# The CanaDoper Café, 2013 edition. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 1, 2013, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736 "2013-01-01T03:29:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 136
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/2701 "2013-11-20T16:19:42Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > But it can be very erratic. In 1997-1998 in Regina, there was no snow until January 1998. Not “not much snow” in November and December of 1997 - no snow. We had a green-brown Christmas. > > And then there was last year - we got more snow in November 2012 than we had the entire winter of 2011-2012 - and it kept snowing in December, and January, and February, and March, and April, with scattered flurries in May. (I started a few whiny threads about it, which I normally don’t this is Canada, after all. > > The point is that one can budget all one wants, but snow is unpredictable . Surely when looking at the snowfall amounts and dates of storms over the course of however long we have records for would help to smooth out the bumps. As well, cities could figure out costs per kilometer of road plowed to account for growth. Yes, you are not always going to be on the nose in your predictions but maxing out your budget after 20% of the expected duration of the winter is a bit ridiculous and shows, in my opinion, mighty poor planning. On googling to see how grounded in reality the trope is most of the articles I can find are showing maxing out in March or maxing out the 2010 budget in November of 2010 so I’m going to chalk this up to different ways of measuring the budget time frame combined with larger than normal storms maxing out the budget towards the end of the year. Nothing to see here, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/2702 "2013-11-20T16:44:19Z")
This just in! Rob Ford releases another statement: > [@](#): > > “I never \ the \ \ \ \. Thank \ you!” ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/2703 "2013-11-20T16:59:46Z")
I remember my Dad being so ticked off at the guy who shoveled his sidewalk for him in Saskatoon. If I’m remembering the right year, there was very little snow over 2000-2001. The deal was, you paid the guy $300 a month from November to December, and he’d do your sidewalk and driveway for you within 24 hours of a snowfall. The deal had been the same for 6 or 7 years. At any rate, Dad figured he got ripped off for that year; the rest of us just said “Did you pay him extra the year he was over here every God-damned week?”. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Doom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Dr\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Doom)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/2704 "2013-11-20T17:27:14Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#): > > If I’m remembering the right year, there was very little snow over 2000-2001. I can speak with the utmost authority on the snowfall north of Toronto, 2000-2001. It was completely ridiculous. I remember it so well because my first divorce came that autumn, and I had to do a lot more driving for my two boys’ hockey. It literally snowed at some point of each and every day for 6 weeks straight. That was between late November and early January. This is not exaggeration on my part. Feels like we haven’t even had winter around here, since then. ---
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/2705 "2013-11-20T17:35:47Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#): > > I remember my Dad being so ticked off at the guy who shoveled his sidewalk for him in Saskatoon. If I’m remembering the right year, there was very little snow over 2000-2001. The deal was, you paid the guy $300 a month from November to December, and he’d do your sidewalk and driveway for you within 24 hours of a snowfall. The deal had been the same for 6 or 7 years. > > At any rate, Dad figured he got ripped off for that year; the rest of us just said “Did you pay him extra the year he was over here every God-damned week?”. And I stopped having my driveway plowed because I thought $500 for the season was a ripoff. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/2706 "2013-11-20T17:43:21Z")
> [@Dr\_Doom](#): > > I can speak with the utmost authority on the snowfall north of Toronto, 2000-2001. > > It was completely ridiculous. I remember it so well because my first divorce came that autumn, and I had to do a lot more driving for my two boys’ hockey. It literally snowed at some point of each and every day for 6 weeks straight. That was between late November and early January. > > This is not exaggeration on my part. > > Feels like we haven’t even had winter around here, since then. I’m pretty sure that was the winter in Ottawa where a buddy of mine golfed on New Years Day. It was very unseasonable and there were thoughts that the canal might not freeze over for skating. Eventually it did open in February for 5 or 6 weeks. Hmm… just Googled around and I guess it was the winter of 2001/2002 I’m thinking of. ETA: And the canal was only open for skating for 26 days. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Doom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Dr\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Doom)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/2707 "2013-11-20T17:51:34Z")
> [@Cyros](#): > > And I stopped having my driveway plowed because I thought $500 for the season was a ripoff. Right. Some seasons the flat-rate guys will make a mint, and others not so much. One thing is for sure, that makes paying them seem reasonable, is that they are pretty much on call. I have a couple buddies who have to miss hockey regularly due to snowfall. So it must kind of suck to have one’s schedule be at the whim of Old Man Winter. > [@Leaffan](#): > > Hmm… just Googled around and I guess it was the winter of 2001/2002 I’m thinking of. > > ETA: And the canal was only open for skating for 26 days. Praise The Google! ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/2708 "2013-11-20T17:57:26Z")
And then there was the 2007/2008 Ottawa snowfall of 437 cm (172" for the imperially minded) which was followed by ~220 cm the next year. ---
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/2709 "2013-11-20T19:58:37Z")
So, Vancouver has moved to [ban doorknobs](http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/11/20/vancouver-has-banned-the-doorknob-is-the-rest-of-canada-next/). A good idea given an aging population or a step too far? Personally, I think this is a fine idea for public access areas and apartments but requiring it for private homes is a step too far. If I want a lever handle I’ll get one. If I want to protect from raptor attacks I’ll stick to my old fashioned doorknob. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/2710 "2013-11-20T20:13:22Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > I’ll have to keep this in mind for the next time I’m in Calgary. BBQ brisket and beer … mmmmm! > > (Maybe an idea for a Calgary Dopefest.) Don’t forget the deep-fried pickles - my favourite part of a visit to Big T’s. 🙂 > [@Spoons](#): > > It’s the same here. After an early December storm a few years ago, roads were absolutely impassable–we’re talking eight-foot drifts completely blocking our street. Residents screamed at the city to get rid of the stuff. It did, and the city’s snow removal budget was exhausted by mid-December. > > Then, later in the year (probably May), when tax bills were sent out, the same residents screamed at the tax increase; claiming, “we don’t need snow removal; a chinook will remove it.” Short memories indeed. > [@Cyros](#): > > Question about snow removal budgets. I’ve always heard of places where the snow removal budget was exhausted by mid December and was never sure, is it a yearly budget that starts anew in January so the city miscalculated by a couple of weeks or is this the entire winter budget and the city blew its entire wad over the course of 3 weeks of snow? If it is the second then I’ve got to ask, WFT? Its not like we are in Florida and this is a freak storm that we had no idea about. This is Canada FFS. You have to expect a shit ton of snow over the course of the winter. You guys can be logical all you want, and city council can be logical all they want, but what it comes down to is the citizens want everything for nothing. They want more services and lower taxes, and it never occurs to them that they are asking the impossible, and if you don’t give it to them, it’s city council’s fault for not making it happen. > [@Dr\_Doom](#): > > I can speak with the utmost authority on the snowfall north of Toronto, 2000-2001. > > It was completely ridiculous. I remember it so well because my first divorce came that autumn, and I had to do a lot more driving for my two boys’ hockey. It literally snowed at some point of each and every day for 6 weeks straight. That was between late November and early January. > > This is not exaggeration on my part. > > Feels like we haven’t even had winter around here, since then. [Every day I’m shovelling.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og2lX1UJ6rc) I sing this to myself when we get into the “snowfall every day” part of the year - “Every day, I’m shovelling, shovelling…” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/2711 "2013-11-20T22:03:01Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Don’t forget the deep-fried pickles - my favourite part of a visit to Big T’s. 🙂 Then it’s _definitely_ under consideration for a Calgary Dopefest! ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/2712 "2013-11-20T23:24:17Z")
And in today’s Rob Ford news: He has said that he’s working with professionals to help with his “issues”. That would be his weight issue, since he’s stated that he does not have a drug or alcohol problem \ So he’s got himself a fitness consultant. One who works with body builders and such. Trouble is: His fitness consultant spent some time in jail for steroid trafficking in the US and was subsequently deported. He’s currently on a a 12-year ban from Canadian sport for administering steroids to a national-level boxer. Nice. Ford cannot even get a trainer who is not in trouble with the law over drugs. Think this will be on the Daily Show? ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/2713 "2013-11-20T23:45:31Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > \Think this will be on the Daily Show? Dunno. Did you send an e-mail to _The Daily Show_ writers to bring it to their attention ? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Lurker\_Above](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Lurker\_Above](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Lurker_Above)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/2714 "2013-11-21T00:11:33Z")
> [@Cyros](#): > > If I want a lever handle I’ll get one. If I want to protect from raptor attacks I’ll stick to my old fashioned doorknob. “Door levers increase the chance of Raptor attack” plus an animaged GIF. You can really tell how seriously the National Post is taking this story. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/2715 "2013-11-21T01:19:04Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > And in today’s Rob Ford news: > > He has said that he’s working with professionals to help with his “issues”. That would be his weight issue, since he’s stated that he does not have a drug or alcohol problem \ > > So he’s got himself a fitness consultant. One who works with body builders and such. > > Trouble is: His fitness consultant spent some time in jail for steroid trafficking in the US and was subsequently deported. He’s currently on a a 12-year ban from Canadian sport for administering steroids to a national-level boxer. > > Nice. Ford cannot even get a trainer who is not in trouble with the law over drugs.\ Of course his trainer has legal problems with drugs - why wouldn’t he? I don’t think I’m capable of being surprised by anything Ford does at this point (and then two days from now something _else_ will come out!). ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/2716 "2013-11-21T01:21:51Z")
On a mostly related note, there was a poll on a local tv news show yesterday, asking if Calgarians would vote for Rob Ford if he ran for Prime Minister of Canada - these are the results: 88% No 12% Yes So apparently 12% of Calgarians responding to the poll are nuts - good to know! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/2717 "2013-11-21T03:13:59Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > So apparently 12% of Calgarians responding to the poll are nuts - good to know! 😃 Someone votes for Liberals and the NDP in Calgary. I thought it was a given that a subset of the population are crackers! ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/2718 "2013-11-21T04:05:43Z")
It just means that 88% of Calgarians are socialists. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/2719 "2013-11-21T04:26:49Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > It just means that 88% of Calgarians are socialists. Well they did re-elect Nenshi by a huge margin. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/2720 "2013-11-21T04:37:04Z")
A little socialism goes a long way. Maybe we have more socialism than I realized. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736.md?page=135) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736.md?page=137)