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| Posted on 2010-07-10 09:30:19 |
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| Kosinus |
| that summer had its charm |
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The purpose of this thread is to randomly chat with all of you who are still proudly visiting this site eventhough it's quite deserted in the last few years. Since we can't have any specific debates let's try random! So what's up, Forum?
Today I'm going to my ex-highschool mate's church wedding (just that, not the reception). I'm looking forward to see some people (mostly other ex schoolmates) I haven't seen in years. I don't have anything to brag about, though. But it'll be allright. |
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| Author |
| Posted on 2010-07-17 02:49:44 |
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^hope you had a good time!
I drove the tunnel to Detroit to pick up an old electro-harmonix pedal
I bought on ebay for my guitar & keyboards. I told the customs officer
I was going to pick-up some mail. He waved me over for "random" secondary inspection. Inside the next officer asked where I was going and I said to the UPS store nearby.
He looked at me and said I was lying, that I told the previous officer
I was going to the post office. I was a bit flustered and explained yes I told the other guy I was going to pick up mail from a box in a UPS store.
I was told to sit. Then more questions as the car was searched.
Then I had to go to a backroom empty my pockets, remove shoes,
face wall, spread legs, slide feet back and get man-handled Homeland Security-style. Not fun.
But they must do their job.
Soon after they let me go on with my business, and I parked down the street from the UPS Store. There was a movie being filmed a crane with a lighting box, trailers and generators cast and crew (no, didn't see any famous actors)) all busy going about their work behind the Pontchartrain Hotel.
I was in detention in Detroit for 50mins, a free man for 10mins...
I drove back throught the tunnel to a booth with a. relaxed and friendly customs man back in Canada. He asked how long gone, what did I buy, and said go ahead- with a smile & a wave!
That's my kind of country. |
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| Author |
| Posted on 2010-07-22 22:42:30 |
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i hate coming back to america after going to canada mainly for that reason. The US border guards always act like a bunch of asshats. Like it's in the job description to act hard and be a prick.
The last time i crossed i was driving a smart car (don't judge it was a rental/cheapest option) and dude wanted to look in the back so he took the keys (i mean seriously, smart car and you want to open the back like you couldn't see from the side or the front it was empty) anyways, he couldn't figure out how to do it.
which EH pedal did you get? |
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| Author |
| Posted on 2010-07-23 05:58:47 |
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That's kinda funny & sad - the Smart car story!
It's a 70's polyphase- it's pretty funky!
I like the envelope control function of the phase
you can get a mod for a pigtronix ep-1 that's close
but otherwise it's one of a kind.
I might get another pedal or two sometime...
EH makes some wierd and wonderful pedals.
I already have an electric mistress flanger- love that one too,
gets vibey -can get my Andy Summers goin' too! |
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| Author |
| Posted on 2010-07-24 00:32:06 |
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| LORDHUMONGOUS |
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I had the opposite experience once. We were driving to Whistler from Seattle to snowboard. First time to Whistler, nice road trip. My friend was recording the trip on his video camera. When we got to the Canadian border the border security guy freaked out about being on camera. He had my friend rewind to the point the border security was on tape and erase that portion. He said something about us being drug dealers and using the footage to go after him and his family. Of course my friend had to be a smart ass and mouth off to the guy. That's when he threatened to take the camera and confiscate the tape. Then he said he could easily deny us entry and have our entire car, luggage and persons searched. Fortunately cooler heads prevailed. Then he asked us how long we were staying, what hotel we were staying in and the reason for the visit. He then told us that we were lucky because the US border guys would've given us an even harder time than he did. Which they didn't. On the way back we just showed our drivers licenses, answered a couple of questions and were off.
Another time we were in Hamilton Canada for the cycling world championships. Had no problem getting into Canada. Getting into the US via Detroit we got totally drilled. They asked us who won the race, where we stayed, how long we stayed, where we lived, if we were citizens or not, felt like an oral quiz. |
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| Author |
| Posted on 2010-07-24 17:27:59 |
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Yes. Detroit is tough. It's been the busiest border crossing for years,
but it used to be easier. I'd go over every week years ago, no problems.
Now you must have a passport. For both Canadians, and Americans.
Obviously 9-11 changed things. Also, the highest Arab-American settlement has been in Detroit. So there is a huge focus on security in the area. There has been a noticeable change in ethnicity in general on both sides of the border because of immigration. When some relatives are allowed to settle in the U.S. and other members are not, they apply to live in Canada and are eager to visit relatives over the border.
As in air-travel situations, where people are randomly checked ( to not appear to be racial-profiling), the same goes for ground traffic.
I hate getting hassled, but I'd rather not get into an argument over race
issues here either. |
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| Author |
| Posted on 2010-07-27 05:55:12 |
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| t.rex |
| travis rex |
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wow, lots of talk about detroit on this thread! i live about thirty minutes outside the city in ann arbor. i can vouch for teh fact that crossing the border used to be no problem. i had one particular instance, however, where we had to stop the car and be interviewed and stuff. the guys in line in front of us were being asked if they had any criminal records and they all said no. the officer looked at her computer screen for a minute and then looks at one guy and says, "i'm showing three charges for rape?" i was like, great. guess i'm going to be honest about that shoplifting charge from five years ago. they forbade me from crossing the us-canada border for SEVEN YEARS! for a misdemeanor shoplifting charge... border security is no joke, apparently. |
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| Author |
| Posted on 2010-08-02 18:13:52 |
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this band from around my parts were going to canada to play a show "illegally". When they got to the border they said they were just visiting friends and so the guards searched the car and found a stack of CD's and then googled them and saw they had a show in Canada. They were almost denied entry and not allowed back int eh country but after some phone calls were made they promoter guaranteed taht they weren't being paid etc. . . so they let them go.
I need more pedals but oddly enough the last few years I've been moving more toward less effects. for better or worse. |
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| Author |
| Posted on 2010-08-02 18:29:54 |
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I just got back from a week's camping trip with my brothers- kind of an annual event when one brother's work shuts down for a week. We were tenting, hiking, kayaking... around Parry Sound then moved across Georgian Bay to Tobermory. Had a great time!
Before I left I bought a Kodak zi8 -very cheap and handy- for video and stills. Fits in your hand. I compared with Flip and other cameras, but this one allows you to plug in an external microphone (for better sound).
It's Youtube ready once I plug in the Zoom H2 as mic.
I haven't tried it yet, but DL the trip photos and videos and I'm happy with them (couple of blurry photos- forgot to slide the button from macro to landscape- woops!)
Anyway, now that I have the tools I think I might post up a couple of guitar videos on Youtube- and yes I'll do a few Cardigans songs for sure. Not today : P but coming soon ; ) |
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| Author |
| Posted on 2010-09-27 15:39:23 |
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| Kosinus |
| that summer had its charm |
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I just downloaded The Cardigans video (Little Black Cloud Live) which took exactly 2 years, 8 months and 15 days to download. It was incomplete for such a long time but now I got it. Thank you, eMule!  |
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