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July 25 Canucks and Yankees: What's the Diff?The July 7th (2008) issue of MacLean's magazine published an article comparing us in the north with our neighbours to the south. And the numbers show that, in most instances, we're very different.
TAKING OFF, EH
Canucks and Yankees travel as often. The average person in either country takes about five trips per year. But Americans prefer to stay at home; less than a third of them even have a passport.
Avg. No. of Leisure Trips Per Person Per Yr.: CAN 5.2 USA 5.2
Of These, No. to Foreign Destinations: CAN 1.2 USA 0.2
People Taking Overnight Trips Abroad Each Year: CAN 72% USA 21%
Citizens Who Have a Passport: CAN 50% USA 30%
THE WILD THING
More Canucks do the wild thing and more often. But the Yankees are plagued much more with teen pregnancies and STDs. (Ew!)
People Doin' it at Least Once a Week.: CAN 59% USA 53%
Avg. No. of Sessions Per Person Per Year: CAN 100 USA 85
No. of Teen Pregnancies / 100,000 Teen Girls: CAN 3,050 USA 7,200
Teen Girls with Chlamydia / 100,000 pop.: CAN 1,367 USA 2,863
GRAND THEFT AUTO
Canadians prefer to set fire to buildings. I think it's just because it's too damn cold in the winter here and we like to warm things up. Our other choices of crime are breaking and entering (what Americans call "burglary") and stealing cars. Since there is no Canadian car model, we really have no choice, eh. Americans' choice of crime? Murder and Robbery, of course. What else can you do when you're faced with overpopulation. Kill off some people and take their money while you're at it.
Crime Rates Per 100,000 Population:
Murders: CAN 1.9 USA 5.7
Robberies: CAN 94 USA 149
Arsons: CAN 41 USA 27
Break 'n Enters: CAN 768 USA 729
Auto Thefts: CAN 487 USA 398
TOMMY DOUGLAS' CAMPAIGN
Canucks are much healthier. We live three years longer than the Yankees, have less diabetes, heart disease, and obesity, and our babies die less often. What exactly are they teaching American doctors in their medical schools?
Life Expectancy, Men: CAN 77.8 USA 75.2
Life Expectancy, Women: CAN 82.6 USA 80.4
% Women Obese: CAN 19 USA 33
% Men Obese: CAN 17 USA 31
% with Heart Disease: CAN 5.5 USA 5.9
% with Diabetes: CAN 4.7 USA 6.7
Infant Deaths / 1,000 Live Births: CAN 5.3 USA 6.8
THE LOONIE NEST
More Americans get married and marry younger than us. They also get divorced more often. Perhaps that's why they like to start early—so they're still relatively young when they tie the knot for the third time. They have more children than us (perhaps because of the high infant mortality rate). More of their kids are born to unmarried mothers and more of their kids live in single-parent families. And less parents have dinner at home with family. All this, and more of them say that religion is very important to them. Go figure!
Marriages /Yr. /1,000 Unmarried Females Aged 15+: CAN 22 USA 41
Age of First Marriage for Men: CAN 30.6 USA 26.7
Age of First Marriage for Women: CAN 28.5 USA 25.1
Divorces /Yr. /1,000 Married Females Aged 15+: CAN 10.6 USA 16.4
Children Per Woman Aged 15-49: CAN 1.5 USA 2.1
% Births to Unmarried Women: CAN 25.6 USA 38.5
% All Children in Single-Parent Families: CAN 22.5 USA 26.4
% Parents Have Dinner Home w/Family Every Night: CAN 40 USA 28
% Who Say Religion is Very Important to Them: CAN 28 USA 60
GIMME THE BILL, HIC!
As you can note from the above, you'll find more swinging childless singles in Canada. And there are more drunkards here too. We work less, take more vacation time, earn just slightly less, and spend less, meaning we're less in debt. We both love Japanese cars but, whereas we prefer Hondas, Americans prefer Toyotas.
Median Household Annual Income*: CAN $44,325 USA $46,325**
Avg. No. Hours Worked Each Week: CAN 34.6 USA 37.9
Vacation Days Taken Per Year: CAN 16 USA 11
% Have Alcoholic Drinks at Least Few Times /Week: CAN 27 USA 19
% Household Expenditure Spent on Housing: CAN 19 USA 34
% Household Expenditure Spent on Vehicles: CAN 4.5 USA 7.1
Top Car Model by Sales: CAN Honda Civic USA Toyota Camry
Per Capita Personal Debt: CAN $23,460 USA $40,250**
* Adjusted for Purchasing Power
** Both figures in U.S. Dollars
Well, there you have it. The big question is: what do we Canucks spend most of our household income on, if we spend so little on Housing, Vehicles, Health Care, Weddings, Dinner Out, and Alimony Payments? The answer can only come a few hockey games, camping trips, and flights abroad later.
We hope that MacLean's will broaden their horizon and provide comparisons with other countries too. We'd especially like to see how the numbers compare with Brits and Aussies. July 23 What We LikeI thought I'd be okay in Canada without Carolyn, but before I knew it I was missing her something awful. She and I like very different things. But we no doubt dig each other to the max. Here's a comparison.
July 22 Sir Paul Rocks Quebec On Their 400thBy Andy Blatchford, The Canadian Press
QUEBEC - Music icon Paul McCartney exploded onto an old battleground Sunday, churning out a song list laden with Beatles tunes to a pumped up crowd on the historic Plains of Abraham. The knighted ex-Beatle was in town to help Quebec City celebrate its 400th birthday - and he was an enthusiastic invitee.
"Bonsoir les Quebecois, bonsoir toute le gang," McCartney shouted to his faithful after he opened the show by belting out the Wings song "Jet." The crowd erupted and the band turned it up a notch by ripping into Beatles' 1965 classic "Drive My Car," "Only Mama Knows," and "All My Loving."
"I only speak a little bit of French," he said in French before switching languages. "So, I will be speaking in English." But McCartney, whose appearance raised the ire of some Quebec nationalists who said a Brit shouldn't be part of the city's festivities, alternated between the languages when addressing the crowd throughout the concert.
At one point, a huge image of Quebec's flag covered the stage backdrop during "Mrs. Vanderbilt." Later, he strutted around the stage waving the fleur-de-lis banner. During "Yesterday," he came out wearing a souvenir-shop sweatshirt with "QUEBEC" written across the chest.
Organizers expected some 200,000 people at the free outdoor concert on the Plains of Abraham. A massive tangle of swaying arms and bodies covered the rolling fields in front of the stage. It was McCartney's first appearance in Canada since 2005.
"C'est ma premiere visite a Quebec, and it's a great place," McCartney said, earning a roar from fans. On several occasions, McCartney's English comments were translated into French and the words scrolled across the giant screens.
An energetic McCartney played 36 tunes through the two-and-a-half-hour show. During the first half of the concert, he performed a mixed bag of Beatles, Wings and solo tunes. The rest of the way was heavy on Fab Four hits, including "Hey Jude," "Get Back" and "Let It Be."
He started off "Something" on a ukulele that he said was a gift from George Harrison. "That one was for George," he said. He also paid homage to another deceased ex-bandmate, John Lennon. "This song is dedicated to my friend John," he said in French, before starting into "A Day In The Life" and then "Give Peace A Chance." McCartney later launched into an anniversary tribute with "Birthday." "This song is for a woman who is 400 years old," he said in French. "Happy Birthday, Quebec."
Montreal band The Stills and up-and-coming Quebec City singer Pascale Picard opened the concert to set the stage for the legendary rock star. Tens of thousands of music fans streamed onto the Plains of Abraham and spilled into the surrounding streets of Quebec City on Sunday in hopes of securing a good vantage point to watch the music icon.
Dozens of people started lining up as early as Saturday afternoon for a shot at nabbing coveted ground at the front of the stage. When the gates finally opened a couple of hours before the show, a mass of fans flooded down a slope, as hundreds sprinted for the front row.
Seven jumbo screens were set up on the historic battlefield and along downtown streets, several of which were closed to traffic. Hoping to guarantee themselves a spot in front of a screen, thousands of people camped early Sunday in the middle of the Grande-Allee, one of the provincial capital's main boulevards, while others were stretched out on the lawn of the provincial legislature. …
McCartney arrived in Quebec City on Saturday evening and was greeted by hundreds of adoring fans, many of whom had waited several hours outside the Chateau-Frontenac Hotel to catch a glimpse of the British knight. Fans approached his car as it drove through the hotel parking lot and McCartney, who had his window partly down, waved to the crowd.
Journalists yelled questions at him from a distance as he got out of the car in the hotel's underground garage and he waved and replied, "Bonjour." When one yelled: "Are you happy to be in Quebec City?", he gave a thumbs-up and shouted, "Oui."
The much-anticipated show, McCartney's only scheduled performance in North America this year, was part of Quebec City's 400th birthday bash. … July 11 Going HomeTomorrow I fly away from the Shanghai 35+ heat, away from the dusty gray streets, the concrete apartment blocks, the tar-sucking men who spit on their own city, the fragrance of smelly tofu, the sounds of honking horns, electric drills, and 50-something women squawking like hens, and fly, fly, fly to the crown-jewel of Canada on the eastern Pacific.
I plan on heading, as soon as the chance arrives, to Queen Elizabeth Park, its luxuriant green grass and breathtaking flowers, and weep in silence at its natural beauty.
Having suffered too long from maple syrup, barbecued burger, and drinkable tap water deprivation, my time has finally come.
July 09 Human Relations 15: Seeing Others As Equals, Part 2The first principle in learning how to treat others is to stop blaming others for how they treat you and start changing your own beliefs. The most important truth to embrace is that we are no more and no less valuable than others. It doesn't matter what our socio-economic status is. It matters not what degree of papers we have acquired at schools of higher learning. It matters not what kind of job we have or what position we have in our company. It matters not what our income is. Why? Because, whether we are a multi-billionaire CEO of a huge company or unemployed and on welfare, we were created from the same dust. If we were to think about how we were created, we would never try to exalt ourselves over others. We were all created from the same substance, and, when we die, the CEO will lose all his money and the jobless man will lose his welfare cheques. They will both return to dust.
Dominique LaPierre in his excellent book The City of Joy writes about one of the poorest places on earth—the densely populated slums of Calcutta. The cycle of poverty is so dismal that fathers sell their blood for a few pennies to feed scraps to their kids. While struggles for survival exist in this Asian nation, another city in the same continent, burgeoning with wealth—Hong Kong—witnesses one of its richest and most beloved superstars, Leslie Cheung, a man who has attained a net worth of 40 million U.S. dollars, fling himself out of his hotel room window plunging to his suicidal demise on the streets below.
It goes to show that, whether we are rich or poor, we suffer the same afflictions and joy is equally as difficult a state of being to master.
This is why we should never vaunt ourselves over the poor. How often is it that a rich man loses all his wealth through corruption, gambling, or the unforeseen collapse of his corporate empire, and a beggar stumbles upon luck brining him wealth. Money is like dunes of sand that, in the winds of randomness, shift from one place to another.
Just as it is important not to embrace haughtiness and vainglory and treat others as our inferiors, it is also important not to kowtow to others treating them as our superiors. When someone asks us to do something wrong, we don't acquiesce because we believe him to be our superior. As we learned from the Milgram 37 experiment, this happens all too often. Not only should we refrain from "biting the hand that feeds" to use a common expression, but we should never kiss a hand that feeds us poison.
A teacher at an English school in Shanghai, China (The Shanghai Jazz English Training Institute or "NewBeat") was once asked to work seven days a week because the school purportedly couldn’t find any teachers. He was paid very low wages and wasn't compensated with overtime. The school provided him with an apartment but kept keys to his apartment. The female supervisor entered his apartment without any announcement, one time when he was in the middle of a shower, another when he was sleeping in on his day off. He was called in to work at the last minute during his honeymoon and reprimanded after he spent over an hour trying to find a taxi in the rain unsuccessfully. The school cheated him by not reimbursing him for his health certificate when they promised they would. They broke their contract with him, which stated he had 30 days off at Chinese New Year, by telling him they would give him only 23. When he complained to the school's owner about this and many other abuses, he was told to be grateful to the school for everything the school has done for him. This, clearly, is not the way to go.
Of all people, the most negligent is the one who seeks to advance himself over others. It is the mind poisoned with pride and vainglory that causes the tongue to speak to others in a patronizing tone. Competition, envy, and self-assurance are the attributes of the adolescent, not the person of maturity. We should never look at others as our competitors. Life is not a competition, not a game with a winner. We should rather infuse our attitude towards others with goodwill and never hold any kind of malice or ill will towards our fellow human beings. We were all placed upon this earth to work together, not to try to advance ourselves over others.
Respect is something we must have for all, not just a select few. We would never enter someone's home, nor lay hands on his possessions, save at his pleasure.
So, be humble, think about how we were all created, why we are all here, wish good things for our fellow people and see them as our equals. This frame of mind will help to properly direct the way in which we treat people, which includes speaking to them as equals rather than in a patronizing tone. July 07 Human Relations 14: Seeing Others As Equals, Part 1I went for a job interview at an electronics company once. The manager was out of town, so I met with the assistant manager. He asked me to meet with a few Chinese employees to assess their English level. He said he'd meet with me again to discuss my findings. I met with one young man and found his English to be pretty good. Afterwards, the assistant manager met with me in private. I shared my findings. He looked surprised and called the young man back in. In front of the man, he asked me again, "How is his English?" I reiterated, "Not bad." Then the assistant manager said, "I think he's hopeless, HOPELESS! He can't even get himself a girlfriend." Naturally, the young man went red in the face.
This is a prime example of how NOT to treat people.
The main problem is that the assistant manager considers himself above others, maybe because of his position in the company. He uses this belief to devalue others. His criticism is doing two harmful things. First, he is polluting his own tongue by speaking badly of others (whether in front of them or behind their backs). This will make his own life lonely and miserable, as no one will want to be around him. His focussing on the faults of others will make him lose direction in his own life. Second, he is hurting his company. Without being encouraged, employees will perform their tasks increasingly badly. Many will leave the company and give negative evaluations of the company which will give it a bad reputation, making it increasingly difficult for the company to hire new people.
Two rules of thumb:
1. Do not exalt yourself above others, regardless of your race, nationality, economic status, job title, and so on. Rather, consider all people your equals.
2. Never speak disparagingly of others; rather, praise without distinction.
After the interview (and I decided I would not be working for this company), I looked outside the window of this tall skyscraper in the posh Shanghai district of Lujiazui. Outside was a park which contained a flower garden. There were flowers of various colours and shapes, all standing side by side. They weren't arguing with one another. They weren't envious and held no ill will. The red flowers didn't consider themselves superior to the yellow ones. They were all standing in perfect harmony as equals. Why, I wondered, can't human beings, infinitely more intelligent than the flowers, do the same? July 06 Calgary - Canada's Best City?The Conference Board of Canada has named North America's driest metropolis as Canada's best. The sprawled-out, one-million inhabitant, oil-rich home of the stampede, Elisha Cuthbert, Benny the Bear, and the Saddledome is, according to them, the most attractive city in the Great White North. Reading the 200+ comments, it seems most people disagree. Below is an article by Jennifer Gruden of 50plus.com.
Calgary is the best Canadian city in which to live and the third best in North America, according to a recently released Conference Board of Canada study.
The report rated the attractiveness of urban centres along seven main categories including economy, housing and health, as well as 46 sub-categories, such as commuting time and crime.
Calgary was found to be the most economically dynamic and attractive in Canada, followed in order by Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, Victoria and Ottawa-Gatineau. …
If this latest accolade has enticed you to visit Calgary, here are some of the top attractions you won't want to miss.
Beyond the Stampede
Just mention Calgary and one word seems to come to mind: the Stampede. Certainly the annual rodeo is an event not to be missed, but don't let that overshadow this city's many attractions. Here are some you won't want to pass by.
Situated on 66 picturesque acres, the Heritage Park Historic Village invites you to step back and experience Western Canada 1864-1914 – a period you won't want to miss, since it gives the flavour of the spirit of settlement that makes Alberta so unique. It's not just buildings and placards, either – the "character interpreters" that work in the park do their best to bring a sense of the people themselves. A steam train, blacksmith, paddlewheeler, and events such as a fall fair are sure to entertain.
For a different look at the Canadian pioneer spirit, stop by the Aero Space Museum. Founded in 1975 by former WWII pilots and aviation enthusiasts, the Aero Space Museum preserves and promotes the stories of people who contributed to the aviation and space industry in Western Canada. It's also not far from the airport, so if you're looking for something to do before a fight, drop by.
The Calgary Zoo is of course a must – a world-class zoo and botanical gardens, this attraction holds its own against most North American parks of its kind. And this summer visitors may get to enjoy a new Asian elephant calf, due in July or August. The Calgary Zoo is also unique in that it offers a prehistoric park, celebration the rich fossil heritage of the area and around the world.
Fish Creek Provincial Park is one of the largest, if not the largest, parks within an urban centre in Canada. It contains many ecosystems for the visitor to explore, including white spruce forest, aspen parkland, aquatic areas and grasslands. Archaeological data proves the Fish Creek Valley has been used extensively by humans for over 8000 years – so be one of the next people to enjoy it and stop by.
And if you have a naturalist leaning, be sure to visit the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, a 32-hectare wildlife reserve offers more than two kilometres of level walking trails throughout the riverine forest, by the flowing river and alongside a peaceful lagoon. More than 250 species of birds have been observed in the area.
Of course if you're in the mood for a bit more excitement and a little less parkland, try Calaway Park -- the largest family amusement park in Western Canada. 26 years old, the park spans 160 acres and had 30 rides, as well as shows and of course, plenty of cotton candy.
Another source for rides, as well as a celebration of sports in Canada, is the Canada Olympic Park. The most visible legacy of the 1988 Games to visitors and Calgarians alike, it is situated 15 minutes from downtown Calgary, at the gateway to the magnificent Rocky Mountains. The best part – it continues to function as a multi-purpose competition, training and recreation area designed for year-round use by both athletes and the general public. In the summer bike trails are especially popular.
If you have shopping in mind, there's a premiere destination in this booming town – the "Uptown 17th" – a street full of chic boutiques and world-class restaurants. Don't forget your credit card!
Here are a few comments:
Posted by pootkao on Saturday, July 5th, 2008. 10:52 PM PDT
The great thing about Calgary isn't whats in it … but what its close to (great outdoors, mountain activities, etc). Sadly, there's more culture in a bowl of yogurt.
Posted by suenertom on Saturday, July 5th, 2008. 9:11 PM PDT
… To most people though, being able to get a good, well-paying job is more important than how many good bars or museums there are where they live. That's why Calgary is no. 1 on this list. …
Posted by laura_artus on Saturday, July 5th, 2008. 5:06 PM PDT
Ya right. Sorry but Calgary is an ugly city. I don't know much about economics or crime rates but when it comes down to it, Urban sprawl is not an appealing thing. I'd much rather live in Vancouver thank you. At least we have the mountains and the ocean here amongst our imperfections.
. July 05 Human Relations 13: 7-Point GuideContinuing with Peltonator's series on Human Relations, I've prepared a simple seven-point guide on how to treat others, which, briefly, are as follows:
1. See others as your equals
2. When faced with others' faults, remember your own
3. Seek companionship with those who uplift you and share your light
4. Purify your speech
5. Purify your listening
6. Respond to others' "attacks" properly
7. Establish social justice by means of consultation
After this, I'll write a little about the wider picture—the world at large—and how it is being affected by false concepts of human relations. Two main points will be:
1. Many people see the word's problems as related to economic matters. Economics are merely a symptom, however. The root of the problems (including economic ones) is bad human relations.
2. World order and the process of globalization (the world uniting into a single commonwealth of nations) have been marred by pernicious doctrines which have exalted one race, class, or nation above the rest. July 04 Mission Impossible: The Pit BullsIt was a cool night in February and Jim found himself queuing inside a Shanghai café. The man in front of him was dressed in a dusty suit. He was sucking on a tar stick. "Sir, smoking is not allowed in here," said the barista gently. He emitted a grunting noise and flicked the cancer-delivery stick outside before paying for his cup of coffee with a credit card.
Jim bought a large, piping hot cup of coffee and sat down with his purple laptop computer. Music was playing, the worst kind in Jim's opinion, the crap known as rap or what some like to call hip hop—music without melody and with annoying randomized chanting over beats. Jim liked to comment that the sound of hip hop was more annoying than that "precious" critter named Gollum.
The same barista, who had asked the smoking man to butt out, approached Jim quickly and quietly. "Would you like to listen to something different?" she asked.
"Yes," said Jim, "do you have any lounge music?"
"No, but we do have some Jazz."
"Jazz?"
"Yes, Jazz music from Antarctica."
Jim's whole body posture and facial expression suddenly turned very serious. The barista handed him a plastic CD case. Jim opened it and popped the CD into his laptop. He put on a pair of headphones and listened to and watched a short video.
"Good evening, Jim. The man you're looking at goes by the name of Boots McFadden. He was last seen in Calgary's Chinatown and is suspected of harbouring specially-bred pit bulls. These dogs are trained killers and are responsible for a number of deaths in the area. He has eluded the RCMP several times and slips unnoticed through the Canadian – U.S. border.
"Your mission, Jim, should you choose to accept it, is to find Boots McFadden, shut down his operation and eliminate the pit bulls.
"As always, should you be caught or killed, the secretary will disavow all knowledge of your actions. This tape will self-destruct in five seconds. Good luck, Jim."
After arriving in Calgary and resting at a motel, Jim headed for Chinatown. A commotion outside one of the noodle eateries caught his attention. There was a red-faced, heavy-set 50-something cursing, "Who let all these *&^%$#@ immigrants into the country?"
Jim walked up to him and looked stone-cold into his face, saying coolly, "If you believe immigration is a bad thing, then why did you immigrate to Canada?"
"I've lived here all my life!" the 50-something shot back.
"But your grandparents didn't. If you feel that what your grandparents did was wrong, then why don't you do yourself and everyone else here a favour and undo what they did by bitch-slapping yourself back to Britain."
Jim walked away leaving the kindergarten dropout fuming. He made some enquiries around the streets but came up empty.
He retired to his motel room and hit the sack after ordering a huge room service meal that he couldn't finish. In the middle of the night, Jim awoke to growling sounds, the kind that make all your body hair stand straight up. He switched on the lamp and saw two pit bulls at the foot of his bed. Both had collars of steel chains round their necks. Acting purely on instinct, he threw them the leftover food still on the bedside table. While they were gorging it down, he slipped out of his room and went down to the front desk. The SPCA were called in, and they arrived quickly with tranquilizer darts.
Acting on a hunch, Jim returned to the same eatery that had featured yesterday's commotion. It was closed down. After some investigation, Jim discovered that the owner of the establishment had also been threatened by pit bulls in his sleep. But he hadn't been as lucky as Jim. The owner's daughter told Jim that she had seen the same 50-something man outside their apartment getting out of a grey pickup truck.
Because he was still alive and the two pit bulls were now in cages, Jim figured the immigrant-hater would pay him another visit. Suffering from jetlag, he couldn't fall asleep until 3AM anyway, so he stayed up keeping a lookout for a grey pickup. At 2:45 it came. While the man got out of the truck and headed for the motel, Jim left his motel and got into the pickup's backseat. When the heavyset man returned, Jim propped himself up and put a stun gun to the man's neck. "Let me drive, buddy."
Now at the wheel, Jim drove out of the city, as he knew someone who owned pit bulls at an isolated house beside the highway. It was a frosty -38 degrees. Jim took the man's parka and asked him to get out before driving back to the city.
The heavyset man, in a T-shirt and thin sweater was freezing his hands off outside in the snow. He tried hitching a ride to no avail. He saw one lone fenced-in house and decided to go there for help. He scaled the fence and waiting for him on the other side were two pit bulls who weren't very welcoming of uninvited guests. They immediately went for his jugular. And that was the end of Boots McFadden.
After shutting down his operation and putting an end to his warehouse of pit bulls, that had been injected with alien DNA, Jim returned to Shanghai to begin the quest for the "rabbit's foot". |
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