When I Win Geoswee:-P

Geosweep, as you know, is the map based lottery sweeping the nation. That nation being Altantica, aka Atlantic Canada, where the the Altantic Lottery Corporation (ALC) runs the gambling racket. Not content with numbers, hockey and the Oscars, ALC thought it would be a good idea to let people bet on churches and sewer plants using Google Maps. All the jobs related to this idea are in the United Kingdom of Britain and Northern Ireland, where Geosweeps is based. So far, ALC and the provinces are in for 5 MILLION dollars.

Anyway, some day I'm going to win the $250,000 grand prize. Nobody has ever won it, so I suspect the press conference will be well attended:

Journalist:
-Altavistagoogle, what do you plan on doing with the prize money?
Me:
Thanks for asking. There is a lot of suffering in the world, so the first thing I plan on doing is setting up a foundation. I plan on calling it "The Altavistagoogle Foundation For Helping Starving Children in Africa". I plan on covering 100% of the set up costs out of my own pocket, that's just the kind of person I am. After a few years of fundraising, I'd like the foundation to start helping the starving African children with 100% locally sourced New Brunswick organic food. We don't eat that crappy African food, why should they? Seems only fair.

I'm also a big Lindsay Lohan fan. Charlee Sheen payed her 2008 back taxes. I'd like to cover 2009. #Winning!

$250,000 will only go so far, so I plan on investing a significant portion. One of my investment ideas is a business that comes up with lottery and web based gambling products. It will be based here in New Brunswick. Examples: When my sisters and me were kids, we'd play lawn darts. I'm sure you did this to, after a while you get bored and start throwing the darts in the air and run for your life. Nobody ever got hurt, but I miss the thrill. The lottery would be fully web 2.0 and integrated with Youtube. An other example would be a map based lottery. It would be kind of like Geosweep except we'd use Mapquest and you could only bet on water. We'd call it Go Fish (trade mark pending).

I'd also like to start a newspaper. Part of the annoyance people have with local newspapers is that they are not relevant. My newspaper would only carry news for my street. On days when there would be no news, we'd still deliver the paper, just that it would say "No News On My Street Today" surrounded by the regular advertorials and car ads. My aim for the first year is a dozen subscriptions with a low churn rate.

Journalist: That's very clever Altavistagoogle, but aren't you going to splurge a bit. You did after all win the lottery.

Me:
Absolutely, first thing I'm going to buy is a vowel. A giant A on my front lawn, perhaps painted in gold. It would be just as effective as a sports car for pissing off the neighbors, but without the risk of dying in a horrible car accident.

Journalist:
Ha, ha, right. What about travel?

Me:
Absolutely. With the winter we've been having, I'm going south! I'm thinking Grand Manan or Halifax. Joking! Ha. Had you going. No, I'm thinking Amsterdam followed by Colorado and Washington State.

GeoSweep Betting on the United Church, Abominations of Satan's Handiwork?

The United Church is against gambling. Bingo is a Catholic sport, you won't find that in a United Church. My mother wasn't even allowed to play cards!

Althought the United Church is quite progressive and ever changing, you still can't gamble in a united church. However, thanks to the Altantic Lottery Corporation and its new game GeoSweep, you can gamble on a united church.

But who would, right? Well at least one person has. If you are a reporter, you can go to his house and ask questions. Althought keep in mind that if you are the type of person to bet on a church that forbids gambling, you might also be the type of person to pick some random house and write "my home" on it, for the lulz (wasn`t me).

PS. Never realised Moncton-Riverview had so many Baptist churches! They seem to be on the fence/100% in favour when it comes to gambling.

So far, nobody has dared gamble on any of Altlantic Canada's 3 mosques. Oh, but so, so close.

And yes, GeoSweep uses Google Maps, of the don't do evil company. I guess abominations of Satan's handiwork desn't qualify. :)

GIS of Trailer Trash Playing Lottery

Who buys lottery tickets? Trailer trash. This must be a sophisticated trailer park, because the lottery in question is the online-only GeoSweep, the cool Google Maps based why-didn't-I-think-of-that new lottery game of the Atlantic Lottery Corporation.

Since 2010, the mapped-based British lottery concept has been so successful that they have had to franchise it to Atlantic Canada in order to survive (Just like Ray Kroc realized you can't get rich making your own hamburgers).

I've been doing some "market research" (aka, excuse to waste time on the Google Maps interface). I've decided that Caholic Churches are indeed more popular when it comes to virtual lottery games. That one is a freebie, if you want more you will have to hire me as a consultant. 

Spirits are an Affordable Luxury. But Where is Finlandia?

Spririts are an affordable luxury, or says Forbes. But why has Findlandia been off the shelves here in New Brunswick since the Fall? Further investigation reveals that it is also off the shelves in PEI and Nova Scotia. It is still present in Ontario, Quebec and Newfondland.

Why does Findlandia's owner, Brown-Forman, hate Maritime people?

Why has the sun set on Finish vodka in the Maritimes?

At this time we have no plans on bringing this back as the supplier has not approached us as yet.
ANBL

From Finlandia:

I am unsure of the answer to your question, so I am going to forward your request to colleagues of mine in Canada who can better answer you.  They will get back to you at their earliest convenience.
Matt

OK, so it is established that Brown-Forman is a slow moving inefficiency American corporate bureaucracy, not quite the image I had of Finlandia, but that is a brand, not a company. Perhaps Brown-Forman doesn't hate the Martimes after all.

Any suggestions for an alternative?

Old Orchard Vs Shediac

Planning a Summer Vacation? You are in Central Canada and your kids have never seen the ocean?

Old Orchard or Shediac?

Distance

-At about half the distance, if you are driving, Old Orchard wins.

-Flying? Porter flies direct from Ottawa using a plane that leaves Toronto Island airport. Air Canada does Montreal-Moncton. Westjet and Air Canada do Pearson-Moncton. And get this, Westjet, in the Summer, does Hamilton-Moncton! I suppose you could fly to Boston if going to Old Orchard. You can actually get to Old Orchard from Boston by train (if you want to avoid a rental). Boston's airport is 150 km from Old Orchard Beach. Moncton's airport is 23 km from Parlee Beach. Conclusion, if flying, Shediac wins. 

Roller Coaster

-Old Orchard has one on the beach. Shediac? Well, nearby Moncton has a small indoor one.

Taxes

-If taxes are your obsession, you can save big by going to Old Orchard (Maine: 5% (prepared food 7%), New Brunswick: 13%), as long as you don't eat or spend the night in New Hampshire (9%) (but it is OK to shop there: 0%). Keep in mind New Englanders are big spenders when it comes to other taxes such as property, estate and corporate taxes. All those can find their way into your bill, as they have an impact on the relative costs of doing business. Also, health insurance costs are significantly higher in the US for low paid employees than they are in Canada.

-Gas tax is also significantly cheaper in the USA. So much so that many in New Brunswick's border communities cross over for the sole purpose of tanking-up (you could as well when you pass Edmundston, Saint Leonard and Grand Falls, or get to Shediac via the Maine route).

Health Care

Unless you have a yacht you can sell and a house that you can mortgage, you need health insurance when travelling to the USA. You can do without in New Brunswick, particularly if you live in Ontario. Prudent Quebeckers should get insurance, as New Brunswick charges more than what Quebec reimburses. Both nearby Moncton (Shediac) and Portland (Old Orchard) have adequate hospitals and other emergency care options. Many employers provide travel health care insurance, so that could be a tie for you. $30 extra per person if your employer is stingy and you choose Old Orchard.

Tolls

-No tolls in New Brunswick. Only tolls in Quebec are across the new bridge from Laval to East-Montreal ($5 per crossing when you don't have a transponder). I95 is a toll highway in Southern Maine, so expect to pay a few bucks each way when going to Old Orchard. If you decided Shediac isn't far enough and want to venture onto Prince Edward Island, 85 km away, then expect to pay $45 per car (you pay on the way back). 

Beach

Both Shediac's Parlee and Old Orchard's beach are nice. Both also offer nice day-trip beaches 90km away if you need a change of beach venues (Hampton and Kouchibougouac). However, in the Summer the water will undeniably be warmer in Shediac. On the plus side, the water is usually too cold for even the jelly fish in Maine (but they have sharks). The waves are also significantly higher in Maine, as Shediac's beach is sheltered by Prince Edward Island, across the Northumberland Straight. Despite the cooler water, the air will probably be warmer at Old Orchard, as it is significantly further south.

Lobster

The local season starts in August in Shediac. But further north they start in June. Fall is peak lobster fishing time in Maine, although they can legally fish year round. Neither location is know for their cuisine, and you will have to hunt unless you like your clams deep fried.

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City

Beaches suck when it rains. Both Southern Maine and Southern New Brunswick have many sites worthy of a visit, but if it is raining, you probably won't be in the mood. Both Moncton and Portland have big malls within 30km, and both are on the beach side of town. Moncton has a zoo and a museum and a small indoor amusement park. Portland has many small museums. The city itself is fairly old and worthy of of a visit. Cities aren't why you are going to the ocean, so lets call it a tie.

Places to stay

Old Orchard definitely has more accommodation options, but if they are all booked up by beach crazed Quebec construction workers (they have a mandatory vacation during the last two weeks of July, in 2012, from July 22 to August 4) it is a moot point. Shediac only has one small hotel, and nearby motels are few and far between. But there are camping options, and Moncton is only 30km away.

Getting there is half the fun, right?

Going to Old Orchard or Shediac, you will be crossing Appalachian forests. Scenic? Sure. But it gets old real quick. Going to Shediac, you have the option of stopping in Old Quebec and Old Montreal. Going to Boston on your way to or from Old Orchard is an almost 300 km detour. Both Mount Careleton in New Brunswick, 800m, and Mount Washington in New Hampshire, 1800m, are kind of on the way to the beach, and can present interesting diversions for mountainly challenged Ontario residents. Mount Carleton offers a hard way and an easy way to walk up. Mount Washington offers a road and a train! Both mountains are the highest peeks in their respective regions (Atlantic Canada and New England). Going to Shediac, you can return or go via Maine. But don't do it for the change of scenery unless you plan on visiting the towns, as it is the same forest and the same mountain range as in New Brunswick. 

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Culture

You'd never know from the signs, but Shediac is a French speaking community. Inversely, Old Orchard is very much an English speaking community, despite all the French signs aimed at vacationing Quebeckers. 

Passports

Unfortunately, thanks to Obama, who is from Hawaii, Canadians need a passport to walk, bike, drive, canoe or fly into the USA. Thanks to Canada's federal government, passports are expensive as the passport fee is used to finance European embassies. Quebec is still Canadian, so you can get to New Brunswick without a passport.

So...

If you can't decide between Old Orchard and Shediac, flip a coin! There will be an other Summer next year... 

Ontario to Maritimes

What is the best route from Toronto to Moncton, PEI or Halifax?

Well, if you have a criminal record or 3 kids without passports, it is hard to argue in favour of the American route across Northern Maine. If you opt to stay in Canada, take the Renous Road across New Brunswick and save 60 km, plus whatever gas savings your car gives you by going 85km per hour instead of 120km per hour. Budget for moose, deer, bear and branch damage to your car.


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On all routes from Toronto or Kingston, you can now avoid Montreal by crossing at Victoriaville and picking up the four lanes of highway 30 off highway 132 at Chateauguay. Plus you get to drive through this.

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Most of the 40 kms from Victoriaville to Chatauguay are 70 to 90km/hr, same as the official speed limit on the Montreal highways. However, there are a few 50 km/hr sections and a few stop lights. The Metropolitain on the Island of Montreal was built as an urban by-pass (most of the city is further south) and is usually the fastest route, unless it isn't. Outside rush-hours, congestion usually only happens near the highway 15 exits. The highway 20 tunnel is usually pretty clear. Champlain bridge (highway 15), on the other hand, is very close to downtown, and often the access points are very congested.
From Ottawa, Montreal haters taking the Canadian route can by-pass the city by taking the north shore route (the almost completed 50 to Mirabel, then 15 to 640, then 40 to Quebec City). That will add 11km to your trip and you wont be able to go as fast (speed limits are more strictly enforced on highway 40 and much of highway 50 is only two lanes). But you avoid Montreal congestion.


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For shortcut freaks and American gas price lovers, Maine is the way to go. There are a couple of option (bring a map!), but you might as well take the shortest route. Although I warn you, the empty but longer I95 will be very tempting. Motels in northern Maine are also quite cheap, although not plentiful. Detour via Bangor if you need a city.

 If time is of the essence, take the highway route via Northern New Brunswick. The divided highway is also much safer. You can still hit a moose on a divided highway, but chances of avoiding it are better. 87 km of highway 185 between the Saint-Lawrence River and New Brunswick is still only 2 lanes, but there are many passing lane sections. On the 185, expect to go at about 100km/hr, but allow time for 90. It may be a divided highway if you are reading this in a couple of years.

Saving 113 km each way by going via Maine is nothing to sneeze at. But it is only 48 km less than the Canadian route with the Renous Road. But the Renous Road is a bit kamikaze (no cell phone coverage or even FM radio!), even when conditions are good (the moose enforce the speed limit).

Going to Newfoundland? Consider (but don't actually do it) going via Labrador. The Translabrador has been open over a year now. What are you waiting for?

Linguistic Segregation in the Moncton Area

Belfast and Chicago have nothing on the Moncton area. Last names can be misleading (Moncton's mayor, a Leblanc, only knows a few French words), but I think you can figure out the linguistic divisions of Moncton's two suburbs.

 

A House is A Great Investment... or Not

Canadian lawyers now often buy title insurance INSTEAD of doing due diligence. But if the insurance company fails...

Below is what happened in the USA. (60 Minutes).

Ballad of Springhill Nova Scotia

U2's Bono sang a verse of the Ballad of Springhill tonight at Magnetic Hill in Moncton. And rightly so, as Springhill, Nova Scotia, is only 95km away. Deep coal mines can be deadly, and the one in Sprinhill was no exception. 1958 was the last time that the "coal was covered in blood and bone" under Springhill, Cumberland County, Nova Scotia.

  Version sung by Bono's inspiration: Luke Kelly



Version sung by Bono on Irish TV (and at some of his concerts in 1987).


If you are reading this today, Sunday, July 31st, 2011, you might want to head to Springhill for their music festival. There will be a singalong of the song at 5:30PM at Lions Park.

And don't miss the museum (I've never been).

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According to Wikipedia, some of the surviving minors were offered a free trip to Jekyll Island, Georgia.

Unfortunately for the sole black survivor, he had to stay in a trailer, segregated from his white coworkers.



In the town of Springhill, Nova Scotia
Down in the dark of the Cumberland Mine
There's blood on the coal and the miners lie
In the roads that never saw sun nor sky. (x2)

In the town of Springhill, you don't sleep easy
Often the earth will tremble and roar
When the earth is restless, miners die
Bone and blood is the price of coal. (x2)

In the town of Springhill, Nova Scotia
Late in the year of fifty-eight
Day still comes and the sun still shines
(But it's) Dark as the grave in the Cumberland mine. (x2)

Down at the coal face, miners working
Rattle of the belt and the cutter's blade
Rumble of the rock and the walls closed round
(The) Living and the dead men two miles down. (x2)

Twelve men lay two miles from the pitshaft
Twelve men lay in the dark and sang
Long hot days in the miners tomb
(It was) Three feet high and a hundred long. (x2)

Three days past and the lamps gave out
And Caleb Rushton got up and and said
There’s no more water, or light, or bread
(So we'll) Live on song and hope instead. (x2)

Listen for the shouts of the barefaced miners
Listen thru the rubble for a rescue team
Six hundred feet of coal and slag
Hope imprisoned in a three foot seam. (x2)

Eight days passes and some were rescued
Leaving the dead to lie alone
Thru all their lives they dug their grave
Two miles of earth for a marking stone. (x2)

Visit New Brunswick!

Escape this:



Catch the wave:



But take your time

In New Brunswick, Victoria Day is not a paid Public Holiday But Stores Must Close

Argh! Why is this so damn complicated? Monday, Victoria Day, is not a public holiday as defined by the Employment Standards act (see .pdf fact sheet ) . Nor is boxing day. Folks lucky enough to work under federal jurisdiction (banks, telecommunications, rail), will get a paid day off. But if those folks want to shop on Victoria day, they are out of luck. The reason for that is quite simple: The Days of Rest Act . That act says that no person shall,on a prescribed day of rest,(a) carry on retail business, or (b) admit the public to any premises where a retail business is carried on. With the exception of garden centres, book stores and convenience stores, all stores will therefore be closed Monday. But here is the kicker: employees who have the day off won't get paid!

What kind of crazy province do I live in?

By the way, this is something I've never figured out. How come companies like Sitel operate under provincial legislation when 95% of their business is replacing banking and telecommunication workers?

Now to find out if I can shop in Nova Scotia or PEI Monday. 

Update: Nova Scotia stores are open on Victoria day as are stores in Prince Edward Island (PEI). By the way, today is the first Sunday shopping day of 2009 in PEI. This privilege is extended until Christmas. Hat tip to the Retail Council of Canada (for the links only, information is out of date).

Home Depot has a nice chart of Victoria Day hours across the country. According to that chart, Victoria day should be renamed Ontario-New Brunswick-Newfoundland day. Although since New Brunswick retail workers don't get paid, perhaps Ontario-Newfoundland day would be more appropriate. 

Future Shop concurs (what was I thinking reading legislation?).

May 18 - Victoria Day.

All Stores are closed in Ontario*, Newfoundland and New Brunswick.

All stores are open for regular store hours in Quebec.

Stores are open 12-6pm in Manitoba**, Nova Scotia, PEI and 10-6pm in BC, Alberta***, Saskatchewan.

* Except 12-5pm in Windsor, 10-6pm in Kinston, 12-5pm in Niagara, 11-7pm in Downtown Toronto.
** Except 9-6pm in Pembina.
*** Except 9:30-6pm in Northland and 10-7pm in Grand Prairie.

Low Taxes Costly to N.B.

Moncton's Time Transcript is no Toronto Star, that is for sure. Take this "news" article in today's newspaper . 

A classic example of the rich Irving family using their papers to influence public policy. The Irving's didn't write the article themselves, obviously, but they do hire people that dish out "news" like this.

So who are these specialists that are so tax sensitive, that they are willing to move to PEI for $100? Salaries are already lower than out west (that would be you Ontario), for almost everybody.  New Brunswick, for example, has the lowest minimum wage in the country. And if that isn't bad enough, New Brunswick also gives the least to welfare recipients: $270 per month with no extra for housing. If you live in New Brunswick, it isn't because of the money. A few percentage points difference with non-adjacent provinces (note no comparison with Quebec in the article) is not going to make anybody move.

The so-called experts quoted in the article think New Brunswick should have the same tax rate as Alberta. The same tax rate as Alberta. WTF!? Was oil discovered last night? Did the land become fertile for high yield crops? Did the upper Appalachians turn into the Rockies? No. New Brunswick is a land of trees, potatoes and low tourism potential. Even with generous equalisation payments, that means higher taxes. Never mind the fact that New Brunswick has more kilometres of four lane highways than Alberta with only 1/7th the population. 

 High taxes costly for N.B.

Published Saturday March 7th, 2009FREDERICTON - High-earners in New Brunswick pay more to the taxman than those in many other provinces.

And, according to one expert, that could make it difficult for the province to compete in attracting the brightest minds and much-needed specialists.

New Brunswickers are taxed 46.95 per cent for all income they earn above $123,184, before any deductions or claims are calculated.

That figure, which includes the 17.95 per cent provincial rate on income over $133,273 and the federal rate of 29 per cent on income above $123,184, puts the province at a disadvantage when trying to attract people, said Charles Cirtwill of the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies.

In fact, New Brunswick taxes its high-income earners more than any other province or territory.

Taxes are one consideration professionals make when deciding where to live, said Cirtwill.

"If you make $100,000, you can move quite freely," he said.

Although many New Brunswickers may not have much sympathy for those earning more than $100,000, losing specialists or professionals to other provinces impacts everyone, Cirtwill said.

"It's not just the doctor you have to have sympathy for; it's the patients who can no longer get the care."

Premier Shawn Graham has committed to lowering taxes by more than $100 million in the upcoming budget, as well as unveiling a multi-year plan to further reduce taxes.

Nicole Picot, the premier's director of communications, reiterated Graham wants the province to have one of the most competitive tax regimes in the country.

"The tax reduction plan to be unveiled in the upcoming budget ensures lower personal income taxes for New Brunswickers in all income brackets and reduces the corporate tax burden on companies that do business in our province," she said. "We recognize the need to ensure that we can attract the best and the brightest to the province and our tax reduction plan will help us do just that."

Roger Haineault of New Brunswick-based Help 4 Taxes said a single male living in New Brunswick, earning $120,000 and claiming standard deductions, would pay $16,321.58 in taxes.

His federal tax bill would be $23,510.16, for a total of $39,831.74.

In Manitoba, the provincial tax bill would be $16,069.42. In Prince Edward Island, the same person would pay $16,217.21 in provincial taxes, compared to $13,838.59 in Ontario.

In Nova Scotia, the bill would jump to $17,101.29.

However, that same person would pay $10,107.87 in Alberta.

That's because he would benefit from the province's flat tax rate of 10 per cent, a system that's been recommended in New Brunswick.

A tax proposal paper written by leading tax-expert Jack Mintz suggested the government move to a flat rate of 10 per cent.

Graham has since said the state of the economy means the province needs to cut taxes over a four-year period.

It's unknown whether, after the four years, government will introduce a flat tax rate.

But a legislative committee endorsed the suggestion in another report.

Cirtwill said a flat tax of 10 per cent is still desirable.

LDP Free TV

What will you do with the money? I often fantasize about that press
conference. You know, the one where lottery jackpot winners discuss
winning umpteen million dollars.

So here is what I _will_ answer on Thursday. ;-)

Well, I am very happy to have this money. I feel for the people
looking for work in these tough economic times, so the first thing I
am going to do is quit my job so one fewer of my colleagues will be
layed off. Although I will miss my employee discount, chuckle, chuckle
(scan room for attractive reporters laughing at my joke).

The next thing I will do is give 1 million dollars to the provincial
NDP. New Brunswick has the lowest minimum wage and the lowest welfare
benefits in the country, and I want that to change. I'm also thinking
of all those poor African children, I'd like to do so something for
them.

When it comes to splurging, I'd like to launch my own TV channel:
Lawyer, Doctor and police Free TV. A TV station that has no CSI or Law
and Order reruns. I'd call it Beach TV and, for tax reasons, will be
based at my new hotel in the Cayman islands. Interviews for news
anchors and journalists start after this press conference.

Last but not least, I'm going to buy a Mac. I can finally afford one!
LOL.

Unilingual George LeBlanc Would Be a Lousy Mayor of Moncton, Vote for the Other Guy

I'm not to happy about the mayoral choices coming up here in the Moncton municipal elections. George Leblanc, despite his name, is a unilingual anglophone, son of two anglophones. Based on the English version of a pamphlet left in my mail box today (the French version is incomprehensible), he wants to cut spending on public transit and give tax credits to downtown business. Cut spending on public transit, in Moncton, what the...?

He also wants to make Moncton a "World-Calibre" city. Moncton has a population of 64,128 people in a Census Metropolitain Area of 126,000 people (that is less than Sudbury, Ontario). This is the sort of delusion of grandeur that should be eliminated from council. Moncton is a small city in a small province in a low population area of Canada. Spend accordingly.

He actually put this in his pamphlet/vision statement:

Establish a committee comprised of members of council and leading citizens to study and report to the mayor and council within four months on recommendations on our taxation levels, spending be the City and determining whether tax cuts are achievable, given our current commitments - all with the goal of determining a fair and appropriate tax level for our citizens.

Give him credit for having the balls to actually promise to raise taxes! Even if he wants to later blame the "leading citizens".

Other anoyances:

-He wants to attract immigrants, but doesn't say how. That is his whole multiculturalism policy: I want to attract immigrants, using targets. If you have nothing to say, don't say it.

-He wants more red tape, including the requirement for submitting transportation plans when requesting a zoning change. Am I the only one who read Jane Jacobs? Transportation engineers are clueless, pass it on.

-He also wants increased visiblity for Moncton's expensive cops. I agree Moncton has a low crime rate, but perhaps the RCMP should be fighting crime instead of socialising with seniors at Tim Hortens, eh.

It is not all bad, of course. He does have a university degree in Business administration, from the University of New Brunswick (1978). He promises to review and enhance City of Moncton signage. Assuming he doesn't write the new signs that would be a good thing (lane info in Moncton, such as mandatory left turns, are often only painted on the pavement, which is not so good in winter). He also wants to place a greater emphasis on outdoor activity, that works for me.

But all and all, Moncton can do better. Not much better, mind you, but better.

Update: 2008-05-08, 15:20. Post amended to reflect that it does say in his pamphlet that his degrees are from UNB.

The 20 minute commute... by foot.

The May 5th issue of BusinessWeek has an interview with James Kunstler, author of The Geography of Nowhere.

The best thing about living in Moncton, pop 80,000, is that it takes 10 minutes from one end of town to the other, maybe 15 during the 4 to 5PM rush hour.

Now some people do live out in the country and spend a good deal of time and money commuting, but the vast majority don't. Out of 20colleagues I asked, at 20 minutes, I have the longest commute. But that is 20 minutes by foot!

Many Monctonians have ocean side cottages less than 30 minutes from downtown, and only go on weekends!

Now granted, contrary to say Montreal, Ottawa or Toronto, fewer people take the bus. In fact, given the lousy public transportation, the average Monctonian probably spends more money on transportation than the average Torontonian.

So what is my point? I don't know, I just have so much free time I needed to waist some... :-)

Two Tuner PVR finally coming to New Brunswick

When I moved to New Brunswick a couple of years ago, I was shocked to find out that Rogers in New Brunswick was still using the single tuner Personal Video Recorder (aka Tivo like Digital Video Recorder). So you can't watch one program while recording an other (like you would with a VCR).

Since moving to New Brunswick, have a uni-tuner PVR. Contrary to a VCR, you can watch a recorded program while recording an other. You can also pause live TV. But I was used to Ontario where Rogers uses Scientific Atlanta's two tuner model PVR. Two tuners is way better because, like a VCR, you can watch a live program while recording an other. You can also record two programs while watching a pre-recorded program. You can also watch one live station and have an other in picture-in-picture.

Anyway, I felt like crying when I found out the bad news about New Brunswick. If I wasn't living in an apartment, I would have opted for Express Vu who offer said two tuner digital video recorder.

Rogers is using the single tuner model because of legacy Shaw equipment at the head end (Shaw and Rogers swapped some territories a few years ago). The Shaw equipment was Motorola. Motorola does have a two tuner model, but Rogers has been dragging it's feet.

According to my source, the two tuner model is being tested in New Brunswick as of today. I don't know any other details.

Perhaps more soon at the excellent digitalhome.ca

Donair pizza with a side order of poutine

The poutine you find in Moncton is the Quebec version: French fries
and cheese kurds. Donair is an adapted
Turkish/Greek/Lebanese/Turkish-German dish kind of like a gyros or
kebab. Really, it is a gloriefied meet loaf. And you can forget the
lamb or mutton you find in other regions, here in Moncton, we prefer
beef and/or pork. Donair is nowhere near as popular in Moncton as in
Halifax, so in these parts, you will find the "meet" on pizza. With a
side order of poutine please.

When you add to the mix the fish and chip joints, you have and
incredibly unique mix of fast food places in Moncton: Donair, taco,
sub, burger, fish stcks, poutine, fried chicken, wraps. All this with
an ethnic population of about zero. Go figure.

In Moncton, Tim Hortens now closes at 6pm!

Alternative title: Monctonians are drinking less coffee.

 

One thing that struck me when I first moved to Moncton last year: the abundance of coffee shops downtown. No Starbucks, Second Cup or Van Houtte, mind you. But a Timothies, a pastry shop, three independents and of course, two Tim Hortens.

 

As of February 4th, the sole Tim Hortens downtown that stayed open in the evening will close, get this, at 6PM! 6 PM!? Moncton isn't a civil service or banking town (granted, insurance is big), it is a call centre town. 5000 people work in call centres in Moncton, at all hours of the day. Add to them all the other 24 hour industries, and you have to wonder, why are people drinking less coffee downtown?

 

Because in addition to Tim Horstens shorter hours, the espresso place at Hilcrest mall recently closed and so has Joe Moka, a freaking institution if you ask me. What's next, bar closures? What should we make of this recent major cut in coffee distribution downtown? Has your community seen recent coffee shop closures?

AOL Moncton is Closing, XM US says buh bye

AOL Moncton is Closing. Someone mentioned this to me yesterday and I didn't believe her. But judging by the number of people arriving on my blog, within the last few minutes, with the search "AOL Moncton closing", she must have told alot of people, or it is unfortunately true.

But where are French speaking Canadian customers of AOL going to get tech support from? Don't know.

Sitel is shutting the XM USA contract at the end of the month. Not sure if Sitel is moving the contract to an other centre, or if it simply lost it. About 100 jobs will be lost in Moncton as a result. With the loss of XM USA, Sitel Moncton is now verry dependent on Bell Sympatico. Not necessarily a good thing now that (Ontario) Teachers (pension) is taking over Bell.

On the positive side, Virgin Mobile seems quite successful, to the benefit of ICT in Riverview. Rogers cable and Internet must be doing well, because they are still hiring like mad. Dito for bank servicing Minacs in Riverview.

According to one figure I saw, there are 5,000 people who are unfortunate enough to work in call centres in Moncton.

Related: ALTAVISTAGOOGLE: AOL Moncton Yanks Yank Jobs

Update (2008-01-17):
Accoding to the Times Transcript, March 2 is the closing date of AOL Moncton. The 100 employees will get two weeks severance per year of service, which, for the vast majority employees, means two weeks or less. Still no idea where the tech support will come from for all those French speaking Canadian customers 0f AOL.

Travel in Canada s Maritimes

soliciting canadian travel information prompted this post.

DO NOT DO
First, here is what NOT to do/visit:

Drive to the end of the road on the North Shore of the Saint Lawrence to Natashquan, birth place of Gilles Vignault. The road from Havre Saint Pierre to Natashquan has only been there a couple of years. Before that, they had to take a boat.

As you read this you are thinking "I"m SO doing this, new road, frontier, Gilles Vignault".

Driving all the way to Natashquan is so stupid you won't even be able to brag about goint there. And once you are there, you have to drive all the way back! There is no Gilles Vignault museum and they aren't blarring his music at the local pub. Worst, by the time you get there the pub will be closed because you have driven into Maritime Standard time.

So stop at Havre Saint Pierre. Resist the temptation to go further east! You have been warned.

That said, there is nothing rational about leisure travel. People do crazy things like drive from Montreal to the Magdelain Islands, via New Brunswick and PEI, and not visit NB and PEI. Magdelain Islans must be freeking amazing then eh? No, Montrealers visit the islands because they are part of Quebec. Go figure.

Newfoundland is not part of the Maritimes. The vast majority of Maritimers have never set foot in Newfoundland. Think about that. Ponder that. The fact is that Moncton is about half way between Toronto and Saint John's.

Fly to Saint John's. Visit the former country of Newfoundland for what it is: a province with its own time zone.

DO DO
Here are some great Maritime trip suggestions:

For Singles and Couples:

Fly to Halifax and on tho Cape Breton.
Fly into Halifax (Do the math befor balking at the price of plane tickets). Rent a car and drive to Cap Bretton Island for the Cabot Trail (freeking amazing). Make time to linger in the Acadian village of Cheticamp (We paid $40 for a room there in July!) right at the entrance/exit of Cape Breton Highlands National Park. If you are lucky enough to be there on a warm day, the beach in Cheticamp is amazing. The local culture is quite Acadian. But my highlight was the shared island used for raising cattle. That makes you realise how unflat the region is when farmers have to share land.

Louisbourg, where actors pretend to be French who own the place.
Louisbourg is a make work project that is worth a detour. It is a recrunstructed French city that history buffs will love.

In Shediac the water is warm, in PEI golfing is on Greens (Despite the red earth).
If you have time left, gun it to Shediac, get you feet wet in the warmest waters north of Virginia, then drive accross the longest bridge in Canada to PEI (there are no $40 room in July on PEI). PEI is a golfer's paradise, but July travel might require booking a room in advance. There are also great beaches and Charelottown is a nice place to visit if you miss civilisation (it is the capital).

Halifax is an urban city.
Halifax is great place to walk around, just don't arrive there and plan to park. Halifax is by far the Maritmes' largest city and acts the part (they actually charge for parking!). Peggy's Cove is nearby in case you were wondering where all the tourist had gone. Lunenberg and Annapolis Royal are also quite nice.

House Hunting
A hugely popular activity is driving along the coastal areas of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick looking for a retirement home. If you have zero intention of retiring in the maritimes, then I'd suggest skipping the coastal drive as it is slow going with cottage/house after cottage/house for as far as the eye can see (or keep your eyes on the ocean). If you do skip the coastal drives, don't expect to see the ocean from the main road. The Maritimes are quite flat (with the obvious exception of northern Cape Bretton) and with plenty of trees. Kouchibouguac and other national and provincial parks provide great "natural" views from which to admire the ocean (and swim) as the houses/cottages have been demolished.

For People With Children:

Stop in Quebec, go to Percé, then Acadian Village
Because of the expense of flying with kids, you will probably be driving. If you have never been to old Quebec city, make a stop there on the way. Drive to Percé via the northern route. The southern route is much more industrial and much less scenic. Drive from Percé to Caraquet to visit the Village Acadien. A major tourist attraction that shows how Acadians used to live. Then go to Kouchibouguac for a swim and camping.

Swim, sand and golf
Drive to Shediac and Parlee beach if you enjoy swiming and people. Head to PEI for Golfing Anning (of Green Gables) and beaching (you can devid the family for these activities).

Cabe Breton Ruled
Gun it to Cape Breton Island. Go to Louisbourg. You can skip Halifax, but if you have teenagers, Halifax is a university town... Hopewell Rocks are probably worth the detour since you will be driving via Moncton anyway. I'm not a fan of Fundy Park, but if you need to camp, why not.

Saint John River, 80% of Moosehead Beer
For the trip back, you can gun it on the brand spanking new four lane highway all the way back to Quebec and Ontario. But I recommend the Saint John river scenic route. It is actually shorter and almost as fast. Plus, you get to see all the villages along the route. The southern section is the best. Fredericton is quite inviting if you approach it from the southern scenic route. Kings Landing can be an activity if you need one.

Acadians who don't Fish
If you can, stop at Grand Falls to see what is now a dam. The place is historically significant as that is where the French settled after escaping the British. They chose Grand Falls not because of the scenery or great agriculture, but simply because that is where British boats could no longer navigate, so it was safe.

Republic of Madawaska
It would be hard to discribe the paper mill town of Edmundston as a tourist attraction, but as the 20,000 inhabitants are 95% French and the Madawaska County is quite hilly, it is certainly different. There are some great views from Bellevue street in town or at the new subdivision on top of the hill off chemin Pouvoir (aka Power) road. If you want to see some Indians without making a detour, take the river (aka scenic) route from Saint Basil to Edmundston, you will be crossing the Madawaska Indian reservation. You will end up in downtown Edmundston which is a good place to stretch your legs/have coffee or lunch or supper. From downtown Edmunston it is a quick detour to Bellvue street to say goodbuy to the upper Saint John river (also provide great views of depopulated upper Maine.)

From downtown Edmundston, follow chemin Canada along the Madawaska river back to the Trans-Canada highway. You can also stay a couple km more along the river and stop at the botanical gardens in Saint Jacques. Probably not worth a detour, but since it isn't...

An interesting side trip from Edmundston is to leave the safety of the Trans Canada and heand north to see what is on the other side of the hill (more hills). There are some spectacular views from places like Saint Joseph (a small town on top of the highest hill).

If side trips aren't your thing at this point. You can stop for a friged swim in impressive Lake Temiscouata, just east of Dégelis (French name derived from unfrozen).

Alternatively to travelling out of New Brunwick via Rivière-du-Loup (the fastest way), you can crossover to Maine from Edmundston into Madawaska and then on to Fort Kent (and then back to Canada). Despite the signs, this is the French part of Maine, the majority of the locals speak it as their primary language. If you think crossing the border will be too much of a hassle, think again. The get in to the USA, the code word is "we are going for cheap gas". Some of the American border gards speak French, but don't count on it. If you are refused entry and are sent packing back into Canada (If you forgot your ID, for example), then you have waisted all of 30 seconds.

Once back into Canada, drive back to Quebec via Clair or Saint Francois and highway 289. Highway 289 ("Route des frontères") is actually shorter (but not faster) than the Trans-Canada. If needed, you can stop for a swim in Baker Lake right off highway 120 on the New Brunswick side.

If you don't want to bother with going thru customs twice but aren't ready to leave the Saint John's, then going from Edmundston to Clair and Baker Lake is an option (shorter and almost as fast as via the Trans-Canada). The detour to Saint Francois is worth it if you want to see where chickens come from or if you want to admire the ghost village of Connor just west of town. Pushing the detour to Glazier lake would take you to a remote lake from which you can swim to the USA and probably not get caught (but you would die from starvation/exposure once you got to that remote part of the USA).

Moncton.
Unless you hop on a ferry, you will travel near or via Moncton. With kids and/or teens, Magnetic Hill is a great water park. The actuall magnetic hill is a naturally occuring illusion that makes it appear you are coasting up hill. There are many here and there, but this in the only one I know next to a water park. You can enjoy the illusion fully clothed.

ALTERNATIVES
Trans-New Brunswick
Alternatives to the coastal and Sain-John river routes is to trans-New Brunswick it. Yes, go where moose and river fish outnumber people. And trees, plenty of trees. If you love forests, go via trans-New Brunswick. Saint Quentin has possibly the cheapest hotel rooms in North American outside Mexico. You can also camp at the Mount Carleton park. That mountain is the highest in the Maritimes. Climbing it will bring you to its peek of 850 meters. The scenery is breathtaking because every other peek is lower (and it is unobstructed forest as far as the eye can see). It is an easy climb, but obviously bring plenty of bug repellent if in June, July or August. The last section of the climb up can be a walk via forest or a climbing on exposed rocks, your choice.

You are pretty much guaranteed to see wild life by going trans-New Brunswick, especially on the upgraded lumber roads that link Grand Fall to Miramichi and Saint Qentin to Bathurst. Just be sure the wildlife is in the forest, not on your windshield. The police don't enforce the speed limit in these parts, but the mooses, dear, bears, ditches and trees do! Ambulance service is free in New Brunswick, but if you are injured, accept the first offer of a ride, as the wait for official help could kill you (bring bug repellent!).

Maine
I like Maine. The main problem with Maine is the speed limit. That and the fact that all the roads lead to Boston. The shortest route from southern New Brunswick to Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto is via Maine. The fastest, not so much. Southern Maine is a hugely popular tourist destination. So the chances of being stuck behind an RV and unable to pass are 100%. In Northern Maine, the roads are empty but the strictly enforced speed limits will get you. But if you aren't in a hurry and want to save gas money, go via Maine.

You definitely need a map, but look for highways 27, 16 and 2. You will be traveling via Bangor which has an interesting downtown. Bangor does have a sprawl problem, so a lot of the city is blah. Maine, like New Brunswick, is at its best in small towns. The southern Maine towns are downright attractive. Northern towns are less attractive, and more rustic, but they have a genuine feel to them. Lodging is quite inexpensive in most of the Maine you will be crossing. But bring a map. You will feel like the only person in the state who has ever attempted to cross it without going south. I-95 has a 65mph in its northern section, but it is a detour when traveling east-west.

If you are an Ontarian trying to avoid Quebec and Montreal, you can cross at Cornwall and travel via New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. It is one of the shortest routes and New Hamshire has no sales tax on goods! Just watch out for state troopers and inadvertently ending up in Boston or New York.

You can avoid Moncton by crossing to Nova Scotia from Saint-John, NB, or Bar Harbour, Maine. Those options only make sense if you don't end up waiting for the ferry and the millage costs of your vehicle are at the upper end. If you are travelling via Portland, which has a great urban core, you can take a ferry to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.

Saguenay
There are 250,000 people who live in the remote region of Saguenay-Lac Saint Jean. They are there for the agriculture and the Aluminum plants. The Saguenay river is quite impressive thanks to the clifts on either side. It certainly is a detour, but if you go straight up from Quebec you can visit the Saguenay region and then cross the Saint Lawrence at Baie Commeau to Matane.

Conclusion
If you want to relax, come to the Maritimes. If you like beaches and warm water, come to New Brunswick in July. If you love to drive and/or hike, the Cabot Trail is a must. Halifax has great history and atmosphere. Fredericton is quaint and pretty when viewed from across the river. Ditto for the rest of the Saint John river valley. History buffs and children will like the Acadian Village and Kings Landing and absolutely love Louisbourg. Magnetic Hill in Moncton is a serious water park. Moncton also has plenty of shopping, a museum, and plenty of bars, clubs a theatre, cinemas and restaurants for rainy days when camping or beach life is getting to you (20 minutes from camping and the ocean beach at Shediac). If you are flying from Toronto, it is sometimes cheaper to fly into Moncton than into Halifax. Oh, PEI is a golfer's paradise and is 90 minutes from Moncton.

Most importantly, even in season, you only need to worry about booking ahead in PEI.