Comments on: Volunteers Work to Save Ash Trees

By: DRob

DRob — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 15:30:08 +0000

So then you can’t get upset when people ask you if you know “Steve from Canada” then, right?

Something to ponder: When Journey sings “born and raised in South Detroit” do they mean Windsor, ON? I love all-dressed chips, but I have no idea what flavour that is.

graymccarty, that video is really funny. But I have to defend George W. Bush and John Engler (for the first and probably last time ever for both) – “Chretien” and “poutine” sound enough alike in a noisy hallway that I can see why they’d make that mistake. Especially since we don’t have poutine in the US.

I’m unclear as to how this insect “landed” in Michigan first. If it came in on a ship, wouldn’t it have had to stop somewhere else on it’s journey through the Great Lakes? Is there a customs station for freighters? I do know as of about 8 years ago, there aren’t many ash trees left in SE Michigan.

By: Morgan

Morgan — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:25:25 +0000

@ Ted LOL! So true!

By: ted

ted — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:28:36 +0000

The funny thing about the phrase is that it sounds like Canada is between Ohio and Minnesota. My understanding was that the ash borer was travelling east. It was in Michigan and just reaching Ontario a couple of years ago. Now they’re tracking it in West Viriginia, according to what I saw this summer.

And there are Canadians who do identify themselves by province: people from Quebec.

By: Morgan

Morgan — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:33:14 +0000

I have to agree with graymcarty, it just makes it easier to say “I’m from Canada”. If the person inquiring would like to know where exactly, then I tell them, otherwise they seem to be content with Canada.
Anyhoo, does this article call an insect a disease?

By: graymccarty

graymccarty — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 06:17:40 +0000

DRob, sadly your wisdom and sensitivity are few and far between in Americans in my experience. Canadians are used to dealing with Americans who have no knowledge of the areas surrounding their own borders – so we’ve made it easy on them over the years by generalizing and simplifying our geography. It sounds weird – but it’s true. For a true example of this in the flesh just watch Rick Mercer’s Talking With Americans (if you’re familiar with Canada and its people, as you seem to be, you’ll find it hilarious) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seYUbVa7L7w

By: DRob

DRob — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 04:20:30 +0000

graymccarty, why is it when you ask a Canadian where they are from, they say “Canada”? It’s a big country, can you be more specific? Ask an American where they are from, they’ll tell you the state and assume that you’ve heard of it. But 9 times out of ten, a Canadian will just say “Canada”. We’ve heard of your provinces. Some of us even know where they are. Even the little ones like P.E.I.

By: graymccarty

graymccarty — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:44:26 +0000

Canada is not a state or a province – it is the world’s second largest country. When you say “Ohio, Minnesota, and Canada” that’s like saying “I’ve been to Ontario, Alberta, and America.”

By: pwscott

pwscott — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:57:42 +0000

Considering one of my first jobs hinged on ash, I can understand why they want to save it. It’s a very usable wood for all types of products. I’m not a tree hugger or capitalist pig, but I do believe in renewable resources such as the Ash tree should survive.