Mandarin?

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by nosborne48, Nov 28, 2020.

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  1. Dustin

    Dustin Well-Known Member

    Sorry, I realized I hijacked your thread a bit. I would check out the Headstart2 program: https://hs2.dliflc.edu/chinese.html It's a web-based course that teaches 1000 words and basic grammar. I don't know how it handles Chinese writing, but in the Arabic course it has a set of modules focused on the script and with Korean it focuses on the alphabet.
     
  2. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    In the far North, EVERYTHING is way more expensive than in the South. Living costs will be PLENTY, wherever you go. Food costs can be astronomical in the Canadian North. I have been to quite a few places in Quebec - and people really know how to live - amazing how good life can be in some relatively small and reasonably remote places. And even though it's often come a long way -- food you eat out is as fresh as it is in, say Montreal. Savoir faire! I've consistently had better gastronomical luck there than in even the near-North of Ontario. In general, ordinary restaurants really suck in Ontario - the farther north you go, the worse they are.

    The REALLY far North in Quebec? Probably best for an immersion program in Mistissini Cree or Inuktitut. Bring your harpoon.
     
    Last edited: Dec 8, 2020
    innen_oda likes this.
  3. innen_oda

    innen_oda Active Member

    I wasn't thinking Nunavut. Just everything outside Montreal and Quebec City. From what we hear in the West, once you get outside the two Quebec cities, it's just polar bears and snow tunnels. And separatists.

    Really north, like aurora borealis north, is so desperate for people, the government will quite literally pay you to work (especially teaching) there. As long as you like paying 27CAD for a can of pop, I'm sure it'd be a great experience.
     
  4. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    What to say at the bus-stop in Rimouski: "Maudit froid, hein?" (Friggin' cold, eh?)
     
  5. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Canadian French can be really unpredictable. I have a friend who was born in Chicoutimi. He tells me that although "flat tire" is "pneu crevé" in most of Quebec, in Chicoutimi it's "maudit goddam flat tayeur." In Quebec, "maudit" (damned) is usually pronounced "maudzit" and the buzz somehow makes it sound like it's a 'way worse word than it actually is.
     
  6. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Polar bears and snow tunnels? That is so not true. Don't believe it. Yeah, there's snow, but in many of those places - people have money. You see $500K log homes (probably built for $150 K not too many years ago) and new 4-wheel vehicles that get them through the snow -with jacked-up suspensions and cabs 'way up high. Lot of mining - pays really well. Separatists? Dunno. Too dangerous to talk politics there - for outsiders, anyway. Be careful talking hockey, as well.

    And from what I hear, there's just as much (or even more) separatist talk in Alberta. Very long history of that, too. I'd hate that. Don't want to freeze in the dark.
     
    Last edited: Dec 9, 2020
  7. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Quebec? I don't much care about separatism. I can totally live without maple syrup or poutine. Needing a passport for the Montreal Jazz Festival would suck, though. If they can ever have it again...
    That would buy a nice home outside cities in Quebec. It's not like Western Canada in home prices. Or Toronto. People from Toronto figured out years ago they could buy homes for half Toronto prices where I live, 50 miles away. They all did it -- and guess what? Our prices moved up. Not near the difference now.
     
    Last edited: Dec 9, 2020
  8. Dustin

    Dustin Well-Known Member

    I've been living in the US for about 2 years and so far the list of things I miss is mostly food:

    • Knorr creamy bacon carbonara entrees (which is really penne for some reason) - I have my family send me boxes of this stuff in lieu of birthday and Christmas presents
    • Tim Hortons Iced Capp
    • Tim Hortons cream of broccoli soup
    • Swiss Chalet rotisserie chicken (and the incredible Quebec equivalent St-Hubert!)
    • Peameal bacon
     
  9. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Wow! Dustin, you might be looking at a real cholesterol problem as you age. Maybe I should send you some boxes of Atorvastatin. Creamy Bacon entrees? Cream soup? Peameal Bacon? I'd be dead in a week! Your entire list is my Verboten List. Ummm --- Good Luck!

    PS I think that cream of broccoli soup actually comes to Tim's in a huge Campbell's can. Really. Do they perhaps sell that (in smaller cans, of course) where you live?
     
    Last edited: Dec 9, 2020
    Dustin likes this.
  10. Dustin

    Dustin Well-Known Member

    I've had cream of broccoli soup elsewhere (and bought the canned stuff) but nothing approaches the Tims recipe. I'm not even much of a soup guy usually! But a cream of broccoli soup and an iced capp was my go-to work lunch during the winter, since I had one right up the street from my old job.
     
  11. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    You're right, Dustin. Tim Hortons soups are now sold by the can under their own name - you can get cans in grocery stores here and also on amazon.ca. Don't know if Amazon US carries it. Worth a look, maybe. I tried to find out who makes their soups for them -- and I couldn't. It may be Campbell's for all I know, but nobody's talking. Probably the can says somewhere - it has to. I'll report back, after I go shopping.
     
    Dustin likes this.
  12. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    I'm suddenly hearing John Kerry saying, "...getting prescription medicines from Canada...."
     
  13. Dustin

    Dustin Well-Known Member

    My stepson has Type 1 diabetes and although we have excellent insurance we still pay $12,000 a year above our premiums. Some families actually make the pilgrimage across the border for insulin, which is 10% of the US price. You can bring back a 90 day supply but it must be on your person. No shipping or mailing allowed. With the border closed to non-citizens/permanent residents right now, I hope these groups know some dual-citizens/residents that can make the trip.
     
    SteveFoerster likes this.
  14. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    That's not surprising. It's interesting how different systems lead to different arbitrage incentives. This being one example, others being MRI facilities in U.S. border towns for Canadians tired of waiting in line, affordable dental tourism in Latin America, heart surgery centers in India, etc.
     
  15. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    The US system should be fixed. Insulin destined for Canadian diabetics shouldn't be needed for US residents. Given the comparative populations, there are likely enough diabetics in US to overwhelm our supply. Why does it have to cost 10 times as much in US? That's not right.
     
  16. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    This insulin business is not the same, Steve. The examples you quote involve selling unused capacity / capability. No locals will be harmed in the rush. They'll get their needed treatment etc. The insulin supply here is finite. If there's a huge increase in demand, occasioned by pharma-gouging in the US market - Canadian diabetics would likely go short. Justin says that won't happen. I'm sure he thinks he's speaking the truth --- but I, for one, don't believe this. America has to fix this.
     
    Dustin likes this.
  17. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    I checked in the supermarket today, Dustin. These soups are "prepared in Canada by the TDL Group." That's Tim Donut Ltd. - i.e. Tim Hortons themselves. Looks like they have a captive cannery connection. Probably hidden next to the bunker along the 401 near Napanee, where the muffin dough for all of Eastern Canada originates. (Think I'm kidding? They do have a big facility where I described, off the 401 - not a bunker, though - and I doubt it's for all of Eastern Canada. Eastern Ontario, maybe.)

    So...buying it under another label seems unlikely. Sorry.

    This just in. Purists were recently complaining that a Tim's store has been selling a newly-formulated cream of broccoli soup - with cheese. They claim this spoils the taste. I say they have no taste. I can't imagine broccoli soup without cheese. That would be ....heresy!
     
    Last edited: Dec 10, 2020
  18. Dustin

    Dustin Well-Known Member

    I've had this same worry. Health Canada and the pharmaceutical companies say there's no risk of a shortage, but there are a million Americans with Type 1 and 11 million Americans with insulin-resistant Type 2. There are about 200,000 Canadians with Type 1 and another 500,000 with insulin resistance. There are more Americans with diabetes in Tennessee than all of Canada.
     
  19. Dustin

    Dustin Well-Known Member

    Darn! I'll just need to buy in bulk when the pandemic ends. Thanks for checking!
     
  20. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    What the pharmaceutical companies say doesn't even make sense - do the simple arithmetic, pharma-guys! If they were really concerned (as they obviously aren't) they'd do something about the US 10x pricing. It's one of the biggest crimes I've seen hidden in plain sight -- ever. As I see it, Americans by and large would not tolerate this disparity in any other field. Strange they, or their Government would be so passive in this situation, one of extreme importance and impact in health care.

    It would probably be much harder to charge 10x the going rate for pancakes in the US than it is to do so for a vital medicine. Very strange...
     

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