Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

JJ - I've lost track of what and who belongs where .. and why......
lol

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

I think my computer was probably just doing that. At first I thought someone was messing around. As far as not belonging here, that was a separate issue and it didn't have anything to do with anyone here.

Many people here have made me feel welcome, and I hope I do the same for others.

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

" I ....see...internet people!" :eek:

Oh wait! :rolleyes:
I can't "see" these people so why should I feel negative about them?? :p Duh!!!!!

LOL! :biggrin:

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

Myself, I don't think that I'll ever understand folks who, for reasons known only to theirselves, get a bug up their nose about anything & then let themselves get so wrought up that they take their bad mood out on others. Having said that, that also means that I have YET to figure my own self out.:)

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

This topic has obviously sparked some serious controversy about the way things can go awry on the internet and create possible unnecessary bad feelings about others without having an opportunity to meet them in person and I say this because of an experience that really opened my mind to the way the wired world is going that I want to to share.
Jennifer I hope you read this because being a Gordon Lightfoot fan as the rest of us I sincerely wish you no ill will as it's his music that's built this wonderful network of fans and once again I extend the hand to you join us in person at the earliest opportunity so we all can feel much happier.
So, on with the story:

When my son was twelve years old I took him to a comic convention in downtown Toronto as he was an aspiring artist and into comic art at that time.
The convention was being held in the Westin Hotel and on the main floor there was a room where the latest thing in comic art was about to be shown on a big screen and we took seats in the room.
My interest was drawn more to the way comments were being thrown around the room by several of the folks watching, most of who were much younger that me, and my son was also watching and threw in his two cents also. There was a serious conversation going on there but nobody really knew just exactly who they were talking to.
After about twenty minutes the video was over and everyone walked out of the room and no one knew who it was that they had spoken to and didn't even seem to care.
It was to me a totally abstract experience.
Now that really, really freaked me completely out and still does to this day.
My son at the time had difficulty understanding why I was troubled but I had to explain to him that the absence of personal contact with those who were communicating with each other was a loss to all those who took the time to sit there for the twenty minutes and watch the show.
Everything was just bounced off the big screen and that's where all eyes were glued and the lack of personal contact I found very troubling.
I told him that if I got that involved in the commentary I would at least like to have had the opportunity to make personal contact with those folks to whom I'd spoken, introduce myself, shake hands and try and in some way try and stay connected.
But the way the world is going with all the toys out there, just about everyone walking down the street these days seems to be plugged into something or other.
The wonderful thing about connecting with Gordon Lightfoot fans in the concert hall is once that first chord is struck, once that first lyric comes out, once the songs begin to roll, all comes together and the party is on. That's what this group is all about and the shortcomings that come in between us well, may they stay forever, very short. Sincerely, Ron Jones.

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

Very well said Ron,

I guess it's like the Michael Jackson song: "Man In The Mirror," that would sum it up pretty good.

As for Char I had not posted anything about the remarks made by Jennifer or who ever this person is, but I will say that I dont know Charlene personally, never met her. But from her posts here, I'd dare say she does not hate Americans... She's just " A Proud Canadian,"... just like me... :biggrin: ;)... nothing wrong with that. :)

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

yeah, great analogy, Ron...articulated and crafted in poetic fashon as only you know how

OK, i think Jess just might have hit the nail on the head...if Canadians tooting their horn is taken as anti 'any other country' then i understand now...i gotta say i kinda preferred when some of canada's nice features or talents were the world's best kept secrets...i think eveyone worldwide can relate to being able to see a local performer at there own small pub but once that talent gets discovered, all of a sudden you have to buy a ticket to a big arena show to see 'your boy' along with the rest of the masses...i could be off track...but a neat thread would be for all to contribute stories where a local talent of their was previously enjoyed on the small stage (they in attendance) before making it bigtime...i think John Fowles is one who saw our Gord on the small stage before he made it bigtime...Gord i mean:)

i think at times, some of us use this Small Talk area to post Canadiana similar to canada.com discussion boards...it's hard to say if non-canucks find any of it interesting or notice differences or similarities....maybe we need some more non-canuck horn tooting going on as well...i think Pam can certainly author one of those patriotic threads with the best of them...she should probably go head to head against Palin in 2012:)

and I'd be char's sidekick (I'm starting to look like abnd even slip up, like Biden) if she went up against Harper whenever our next election is...i still havent figured out when our elections are, i think they are on demand ...which sounds like a pretty good system to me ....actually char would make a good great of the IOC and UN:)

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

For Sir John Fowles, I've always said that he was very privilege to have seen a young Gordon Lightfoot @ EXPO 67 in Montreal.

I was about to start a new thread asking, "Where is "SIR John Fowles" ? But I found him this morning on "The Yahoo Gordon Lightfoot Fan Club" arguing with Robots... lol ! Hey Sir John you really make me laugh sometimes :biggrin: Your a good Brit tho ! Err Umm ! :)

All in good fun ! ;)

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

It's amazing how so many walk around these days so totally unplugged from the actual world they inhabit but are literally plugged into the electronics of the day, listening to chatter/music and watching small screens with texts/videos etc..

I like to walk around, make eye contact, smile, say HI, how are you? to people. When you are unaware of what and who is around you the tendency to be polite and friendly is diminished, doors are not opened, banging into people while walking around occurs all the time, the tendency to be short tempered happens more often..it makes for a disengaged and sometimes surly population amongst those who don't engage in the hi-tech gadgetry.

I too would have found that experience way too weird RJ..but kids are used to so much TV from such a young age in some cases that voices coming at them with no person attached is normal I guess..lol

I'll never get used to folks walking around with their hands free phones, talking out loud, and sometimes TOO loud, having conversations in public that are totally inappropriate.

There seems to be an epidemic all over the world of the 'if you say something 'pro' or in praise" it automatically makes you 'anti' something..that speaks more to the listener than the speaker I think.
If I am 'anti' something I'm more than capable of making it crystal clear.

I must say, with thanks, that for the most part I have found folks quite appreciative of hearing/learning some facts/trivia about Canada/Canadians, be it posted here or in private e-mails. We here in Canada have U.S. news as front page coverage in our papers, the top story on our nightly news - our national magazine - Macleans, was just delivered with Obama on the front cover. Were there any U.S. magazines with our PM on it when he won the election a month ago? That's a rhetorical question by the way..
;)
Yet Canada is the largest trade partner of the U.S.:
As of December 2007 and according to the US Census, the ten largest trading partners of the United States represented 64.87% of U.S. Imports, and 58.67% of U.S. Exports in goods. The largest partners with their total trade in billions of US Dollars are as follows:

Canada: $561.55
China: $386.75
Mexico: $347.34
Japan: $208.13
Germany: $144.02
United Kingdom: $107.19
South Korea: $82.27
France: $69.00
Taiwan: $64.66
Saudi Arabia: $46.03

I try my best to hold a high standard of decorum here, for myself and hopefully for all posters. I have stated before that I always imagine that Gordon Lightfoot may at any time tune in so the deep respect I have for him must be reflected in the atmosphere of this board.

When he sees me he asks "Char! - what's new on the web?" I always tell him that his fans here send their hugs and love and are looking forward to the concerts coming up and hope he's doing great.

Yes JJ - we have 'election on demand' - channel 0 on the dial..lol
You can be my finance minister..I'll give everyone all the money they need to get to Lightfoot concerts..that's my election platform!..
;)
I ain't a gun totin', moose killin', snomobile ridin' hockey mum tho.
BUT from Toronto I CAN see the state of New York across Lake Ontario!
lololol

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

Therein lies the problem. You folks need to make more noise. Start a war or something. That'll get you some coverage.

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

well said, char...i know many fellow Canadians (most of them are living along the border) who know way more about the US than they do of Canada and they watch almost 100% non-Canadian tv, even CNN over their own local news...there's been articles about this phenomena...a lot feel we are the 51st state and constantly need affirmation that we are accepted, an inferiority thing...eg. Canuck artists are ignored until they go abroad or over border and gain fame then come back to a huge sudden following...that's why we love GL...he never really left at all...and you'e got some Canucks here who don't fit the mold that I describe above...we just like what we like ...and becuase we listen to and watch alot of CBC or TVO (tv ontario) we end up with an appreciation for many non-mainstream artists...and most of the interntional members here are exactly the same that way, can appreciate the folks roots and/or indy artist ...i also learn a bunch about Canada i was totally ignroant to from jesse, ron, char, etc in small talk...we could take the chat offline but i have gotten pm/emails saying folks (many are canadian or american lurkers) appreciate some of the non-GL tidbits that surface here ...i love it when we get similar tidbits from the corners of america or germany, austrailia, etc...let me endorse atleast one (if not all) strong point char has made above....i can tell you first hand that char WILL let you know if she is anti something! i experienced that first hand long ago in my very first or second email reply from her where i had crossed the line with my ill-wit, lol...and i've seen other poor souls experience a similar wrath, in person..at those times i wish i had the handy cam running, lol

i love your techno rant...i'm a bit of a contradiction that way but i think i'm finding a decent balance...i can tell you concentration/peripheral vision and awareness while at the helm of any sort of transportation (even city walking) is a must these days... one the way home last night, there was a bottleneck on the 497 (speed limit of 100 - 130kmh...make that about 60-70mph)...anyhow, when i finally got up to the problem area, i realized it was a slow moving car, maybe one having transmission problems. and should be off the side of the road...but when it was my turn to whiz by 'her' (lol) the scene was stunning...she had the blackberry chat going with it held between shoulder and neck AS WELL AS a spoon going into her mouth ....i take it the other hand was on the wheel, after all she was still travelling at about 50mph...i assume she was resting a McDonalds sundae on her lap...i imagine she was hustling to finish the dessert and conversation so she could get to the eyeliner pen before she reached the mall, lol...anyhow, folks were giving her the finger and honking but she was totally unaware it seemed...again, the videocam would have been handy to have but then i'd be guilty if the same unsafe travelling offense

here we now have cellphones and GPS programming banned while driving...i wonder when coffee drinking, smoking, fast food, screaming kids, etc while also be banned...what about those TV-like billboards? i watch them all the time in rush hour, more often than not there are half naked gals promotong some product...our evolving society never lets me down when it comes to the shock and awe and give my head a shake factor ...i'm not on a rant, rather i'm trying to see if i can beat steveos record for the longest corfid ramble to date:)

"from Toronto I CAN see the state of New York across Lake Ontario"

lol...it's true and these are with out doubt two fine cities from two of the very finest countries on our planet...well, besides africa;)

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

as always, you hit the nail on the head in less than 20 words, rm

we actually did do the 'or something'

and this is the truth, we got more international coverage when two dinks from Quebec (still officially part of the country) made the crank call to Palin than we did with during our recent election...and actually, that's the way it should be, put the nonsense up front and hide the dry political stuff in with the personal ads (which is actually all these campaign are, very expensive personal ads)

char, do you have a campaign budget for 2012? or are you gonna have to start selling your wonderful art and blowing more of that coloured glass? either way, i'm throwing in a $20 donation and a bag of used Leaf pucks:)

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

I remember the prank call, but I missed the part about the call being from Quebec. Way to go !!

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

That's one of the reasons that I don't own a gun. I'd be picking people off left and right. The day may come when I will join the "Me First" gang, but I'm not ready yet.

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

i gotta say, all four of the usa debaters seemed likable and impressive in different ways...what was coming out of their mouths as far as policies and knowledge was something quite different...i don't have the attention span for speech listening...but looking forward to seeing some action....it would be different if they wrote their own speeches...btw, i still do give the Queen five minutes of my ears and eyes every Christmas....i will stay up to date on the Palin empire and the teen pregnancy, i am in a pool where we are trying to guess the grandschild's name...i welcome any hunches:)

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

a disclaimer:
char, should you ever call here and hear jessica simpson or britney cd's playing in the background, don't hold it against me, lol

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

I just love Gord for the person he is. It doesn't matter what country he is from or where he lives. If he had lived in one of the states, he may or may not have moved to California. Bob Seeger, for example, stayed in Michigan. Of course, he might have remained there just to be close to Gord. (Just kidding). I don't know why Gord decided to stay. Probably because of friends, family, places... Me, I wouldn't want to live in California because of earthquakes. I heard that many americans have been filming in Toronto lately. Is that going to be the new Hollywood? :)

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

As the kids say when at at a loss for words "I got nothing". Nothing to add that is. I've always tried, sometimes it worked, to avoid politics, religion or sex on this board (interesting if disturbing visual there). I can't speak to Canadian politics but down here it's still about 50 / 50 so if you say "anything" you'll offend someone, LOL. And pity poor me, a man of eclectic tastes and viewpoints, accused of being a hippie when I had long hair, accused of being a sell-out when I cut it. Accused of - oh skip that one.

Anyway my point in posting in this thread is I love all the stuff I learn about Canada and about all of you. Gotta love this place !

Bill :)

I was in California for 4 years and never felt a tremor Patti. Timing is everything, eh ?

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

I agree with Ron, she must have been having a bad day. Her other posts aren't like this. But as a friend of Char's and an American I have never felt HATED by her.
A bad day for Jennifer and she was talking out her A$$. Jennifer - since you are of the "younger" generation, perhaps when you grow up you will realize how wrong you are in this posting.
Yo Char!!! Sorry about swearing on Corfid, but you did it once, just ask Detective Meason. :)

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

hi brink:) yeah, i like her prior posts i looked back upon a selection....i actually read somewhere that she was about 35...that's no teen youngen but i wouldnt mind revisiting that age...let's go with bad day and hope to see her at a fan gathering on a good or even medium day....Gord will turn it into a great day for all:)

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

I just might have to resort to running for office since I've been out of work for 11 months now..
lol
Hey - the Canadian Finance Minister lives a few blocks away..maybe he'll hire me..I used to meet with him when I ran the school coalition to get extra curriculars back in Durham region hi schools..back in 2000...he was/is our MPP - little Jimmy Flaherty... I did the tv reports/radio/print, meetings with politicians, minister of education, press releases, marches, rallies..oh yeah..I was a rebel for my kids..
lol

the pucks will come in handy to throw at anyone who gets yappy while I'm on the campaign trail..I'm anti-gun ya know..
lol

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

the american film industry has been up here for years and years..not as much in the last couple due to the strength of the canuck buck tho. there's always something being shot in and around town..

this list only goes to 2005:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...hot_in_Toronto

more:
http://www.toronto.com/article/000376975

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

You betcha, JJ. I agree - let's get her up to Massey for a gathering, nobody can resist being in a great mood there.

Hope you are doing well, how is Harry?? ;)

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

Does the Canadian press delve as deep into the private lives of it's candidates as the American press does here ? I could never run for public office. There are way too many skeletons jangling about in my closet.

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

Gord can give it his best shot if she shows up...good thing he doesn't do any of his 'political' songs anymore tho..

JJ you're not far removed from that age and lucky you can remember being 35 !!
;)

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

thx, d...i'm fine...junior is like his mum, a real pain in the neck!

i hope 'grandma' is also keeping well and on her toes at all times:)

rm, i read the news daily and i don't even know the prime minister's wife's name, does that answer the question?

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

The families/spouses of politicians here are for the most part not "examined" by the press or public. We are 'introduced' to them in a general way, see them at times if they are with their partners at certain functions but they are private citizens and the aura of 'celebrity' isn't foisted on them or their political spouses for entertainment value.
Laureen Harper, the PM's wife rescues cats and houses them at 24 Sussex where she lives with the PM and their children. She also is a runner and has organized runs for various charities. Whewn living out west prior to the big move to Ottawa she rode a motorcycle..
She's a very attractive woman and always impeccably dressed..
http://images.google.ca/images?hl=en...num=4&ct=title

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

[QUOTE=jj;145356]thx, d...i'm fine...junior is like his mum, a real pain in the neck!

QUOTE]

LOL!

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

He is adorable, what a little ham!!

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

[quote=charlene;145362]honesty prevails.

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

well , thanks for lessening my ignorance, char...i'm sure the papers had had photos and the odd article but not in large enough font (preserved for scandals) to catch my eye

a decent looking family, for whatever looks are worth...the obama family looks nice also (i'd never seen the girls before the other night)...i hear they might be adopting a stray puppy...even if it's not, there's absolutely nothing wrong with obtaining a new one but it's nice when folks are able to take some abandoned pets off of death row or out of solitary confinement...treatment by many prior owners sure can make it hard to rehab 'used' pets regardless of how much training and love you throw there way...i've had a mix of both over 30 odd years but right now i am petless and will remain that way until i can commit to the demands they bring...i can't even commit to a goldfish at the moment, lol

btw, there was a national uproar when it was reported in our headlines that Mrs. Harper had purchased a dress and outfits for her kids at the local Winners for a combined price tag of $150! ;)

ps) i'm not sure if harry was wearing his plastic fangs upsidedown at that moment or he had stuffed his mouth with marshmellow treats!

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

even with that getup on you can tell he's your kid JJ..
;)

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

I had hitherto omitted reading this thread, but found it today as a result in a search for "election"


I have selected the following three quotes to respond to:-

• Quote:

  Originally Posted by lighthead2toe (Post 145028) At this point Jennifer has not come back with a second comment. Maybe she was just having a bad day and we all have them that's for sure. Reading into her post though and seeing the way the word "hates" was capitalized, with reference to Americans, and apart from being a personal friend of Charlene, I would hope to see a retraction from Jennifer. I can personally vouch for the fact that Char would have to choke on her heartstrings to come out with hate for anyone and I know for a fact that Americans are among many her closest friends and mine too. The music of Gordon Lightfoot is far removed from the word hate and it's upsetting that it would come into play here in such a manner. On a lighter note I would hope that Jennifer would be in a position to make her way up here to Toronto and join us at the next Lightfoot Massey Hall gig, come together with us Canucks, Americans, Australians, UK folks and others from all over the globe and hold hands, sing the songs, and sure , have a little banter, whether it be political or otherwise, but without the word hate coming into the picture. Sincerely, Ron J.

[/quote]

• Quote:

  Originally Posted by jj (Post 144983) "did you ever have a bad dream, wake up and it not stop..." I always liked that line...I often try to go back to bed and get out the other side... and even off the end and then the headboard if necessary ....if i have more than four bad starts, i stay away from sharp objects and resist posting and/or pissing at/or on corfid

My great pal Ron Jones hit the nail firmly on the head in the first quote above.
This Jennifer person has shown incredible ignorance and insensitivity by her contuinued refusal to respond and explain herself better even if only to bleat lamely as Jimmy Jones did in the third quote about it being a case of getting out of the wrong side of the bed last Sunday
The second quote concerns my extreme good fortune on Sunday May21st 1967
to find myself in the New Penelope Coffee Bar on Sherbrooke in Montreal along with no more than 150 others for a genuine
"small stage" GL first concert
http://www.johnfowles.org.uk/LIGHTFO...w_penelope.jpg
As a holder now of both a Canadian and US passport as well as being British by birthI naturally deplore the completely unjustified and unjustifiable slagging of off Canadians by a Yank
especially the hard working modem madarator
Ok that's my two cents worth of comment on a rant that deserved little attention
Finally why WAS I searching the forums for "election" in the first place??
OK I am well aware that talking politics (and religion ) (and sex) on these forums is taboo, but I have had pointed out to me that despite this protocol there is one very current political topic that Gord himself has been commenting on at many recent concerts
I mean of course the momentuous election a week ago almost in this here United States.
Surprisingly I can find no comment in any forum here presumeably because everybody is afraid of being flamed or getting their knuckles rapped by the diligent CHaracter in CHarge but in view of the significance of the result and Gord's obvious interest in it (I understand that in a telephone call recently to one prominent corfiddler the first thing he mentioned was the election).On a musical note I remember stories of the problems my pre-Gord musical hero Buddy Holly faced due to the then strictly enforced segregation laws in the late 50's touring with popular African Americans, and that when he and the Crickets performed at The Apollo Theatre in Harlem he had to overcome anti-white person prejudice because the audience had expected that a band that sounded that good must be black.So much has changed in only 50 years to bring to reality the promise of the pioneering efforts back in the early 1800's by Britain's William Wilberforce
I am therefore going to submit my 2 cents worth of political commentary
and this thread seems to me to be the best place to do so
I think that Obama's victory last week must rank as one of the three or four most important events in my life:-





others being

• the Atomic Bombs in 1945.

It actually has led to a long sobering period of relative peace and the research might yet lead to the cheap and plentiful power supply the world so desperately needs

• the tragedies of JFK in 1963 RFK and MLK in 1968 then Mrs Ghandi in 1984.

• 
  all assassinations are so unfair and such a waste
• the moon landing in 1969
  which led directly to incredible technology some of which we are enjoying by using the internet as well non-stick frying pans
• The tearing down of the Berlin Wall in 1989
  thanks to the combined efforts of Margaret Thatcher and The Great Communicator with the openness espoused by Mr Gorbachev
• the terrible events of 9/11 (to all non Americans that should of course be 11/9!! ( just why are the dates on his forum displayed incorrectly??)
  which if I may digress a bit and ignore the no religion rule too the deplorable anti-American attitude of people of a certain race and religion for me sums up the dangers and futility of religion. I have no argument with the principle that everybody should be free to follow their own particular beliefs and have a sneaking suspicion that the one truth is that there is indeed just the one God if there is one at all at all
  (I consider myself "a confirmed agnostic") I have a theory that most of the troubles in the world are/were caused by over zealous adherents of one religion or another (the "troubles " in Northern Ireland were due i submit to differences and long held prejudices between Catholics and Protestants). I myself had personal experience of this when at the age of about 10 I developed a crush on our local butcher's daughter (her name was Ann but I can damn well still recall her face!)
  and I clearly remember being "warned" off by my mother because
  "they're Catholic and they are not like us"!!
• finding Gord in 1967 then meeting Susan in the GL chat room in 1999,which is why I am able to post this rather than "feeding daisies" or whatever happens after your soul departs your body

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

Thank you.

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

Thanks, Sir John. Very well said.

I kept wanting to poke in here and tell everyone to stop responding because it looks like a case of hit and run by the original poster but I like a lot of what came out of it.

As far as Americans/Candians, several years ago we were up in Simcoe, ON and got hit with the quiz of what do you as an American know about Canada. I did OK, being able to name provinces, capitals and one or two politicians but it was quite an eye opener to find how much more Canadians knew of our land to the south than we did of those to the north.

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

http://www.johnfowles.org.uk/LIGHTFO...w_penelope.jpg

Burton Cummings & Randy Bachman saw a young Gordie Lightfoot in that club, and they told each other. " Some day that will be us." :)

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

Char, I for one am glad that you have the high standards that you do for this site. All I can say is CARRY ON!:)

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

:)

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

Completey agree with ladya on this one too. :) I have been on here off and on since about 01/02 and never ever came across anything in here that was anti american or anti canadian. Just a bunch of corfidians showing are love for gordon and his music. :)

Re: Sentiments expressed on this site
 

And speaking of Gord's music, sometime around the first part of next month I'm going to see if Barnes & Nobles can, or will, order me any of his other albums that may be on disc.