BZBee

I wish I had thought of that and it's not too late since I need my passport for business and I was told when I called today that it would be at least another 6 weeks....that would make 18 weeks (that's 4.5 months) total and that is only if my pictures are not rejected and they can get in touch with my guarantor, etc. and nothing else goes wrong. Who in their right mind would think it would take 18 weeks for something that was to take 10 weeks? Ridiculous!!! Even more ridiculous is that I would be questioned as to why I did not plan ahead for Passport Canada's incompetence. Why were they not prepared for the onslaught? I'm sure they had more than a year and a half to prepare for this.

You can still drive to the States without a passport. And it's not like you didn't have well over a year to figure it out. Do you think you could do some reading (my original post) before posting a sarcastic comment? First, I was not born in Canada so cannot prove my Canadian citizenship with my birth certificate....sooooo, cannot travel using my birth certificate and photo ID in lieu of a passport. AND, I also stated that I travel a lot for my job (with my passport) and was doing just that back in February of this year so I needed my passport. I thought sending my application in March would give Passport Canada enough time to get my passport to me by June 8 which is the original date I was supposed to meet with my potential clients....that would have given them 11 weeks and I was told it would take 10 for processing......it's been 12 weeks now and still no passport. I even sent the application in via UPS Express overnight at a cost of $32 and change....another waste of my money. And why would I apply for a passport a year or more before my current passport expired? Do you really think that well over a year ago I should have figured out that Passport Canada would not be able to deliver my passport to me in a timely manner? The US requirement had been going back and forth for 2 or 3 years and Passport Canada could not figure out that they would actually stick with January 2007 so how the hell was I supposed to figure it out? As sated before, stupid me had more faith in the Canadian bureaucracy than they obviously deserve. The yolks on me!!!

So, how does one go about recouping losses caused by Passport Canada? I'm still without a passport and, obviously, won't make my meeting tomorrow. After much discussion with my potential clients, I was given the ultimatum.....the meeting can take place no later than Monday. I can't get in touch with Passport Canada (I have no more time to sit at a desk continually dialing that number...time is money and I can't have them helping me to lose any more). With what is going on I know I can kiss that revenue goodbye and we're not talking pocket change either....it is well worth the 9 hour drive.

What goes into the processing of a pasport is of no concern to me; that is Passport Canada's concern and it seems they don't know what it entails either since they are obviously not handling it well. How many of you on this board would survive at what you do if you did what Passport Canada is doing? We all know that only a government can get away with this type of behaviour. So, everyone who has applied for a passport is an idiot? Right, that’s rational thinking. How can anyone be so presumptuous as to call all applicants idiots? I travel a great deal and, because I had to travel in mid-March, was unable to apply for my passport until the end of March…which I did. My last passport expired at the end of May. I have a travel date of June 8/2007 on my application but no one at Passport Canada cares about that; they don’t even look at it. To date, I have no passport and no documents to prove that I am a Canadian because Passport Canada has all of these documents. I rescheduled my business for June 15th…that is 2 days away and it is obvious that I won’t be receiving my passport any time soon. I called for 3 days before finally being able to get into the “hold” queue. Anyway, this person said she could not do anything to help me but gave me a fax number to send a written account of my situation….which I did. I’ve sent emails and tried calling again (can’t get through) and even sent another fax explaining that I cannot travel with my birth certificate and photo ID since I was not born in Canada. No one has called, faxed or emailed me because no one gives a crap about me and the negative effects on my business when I tell my potential clients that I cannot make the meeting as scheduled. I’ve worked on these potentials for months and months and that money and time is also down the drain because of their travel plans. So, one thing that can be done is LOOK AT THE DAMNED TRAVEL DATE on the application; why the hell is it on there if no one is going to look at it? If you tell me that they do look at it then I’ll know that they really don’t give a damn. If there is a problem with getting the passport to the applicant by the travel date…USE THE &*(#@^% CONTACT INFORMATION ON THE APPLICATION TO CONTACT THE APPLICANT.....some people may be able to change their travel date….SOME CANNOT. It’s not rocket science. I used to sing the praises of the Canadian Government for efficiency when compared to the US Government but now…..well, there’s egg all over my face.

I have XM, I pay for it but I don't listen to any of the shock jocks; as far as I am concerned they are just too disgusting to listen to. I listen to the comedy and the music of the 60's, 70's and 80's (and I pay for that because it is commercial free and I get enough of the commercials when watching TV). I hear about this stuff from other people and I read about it but not hearing it firsthand doesn't make it any less objectionable. If only the shock jocks were available on XM, you bet your butt I wouldn't be paying for it.

And your "funny as shit" reaction will solve the issue? Did you stop to think that people who laugh at their crap keep these idiots going? You're right though, it may be time to start protesting these shock jocks in avenues other than on boards and forums. If I tuned out everything I don't like in the world today, I'd be tuned out 90% of the time....I choose to have an opinion and to express it rather than walk around like I am clueless most of the time. Depending on the issue, I have expressed my opinion to authorities or others who may take action on my behalf. As Figleaf stated "rape just ain't funny." It takes a sick person to joke about it and another sick person to laugh. Rape is a crime, NOT a joke.

It's not only offensive but disrespectful as well. Unfortunately, there are people who pay to listen to these disgusting human beings...of course, the listeners are not much better than the a-holes they listen to. I work too hard for my money and choose not to use it to make those creeps rich.

I don't think they did at either the first or second.....because they feared revenge not because they didn't have the will. It's been many years people…I hope I remember my history correctly.

Amen....finally someone who understands the crux of the problem. Oh yeah? Canada doesn’t need people like that and if they hate it so much and think the grass is greener elsewhere, then they should leave. Won’t be long before they realize how good they had it in Canada. A good thing for the unilingual Francophone to realize. You see, as an English speaking individual, one can go just about anywhere and be understood. However, the choices are much fewer for a unilingual French Canadian. Therefore, it is more advantageous for the French to learn English than vice versa. (Heck, if you’re English and you hate Canada, you can just move across the border.)

Did you miss that males were also shot at Virginia Tech?

Ah, but a check for a million dollars in your name can exist; I can write you one....doesn't mean you can actually cash it but if I write it, it will exist.

Don't generalize "Quebecers." There are still many Anglophones (my family included) in Quebec who love Canada but retain a feeling of belonging in Quebec and live in harmony among the Francophone population. With a Francophone majority in Quebec how can you say that separation is supported when 2 referendums (while I lived there anyway) indicate otherwise? Maybe Quebecers rarely ever travel outside of Quebec to other provinces but park your car on the side of the US I95 in any given month (but especially in the Fall and Spring) and you will see just how many license plates contradict your statement that they only go as far as Ottawa. You're right about one thing though....smart Francophones realize that it is not feasible to be a separate country and still expect to use the Canadian dollar and have welfare, unemployment benefits, pensions, etc. supplied by the Canadian government/taxpayer. Not to mention having to give up all the other "extras" that Quebec apparently receives from the Federal Gov't.

And are you certain there is no afterlife? If you are, just how did you come to that conclusion? Not everyone who believes in an afterlife considers their present life dispensable. Many are not willing to blow themselves up to find out but hope there is something after this life. Some believe that hell is right here on earth so there must be something better. quote name='AndrewL'] I view all religious belief as radical, since any religious belief requires a suspension of logic and a leap of faith, it can only be radical in regards to rationality. Maybe those who believe in religion believe that disbelief requires a suspension of logic and a leap of faith and the disbelievers are radical and irrational? From personal experience, I can say that you don't have to be Jewish to be the recipient of excellent care at the JGH or to contribute. It is certainly a wonderful institution with brilliant doctors. My ex-husband worked there and thought it was the cat's meow. quote name='AndrewL' date='Apr 23 2007, 06:00 PM' post='211386'] I did read your post, and your argument comes across as if someone were singing the virtues of chemotherapy after it cured their lung cancer, when in fact they could have just avoided lung cancer and chemo altogether if they just didn't smoke. Andrew Off subject: Unfortunately, lung cancer is not exclusive to those who smoke so avoidance by your suggested method is not realistic; does that make singing the virtues of chemo more appropriate?

English?I gather the two official languages now are Canadian and French. JBQ, You're a smart man, so I know you know what I'm talking about.

I agree. Someone who is intent on doing damage with a GUN will do so regardless of whether the victim is also packing; the perpetrator may count on the victim being slower than he is or that the victim won't have the nerve to pull the trigger (many won't although it has been determined that we are all capable of killing if the life of a loved one or our own life is threatened). Besides, police officers get shot at all the time (even the ones in North America where they carry guns). However, it is doubtful that someone with a knife as a weapon will be as bold with an intended victim who is carrying a gun. Problem is, it’s not possible to tell who the bad guys are until they commit a crime so therefore not possible to keep guns out of their hands. After all, not everyone who uses a gun to commit a crime has been, or will be, declared clinically unbalanced.

Someone needs to do his research and get updated on what is going on in the US; specifically, the number of illegals who use public healthcare, were not sponsored by a company or school, who send their children to school but pay no school taxes (and no income tax for that matter) and are not kicked out of the US because they work for much less than an American who pays for healthcare, income taxes, school taxes, etc. could or would work for...and oh yes, the illegals' unsponsored relatives usually manage to sneak in as well. Millions who are in the US did not even fill out an application, they just wandered in; at least if there is an application, there is a record of entry into Canada. What American rejects are you referring to? There is no such thing unless they are some form of known criminal and you won't convince me that Canada would accept such a person. As a matter of fact, an American with a DUI (even a very old conviction) can be refused entry into Canada even if they are just passing through a Canadian point of entry in order to board a cruise ship.

And: http://www.guncontrol.ca/Content/TheCaseFo...ntrol.html#more

Excuse me, but here in the US ANYONE (as indicated by the tragedy at Virginia Tech) can purchase a gun. Also, those who, as you put it, start wars, want open borders, and are responsible for the country's unrecoverable debt are not in favor of gun bans. Give the good law abiding citizens the guns and take them away from those who commit crimes is not exactly gun control.....you're not a bad guy until you use that gun to kill someone. http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/news_t...on_gun_con.html Gun control in the US now would be like closing the barn door after the horse is out. According to Bill O'Reily, there are 250 million guns owned in the US....not bad for a country with a population of about 300 million. Considering the stats of this small city (population, average salary, etc.) it is doubtful that New York, Philadelphia, Tampa, etc. would have the same result: http://www.city-data.com/city/Kennesaw-Georgia.html

After that uncalled for outburst, he probably got on the "banned" list....that's what I call overkill. ben•e•fit (bĕn'ə-fĭt) n. 1. a. Something that promotes or enhances well-being; an advantage: The field trip was of great benefit to the students. The students gave up their time in a classroom for a first-hand experience. b. Help; aid. You give up being needy. 2. A payment made or an entitlement available in accordance with a wage agreement, an insurance policy, or a public assistance program. You worked for it or paid into it. A benefit is a good thing...is it not? Most people don't question why they receive a benefit....they may just be grateful that it's there for them.

You mean Canadian politicians of all stripes, right?

My nephew’s pediatrician diagnosed it as “colic” and my sister was told that it just has to run its course and he would outgrow it…which, of course, he did. I know it is believed that a baby is not in pain but there has to be a reason for a baby to just start crying uncontrollably and, no matter what you do, he still keeps crying. If it is because he wanted to be held, he certainly had his doting mom and aunts holding him (and that didn’t stop the crying), he was fed (this usually happened after a feeding) and he had a clean diaper; he wasn’t a high maintenance baby apart from these episodes (and it did not happen at the same time each day). I saw this baby and something was definitely wrong. We tried the ride in the car….it didn’t help him and made it worse for us to hear him crying in such close quarters.

Babies cry, not whine, when they need something…toddlers whine when they don’t get their own way until the parent relents…they are taught to be whiny. Babies are not filthy unless the parent ignores the fact that they need to be changed; if a child is filthy, it is the parents’ fault. To suggest that a baby is selfish, loud and extremely demanding is just an intolerance of the natural progression of life….we all start out as babies (some people end their lives in a sort of second infanthood). Selfish, loud and demanding toddlers are a result of parents who just can’t be bothered and usually let the child run the household anyway; to me, these people just enjoy annoying others through their children. Betsy, I disagree. It’s not the baby’s fault that he/she has colic. My nephew suffered from colic so we took turns going to my sister’s to help her with him; she was not capable of tuning him out so was pretty exhausted. We walked him and tried to soothe him as much as we could; thank goodness, it usually passed within a couple of hours, but he suffered so much that we usually ended up crying in sympathy for him. How could anyone ignore a baby in pain? If a child spends more time with at a daycare than with its parents that, too, is the fault of the parents. A daycare center is to provide care for the child, not to discipline the child beyond what is necessary to assure the safety of the child(ren). Do you think a daycare provider should be able to adapt to the discipline methods of every parent? No way, and let’s face it not everyone will agree with your methods. These days, a parent can be arrested for what is considered “unacceptable” disciplining, never mind a daycare provider. Thankfully, I grew up with my mom at home. We (6 children) never wanted for anything but we didn’t get everything we wanted either….my parents took the time to explain why we could not have it and there was no whining until we got our way; we knew better!! As far as I’m concerned, if you can’t afford children or just don’t like them, then don’t have them. If you need 2 salaries to live in that big house so that all the kids can have their own bedroom, fine, but that bedroom is no substitute for the love and time of a parent. Children really don’t need expensive toys or a big house to be happy, they need a good family environment, discipline and the basics (food, clothes and a roof over their heads). I admire the young couples these days who live on one salary (so very rare) because it is important for them to have one parent at home. So the kids don’t have the latest in video games; these games are just a babysitter when the parents want the kids out of the way. It irks me when I hear a parent, especially a mother, say “I work to get out of the house and away from the kids.” Why the hell did you have them then? Let me guess, is it so that someone else will have to deal with their whining, filth, selfishness, and demands, or because all of your friends were doing it?

Children are what they learn....they are not born "whiny, selfish, filthy, loud, and extremely demanding," they are taught to be that way...it's called lack of discipline and the parents of these children are totally to blame.

That's what I was trying to convey. Obviously, only some of us understood that. The patriotism of the American people is admirable and envied by some.