"Invisible Berlin Wall" Between Canada And US

[Themightytom]

[
Well really, if you're into nature then one could argue that no one should ever bother traveling anywhere, because it's true; you can wander around a forest in Pennsylvania and it won't look much different from a forest in Ontario. I just like traveling because I like to take trips to new places, not because I expect to see something dramatically different. I mean really, you could use this argument of yours to justify never leaving a 100 mile radius of your home.

When you go places in North America, the culture changes a bit, but you seem to be looking for some kind of huge alien experience, and that's a bit of an unrealistic expectation no matter where you go, unless you go really far away, like Turkey. I personally just like to see different places.

For example, I'd like to take another trip to Central Park in NYC. Is it really so hugely different from Centre Island Park in Toronto? Not really, it's just that I've been to Centre Island Park many times. But yeah, if you want to be picky about it, sure: both places have flowers, and water, and trees, and birds ... I guess there's no point going, right?

Going to Kentucky when youa re from NH is an alien experience, but because I am from a northern state, I probably wouldn't go to Canada for what could be identical scenery. On the other hand if there are particularly unique areas that is something I would enjoy. I hate the idea of closing off our borders to such a limited security threat and NOT EVEN KNOWING WHAT WE'RE MISSING???

[Raesene]

As for the "if you can't afford $90 you shouldn't spend $25" - fuck you. Sorry if I have an occasional impulse to make my life more than just endless work and bare survival. Yeah, about once every 4-5 months we "splurge" outrageously by spending $25 or $30 bucks on a movie or a dinner. So... maybe $50-60 in an entire year. Having to spent an additional $90 on top of that just makes it undoable. All this does is guarantee that that money will only be spent within the US borders instead of leaving open the option of going to Windsor or Fort Erie when I happen to be in the neighborhood.

I assume you've made those 9800 posts from a public library internet connection, then.

You do know that an internet connection/emailaccount has become something of a requirement nowadays ?
When you are looking for a somewhat more qualified job than shop assistant (no offense meant !), it is 'send you application to xxx[at]zzz' or please use our online job portal in most cases. In addition, when applying for many positions, it is much cheaper to do it per email instead of spending a lot on stamps and application folders for your CV and covering letter.

[Broomstick]

I assume you've made those 9800 posts from a public library internet connection, then.

Thats kind of a silly assumption, what is the cost benefit ratio of broomstick's internet access? does it come as a prepackaged phone/TV bundle that would equal the cost of a phone line itself? Does she use it for a home bsuiness or to efficiently manage her finances or purchase things at discount through internet based direct marketing?

If she was using internet access ONLY to post on this site that might be a bit much, but depending on the cost of her internet, it may not equal the cost of getting a passport to go to Canada and the benefit may not be there.

I said I wasn't going to reply to Retarded Erik in thread, but Tom's post brings this a bit more back on topic.

Erik's post presupposes that I have been poor all my life, which is, as most of you know, completely untrue. The computer and associated hardware/software were purchased long before I feel out of the middle class. The internet connection - which is, by the way, bundled with my phone service - allows me to make essentially free long distance calls, is used for banking and bill paying (saving the gas and postage needed to do those things off-line), is a means for job hunting, being contacted by actual and potential employers, and also allows me to make some money on-line. In other words, the paltry cost of my internet service is more than compensated for not only by savings but because I can actually earn money on line.

It's the usual kneejerk bullshit that poor people should suffer for the crime of being poor and that ANYTHING above the meanest, bare survival is an unreasonable extravagance.

My posting here on SD.net is actually a VERY minor part of what do I on-line. Very, very, very minor.

That said - as a matter of fact some of my posts here WERE from my local library. Last year when my town was hit by a tornado not only were we without power for the better part of a day, but our phone and internet were fucked up for nearly a week. So I went to the library branch the next town over for my daily "fix".

[Broomstick]

is there anything in Canada I am missing?

Well, I did mention Niagara Falls. Granted there's an American side to that one, but in my opinion it really does look better from Canada.

I'd love to see the Burgess Shale - have to go to Canada for that. Probably too nerdy a destination for most, though.

Those that I know who have been to Toronto tell me that in many ways it compares to Chicago - enough variety of stuff to do that most people could make a good vacation of a visit.

That's just off the top of my head. Granted, most of the time I've gone it Canada it was because of convenience, living close to the border for about half my life. It is not required that one go to Canada. You could say the same thing about Mexico, I suppose - you don't have to go, but people living in close proximity to the border to frequently make the trip.

[FSTargetDrone]

So there is lots of discussion of how this will affect businesses and vacation areas, particularly near the borders, but what I'm curious about is how this will further affect places like Stanstead, Quebec/Derby Line, Vermont where the border actually runs through streets and even individual buildings.

For example:

Life On The Line At Derby Line, Vermont

Part Of The Ongoing CLUI Investigation into The Borderlands Of The USA

From the west the international border enters the library’s reading room at the corner bay window.



International boundaries are places of abrupt transition, where a conceptual cartographic line can manifest itself physically in many ways. Along the US/Canada border, it is often in the form of a low fence or a cut-line through the trees, running along the path of the border. If roads head to the border in a perpendicular fashion, from either side, and do not hit a natural obstacle like a river, they are usually blocked by earthen berms, posts, guardrail, or overgrowth. If the road goes through the border, it usually has an inspection station, one for each country, on either side of the line.

In the case of the town/s of Derby Line, Vermont/Stanstead, Quebec, the border runs right through the community, cutting through the street grid, and even buildings as well, creating an unusual international zone, where behavior is affected in some interesting ways.

In the two sided town of Derby Line/Stanstead there are two streets that cross the line without any checkpoints. Technically, any time anyone crosses the international line, they are subject to having to report, in person, to a port of entry inspection station for the country they are entering. This makes traffic on the streets that cross the line without a checkpoint, Maple Street/Rue Ball and Pelow Hill/Rue Lee fairly light, as it is more convenient to cross at Main Street/Rue Dufferin, where checkpoints are often set up for “drive thru” service.

Pedestrians on the sidewalk are also technically required to report as soon as they cross the line. Visiting someone on the other side of the line, even if the building is next door, means walking around to the inspection station first, or risk being an outlaw. Playing catch on Maple Street/Rue Ball would be an international event, and would break no laws presumably, so long as each time the ball was caught, the recipient marched over to customs to declare the ball.

When the international line crosses through a building, a different set of rules applies. Residents of the small apartment building in Derby Line/Stanstead do not need to report if they cross the line inside the building. They only need to report if they leave out the side of the building that opens on to a different country than the one they entered the building from. The building’s interior ends up being an international space, a bubble in the otherwise nearly infinitely thin international line.

The most prominent building on the line is the Haskell Free Library and Opera House. It was built intentionally on the border in 1901, as a gift to the community, and a symbol of international harmony. The entrances, one leading into the library, and the other heading up the stairs to the opera house/theater, however, are in the United States.

And though there are no restrictions on movement within the building, the placement on the border can lead to complications. The planning of a recent renovation project at the Library/Opera House took three years due to the conflicting construction, fire safety and historic preservation regulations of the two countries. Some of the public bathrooms, for example, sit on the border that runs diagonally through the building, and plumbers from the US and Canada had to be involved to make sure the work met their respective building codes. A fire escape for the theater was located on the Canadian side, but had to be recognized by the Americans, even though it wasn’t in their jurisdiction. If there were a fire in the opera house, then the evacuees would have to head immediately to the immigration station up the road.

The line painted on the floor inside the library and opera house is more than just a novelty. Apparently it was required in order to show which portions of the structure and furnishings would be covered by the separate Canadian and American insurance policies.

The entire thing is madness.

Looks like the gates at the Peace Arch are starting to close...

[Themightytom]

How is such a town possible....??

it msut be a terrorist training camp-KILL IT!

[Alyeska]

I assume you've made those 9800 posts from a public library internet connection, then.

I suggest you stop your idiotic attitude, immediately.

[Aaron]

is there anything in Canada I am missing?

Broomstick mentioned a few but there is also the old portion of Quebec city, Fort Henry in Kingston, The Citadel in Halifax, hell Halifax on it's own is more then worth the cost of a passport.