Some of them are American, and one or two are split between the two countries. The broken black line through the middle of Lake Ontario is the border.

... wonder why it is that Canadians historically prefer the more liberal candidate in America when they don't, necessarily, do so at home.


I agree with AG. Our right is just slightly right of the US left. We believe very strongly in the government's right to keep out of the individual's business. Hence we're pro-choice, pro-gay marriage, anti-death penalty, and fairly ambivalent on marijuana. However, when it comes to impinging on the rights of each other, we get busy: hence our low tolerance for guns and any type of God in the government. As 'right' as Harper's party is (and as devoutly religious as Harper is), his most trusted aide, John Baird, is gay. Sort that out.

What's more, the Conservatives weren't really elected as much as the Liberal party was unelected due to a series of 'patronage' scandals. At the time of the election, it was openly discussed that the Liberals were simply being put in the penalty box and that they'd be returned to power in no time. However, Harper's done a remarkable job of walking the line for over two years now, and has done a lot to dispell the notion of him being Scary Steve who'd steal your wife's womb and make you find God. What's more, the Liberals are in a state of disarray after electing the wrong guy at their leadership convention over a year ago. The Quebec wing of the party is in open revolt and people are saying they're going to have to lose a confidence-prompted election and then choose a new leader to get out of their current mess.


AG; the museum of civilization in Ottawa/Hull is pretty sexy.

WornOldMotorbike wrote:

QUOTE:
the museum of civilization in Ottawa/Hull is pretty sexy.

It's built on a bridge?

Clever dick.

It's actually directly across the river from the Parliament buildings. For whatever reason, Ottawa/Hull often get lumped together as twin cities, like Kitchener/Waterloo (Ontario) or Minneapolis/St Paul (Minn).

But the bridge idea is intriguing.

Jersey Shore's story as described by wiki:
"Jersey Shore was originally named Waynesburg by the two brothers, Reuben and Jeremiah Manning, who laid out the town circa 1785.[4] Around the time that this was happening, a settlement arose on the eastern side of the West Branch Susquehanna River (Nippenose Township), opposite Waynesburg. A rivalry developed between the two settlements, and those on the eastern shore began referring to the settlement on the western shore as the "Jersey Shore," because the Manning family had relocated from New Jersey. The nickname became so fixed that in 1826 the original name of Waynesburg was officially abandoned and changed to Jersey Shore."

It's odd that it shows up on that map. It's a very small town. You'd hardly notice it as you pass through.

Pennsylvania also has a lot of towns with Port in the name, despite being totally landlocked and not having even a canal running through - Williamsport, Coudersport, Port Jervis, Port Matilda, etc. (my parents' address is in Port Matilda, although they live in Stormstown). I think it has some connection to the old railroad.

Oh, so that's where Buffalo is... I used to like the Dave Lee Roth song about it ("Ladies Night In Buffalo"), but I thought it was some sort of Texan wild-west place.

So it's more like the "Canadian Tijuana" instead?

Y'see, this is where I differ from you youngsters. When I see Buffalo mentioned, I start singing Shuffle Of To Buffalo...

That's exactly what it's like. In Southern Ontario, the kids go across the border for dirt-cheap beer and easy chicks. The American kids come across so they can drink at 19 (vs 21) and frustrate themselves trying to get anywhere with Canadian chicks.

I think of Fogerty singing "If I had my way, I'd shuffle off to Buffalo. Sit by the lake, and watch the world go by."
And then I think "In Buffalo? The town that 'fun' forgot? That's where you'd choose to do this?"

Poughkeepsie is a sleepy 'burb, but it has a couple of interesting attractions, the Franklin D Roosevelt museum and the Culinary Institute of America.

WOM: do you really believe that Stephane Dion is the "wrong candidate"? It's really amazing how much the Canadian media likes to bash him. He certainly wasn't the candidate a lot of the establishment wanted. Most of the knocks on Dion have been a sort of preposterous type of school bullying depicting him as a geek.

Have you ever picked your toes in Poughkeepsie.

Isn't Vassar in Poughkepsie, or am I thinking of another New York town with an indian name?

I truly believe that the choices were shit to begin with:
Kennedy - very little experience on the level that's required for PM. However, if I was going to take a flyer on someone, it'd be him
Rae - lousy premier who changed parties to shoot for PM
Ignatief - hasn't lived in Canada for 30 years, but returns because he wants to run the place
Dion - who? Doesn't speak one of our two languages particularly well. Comes across as geeky and weak, and seems to have proven that over the past year or so. Is derided in his home province and virtually 'unknown' in the rest of the country. Has had, what, four or five chances to topple Harper, but hasn't taken one of them because even he knows he'd likely hand the Conservatives a majority.

Hated his loser-esque 'people have always underestimated me' bit after the convention last year. What a great way to say 'things are going to change'.

Vassar is in Poughkeepsie; the FDR museum in actually in Hyde Park. IBM has a large facility there, too.

I think the Culinary Institute is technichally in Hyde Park as well, but that hamlet is just ten minutes up the Hudson Valley from Poughkeepsie.

WOM, just to let you know, most of the criticism of Dion in Quebec stems from his being too federalist. "Comes across as geeky and weak" is precisely what upsets me about his critics, it's a very superficial knock, and one that seems to have been nurtured by the media. He has consistently had the most principled stance on many issues, from the environment to the wars in the Middle East.

Well, "comes across as geeky and weak" is fair criticism when you're looking for a man to lead the Liberals out of the corruption woods and get them back on track. They need someone who just radiates (or even fucking says) "This is the new regime. We have ideas. We're going to knock the Conservatives flat on their asses. Make one false move and we'll topple you and retake Parliament Hill". I don't want a conscientious policy wonk type of guy, and that's what Dion projects. Leadership is largely about being the kind of guy who people would want to follow. I've yet to see that just once from Dion.

(PM for you.)