107 BB and RP. Same old, same old travel places. RP, sounds like all your exotic travels took place when you were already working in SE Asia. So big deal if you traveled in your back yard when you were younger. Its like a Vancouverite bragging about seeing the glaciers at Banff, the Grand Canyon, or the wilderness of Alaska to someone in Istanbul. It sounds exotic, but anyone here were would shrug it off. Come back and tell me when you have been charged by a Silverback gorilla in Rwanda, flown a plane solo through the Andes, escaped a rebel attack in the Congo, or hunted big game with Masai warrior. Those are just a few of my real travel adventures. Save real traveling to the big boys, and keep your childhood "adventures" and European tourist wandering rants to… Read more »

@Boombust:

Call the burn unit.

Yep. I was right. You're an A-hole.

@Boombust: Been there done that when jumping off for most interesting areas. Ever sailed the South China Sea across to the Spratley Group and ridden turtles the size of a Volkswagon? you can't backpack there though or fly in? Trekked Borneo yet up the Kuching River by canoe? What about the Xingu River, or did you ever float down the Negro in a dugout? Been to the North Pole Yet. Trekked Nepal? How about that 4 day ride from Mumbai to Chennai? Freaking Awesome . Horseback across Afghanistan ? Tiruchirapalli? Don't give me your Lonely Planet Backpacker crap. Do some real travelling. Don't make me tell you about landing on Kata Beach before Phuket was discoveredby tourists. Or what BKK was like before the backpackers got there. Any idiot can buy a discount ticket, a guide book and go where… Read more »

"At least with good furniture that lasts a lifetime"

Who wants furniture to hang around THAT long?

@Lilypad: #97 Lily, how do you know that custom work is being done in Canada? We have so few trained craftsmen in this country that it would be difficult to manufacture furniture of any quality in sufficient quantity to make it profitable as an enterprise. So whats the bottom line. Maybe people are paying way too much for crap made in China or Indonesia (where they also have a huge furniture manufacturing industry) or perhaps even Egypt, and its being marked up to rediculous prices for Canadian suckers. Let me give an example. When I was a kid I was in the import buisness. One of the items I handled was womens fashions. I manufactured dresses in Indonesia for distribution to boutiques here in Canada and elsewhere. One simple dress which would cost me under $5 dollars landed ( simple… Read more »

On Garth's site there is a poster who keeps mentioning the grow op premiun in Vancouver. There could be some truth that grow ops add to the average income in the city. But I doubt enought to justify these ridiculous prices. Now that is an industry I know nothing about, but if everyone has a grow op shouldn't the drugs become worthless as supply is abundand. Or are there that many pot heads in the US that happen to be rich?

@Boombust: CHEAP is the word. Disposable is another. At least with good furniture that lasts a lifetime you don't have to replace it every few years because the finish is peeling off (veneer) or it's disintegrating from moisture (mdf). Oh, well we have to keep those chinese factories busy, eh? Why hire Canadians to do good custom work when we can buy cheap sh*t from China?

You know something, realpaul?

For someone who's touring around Europe, you sure spend a lot of time on this blog instead of visiting old cathedrals.

@patriotz: #91 P, the mania we are witnessing right now will go down in a future 'McKay' compendium ala 'Extraordinary delusions and the Madness of Crowds' as one the all time greats. We are watching the circus parade by without getting the most out of the entertainment value. Consumer idiocy is, after all, the greatest show on earth. Feel free to laugh until you puke. Its not often we get a front row seat to history. I have my popcorn bucket filled and a bag of confetti at the ready for when the Christians ( real estate bag holders)begin to stampede out of the (Pacific) Coliseum and realise the doors are barred and the lions are very hungry ( it is announced that its over) and the Emperor has no clothes. I can hear the screams now. How delightful. #91,… Read more »