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paul
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05/30/2008 21:10 #44493

Passports and the border
Category: canada
When does the friggin passport requirement start? Mine is expired I can't seem to find any consistent/accurate info online. Someone told me it was this month but I really wanted to go to pride in Toronto and there is no way I am spending $200 for passports to go.

This page updated Mar 21st, 2008 says

Passports will be required for all land and sea border crossings into the US as of June 1, 2009.



So was the person telling me June just wrong or is that site wrong, anyone know. If not I am going to go to Toronto tomorrow for one last time.

I would imagine this is going to hurt trade a lot as it makes it ever more inconvenient for Canadians to shop here.
james - 05/31/08 21:02
A friend of mine is moving from Toronto to Houston (don't ask me why). He was afraid of being stopped at the border and his ride to the Buffalo bus depot not being admitted to the country because he didn't have a passport, so I volunteered to pick him up from the border should that happen.

I got a call today and freaked out because work was insane and I thought I would have to pick this kid up on the peace bridge... I am really glad there was a misunderstanding and passports are not needed until next year.
metalpeter - 05/31/08 10:48
Glad you got all the information you needed. Of course that assumes you drive and don't fly then everything changes and gets more restrictive but you should be fine for PRIDE. On a side note not sure how it is now but in Toronto PRIDE used to be a week long event. Ok the follow up question is "why does Pete know PRIDE is a week long event?". I was in Toronto for something Else maybe A wrestling event or a Blue Jays game or something not really and it was PRIDE (i think that it was written in all capitals) week. I wasn't there for it and didn't even know it was taking place so I didn't really see any events or know what any of them are. When ever it is I hope you have a fun time.
jim - 05/31/08 00:27
Looks like I was wrong, June 1 2009 not 2008. Sorry!
jenks - 05/30/08 23:41
sorry, z is right. the passport cards aren't in production yet, (they say june though), but they're accepting apps.
zobar - 05/30/08 23:11
I ordered a passport card before I went to London. They processed my application but the cards are not yet in production. [I got my regular passport, though.] Non-expedited passport applications are being processed quite quickly [they say 4-6 weeks, but you can expect it to take 3-4].

I for one am not too keen on the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles administering citizenship documents. I can imagine a scenario where my proof of citizenship is revoked because I forgot to feed the meter, and it freaks my shit right out.

- Z
jenks - 05/30/08 22:19
to answer my own questions-
:::link:::
:::link:::
passport card is not the same as enhanced DL. But enhanced DL is not available yet (passport card is) and apparently will cost $30 on top of the license fee. Passport card will cost $20, if you already have a passport and are renewing. (renewal passport is $75). Not sure I see the benefit of enhanced DL, then...
jenks - 05/30/08 22:05
ok, so that inspired me to looking into renewing mine, and I found stuff about the passport card (is that the same as the enhanced DL?) and I found out it's only good for driving (i.e. into canada/mexico) but can't be used for flying. so what's the point? why not just get a regular passport then, that's good for both?
jenks - 05/30/08 21:58
might as well renew your passport anyway though... shouldn't be $200 if you're not getting it expedited or anything... I thought it was like 50, and good for 10 years. The enhanced DL will be nice, though.
uncutsaniflush - 05/30/08 21:50
right now, a nys driver's license and a birth certificate are ok. :::link:::
"What are the current identification requirements at the Canadian/U.S. border?

As of January 31, 2008, U.S. and Canadian citizens ages 19 and older are asked to present a government-issued photo ID (such as a driver’s license) along with proof of citizenship (such as a birth certificate which can be a photocopy)."
vincent - 05/30/08 21:30
Eventually you won't have to worry about a passport. When the enhanced DL's get on line you will be OK :::link:::
vincent - 05/30/08 21:12
As far as I was told you're good with a picture ID & birth certificate for the time being.

05/30/2008 09:56 #44489

Lost in South America
Category: www
I can't decide if this is the saddest or coolest story ever. According to this article on yahoo news, there is this tribe in South America that has never been contacted by modern humans. In the pictures below they say that the natives are trying to attack the aircraft with spears. I can't help but laugh at the thought of this, however, culturally insensitive that is. I mean what do they think it is? They must have this wild stories about the outside world. It makes me wonder why none of them has run away to find out what is outside. Maybe they are so scared by outside. Is it really possible that there are people that have no idea about the rest of the world. I thought that was so over.

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Members of an unknown Amazon Basin tribe and their dwellings are seen during a flight over the Brazilian state of Acre along the border with Peru in a May, 2008 photo distributed by Survival International.

Survival International estimates that there are over 100 uncontacted tribes worldwide, and says that uncontacted tribes in the region are under increasing threat from illegal logging over the border in Peru.



I think the saddest part of the whole thing is that their houses aren't half as nice as the bower bird nests. Here you can see David Attentborough showing one of their nests

paul - 05/31/08 09:38
Oh ya, the only reason I was making fun of their houses was because of these builder bower birds were from the same place and their houses/nests were unbelievable. I wish the video loaded.
jacob - 05/31/08 03:23
Saddest? Who's to say that they haven't heard about our culture and are protecting themselves from our ills, ie. anxiety, taxes, John McCain, etc. As for their "houses", they are nomadic. So they don't need extensively built dwellings. Plus it's the tropics. Who wants to be trapped in an enclosed, suffocating space. At least there's one place in the world where magic still works.
mike - 05/30/08 10:38
thats crazy! Just the other day after seeing Indiana Jones I was saying how sad it was that there are like no places or people left on earth that haven't been found. I guess I was wrong!

05/29/2008 00:03 #44481

Can I have $5
Category: food
I had the most amazing current glazed quail with side of scallopped potatoes at Europa Bistro on Elmwood with (e:mike). We sat and ate at the bar. I think it was the best food I have had in years. I wish the picture was better but it was really low lighting and I didn't want to use a flash.
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Ont the way out, we were standing near one of those blinking cameras when homeless thug guy approached us and asked if he could have $5. $5 - what the fuck is going on there. I mean I know the Elmwood Village is in the top ten places to live in the world or something, but really $5? No homeless person asks for $5 in my neighborhood. If these guys really get $5, do you think that they start to "own" corners and fight each other for turf. Glad to see that the cameras were doing there thing, lol.

We started growing hay and clover for the tortoise in part of the backyard last year. The clover leaves are so big, check out this picture. He loves to eat them.
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We also have these crazy looking purple and white irises. I kind of like the yellow and purple ones better but they are also very pretty.
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We went to eat at Cozumel with Gaylin on Monday - Memorial Day. She is leaving buffalo soon ;( We ate those yummy rock shrimp. It is by far one of the bst appetizer's in the city.
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I have this obsession with convenient stores that have become houses of worship - they look so fucking tacky. Does anyone else think this? If I was god I would be offended - maybe its my catholic upbringing.
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fellyconnelly - 05/30/08 06:15
but seriously paul, can i have that $5 or what?
tinypliny - 05/29/08 04:32
Oh Oh Oh!! Can I have that corner? Pretty please?? Why, I could pay for the rent raise on my flat if I could thug people out of $5 that easily. Think of all the moolah over 12 hours of corner thugging!

05/27/2008 22:56 #44467

The New Refrigerator
Category: kitchen
Its not a new kitchen, but its the next best thing. It was such a super deal but it was so hard to deliver it ourselves, move the old fridge out, clean it all, move the new fridge in. I love it though. It has a door alarm, although the doors self shut anyways and water filter for the ice. Plus it has this great turbocools mode, that turbo cools the fridge after its been open a while. Best of all it only costs $60/year to run.

The old refrigerator goes out.
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And the new one comes in.
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tinypliny - 05/29/08 04:30
I think I just drooled over my keyboard, inadvertantly.
dcoffee - 05/28/08 12:06
it looks happy
kara - 05/28/08 08:05
Shiny appliances are beautiful.
leetee - 05/28/08 07:21
OoooOOO.... pretty
mrmike - 05/28/08 06:28
very
lilho - 05/28/08 00:05
niiiice.

05/26/2008 12:33 #44454

Canoeing on Oak Orchard Creek in Medina
Category: canoeing
Six of us went canoeing yesterday down the Oak Orchard Creek in Media. (e:matthew), (e:terry) and I, pat, terri and dave. Two canoes and two kayaks. Unfortunately, the one blow up Kayak had a funky oar. (e:terry) decided to just paddle with it take apart which is a little different than you would normally kayak.
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::Download Flash Video::



We made a couple of stops along the way to play frizzby, reshuffle beer, etc

At one of stops there was this beer tree and I asked Dave if he thought it was inspired by the beer tree at St. Patrick's Day beer tree (e:paul,43734) and he said that, that particular beer tree was there for at least 10 years. So now I have to ask myself - is this a coincidence or did this beer tree inspire the other one - or are beer trees, a dime a dozen and I just never saw one.
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Dave in the creek.
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(e:terry) with some fancy rolled shorts
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I found some clam shells that looked way prettier in the sunshine of real life than in this pic.
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Most of my trip looked like this:

::Download Flash Video::



(e:terry) decided to test out standing up in the canoe when dave shouted drop your shorts and (e:terry) mooned the whole gang.
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There were lots of other canoers during most of the trip and you can see from this pic that Terri - not (e:terry) - had no shirt on, which was of major interest to the straight canoer guys we past.

This tree house on the water, was the coolest one I eve saw. The one disappointing feature of our house is the lack of tree-house capable trees. This means we will need a cottage at some point.
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We are almost at the end of the road.
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Between hiking, tree chopping, refrigerator moving and canoeing, my body is so sore. Now we have to get the new refrigerator in place, argh.

leetee - 05/26/08 18:56
Ah, the beginning of the naked (e:PMT) season. Known elsewhere as summer...