-Qaeda.


He has also been identified on gamer forums. His World of Warcraft moniker was "Conservatism"



> On the European World of Warcraft forums, players came together to discuss the shooting and try to make sense of Breivik's alleged involvement.





> Despite all of Breivik's anti-Muslim rhetoric and his hatred of the multi-cultural society, there was no inkling of his deadly loathing of the Labour youth movement or of his victims - of whom many were like him, blond, blue eyed ethnic Norwegians.


Very confusing

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/norway/8657066/Norway-killings-the-quiet-and-modest-man-who-became-peacetime-Europes-worst-mass-killer.html


----------



## ddkay

document.no a far right political citizen blog published a record of his comments: http://www.document.no/anders-behring-breivik/

Another obscene event that caused unnecessary & tragic loss of life... I'm full of confusion what leads people to be this way? Where is the censure from family and friends? Even watchful strangers?


----------



## ddkay

Besides the point, but The Telegraphs headline introduction is factually incorrect, "In the space of 48 hours Anders Behring Breivik has emerged from the obscurity of a western Oslo suburb to become the worst mass killer in *peacetime *Europe"

Norway is a country at war, along with the rest of NATO, so should it have been non-domestic terrorism, it wouldn't have been any less surprising: http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...mber&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&source=www.google.com


----------



## m3s

ddkay said:


> Besides the point, but The Telegraphs headline introduction is factually incorrect, "In the space of 48 hours Anders Behring Breivik has emerged from the obscurity of a western Oslo suburb to become the worst mass killer in *peacetime *Europe"
> 
> Norway is a country at war, along with the rest of NATO, so should it have been non-domestic terrorism, it wouldn't have been any less surprising


True, how quickly people forget eh... though Norway has very recently made public they would be the first to withdraw their jets in about a week from now. I think they used the word peacetime because it's the deadliest attack in Norway since WWII


----------



## ddkay

> Norway has traditionally been open to immigration, which has been criticized by the Progress Party, of which Breivik was for a short time a member. The Labor Party, whose youth camp Breivik attacked, has long been in favor of immigration.
> 
> Breivik, who attended a middle class high school called Handelsgym in Oslo, had also been a member of the Progress Party, the second-largest in parliament. He was a member from 2004-2006 and in its youth party from 1997-2006/2007.
> 
> The Progress Party wants far tighter restrictions on immigration, whereas the center-left government backs multi-culturalism. The party leads some public opinion polls.
> 
> A politician who met Breivik in 2002-2003, when he was interested in Oslo politics, said he did not attract attention.
> 
> "I got the impression that he was a modest person ... he was well dressed, it seemed like he was well educated," Joeran Kallmyr, 33, an Oslo municipality politician representing the Progress Party, told Reuters.
> 
> Progress leader Siv Jensen stressed Breivik had left the party and that she regretted he had been a member.


Mr. Bomber posted a manifesto on YouTube, search for "Knights Templar 2083" if you care to watch it. There's also an overall disturbing 1527 page document (google for it), probably the most informative resource left behind. He's basically a cultural conservative. There are debates to be had about cultural conservatism and its benefits/problems (Japan has high social cohesivness, but declining birthrates and no immigration are a trainwreck for their economic future), there's debates to be had about the influx of Islam immigrants in Western society and cultural divisiveness/integration, but not like this. You don't just go out killing people when stuff doesn't go your way, or for mere attention seeking... there's no justification for his violence. There never has been justification for Team America's violence in the Middle East and North Africa either. You can't fight for peace, you can only love for peace.. "Hate is close to fear, but far from understanding", but I'm a pacifist, so what do I know. *steps down from the soap box*

Some points from the 1527 page document
- He mostly financed his terror activities with 10 credit cards
- He spent 9 years and 317,000 euros researching and plotting Fridays event but never showed up as a terror suspect
- He explains how the agriculture business was a cover, and suggests surface mining as another great alternative (I hope this means the OSC/IMETs of the world become more active with diligence on listed stocks)
- He went for marksmanship training in a Christian African country
- He networked with other cultural conservatives through Facebook (7,000 contacts)
- He praises the structure of al Qaeda
- He channeled away peoples suspicions about his political convictions by deceiving them and living semi-isolated


----------



## m3s

ddkay said:


> You can't fight for peace, you can only love for peace.. "Hate is close to fear, but far from understanding", but I'm a pacifist, so what do I know. *steps down from the soap box*


So if another Breivik went on a killing spree in Toronto what should we do? Perform the care bears stare of love and good cheer which could bring joy into the target's heart? Same with Gaddafi? You should visit a war torn country for some enlightenment

I guess the only reason he did it was so everyone would read his rants as we are doing. This could happen anywhere.


----------



## Toronto.gal

humble_pie said:


> if it could happen in norway it could happen in canada.
> 
> One of the slain might possibly have become a future prime minister.


I agree, it will happen here too, it's only a matter of time.

And yes, when one considers all the potential unfulfilled & that they were victims of irrational hatred/ideology, then the weight of the lives lost seems far worse. Not only that, but consider also the potential offspring that will never be, that will never absorb the breath of life, so the impact of such a crime is truly immeasurable and no doubt it has left families of the victims as well as the survivors of the mass shooting/bombing emotionally paralyzed. 

Sad times we live in.


----------



## humble_pie

many here are parents of young children. Won't all please add to your lists of tasks & duties to inquire, quietly & gently, into the security that attends all the places such as schools, camps, churches, ymcas, synagogues, temples, mosques & youth centres where our youngsters congregate.

a horrifying aspect of norway is that 600 youngsters were massed on that island, yet there was not one guard to protect them. There must have been some adults as supervisors, yet we are not hearing anything about any leadership they provided in any attempt to stop the killer. They could have hurled a barrage of rocks & stones, for example. The first to stand up would have been shot - and they would have been martyrs - but at least breivik or whatever his name is would have been quickly disabled.

canada like norway is also a peaceful country, where citizens never expect that such a thing could ever happen. Here in my community, i'm comforted to know that any call concerning any child or youth related group at any kind of risk would bring police within 2 or 3 minutes. Still, i'm going to be super-alert to any community discussions about youth security that will unfold over the next few months.

parents should make sure that summer camps know exactly what their security communications are & will be; and also what backup communications exist; and how close are the nearest provincial police; and how would a lakeside summer camp be able to deal with any violent incident that might break out. These are hideous & terrifying issues to consider, but imho it's better to begin airing them now rather than later.


----------



## ddkay

Care Bear Stare until Dark Heart becomes a threat to life. His autobiography doesn't show indication of receiving kindness or affection. These kids were specifically targeted because of their political affiliation-they were in a party that supported multiculturalism. I don't think every summer camp has to worry to the same extent, but I would like to think camp leaders will survey their environments more carefully now. Maybe rent a cop or two for special excursions. It's sick how the far left/right milieu leads some people down these violent paths.


----------



## humble_pie

one does not want to say anything critical in norway's days of national mourning. But some of the things that happened illustrate typical problems that can arise when a citizenry is not prepared:

- early calls from children on the island phoning or texting for help were apparently refused on the grounds that the oslo bombing had caused a national emergency, so regular calls were being refused;

- _whatever. happened. to. the. police. helicopter;_

- the owner of the camp was on the mainland, not on the island. The media are not yet reporting any adults on the island as official guardians or chaperones for the 600 youngsters. Apparently the owner of the camp decided, after about 25 minutes, that it was indeed gunfire he was hearing across the water, so he began to mobilize a flotilla of private watercraft to sail to the island;

- _meanwhile the helicopterless police set out from oslo, 20 miles away, driving in squad cars;_

- when the police arrived by car at the lakeside, there were no boats left at the dock to transport them over to the island; 

- _were the police planning that they would just take the ferry;_

- meanwhile the murderer was executing kids at the rate of one per minute;

- _eventually private boat-owners did circle back to pick up police & medics stranded at the dock, so the first police reached the island a full hour and a half after the killings began._

- it all sounds like something that could easily happen in canada, with everybody bumbling about & doing their unprepared absolute jolly best.


----------



## ddkay

There was a soulful candlelight vigil held here tonight in Little Norway Park, organised by a native community activist and practicing Muslim, Himy Syed. I don't see attacks on the Canadian national identity, each nation plays its part, I see unity, understanding. Both Norway and our economy would be a sinkhole if we didn't have this cheat called natural resources. Multiculturalism in my experience has always been a beautiful thing.


----------



## Berubeland

This event really shows that extremism is what is dangerous. 

Canada did have an event similar to this one, anyone remember Marc Lepine? 

The entire tragedy was very carefully though out and planned for months. The bomb followed by the shooting even the surrender to police was thought with alarming precision. He knew those initial phone calls by the children on the island would be turned away because he planned it that way. 

I doubt there is protection against the lone person planning such an event. 

As far as I am concerned this person has a mental condition and the reasons for his act are only a smoke screen for the disturbed psychology. It is an error to assume that the reasons mean anything or that there is prevention available. 

It kind of reminds me of an attempted murder I had at the building last month. The guy was lurking around and acting strange for a while but that kind of behaviour is far from illegal. He was approaching people and harassing women, again nothing illegal, rude yes. Then he tried to stab another resident with a butcher knife. The guy was lucky his friends were able to pull him back into the apartment as the guy was making the stabbing motion with the knife. 

Still almost every day I get reports of strange and irritating behaviour, but you just can't go putting any weirdo in jail or report them. Until the person actually does something wrong they're just another strange person. I'm pretty sure in the next few days we'll start to hear reports from people who backed away from Mr Brievek ? after noticing he was completely off his rocker. 

He was also disturbingly handsome, well groomed and well presented. Not exactly the type of person who attracts police attention. 

The entire thing makes me sad...


----------



## Kim

Another bout of hail last night - the garden is looking a bit bedraggled.

This debt ceiling question is causing my financial page to look like Christmas lights flashing red and green.
On my to do list to make appt with bank to have children's RESP $ working in mutual funds or ETFs. Thing is we generally make lump sum payments to RESP which isn't optimal is it?

I have noticed the price of coffee has jumped at the grocery stores?? I bought organic NABOB last time - we'll see if I can notice a difference. After reading the article in the last McLeans on organic products from overseas it seems I might just be buying the idea and not really the product. Oh well I tried 

Got a kick out of the post that mentioned washing your face, taking a multi-vitamin and going for a walk to improve your outlook on life - great advice - I think I'll go have a Flinstone right now with my coffee.


----------



## Toronto.gal

I had enough with political idiocy too Kim! 

About RESP's, I don't know much about the government incentives/policy, but you might find some of the suggestions/options below informative.

http://www.klfinancialplanner.com/HotoffPress/39.pdf

I have noticed the price of just about everything in the grocery stores go up btw, not just coffee. 

Enjoy a McCafé-smoothie!


----------



## Kim

MMMMM mmmm - and who would have thought to arrange the berries so nicely around the Mc Cafe Smoothies - I was trying to find a pciture of fruit this morning to share as it's a warm day and fruit and water are on the menu.


----------



## brad

Me, I'm going out for a hot fudge sundae, my standard stress-reliever. It works better than a beer, at least during working hours.


----------



## MoneyGal

I'll be working on my chinups at the gym. I have a goal to do ONE unassisted chinup by the end of 2011. 

(I usually have one strength goal at a time. I am where I want to be, for now, with pushups and deadlifts - two earlier goals - so I need to find a new big goal and for a woman, unassisted chinups are a big deal. Right now I can only do them with bands.)


----------



## Four Pillars

MG, it's not like they are easy for guys. 

That said, you inspired me to try one and I was able to do a couple with great effort.


----------



## MoneyGal

They are obviously much easier for me than they would be for a stay-at-home mom because I am a shemale. Mystery solved.


----------



## Jungle

That dip/chin up assist machine they have at nice gyms is amazing. YOu can really build your way up.


----------



## MoneyGal

Yeah, I try not to use the assisted chin-up machine. One of my trainers said it was like "doing planks with someone holding up your stomach." I did use it, when I was first starting out, but now I'm really working on no assist other than the band.


----------



## Toronto.gal

Hmmm, chinups, I'll have to google what that is.  I hate the gym and I hate exercise, unless is dancing/tennis/swimming.


----------



## MoneyGal

Here's an article from one of my coaches on "mistressing the pullup:"

http://www.stumptuous.com/mistressing-the-pullup

(pullups and chinups are variants of the same exercise)

I have another strength coach, who is also named Krista, and here is a picture of her:










I look nothing like either Krista, but I am an intermediate bodybuilder. (The I'm Howard/shemale jokes go here)


----------



## the-royal-mail

I was going to ask if that was MG but then I remembered her earlier pix she and brad posted LOL. That's probably where the shemale thing started, just a hunch.

For those like me who don't like gyms and such, it's amazing how many health and weight issues can be resolved simply by eating properly. Follow the Canada Food Guide and you'll lose weight and feel great.


----------



## HaroldCrump

^ MG, unless you stop with the shemale references, CMF.com will soon start showing up on Google searches of, err.. a different kind 
I don't think CC & FT will be particularly pleased with those results


----------



## rookie

MG, are you by any enjoying the reference and actually missing howard???


----------



## brad

the-royal-mail said:


> Follow the Canada Food Guide and you'll lose weight and feel great.


Yes, but the older you get, the more important it is to add strength-building exercises. You lose muscle mass as you age, and many studies have shown that strength-building does a lot to avoid many of the mobility and fragility issues that plague older adults. Prevention is the best cure.

Exercise has a lot of benefits, not the least of which is improved brain function and mental health.


----------



## MoneyGal

rookie said:


> MG, are you by any enjoying the reference and actually missing howard???


It is a mystery. 

TRM I'm not in this to lose weight. I am in it for strength gains. And why I'm interested in that is another mystery - or maybe not, it just feels great.


----------



## rookie

sizing up to beat up Mr HeMale?


----------



## the-royal-mail

Interesting comments about strength. You can definitely see the differences when you look at some seniors. Some of the active ones seem really strong, well built and happy, while others (same age) seem frail and require some walking frame contraption or wheels just to move themselves or tiny pieces of luggage around!


----------



## Toronto.gal

I understand that strength training is important for many reasons & I know a couple of muscle injuries I've suffered could have perhaps been prevented by having exercised more because I'm not strong at all. But anyway, your training is too extreme for my liking MG, I rather exercise as follows:










You have to admit this is a lot more fun.


----------



## MoneyGal

I think the kind of exercise people like is very individual. I personally DESPISE running or anything "cardio-y" although I bike to work and do a cage fitness class on Saturdays. 

My grandfather was a very accomplished athlete who routinely did 400 pushups a day well into his 80's. Here's a video of his induction into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0BNzsK0O3g

Editing to say that his upper-body strength - very visible in that first photo - is a huge inspiration for me in my quest for chinups. I did one year of pushup work to get where I am now with pushups and I do about 40 a day right now - just a tenth of what he did.


----------



## SpiritSentient

*I'm new here, and I'd like to contribute *

Hi everyone! My name's Jason, and I'm very new to the forums, but I'm going to jump right into this health discussion with a couple things:

I guess this is mainly for MoneyGal?

1. Practically everything I've ever seen that helps you get fit, has FUN as the most effective factor. There are many, many, many, many activities available, and if you make it your intention, goal, and priority to find an activity that is fun and passionate for you, it will optimize your body incredibly fast.

For some of my friends it's walking, for some Kayaking, for some martial arts, yoga, or dance. For me, it's Rock-Climbing (highly recommended).


2. When I was working out more I had the most success with the methods employed at CyberPump.com (home of High Intensity Training) and HardGainer.com (both have tons of free useful info)



Anyway, hope that helps, you guys rock, and I love making friends!


----------



## Charlie

I have no idea what 'cage fitness' is...but I'm intrigued.

And a little scared.


----------



## MoneyGal

Geez, it sounds like a shark tank, eh? It's a high-intensity interval training workout at my local martial arts studio. 5 minute warmup, 5 minute lower body, 5 minute upper body, 5 minute core, 5 minutes cooldown and stretching.


----------



## rookie

i too hate anything pure cardio, except long swim sets. but since i started doing the p90X and insanity workouts, cardio workouts are no longer a taboo.


----------



## Kim

Insanity workouts ????- sounds like when a person might be trying to clean the house before shortly announced guests arrive, while keeping kids in order! 

Pilates and jogging for me - if I ever had the time / energy. Too many insanity workouts on a weekly basis keep me from enjoying some relaxing exercise. 










It's a long weekend -it might be XTRA long since we are so looking forward to Aug 2!


----------



## the-royal-mail

Jamaican rotis for my CMF friends!


----------



## humble_pie

nobody has a recipe yet for that sugar-coated satan sandwich that rep Emanuel Cleaver (dem-missouri) is calling the brand-new debt deal in washington.

to make himself perfectly noir the chair of the congressional black caucus labelled the deal shady.

maybe thick lashings of sliced ham on black pumpernickl w organic mustard from black mustard seeds; lightly spread with mango chutney; grill.


----------



## humble_pie

emanuel cleaver (D-missouri) will vote today for this sugar coated blackberry pie satan sandwich.


----------



## brad

Me, I'm thinking of this quote by Paul Krugman in today's NY Times:

"...slashing spending while the economy is depressed won’t even help the budget situation much, and might well make it worse. On one side, interest rates on federal borrowing are currently very low, so spending cuts now will do little to reduce future interest costs. On the other side, making the economy weaker now will also hurt its long-run prospects, which will in turn reduce future revenue. So *those demanding spending cuts now are like medieval doctors who treated the sick by bleeding them, and thereby made them even sicker*."


----------



## ddkay

I wish I had mango chutney readily available to make that first sugar coated satan sandwich for lunch today, it sounds delicious


----------



## financialnoob

Happy (random excuse for a long weekend) day.

I seriously totally forgot this was a long weekend. I even scheduled a meeting for today last Thursday. Really embarrassing to have to cancel that shortly afterwards. 

As it's not a real holiday, I plan on spending it by doing absolutely nothing all day. A big breakfast, loafing around, an afternoon nap...


----------



## brad

All my clients and colleagues are based in the US, so I almost never get to take Canadian holidays. But because I'm officially employed by my company's Canadian office I'm on the Canadian holiday calendar, so that means I can't take the US holidays either. So most years I get to take only the holidays that fall on the same day in both countries' calendars, which works out to a grand total of 3: New Year's Day, Labour Day, and Christmas Day.


----------



## MoneyGal

My current client roster is almost exclusively US as well, so what that means is that I am answering client e-mails from my home instead of my office.


----------



## brad

I was thinking of proposing to my boss that since I'm a dual US-Canadian citizen, and my common-law wife is a dual Canadian-French citizen (not French-Canadian, but Canadian and French from France), I should be able to take all US holidays, all Canadian holidays, and all French holidays. Then I'd only have to work 20 days per year.


----------



## humble_pie

but we are not having any holidays in quebec, nor are the nw territories.

what i found confusing about living in a roman catholic country was the way the banks & govt offices would close, quite frequently it seemed, for yet another journée de l'assomption. It seemed that one or another of these long-dead sainted ladies had ascended at least every couple of months. Someone who was not raised in an RC nation has a hard time adjusting to this.


----------



## brad

humble_pie said:


> but we are not having any holidays in quebec, nor are the nw territories.


Ah right, although since the Canadian office I nominally work for is based in Ontario, I have the Ontario holidays on my work calendar and can't take the Québec ones. So I should modify my request so I can get all Ontario, Québec, US, and French holidays -- with all those combined I may not have to work at all!


----------



## financialnoob

Brad: If you only want to work 20 days a year, you should be moving to Greece...


----------



## Kim

I can only imagine it's the busiest short week for those of you involved with markets. 

Here is a link to some relaxing piano music..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfY9BJaGzEU

Spending the week in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan - very pretty city. Weather has been perfect all week.


----------



## Kim

Wow - just got done reading every page I missed in "Investing" - in the thread that is really popular right now - some interesting tid bits throughout. Learning as much as I can while the markets are changing. 

Here are some Pony drinks for fun


----------



## KaeJS

Kim,

I'll take a quick Spike and chase it down with an Applejack. You can be a little more generous on the Jager for my Applejack, if you like.


----------



## humble_pie

may i have a rainbow dash on cracked ice, please. Easy on the fruit punch, though.

what are you drinking, Kim.

& how is Vertical doing. Is he taller than you are now. If not, soon, i bet.

when you have time, won't you please tell us whether you plan to race him yourself or will you sell him.


----------



## HaroldCrump

Ah, the My Little Ponies...you have some missing, Kim.
Where is Scottaloo?


----------



## financialnoob

Kinda related to Kim's MLP drinks...










The weather in Toronto is awful. Which I guess is okay because I have to go into work for a deadline. It kind of makes me feel better that I'm not losing a nice, beautiful summer day.

Then again, any crappy, ugly day is still better than being in the office


----------



## humble_pie

brad had the right idea. Markets got really weak in the knee late last week & phhhhhfffftt brad flew off.

to greece i suppose.

not a sign of him since. Meanwhile pandemonium reigns.

anybody else missing ? any other smart individual who's now quietly quaffing chilled retsina on a sun-drenched antique island in the aegean sea ?


----------



## marina628

I just booked a trip to Vegas for first week in October , going to try to get my losses back on the tables


----------



## KaeJS

Stressful times.

Anybody have a 50L keg full of ice cold chilled Strongbow?


----------



## the-royal-mail

This would be a good time to disconnect from all things news. Sandbox anyone?


----------



## Kim

Here is Vertical being the sassy fellow he is, pulling out his pasture mates hair:










It is a short summer in Canada but usually very enjoyable in my opinion. I will save my vacation days for the dreary days of winter. There is always a bright side to everything! 

And I'll have a Fluttershy please


----------



## financialnoob

marina: Speaking of Vegas, how did your WSOP go?


----------



## the-royal-mail

Tell me about those photos Kim. Are those your horses?


----------



## Kim

Yes they are ours. 

The brown one is a 4 month old colt that I posted a picture of before and the lighter colored one is a mare in the same pasture as him and his dam. She is 4 yrs old. They are American Quarter Horses. A shamefully expensive addiction for someone claiming to try and save money! 

Just made a batch of raspberry jam - Mmmm good. I am not much of a cook but I'll make things I like to eat and sweet jam is one of those things!


----------



## Kim

Well it's awfully quiet in here these days...

I suppose it's due to all the current events.

School starts back in 2 weeks for those attending. 










Blueberries anyone? I love blueberry pie, raspberry jam and strawberry milkshakes. I could probably make a meal out of all that.


----------



## Kim

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8E_zMLCRNg


----------



## ddkay

Those horses look neat. Do you stable them on your property? 

I finally bought a jar of mango chutney this weekend, I'm going to make humble's sugar coated satan sandwich.


----------



## marina628

financialnoob said:


> marina: Speaking of Vegas, how did your WSOP go?


You didn't see me post anything ,that is how good it went.Actually i play 6 games including the main event $10,000 ticket .I spend $16,500 and cashed out $19,000 so by time i paid expenses I probably broke event.
I am going to go for entire WSOP 2012 ,probably will play 90% as some events will overlap .I am budgeting $49,500 for 22 events next year including the main event .Then i have travel expenses on top of that.


----------



## marina628

Love your horses Kim would love to own our own some day ,my husband always had a dream to retire in Montana and have lots of horses.
I went to costco on the weekend and bought Hummus ,flatbread ,Tabouli Salad ,Granola and Cherries so I have it all on same plate an calling it lunch lol .Love Costco but you have to buy so much of the stuff.


----------



## marina628

Don't want you to think I sit and play poker all day , I actually made dinner tonight!


----------



## marina628

Spicy Crab Salad , somebody else can pick the wine!


----------



## KaeJS

marina628 said:


> I am going to go for entire WSOP 2012 ,probably will play 90% as some events will overlap .*I am budgeting $49,500 for 22 events next year including the main event .Then i have travel expenses on top of that*.


I'd just buy a new car and call it a day.


----------



## marina628

I have enough cars , I am playing for the bracelet


----------



## financialnoob

marina: That's awesome, congrats! How was the main event? Did you meet any of the pros? And breaking even on the trip for an amazing experience sounds like you're way, way ahead 

Best of luck next year. A bracelet would be a very nice piece of jewellery to own!


----------



## Kim

Read a book in one night called "The Hunger Games" by Susan Collins. Could not put it down, it was part of a trilogy and so a couple days later I found the third book at the bookstore and read the last 2 pages so I knew how things turned out. I kinda felt like I was cheating but I didn't think I could spend that much time reading again and was afraid to start at the beginning of book II.

Horse show season is winding up. Another couple weeks and then we are done. I'll be turning my good horse out to pasture until next spring. 

My children made milkshakes tonight - Mmmm. 

The coyotes are eating my carrots so I 'll have to put up an electric fence tomorrow to keep them out.


----------



## the-royal-mail

Mmmmm butter chicken.


----------



## marina628

Royal 
My PSW makes the best Butter Chicken !


----------



## financialnoob

http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/10/131948/restaurant/Queen-West/Gandhis-Indian-Cuisine-Toronto

Mmmmmm Gandhi's. The butter chicken roti here is amazing. Though it can get quite spicy.

http://www.yelp.ca/biz/savera-indian-cuisine-toronto

Savera is my local neighbourhood place but amazing food, rave reviews. The butter chicken is creamier than most places and absolutely delicious and worth the trip out to St. Clair West.

When I am in trouble with my wife (which is often), I end up going to either of these places for take-out and that usually resolves whatever I screwed up. I owe them both more than just my gratitude for great food, as they've saved me from countless nights on the couch.


----------



## Four Pillars

I love the BBQ Hut at Gerrard & Coxwell:

http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/10/130404/restaurant/Gerrard-India-Bazaar/Bar-Be-Que-Hut-Toronto

The butter chicken is my fave. The Aloo Gobi is awesome and the naan is fantastic - they have the plain type as well as various specialty naan like onion kulcha. 

Their Kingfisher beer rounds out the menu nicely.


----------



## MoneyGal

Wanna have dinner there sometime? That's about five minutes from my house and one of my favourites as well. In fact, maybe if we officially met we'd recognize each other!


----------



## rookie

whatever happened to the meet up???


----------



## financialnoob

Four Pillars: I've heard about that place a few times now. Now I'm craving Indian food. For breakfast? Why not?


----------



## MoneyGal

I sense a get-together location has now officially been chosen. 

So - a Friday night, weeknight, or weekend night? Once we have those preferences, we can choose the date.


----------



## rookie

my vote is for a weeknight.


----------



## financialnoob

If it's for Indian food, anytime


----------



## Addy

We've been in our new home for two weeks now. Still a few boxes left unpacked, lots of organizing to do and the realization that we simply have WAY too much stuff is setting in. On the plus side, now that I'm not working, I have lots of time for meal preparation... so we've been eating extremely well. I tried grilled pork tenderloin for the first time ever, so easy and so yummy! I slow cooked a free range organic chicken and although the skin wasn't crispy like I like, the meat was so juicy and delicious! Prime rib roast, again a very easy dish to cook and makes yummy left overs, home made mac and cheese with lots of panko breadcrumbs on top, and our usual weekend of saturday pancakes and sunday french toast to top it off. I'll share all with my friends here


----------



## the-royal-mail

Maybe Addy should host the CMF meet at her house. hehe

Anyway, this comment "we simply have WAY too much stuff" was a realization I came to several years ago when I moved and I spent days shredding and tossing out paper, phone bills, electronic junk, unneeded Christmas gifts and much more. Since then I've been much stricter about what I bring in to and keep in the house. There is simply no room for it and if I don't use it more than once a year then I start thinking about disposal. I also ensure I don't repeat the same mistake by acquiring useless stuff.


----------



## Toronto.gal

Last summer treats/cake for all!



















Wow, it's Sept.1 tomorrow. 

Hope you all had a great summer!


----------



## the-royal-mail

Banned for talking about summer in past tense.


----------



## rookie

i am guessing at least a few of us will register for the options workshop at hilton toronto on sep24th. it would be good to have the meetup that evening after the workshop. so how does sep24 sound to whoever is interested???


----------



## Toronto.gal

My options knowledge is so limited, so I'm not sure this is the right time for me.


----------



## humble_pie

*my sleeping partner*

i had just finished setting up my brand-new laptop when i heard someone breathing. He was asleep. The breathy sound was air exhaling, very gently, from his nostrils. You could tell by the sound what kind of person it was. It wasn't an infant or a child. It wasn't a sleeping female. The breath had a slight bass tone to it. It was a male breather.

the rhythmn & cadence were close to my own breath. So close that, at first, i thought it was myself. I had to stop breathing to realize that this person, this other creature whose inhalations & exhalations were barely audible, was a separate being.

i thought, next, that some cat or puppy might have wandered into the basement during the day, had failed to cry or meow, and by this time - it was early evening - the animal had fallen asleep. Perhaps just behind the basement door. I opened the door. Went down in the basement. There was nothing there.

still the being breathed on. Faster than i breathe myself. Inhale exhale steamship inhale exhale steamship inhale exhale steamship steamship. There were moments when the inhalation took so long to appear that i thought the poor creature might be suffering from sleep apnea.

this morning there was no alternative. I had to face it. I hovered my left ear right on top of the keyboard. Now i could hear it perfectly. The laptop was breathing. In out pause in out pause in out pause pause.

ah, the genii in the motherboard. The possibilities are endless. Will i be able to wake it up. Can i get it to predict stock markets.


----------



## KaeJS

lol.

humble, you sound like a commercial that you hate to love.


----------



## Kim

Another interesting day giving learners like me a chance to see if we have been paying attention the last few weeks. I played POT last week to a positive return and got out on Monday as I knew that there might be bad news coming from Canadian Gov. And then this morning I was able to make a smarter guess as to how the day would go. : ) 

Long weekend is here - it's chillier now and the days are getting a bit shorter - always encourages me to do more outside knowing that in a few months I'll be wishing for the long warm days of summer.

Cheers everyone


----------



## Four Pillars

Kim said:


> Cheers everyone


Thanks for the beers Kim. They were all delicious.


----------



## Toronto.gal

A chilly morning in TO, only 15c.

Pancakes anyone?


----------



## the-royal-mail

Good morning all. Here is some orange juice to go along with those pancakes. I'm serving the OJ for anyone who wants a glass. Step right up.


----------



## brad

Yes, it was a chilly morning's bike ride here in Montréal at 13C. Still wore my shorts, but I had a long-sleeved top and was thankful for that.

I made blueberry waffles the other morning for breakfast, always a welcome treat this time of year, topped with maple syrup. The secret to good blueberry waffles or pancakes is to throw the berries on top of the batter after you've poured it in the pan or the waffle iron. If you toss them into the batter itself, the batter gets blue and watery and the end result is nowhere near as good. Sometimes I place the blueberries in patterns or to form letters, just for fun.


----------



## Kim

Ahh the OJ looks great, I'll take a jug of it - I have been trying to catch a sale on it at our local IGA with no luck. I won't buy it unless it's on sale so no OJ for the last 3 weeks!

You want to hear something crazy though? I will pay double for eggs that come from free range hens and I don't really like chickens but I feel bad for them in those tiny cages.


----------



## the-royal-mail

This is for Kim.










Happy Friday everyone!


----------



## Toronto.gal

Oh, how sweet. 

It will be a somber weekend for many; hard to believe it has been 10 years since 9/11.


----------



## Kim

Oh they are so cute cute cute - thanks


----------



## brad

Q: What did the chick say when it found an orange in its mother's nest?

A: Look at the orange mama laid.


----------



## humble_pie

at first i thought it was an obama joke


----------



## brad

I only do food jokes.

Q: what do you call a canary that's been run over by a lawnmower?

A: shredded tweet.


----------



## marina628

Kim
We do the same since my husband watched a show on how badly the laying hens are treated.He also won't allow us to buy veal for same reason ,he refuses to eat stuff that causes animals to suffer.I have to sneak my Fois Gras in Vegas as he won't let me order it with him and I don't tell him when i sneak some lol.We are almost a meat free household now ,little bit of chicken that's about it.


----------



## MoneyGal

No caged hens here either. 

We buy our vegetables, meat and eggs directly from the farmers who produce them and the cows and chickens are treated humanely. 

My mom is from a farming background (in PEI - not a big operation) and her kinship with animals is very, very deep. (My parents are vegans.) 

I do eat animal products but I source them carefully. I belong to a cheese CSA as well as the meat, eggs and vegetable CSAs. (My vegetable farmer gives me fruit too but mostly vegetables. This has been an outstanding year for chard!)


----------



## the-royal-mail

It's another splendid summer weekend!










P.S. I thought of you at the store yesterday Kim -- Tropicana 1.75L OJ for $3.99, usually $4.99.


----------



## KaeJS

^ It is. And I should be enjoying it. But I feel I have spent too much money lately. 

I am torn between spending more, because summer is almost gone & staying in because its the frugal thing to do.

Maybe I will start rolling coins and "magically" come up with $25.  (see? it's good to have money in all different places. )


----------



## financialnoob

KaeJS: I know what you mean. I don't know if you've got a budget going, but my wife and I tracked our expenses for a few months and then came up with a budget. We actually boosted our entertainment expenses while cutting back in other, not important areas and still managed to increase our savings. 

I have a great deal of respect for your money habits, and wish I had them when I was your age. But I do think you deserve to enjoy life a bit more too. You can always earn more money, but you only have a limited amount of time. It's a constant struggle to balance the two, but the key is to make sure you do have some balance.


----------



## KaeJS

financialnoob said:


> KaeJS:
> I have a great deal of respect for your money habits.


Thank you for that compliment 

I don't _"really"_ have a budget. I budget in my head and have a rolling tally (I guess some would say it's a bit obsessive/OCD) but I pretty much know at all times what all my accounts look like and how they are going to change when I purchase items, get paid, or the stock market rises or falls.

I try extremely hard not to spend more than $100/week on needless things (eating out, driving for fun [that's a huge expense, but my favourite! ], seeing movies, buying tobacco/beer) that kind of stuff.

The big killer for me is gasoline. I will go on a drive and come back home after about 1 hour, $20 poorer.

I agree with you. Life is short and it needs to be enjoyed. However, as humans, we are nostalgic and spent money goes from the mindset of "that was a good time!" to "I should have saved my money". 

In the end, I managed to make a roll of Loonies ($25) and I called Presidents Choice Financial to see if there was any money in my accounts (Had not used PC for years). Turns out there was $33.55 in my PC account.

So, I went to the bank, deposited my $58.55 total and went on a drive and got some food yesterday. I did the same thing again today, and I managed to save $13.55. (Spent $45)

I think I did quite well, considering my plan was to blow all fifty eight dollars and fifty five cents.


----------



## Abha

KaeJS said:


> In the end, I managed to make a roll of Loonies ($25) and I called Presidents Choice Financial to see if there was any money in my accounts (Had not used PC for years).


You just reminded me that I have a PC account that I have not used for years. Probably dormant now.


----------



## KaeJS

Mine was dormant.

Takes two seconds and the chick on the phone removed the dormant status for me in no time.

Wrote myself a cheque - problem solved.


----------



## ddkay

We live to spend and spend to exist 

I always wonder what the world will like 10 generations from now. If we even get that far...


----------



## Toronto.gal

ddkay said:


> I always wonder what the world will like 10 generations from now. If we even get that far...


I wonder that too and the pictures in my head are not pretty at all.  

It's only 10c in TO and tonight it will be 6c, not kool at all. 

Wishing for an Indian Summer now.










Skipping TIFF this weekend & going to see Contagion instead [we need a movie thread here].

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/contagion_2011/

Some *sparkling vanilla hot chocolate with marshmallows to warm us up.*










Enjoy your weekend everyone!


----------



## joncnca

wow i dont' think i've looked in the off topic/general discussion sub-forum before and i was kind of expecting other posters, but i guess it makes sense that it's still the same people that post in the money topics sub-forum!

autumn is my favourite season. not humid like summer, not frigid like winter, not slushy like spring. perfection.


----------



## the-royal-mail

The weather is changing and my beloved summer time seems to be over.


----------



## Toronto.gal




----------



## Kim

Hey hey hey - it's starting to look a lot like fall round here! My favorite season too. Thanks for the pics of the Maple leaves - there are very few in my area and they put on such nice colors this time of the year. 

Just finished up the rodeo season with a 3rd place finish in Ladies Barrel Racing, at the finals. On a horse that I borrowed from a friend, who bought him from us 4 yrs ago. My regular horse won't run hard in small indoor arenas. 

Orange juice came on sale last Friday and I bought a few jugs. It does not seem to last long at our house. Delicious!

Had the TV hooked back up last week just in time to catch season openers. Alberta is having their conservative party election on Oct 1, 2011. Gary Mar, Doug horner and Alsion Redford are still in the running. The winner will be the leader of the PCAA and Premier-elect for the province of AB.


----------



## Kim

Just waiting to see what the feds have to say this afternoon and see if it has any effect on the DCA opportunities presenting themselves. 

Carver I went to Gibson - Epiphone Forum and did some searching but couldn't find pics of your craft. I too would really like to see exactly what it is you do.

Mode I was wondering if you might have some suggestions on how I could get a hold of a bottle of Snow Phoenix. I contacted a British seller but they said they had tried to ship to Canada before and that customs took it all! ( Likely had a staff party and drank it )

I contacted my local liquor store and they explained they were only allowed to order from goverment warehouses and that it wasn't available.


----------



## Jungle

Abha said:


> You just reminded me that I have a PC account that I have not used for years. Probably dormant now.


They have an inactivity fee, past two years I believe.


----------



## the-royal-mail

I did not know that. Mine frequently goes inactive but I usually catch it within 3-4 months of that occuring. It's a pain, actually. I only use the account about once a year.


----------



## HaroldCrump

Yes, PC has an inactivity fee.
I think it was $20 - it's been a while since I dumped them so don't recall exact amount.
It kicks in only after 2 years I think, not every few months.


----------



## brad

Here's a photo I took last month on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, the day before we had to evacuate due to Hurricane Irene:


----------



## Toronto.gal

Kim said:


> Just finished up the rodeo season with a 3rd place finish in Ladies Barrel Racing, at the finals.


Congratulations rodeo girl!!  

I have to admit that I did not know much about it, so I looked it up:

*"Barrel racing requires close cooperation and teamwork between horse and rider.

In the barrel racing competition, contestants circle three barrels in a cloverleaf pattern. Time is marked with the use of an electronic eye timer. A rider may touch or even move a barrel. However, if she knocks over the barrel, a five-second penalty will be added to her total time."*

Sounds like a lot of fun, but not for me.  

About your DCA comment, there are certainly many great opportunities for that now.


----------



## humble_pie

mouthwatering snacks & beverages often offered here in the coffee lounge.

but brad's photo is food for the soul.


----------



## mind_business

Hi everyone. I'm new to the forum ... been lurking for a couple of days. When I'm not lurking (OK that sounds a bit creepy) my wife and I are working with our two Jack Russell Terriers (Siren and Turbo). We're hoping to get into agility and flyball with our guys.

Today was a beautiful day in SW Ontario. It was warm, sunny and the trees are starting to change colours. Anyone else get out and about today?


----------



## KaeJS

mind_business said:


> Anyone else get out and about today?


I wish. I was working 10-6. 

Was such a nice day out, too.


----------



## mind_business

KaeJS, that sucks. Hopefully you at least got some time at lunch to go outside. I make a point of going outside when it's nice at lunch. Breaks up the day.


----------



## KaeJS

That is _exactly_ what I did.


----------



## kcowan

Spent the day wandering centre ville of Isle sur le Sourges on market day (in southern France). Then had dinner by the river that winds through town.


----------



## the-royal-mail

Welcome, mindbusiness. Glad to see you posting here.

I had a most excellent weekend doing exploration and enjoying the good roads and towns outside the city. There really is a lot of life out there, proof once again that the whole city thing is very artificial and overrated indeed. Hopefully one day I'll be able to live in a smaller center again.


----------



## Four Pillars

I painted part of my garage and then took my kids to the beach (via rollerblades). Not the greatest pic, but it sure was nice there. The waves were pretty big which was a lot of fun for the kids (and me).

And somehow we managed to have a great day without ever escaping our "big city".


----------



## MoneyGal

Two thumbs up. 

My kids are in a cooking class at the Don Valley Brickworks, one of the top ten geotourism destinations in the world, according to National Geographic. The farmer's market there is outstanding. My kids go to a primarily outdoor (urban) alternative school, and they have built some of the garden structures at the Brickworks as part of their school activities. 

We do manage to get some nature in to our weekends as well. We also went swimming this weekend and the kids had a long playdate at a park while I worked on work stuff and cooked ahead for the week.


----------



## CanadianCapitalist

I took our twin boys hiking in Gatineau Park yesterday. It was a wonderful day. Trees just starting to change colour. And the park was filled with bikers, hikers and people just out for a walk. Highlight was seeing a couple of Common Garter snakes.

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


----------



## brad

We had visitors from Brittany (the Celtic region of France) for the weekend. In the Breton language, which is a form of Gaelic similar to Welsh, the expression for "hello" translates literally to "hello to your belly," and "goodbye" translates as "goodbye to your back." We said hello to their bellies with blueberry pancakes and maple syrup on Saturday morning, homemade squash-and-sage ravioli on Saturday night, and Montréal bagels with cream cheese on Sunday morning. We took them to the provincial park in Oka on Sunday and climbed up the calvaire, then went to the beach for lunch and took the ferry across to Hudson, stopped in Pointe Claire for a walk and a cup of tea at Café Marmelade, headed back home, and said goodbye to their backs as they took a bus to the Gaspé.


----------



## mind_business

the-royal-mail said:


> Welcome, mindbusiness. Glad to see you posting here.
> 
> I had a most excellent weekend doing exploration and enjoying the good roads and towns outside the city. There really is a lot of life out there, proof once again that the whole city thing is very artificial and overrated indeed. Hopefully one day I'll be able to live in a smaller center again.


Thanks for the welcome! I hear you about big city vs smaller town life. I come from Saskatchewan (moved to Ontario 12 years ago). I lived in a small town (4500 people) before moving to Ontario. I definitely miss the small town lifestyle.



Four Pillars said:


> I painted part of my garage and then took my kids to the beach (via rollerblades). Not the greatest pic, but it sure was nice there. The waves were pretty big which was a lot of fun for the kids (and me).
> 
> And somehow we managed to have a great day without ever escaping our "big city".


Love the pic! Reminds me of my days when we ski'd behind our two-line kites in the winter. Back when I was young enough not to be bothered by the cold Saskatchewan winters (LOL).


----------



## marina628

We went to Toronto and stayed at Ritz Carleton for Saturday night as we had a Private party there .Not sure if this happens to you guys but I sat with a lady I was meeting for the first time and noticed she had one of the newest Coach bags which is about $1000.00 .Anyway by 10pm this lady was so drunk from the free alcohol her friend had to ask the staff to help her to bed ,I said good night to the coach bag I am too cheap to buy but can easily afford lol.
When we go to check out the next day same lady and same coach bag downstairs checking out and her credit card was turned down for $42.00 Parking lol.She waved over another guest who flew in from Spain and he had to pay her bill as she didn't have enough to cover it.
She should have bought the fake bag and saved $950 lol.


----------



## mind_business

She obviously has her priorities


----------



## mind_business

So, has anyone here ever been to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre? I had to attend a conference there yesterday. Normally it's about an hour drive from my home to downtown Toronto. Yesterday it took 2 hours. Of course I hit peak rush-hour traffic early in the morning. The frustrating part is that the last couple of km's on the QEW took the longest. Probably a 20 minute wait to exit onto Spadina. FRUSTRATED doesn't describe my emotions during that drive. 

Then when I finally get there, I have to find the 'South' building. Of course I mistakenly turned into the 'North' building parking lot. Brutal! 

At least it reminded me that I never want to live in TO.

I found out that the auditions for 'Canada's Got Talent' were taking place nearby, explaining most of the traffic issues.


----------



## KaeJS

mind_business said:


> Probably a 20 minute wait to exit onto Spadina. FRUSTRATED doesn't describe my emotions during that drive.


Lol. What you need to do is drive like a Torontonian.

Take the left lane and then cut across 3 just before the exit to Spadina.

If you don't, you will be waiting forever as the right side of the highway will be packed in a solid line of cars trying to get off at Spadina.

Left > > > Cut in line = 2 minute wait.

I can't wait to get out of the city. Toronto sucks.


----------



## ddkay

Toronto is fine, just leave your car at home and take the GO train in so you can enjoy a peaceful commute, maybe the Metro daily news and not get road raged. This city needs more trains.


----------



## mind_business

Toronto isn't bad ... once you get to your destination. If you lived in TO, the GO train is definitely the only way to go. I wouldn't last a week if I had to drive to work.


----------



## financialnoob

I agree, Toronto traffic is brutal. When I moved here, I had a car for about a week before I had to give it up. The stress was too much.

When my wife moved here, we kept her car for a few months and drove it maybe twice a month before giving it up since it wasn't really worth it. 

Though for future reference, if you're going to the Metro Convention Centre, why not just take the GO since Union station is right by the MCC?

I do love the city though. I can't count the times we've stumbled into a festival I didn't know about or a huge street hockey tournament or other events I didn't even know existed. And I love the diversity of the food, how I have an amazing Indian restaurant and several Italian places and the best fried chicken in the city and pho and Greek and Jamaican and Thai and Chinese and sushi and even several different fast food options all within a 5-minute walk.


----------



## brad

Public transit can be great; I've only driven in Toronto once, all the rest of the times I've gotten around by trolley, subway, or bike, no stress.

I lived in the Boston area for 10 years and drove downtown only twice; all the rest of the time I used the T (the subway system). Same goes for here in Montréal; I only drive downtown if I have to pick up furniture or carry something large like that. The bus isn't as wonderful and I hate waiting for it at night, but that's a small price to pay for avoiding the stress of traffic jams and insane drivers.


----------



## the-royal-mail

Have a great weekend all!


----------



## Kim

Thanks TRM!
Pumpkin cupcakes with ginger cream icing....would complement a rich cup of hot coffee so nicely.


----------



## the-royal-mail

Thanks Kim, you rock!


----------



## MoneyGal

If you took the stems out of those cherries, they would look like spooky eyeballs...perfect Hallowe'en grub!


----------



## Toronto.gal

*'Coffee*







*Talk.'*

"There is a case to be made, however, for noticing. Even in our daily rush, there is value in slowing down and observing the things around us every day: the stencil on the dumpster, the newly-sprouted peonies in the sidewalk garden-box, the smile on the face of the stranger that just walked by us. Sometimes, the things we notice will just be small reminders of the beauty in the chaos around us, but sometimes, the things we notice — like an unattended purse — can start a chain of actions that end up saving someone's life".

http://news.sympatico.ca/oped/coffee-talk/woman_saved_at_niagara_falls/94d687e5

A beautiful day in Toronto, but on the cool side [8c]. Hope it's nice in your neck of the woods too!


----------



## mind_business

Enjoy your day today, 'cause they're calling for snow/rain overnight in kitchener  It's only a matter of time before it hits TO.

It's too early


----------



## KaeJS

mind_business said:


> Enjoy your day today, 'cause they're calling for snow/rain overnight in kitchener  It's only a matter of time before it hits TO.
> 
> It's too early


SNOW ALREADY?

.. b-b-but, but, but I thought I still had 4 weeks before I need to put my car away?


----------



## mind_business

No worries. The 14 day trend just shows lots of rain ... though I think I'd prefer snow over large amounts of rain. 

So what type of car do you store away for the winter?


----------



## Toronto.gal

mind_business said:


> though I think I'd prefer snow over large amounts of rain.


Nice to see you here MB, welcome to CMF.

I also much prefer snow than rain; nothing like a snowy sunset. 










Last winter I took a nice pic [similar to above]; perhaps I'll post it here, after I figure out how to remove myself first.


----------



## CanadianCapitalist

The weekend is shaping up to be a very nice one. 22 on Friday, 26 & 24 on the following days and 17 for Thanksgiving Monday. Of course, there's a frost warning out for Ottawa tonight, so Ottawa-area members may want to bring those plants inside.


----------



## CanadianCapitalist

That's a wonderful picture t.gal. Wow.


----------



## financialnoob

Happy Thanksgiving weekend. 

We'll be making a nice prime rib dinner. Turkey is the traditional meal, and it seems those that don't want to do a turkey do ham. But prime rib is super cheap at Loblaws right now, $3.99/lb, and I am a red meat kind of guy.  Plus it's so much easier than a turkey. Just drop it in an oven, wait a few hours, pull out, eat. 

Hope everyone has a good one.


----------



## KaeJS

mind_business said:


> So what type of car do you store away for the winter?


It's a 2003 MazdaSpeed Protege. It's no Ferrari, but I've put way too much money into it and it's in way too good of a condition to bang up in the winter. Plus, turbo is never fun to drive in the snow.

Not to mention, it's cheaper to drive my truck in the winter, as insurance is lower and I don't need to put premium gasoline in the truck like I do with the car.


----------



## Jon_Snow

Nice wheels, KaeJS.

Sitting here in the Gulf Islands, enjoying my morning coffee. Tonight is the big family Thanksgiving feast where ungodly amounts of food and drink are consumed. This is followed by playing Guitar Hero/Rock Band until the wee hours of the morning. This is how our family does Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving weekend everyone.


----------



## mind_business

KaeJS, nice ride! I can see why you wouldn't want to risk driving it in the winter. 

Happy Thanksgiving Jon_snow. We had a friend down from Kingson, so we decided to do the big turkey dinner last night. It was wayyy too much food, but I still managed to find room for pumpkin pie


----------



## kcowan

I think you are exposing your identity by showing this.


----------



## Toronto.gal

Turkey tomorrow, but now going to a Latin American Food Fair. 
*************

*More Than A Day*

As Thanksgiving Day rolls around,
It brings up some facts, quite profound.
We may think that we're poor,
Feel like bums, insecure,
But in truth, our riches astound.
We have friends and family we love;
We have guidance from heaven above.
We have so much more
Than they sell in a store,
We're wealthy, when push comes to shove.
So add up your blessings, I say;
Make Thanksgiving last more than a day.
Enjoy what you've got;
Realize it's a lot,
And you'll make all your cares go away.

*By Karl Fuchs*


----------



## KaeJS

kcowan said:


> I think you are exposing your identity by showing this.


I am not really concerned. 

But thanks for your concern!


----------



## Addy

Had a very nice day today. Picked up a fresh turkey from Ullrichs Butcher Shop in Pembroke - from a local (Renfrew Valley) farm on Friday, brined it last night then left it to dry overnight. Best bird I've ever cooked, yummmy! Too bad there was just me, my friend and my 4 yr old daughter to enjoy it (hubby is deployed this month, sucks to be him!). 


I have SOOOO much leftover turkey I need suggestions what to do with it? I love turkey sandwiches but I find the meat dries out in the fridge after two days or so. I've put some in freezer bags in the freezer to make I don't know what with when the husband gets home around Halloween time. Any recipe suggestions? I have a casserole sized dish in the fridge I could make into something and freeze, or I could thaw whats in the freezer in a few weeks and make something of it.


----------



## the-royal-mail

License plate photography is not illegal, or unsafe. If license plates were private items, they wouldn't be on public display for everyone to see. Some TV shows cause paranoia about this by blurring license plates lol. C'mon.


----------



## financialnoob

Addy: If you don't know what to do with all that turkey, you can send some over here  Sounds delicious.

I'm just letting our prime rib warm up. Went out to get a few last-minute items and noticed a huge rack of pork ribs were on sale and I couldn't resist buying them, though they have to be cooked soon. So our prime rib dinner is now our prime rib lunch, with pork ribs for dinner, which means I'll be passing out around 7 pm tonight...


----------



## kcowan

the-royal-mail said:


> License plate photography is not illegal, or unsafe. ... C'mon.


Vancouver police routinely scan them and make queries looking for outstanding warrants and tickets.

My point with KAE JS is that it will divulge his true identity to anyone who cares enough to track him down. Apparently, he, like me, does not care to hide his identity online.


----------



## Addy

financialnoob, I'm sure we can arrange a swap if you have any of that prime rib left over!


----------



## marina628

Well we got back yesterday morning from Las Vegas and our oldest daughter could not come home so we are having our thanks giving family dinner on the 15th which is also our official 23rd anniversary(been together 26 years now) .Can't want to cook my turkey with Salt meat and the veggies .Got my bottle of savory just waiting for my stuffing


----------



## marina628

Addy 
I put the turkey carcass into double wrapped plastic zip lock bags and make homemade turkey soup ,that is best part of the left overs for us.I love cold turkey with cranberry ,we never have to worry about leftovers beyond next day lol


----------



## KaeJS

kcowan said:


> My point with KAE JS is that it will divulge his true identity to anyone who cares enough to track him down. Apparently, he, like me, does not care to hide his identity online.


Definitely don't. I'm still waiting for the CMF get together.


----------



## MoneyGal

KaeJS said:


> Definitely don't. I'm still waiting for the CMF get together.


Stop waiting and make it happen. Suggest a time and a place, and see who bites.


----------



## financialnoob

Addy: That sounds like a great offer, but unfortunately, prime rib doesn't last long around me 

And for the meet-up, this Saturday might be too short notice, but it would coincide with the "Occupy Toronto Market Exchange" date


----------



## the-royal-mail

Let's meet up for chinese buffet!


----------



## rookie

i suggested the same day as the options training but no one took the bite...


----------



## marina628

Just wondering how many of us are free for lunch during the week?I am free any monday , wednesday or Thursday.


----------



## kcowan

I am free any day and anywhere on the transit lines in Vancouver.

(Edit: Calling all Vancouver people! Is there any interest?)


----------



## marina628

We are in Toronto area but Maybe you and Karen can start the BC get together


----------



## Toronto.gal

For anyone living in TO, a lil bored & wondering what to do this cold & rainy weekend, below might interest you. 

"Screemers is back for Halloween 2011, with added features sure to terrify. The Halloween tradition takes over the CNE grounds, with haunted houses, mazes, monsters, creatures and more. The attractions include Terror in 3D, The Haunted House, The Asylum, The Black Hole, Skull Castle, The Maniac Maze and Curtain Chaos. There is also a licensed Vampire Lounge and arcade with carnival rides." 

http://www.screemers.ca/toronto/

*Let's meet at the Vampire Lounge.* 

A bit early, but here are some spooky drinks.


----------



## KaeJS

T.Gal,

My friend and I were just discussing this last night. 

I've never been, and yet, every year people ask me to go. 

Maybe I should just get it over with already.


----------



## leoc2

marina628 said:


> We are in Toronto area but Maybe you and Karen can start the BC get together


Did I post enough to qualify for the get together in Toronto? I'm only at 74.


----------



## marina628

I am meeting one of the CMF monday for lunch , maybe then we will plan another get together and more people will attend .I think this has been talked about for months now but nobody wants to get out of their pajamas and go out lol


----------



## Jon_Snow

I'd definitely be interested in meeting some of the BC CMF contingent.


----------



## KaeJS

Toronto.gal said:


> http://www.screemers.ca/toronto/
> 
> *Let's meet at the Vampire Lounge.*


So.... Apparently a couple of my buddies are going tomorrow.

On a Sunday? Yeah. I don't know why..

So, I guess I will be joining them. I will let you know how it was!


----------



## the-royal-mail

leoc2, you could increase your post count a bit by taking part in the "ban the user" thread. We would love to see you there.


----------



## Karen

Jon_Snow said:


> I'd definitely be interested in meeting some of the BC CMF contingent.


I would too!


----------



## kcowan

Karen said:


> I would too!


PM me with when and where you would prefer. Jon too and anyone else. Steve are you on the mainland in the next couple of weeks?


----------



## steve41

kcowan said:


> PM me with when and where you would prefer. Jon too and anyone else. Steve are you on the mainland in the next couple of weeks?


 Sadly no. We are losing ferry service for 2 weeks, and I can't leave home during my busy (renewal) season.


----------



## Toronto.gal

KaeJS said:


> So, I guess I will be joining them. I will let you know how it was!


Have a super creepy, fear filled & haunted evening KaeJS. 

The hours are only from 7 to 10 pm, so you should make it home early enough to catch up on stock futures. 

Be wary then; best safety lies in fear - Shakespeare "Hamlet."


----------



## Karen

I'm retired and live alone, so my time's pretty flexible. The only days I couldn't make it in the next few weeks would be October 20th and November 21st - unless it snows. I'm a terrible coward about driving in the snow!


----------



## KaeJS

Toronto.gal said:


> The hours are only from 7 to 10 pm, so you should make it home early enough to catch up on stock futures.


Ah, perfect!


----------



## Jon_Snow

Going to be tough for me to pull this off before December... I'll be in Mexico for most of November and the next few weekends I will be at our gulf island property getting things battened down for the looming storm season. My commute and long hours make doing it mid-week pretty tough. 

Still love to meet up with you folks... But late November is probably the earliest I can do it.


----------



## Karen

Because my time is probably the most flexible of anyone's, I'll just wait for the rest of you to set the time and place. Just let me know where and when.


----------



## kcowan

I am good until Oct 27th. Then head to Mexico for the winter. Prefer mid-week.


----------



## m3s

I had to go witness the "austerity measures" first hand this week. They make a damn good coffee there, don't skimp on the drinks, and generally all around good deals in the off season.


----------



## Toronto.gal

KaeJS said:


> So, I guess I will be joining them. I will let you know how it was!


So, did you go or did you chicken out?


----------



## KaeJS

Chicken out is the wrong word! 

I just didn't end up going.

My friends still went, but I didn't. Guess I'll have to wait till next year  or the year after, or the one after that... 

CMF meet at Screamers, anyone?


----------



## financialnoob

mode3sour: No wonder no one wants to work there. Looks like a bit of paradise, even in the off-season.

For the Toronto meet-up, I was thinking we should nail down a few details. I don't think we'll pick a day/time/place that works for EVERYONE, but let's see what the majority have to say.

So if you're interested, I was thinking sometime in November to give people a few week's notice. What's everyone's preferences? If it doesn't matter or you're flexible, indicate that too.

1. Weekday/weekend? Are there any days that are bad? And lunch or dinner? No breakfast option cuz I'm lazy.
2. Week of Nov 6-12, 13-19, 20-26? Anything later and we're getting into winter holiday season...

For locations, I was thinking central or downtown as it's accessible for all. I'm not opposed to going out somewhere though. I was actually interested in that Indian spot MG and several others mentioned (was it around Gerrard and Pape area?) but I'm really not that picky.

OK I'll start.

1. Weekends would be preferred and I could do lunch or dinner. Week day I might be able to do dinner depending on work schedule.
2. I'm okay with all 3 weeks, though I might be taking the American Thanksgiving off (Nov. 24). Turkey + football = my type of holiday.


----------



## Toronto.gal

KaeJS said:


> 1. Chicken out is the wrong word!
> 2. CMF meet at Screamers, anyone?


1. I was just teasing you! 
2. Wearing Halloween costumes? 

*financialnoob:* I like breakfast meetings! 

Weekends at location within walking distance to subway would be preferable for me.


----------



## rookie

1) weekends - lunch/dinner. weekdays - dinner. weekdays lunch only if close enough. downtown not possible.

2) okay with any week...


----------



## marina628

My husband and I had lunch with Jungle Yesterday ,It was very nice to meet someone with common interests .I don't know about the rest of you but very few family and friends are interested in the news , stocks and retirement planning .Now that we got the first meeting out of the way we are hoping to get together mid November during a week day for lunch probably near Eaton Center .


----------



## Toronto.gal

marina628 said:


> I don't know about the rest of you but very few family and friends are interested in the news, stocks and retirement planning.


I know exactly what you mean! I find such people boring and they find me boring as well.  

So was Jungle nice? 

Someone on the forum is practically a neighbour of mine; small world.


----------



## marina628

Jungle is very nice person ,no machete or duct tape to be seen lol .


----------



## KaeJS

If something is set up, Weekends - Lunch/Dinner works for me.

Going to a wedding on November 12th.


----------



## Kim

Ahhh Friday afternoon....
A quick moment for some reflection.
The weekends a busy one.
But thankfully it's filled with friends and family.
Hope you all have some time spent with yours.
Cheers.










PS look at MCD jump!

Enjoying a Woodford Reserve Manhattan
2 oz Woodford Reserve
1 oz sweet vermouth
1 dash of Angostura bitters
1 dash Peychaud's bitters
splash of cherry juice bourbon-infused cherry 

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add ingredients, shake well, and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a bourbon-infused cherry. Enjoy.


----------



## the-royal-mail

toronto.gal has 1111 posts. Nice number for a nice gal. 

This post in honour of toronto.gal was brought to you by royalty.


----------



## Toronto.gal

I know I'm #1, but I didn't want it to go to my head, so I changed that.  Thanks TRM!

*Kim:* you're so sweet!


----------



## MoneyGal

Lunch near the Eaton Centre would work for me. 

I'm on the road for much of November, though. Next week: New Jersey and Washington.


----------



## financialnoob

So it sounds like weekends might work better. I'd say lunch might work better since Toronto.gal loves her breakfast or loves to make me suffer by waking up early  So we'll call it brunch.

As for places, rookie mentioned not downtown but did that apply to only lunch during the week or all times? If downtown doesn't work on the weekends, what area would work for you?

I'd guess Saturday might be better, as Sunday is traditionally a day of worship (church or NFL). KaeJS is at a wedding on the 12th (which is BTW a GREAT place to meet single ladies so have fun!), so that leaves November 5, 19, or 26? 

MG, your schedule seems the craziest lately, are you able to make any of those? Do those dates work with everyone else? Did I miss anything/anyone? It's early, I'm on my first coffee, but I think I took everything into account. If not, let me know.


----------



## KaeJS

financialnoob said:


> KaeJS is at a wedding on the 12th (which is BTW a GREAT place to meet single ladies so have fun!), so that leaves November 5, 19, or 26? .


There will be open-bar, too. 

I can more than likely attend on the 5, 19 or 26. Any time is good for me, but I would prefer to not meet up at 9am 

I live in Mississauga, but since I will be driving my truck starting next week due to the cooler weather, I don't have a problem driving to Toronto. (The car does not go to Toronto, for obvious reasons )


----------



## financialnoob

Okie, so the thread has gone quiet at the thought of meeting 

I'm going to nominate Saturday, November 19th for lunch/brunch as the date/time, which gives people a few weeks. Say 1 pm? Or sooner/later?

No one seems to be suggesting places so I'll list a few and people can chip in their thoughts.

Yonge/Eglinton: TTC-accessible, out of downtown core for drivers, lots of places nearby. There's Mandarin, Chinese buffet? Mars Uptown has decent brunch, but not really great for groups larger than 4. 

Bloor/Runnymede: TTC-accessible, west side of Toronto near High Park. Not really convenient for some but Shakey's is out there, home of the best burger in town. Plus $12 pitchers of beer. 

Front/Church: 5-minute walk from Union station, so it's TTC/GO-friendly. Downtown core might be convenient for some, a pain for others. C'est What is a really cool place. Hot House has breakfast, though they're really known for their Sunday brunch. St. Lawrence Market is a short walk away, as is Fran's. 

I'm really not picky and willing to travel so feel free to pitch in any ideas and suggestions. I think we were all craving Indian food at one point too so I wouldn't be opposed to that, though it may not be for everyone.


----------



## KaeJS

Not picky either, but as I will be driving I would prefer to be as far out of the downtown core as possible..

I don't want to pay $20 parking for a $20 lunch.


----------



## Toronto.gal

I'm just 5 minutes from Yonge/Eglinton, but either of the 3 is doable for me.

I will try to make it.

*Some batti/spookilicous treats before lunch.*


















HAPPY HALLOWEEN!


----------



## the-royal-mail




----------



## the-royal-mail

http://www.leopard-pictures.com/snow_leopard_pictures.html


----------



## Addy

And here I thought you posted some pics of yourself TRM! 

If I were able to attend I'd buy a round.... just maxed off the prepayment for this year on our mortgage using some money my father left after he passed (he wanted me to put the money to good use, and he would approve of paying down a mortgage). I'm sure he's up there smiling down, all proud of his "little girl"


----------



## financialnoob

Congrats Addy! I'm sure he's very proud of his little girl! 

KaeJS: We'll pick a spot with decent parking, though I have no idea what is a good rate for parking since I don't drive. I'm used to paying $0.75/hour for parking (first hour free) so I have no concept of what is fair or not...

I checked out the GreenP website and found parking at Yonge/Eglinton for $3 to $4/hour. Bloor/Runnymede is $2/hour. So that's a plus for Shakey's, which I love anyways.

I accidentally stumbled upon Spring Rolls' weekend all-you-can-eat dim sum/sushi for $16.99 between 12 and 4 pm on the weekends which is at Yonge and Eglinton. Not sure if anyone's up for that...I almost burst from eating too much. The dim sum was great, sushi was "ok" but the cooked options were pretty solid, including a lot of Spring Rolls regular fare if anyone's a fan. 

Toronto.gal, since you're close to the neighbourhood, any suggestions?


----------



## petea4

I was in the Bloor West Village area this weekend. Looks as though Shakey's is closed. Either they are renovating, or out of buisness.


----------



## financialnoob

petea4: You gave me a minor heart attack to start my day 

Are you sure it was Shakey's and not Sharkey's? They're a few blocks apart. And when did you see this? Some friends were at Shakey's last Saturday evening. 

I may cry depending on your answers... 

Meanwhile, I need a haircut. It's been like a few months. Work has been absolutely crazy the past few months. My hair is almost longer than my wife's. Really need to get it cut tonight. Hopefully no fires pop up at work.


----------



## the-royal-mail

Why not simply call and ask?

Sharkey's site still up:

http://www.sharkeysrestaurants.com/

Shakeys website seems to be down:

http://www.shakeys.ca/about.html

2255 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON M6S 1N8
(416) 767-0608


----------



## Toronto.gal

financialnoob said:


> Toronto.gal, since you're close to the neighbourhood, any suggestions?


KaeJS has a good point about not wanting to pay a parking fee equal to lunch. 

Financialnoob: not sure where you saw parking for $3/hr. as in the Eglinton/Yonge area those prices are more per 1/2 hr. parking.

So why not go to a mall/plaza where there are lots of restaurants and parking is free? The ones closer to me are Bayview Village/Yorkdale/Fairview Mall, but as long as the place is within walking distance from subway, I'm ok. with any place [so long as the menu is not 100% pork].

I won't know for sure if I can make it until Nov.16th, so I'll confirm my attendance by next Wed.

Has anyone been to the Rainforest Cafe?
http://www.rainforestcafe.com/pdf/menus/menu.pdf


----------



## petea4

financialnoob said:


> petea4: You gave me a minor heart attack to start my day
> 
> Are you sure it was Shakey's and not Sharkey's? They're a few blocks apart. And when did you see this? Some friends were at Shakey's last Saturday evening.
> 
> I may cry depending on your answers...
> 
> Meanwhile, I need a haircut. It's been like a few months. Work has been absolutely crazy the past few months. My hair is almost longer than my wife's. Really need to get it cut tonight. Hopefully no fires pop up at work.


 Not sure. Which one is at the south east corner of Bloor and Kenedy? The old Future bakery spot.


----------



## marina628

I love the rain forest Cafe ,we take the kids there couple times a year.Sometimes it can be noisy as it seems to be catching on with birthday parties  But the food is amazing!


----------



## KaeJS

Toronto.gal said:


> Has anyone been to the Rainforest Cafe?
> http://www.rainforestcafe.com/pdf/menus/menu.pdf


Rainforest Cafe at Yorkdale won my vote.

Easier for me to get there, as well. (Less of a drive, less traffic, and of course.... the free parking)


----------



## financialnoob

TRM: I was too afraid to ask. Not sure I could handle the answer. Plus it was 7 am and I doubt either place was answering  But I appreciate the info and links. I did call and I am happy to report Shakey's is still alive and kicking.

Petea4: That's Sharkey's (WHEW). Well their website said they're under new management so maybe that's why? Shakey's is a few blocks west of there, between Beresford and Durie. I'd highly recommend the burger next time you're in the neighbourhood.

Toronto.gal: That's a good idea. The only trade-off is a lot of those restaurants tend to be a bit more expensive than others. As for parking at Y&E, was estimating by the GreenP website. But parking can be quite expensive in that neighbourhood, you're correct.

I haven't been to the Rainforest Cafe, but that sounds cool, it has an endorsement from Marina for good food, and it works for the drivers like KaeJS, so barring any major objections, I'd say the Rainforest Cafe at Yorkdale, the 19th, 12 or 1 pm?

If anyone else besides KaeJS and I are attending (with Toronto.gal as a maybe), then let me know so I can call in advance to make a reservation.


----------



## KaeJS

November 16th at lunch time?

Don't people have to work? 

I have Thursday, the 17th off. But I won't be able to make it any other weekday as I live in Mississauga.

Yorkdale is a good 30-45 minutes away for me. (which is fine, but not on a weekday)

I thought we were doing this on a weekend, financial?

As I said, though. Thursday the 17th would work for me as well.


----------



## financialnoob

Sorry, I'm an idiot.

Read November 16 in Toronto.gal's post but that was the date she could confirm.

Meant the Saturday, the 19th.


----------



## KaeJS

So, I guess the GTA CMF meet is cancelled, as T.Gal can't make it and its only financialnoob and I.

Is there a lack of interest, or are people just too busy this time of year? 

Would anyone be interested in Rescheduling?


----------



## marina628

I am only available during the weekdays for lunch Monday ,Wednesday or Thursday , My husband and I like to keep our weekends for family time so that will never work for me .


----------



## financialnoob

Yeah, re-scheduling to maybe after the holidays makes sense.


----------



## Jungle

marina628 said:


> My husband and I had lunch with Jungle Yesterday ,It was very nice to meet someone with common interests .I don't know about the rest of you but very few family and friends are interested in the news , stocks and retirement planning .Now that we got the first meeting out of the way we are hoping to get together mid November during a week day for lunch probably near Eaton Center .


Just found this post, thank you, Marina and her husband were nice to meet too! With all the financial talk, we almost were going to start a business partnership lol. Nice to talk to someone who is interested in money as well. I agree you can't really turn to your co workers or family and start telling them about what looks interesting or how to make money. 



Toronto.gal said:


> So was Jungle nice?





marina628 said:


> Jungle is very nice person ,no machete or duct tape to be seen lol .


lol thank you for the kind words! 

I am good to meet with you guys. A good location would have free parking. (like a mall suggested above) with a coffee shop or something. (keep it on the cheap) 

If I don't post in this thread and you guys plan something, just send me a PM and let me know.


----------



## marina628

Jungle I was planning to wait to see how much snow we get then invite you to the house to check out the snow blower and nice shovels we have


----------



## Jungle

lol. They were getting 30 Cm up north and west. I will shovel for business advice


----------



## the-royal-mail




----------



## Jungle

long known for the garfield avatar^


----------



## the-royal-mail

I'm from the post office - can't have a garfield avatar. That's your job LOL.


----------



## the-royal-mail

I want summer back.


----------



## mind_business

TRM, do you live on the East Coast? That looks nasty cold already. I live in SW Ontario, and luckily so far ... no snow. Been a light snowfall yesterday, but no accumulation. Today looks sunny, but cool. I've got the day off, so we're heading off to the park with the pups. 

Have a great day everyone!


----------



## m3s

KaeJS said:


> Is there a lack of interest, or are people just too busy this time of year?
> 
> Would anyone be interested in Rescheduling?


How about Christmas in Kabul?

I thought TRM lived in Ontario as well? I miss the snow!


----------



## MoneyGal

KaeJS said:


> So, I guess the GTA CMF meet is cancelled, as T.Gal can't make it and its only financialnoob and I.
> 
> Is there a lack of interest, or are people just too busy this time of year?
> 
> Would anyone be interested in Rescheduling?


Reschedule. I just finished a solid month of cross-continent travel.


----------



## Addy

Any interest in an Ottawa get together?


----------



## financialnoob

Re-scheduling for the new year sounds good since the holidays are kicking in at the malls and schedules are getting pretty booked. 

MG: How was your month-long trip through North America? Are you sick of airports and airport food?


----------



## CanadianCapitalist

Addy said:


> Any interest in an Ottawa get together?


I'll be interested for sure in an Ottawa get together.


----------



## Toronto.gal

I heard that blueberries are effective stress-soothers on days like today! 

Enjoy!



















Hope it helps [much better than marijuana IMO]!


----------



## humble_pie

royal mail did you take that wintry photograph in message # 550 ?

it is so beautiful. It reminds me a bit of alex colville, although we'd need a small abstract human form (parka, profile, boots, hurrying) near the foreground.

or it reminds me of an 18th century japanese woodblock print, although we'd need a small abstract human form (short kimono, profile, pole on shoulder with feroshkii bundle hung from its tip) near the foreground.


----------



## Kim

Hey...I'm back....did u miss me? 

Gosh if blueberries are stress relief then I am going to go and eat a couple gallons right now.

Thanks to CMF admin for having a program that sends out Happy Birthday wishes  

It was happy until I picked up the mail. It seems the gravel company setting up shop next to us would like to haul right through the middle of our ranch ( there is an unused road allowance ). That means our idyllic, peaceful home would be less than a 1/4 mile from the gravel truck road!!!!  Our land value would plummet. It was bad enough that they were developing only 1.5 miles from us in the first place.

But not one to dwell on the negative I am trying to figure out our family's recourse, or PLAN B, or at least the silver lining to what seems to look like a fairly ugly black cloud.

I feel how TRM's picture looks. Thanks for posting that pic.


----------



## humble_pie

hey kim i did miss you.

what i would like for xmas please is a nice photo of vertical challenge cantering through a snowfield ... can you get someone to hold a pine or cedar bough artfully across a corner of the foreground ... probably will look more natural than photoshop.

re the gravel this is awful news. I don't have a plan B or even a suggestion except something that is pretty far-fetched. Goes like this: represent to all who will listen including the gravel company that your farm operation is breeding & raising purebred race & show horses ... a huge part of the value of these high-strung creatures lies in their being super-alert & responsive ... having noisy gravel trucks & gravel operations all day long on the very edge of their fields & meadows is going to severely stress these beautiful equines ... maybe even prevent them from being sold ...


----------



## the-royal-mail

Anyone hungry? It's lunch time. Mmmm corned beef sandwich.


----------



## Toronto.gal

Kim said:


> Hey...I'm back....did u miss me?


What do you think? Of course we did!










*TRM:* I guess I'm not the only one changing avatars around here.


----------



## marina628

Jungle I said this about the duct tape because many people think it is dangerous to meet people from the internet .I have met my share of Weird ones for sure though ha!
I will have to find a good avatar later , I never think of these things Keep the flowers handy we will need to be reminded of spring soon


----------



## financialnoob

After several glowing reviews from CMF members, I decided to get the Aeropress for Christmas. Well my wife got it for me early. Okay, that's not entirely true. I saw a strange expense in our budget one day and guessed what it was so I started rooting around in the closets...but anyways... 

I must say I absolutely love it. Way better than drip coffee, really simple, and so easy to clean up. I've been playing around with some different coffee, even got some basic PC brand stuff, but it tastes really good. So thanks to all for the recommendation.


----------



## the-royal-mail

It's not drip coffee? How does it work? What makes it different?


----------



## MoneyGal

Woot! Another convert!


----------



## humble_pie

hey royal there was a certain cmf forum member who recently complained thusly about parties who post broad general questions which they should easily be able to answer for themselves. Does his critique sound familiar:

_" ... it's just common netiquette to do a search for previous discussions whenever joining a new [thread.] That rule applies on any forum.

" My main objection is that many of these newbies are not even making a simple effort to do some simple searching ... "_


----------



## MoneyGal

I almost spit aero pressed coffee onto my phone!!!


----------



## the-royal-mail




----------



## Kim

I had to go and look up what an aeropress is. Hmph. I have a Saeco machine that does almost the same thing. I know the first thing I would do is press too hard on it and either tip the cup, break it, or cause the plunger to shoot out of the tube like a rocket! Then as I tried to pop the hockey puck into the compost it would turn into coffee grind confetti and go all over the place. Hats off to whomever invested it and is making $ on it. 

Humble Pie I can picture in my minds eye the photo you speak of. What would be needed is 6" of fresh fluffy white snow in an empty paddock, to have said horse want to run around in it, and the right angle ( tree branch in front, sun behind, horse running at picture taker ). I'll see what I can do over the winter.


----------



## Kim

MMMMMMmmmm I am so liking my Starbucks Christmas Blend coffee!!!! I am getting so much more done now that I am drinking it instead of my regular Nabob ( what a funny name ) I am having trouble sleeping at night.
Oh well only 18 days till Christmas.


----------



## Toronto.gal

Kim said:


> Nabob ( what a funny name )


The definition is rich/powerful, so I guess it's not so strange. 

I have been drinking President's Choice Candy-Cane-Coffee.

At home, I drink flavoured coffee most of the time and PC has a good variety; my fav. is Irish Cream & Hazelnut Vanilla.

*Enjoy some candy cane latte/cakes!*


----------



## the-royal-mail

Parents, remind your kids to send their letters in to santa on time and allow for delays as this is a very busy time of year at the post office.










Santa Claus
North Pole, Canada
H0H 0H0


----------



## MoneyGal

Nabob = nawaab = नवाब = governor in the Mughal empire.


----------



## Toronto.gal

You're right M.gal, but is that definition connected to the coffee?


----------



## m3s

the-royal-mail said:


> Parents, remind your kids to send their letters in to santa on time and allow for delays as this is a very busy time of year at the post office.


Isn't it about time Santa got an email address?  Think of all the trees he could save


----------



## MoneyGal

Toronto.gal said:


> You're right M.gal, but is that definition connected to the coffee?


Wikipedia says yes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nabob_(coffee)


----------



## Toronto.gal

You didn't understand me M.gal, but I gotta run now.

Arrivederci!


----------



## Toronto.gal

*Kim:* thank you for making me read/learn about more than just coffee stocks. 

"Coffee is a fruit that grows on a tree not unlike our apple trees. One big difference is that *coffee 
trees can have blossoms, green cherries and ripe red cherries all at the same time!!*  










*Ten Rules For Great Coffee:*

- GOOD WATER
- KEEP COFFEE FRESH AND DONT ADD SALT
- USE THE RIGHT COFFEE TO WATER RATIO
- KEEP BREWED COFFEE FRESH
- SERVE COFFEE IN THE RIGHT TAKE-OUT CUP
- OFFER 18% COFFEE CREAM
- CLEAN! CLEAN! CLEAN!
- NO PERFUME OR COLOGNE 
- REMEMBER TO SMILE AND SAY THANK YOU!
- INCREASE YOUR COFFEE KNOWLEDGE
- COFFEE QUALITY

*Source:* http://www.novacoffee.com/catalogue.pdf

*Some other interesting facts:*

"Nabob Coffee Vancouver's original 'premium blend'
Back in the days before espresso machines and a Starbuck's on every corner, Nabob was the best coffee in town."
http://www.canada.com/vancouvercour....html?id=1f848692-9ea3-4e3d-bf07-76605cb69371

"The company's Nabob brand was registered in 1905 and soon became synonymous with high-quality pre-packaged teas and coffees."
http://biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?id_nbr=8217


----------



## financialnoob

I can't believe December is almost halfway over already. It's been pretty crazy lately. Done all my Christmas shopping though! Then again, I didn't have much to do. But I'm proud of doing it all before spending Christmas eve at the mall like usual... 

BTW, we have family dropping in this weekend and we're looking for a good place to sit down and eat on the west side of Toronto/into Mississauga. They're staying near the airport, but don't mind driving a bit to get somewhere good.


----------



## the-royal-mail

Bombay Chopsticks - Hwy 10 and Bristol

Bombay Touch - Hwy 10 and Matheson

Make advance reservations though, just in case.

Please report on the experience if you end up going!


----------



## Kim

I enjoyed T.Gal's info on coffee so much that I thought I would post another bit of food trivia for those who might be interested....vanilla. In one of the cookie recipes I am making it calls for a "vanilla bean", which I was not familiar with, so I looked it up on wikipedia and added the picture as well so that you can recognize it the next time you are in Madagascar!

Vanilla is a flavoring derived from orchids of the genus Vanilla, primarily from the Mexican species, Flat-leaved Vanilla (V. planifolia). The word vanilla derives from the Spanish word "vainilla", little pod.[1] Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican peoples cultivated vanilla and Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés is credited with introducing both vanilla and chocolate to Europe in the 1520s.[2]

Attempts to cultivate the vanilla plant outside Mexico and Central America proved futile because of the symbiotic relationship between the tlilxochitl vine that produced the vanilla orchid and the local species of Melipona bee; it was not until 1837 that Belgian botanist Charles François Antoine Morren discovered this fact and pioneered a method of artificially pollinating the plant. The method proved financially unworkable and was not deployed commercially.[3] In 1841, Edmond Albius, a 12-year-old slave who lived on the French island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean, discovered the plant could be hand-pollinated. Hand-pollination allowed global cultivation of the plant.[4]

There are currently three major cultivars of vanilla grown globally, all of which derive from a species originally found in Mesoamerica, including parts of modern day Mexico.[5] The various subspecies are Vanilla planifolia (syn. V. fragrans), grown on Madagascar, Réunion, and other tropical areas along the Indian Ocean; V. tahitensis, grown in the South Pacific; and V. pompona, found in the West Indies, Central, and South America.[6] The majority of the world's vanilla is the V. planifolia variety, more commonly known as Bourbon vanilla (after the former name of Réunion, Île Bourbon) or Madagascar vanilla, which is produced in Madagascar and neighboring islands in the southwestern Indian Ocean, and in Indonesia.[7][8] Leptotes bicolor is used in the same way in South America.

Vanilla is the second most expensive spice after saffron,[9][10] because growing the vanilla seed pods is labor-intensive.[10] Despite the expense, vanilla is highly valued for its flavor, which author Frederic Rosengarten, Jr. described in The Book of Spices as "pure, spicy, and delicate" and its complex floral aroma depicted as a "peculiar bouquet".[11] As a result, vanilla is widely used in both commercial and domestic baking, perfume manufacture and aromatherapy.


----------



## KaeJS

the-royal-mail said:


> Bombay Chopsticks - Hwy 10 and Bristol
> 
> Bombay Touch - Hwy 10 and Matheson
> 
> Make advance reservations though, just in case.
> 
> Please report on the experience if you end up going!


These places are both pretty far from the airport.

40 minute drive, no?


----------



## marina628

What kind of food and Budget ,There are few places on Dixon Road which is VERY close to Airport.I cannot meet during these times as we are going to Florida for a week .


----------



## financialnoob

Thanks TRM. I couldn't find much info about Bombay Touch, but assuming it is Indian? 

Bombay Chopsticks was actually recommended by another friend too. I didn't realize it was Haka-style Chinese, which I absolutely love. In fact, we went to a Haka-style Chinese place last night (Spadina Garden by the Eaton Centre, awesome). I'm certainly up for going again. I could eat that stuff every night, I swear. 

KaeJS: Google map said about 15 to 18 minutes for both. But with rush hour, I bet it's 40  j/k 

marina: Not sure about what kind of food, as our guests could lean a few different ways so just trying to get together some good options. Budget, I don't really have one in mind, but I'm more about the food than the ambiance at restaurants. I will go to some seriously sketchy dives and holes in the wall if the food is worth it 

Hope you have a great time in Florida too!


----------



## the-royal-mail

You won't be disappointed with Bombay Chopsticks. About the only downside is it's a smallish place, so if going with more than 1-2 people you'll want advance reservations for sure. The food there is delicious and the place was very clean when I used to go there. If it's still the same manager I'm sure it's still great. Prices good too. This is definitely not a hole in the wall. But if you do go, why not take some pix of the food and the gang and post here after? 

Bombay Touch has EXCELLENT butter chicken and naan. Lots of parking available at this location. Again, make reservations as they sometimes have parties there and they are closed to new business.


----------



## petea4

financialnoob said:


> BTW, we have family dropping in this weekend and we're looking for a good place to sit down and eat on the west side of Toronto/into Mississauga. They're staying near the airport, but don't mind driving a bit to get somewhere good.


Easy to get to, just head south on the 427 from the airport to Dundas St. Clean place, great food and service. Ive never been disappointed with my visits. 

Astoria
1970 Dundas Street East 
Mississauga, ON L4X 2W7
astoriashishkebobhouse.com
(905)*615-1444


----------



## KaeJS

^ Astoria is a GREAT place.

The food is excellent and the atmosphere is fantastic. 

I go there every couple months. I love that place.


----------



## Toronto.gal

Kim said:


> 1. Vanilla is the second most expensive spice after saffron,[9][10] because growing the vanilla seed pods is labor-intensive.[10]
> 
> 2. vanilla is widely used in both commercial and domestic baking, perfume manufacture and aromatherapy.


1. You can say that again! 

Thanks for the information Kim. I knew some, but not all the facts you posted. I can now understand better why this little bottle of Pure Vanilla Extract is so expensive! [$10 if I remember correctly]. 










The artificial kind is much cheaper and no wonder given the explanation below:

"The flavor of real vanilla is made up of over 250 organic components, which gives it great depth and complexity, compared to only one flavor component in artificial vanilla." 

2. I guess I have vanilla flavour in every room as I love vanilla scented candles.


----------



## the-royal-mail

Vanilla was a key component in the home made butter tart recipe I used to follow. Had to cut back account the calories.

Lately I've been fond of vanilla flavoured yogurt. It even smells really good.


----------



## KaeJS

the-royal-mail said:


> Lately I've been fond of vanilla flavoured yogurt. It even smells really good.


Really?

Hm. I can't seem to like it.


----------



## MoneyGal

You can make your own vanilla extract, if you like; by putting vanilla beans in vodka. It won't necessarily be any cheaper, but it is kind of fun to make.


----------



## Toronto.gal

Hmmm, I wonder why Gibor didn't give me that tip when discussing vodka [in political context], a few days ago. 

Thanks for the tip M.gal; I only have rum at home [for baking purposes], so I'll use that one as I read that it can be a substitute for vodka in making the extract.


----------



## humble_pie

.











here's a good recipe for homemade vanilla extract:

http://nelkindesigns.blogspot.com/2010/11/time-to-get-gifting-on.html

note she says a "big" bottle of vodka plus 15 beans plus macerate minimum 3 months, so it's too late for this christmas. Perhaps ready by easter.

frugal note: once she's decanted off the first batch of vanilla extract, she plans to macerate the same vanilla beans in another bottle of vodka. This will probably work, although the flavour will be weaker. At the worst, as she says, she'll have "vanilla-flavoured vodka," which sounds appealing in its own right.

on rum vs vodka liqueurs/macerations: rum & vodka are not interchangeable since rum has a strong flavour, as does brandy or scotch whiskey.

the important ingredient in the maceration process is the alcohol. It both extracts the aromatic phytochemicals & preserves in a sterile medium. Vodka is traditionally used because it's flavourless. This allows the pure flavour of the specialty herb or spice to transfuse best.

rum, brandy & scotch each have flavours with which they can be married. Vanilla would not go well with rum imho, but lemon & orange slivers would, as would cloves, cinnamon, a hint of nutmeg or even dried pepper corns. 

brandy is delicious for northern berry liqueurs such as hawthorn berries, blackberries, elderberries & raspberries.

generally, what grows together goes together. I remember making a joke in class about scotch malt whiskey & buckthorn berries. The resulting near-black tincture would be known as Jezebel, i said, because she would be a violent traitor. Enuf said. (You can look it up if you're curious.)


----------



## marina628

I remember when I was in university sitting with a pot of coffee and a six pack of Butter tarts ,I went from 126 pounds to 144 pounds in one semester LOL. I got high grades though lol.I must have 6 or 8 or 12 bottles of vodka in the house ,vanilla vodka in chocolate martinis!


----------



## financialnoob

petea4: Good call, thanks for that suggestion. I haven't been to the one in Mississauga but their other location on the Danforth is our go-to place for souvlaki.

Still waiting to hear from family about their food choice but thanks for all the recommendations. I'm getting hungry now even though I just ate 

marina: Vanilla vodka in chocolate martinis? Hmmm...that does sound good


----------



## mind_business

Off to fight the shopping hoards today. We have one present left to get for a friend. We know what we want, so hopefully it's easy to find  Love Christmas ... hate shopping. 

Btw, wish I lived a bit close to the TO crowd to join in on your get-togethers. Unfortunately I'm in Cambridge, which is about an hour to the downtown core. It would be nice to meet people with similar goals and interests. Most people I know are more interested in buying the newest model of car, or upgrading their house 

Have a great day everyone!


----------



## financialnoob

So we ended up at Astoria. The food was really, really good. Our server was a bit sleepy but amusing.

We asked if they had gyros, since we didn't see them on the menu and it's odd to find a Greek restaurant that doesn't offer them. She thought we asked if they accepted Euros... 

The souvlaki was great, and that's what they're known for. We got chicken, pork, and lamb. The lamb was good, though I think I will get the pork next time. The saganaki is excellent as well, as was the tzaziki.

And thanks again to all for the recommendations. I do still want to check out some more spots out there, as it's an area I don't often visit. Bombay Chopsticks is one we might check out on our own. We also went by the Muddy Duck, which apparently has a massive brunch buffet which sounded awesome. Has anyone been?

We were totally lost afterwards though and ended up at Ikea somehow  But got some meatballs and took the shuttle bus back to Kipling so it all worked out. 

Also went for dinner at a newer place in the neighbourhood last night, Much Me. It might have the stupidest name for a restaurant (not including Chinese restaurants which would take the first 185 spots on the list of dumb restaurant names), but the food was excellent, and extremely affordable. They have daily specials for under $10. 

My wife got that, which was a very tasty tilapia dish with some sort of cream sauce with all the fixings for under $10. I got a veal parm for $13 which was surprisingly good for the price. I've had better, but I've also paid twice that for those dishes. They also have local Amsterdam beers for $10/pitcher, as well as other domestics/imports which are reasonably priced. 

This is kind of turning into a food thread...


----------



## m3s

financialnoob said:


> We asked if they had gyros, since we didn't see them on the menu and it's odd to find a Greek restaurant that doesn't offer them. She thought we asked if they accepted Euros...


haha gyros is pretty hard for NA's to pronounce but does sound closer to Euros. I'm not big on salads but I love a good Greek salad. Real Greek seafood is pretty unusual compared to what we eat though


----------



## Kim

*Look Mode, I finally got it just in time for Christmas*










Thanks for bringing this limited edition scotch to my attention - my Christmas gift coup!!!


----------



## the-royal-mail

noob, if you're interested in restaurant reviews and recommendations, the best site I know is tripadvisor.com. This is useful for many places around the world (and is also good to check the reviews of hotels and such when you are travelling someplace new) including your own city. There are lots of comments but unfortunately many of those comments are the business owners themselves, or their competition in disguise. So you have to be careful about what you read. It's still a very useful resource and I highly recommend it.


----------



## m3s

Kim said:


> Look Mode, I finally got it just in time for Christmas
> 
> Thanks for bringing this limited edition scotch to my attention - my Christmas gift coup!!!


That's awesome! Let me know how it is received! I haven't opened mine and I couldn't source a 2nd bottle to save, but I've heard good things from _connoisseurs_. If someone bought me that for Christmas, I'd be blown away  I could use a bottle of anything right about now, but all I can find in the local market are shemaghs and fancy carpets


----------



## financialnoob

TRM: Good call. I use that site a lot, though I also refer to Chowhound and Yelp. Both of those are getting a bit too hipsterish lately for my liking.

TripAdvisor's reviews sometimes seem a bit inflated, as I'm sure part of their review is the fact that they're a million miles from home on vacation, and everything tastes better when you're on vacation  But definitely a good resource.

This last week has been a loooooooooooong week. So looking forward to the holiday break. Our office is closed for a week, and then I'm taking another week after that. Just gotta survive the next 3 days, with a big deadline today.

Oh and for those in the downtown core, the new Loblaws at Maple Leaf Gardens is massive, and they have a ton of stuff. Worth checking out once, especially since they have an LCBO and Joe Fresh upstairs. And on the north-east corner of College and Yonge, they've opened up a Bulk Barn. 

I'm totally random this morning.


----------



## MoneyGal

Noob. I'm in the downtown core. We could have a meetup at that Loblaws! I keep forgetting to check it out - someone in my office (Sherbourne and Richmond) went just to see the wall of cheese.


----------



## Toronto.gal

I haven't checked it out either and I'm very close to downtown. Anyway, a friend told me the store is impressive indeed [except I don't like massive stores].


----------



## Four Pillars

I could walk to that Loblaws. It's neat that it's in the old Gardens, but at the end of the day, is still just a grocery store.


----------



## MoneyGal

[Sooooo off-topic...] Is there parking there? I doubt it. But it would be kind of fun to take my kids there. One of my kids loves grocery shopping with me as our weekly one-on-one outing.


----------



## Toronto.gal

There is; free parking in fact with a min. purchase of $18. I was told this when I called a few days ago.

You might be interested in this 'gingerbread house decorating' class for the kids this weekend. 

http://www.loblaws.ca/60carlton


----------



## financialnoob

MoneyGal: You should check it out, and I think the kids would like it too. There are all sorts of reminders of the old Gardens (here's a review), but there's also a ton of stuff not at your regular store. The non-food section is huge (PC appliances???), and they have a ton of separated areas for the bakeries, sweets, prepared foods, et cetera. 

And the wall of cheese is kind of cool to see, though I prefer going to Kensington for cheese since it's so much fresher, cheaper, and better.

Though if we're meeting up, I would think butter chicken trumps grocery shopping. 

Four Pillars: I agree, though they kept a lot of the original building and added some nice touches to remind you of the past. But let's just say I wouldn't line up to get in like people did on opening night. I'm not even sure I'd line up even if the Leafs were still playing there (though they're doing better this year!).


----------



## MoneyGal

Toronto.gal said:


> There is; free parking in fact with a min. purchase of $18. I was told this when I called a few days ago.
> 
> You might be interested in this 'gingerbread house decorating' class for the kids this weekend.
> 
> http://www.loblaws.ca/60carlton


Thanks! We always make a gingerbread house as part of the Habitat for Humanity fundraiser earlier in the year. Our house has already been built and dismantled. 

I think I'm going to try to check out that store soon!


----------



## the-royal-mail

I appreciate the variety of different things offered at those stores, but those are just too darn big. Most of the time I am only getting a half basket of items (express lane) and it just ends up being too much walking around the perimeter of the store to get to the milk, bread and such. It takes too long, too far to walk in those places.

As for going there "soon" I might recommend holding off until after the new year. Grocery stores are extremely busy at this time of year and with all the Christmas shoppers out, parking lots become a frightful place. Best to stay away.

Hope everyone received their Christmas cards. We're in the final stretch now.


----------



## Toronto.gal

Let's be moderately optimistic about 2012, as it will also be the 'Year of the Dragon' [on Jan.23rd] & we're all dragons here, as in courageous & intelligent, aren't we?. 

*The Dragon and Wealth:*

"Dragon years are lucky for anyone thinking of starting a business or initiating a new project of any sort because money is easier to come by for everyone, whether it’s earned, borrowed or received as a gift. Consequently *we can expect the economic downturn to ease up a bit in the coming year.* Fortunes can be made but they can also be lost: Keep in mind like all good things, the Year of the Dragon will come to an end and you will be held accountable for unreasonable extravagances." 

*Cocktail/New Years Cupcakes*


























*Please no drinking & driving!*


----------



## the-royal-mail

Toronto.gal is the best host ever!


----------



## uptoolate

Happy New Year!


----------



## mind_business

Happy New Year!!!


----------



## KaeJS

Guess I'll jump on the bandwagon...

Happy New Year!


----------



## Plugging Along

Happy New Year to those of you out east. I have another hour.

Btw... Year of the dragon hasn't started yet, it's not until the lunar new year.


----------



## Toronto.gal

Plugging Along said:


> Btw... Year of the dragon hasn't started yet, it's not until the lunar new year.


I noted the date above, but here it is again: Jan. 23/15:40 China's time zone.

"An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves." 

Which one were you? We know that we have at least 1 pessimist on the forum. 

Hope you all had an enjoyable New Year's!


----------



## humble_pie

there was a good joke appeared on a ddkay message
so i don't know if ddkay actually posted it or whether it was served up by the ad server.

anyhow it went like this:

WHAT IF YOU ARE EXPECTING 2012
BUT WHAT YOU GET IS 2011S.


----------



## Plugging Along

I missed your post about the date after, and for some reason couldn't edit my post
Still happy new year, and an early Gung Hai Fat Choy with a Sun Ning Fait Lok


----------



## KaeJS

humble_pie said:


> WHAT IF YOU ARE EXPECTING 2012
> BUT WHAT YOU GET IS 2011S.


rofl. 

I'm sure we will all be getting a 2011S


----------



## marina628

I just want to put it out there that my housekeeper makes the best butter chicken in the world ,we can work something out at my house any Tuesday or Friday for lunch .January is extremely busy for me as I have trip to Florida plus Hosting event In London England .
We can make a play for February though. 
Marina


----------



## MoneyGal

February I'm in Los Angeles and Raleigh and Vienna.  Keep trying - I'd love to sample that butter chicken!


----------



## kcowan

I will be there in August visiting my grandchildren of my two sons. Until then PV and West Van. After that sailing the Adriatic coast and a trip to Instabul. Let me know a date and I will try to be there.


----------



## Kim

Well Humble that photo op. of horses running through the snow is on hold until we get some snow to run through - it has been the warmest winter I can remember, so far, in Alberta. One bonus is our frozen pond makes a great skating rink. 
















And I couldn't help take one of the horses. Sorry the pics are so big. I'll try and get them smaller if I post more.


----------



## m3s

Toronto.gal said:


> "An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves."
> 
> Which one were you? We know that we have at least 1 pessimist on the forum.
> 
> Hope you all had an enjoyable New Year's!


Actually I'm a realist, so I didn't care about the time at all! I enjoyed hearing about friends celebrating from supper time until the next morning haha which just highlights how irrelevant the timing really is. You should try forgetting all those negative grudge's T.gal, they will weigh you down and it's a new year already! The only new year's fireworks I saw were of the kinetic more dangerous kind, but I definitely plan to be in SE Asia for the Chinese one


----------



## Toronto.gal

*Kim:* thanks for sharing your lovely photos! 

*mode3sour:* Happy New Year to you too!


----------



## uptoolate

Great photos Kim. Will be looking forward to the horses in the snow - I am sure it will come at some point!


----------



## financialnoob

The first day back to work from vacation always sucks the most.


----------



## uptoolate

At least the weather was great so the drive was good!


----------



## the-royal-mail

Banned for being up too late.


----------



## financialnoob

The day TRM becomes a mod is the day we all are doomed


----------



## HaroldCrump

the-royal-mail said:


> Banned for being up too late.


Banned for banning in the non-banning thread. Please ban in the banning thread.


----------



## the-royal-mail

LOL! Thanks for the laugh Harold. I needed that.

Apologies for having posted that in the wrong thread.


----------



## Toronto.gal

Enjoy some smile cookies!


----------



## the-royal-mail

Remember that while postage rates have increased by 2 cents effective January 16, there is no need to purchase penny stamps if you have P stamps purchased before this date. Any P stamp will be honoured at current lettermail rates.

Here is one of the new stamps for this year.


----------



## Toronto.gal

How exciting TRM.  Thanks for the update.

A Romanian friend of mine likes the animals better: 

*Adorable!*









*Not so much.*


----------



## uptoolate

Can't believe I got banned in the non-banning thread. But thanks TRM, I did manage to stock up on a few stamps. I tend to favour the critters too TG.


----------



## Toronto.gal

恭喜發財 - Gong Xi Fa Cai to all those who celebrate! 

A year of courage & prosperity.  

"The Dragon, however, is a reminder everyone has dreams, and that the time to pursue them is now."

http://blog.ctnews.com/lenhard/2011/12/11/2012-year-of-the-water-dragon/


----------



## Kim

Can't seem to kick this ginger snap kick I have been on since Christmas - Mmm good, especially with coffee!


----------



## Barwelle

Hey All!

On humble's suggestion, I'm joining you all in the legendary coffee house. 

In the spirit of posting pictures of food and drinks...

A photo (not mine though) of an overpriced but delicious vanilla latte, which I drank while sharing an evening with a pleasant young lady. Met her right after work this afternoon... they had to kick us out at closing time.

Oh, life is good.


----------



## the-royal-mail

Hi Kim, YUM! Thanks for the tasty treats.

Did you ever get that library book scam sorted out?


----------



## mind_business

OK, I've got to check my meeting notifications at work more closely. I had booked this day off as a vacation day some time ago. I noticed just yesterday that I had subsequently accepted a Interview appointment for a position in my group scheduled for today  Yes I screwed up, but why did the HR department schedule this on my booked-off day??? I kind of feel sorry for the person I'm interviewing today, hopefully I'll be able to present my happy face


----------



## Toronto.gal

Astonishing! 

This tiny songbird makes a 14,600-km migration each year from Alaska to Africa.










http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/0...km-migration-each-year-from-alaska-to-africa/


----------



## Kim

Barwelle your back! Terrific! Hope you had a good trip - and glad you made it safe and sound.

That is one of the wonderful things about life, the tingly feeling you get when you can spend time with someone you like. 

TRM - well the ball is in their court and although they have threatened me I am willing to stay the course I have chosen until they follow through on their words. 

And TGal If only I had half the gumption that those tiny birds have.


----------



## humble_pie

morning Kim.

do you remember that barwelle is the person who named Vertical Challenge. He proposed vertically challenged; i thought this should be shortened to the stronger noun/verb form.

now that he's back barwelle says he never saw your beautiful pix of VC & sibs. Can you possibly dig one up. Not to speak of an update on vertical's life. I hope you haven't sold him.

no pictures of muffins, breakfast, coffee, etc. I think that fad has run its course. Can we think of something else to send, at least for a while.

in the meantime, while thinking, i'll send you a hug. Plus a handful of carrots for the horses.


----------



## brad

Well as long as we're posting photos of long-distance fliers, here's one I took in the late 1970s of a peregrine falcon. We caught this bird during a fall migration study at Democrat Point, on the southwestern tip of Long Island, New York (near NY City), and it had been previously banded in Greenland. We took a few measurements and let it continue on to South America.


----------



## humble_pie

birds are good, for a while.

please no more comestibles, for a while. Even though it's a coffee lounge.

from the grumpy goat in a newfoundland outport:


----------



## Toronto.gal

Kim said:


> And TGal If only I had half the gumption that those tiny birds have.


Isn't their courage amazing Kim?! I am pretty jealous of their amazing navigational skills & sixth sense of direction [I get lost in my own neighbourhood].  

I have read a lot about the tactics used to make their long journey, but I'm still in awe of nature & its incredible beauties!

*Brad:* you have been absent from this thread for so long! You reminded me of the beautiful birds I saw in Panamá's rainforest [in cages].  Thinking of going back there for another holiday!


----------



## Kim

Hope everyone had an enjoyable Family day. I spent it with my son in a hockey arena attending a Spring Hockey tryout. Although we are ( which means "I am" ) not interested ( not driving ) in participating in another 3 months of hockey I was curious to see where he fit in with the other prospects for the team. It went well. 

The costs for playing organized hockey are endless, I never realized how many children must never get the chance to participate in certain sports due to the high fees.

And in other news I was annoyed to see that the Greeks are on track to make it in the EU, choking down their bad medicine. And here I was waiting for their demise - I wonder if that classifies me as a pessimist?


----------



## Barwelle

Hockey is probably the worst for it, since the cost is already so high there would be fewer kids playing, which means fewer teams, which means you have to travel farther to play games... which adds to the cost (and time) commitment. Still, it's good to have him involved in something. I watched Planet Earth with my mother for Family Day!

Yup Kim, I made it back safe and sound. No bad incidents to report, though I didn't put myself into particularly dangerous situations either. Towards the end of my trip, I went to some less travelled countries (Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia) and those were some of the most interesting ones to visit.

Yes, I second Humble's suggestion to post some pictures of Vertical Challenge! I see you were wanting to get some epic shots of him running through the snow but it hasn't happened yet thanks to this "winter" we're having... we got some down here around Edmonton on Sunday and today, maybe you got some further up north too?

I also am annoyed with the good news today... I was hoping to make a few more first steps into investing today, but everything I was looking at is up, some as much as 3%! Though it's starting to slide back down at the moment.


----------



## Kim

Just watched another good episode of Person of Interest. The plot tonight was based on stock trading - the cool thing was that a year ago I might not have known what they were talking about in regards to markets BUT tonight I knew!

I guess that means your never too old to learn.


----------



## Toronto.gal

Kim said:


> The plot tonight was based on stock trading - the cool thing was that a year ago I might not have known what they were talking about in regards to markets BUT tonight I knew!


Great feeling, right Kim?! 

"Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death."


----------



## CanadianCapitalist

Kim said:


> Just watched another good episode of Person of Interest.


I missed last night's. It's one of my favourite shows. I'm now looking forward to it because it sounds interesting.


----------



## kcowan

Lucky we have it on PVR. I will make a point of watching it next!


----------



## Kim

I thought this might be of interest to our guitar players / makers - a mix of music and money!

Maker of Fender guitars files for $200M IPO

NEW YORK, N.Y. - The company that makes Fender guitars says it is going public with a $200 million IPO.

The iconic guitar maker was founded in 1946 by Leo Fender, and Fender guitars were played by some of the world's biggest music stars, from The Beatles to Jimi Hendrix to Eric Clapton.

Fender Musical Instruments Corp. says it's the country's biggest seller of electric, acoustic and bass guitars. It also makes amplifiers and other instruments including banjos, ukuleles and mandolins.

The Scottsdale, Ariz., company says about $100 million of the initial public offering's proceeds will go to pay debt.

It intends to list the "FNDR" symbol on the Nasdaq.


----------



## humble_pie

happy spring everybody.












_- the plum estate at kameido, 1857, hiroshige_


----------



## Toronto.gal

Spring indeed!

Had snow on Friday morning, but 16c in Toronto today. 

Hope everyone else is enjoying good weather.

Kim, I heard kevin O'Leary talk about the Fender IPO. Are you interested?


----------



## mind_business

TG, it's supposed to be 20 degrees on Thursday  

We enjoyed the warm weather today. BBQ'd up some burgers. Took the pups to the park. It was a great day!


----------



## financialnoob

**** the time change.

That is all...


----------



## KaeJS

financialnoob said:


> **** the time change.
> 
> That is all...


I never understood why they don't just change it 30 minutes and leave it alone forever...

Apparently, though, humans are intelligent.


----------



## Spudd

Kae, me too. I've been saying that for years.


----------



## MoneyGal

All y'all can move to the (apparently forward-thinking) Saskatchewan to avoid DST.


----------



## financialnoob

KaeJS: That would be too simple. We can never do things the simple way.

MG: That would be terrible


----------



## m3s

If we're getting rid of DST, how about abolishing the time zones as well in this ever multinational era? I'm constantly converting time depending who's small world I'm talking to.


----------



## MoneyGal

My fave time zone change is the one between India and Nepal: 15 minutes. 

FN: Apparently Hawai'i also has no DST, which may be more to your liking (I only know Saskatchewan because my sister lives there, and I can never figure out what time it is when I'm phoning her).


----------



## Four Pillars

MoneyGal said:


> My fave time zone change is the one between India and Nepal: 15 minutes.


Haha - that's nuts.




MoneyGal said:


> FN: Apparently Hawai'i also has no DST, which may be more to your liking (I only know Saskatchewan because my sister lives there, and I can never figure out what time it is when I'm phoning her).


Have you heard of Google?  My sister has lived in a number of places in Asia and NZ and I just google "time in xyz".


----------



## brad

I worked for a guy who was famous for ignoring time zones; he routinely called people in Hawaii when he got into his office in Boston at 8:30 a.m, waking them up at 2:30 am and firing questions at them. He never learned.


----------



## Barwelle

I'm pro-DST. I like how it maximises the usefulness of daylight during the summer.

Time zones are a PITA sometimes though. Maybe back when they were first set, it was okay to have odd timezones like in Newfoundland, (and the quarter-hour ones that I didn't know existed until MG's post!) but with the level of globalization we have today, I think it would be easier on everyone if they were all set to 1-hour increments.


----------



## Toronto.gal

At least we just skipped an hour, not a day!

I was reminded of *Samoa & Tokelau.* 

"Local time up to 29 December had been 23 hours behind Auckland - but now it is one hour ahead."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16351377


----------



## ddkay

Happy St. Patricks weekend


----------



## indexxx

Kim said:


> I thought this might be of interest to our guitar players / makers - a mix of music and money!
> 
> Maker of Fender guitars files for $200M IPO
> 
> NEW YORK, N.Y. - The company that makes Fender guitars says it is going public with a $200 million IPO.
> 
> The iconic guitar maker was founded in 1946 by Leo Fender, and Fender guitars were played by some of the world's biggest music stars, from The Beatles to Jimi Hendrix to Eric Clapton.
> 
> Fender Musical Instruments Corp. says it's the country's biggest seller of electric, acoustic and bass guitars. It also makes amplifiers and other instruments including banjos, ukuleles and mandolins.
> 
> The Scottsdale, Ariz., company says about $100 million of the initial public offering's proceeds will go to pay debt.
> 
> It intends to list the "FNDR" symbol on the Nasdaq.


Yes, I caught that the other day. I've been a guitar player for 30 years, (1968 Les Paul Goldtop with early '60's PAF's and Boogie amps, if anyone cares!) I'm interested to see how a company like Fender plays out on the IPO. Seems like the big splashes are always techs etc, and this of course is a long-standing company making specialty products. I might allocate a bit on release; after all, Buffett always says to buy companies you understand!


----------



## Toronto.gal

Yesterday, I met a friend here: [and remembered MoneyGal]. 

http://www.loblaws.ca/60carlton 

While we were having lunch, we spoke about, what else, the markets! Anyway, a couple had been sitting next to us on the same large table, but we were so deep in conversation, that I personally had not noticed them, until the lady politely interrupted us and asked for advice about becoming DIY investors. Anyway, I recommended books to them as well as this forum, so I hope they will join!

It is really great to see interest increasing, especially among women! 

"TORONTO, July 18, 2011 /CNW/ - Women do-it-yourself (DIY) investors are thriving online, finds the first TD Waterhouse Women's Online Investing Poll. The survey found that the number of women who invest online is increasing, with 66% signing up in the last five years. Additionally, 50% of women plan on increasing the portion of their portfolio with their online brokerage."

Coincidentally, someone else on this forum had similar experience this week, but in reverse, he did the interrupting.


----------



## mind_business

ddkay ... did you take the wrong turn ... and end up in Saskatchewan


----------



## financialnoob

Next year I get the flu shot. I forgot how bad it can be.


----------



## Toronto.gal

Where is Kim? 

For those interested in birds:

*Hawk vs Falcon*

http://www.differencebetween.net/science/nature/difference-between-a-hawk-and-a-falcon/

Have a great weekend everyone [from Summer back to Winter in TO].


----------



## brad

Toronto.gal said:


> Where is Kim?
> 
> For those interested in birds:


Hmpf, there are a lot of inaccuracies in that article. Falcons aren't "smaller than hawks," as you can demonstrate by comparing the size of a gyrfalcon with that of a sharp-shinned hawk. And years ago before the nomenclature changed, peregrine falcons were called duck hawks, kestrels were called sparrow hawks, and merlins were called pigeon hawks. 

Some birding guides lump the accipiters, marsh hawks, and falcons together under the general category of "hawks," or else "raptors" (which also include eagles, ospreys, and even vultures, although vultures in North America are more closely related to storks). 

You could legitimately consider falcons a subset of hawks; it's true that falcons have long pointed wings and rounded heads; they tend to be quite fast and agile, although kestrels aren't particularly known for their great speed (more often you see them hovering over fields looking for grasshoppers and mice).


----------



## Toronto.gal

You can't believe everything you read, right?

I'll get a book from the library for more accurate details.

Falcon or hawk?


----------



## brad

Toronto.gal said:


> Falcon or hawk?


Looks like a hawk to me, possibly a rough-legged if that was taken here in the East.

Strictly speaking I guess most birders today would draw a distinction between falcons and "hawks," but "hawks" is also a generic term -- it's kind of like "bugs" -- there's a specific order of insects called true bugs, but people also use the term "bugs" to refer to all insects.


----------



## Toronto.gal

You're right Brad! It's a Harris Hawk.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harris's_Hawk


----------



## brad

Hah! We never get those up here (they're native to the Southwest and Mexico) so I've never seen one. Identifying birds from photographs is always hard, which is why I never use field guides that are based on photographs. However, if you're interested in bird guides it's worth checking out the amazing new series from Crossley, which use images compiled from digital photographs -- this is the first photo-based guide to birds that looks actually useful. The problem with most photos is that they show too much detail and it's hard to see the forest for the trees -- paintings bring out just the key features that you're likely to see in the field. Crossley manages to do that with his photos as well: http://www.crossleybooks.com/


----------



## Toronto.gal

Thanks Brad [I have seen those birds in Chile].


----------



## humble_pie

.

this is a "lovebird" says its creator.
must be why its eyelids droop so delicately.












springtime hugs to my fave hawks & doves ...


----------



## ddkay

It's snowing. 

The weather has been very strange this year.

I like the bird lol.


----------



## Toronto.gal

It's been wacky weather indeed!

Today is Autumn, but tomorrow will be back to Winter [-5].

*Moonbow Photography*










http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/moonbow-lunar-rainbow-photography/


----------



## Barwelle

Those moonbows are so cool!

Love those rare natural occurences type things. Like the bioluminescent phytoplankton that I think someone posted on here. (Might have been you again, T.Gal)

On another subject... Montanans no longer have to sing "Oh give me a home... where the buffalo roam..." Article here. A plan is in the works to create a 3.6 million acre reserve in Montana for bison (not buffalo) and other native species to the "grassland biome." A few hundred bison already roam the area. Interesting factoid: Most bison in North America actually are (or have been) crossbred with cattle, but these and a few other herds are still purebred bison.

I like these stories about reducing human impact on the environment.


----------



## the-royal-mail

Banned for saying those moonbows are cool, when you yourself have a really cool avatar. Thank you for promoting western Canadian wheat in your avatar.


----------



## Toronto.gal

Interesting article Barwelle.

All I can say is that nature & its contrast is amazing! Take a look at these majestic & staggering colourful beauties:

Moose:










Exotic birds:










Rare blue & white peacock:


----------



## Barwelle

Banned outside of the non-banning thread... ouch!

Thanks TRM. I should be promoting wheat... my family grows it. Will be interesting to see how things play out over the next few years with the demise of the Canadian Wheat Board. The avatar is actually from Farmville... didn't realize that till after I posted it. Haha. Oh well.

Those are great pics. I like the moose the most... the colours blend so well in that shot. Have you seen BBC's Planet Earth?


----------



## JustAGuy

Lorikeets! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-collared_Lorikeet I miss living in Australia


----------



## Toronto.gal

So many colours in that red-collared Lorikeet, amazing!

*Barwelle:* I posted the moose for you [I figured you would like it better than tropical birds]. :wink:

*Frigatebirds:* these birds do not swim and cannot walk well, and cannot take off from a flat surface. Having the largest wingspan to body weight ratio of any bird, they are essentially aerial, able to stay aloft for more than a week, landing only to roost or breed on trees or cliffs.

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

*Female:*







Male:









[I guess I'm in a 5 minute bird learning mood today].


----------



## the-royal-mail

Any photos/info on Atlantic Puffins, tgal?


----------



## Toronto.gal

Such cute little things.

Why don't you tell us about them [my learning break is over].

"The Atlantic Puffin is the provincial bird for the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador."


----------



## brad

Toronto.gal said:


> S
> *Frigatebirds:* these birds do not swim and cannot walk well, and cannot take off from a flat surface.


In some respects frigatebirds are like the anti-loon: loons swim wonderfully (although like frigatebirds they can't walk well...their legs are placed too far back), and if they land in a small pond they'll never be able to fly back out because they require a long "runway" of water in order to build up enough speed to be able to take off. This is why you only see loons on larger lakes. They must be able to take the measure of a lake's size before they decide to land in it; if it's too small they'll avoid it because they'll be trapped there forever.


----------



## Toronto.gal

Very interesting Brad. I'm impressed with your knowledge!

Next on my list, is learning more about the tallest living animal [they are more interesting than humans].

For those who celebrate:










And everyone else, enjoy the long weekend!


----------



## humble_pie

brad said:


> ... if they land in a small pond they'll never be able to fly back out because they require a long "runway" of water in order to build up enough speed to be able to take off.


omigosh there has to be a romantic first nation story somewhere about grandmother loon who landed but could never take off again ...

how she interacted with the humans who came to the lake. The children, how she called to them & taught them. About fishing. How to listen in the moonlight.

in the end it was the children who grew up & flew away for her, taking her spirit across the land ...


----------



## Toronto.gal

*"Q. One would think bilingualism might help with multitasking — does it?"*

What do you think? 

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/31/science/31conversation.html


----------



## humble_pie

ah, so that's how she does it.

on many mornings, see how the marvellously multilingual madame "M" mysteriously manages multiple miracle trades.

me i am a simpleton kind of crumb. I did obtain quite a few gains by fast-trading just one venture stock in march but the effort was totally exhausting. I'm planning to go back to dull, boring, predictible options.
.


----------



## Kim

This time of the year I am outside a lot and throughout the day the skies are filled with the migrating birds. The loud, non-stop squawking Canadian Geese, the magestic Swans and the high flying, soaring, cranes. I think I like watching the cranes the most, as they effortlessly float along airstreams. When they reach a thermal column they ride the hot air elevator to new heights from which to continue their trip.

Did you know that in certain cases you can claim pet food as a tax write off! And breast augmentation - I would not have guessed that one.

PC's were voted back in here last night. I think most people thought Wildrose would have taken a bigger bite of the cake.


----------



## Toronto.gal

You really want to make us jealous, don't you kim? It sounds heavenly! As you probably heard, some of us are back to Winter, with snow and all.

No, I did not know about all the tax write-offs, but yes, I was familiar with some cosmetic surgery approvals. Breast reduction for example, would be approved with the person's health in mind [to alleviate neck and shoulder pain], so it makes sense, and I suppose the augmentation is for psychological reasons. 

There are other surprising write-offs, too, for those that may not have filed yet. :rolleyes2:

Not surprised with the election results!


----------



## Barwelle

Toronto.gal said:


> Not surprised with the election results!


Why not? I am. I thought it would have been neck-and-neck. Really seemed like this time, things would be different (not that I wanted it to be). Though it's kind of like investing: you can make as many predictions and run as many polls as you want (and analyze stocks as much as you want), but you never know what's going to happen until it happens.

Pet food as a tax write-off? That must be for seeing-eye dogs and such?

Yea, it's great to be getting wildlife back now. Everything is still pretty brown here, but last night the frogs were croaking. It's so much better to listen to that rather than traffic.


----------



## Toronto.gal

Barwelle said:


> Why not? I am.


I could ask you the same, why not? I am. :biggrin:

There are many reasons: I'm a contrarian [regardless of what the polls seemed to have indicated from day one]; they had previously won 11 consecutive elections [majority at that]. I'll let you figure out the other reasons.


----------



## Kim

Barwelle I read a Canadian article this morning about a farmer who won the right in court to use pet food receipts as tax write offs as he claimed the animals kept wildlife from ruining his crop?? I might ask our acct. about it next year as I have to put pet food on the budget with a large dog and 4 cats. The dog is supposed to be for security and the cats are for mice control! 

The way the media was spinning early voting results - Wildrose had it in the bag. Makes me wonder if the PC election managers didn't supply the media with that info. in order to scare possible WRP votors back to their PC voting ways to keep things from getting too far to the right???? 

Oh Tgal I heard about your unlucky weather forecast and saw some pics already - hang in there - summer will be right back.


----------



## Barwelle

Toronto.gal said:


> I could ask you the same, why not? I am. :biggrin:


Oh, of course you can ask me the same. I wasn't questioning you, I was just curious why you expected the PCs to remain. I thought the Wildrose would have a stronger showing because I figured that Albertans were more right-wing than they turned out to be.



Toronto.gal said:


> they had previously won 11 consecutive elections [majority at that].


How does that saying go... ah yes. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results! :wink:

That's interesting, Kim. I hadn't thought of writing it off as a business expense. Come to think of it, I think my parents do buy pet food through the farm. 

There's a conspiracy theory there... PCs manipulating election results released by the media... Wait, I thought they had to wait untill polling stations close to release the results as they come in? I didn't get in until after polls closed.


----------



## marina628

Would be nice to be able to write off some vet bills to go with the food.


----------



## KaeJS

Enjoy yourselves today. Life is short!

Here's my Tuesday Afternoon :wink:


----------



## HaroldCrump

KaeJS said:


> Enjoy yourselves today. Life is short!


Funded by SU profits, no doubt 

And yes, life is indeed short for smokers


----------



## KaeJS

HaroldCrump said:


> Funded by SU profits, no doubt
> 
> And yes, life is indeed short for smokers


Lol @ SU profits.

And I knew someone would make the smoker comment. :rolleyes2:

:biggrin:


----------



## Toronto.gal

You guys are making me ROFL.

Actually, I'm now doing my 1/2 hour daily cleaning with nice music!










Happy May everyone! [Labour Day in other parts of the world].

*KaeJS:* you did make a profit with SU & MT [just not as much].


----------



## humble_pie

*the friday follies*

last friday i happened to answer the phone. An elderly female voice quavered out a request to speak to mr. or mrs. mylastname.

may i ask who is calling, i replied, because there has recently been some sort of leak in the do-not-call system & many sales/marketing people seem to be coldcalling.

the voice quavered on to say that she was calling from paris, france & she was searching for a scrap of information for a family tree she was working on. Specifically she was seaching for a lady, a remote 2nd or 3rd cousin on her mother's side, who had married a well-known doctor with the same last name as myself. And they had lived in the same municipality that i live in.

i explained that the doctor was well-known, but the 2 families are not related. 

the quavering voice sighed. Her mother used to write to the cousin who had married the doctor, she said. Her mother was a mcDougall. The family had originated from glasgow, scotland. I myself am 84 years old, the quaver continued.

it's so difficult to do genealogical research, added madame de 84 ans. Most of the people i reach have voice-mail.

but it must be so expensive by phone, i said, having noticed the telltale echo on the line. Although you do seem to be phoning on a VOIP system.

i have no idea, she replied. My daughter is a vice-president of france telecom, so they gave me this long-distance service for free.

by this time i was finding my caller tremendously charming, even if she was an elderly front who had been recruited by a nigerian.

do you speak french, i asked.

i think i do, & i believe i can understand it, she replied. But my children tell me that i cannot speak french at all.

as it happens, there are numerous mcDougalls in canada & even in the community where i live, so it's likely that this elderly lady does have remote mcDougall cousins in canada, if in fact her genealogy story is true.

also i was thinking to myself that genealogical research is a great pastime for elderly persons, it helps to keep them in good mental shape.

in the end, i asked for her name & mail address, because it was crossing my mind that i might write to her. After a moment's hesitation, she gave me both.

later, i checked some of my caller's ID in the internet. There is indeed a female vice-president of france telecom with my caller's married last name. It's an unusual name.

madame's address turns out to be a modern apartment building in a paris suburb named plessis-robinson.

i never wrote to her. I'm pretty sure i won't. So i'm left with the question: was she a nigerian front. Have they stooped to recruiting 84-year-old pensioners & equipping them with VOIP lines.

the thing was, she never asked me for anything at all.


----------



## brad

I once received a similar call, not from a quaver in France but from a young woman in the western United States who was trying to track down a man who had the same last name as me, and she was calling all of them in the phone book. I couldn't help her, but before she hung up she said, "can I ask you a personal question?" I said, "well, I may not answer it, but go ahead." She asked, "do you have knobby shoulders?" In fact I do, and so do my brothers. A doctor once told me "you could hang a coat off your shoulder." It turns out she's been asking this question of every man with my family's name and she said about 70% of us say yes.


----------



## Four Pillars

Just went for a brief walkabout in downtown T.O. 

It's hot out there!!


----------



## MoneyGal

Did you bike this morning? I consciously have to tell myself to slow down these days. People always think winter riding is hard...but summer riding takes more managing, IMO!


----------



## Four Pillars

MoneyGal said:


> Did you bike this morning? I consciously have to tell myself to slow down these days. People always think winter riding is hard...but summer riding takes more managing, IMO!


Yes, I did. I have a shower at the gym after my ride, so I don't have to take it easy.


----------



## Spudd

I ride in my business clothes too, and I totally agree about it being harder when it's hot out! I am used to keeping a certain brisk pace, but when it's 25+ degrees out, that means sweat. I have to consciously tell myself to slow down.


----------



## Toronto.gal

Who rode their bikes today? Feels like 33c in T.O. with the humidity.

Stay cool everyone!


----------



## Four Pillars

I didn't mind the heat today.

I recall one ride home last summer when it was 38 or 39 degrees - now that was hot!


----------



## MoneyGal

I rode. Nice ride!


----------



## Barwelle

I wish I could ride. My commute would be 2hrs+ one-way 

I loved it when I was going to college... my bike ride was just as long as driving would have taken at about 20 minutes, minus the hassle to find parking. Did that year round!


----------



## brad

I rode but it doesn't count because I work at home so it doesn't matter how sweaty I get (it was actually kind of cool here in Montreal today; I wore a jacket this morning). I "bike to work" by leaving the house the same time my girlfriend leaves for her job downtown; I have a 45-minute route that I take each morning. By rights I should do the same commute in the evening but the bike paths and roads are too full of tired, careless people rushing to get home to make it much fun. Things are quieter in the morning and I can maintain a good pace.


----------



## Spudd

I rode too. This morning was fine - I had to be at work by 6:15 so it was cool out. The ride home was hot but luckily on the way home I don't care if I get sweaty.


----------



## Toronto.gal

brad said:


> I rode but it doesn't count because.....it was actually kind of cool here in Montreal today.....


That's right, it doesn't count for you because you needed a jacket; lucky you!

I'm amazed at those who ride their bikes in 30c weather & even in the high 20's.

So I gather you guys perspired while MG was glowing.


----------



## Four Pillars

I officially declare this morning as perfect riding weather in T.O. What a joy it was to ride today.

It's amazing what a drop in humidity will do...


----------



## MoneyGal

No bike ride today. Working at home this morning, then participating in a public debate on pensions, then going to the office for a few hours, then a dinner thing. Too many stops and too much dressing up required for bike riding, boo!


----------



## Four Pillars

MoneyGal said:


> No bike ride today. Working at home this morning, then participating in a public debate on pensions, then going to the office for a few hours, then a dinner thing. Too many stops and too much dressing up required for bike riding, boo!


That's too bad MG. That debate looks pretty interesting.


----------



## HaroldCrump

MoneyGal said:


> No bike ride today. Working at home this morning, then participating in a public debate on pensions, then going to the office for a few hours, then a dinner thing.


Are these debates recorded, MG?
Is a recording (audio or video) available publicly?
I am very interested to listen/watch such a debate.
Love the way the title is phrased : _Canadians are Incapable of Saving_ )


----------



## Toronto.gal

I would be interested 2!

Great location for the debate! It reminds me that I used to study a lot at Hart House in my uni. days.

*FP:* yes, a perfect day for anything! [& finally my headache is gone along with the humidity]. :rolleyes2:


----------



## the-royal-mail

I drove in this morning. Was a great morning for a nice, leisurely drive.


----------



## Beaver101

> Longevity calculator. .... Yet, they can predict how long you're likely to live.


 ... right, like the odds (disease, accidents, stress from living, etc) are in the favour of mortality. Hard to believe the calculator is not flawed or biased.


----------



## MoneyGal

Here is a link to the official video of the HOOPP/Walrus Magazine debate: 

http://hoopp.com/Learning-Resources/Symposiums/Pension-Debate/


----------



## Four Pillars

MoneyGal said:


> Here is a link to the official video of the HOOPP/Walrus Magazine debate:
> 
> http://hoopp.com/Learning-Resources/Symposiums/Pension-Debate/


I just skipped through the video - MG were you in there somewhere? I thought you were one of the panel?


----------



## MoneyGal

No, I was a "provocateur:" I was one of two people formally asking questions of the panel (before they opened it up to ranting, I mean questions from the audience). I wasn't glamourous enough to make the video I suppose, but my true triumph was to get a roomful of people to talk about Otto von Bismarck -- one guy even made a terrible pun in response about "Otto-matic" pension contributions.


----------



## MoneyGal

And why Otto von Bismarck, you ask? Because pensions: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_von_Bismarck#Welfare_state


----------



## brad

We spent the first 10 days of June in coastal Brittany; thought I'd share a few photos here so you can see the beautiful countryside.









Near St-Gildas de Rhuys









The abbey (parts of which date to the 9th century) in St-Philibert-de-Grand-Lieu, south of Brittany.









We saw gorgeous cottage gardens everywhere.









The Chateau de Suscinio on the Presq'Île de Rhuys; abandoned for many decades and recently restored.


----------



## Toronto.gal

Beautiful indeed! 

Thanks for sharing Brad & hope you had a great vacation!

*MG:* aka 'provocateur', thanks for the link!


----------



## Four Pillars

Indeed - nice pics Brad.


----------



## brad

Thanks, it was a great trip, despite quite a bit of rain and heavy wind. We spent most of our time visiting my girlfriend's family, which meant marathon eating and drinking sessions: lunches lasted 3 hours and suppers lasted at least 4 hours, with different wines for each course. Amazingly I only gained 1.5 kilos, but we burned off some of the food with bike rides and hikes along the coast.

I got what I thought was a great deal on a rental car from AutoEurope (only $280 for 9 days, unlimited distance), but then I discovered that my car insurance doesn't cover rentals in Europe, nor do I have a credit card that provides insurance coverage on rentals, so I had to buy the insurance and that bumped my total cost to $760. That won't happen again, as I've switched car insurance companies and my new policy will provide international coverage anywhere I rent a car.


----------



## Barwelle

Marathon eating and drinking sessions indeed.

The French do like their meals. I spent some time in an area called Correze at a chambre d'hote (kind of like a bed and breakfast, but it was the dinner in the evening that was the main meal served, in addition to a light breakfast). Every night, supper started at 6:00 and lasted until 9:00 or 10:00, with socializing lasting as late as midnight. They had some kind of chestnut lequeur they called Chataigne which they mixed with white wine. Delicious. Even tried frog legs, and they had fun teaching me the proper pronunciation of grenouille.

One of the ladies I worked with there was stunned after I told her that many workplaces only give 1/2 hr for lunch. 

Great that you had some connections in the area, and got to see some of the more rural parts of France. I think people miss out on so much if they only see Paris. Maybe you came back with some new recipes to share on CMF?


----------



## brad

Barwelle said:


> One of the ladies I worked with there was stunned after I told her that many workplaces only give 1/2 hr for lunch.
> 
> Great that you had some connections in the area, and got to see some of the more rural parts of France. I think people miss out on so much if they only see Paris. Maybe you came back with some new recipes to share on CMF?


Everything closes for 2 hours for lunch in France, at least in Brittany. It's funny, I've been to France about seven times now and I've still yet to set foot in Paris -- we just fly there and transfer immediately to another flight to Nantes. Charles de Gaulle airport in Roissy gets my vote as the most confusing, frustrating, poorly designed and badly run airport in the western world. We've learned to allow book our connecting flights at least four hours from arrival at Rossy because it takes an hour or two just to find your way from one terminal to the next.

No new recipes, I'm afraid, but wow did we eat well. Lots of seafood, since we were on the coast, but we also had some of our favourite traditional Breton delicacies such as kouign-aman (a sweet, buttery pastry) and gochtial (a kind of brioche-bread that we buy from a bakery in the ancient village of St-Armel). Very nice cheeses, lots of different wines and aperitifs. Fleur de sel from the local salt marshes.


----------



## humble_pie

omg i can hardly bear to see these lovely posts
nostalgia
la belle france
toujours séduisante
tu me manques ...

on a non-food but distantly related topic are we saying Way To Go Ségo

(Ségolène Royal is a prominent socialist running for election this week in La Rochelle.)
(Ségo is also the ex-partner of new french president françois hollande & the mother of his 4 children.)
(it sounds like Ségo dumped françois over his mistress & the 2 ladies have been at each other's coiffures ever since.)
(the ex-mistress, now the First French Partner, recently tweeted an election stab right into Ségo's back.)
(an hour ago, Ségo fired back, demanding "le respect pour le combat politique.")
(as long as the french are devoting so much passion to mistresses & 3-hour lunches, we should assume that french banks are still OK.)


----------



## brad

It turns out that François Hollande has a country house just down the road from some friends who hosted us for supper last Saturday night; the gendarmes are posted in front of it and we were advised by our friends to take an alternative route. It's in the middle of nowhere on a rough dirt road; I felt like we were driving through rural Vermont. Another neighbour is a Breton nationalist who is also running for office; it's a regular political hotbed.


----------



## brad

I forgot to post this one: this is how they make picnic tables in Brittany:


----------



## humble_pie

only dimly do i recall that there were breton nationalists. Would they want to instate gaelic as the official language ? 
it seems like a lost cause. One might as well vote for Astérix le gaulois.


----------



## humble_pie

brad said:


> ... picnic tables in Brittany


oui c'est la table d'Obélix


----------



## brad

humble_pie said:


> only dimly do i recall that there were breton nationalists. Would they want to instate gaelic as the official language ?


I think it's more the far-flung province syndrome, feeling they've been culturally oppressed by France and want the right to self-rule although they don't generally want to be a separate sovereign nation. There are Diwan schools where kids can go to school entirely in the Breton language, but while Breton certainly isn't dead yet it's far less ingrained in the culture than, for example Irish is in Ireland. Breton was forbidden for many years, especially during and after the German Occupation -- unfortunately the Breton word for yes is "Ya" and sounds just like the same word in German; people didn't want to be branded as German sympathizers so they avoided using the language. 

French has been spoken longer in Québec than it has in most of France outside of the region around Paris; it's really only since the Revolution that French has displaced all the regional languages and dialects as the official language across the country. In Brittany there are several dialects of Breton and there's also Gallo, which is a dialect of French spoken mostly in the Haute Bretagne region (roughly the northeast and east).


----------



## brad

humble_pie said:


> One might as well vote for Astérix le gaulois.


That might work, as he at least has the potion magique.


----------



## humble_pie

_trivia:_

i hadn't thought much about the french presidential election, but now as i look at monsieur flanby's pudding face in pix i find myself thinking that the presidential runoff must have been more about getting rid of sarkozy & almost nothing about electing françois hollande.

wasn't it Ségo his ex-partner who, after the breakup, famously asked an audience of voters what they thought hollande had ever accomplished during his 25 years in politics ...

Ségolène Royal may be a better politician than flanby can ever be. She ran as socialist candidate for the presidency of france in 2007, but sarkozy won. Ségo eventually agreed to support hollande's 2012 campaign for the same job, but i read that the deal was, if elected, he would name her president of the National Assembly. And for that, Ségo has to be elected deputy from la rochelle in the first place.

no one ever expected valérie the rottweiler girlfriend to suddenly burst out of backstage, renege on hollande's deal & tweet enthusiastic support for Ségo's opponent in the La Rochelle race this sunday. It's a critical moment in Ségolène's career & many french seem to be sorry it's been jeopardized.

_totally useless embarassing trivia:_

the rottweiler has, very obviously, had a facelift. Quite a drastic one.

_ooh là là
le ménage à trois_
.


----------



## Four Pillars

I think I might have broken a sweat on my morning ride today. 

Supposed to be a high of 35 today with a humidex of infinity...


----------



## MoneyGal

I started out riding, got halfway to work, realized I had forgotten something critical (GAH), cycled home, and then drove to the office. :02.47-tranquillity:


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## brad

My morning ride didn't go so well: I was on my favourite straightaway, picking up speed, lost in a "biker's high," and somehow failed to notice a filled fire hose stretched across the road. I hit it at a good clip, the bike went airborne, I landed on my shoulder and hip, and slid for a few meters, shredding my shirt and getting a pretty impressive case of road rash on my right shoulder, hip, and knee. The bike suffered only minor damage, and I was able to ride the 5 km back home from the accident, but wow am I feeling it now!


----------



## MoneyGal

Ack! I've done (similar) things. Hope you can get in a bath tonight. Yeowtch! (I thought your morning rides were virtual - these aren't complex virtual injuries, are they?)


----------



## brad

My rides are real, outdoors...it's only my rowing that's virtual (on a rowing machine in the basement). As soon as the weather's good for biking I'm out of the basement and in the fresh air.










This is only my third bad spill in about 35 years of bicycling, and I'm usually pretty good about paying attention. But I was lost in thought this morning and paid the price. The embarrassing thing is that I noticed (and slowly went over) the fire hose on my way out but totally forgot it was there on my way back.


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## Four Pillars

That sucks Brad. In all fairness, filled water hoses aren't a normal occurence.


----------



## Toronto.gal

humble_pie said:


> _trivia:_
> 
> 1. i find myself thinking that the presidential runoff must have been more about getting rid of sarkozy & almost nothing about electing françois hollande.
> 2. Ségolène Royal may be a better politician than flanby can ever be.
> 3. the rottweiler has, very obviously, had a facelift. Quite a drastic one.


1. Je suis d'accord [comparable to the NDP surge; was less about them than about getting rid of someone else and not just 1, but 2 of them, lol]. 
2. Les hommes et les femmes sont égaux, mais les femmes sont supérieurs. 
3. Je ne serais pas surpris! 

Valérie Trierweiler is now France's First Lady? Elle semble être un peu jalouse et vicieuse, comme un chien, et non pas un chien mignon, mais un rotweiller. :tiger:

"There's little doubt that a degree of insecurity appears to govern Trierweiler's dealings with Royal. Film footage from the election night party at the Bastille shows Hollande giving Royal a peck on the cheek, only for Trierweiler to demand of the new president: "Kiss me on the mouth." And when Royal did not attend Hollande's inauguration ceremony, many observers blamed her banishment on Trierweiler." :rolleyes2:

Nevertheless, France elected 155 female MP's, which apparently, is the highest number ever.


----------



## Toronto.gal

brad said:


> My rides are real, outdoors...it's only my rowing that's virtual (on a rowing machine in the basement). As soon as the weather's good for biking I'm out of the basement and in the fresh air.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is only my third bad spill in about 35 years of bicycling, and I'm usually pretty good about paying attention. But I was lost in thought this morning and paid the price. The embarrassing thing is that I noticed (and slowly went over) the fire hose on my way out but totally forgot it was there on my way back.


Ouch. :frown:

I'm so sorry Brad, but I'm glad the bike is ok. j/k. :biggrin:

Take it easy & hope you feel better.

My fellow Torontonians: to ride a bike in this weather [feeling like 41c atm], is just a lil cuckoo. :hopelessness: I think my brain would explode, but then I know I'm not as fit as you guys. 

Anyway, keep cool!


----------



## Four Pillars

Toronto.gal said:


> My fellow Torontonians: to ride a bike in this weather [feeling like 41c atm], is just a lil cuckoo.


Unfortunately, I agree with you!

And I'm planning on going for a longer ride tonight. *cuckoo*


----------



## HaroldCrump

Drat, I _knew _I should have bought that apartment in Iceland in 2008.


----------



## Toronto.gal

It's not too late Harold; maybe we can split the cost & place [winter time for you/summer for me]. Ísland, hér komum við!

Everyone,










Temp. reached 34.4c in Toronto yesterday [34.6 was the old record from 63 years ago, though some news got it backwards].

Do you guys know this fruit? It's prickly pears; delicious summer fruit!


----------



## HaroldCrump

Toronto.gal said:


> It's not too late Harold; maybe we can split the cost & place [winter time for you/summer for me]. Ísland, hér komum við!


Sure, maybe we can start a timeshare scam on the side - sell timeshare to CMF members for a "small" fee.
I am sure Berubeland will be happy to be a property manager for us.
After all, who wouldn't want to live in Iceland during the winter?

Hey, perhaps Marina628 can open a new casino of her own there.

Kidding aside, I wish they would hurry up and become the 11th Canadian province.
That will surely boost their RE prices...an 800 sq. ft. condo will go from $60K CAD to $640K CAD overnight.

Once we have annexed Iceland, Canada should make an offer to the US for Florida.
I'm thinking about $100M, give or take.


----------



## marina628

Poker School not casino Harold , I will teach you guys then we buy Florida for cash after some weeks in Vegas


----------



## Toronto.gal

I'm sure we can work something out Harold; I like your idea, that of scamming CMF members for a 'small fee', LOL, the possibilities with the internet are infinite! :biggrin:

Marina: 'Poker School' sounds interesting & for stock buyers, should not be too difficult to learn, no?


----------



## sharbit

Toronto.gal said:


> 'Poker School' sounds interesting & for stock buyers, should not be too difficult to learn, no?


I always refer to my investing when I'm talking to friends as "my stockmarket gambling"


----------



## marina628

A good poker player calculates the odds before making a move ,some similar skills needed for stocks as well.When i first played poker I had to print off the hands to see which was better ,read about 5 books on best hold cards etc .You can bluff with poker unfortunately not in the markets 
I know a poker player in Romania who was earning $7000 a year when he decided to try to win his $600 a month salary on poker stars.He approached the game as if he were studying for a exam at school.He read over 50 poker books ,many covering same stuff and then started practicing on free rolls.We play together every Wednesday and last time i checked his stats he is earning on average $12,000 a month .There was a time when i did not know what was flop turn and river too
Last year I won $118,000 in a single poker game($215 Buy in) , I average a profit of $300 a day on poker so far in 2012.But I do not play every day because then that could imply I am a professional poker player and have to pay taxes


----------



## m3s

Toronto.gal said:


> Do you guys know this fruit? It's prickly pears; delicious summer fruit!


Dragon fruit? Hard to tell without its leaves

Why is everyone complaining about the heat? Need to spend less time in the a/c. Some people told me they have to wear a jacket when they visit Canadian malls.

Island is a wondrous place, stopping in to Kef again this week. Seems the Danes beat the Canadians on most of the deals there (we just remembered when they mentioned our dollar I think)


----------



## MoneyGal

Not dragonfruit; what T-gal posted is a pic of the fruit of the prickly pear cactus (called "tuna" in Spanish; you see these things all over northern Africa). It makes an incredibly vivid pink juice -- but you have to be careful, it is covered with tiny prickly hairs (apparently called glochids) which will really irritate your hands and mouth if you don't carefully remove them before eating.


----------



## marina628

Been to North Africa and lots of good memories from this post.Dragon fruit have petal like green things growing from the sites.I love any kind of fruit !


----------



## brad

I'm pretty sure you can find prickly pear growing in a few places in Canada, and I know I've seen it growing wild in New York State (in the Palisades, north of NY City). I saw some in France when I was there a few weeks ago too.


----------



## HaroldCrump

mode3sour said:


> Why is everyone complaining about the heat?


For the same reason that some people complain about the cold.



> Need to spend less time in the a/c.


Need to spend less time in the indoor forced air furnace



> Some people told me they have to wear a jacket when they visit Canadian malls.


Some people told me they have to wear shorts and T-shirts when they visit tropical places.


----------



## m3s

Never had this fruit when I was in Africa. I'm excited to go to Morocco within a few year, so guess I'll try it there.



HaroldCrump said:


> Some people told me they have to wear shorts and T-shirts when they visit tropical places.


People generally pay to go to tropical places though! Why does Toronto only have an energy crisis in the summer? It's not that bad, too hot is 50c in a metal box in full gear. People survived in the heat long before the cold, and fire was used long before a/c as well I imagine. What ever did we do without a/c? When I was a kid our car didn't have a/c (my home still never has) but now it's cuckoo to do anything without it. Go outside, it's good for you and it probably won't last!

Gonna go catch me some Alaskan sockeye salmon (record breaking weather here as well this year)


----------



## HaroldCrump

mode3sour said:


> People survived in the heat long before the cold, and fire was used long before a/c as well I imagine. What ever did we do without a/c?


So just because we used to do something a certain way in the past we should go back to it?
What ever did we do without cars?
And oh my gosh, what did we do without iPhones, Blackberries and the Internet?

We used to work 16 hr. days in cotton factories with no ventilation.
Perhaps we should go back to that, too.



> Gonna go catch me some Alaskan sockeye salmon (record breaking weather here as well this year)


The kind of heat you seem to love is not good for your dear salmon.
At this rate, that salmon will all be dead soon.


----------



## steve41

Dead from cold and rain. Have you any idea how cold and wet our spring/summer has been out here on the wet coast?


----------



## Toronto.gal

MoneyGal said:


> 1. Not dragonfruit; what T-gal posted is a pic of the fruit of the prickly pear cactus (called "tuna" in Spanish; you see these things all over northern Africa).
> 2. but you have to be careful, it is covered with tiny prickly hairs (apparently called glochids) which will really irritate your hands and mouth....


1. I had clearly stated 'prickly pears', so naturally you understood me M.gal! 

You're right about the 'tuna' name in Spanish, but pronounced in English like 'toona'; sounds less fishy now, doesn't it? :biggrin: 
Also called barberry figs/Indian figs & sabras in other parts of the world. Fruit is very rich in vitamin C. 

Simply googling 'prickly pear' would have erased any confusion as to what fruit I was talking about: take a look at these vibrant images for those not familiar with the fruit:
http://www.google.ca/search?tbm=isc...10.0.2.2.0.102.754.9j1.10.0...0.0.dENPDVHvwgM

2. Yes, that is true, though if you peel it properly, your mouth should be fine, it's just the hands that are affected by the little thorns. There is a country that is trying, or perhaps has already developed an agricultural technology that grows them without any thorns. 

*Brad:* you're right about the cactus growing here, too: [this is in Ottawa].


----------



## Toronto.gal

HaroldCrump said:


> For the same reason that some people complain about the cold.


You mean like these people HC?
http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/06/travel/europe-cold-snap/index.html

And now we are almost breaking heat records from 1949; hmmm, so silly to complain/talk about indeed. :rolleyes2:


----------



## Toronto.gal

HaroldCrump said:


> 1. We used to work 16 hr. days in cotton factories with no ventilation. Perhaps we should go back to that, too.
> 2. The kind of heat you seem to love is not good for your dear salmon. At this rate, that salmon will all be dead soon.


1. :rolleyes2:
2. :highly_amused:

High sea temperatures, due to record breaking heat, would not make fishermen very happy IMHO, as that would probably translate into low and/or dead fish catches, no? 

How silly of me not to go out and have a lil fun [maybe run a marathon, or train for one] in 40c+ temperature & have a heat-stroke while at it [but wait, I'm neither a baby nor senior citizen, so I should be ok.]. But let's be positive as this heat surely helps the economy; no wonder CTC/KO stocks are at near 52 week highs [with all the ACs and cokes flying off shelves]. :rolleyes2:

I was however, playing tennis last *evening* and I must say it was very enjoyable!

*steve:* I know about your wet weather from another member here; come here then! It seems that these days, depending on your location, it's either cold or heat waves, but let's not complain anymore!


----------



## HaroldCrump

Toronto.gal said:


> You mean like these people HC?
> http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/06/travel/europe-cold-snap/index.html


Those are some really beautiful pictures.
I loved the picture of Buckingham Palace in the snow.
There is nothing like strolling along the Tower Bridge in the rain, sitting on the benches at Trafalgar Square when snow flurries are falling.


----------



## HaroldCrump

Toronto.gal said:


> But let's be positive as this heat surely helps the economy; no wonder CTC/KO stocks are at near 52 week highs [with all the ACs and cokes flying off shelves].


The govt. is also raking in profits left right and center because of the weather.
With hydro rates at punitive levels - more than doubled in barely 3 years - and with HST added on top of everything.
At this rate, the entire Ontario deficit will be wiped out by the end of the summer :rolleyes2:

BTW, the extra precipitation on the west coast is also a side effect of warmer sea temperatures and general global warming.


----------



## m3s

HaroldCrump said:


> What ever did we do without cars?
> And oh my gosh, what did we do without iPhones, Blackberries and the Internet?
> 
> We used to work 16 hr. days in cotton factories with no ventilation.
> Perhaps we should go back to that, too.
> 
> The kind of heat you seem to love is not good for your dear salmon.
> At this rate, that salmon will all be dead soon.


We can commute by bicycle, like many here and myself do. Many people get by perfectly fine without a/c, and iPhones as well. I don't think iPhones are causing nearly as much of a problem to the salmons though as the a/c and cars. It would take awhile to really reduce the use of cars (and already obvious attention) Yet it's still normal in Canada to crank the a/c way down in huge buildings.

Salmons and halibuts are alive and plenty in Alaska, after record snowfall and cold summer here. There is a climate change or cycle of some sort going on for sure though. Last time I was in the ME we had major flood damage in a desert, while people were posting about record early spring in Canada.




Toronto.gal said:


> Simply googling 'prickly pear' would have erased any confusion as to what fruit I was talking about


Fruits have many nick names, my bad for not googling as I usually do. Sometimes I wonder how much of what people write is just regurgitated from google though. I'll have to track some of these prickly things down. Off to the land of ice and fire.


----------



## HaroldCrump

mode3sour said:


> We can commute by bicycle, like many here and myself do.


So you commute 20 kms. by bicycle twice a day?
Or perhaps we should all move to Alaska :encouragement:



> I don't think iPhones are causing nearly as much of a problem to the salmons though as the a/c and cars.


Apparently not:


----------



## MoneyGal

20 kms is a very nice bike commute. My commute is about 7 kms each way to my current job, and I frequently wish it was a bit longer (as it was in previous jobs). My husband's bike commute is 10 kms each way, but it used to be 28 km each way. He's 50 this year, by the way, and rides the bike he got when he was 16.


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## HaroldCrump

20 kms. was just an example.
Many folks commute twice that, esp. in regions like the GTA.

I'm not saying bike commutes are not pleasant, but it's not an option for everyone.
If environment and exercise are the primary concerns, it is better to eliminate commutes altogether by 80% + telecommutes


----------



## the-royal-mail

Not only that, but bicycles don't belong on our roads as they are not insured/licensed/safe and only obey those traffic rules which benefit them. They are also a drain on the public purse as they demand that cities redo the infrastructure while not contributing one incremental cent towards the roads that motorists pay for. There are bicycle routes/lanes around here and bicycles still inflict themselves on motorists by operating on the road.


----------



## the-royal-mail

Too funny HC above - yeah gotta love those who advocate doing certain things "the old way" as they continue destroying the planet with their junk electronics. Why don't they go back to party lines and rotary dial phones? After all, how did we ever get along without cell phones? LOL


----------



## brad

There is climate change for sure (the last month in which global average temperatures were below the 20th century mean was February 1985. That was a long time ago!). But there's also natural variation in climate, which can often swamp the global warming signal even across broad regions. The weird weather of the last few years seems to be due mainly to La Niña in conjunction with positive phases of other natural cycles such as the Arctic Oscillation, the North Atlantic Oscillation, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, and others. Some of these cycles are shifting this year, so the next few years may feel more "normal."

In many ways, a long-term graph of global average temperature resembles a long-term graph of stock indices. You have lots of wild swings and periodicities from natural variation superimposed on a general upward trend. After one abnormally cold winter or cool summer lots of people start claiming that climate change was a hoax, just as many people stop believing that stocks could be a good long-term investment every time there's a bear market.

The models that project future global warming take the natural cycles into account (at least to the extent that climatologists understand them), and they don't predict steady changes in temperature or precipitation. El Niño, La Niña, or one big volcano can overwhelm the effects of human-induced global warming for a year or two, at least at this stage of the game.


----------



## brad

the-royal-mail said:


> Not only that, but bicycles don't belong on our roads


I'm pretty sure the law states otherwise.


----------



## MoneyGal

TRM. I bike. I also drive a car. I absolutely "pay my share" in road costs. Also, my husband is a very public advocate for licensing and registration of cyclists. But he isn't here, so you are going to have to take my word for that. But Brad is correct: bicycles have a legal claim to road space as vehicles regulated under the provincial highway traffic acts in EVERY province. 

p.s. My husband also teaches safe and legal cycling as a Can-Bike instructor. Careful with your generalizations. Not every motorist obeys the very same laws which regulate bikes, either.


----------



## Four Pillars

And the Royal troll continues with his nonsense. I'm starting to think he is actually Rob Ford?


----------



## the-royal-mail

I've heard enough about legal "rights" to "claim" space on the roads. Let's talk about responsibility and enforcement of the laws which need to apply to ALL road users. As things stand now I'm seeing the majority of cyclists only following laws which benefit them and simply flaunting those which do not. There is very little enforcement of laws happening when cyclists run red lights and cut alongside all the cars at stop lights. Respect has to be earned. Expecting a high volume of motorized traffic to accommodate a tiny percentage of outlaws simply shows poor leadership by politicians. We're not in the 18th century anymore. Let bicycles pay for their own infrastructure if that's what they want.


----------



## brad

So instead of saying bicycles don't belong on the roads, let's call for better enforcement and training instead. The police in Montréal have started doing that in the past few years (e.g., writing $50 tickets to cyclists who run red lights) and it's helping in some areas. There will always be some cyclists who break the law, just as there will always be drivers who do. 

In the San Francisco area, the police are very diligent about ticketing cyclists who break the road laws and you see much better compliance there. My brother lived around Menlo Park/East Palo Alto for 15 years and he got a few tickets himself for failing to come to a complete stop at stop signs (he didn't own a car so used a bike to get around).


----------



## MoneyGal

Brad - you may be interested to learn about the "Idaho Stop," a law in Idaho (and being introduced in other states, most recently in Minnesota) which makes it legal for cyclists to NOT come to a complete stop at red lights and stop signs -- instead, to come to (what is known as a) "soft stop" or rolling stop. You still need to come to a rolling stop and proceed cautiously, but you do not need to come to a complete, foot-down stop. Interestingly, the law in Idaho was introduced by traffic court officials, not cyclists; because they were annoyed at prosecuting cyclists and cluttering up the course for this offense.


----------



## steve41

I had a run-in with a cyclist the other day.... my daughter sent me this youtube.... Im on a mf bike


----------



## Spudd

TRM, as it's illegal to bike on sidewalks, what would you have us do when there's no bike lane? 

I have no problem with cops enforcing traffic laws. I agree some cyclists ride recklessly and this should be policed. 

Steve, I've seen that "mf bike" video before, it's pretty funny. I had a hard time telling whether it was pro-bike or anti-bike!


----------



## CanadianCapitalist

brad said:


> So instead of saying bicycles don't belong on the roads, let's call for better enforcement and training instead.


The cops here in Ottawa appear to be doing the same by handing out tickets or warnings for cyclists who were riding the sidewalks or did not have a bell ($110 fine!) or functioning brakes. To be fair, I see tons of bicyclists here in Ottawa but it's only rarely I see them running red lights. I do see them riding on the sidewalk all too often.


----------



## HaroldCrump

That video is hilarious.
I saved a link before the mods remove it.


----------



## Barwelle

MoneyGal said:


> Brad - you may be interested to learn about the "Idaho Stop," a law in Idaho (and being introduced in other states, most recently in Minnesota) which makes it legal for cyclists to NOT come to a complete stop at red lights and stop signs -- instead, to come to (what is known as a) "soft stop" or rolling stop. You still need to come to a rolling stop and proceed cautiously, but you do not need to come to a complete, foot-down stop. Interestingly, the law in Idaho was introduced by traffic court officials, not cyclists; because they were annoyed at prosecuting cyclists and cluttering up the course for this offense.


I don't agree with this Idaho Stop. I think allowing that would increase the potential for accidents. If you're doing a rolling stop, half your concentration is on keeping your balance while you're moving slowly, so you might miss the kid on the bmx bike barreling towards you who happened to be partially hidden behind a lamp post or something when you glanced in that direction. I've had a couple of close calls because of this (my own fault.)

In response to TRM's comments about cyclists paying for infrastructure: I'd be curious to see how roads in cities are paid for. Did some quick googling, couldn't find any hard facts but found some anecdotal evidence that suggests that property taxes make up the lion's share of the funds used to build and maintain roads - and not gas taxes. If that is the case, then cyclists are subsidizing motorists.

On another topic: Can anyone explain to me how someone like Rob Ford got to be mayor of Toronto, whereas Naheed Nenshi is mayor of Cowtown? Seems like a complete reversal of expectations/stereotypes. A ******* Alberta city elected what seems to be a forward-thinking and current man, of visible minority, whereas Toronto elected a white guy who is anti-public transit, anti-bicycles, gets a DUI in Florida, and insults other fans at hockey games. Then lies about it to the media the next day.


----------



## steve41

Spudd said:


> TRM, as it's illegal to bike on sidewalks, what would you have us do when there's no bike lane?
> 
> I have no problem with cops enforcing traffic laws. I agree some cyclists ride recklessly and this should be policed.
> 
> Steve, I've seen that "mf bike" video before, it's pretty funny. I had a hard time telling whether it was pro-bike or anti-bike!


 This was occasioned the other day when I was down in the big smoke. I was walking along the sidewalk when a 40 something macho biker slammed into a car door which was being opened by an older lady. Big bang, but no one was hurt and apologies were exchanged. As I came abreast, I threw out a comment.... "Good thing you were wearing a helmet." (he wasn't wearing a helmet, naturally). Well, a minute later this guy came up to me and proceeded to rant and foam at the mouth. We exchanged a few f-bombs, and went on our way. The problem with these encounters is that for a hour afterwards, you come up with all kinds of cool put-downs which you didn't have time to come up with at the time.


----------



## Four Pillars

My gosh - that video is hilarious. I really need to stop doing some of that stuff.


----------



## MoneyGal

IKR? Like riding while playing my ukelele, or grooming my 'stache.


----------



## kcowan

I am a motorist and a biker. I think the gulf will remain as long as there are drivers-only. They view every bad biker as typical of the breed. It is like if a biker sees a driver behaving badly (and we see many of them) and generalizes. Bikers have the right to take up a lane on the roadway. Creating a bike lane just attempts to segregate them for everybody's benefit. Yet some drivers rant and rave about the loss of roadway as if it is their right.

(It is amazing that the Hollywood Stop has now become an Idaho Stop. How times change!)


----------



## Sampson

That would be nice, a hog-only lane for bikers. Must be over 700 cc's to enter.


----------



## m3s

HaroldCrump said:


> So you commute 20 kms. by bicycle twice a day?
> Or perhaps we should all move to Alaska :encouragement:
> 
> 
> Apparently not:


A/C accounts for something like 15% of household energy.. in only a few weeks. You can tough it out for a few heat waves and save a lot of energy, or at least not set the malls and offices to 15c which destroys any heat tolerance. I think a better analogy would be how most cities grind to a halt when they see a few cm's of snow, while Canadians freak out with they see 40c and the news is playing it up like the apocalypse of a century. E-waste is another problem for sure, but that is a purely a planned obsolescence consumerist society issue not a phone technology issue. Without cell phones people have to drive a lot more and use more paper etc etc, a/c has no trade off like that. People who are used to the heat are used to the heat, even in the States where 110f is perfectly normal. There's also far more efficient ways to cool with simple building design or using the cooler ground and water (I bet Lake Ontario is pretty cold at the bottom)

My commute is probably a bit less than 20kms but I often take a longer route or go for a ride at lunch on nice days. I don't have to sit in a glass/steel sauna after work or put on my heavy motorbike gear etc, and I can actually get door to door just as fast on a bike without breaking a sweat. Germany has bike trails everywhere and many are entirely separate from the cars, in cities they have their own lanes and traffic lights although not as extensive as the Dutch. If a bike does go on the road, cars in Germany give them a respectable amount of space. *Considering I took a car off the road, I'm actually giving them more space!* American drivers just expect their massive lanes to be straight and clear so they can daydream or text, heaven forbid anything make them have to watch it! Although I love driving, I really hate commuting by car in a city.

Global warming in action? There was a crazy network of smaller ice flows branching off for miles from the glacier


----------



## brad

mode3sour said:


> A/C accounts for something like 15% of household energy.. in only a few weeks. You can tough it out for a few heat waves and save a lot of energy, or at least not set the malls and offices to 15c which destroys any heat tolerance.


I work in my second-floor home office with no A/C, and while I agree with your overall point it's worth noting that I can't really redesign my house to keep it from getting hot upstairs. When it's 30 degrees outside it's usually 35 in my office, in part because it's on the second floor and in part because of the heat generated by my computer and other electronics. When it gets too hot to concentrate I take my laptop and work downstairs, or in extreme cases I'll go work in an air-conditioned cafe. The bedrooms are upstairs too, and some nights it doesn't get below 30; I don't sleep well in heat like that and have never acclimatized myself to it (I've never had air conditioning). The older you get, the more sensitive to heat you become for a variety of physiological reasons, and the urban heat island effect poses serious health risks to the elderly, who die in disproportionate numbers during heat waves in cities.

I agree that we tend to over-cool our offices and shopping malls. My girlfriend works in a law office downtown, and the building's A/C is set so cold that she actually has to run a space heater to keep her teeth from chattering. She wears a jacket and scarf all summer.


----------



## m3s

brad said:


> I agree that we tend to over-cool our offices and shopping malls. My girlfriend works in a law office downtown, and the building's A/C is set so cold that she actually has to run a space heater to keep her teeth from chattering. She wears a jacket and scarf all summer.


That's what I'm talking about. What makes it obvious to me is how all the Americans in Germany complain constantly about the lack of a/c, so I assume it's a tolerance we've lost from the malls/offices or something. I didn't understand why the German laughed when I checked the a/c before buying a car, but now I know they commonly joke about our obsession for a/c. What you talk about with the basement is a basic example of geothermal cooling, which is more commonly used to cool the floors in Germany. It's a more eco friendly and less abrupt climate control. Combined with brick walls and rolatas shades, the whole house feels like a basement temp. I had an air exchanger in Canada to mix the air around, but the problem was the heat coming in the windows. Some places I've been far hotter than Canada, I preferred to sleep outside because like you say it's much hotter inside. It's just a matter of poor ventilation and house design for the heat.


----------



## HaroldCrump

mode3sour said:


> A/C accounts for something like 15% of household energy.. in only a few weeks. You can tough it out for a few heat waves and save a lot of energy, or at least not set the malls and offices to 15c which destroys any heat tolerance.


The exact same argument can be made against over-heating, no?
Why single out summer heat and A/C?

During winters, if you ask me, most of the malls are over heated, most office buildings are _way_ over-heated with stale, stuffy circulating air.
The outside temperatures would have barely reached freezing and already the heaters are blasting away inside trains, buses, office buildings, malls, etc.
Many folks begin running their indoor heat within a few weeks after turning off the air conditioning (and vice versa).

It simply _happens_ that the energy source of most indoor heating is at generational lows, while the energy source of air-conditioning is being artificially penalized by stupid governments, trying to cover up their incompetence in other areas.
The same energy source (natural gas) can be used for generating electricity as well.

That politics of energy policy aside, I see no reason to hang, draw, and quarter those that prefer to stay cool, while an equal number of people are wasting an equal amount of energy over-heating their homes, cars, trains, buses and malls.

And I am also sure there are an equal number of easy ways to stay warm during the winters, as there are ways to stay cool during the summers.


----------



## Dopplegangerr

Hello everyone, Well I am supposed to be getting married tomorrow, but my fiancée (now ex) had a total freak out and has called off the wedding. She let her fear get in the way of our dreams. 
I am beyond crushed and this was such a shock to me and to all of my family who spent so much time and money helping me. I will not be able to post any pictures now as I had promised on other threads, so I wanted to apologize. I thought it best to just get this out there to save difficult questions coming up later as I expect a lot of my goals to change and there for my questions as I am now single. 

Btw worst day ever....


----------



## humble_pie

Dopplegangerr said:


> ... worst day ever....



how profoundly distressing & shocking.

everyone will be so sad & sorry. I'll write to you again, but for now may i say the 1st thing that comes to mind which is, Never Say Never.

you've mentioned that you & your fiancee have known each other for many years, have been together a long time. It's possible she's having an extremely severe attack of nerves. The wedding might take place yet. Not necessarily tomorrow ... but i doubt you're a single man yet. All this is by way of suggesting, if i may, not to say or do anything extreme. Never Say Never.

it will probably be very difficult for you to get through this night. You know how people always say to others in emergencies, One Day at a Time. So there's a version that goes One Minute at a Time. That's the drill for tonight & tomorrow & for all the days that follow, until the shock wears off.


----------



## Plugging Along

Doppler. I can't imagine how you at feeling. Don't worry so much about long term future goals, just focus on yourself for the next little while.


----------



## humble_pie

DG here is a little story that might possibly suit your day today. It has ambivalence, mystery, salt that stings in wounds, lost love & the hope of love to come.


* * * * *​

hand in hand, in the moonlight, Alice & the Froggy Footman raced across the gleaming silver beach to the ocean.

if you kiss me, said the Footman, i'll turn back into the prince.

the tide was high. They ran through ice-cold waves crashing near the shore, into black salt water flecked with white foam that swirled around their knees. 

on the stroke of midnight, Alice kissed him.


----------



## kcowan

Dopplegangerr said:


> Btw worst day ever....


DG that is just so far! But like hp, I encourage you to reframe. Remember this has nothing to so with you. It might have been a big mistake for both of you. Time will tell. But did she declare the relationship over or did you?


----------



## HaroldCrump

DG, that is sad to hear. We were looking forward to the pictures.
Is it possible that this is a case of cold feet on her part i.e. she will come around soon?
Or have the bridges been burnt and the Rubicon crossed?

I have known an instance of cold feet, that eventually worked itself out after a few months.
A smaller, more private, wedding was planned and both the bride and the groom followed through.

Have you had a chance to talk to her?
Is it possible the channels of communication are still open, and once the nerves have settled, both of you can talk this through?
Perhaps with the help of your most immediate family.

Please don't think I am asking you to share any of that, or rubbing salt in the wounds.
Just giving you something to think about.

And if it is indeed over, then no point crying over spilt milk.
There is plently to look forward to.

I totally get it that this appears to be the worst day ever, and surely it must be so.
But let's chat again in about a year or two, and see if you still feel this way.
You know what they say : music is nature's painkiller.
Or, laughter is the best medicine.
Try it.


----------



## steve41

Or... bullet dodged.


----------



## Four Pillars

steve41 said:


> Or... bullet dodged.


Steve, that was about as inappropriate as it gets. However, I have to admit that it made me laugh...


----------



## dogcom

Dopple just the fact that you talk about changing future plans and such means that your tough and ready to move in a positive direction. And as inappropriate as it is maybe you did dodge a bullet, so good luck to you.


----------



## dogcom

I should add that is my first ever post here after 811 posts.


----------



## Dopplegangerr

After all the damage she has done over the last while, I finished it. I have forgiveness in my heart but my family and friends will never accept her now. I wanted to have children and a marriage and a home. She lets fear paralyze her and she would rather lie then face things standing up. I need honesty and respect in a relationship and she did not give it to me. I do not want to be with someone like that.


----------



## KaeJS

Sorry to hear, Dopple.

Just remember, though:

"There's always a *better* fish."


----------



## donald

Sorry to hear.Better it happend now!!WAY BETTER!!I know you likely won't view it this way(outside objective) but it took her a lot of strengh/courage-she did face things standing up(most would go through with it,which would of been Worse,for both of you)she gave you a gift!(both of you)It's good(in hindsight)to have a few losses/lessons early in life(m.o)It will make you stronger.5 yrs from now you'll likely see it that way.

She is likely just as hurt as you.(not easy for both families)Life can be hard sometimes!(everybody goes through tough stuff-everybody)Think of it as a new/freash start!(as hard as that is)look at the positives!!try to find them.


----------



## Toronto.gal

Dopplegangerr said:


> I finished it.


Dopplegangerr: I'm so sorry that things didn't work out, but maybe it was for the best & in time, you might realize this. 

If it's truly over, then forgive, forget, hold no grudges and move on. One door may have closed, but others have opened, so focus on your future & your other goals & opportunities.

Remember that 'true love is a many-splendored thing' [from my fav. movie/song]. You'll find love again!


----------



## Toronto.gal

Anyone rode their bike to work today; Harold? :tan: 

I think Beaver took the TR. :encouragement:


----------



## Four Pillars

Toronto.gal said:


> Anyone rode their bike to work today; Harold? :tan:


Yes, I did. Nice and hot!!


----------



## HaroldCrump

Four Pillars said:


> Yes, I did. Nice and hot!!


I am glad I wasn't on the office elevator with you


----------



## Beaver101

> *HaroldCrump:*I am glad I wasn't on the office elevator with you


 ... +1 :biggrin:



> *Toronto.gal: *I think Beaver took the TR.


 ... only if it's manufactured by BBD.B! ...:biggrin:


----------



## Four Pillars

HaroldCrump said:


> I am glad I wasn't on the office elevator with you


haha. I go to the gym to have a shower in the morning.


----------



## MoneyGal

^ what he said. Office gym! Office showers! No one here even really knows I ride my bike. 

(On days like today, I lift my bike to the porch, walk in the house and pretty much walk right into the shower though.)


----------



## Toronto.gal

HaroldCrump said:


> I am glad I wasn't on the office elevator with you












*Beaver:* ofc nothing but the best name in the country & operating exclusively in your neck of the woods. 

Everyone, enjoy your weekend and keep cool!


----------



## Mall Guy

Dopplegangerr said:


> Hello everyone, Well I am supposed to be getting married tomorrow, but my fiancée (now ex) had a total freak out and has called off the wedding. Btw worst day ever....


Might be to soon . . . but has anyone read "Honeymoon with my Brother" ? The groom goes through with the reception, and then goes on the prepaid honeymoon trip and invites his brother along for the ride . . . pretty good read


----------



## Barwelle

I realize I'm a bit late to the discussion on your cancelled wedding, DG, but I read something a while ago that stuck with me. I didn't keep it, and a quick google search didn't find it again, so I'll paraphrase as best as I can.

It was a story about a guy who was talking to a friend, who had gone through something similar. She had left him. The friend, instead of wallowing in despair and feeling sad and depressed, was surprisingly content and relaxed about the situation.

Curious, the guy asked him, what was going on? How was he dealing with this so well? Why was he so okay with her leaving?

The friend's answer: She lost somebody who loved her and was committed to her. I lost somebody who didn't, and wasn't. Who's worse off?

-----

Hope everyone remembers sunscreen/hats now that summer's in full swing. I didn't this past weekend at the lake, and I'm paying for it now. I look like this: :mad2: Of course, the A/C is turned on high in this office, so I have to wear layers, causing more friction on my skin. Hmm.


----------



## the-royal-mail

Barwelle said:


> She lost somebody who loved her and was committed to her. I lost somebody who didn't, and wasn't. Who's worse off?


Friggin' brilliant! I love it!


----------



## Dopplegangerr

Barwelle that is fantastic, you are so right I just love it. That is the most simplest, most elegant solution. This whole time at least I have had the confidence knowing I have not given up on love, I put everything on the line and she did not. I know the rest of my life I did everything I could, she will have to go the rest of her life knowing she had love and she turned her back on it.

THANK YOU


----------



## Karen

I love that story, too, Barwelle, and it obviously meant a lot to Dopplegangerr. Thanks for posting it.


----------



## Barwelle

Glad you folks like it! You're welcome, DG, Karen.


----------



## KaeJS

Shyt got serious just now.

That was deep.

Karen is right though, probably meant more to Dopple than a full week long market rally. It's true, though. I'll remember that next time I get dumped. :biggrin:


----------



## kcowan

the-royal-mail said:


> Friggin' brilliant! I love it!


+1
DG you will live to be thankful for this moment! Good luck.


----------



## Toronto.gal

I guess there is a smartphone app for everything.

*Technology Can Trim Childhood Obesity*
http://nursing.jhu.edu/news-events/news/news/technology_can_trim_childhood_obesity_#.UDPWXN1lSjQ


----------



## CanadianCapitalist

This news anchor's blooper is too funny.

http://youtu.be/PSqmlzaJM0Y


----------



## humble_pie

today in the london tube

a notice evidently not aimed at harry.


----------



## m3s

This blog just rules. I should have just discovered it before instead of trying to explain why Canadians always complain about the heat. Bad timing, but it works the exact same way for the winter!

The World’s Most Efficient Air-Conditioner


----------



## humble_pie

gotta love quebec. I just noticed that an item on my grocery bill is printed CRACKBAR PAIN.

it'll make a great login name. They mean a package (un pain = literally, a loaf) of cracker barrel cheese.


----------



## brad

One of my favourites is "Salle de Fartage," which is a room where you can wax your cross-country skis.


----------



## Toronto.gal

Have you heard.....Dalton McGuinty stepping down as Ontario premier..

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/1...nounces-hes-stepping-down-as-ontario-premier/


----------



## MoneyGal

Husband says, "Maybe he's decided his true vocation is diving from space, or something."


----------



## Barwelle

Thought I'd celebrate my 500th post by posting in the Coffee lounge... it has been pretty quiet in here! 

How is everyone feeling at this point in their lives? 

I had to find my post upthread, #826, to re-read the story I shared there as I was recently dumped. Now our situation wasn't as serious as DG's, we weren't getting married or anything, but still it came as a bit of a surprise and didn't inspire good feelings.

But, a couple weeks later now, I feel great. Like, I'm not really made to be a bachelor all my life, I don't have everything figured out, I want to do all these things but can't yet... but I know that things will fall into place and I'll be just fine. I feel motivated to get out and move forward, and not so much to find a girl but more so that I can be who I want to be, and do all the things I want to do. Whereas before, I was kind of just coasting. So it's weirdly exciting to be on my own again.

Okay, enough feels... how about anyone else? Not just about relationships... anything. Kids, careers, education, retirement, life in general...

*What's good?*

PS No pity or pats on the back please... just starting a conversation!


----------



## marina628

Barwelle said:


> Thought I'd celebrate my 500th post by posting in the Coffee lounge... it has been pretty quiet in here!
> 
> How is everyone feeling at this point in their lives?
> 
> I had to find my post upthread, #826, to re-read the story I shared there as I was recently dumped. Now our situation wasn't as serious as DG's, we weren't getting married or anything, but still it came as a bit of a surprise and didn't inspire good feelings.
> 
> But, a couple weeks later now, I feel great. Like, I'm not really made to be a bachelor all my life, I don't have everything figured out, I want to do all these things but can't yet... but I know that things will fall into place and I'll be just fine. I feel motivated to get out and move forward, and not so much to find a girl but more so that I can be who I want to be, and do all the things I want to do. Whereas before, I was kind of just coasting. So it's weirdly exciting to be on my own again.
> 
> Okay, enough feels... how about anyone else? Not just about relationships... anything. Kids, careers, education, retirement, life in general...
> 
> *What's good?*
> 
> PS No pity or pats on the back please... just starting a conversation!


Well I just finished a poker game and won over $141,000 so I will not be able to sleep tonight lol.
My final hand was worth close to $100,000 AK suited and I flopped a pair of kings .

Marina


----------



## My Own Advisor

Marina628,

Are you friggin' kidding me/us?

OMG.

You're a star.


----------



## kcowan

Barwelle said:


> Okay, enough feels... how about anyone else? Not just about relationships... anything. Kids, careers, education, retirement, life in general...
> 
> *What's good?*


OK let see for this week:
Oldest son has now rented out his lakefront cottage for the entire season. It is an investment property.
Replaced on old satellite receiver with a half price PVR from craigslist.
Bought a new sofa and loveseat for the LR. It has been a todo for 2 years.
Recycle day yesterday, got rid of half the contents of our storage locker.
Had a convertible debenture called for end of June (6% due June 2017). Another decision to make.
Saw one of the funniest videos this week: Peter Kay

Things are boring but good! Congrats Marina.


----------



## marina628

Not kidding when the money comes in I will post screen shot ,they sent $15,000 today and balance will go out Monday so will hit my bank as two transactions.It came to $141,309.65 total but I am sure I will get dinged $10 for each wire .Taking a break these marathon sessions have killed me this week lol


----------



## Xoron

marina628 said:


> Well I just finished a poker game and won over $141,000 so I will not be able to sleep tonight lol.
> My final hand was worth close to $100,000 AK suited and I flopped a pair of kings .
> 
> Marina


Wow, nice payday. Congratulations Marina628!


----------



## My Own Advisor

Marina628, you rock. Killer payday. Well done!!!!!!!!

@kcowan,
"Bought a new sofa and loveseat for the LR. It has been a todo for 2 years."
Nice work. Wife wants to get a new sectional for LR. We are saving for one now.

On that note of furniture....know anyone in the Ottawa-area that might like a loveseat? We are trying to sell ours.

http://ottawa.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-s...brown-all-leather-loveseat-W0QQAdIdZ496047495

Price is negotiable


----------



## CanadianCapitalist

Okay, I have a really funny story to share. Kids are bringing in their school work these days because it's end of the year and all that. So, I was rifling through our 7-year old's work and found a job application for selling freezies at school. Kid says he really wants a job in sales. Why? Because he likes counting money that comes in selling freezies. Are you any good at that? Yep, says he's pretty good at math, so he can count the money coming in correctly. So, did you get the job? Nope. Says he landed a "job" in waste management.


----------



## Cal

Marina, how many hours in total was the poker tournament?


----------



## mrPPincer

Wow Marina! 
That makes my getting 100 shares of T at the four month low today seem really, really.. really, small potatoes, and I'm still elated about that; you must be bouncing off the ceiling  congrats!


----------



## Emma

Congrats Marina 628, much better return than the market these days. My son won $15000 several years ago and I was astonished when he actually received a cheque from Vancouver. I was expecting Nevis or Belize!


----------



## Jon_Snow

Pretty freakin' amazing win... but does Marina share her poker related losses with us CMF'ers?


----------



## marina628

This was a $1016 buy in game Jon.


----------



## marina628

At cottage so don't have access to accounting stuff but I believe buyin are around $51,000 and net profits over $300,000 for 2013.


----------



## Jon_Snow

:eek2:


----------



## marina628

Jon I have same problem as you not sure what to buy .As for Emma's post ,there are many processors in Canada for online Gambling companies as most of them are licensed by Kahnawake Gaming Commission.


----------



## marina628

My husband went out to the store near our cottage and when he was out he picked up various real estate books that were there.Image our surprise when we get to page 13 there is our cottage being used as a backdrop to a Real Estate 2 page ad.Looks like they used a thumbnail on page 13 then flip to page 14 and our cottage is on the bottom 1/3 of the page with all their promo stuff on top.They are big Cottage Real Estate team.So should I be flattered and do nothing which really is not in my nature or should I ring them up and demand they take my home out of their ad .We get enough Gawkers as it is now without people photographing our home and publishing it.


----------



## marina628

BTW cottage just a simple 1240 bungalow with wrap around deck and boat dock .I don't own a 5000 sq ft cottage


----------



## My Own Advisor

Good for you. You've earned it!


----------



## NorthKC

Wow, that's impressive. You're definitely a good example of maximizing your "job" to the full potential while taking on this big risk. I definitely couldn't do what you just did. I'd probably have more grey hairs worrying about losing every game! Congrats on your win!


----------



## marina628

My blood pressure is probably at it's lowest when I am playing big stakes games.I focus on the cards not about the money.My brother in law wants to give me his retirement fund and send me to WSOP LOL.There are some players who try to get backers but the way I look at it is they are over their head if they can't fund their own bankroll.Although I do not have the funds yet I just donated $3000 this morning to the Heart and Stroke Foundation ,I really believe you get back more than you give so maybe that will give em some luck next week .


----------



## Toronto.gal

For the fearless that may not yet have heard about the 'exhilarating new experience' in town. 

Zip-Line 2013
http://theex.com/main/rides/adult-rides/cne-zipline

Enjoy the last days of Summer!


----------



## Toronto.gal

marina628 said:


> I really believe you get back more than you give....


Indeed! Way more, in fact!


----------



## fatcat

Toronto.gal said:


> For the fearless that may not yet have heard about the 'exhilarating new experience' in town.
> 
> Zip-Line 2013
> http://theex.com/main/rides/adult-rides/cne-zipline
> 
> Enjoy the last days of Summer!


heres one for you gal ..

http://zipzone.ca/about-us/Breast Cancer Research

wow, talk about feeling the wind in your hair

i tired to get in but they won't let me 

i'm not even allowed to watch

bummer ;-)


----------



## Toronto.gal

That's just wild IMO, but as long as the cause is good, that's all that counts!

I can raise any amount, much easier & faster, when fully clothed. :wink:


----------



## fatcat

Toronto.gal said:


> That's just wild IMO, but as long as the cause is good, that's all that counts!
> 
> I can raise any amount, much easier & faster, when fully clothed. :wink:


right, i agree .. i have a longstanding fear of heights ... i don't need naked too !


----------



## marina628

Hey Guys just dropping in to say hello ,tomorrow my husband and I are going away for 4 days with no kids and no agenda to Niagara Falls .Then we take the kids away for 7 days to Myrtle Beach .Cannot believe summer is almost over!T.Gal I am sure I would do very well if I threatened to take my clothes off , people will pay me to keep it covered lol.I keep telling myself it's nothing a bit of duct tape can't fix when I get dressed in the morning lol


----------



## Toronto.gal

marina628 said:


> Niagara Falls/Myrtle Beach. Cannot believe summer is almost over!


Very nice combo; romantic & family oriented. :encouragement:

With a bit of luck, we'll get an Indian Summer.

********

Last night, I went looking for 3 decorative wrought iron easels, and wow, I was shocked how expensive they were since I had never bought one before; price ranged from $140 to $300 for the size I was looking for. Seems easy enough to make, so not sure why they are so expensive. Even the wood type at Michaels was just under $100. 

Maybe I'll try DIY. 
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-an-Easel


----------



## marina628

My husband made one for our daughter think he paid about $100 in material but he over built it super strong.


----------



## Toronto.gal

So there are 3 countries holding their breath right now, but who will Buenos Aires announce as the 2020 Summer Olympic Games winner? 

My vote goes to Tokyo/Istanbul/Madrid, in that order.


----------



## marina628

Toronto.gal said:


> So there are 3 countries holding their breath right now, but who will Buenos Aires announce as the 2020 Summer Olympic Games winner?
> 
> My vote goes to Tokyo/Istanbul/Madrid, in that order.


For personal reason I hope Madrid as I have a place to stay there lol


----------



## Toronto.gal

In that case Marina, if you invite me, I'll change my vote. Olé. 

I like all 3 countries, however, had non-personal reasons to vote the way I did, but ppffffttt, not that anyone will listen, LOL.


----------



## marina628

LOL My husband said we are renting the place out , not going to happen!Before you go crazy we have fractional ownership with 3 other couples so we will all be going together if it happens.


----------



## Toronto.gal

Madrid has been eliminated in 1st round of voting.

So far 1 out of 3!


----------



## Toronto.gal

Tokyo won!

What do you think of my 3/3 prediction Sampson? 

Congrats to them!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## marina628

Ok now we need a boyfriend in Tokyo ....


----------



## Toronto.gal

No, we don't Marina.

How the IOC and I, arrived at the surprising same conclusion. :biggrin:

*Madrid *- regardless of experience in Barcelona/existing sporting venues in Madrid/and promising the lowest expenditure among the 3 countries, I thought it would be all about their economy. Also they hosted in 1992, so not their turn again just yet.

*Istanbul *- having been in that magnificent city a few times, politics and neighbors aside, the 1st thing that came to my mind, was the logistics nightmare it would be, no matter what they would construct in the next 7 years with their humongous budget, and even when it's not exactly the world's most populous metropolis [that would in fact, be Tokyo, followed by México City I think]. Also, the proposed 19 billion expenditure [obscene], I'm sure did not win them extra points with the judges. Then, the fact that they lost the bid 4 continuous times, hence had no experience with just a global event. Last but not least, in that violent region, one never knows what it will look like, even 7 years from now. But I knew the IOC members would at least pretend to give the impression that they seriously considered this candidate, hence came not in 3rd, but in very distant 2nd [32 vs 60 was the final count].

*Tokyo* - had the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster been a factor, I believe they [like any other country], would have withdrawn their bid in the last 2 years, so I took this as not a factor. They previously hosted in same city in 1964 [also twice in winter olympics], so that was 49 years ago, so about time it returned to them!

I do think however, that if Toronto would have placed a renewed bid after [unfairly] losing to Beijing back in 01 for the 08 Games, that we would have beaten Tokyo on the 'safety' issue. We have PanAm 2015 though: any Torontonians volunteering, Beav? :tongue-new:
http://www.toronto2015.org/

*Marina,* if you want a date for 2020, I'll be available. :encouragement:


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## marina628

Toronto.gal said:


> No, we don't Marina.
> 
> How the IOC and I, arrived at the surprising same conclusion. :biggrin:
> 
> *Madrid *- regardless of experience in Barcelona/existing sporting venues in Madrid/and promising the lowest expenditure among the 3 countries, I thought it would be all about their economy. Also they hosted in 1992, so not their turn again just yet.
> 
> *Istanbul *- having been in that magnificent city a few times, politics and neighbors aside, the 1st thing that came to my mind, was the logistics nightmare it would be, no matter what they would construct in the next 7 years with their humongous budget, and even when it's not exactly the world's most populous metropolis [that would in fact, be Tokyo, followed by México City I think]. Also, the proposed 19 billion expenditure [obscene], I'm sure did not win them extra points with the judges. Then, the fact that they lost the bid 4 continuous times, hence had no experience with just a global event. Last but not least, in that violent region, one never knows what it will look like, even 7 years from now. But I knew the IOC members would at least pretend to give the impression that they seriously considered this candidate, hence came not in 3rd, but in very distant 2nd [32 vs 60 was the final count].
> 
> *Tokyo* - had the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster been a factor, I believe they [like any other country], would have withdrawn their bid in the last 2 years, so I took this as not a factor. They previously hosted in same city in 1964 [also twice in winter olympics], so that was 49 years ago, so about time it returned to them!
> 
> I do think however, that if Toronto would have placed a renewed bid after [unfairly] losing to Beijing back in 01 for the 08 Games, that we would have beaten Tokyo on the 'safety' issue. We have PanAm 2015 though: any Torontonians volunteering, Beav? :tongue-new:
> http://www.toronto2015.org/
> 
> *Marina,* if you want a date for 2020, I'll be available. :encouragement:


I will go on the Asian Poker Tour and scout for a place for 2020 lol


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## Toronto.gal

Then 幸運を祈ります, in advance! :wink:nthego:


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## Beaver101

Toronto.gal said:


> No, we don't Marina. ... We have PanAm 2015 though: any Torontonians volunteering, Beav? :tongue-new: ... :


 ... I pass, I'll let you have the honour of volunteering for PanAm2015 *Toronto*.gal .. I'm staying in my own pond when that comes. :cower:


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## marina628

Toronto.gal said:


> Then 幸運を祈ります, in advance! :wink:nthego:


 I have skill but a little luck wont hurt either  I usually prefer these things on TV ,no fun in a wheelchair going through these crowds.


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## Toronto.gal

Beaver101 said:


> I'm staying in my own pond when that comes.


Ah, you're no sports fun Beav. :frown:

It's still not too late 2 change your mind, however!

*Marina:* I knew u would understand my trilingual skills.  And I believe that in every success in life, luck plays a part, even if just a lil one.










'*Luck is trickier.* I like to think of luck as having three features:

- First, it happens to a group or an individual. 
- Second, it can be good or bad. I don’t mean to imply that it’s symmetrically good and bad, but rather that it does have both flavors. 
- Finally, luck plays a role when *it is reasonable to believe that something else may have happened.*'

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/11/luck-and-skill-untangled-qa-with-michael-mauboussin/

There are many here who think stock traders, aka: pure gamblers, succeed only due to luck. Sigh.

Speaking of which, GRPN is @ $11+. 4 U = :applause: 

Another view: *Is Success Due to Hard Work and Determination — Or Is There a Lot of Luck Involved?*
http://business.time.com/2012/06/06...rmination-or-is-there-a-lot-of-luck-involved/


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## Beaver101

> =Toronto.gal;197626]Ah, you're no sports fun Beav. :frown:
> 
> It's still not too late 2 change your mind, however!


 ... . .. I'm perfectly happy diving and dancing in my own fun pond than to battle the forthcoming traffic nightmare and up as BamAm Games roadkill. No thanks! And it's too late to change my mind. :biggrin:


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## Toronto.gal

Beaver101 said:


> I'm perfectly happy diving and dancing in my own fun pond....


LOL Beav. :chuncky:


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## marina628

I sold 75% of grpn a week or so ago but still have 300 shares .I told you guys ages ago I will buy at $7.00 and sell at $11.00 lol.I think we may be at the top so I will probably get out again in a few days and set my goals more realistic to 10-14% ROI .This stock has made me over $40,000 since it opened .


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## Toronto.gal

marina628 said:


> This stock has made me over $40,000 since it opened .


And that was no luck alone!

You became quite the trader! Congrats!


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## OnlyMyOpinion

Hey, I've stumbled across this inactive coffee lounge! Time to clean out the coffee maker and put on a fresh pot if anyone is interested. 

*Suggestions for Meeting Mr. Right?*
I've refrained from discussing this subject until now, but a girl I know well has just turned 30 and still has not met Mr. Right. 
With the cross section of (mostly) sensible people here I thought I would throw this question out there. Younger members in particular may have some suggestions. 

How did you meet your mr/mrs right?

As far as I know, this particular gal did not go through the high school or even university boyfriend-girlfriend hormonal stuff, broken heart, car sex :eek-new:, etc. Some social anxiety issues kept her more focused on school and less on relationships. 
She's attractive, has a steady job and a few good friends, but no romantic interests in spite of some postings on things like match(?) kettle of fish(?), etc.
I'm sure there are some compatible, decent guys out there but the challenge is meeting them. At 30 I think it is more difficult to meet guys who aren't dysfunctional, aren't just after sex, or aren't just after her money and car, etc.


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## OnlyMyOpinion

..


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## gibor365

the best candidate imho is james


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## Beaver101

^^


> Not repeating all your post up there ...


By the way,what is it to you that girl you know well who has turned 30 and has no romantic interest, and hasn't met Mr. Right? What flavour is that pot of coffee btw too? :frog:


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## OnlyMyOpinion

Beaver101 said:


> ... what is it to you that girl you know well who has turned 30 and has no romantic interest, and hasn't met Mr. Right?


Just that I know she has been making efforts to meet someone. Thought it worthwhile to see if anyone on CMF had sugggestions or stories that might provide inspiration or ideas I could pass on. I'm more experienced at falling in love with a good investment return


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## indexxx

OnlyMyOpinion said:


> Hey, I've stumbled across this inactive coffee lounge! Time to clean out the coffee maker and put on a fresh pot if anyone is interested.
> 
> *Suggestions for Meeting Mr. Right?*
> I've refrained from discussing this subject until now, but a girl I know well has just turned 30 and still has not met Mr. Right.
> With the cross section of (mostly) sensible people here I thought I would throw this question out there. Younger members in particular may have some suggestions.
> 
> How did you meet your mr/mrs right?
> 
> As far as I know, this particular gal did not go through the high school or even university boyfriend-girlfriend hormonal stuff, broken heart, car sex :eek-new:, etc. Some social anxiety issues kept her more focused on school and less on relationships.
> She's attractive, has a steady job and a few good friends, but no romantic interests in spite of some postings on things like match(?) kettle of fish(?), etc.
> I'm sure there are some compatible, decent guys out there but the challenge is meeting them. At 30 I think it is more difficult to meet guys who aren't dysfunctional, aren't just after sex, or aren't just after her money and car, etc.


For me, personally, compatibility is almost all about preferences in music. That might sound ridiculously shallow to some, but hear me out.

Think about the types of people that you associate with certain genres of music. Whether that be folk, rap, country, jazz, hard rock (like myself), or what have you, my experience is that musical preference is a pretty accurate indicator of overall personality type and compatibility. I feel we are drawn to specific genres of music and associated lifestyles BECAUSE of our inherent personalities, and personally this then informs my taste in partners. There are, in my opinion, broad general attitudes and outlooks that go along with strong musical preferences. Of course a majority of people might enjoy many genres (I like reggae, outlaw country, organ music, Gregorian chant, African music, blues, and much else aside from guitar rock), but one's main musical preference can be a good indicator of whether potential mate material exists. I doubt very much if I could date someone who was heavily into gangster rap or who couldn't understand the appeal of cranking Led Zeppelin. 

Your 30-something friend may do well on a site like Tastebuds, which matches people by musical taste, or by attending local live performances in her musical style. Just my 1/50th of a dollar- but what do I know... I'm single too!


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## Argonaut

For women, go to graduate school for something like an MBA. It will be full of professional people in that age range. Those who aren't hitched already have a high probability of meeting someone in the class. And the numbers are likely tilted towards men, so odds are better for women.

If your friend isn't interested in the degree, it would be a very expensive test though.


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## james4beach

gibor365 said:


> the best candidate imho is james


Thanks for the endorsement. And yes I am looking!

I'm early 30s, a technical professional in pseudo-management (I'm a lead researcher), and reasonably fit. A little bit obsessed with money and business. Downside: it's a bit of an obsession. Upside: I'm well off for my age.

Meeting people is difficult. The main places people meet their spouses are: high school, university, and the workplace. I had excellent girlfriends back in university but that's probably the last time I routinely met attractive, high-quality women. I wish I could meet women in the work place, but [ and I just did a lap around the office while composing this ] my office is 15% female, among which there's maybe 1 eligible single woman. Plus due to modern societal norms, flirting with a coworker is extremely dangerous.

I have a few friends, including one coworker here, who met their spouses through online dating. The process can work but it takes a lot of effort: you have to meet TONS of people and keep an open mind. This is why I'm frequently going on dates. One difficulty for many people, both women & men, is the constant rejection you will face. Online dating can work, but you have to have a thick skin for the constant rejection, and have to keep up the effort of meeting new people.

Sport activities are a great place to meet partners too. I've done a few of these over the years (including volleyball leagues) but unfortunately didn't encounter any single women during those. But they're still promising ways to go.

I am completely open to ideas from people.

P.S. it's not fair to say that it's just men out there looking for sex. I routinely meet women who verbalize that they are looking for non-serious, almost purely sexual relationships. It's old fashioned thinking to believe that only men are seeking sex. Young women are also highly motivated by physical drives to find attractive men and sleep with them. Maybe they want a relationship, maybe not. Even if the guy is not relationship material, there are many women who might sleep with a guy because everyone wants sex.

Personally I don't think there's much of a difference between men and women when it comes to dating & sex & relationships. You'll find the same mix of motivations on both sides. One of the only big differences is that women seem to start panicking at age 30 about getting too old and being single.


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## AltaRed

OnlyMyOpinion said:


> Just that I know she has been making efforts to meet someone. Thought it worthwhile to see if anyone on CMF had sugggestions or stories that might provide inspiration or ideas I could pass on. I'm more experienced at falling in love with a good investment return


An Internet dating service can work IF she picks the right one, i.e. not the meat market type. Something that at least tries to cater to the specific demographic or potentially uses some algorithms to at least screen possible candidates. Then look at the Consumer Affairs website for complaints. Recently, LifeMates has been getting a lot of bad press, despite their personal interviewing process and steep membership fees (in the thousands of dollars). I know people who have had success with eHarmony but then one usually only hears the good stories. Anecdotes are not data.


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## james4beach

My friend was scammed by LifeMates. They charged her a huge amount of money and basically did nothing... they matched her with a couple guys who didn't meet her criteria (it was apparent they didn't even follow her criteria). Very lazy work, and very unsatisfactory results. She strongly advises against LifeMates.


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## indexxx

I agree that meeting in the workplace these days is a bit difficult. My challenge there is I am now in management; lawsuits abound if one tries to chat up a subordinate employee. I did great when I was just one of the gang but it's much different now. 

I kind of think that outside of school, common interests are the key- I used to meet a lot of women when I was more involved in the local music and literary scene or when I've been doing photography. Online dating- I've never had any luck there; I found that the people I would meet after a few emails were usually pretty strange or neurotic and I gave up on it. I used to meet most of my girlfriends in bars ( I'm in the industry) but I don't drink anymore and don't care to be with someone who still has that lifestyle, so it's kind of tough these days.

I'd say my only chance of meeting someone through work would be someone who works in the same industry but a different company- like who works for a supplier or something. For example, there's this girl who provides our first aid kits... hmmm, I wonder how our iodine supplies are these days... :smile:


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## Just a Guy

Why not get involved in stuff outside of work? Get involved in adult sports clubs, join a book club, try an investor club, running club, volunteer for something, get involved in a charity, the art gallery, museums, etc. If you get involved in something you like, chances are you'll meet someone with like interests. 

Not everything has to revolve around work or bars. So many people I know only focus on work and don't see the world as a bigger place. 

Fortunately for me, I got married and have kids, many of my newer friends I met through my kids sports, but one of my business partners, and close friend, I met playing ball hockey (and this was after I got injured so I was certainly no athlete at the time).

Now, one of the things I did do was go with them after the games when they went for drinks. Personally I don't drink, but I did it for the social aspect. You never know who you're having fun with. I met fellow business guys, angel investors, bankers as well as construction guys or whatever. The ball hockey was a men's group, but there are coed groups for many sports, or sometimes the guys know someone who may also be looking. 

I'm also on a bunch of volunteer boards, where I met many different people. I've volunteered for many organizations, and met tons of people. A buddy of mine met his wife volunteering at an annual outdoor music festival.

The hardest part is making yourself go and have fun. Many people are too afraid to even get involved, then you're tired or sore from the day, shy, whatever...excuses are way easier. That being said, I've never regretted getting involved in outside interest.

Btw, I don't drink coffee either yet, you'll notice, I came into the coffee lounge for the discussion.


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## carverman

james4beach said:


> My friend was scammed by LifeMates. They charged her a huge amount of money and basically did nothing... they matched her with a couple guys who didn't meet her criteria (it was apparent they didn't even follow her criteria). Very lazy work, and very unsatisfactory results. She strongly advises against LifeMates.


A lot of these internet dating sites are not only ripoffs, but ripe wth predators/scammers that post pseudo names and faces to gain confidence of the innocent subscribers and then demand money for some kind of "emergency". 

At first they spend time chatting to gain the other persons confidence and then promise to meet somewherein a public place but never show up.

While not everyone on these online dating sites is a scammer or falsely advertises their personal particulars/pictures, a lot of them do. 

It's just another way of getting scammed these days on the internet. 
On the internet, you can be anyone you want to be.


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## james4beach

Good advice from everyone, thanks.

Step one is probably to not work so late (leaving the office now at 8:45 pm) ! ... go and "have a life" as they say.


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## AltaRed

carverman said:


> A lot of these internet dating sites are not only ripoffs, but ripe wth predators/scammers that post pseudo names and faces to gain confidence of the innocent subscribers and then demand money for some kind of "emergency". .


Which is why one must be cautious. But don't denigrate internet dating with a broad brush. I personally know a number of people in the age 40-65 age bracket that have "eventually" found success from certain online sites. I have no idea what it is like for 25-40 yr olds. Quite often, one has to go through a lot of 'coffee meets' to find someone to pass to step 2, actual dating, and often several attempts at step 2, but it can work. The key is to be able to zero in on the baggage a 40-65 yr old may be carrying with them and to see if those are deal breakers. They often are but remember that our own personal selves carry our own baggage too.


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## Mukhang pera

I guess with social distancing today, meeting in a coffee lounge is taboo. I turned up this long-forgotten thread. Interesting to look back to when it was started in 2011. Most who then contributed have long since disappeared. A moment of silence please, pour nos disparus. And a moment of respectful recognition to those few, such as Plugging Along, who were then, and remain, plugging along. Ontario's motto was intended for such stalwarts: "Ut incepit fidelis sic permanet".









While some would see it as fitting that this moribund thread remain relegated to the dustbin, I'll risk breathing new life into it by asking if any here find the attached pic a bit evocative. A couple of packs of wooden matches I found in my desk today. Any Toronto types recall the place?


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## marina628

I know it well and met some people there 4-5 years ago for a lunch , I know a few cmf members use to stay there when in town.I miss the old gang although a couple are in my life and we meet up from time to time.The quality and quantity of posting has deterioated since it got sold .Many got tired of making others money with their contributions and this new owner is selling premier memberships yet I see very little content by the owners ...


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## m3s

I joined "canadian investor" on discord. It's only a few months old and there's a few hundred members mostly from the associated reddit.

Seems like a lot of subreddits experimented with a chat feature the past year and now suddenly many are moving to discord servers

I thought Discord was more for gamers to talk live in game but it's also a modern version for a forum. I first got invites from other projects that used google chat before but I didn't want yet another account.

It's pretty nice though. Closer to a forum than reddit. Works better on mobile devices. More advanced. No ads etc


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## like_to_retire

marina628 said:


> I know it well and met some people there 4-5 years ago for a lunch , I know a few cmf members use to stay there when in town.I miss the old gang although a couple are in my life and we meet up from time to time.The quality and quantity of posting has deteriorated since it got sold .Many got tired of making others money with their contributions and this new owner is selling premier memberships yet I see very little content by the owners ...


Yeah, it's sad. I read through this thread and it's hard to miss the change from intelligent discourse to the collection of crazies that completely dominate at present. They don't even know who they are. 

My patience runs thin with this site.

ltr


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## Plugging Along

Time sure flies. I joined this when Million Dollar Journey was just starting his way and went on a Money Sense forum (the forum shut down). I used to come here in awe that there were people who knew so much more than myself. It was so refreshing as I felt I was better than the 'average' person in finances (not to say that is much). Being a Westerner, I never really met anyone here, but appreciate all those wise ones who have now left.

Now, I just come in to kill time and peek to see what is going on.


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## Ag Driver

Thanks for the Discord advice. This place has nearly run its course. It's sad to say, but I have been trying to find an alternate.


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## m3s

@Ag Driver I see you also joined one I just found. This one seems more active Let me know if you find something better


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## calm

I am not into complaining about anything here at Canadian Money Forums, because I am entertained with reading all the comments and the service is free.

Maybe there is very little strategy to discuss since the Federal Reserve now owns the complete market?
Maybe there is no such thing as the Free Market anymore.


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## james4beach

m3s said:


> I joined "canadian investor" on discord.


Can I use this with a desktop computer and conventional browser?


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## calm

I think that the demographics of North America has changed and that a majority of the population are trending towards more socialist methods. Thus the dissatisfaction of many.


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## bgc_fan

james4beach said:


> Can I use this with a desktop computer and conventional browser?


Yes you can. My only issue about discord is that it really is a chat platform, so if you are searching for specific information it needs to be flagged or pinned. I don't use it much, but it could be great for discussion, but not for permanent reference info.


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## calm

I just don't get it .....

What is there to discuss about the stock market in a forum such as Canadian Money? What projections can a person make or what recommendations can a person make when the stock market itself is a fiction? When the stock market itself is at the whim of the Federal Reserve?

After this latest bail out because of the virus, what credibility does a stock market now hold or have? I would think that purchasing any stock now is like playing a roulette wheel and not with a sound strategy?

My understanding is that the Federal Reserve is helping a private equity firm named BlackRock (Rothschild) to own/privatize everything.


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## Beaver101

^ Playing the market is called "keeping busy" (or trying to keep busy or earn a keep). And there is the main thing: America is about capitalism, correct?


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## agent99

Ag Driver said:


> Thanks for the Discord advice. This place has nearly run its course. It's sad to say, but I have been trying to find an alternate.


There is always Investor Village. Many different forums worth looking at, but for a start, this one may suit some here who are interested in income related discussions: Cdn. Yield: Corps, Trusts, GICs, Pref. Shares - InvestorVillage


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## calm

Beaver101 said:


> ^ Playing the market is called "keeping busy" (or trying to keep busy or earn a keep). And there is the main thing: America is about capitalism, correct?


Are you suggesting that after the Federal Reserve intervention that the market is somewhat like playing polker? You find it entertaining?
That stock purchases are now based on hunches and not financials?
And yes ..... freedom to play polker is capitalism.


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## Mukhang pera

marina628 said:


> I know it well and met some people there 4-5 years ago for a lunch , I know a few cmf members use to stay there when in town.I miss the old gang although a couple are in my life and we meet up from time to time.The quality and quantity of posting has deterioated since it got sold .Many got tired of making others money with their contributions and this new owner is selling premier memberships yet I see very little content by the owners ...


Marina, are you saying you met people for lunch at the Inn on the Park 4-5 years ago? If so, it must be a hotel of the same name elsewhere. The Four Seasons Inn on the Park on Eglinton Ave. E. & Leslie St. in Toronto ceased to be a Four Seasons hotel in the 1980s and was demolished in 2006. 

The matches in the photo are from about 1970, when the Vintage Room looked like the photo in this post.


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## calm

There used to be an Inn On The Park on the Don Valley Parkway.


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## Mukhang pera

Then calm, you are thinking of the Inn on the Park that had an Eglinton Ave. address, where Eglinton intersected with Leslie St. Very close to the Don Valley Parkway. I am sure there was never another one on the Parkway itself.


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## calm

During the 70's I knew the maitre d pretty well at that one near the Don Valley. Many Hollywood visitors.


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## Mukhang pera

calm said:


> During the 70's I knew the maitre d pretty well at that one near the Don Valley. Many Hollywood visitors.


Do you recall the name?


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## calm

He was very very Greek.


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## m3s

james4beach said:


> Can I use this with a desktop computer and conventional browser?


There is web based Discord and apps for many OS


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## Mukhang pera

calm said:


> He was very very Greek.


Not really Greek, but Frank Lukacs perhaps?


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## agent99

Mukhang pera said:


> Marina, are you saying you met people for lunch at the Inn on the Park 4-5 years ago? If so, it must be a hotel of the same name elsewhere.


Could be the 4-Seasons Hotel&Residences at Yorkville & Bay? Or the old 4-Seasons on Avenue, but that closed about 8 years ago. Inn on the Park must have closed 15-20 yrs ago?


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## calm

Mukhang pera said:


> Not really Greek, but Frank Lukacs perhaps?


My very best friend was married to his daughter. (Now divorced) I don't think that was last name. I could find out if it was important to you.


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## Mukhang pera

calm said:


> My very best friend was married to his daughter. (Now divorced) I don't think that was last name. I could find out if it was important to you.


No, not important at all. But thanks for the offer.


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## kcowan

Mukhang pera said:


> I guess with social distancing today, meeting in a coffee lounge is taboo. I turned up this long-forgotten thread. Interesting to look back to when it was started in 2011. Most who then contributed have long since disappeared. A moment of silence please, pour nos disparus. And a moment of respectful recognition to those few, such as Plugging Along, who were then, and remain, plugging along. Ontario's motto was intended for such stalwarts: "Ut incepit fidelis sic permanet".
> View attachment 20492
> 
> A couple of packs of wooden matches I found in my desk today. Any Toronto types recall the place?


We used to sneak across the tracks on Friday noon to have a beer with lunch. Favourite place to stay for out-of-towners too. Now it is condos.


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## goldman

m3s said:


> @Ag Driver I see you also joined one I just found. This one seems more active Let me know if you find something better


Thanks for this! I was looking for a good investing discord server.


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