Does US have/Does Canada have...?

[Sandy22]

I think Americans are very patriotic. We love our country and want to show it. Just look at where I live, we are called Flag City, U.S.A. We have flags everywhere all the time! I love driving down Main Street and seeing all the flags.

I think we love our country just as much but for some reason the only time we see a big display of flags and patriotism is on Canada day.

Does the US have mandatory retirement laws?

 

[Microcell]

BBQ to me is simply a sauce.

That! OOHHHHH!!! You need to make a trip to Kansas city, Nashville, or anywhere in Texas to understand the gravity of your error.

It is an artful form of slow cooking a pig or beef. BASTED during that slow roasting with only the finest ingredients until it falls off the bones.

Have you washed out your mouth yet?

 

[Albertan mom]

About an earlier post:
In Canada you work an average of 40 hours a week. But you are only paid overtime on anything over 80 hours in a 14 day period. So one week you can work less-in lots of companies, they have 'golden fridays' where you get every second friday off, then make up the hours the next week.

Also- in Canada at KFC you can only get salads and fries. In the US, can't you get mashed potatoes and biscuits and stuff?

 

[N.Bailey]

It's 1:25 am here but I'm on vacation for the next two weeks so I'm not paying attention to the clock!

Yup - we have pop tarts.

In the US where do you buy alcoholic beverages? In Quebec, you can buy beer and wine at the corner store (mini-marts). Hard liquor you buy from a gov't-run store. In Ontario you have to buy all forms of beverages from the gov't-run store.

What's your smoking legislation like? For most of Canada, it's now illegal to smoke anywhere indoors including in bars.

In the states, the state itself sets many laws especially those regarding alcohol. In Pennsylvania, you can only purchase beer from beer distributors or bars. You can also purchase it from restaurants (if they sell it), but they'd need a state liquor license. Pizza Hut in my town is one that sells.

In Pa, the only place you can buy wines and spirits is from the state run liquor store.

It's also illegal to import any alcohol into my state from any other state. You can't even order a shipment of wine from say California. The state determines what's imported and what's not.

Now across the border in Maryland, you can buy beer in the grocery store.

There are more and more places that it's becoming illegal to smoke in. I think in my area for now it's left up to the business to decide. If it's a government run establishment, certain guidelines are followed. For the most part, this too is state run and NY and CA are way ahead of the game compared to my state.

 

[Microcell]

I think we love our country just as much but for some reason the only time we see a big display of flags and patriotism is on Canada day.

Does the US have mandatory retirement laws?

They make that subjective to employers too. For FORD if you ask my grandfather it is when you are 70 unless you can keep working unnoticed to 78!

The average age is 65 and you can receive Medicare at 65 and get funds out of retirement plans at 65.

 

[MinnieM21]

Why do Americans fly their flag so much more than Canadians do? I see our Canadian flag on gov't offices and hotels but that's about it. I rarely see it on houses. That's something nice to see when I'm in the US.

In my city, Portland (Oregon), no one has a flag on their house.

 

[Microcell]

We went to Jack Stacks. I had fun but didn't get to see much of the city. I was there with a group I'm in for school and our weekend was full of activities related to that. I would like to go back some day!

Depending on where you live it is a fun town. If you live in Chicago, it is a snooze! If you live in Western Kansas it is the big city! Jack stack is good, Zarda is better!

 

[N.Bailey]

That! OOHHHHH!!! You need to make a trip to Kansas city, Nashville, or anywhere in Texas to understand the gravity of your error.

It is an artful form of slow cooking a pig or beef. BASTED during that slow roasting with only the finest ingredients until it falls off the bones.

Have you washed out your mouth yet?

Okay, I thought I had offended you.

Heading to wash my mouth out now!

 

[Albertan mom]

In the US, what age do kids start kindergarten, or ECS? Is it mandatory?

They start at age 4 or 5 in Canada.

 

[Microcell]

Okay, I thought I had offended you.

Heading to wash my mouth out now!

Good, and I was!

 

[N.Bailey]

About an earlier post:
In Canada you work an average of 40 hours a week. But you are only paid overtime on anything over 80 hours in a 14 day period. So one week you can work less-in lots of companies, they have 'golden fridays' where you get every second friday off, then make up the hours the next week.

Also- in Canada at KFC you can only get salads and fries. In the US, can't you get mashed potatoes and biscuits and stuff?

baked beans and cole slaw and corn bread or bisquits too. Plus some desert items that I'm never interested in too.

In the US, I think OT is determined by company. Sometimes anything over 8 hours per day is considered OT, yet in others, it's anything over 40 hours per week. I'm sure if a company wanted to they could say anything over 80 in a 2 week period, but most companies here pay weekly.

Sometimes when you're on salary though, OT is always free.

 

[Sandy22]

That! OOHHHHH!!! You need to make a trip to Kansas city, Nashville, or anywhere in Texas to understand the gravity of your error.

It is an artful form of slow cooking a pig or beef. BASTED during that slow roasting with only the finest ingredients until it falls off the bones.

Have you washed out your mouth yet?

I've seen a few BBQ competitions on the Food Network. You are right - they take it VERY seriously.

What's the average school year in the US? Here it usually runs from the last week of August to mid-June.

 

[N.Bailey]

In my city, Portland (Oregon), no one has a flag on their house.

In my town you see a lot with the 4th coming up, but there aren't that many flying around here normally either. Maybe a little more lately with the war, but nothing extravagant really.

 

[Microcell]

In the US, what age do kids start kindergarten, or ECS? Is it mandatory?

They start at age 4 or 5 in Canada.

I actually know this one first hand! My DD had really bad flu in Kindergarten (which is usually 5 or 6). Then she had Appendicitis and was in the hospital for 10 days. I promised her after they shoved a tube in her nose WHILE SHE WAS AWAKE that we would go to Disney that May. I called the school and told them I realized she missed 18 days, but she would be missing more because she was going to Disney! They said she should have fun, but the worst case scenario is they would drop her enrollment (which they didn't) and I would have to register her for first grade. I asked if she would not pass kindergarten then and they said that it wouldn't matter because it is not manditory anyway!

 

[Albertan mom]

Here in Alberta it is like this: "Honey, lets barbeque tonight. Go fire up the bbq. Be sure to clean the grill off first, before you throw that good Alberta beef on it."

 

[N.Bailey]

In the US, what age do kids start kindergarten, or ECS? Is it mandatory?

They start at age 4 or 5 in Canada.

I think the cut off is August here (maybe Sept?). If you turn 5 years old before the end of August, you're allowed to start that year, but if not, you wait till the following year.

Edit: OH, I don't think it's mandatory to send you're children to school at that age. I did hear at one time what the age where they mandate the child be enrolled in some form of education (home school is an option too) but I can't remember exactly what that age was. I'm thinking 7, but that might not be accurate. It might have changed in the last 7 years since my kids were that age too.

 

[Sandy22]

Hey Albertan mom - I thought you were going to bed! Not sure if you remembered me but we had a lively discussion on another thread about same-sex marriage a few days ago. I don't want to start another talk about that but I bring it up to highlight another difference between Canada and the US. And that it's nice that people on the DIS can have differing opinions, debate, and then move on.

 

[Microcell]

I've seen a few BBQ competitions on the Food Network. You are right - they take it VERY seriously.

What's the average school year in the US? Here it usually runs from the last week of August to mid-June.

Oh yeah!

The last day of school started out bieng based on the harvest, so the further north you go, the later in June school lets out. The further south, the earlier. Now it does not have to be based so much on that, but roughly it has stayed the same.

Here in the middle school lets out around the 20th of May and they go back mid August. Wheat gets harvested here in the middle of June.

 

[Microcell]

I think the cut off is August here (maybe Sept?). If you turn 5 years old before the end of August, you're allowed to start that year, but if not, you wait till the following year.

Edit: OH, I don't think it's mandatory to send you're children to school at that age. I did hear at one time what the age where they mandate the child be enrolled in some form of education (home school is an option too) but I can't remember exactly what that age was. I'm thinking 7, but that might not be accurate. It might have changed in the last 7 years since my kids were that age too.

FYI cutoff here is you must be 5 by July 31st to go to Kindergarten.

 

[Albertan mom]

I agree, it is good to move on. I actually went to bed that night crying! I said to my hubby "they all hate me, I can never dis again!" I took it slow for a few days, only read, didn't post. And decided not to get into any more debates! I will only stay post on the friendly, fluffy boards now-avoiding all arguements! Last time I was to emotionally wrecked when the board was finally locked down!
I am happy to be back, I missed it!