Friday Ephemera
The thrill of twins (a drama of expansion) || Anything you can do, I can do better. || An ode to preserves. || A project for the weekend. || Seattle public schools, you say. || The progressive retail experience, parts 408, 409 and 410. || Repair job, watched closely. || At last, lamps made from croissants and leftover bread. || Absurdle, adversarial Wordle. || One of these objects is not like the others. || Public-information billboards of note. || Being “anti-racist,” she doesn’t depict them. || Touchdown. || At last, lab-grown hair. || His and hers, a comparison. || Heh. || Cold sorcery. || It’s a consolation, I suppose. || Fondling scenes. || Insert finger, please. || And finally, remember, your cat is trying to kill you.
Two questions from a chap lacks any sense of introspection.
Can you imagine if your employer hired that nut, and you were required to take him seriously in your daily interactions?
Can you imagine if your employer hired that nut, and you were required to take him seriously in your daily interactions?
And you know it would seek out those most uncomfortable with its ways and torment the hell out of them face-to-face and through HR.
Irony can be pretty ironic.
WTF? Do the British Isles have “Irish Man…” stories the way America has “Florida Man…” stories? Police inquiry after ‘dead man’ taken into post office by men attempting to collect his pension.
This is totally normal behavior and not insane at all.
A highly specialized taste, but at least it is SFW.
We need to talk about the cat.
…not insane at all.
So the Alphabet People are a race – who knew?
Canuck “journalist” flees The Great White North coof insanity for Florida which puts the zap on his mind.
Of course.
Of course.
Typical Canadian suffering from “Good Boy” syndrome as in “What a good boy”, “Who’s mama’s good boy.” Not sure why so many of my countrymen are so desperate for approval. This wanker puts on his morally superior tone and says “you can tell the Canadians, we’re the ones wearing our masks properly.” You have no idea what it’s like living among such smugness. Oh and you’ll notice the little prick didn’t leave Florida when he discovered this “cowboy” behaviour. No he just showed everyone his new pair of judgy-pants.
No he just showed everyone his new pair of judgy-pants.
Plot twist: he tries this on the wrong Florida Man and becomes a new pair of pants.
Within a Western culture, enforcing a school uniform or grooming code places you somewhere within the Western negotiation of group vs individual.
My niece got married yesterday and in the wedding invite they specifically requested formal attire as in coat and/or tie, etc. I was very impressed not only by that request but by the higher percentage of 30 yo’s and such dressing as requested, relative to older generations who gosh darn it just could not bring themselves to put a tie on.
Canuck “journalist” flees The Great White North coof insanity for Florida which puts the zap on his mind.
While here in Ft. Lauderdale the last two weeks my wife commented on the unusual number of Quebec license plates. To me it wasn’t terribly unusual as when living here we had snow bird Quebeci neighbors but it did seem even rather out of the old ordinary. As for this journalist? Yeah…GTFO.
when living here we had snow bird Quebeci neighbors but it did seem even rather out of the old ordinary.
Hallandale Beach and Hollywood have long been favourites for Quebecois. The local variety stores would go as far as stocking Canadian cigarettes and Quebec Newspapers. Of course, no one reads a paper newspaper anymore. Even the French Canadians.
It’s my impression that the Quebecois a bit more snooty than the rest of Canada. Am I wrong?
18 (!) years ago, Conan went to Montreal and included Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. The reaction of the man at 2:19 is funny. https://classic.teamcoco.com/late-night-with-conan-obrien/season-11/episode-61/triumph-the-insult-comic-dog-triumph-in-quebec?playlist=x%3BeyJ0eXBlIjoicmVjb3JkIiwicnQiOiJwbGF5bGlzdCIsImlkIjoxMDcyODh9
I was very impressed not only by that request but by the higher percentage of 30 yo’s and such dressing as requested, relative to older generations who gosh darn it just could not bring themselves to put a tie on.
I’m not sure about the under-30’s, but my experience with the 50-70 crowd is that they are indeed slobs. They don’t bother with suits and ties even for weddings and funerals where you’d think the seriousness of the occasion would impinge on their consciousness.
On reflection, that was carelessly over-generalized: I know people in the 50-70 age range who dress properly. Probably depends in large part on what subcultures they inhabited in their youth.
“It’s my impression that the Quebecois a bit more snooty than the rest of Canada. Am I wrong?”
When I was deployed in Afghanistan, the Canadian company we were partnered with was on their way out. One of their sergeants thanked us, said they loved working with us, and then with an apologetic tone said, “I’m just letting you know there will be a new Canadian team coming in to replace us. Unfortunately they’re French Canadian, so I’m just giving you a heads up.”
We flew out of Kandahar on a Canadian C-17 and after one of the attendants gave the safety instructions in English, he took an audible sigh of contempt and repeated them in half-assed “why do I have to do this?” French.
We flew out of Kandahar on a Canadian C-17 and after one of the attendants gave the safety instructions in English, he took an audible sigh of contempt and repeated them in half-assed “why do I have to do this?” French.
I hear that many French Canadians will pretend to not understand English.
“Probably depends in large part on what subcultures they inhabited in their youth.”
Absolutely. My wife and I, being early 60s (in age), we are not Boomers. We were 9 when Woodstock hit, so we grew up with what the Boomers inflicted on us. No thanks. I’ll wear a suit and tie.
In Montreal my experience has been that people will start in French but switch to English if your reply in English. But in Quebec City, they will refuse and pretend they don’t understand you. Even a policemen we asked for directions.
Unfortunately they’re French Canadian, so I’m just giving you a heads up.
My mother worked as a civilian at Baden air base. Apparently some of the best deals for military from any country were at the CANEX store on base. I visited her for a couple of weeks during the early 80s. It was delightful to see the contempt the French (France) military had for the French Canadians. They mocked them for their “backward” use of the French Language.
It’s my impression that the Quebecois a bit more snooty than the rest of Canada. Am I wrong?
No you’re not. It comes from the special status which Quebec has been afforded. They tend to think themselves superior to the ROC (rest of Canada). Having said that, there are good people every where. If you can cut through the crap they can be very warm and generous. I had overall responsibility for a Montreal sales office and formed many strong friendships that still exist today.
Someone above pointed out the difference between Quebec City and Montreal. That is very real. Montreal is a cosmopolitain city and French Canadians their are far more “tolerant” of English speakers because they have to be. In Quebec City their far more likely to be intolerant pure laine.
We were 9 when Woodstock hit, so we grew up with what the Boomers inflicted on us.
Hello Boomer! I hate to tell you this but if you were 9 during Woodstock you’re a Boomer. Tailend Boomer, but a Boomer nontheless.
Having said that, there are good people every where. If you can cut through the crap they can be very warm and generous. I had overall responsibility for a Montreal sales office and formed many strong friendships that still exist today.
Counterexample: American company had a consulting contract with a Montreal company, doing IT work that the Canadians could not do or could not do nearly as quickly and efficiently. During meetings the Montreal clients often spoke insultingly about the Americans–in French, of course, thinking the Americans would not understand. The Americans carefully did not let on that they understood. Instead, they padded the consulting bills as much as they could get away with. Remember this scene in All Creatures Great and Small when an obnoxious and aggressive client is charged 10 pounds for a procedure that normally costs a few shillings?
I hear that many French Canadians will pretend to not understand English
Having listened to a clip of Canadian French on here a few days ago, I’m surprised they even understand French.
Having listened to a clip of Canadian French on here a few days ago, I’m surprised they even understand French.
Not being fluent in that language, it’s all Greek to me.
I’m surprised they even understand French.
They don’t. If you speak with parisian pronunciation they look at you funny. I had to mangle most of my carefully learned french vowel sounds to be understood. A good example is the word yes, oui in french, sounds like Burgess Meredith’s Penguin character clucking in the Batman TV series.
A good example is the word yes, oui in french, sounds like Burgess Meredith’s Penguin character clucking in the Batman TV series.
Merde! Strongly worded protest to follow.
I hope you die in a fire, you fool. The other thing that separates “us” from the “hicks and bumpkins” is that you’ll starve before said “hicks and bumpkins” when there’s any disruptions in the supply chain.
“Crossing the street is one of the essential skills of urban life.” but following the laws is not. Noted.
I’m almost 63.
I used to be a commissioned US Army officer. If you tell me to show up in formal dress, I know to wear a formal suit.
You should hang around better people.
Having worked for…
1. Bell Northern Research
2. Northern Telecom
3. Nortel Networks
…in Richardson, Texas, for a while, I nonetheless found this clip rather funny.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDGkQiwh_qg
You should hang around better people.
Indeed, I am so old that shorts, flip flops*, and a wife beater were for mowing the lawn, not getting on a damn plane – and unless you are under arms, take your damn hat off indoors.
*(not recommended footwear for this activity, kids)
You should hang around better people.
Yeah, too many geeks, nerds, and dorks in the past.
I used to be a commissioned US Army officer. If you tell me to show up in formal dress, I know to wear a formal suit.
At the Heinlein Centennial in Kansas City, the classy looking ones were the Heinlein extended family, the men all in Navy uniforms. Not a wrinkle to be seen, just perfect rows of ribbons. And perfect manners, too.
You should hang around better people.
I used to. They’re all mostly dead now. Just because you and whatever army dress well has little bearing on the general population. The finest restaurants in the vast majority of towns have little to no dress codes. I’ve even been in a few that had published dress codes but they let people in dressed as they were anyway. And mostly boomers and genx. Before the pandemic the speakeasy concept was making a comeback among the younger set and in the two that I visited the only people even marginally poorly dressed were in their 40’s and 50’s.
the speakeasy concept was making a comeback
Intriguing. Can you elaborate?