I would have guessed British Columbia.

Actually, my first guess was California but the following took place in a fast food restaurant in Hamilton, Ontario.

(From Not Always Right.)

(A customer comes up to the register at about 11 pm, looking a little out of it.)

Customer: “Hi, how much is a double cheeseburger?”

Me: “With tax, it comes to $1.46.”

Customer: “Oh…okay…” (Searches through his pockets and comes up with 63 cents.) “Can I pay with this much cash and the rest on debit?”

Me: “Sure, that’s no problem. I’ll have to do the debit portion first.”

Customer: “Normally, I’d pay with the whole thing on debit, but I just bought a bunch of pot and I don’t know what’s left in my account.”

Me: “How did you manage to buy pot with your debit card?”

Customer: “Oh man! My dealer is so great! He just got one of those portable debit machines! He comes right to my house!”

Me: “Well, if you could just swipe your card…”

Customer: “Oh no! I didn’t protect my pin. What if you saw it?”

Me: “Oh, don’t worry sir, I was over there I wasn’t even watching, and anyways I have a terrible memory.”

Customer: “Ok, well it’s 6969. That’s my favorite number!”

(After leaving with his food I had to chase after him, as he had left his debit card in the machine.)

[Via http://becausenooneasked.com]

Why doesn't Dr. Jim speak Canadian, eh? Just ask a Public Professor, eh.

I forgot to post about this past weekend’s Public Professor column in the Lethbridge Herald. Which is not as bad as my partner in public professorial publicity, Dan, who forgot to write the column he was supposed to for this coming Saturday. And now he is up in Cold Lake doing something of scientifical benefit to the environment. Well, we’ll forgive him.

Anyhoo, Dr. Inge Genee in the Dept. of Modern Languages writes on “Why Canadians don’t speak Canadian”

http://cheezburger.com/view.aspx?ciid=5125720

She starts with Serbo-Croat, which, with some regional variation, never bothered any native speakers as a label for the way they spoke. But (there is always a but…)

Fast forward to the early 1990s. After a bloody war, Yugoslavia splits up along largely ethnic lines, resulting in the now separate countries of Serbia and Croatia. And now there are also two separate languages: Serbian and Croatian. What’s happened? Didn’t the linguists decide that it was one language? Can countries just go ahead and declare not only political but also linguistic independence? Who gets to decide when something is a language or a dialect or an accent? From here Dr. Genee goes on to discuss the rather blurry distinction between a “dialect” and a “language”, but you’ll have to read the whole thing on site (click the title above), because I don’t think I should reproduce the whole thing here (and its only 600 or so words), although I can’t miss quoting (pun not intended) this: So if the Serbs and the Croats feel the political need to call their varieties Serbian and Croatian and insist that they are separate languages, they can go ahead and do that. You might say: “A language is a dialect with an army and a navy.” So, where does this leave Dr. Jim’s mother tongue? Canadians don’t speak Canadian because they themselves don’t feel the need to call it that way. They are happy to call it English… All we need is some really pressing reason to distinguish our variety from all these other varieties of English. A language ultimately is “a dialect whose speakers feel it is important to insist that it is a language.” So now you are enlightened. Now, some good old Canadian Culture. IT’S CHILLY BEACH!

Oh heck, one more won’t hurt, eh?

Now, back to work on an emergency article for Saturday! For all of the Public Professor articles, go here.

Technorati Tags: Canada, English, public+professor, Lethbridge+Herald, Chilly+Beach, language, dialect

[Via http://drjimsthinkingshop.com]

Lake Nipissing Ice Fishing

Ice fishing on Lake Nipissing attracts thousands of anglers every year. With this many anglers flocking to the lake in winter, small towns spring up on the lake. These towns often shift locations to follow the fish so it is quite a sight to see small towns roaming across this gigantic lake.

Lake Nippissing is known for its remoteness and its great variety of fish to choose from. The most common spcies of fish in this lake are, walleye, smallmouth bass, muskie, perch, pike and whitefish.

Lake Nipissing is one of the largest lakes in Ontario. Its name means “Big Water” in the algonquin language. It clocks in at a massive 67km long and 26km wide. More than enough room to hide while ice fishing. It is also a very shallow lake for one that is so large, with an average depth of only 5 meters. There are several ice hut operators on this lake with all the services that you could possibly need. Services such as bait, and gear for sale, and what ever else you might need while on the ice.

The main towns around the lake are Nipissing, North Bay and Sturgeon Falls. The city of Sudbury is just an hour down the road to the west if you need to go to, or from there. Lake Nipissing is only a scant four hour drive north of Toronto if you need to come through there on your way to this great ice fishing destination.

This remote lake is one of the best locations in Ontario for ice fishing so if I see you there, be sure to say hello.

[Via http://lakeicefishing.com]

Le Mois de la Photo

Alfredo Jaar

Le Mois de la Photo à Montreal é uma bienal internacional de fotografia contemporânea. Em 1989, para celebrar o 150º aniversário de invenção da fotografia, o Centro de Difusão da Fotografia – VOX, realizou a primeira Mois de la Photo à Montréal, na época apenas um evento, que incluiu mais de 60 exposições, bem como uma enorme variedade de atividades relacionadas ao assunto. Esse evento foi crucial para criar em Montreal e em todo Canadá um espaço para encontros entre os artistas locais, bem como a inspiração ideal para transformar Le Mois de la Photo à Montréal em uma bienal. Entre 1989 e 2001, a VOX realizou sete edições do evento.

A 11ª edição, cujo tema central é Os Espaços da Imagem, ocorrerá entre os dias 10 de setembro e 11 de outubro de 2009. A organização do evento promete transformar a cidade em um imenso espaço de exposições de fotografia contemporânea.

O objetivo da temática abordada é recriar os espaços e meios de se expor uma imagem. Com uso de novas tecnologias, o público se encontrará dentro de um universo interativo, e terão a oportunidade de experimentar uma grande variedade de experiências visuais e sonoras. As exposições estão programadas para ocorrer nos mais diversos locais em toda Montreal, numa parceria como inúmeros museus, galerias e centros culturais.

Le Mois de la Photo à Montréal contará com 24 mostras individuais de artistas vindos de 13 países diferentes, de 4 continentes, os quais buscam em seus trabalhos interagir cada vez mais as imagens às suas instalações.  Alfredo Jaar e Oscar Muñoz representarão a América Latina nesta edição da bienal.

Para saber mais sobre Le Mois de la Photo à Montréal, suas exposições e atividades extras, clique aqui.

[Via http://fotoclubef508.wordpress.com]

My Toxic Baby - Min Sook Lee Interview (2009 Toronto International Film Festival)

My Toxic Baby is a new documentary film by Min Sook Lee. One mother’s search for safe, sane and affordable ways to raise her child (Song Ji) in a toxic world. The film is having its world premiere at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival on Sept 11th. For more info see this TIFF page.

I had a very enjoyable phone interview (mp3) with Min Sook to talk about My Toxic Baby. In the interview, we talked about topics like diapers & EC (Elimination Communication, i.e. taking your babies to pee or poop instead of letting him/her do it in the diapers), breast feeding, organic food vs processed food, the toxicity in babies’ toys & clothing, and living space.

If you get a chance, I highly recommend you checking out Min Sook’s My Toxic Baby as I think you will find it insightful and enjoyable to watch.

My Toxic Baby Trailer

See below for four more “My Toxic Baby” clips.

By the way, check out my 2008 interview with Min Sook about her other insightful documentary Tiger Spirit about North and South Korea.

[Via http://ca8hk.wordpress.com]

Journal of the American Medical Association 2009 (Vol. 302 No. 8)

Journal of the American Medical Association 2009 (Vol. 302 No. Contents Page

Fade Fave: Trends in hip fracture rates in Canada

Fade Skinny: Hip fractures are a public health concern because they are associated with significant morbidity, excess mortality, and the majority of the costs directly attributable to osteoporosis. This article examines trends in hip fracture rates in Canada over a 21 year period.

An NHS Athens password is required to access this article

[Via http://fadelibrary.wordpress.com]

Rice Lake Ice Fishing

Rice lake is a beautiful place with lots of fish to choose from. It was called rice lake because of the wild rice that used to grow there, it is also shaped like a grain of rice so its easy to assume that is why it is named rice lake.

Predatory fish, such as bass, walleye, and muskie are numerous in this lake as well as lots of panfish. You can access Rice lake through the public launch located in Roseneath and Bewdley.

As for ice fishing on this particular lake, it is not allowed. Sorry but that is just how it is. I have heard that the fire departments dont have the resources for ice rescues and that the ministry of whatever doesn’t like it.

I have also heard rumors that the ministry might be allowing it in 09/10. That would be nice because of its close proximity to a major city, Toronto. Although ice fishing  is currently not allowed hopefully i’ll see some of you out there off the ice..

Peace, Justin.

[Via http://lakeicefishing.com]