# 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:** 24
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/461 "2013-02-26T21:28:46Z")
> [@swampspruce](#): > > I still do, every day. > > BTW, you know you’re in W.Canada when you ask someone how far away something is and they tell you in time. “Oh, Calgary is about 3 hours from here…” Not only W. Canada, but we do that also in Quebec. I think it’s a Canadian thing in general. ---
**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:** [February 26, 2013, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/462 "2013-02-26T22:37:14Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > A few years ago during a snowstorm, a fellow went off the Trans Canada at the edge of town (TBay at the Terry Fox lookout). The combinaton of deep ditch, tree cover and a lot of snow resulted in his not being found until the spring, despite a lot of searching for him along his usual route. It was determined that he was pinned in his car and froze to death. The poor bastard. You’ve seen the prairies, right? I don’t think there’s a ditch deep enough to swallow a whole car between here and Saskatoon. 🙂 More seriously, we did see one truck upside down in the ditch with its roof smashed in - rolling over into the ditch at high speeds wouldn’t be cool, even the shallow Saskatchewan ditches. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/463 "2013-02-26T22:42:54Z")
> [@detop](#): > > Not only W. Canada, but we do that also in Quebec. I think it’s a Canadian thing in general. Ontario too! Of course, here in Toronto, saying “it’s 3 hours to downtown” is more of a commentary on the traffic than the distance. 😃 ---
**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:** [February 27, 2013, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/464 "2013-02-27T01:22:03Z")
Of course when we were younger it was measured in beers: “Sarnia to Grand Bend? Yeah, that’s about a 3 beer trip.” ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/465 "2013-02-27T07:24:16Z")
I remember driving through Roger’s pass a few years ago and seeing a Volkswagen van on its roof along an outside curve overhanging a drop about 500’. I have no idea how you get a VW van on its roof let alone on an outside curve without going over the edge. ---
**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:** [February 27, 2013, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/466 "2013-02-27T13:52:47Z")
> [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](#): > > Canada is big. You just won’t believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it’s a long way down the road to the chemist’s, but that’s just peanuts to Canada. > > – With apologies to Douglas Adams I’m sure Douglas Adams had Canada in mind when he wrote that. 😃 Okay, I have uploaded a bunch of my pictures - you can [see them here if you like.](http://photoclub.canadiangeographic.ca/profile/4955733) 🙂 ---
**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:** [February 27, 2013, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/467 "2013-02-27T17:24:19Z")
> [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](#): > > Canada is big. You just won’t believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it’s a long way down the road to the chemist’s, but that’s just peanuts to Canada. > > – With apologies to Douglas Adams I can’t help hearing this in my head with Stephen Fry’s voice… ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/468 "2013-02-28T16:12:20Z")
For $2.8 million dollars we get cool stuff like the [PBO’s statement on the Joint Support Ship (JSS) program](http://www.pbo-dpb.gc.ca/files/files/JSS_EN.pdf): > [@](#): > > At the 50th percentile confidence, JSS acquisition costs are predicted to be $4.13 billion, which represents a 26% increase above the point estimate. The reason for the significant increase is because the cone of uncertainty is quite wide at a pre-design stage. As the program advances and inputs become certain, the spread of values provided for different confidence levels will narrow (see Figure 3-1). And for $5 million we have a new Office of Religous Freedom housed inside Foreign Affairs. How about we give that money to the PBO? ---
**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:** [February 28, 2013, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/469 "2013-02-28T17:57:37Z")
Q. Is The Cone of Uncertainty anything like The Cone of Silence? A. I’m not sure… Thanks, I’ll be here all week. ---
**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:** [February 28, 2013, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/470 "2013-02-28T19:19:22Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I’m sure Douglas Adams had Canada in mind when he wrote that. 😃 > > Okay, I have uploaded a bunch of my pictures - you can [see them here if you like.](http://photoclub.canadiangeographic.ca/profile/4955733) 🙂 Some very pretty pictures. Thank you for sharing. ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/471 "2013-02-28T20:05:05Z")
Agreed! I love Prairie Winter. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/472 "2013-02-28T22:49:34Z")
@ CW, you have some talent with pics. I really liked the poppy in the snow. I suspect the cone of uncertainty is what you get when you order the large vanilla/chocolate twist on a hot day, as in how long before it falls over or melts all over your hands… BTW, will the Office of Religious Freedom be co-located with the Ministry of Truth? It feels more like a George Orwell novel come to life every day… ---
**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:** [March 1, 2013, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/473 "2013-03-01T14:14:44Z")
Thanks, all - I love taking pictures, but I’m never sure if they’re anything special or not. The cone of uncertainty is why the prices were so much higher - that sounds an awful lot like they’re just basically guessing. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/474 "2013-03-01T14:41:54Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > The cone of uncertainty is why the prices were so much higher - that sounds an awful lot like they’re just basically guessing. I don’t know if you’re joking, but the idea of a cone of uncertainty is perfectly logical. It’s just expressing the notion that the further you’re looking into the future, the wider the margin of error there will be in your estimates. So if you graph estimated maximum and minimum costs vs. time, you’ll get a pair of lines that diverge more and more, a figure that’s mathematically described as a cone. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cone\_of\_Uncertainty](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cone_of_Uncertainty) ---
**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:** [March 1, 2013, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/475 "2013-03-01T14:59:57Z")
I live under the cone of incredulity, myself. ---
**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:** [March 1, 2013, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/476 "2013-03-01T15:29:19Z")
I get cones at Merla Mae – the best soft ice cream in the universe. ---
**Author:** ![Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dread_pirate_jimbo/32/3897_2.png) [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dread_Pirate_Jimbo)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/477 "2013-03-01T18:03:11Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > I get cones at Merla Mae – the best soft ice cream in the universe. Better than Dairy King in Swift Current? I am skeptical but intrigued… ---
**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:** [March 1, 2013, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/478 "2013-03-01T19:24:14Z")
Oh man. The girl sitting beside me just sent me a form and wants my support in voting for Justin Trudeau for the Liberal Leadership. Apparently “For the first time Liberal party has opened up its doors and ANY Canadian can sign up for free and vote for the Leader. These are exciting times and I’m glad we are a part of it.” I thought she was such a nice girl too. ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/479 "2013-03-01T20:26:32Z")
Earnest…tell yourself she’s just very earnest. 🙂 ---
**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:** [March 1, 2013, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/480 "2013-03-01T20:45:29Z")
> [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](#): > > Better than Dairy King in Swift Current? I am skeptical but intrigued… Sask is in the universe? Not sure about that. I figure there’s ice cream made from cream, there’s ice milk made from milk, and there’s that Dairy queen product made with who know’s what. Merla Mae is made from cream – soft serve ice cream made from real ice cream with the fat content of real ice cream. If Dairy King has similar quality, the universe (and our waist lines) will have to expand to include both Dairy King and Merla Mae. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736.md?page=23) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736.md?page=25)