We've talked about the inevitability of snow before in our Caption Challenge, but with how many cold days we've had this month it's something that's on my mind even more.
But these kids here? They look like they're more than prepared for the coming storm.
...at least two of them do.
Get on your parkas, break out your ice scrapers, and let's hear your best chilly weather captions!
When most people think municipal elections, their feelings are often best summed up by a big yawn followed by a quick nap. Many Canadians are so disinterested in local politics that they can't even name their mayor, let alone their city or regional councilors. But you know what? You should care about local politics, because it's the one place where your vote will most count towards saving you money.
Property taxes, water rates, parking meters -- in most parts of the country, these things are dictated by your municipal government. If you want to get your water bill down to a reasonable level (and if you live in Niagara like I do, believe me, that's a priority), the best way to do that is to vote in a candidate who's committed to your cause.
Even little costs can add up. About 10 years ago our region placed a 2 bag limit on garbage. Anything more than that and you'll need to buy a "garbage tag." It's not a system that I disagree with, but if I did, wouldn't it make sense for me to vote in a candidate who wants to turn it around?
Not everywhere in Canada will be going through a municipal election in the coming weeks, but if you live in Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba, and select parts of Saskatchewan or PEI, your ballot box is just around the corner. Hit up your city's website, learn about the candidates, attend some debates, and -- most importantly -- show up on election day. If you're looking to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to your local government, make your vote count.
I'm all for the idea of cash'n'carry, but seriously dude -- take a couple of trips if you need to. Something tells me this car may have required a trip to the mechanic after this. Something else tells me that you can come up with an outstanding caption to post in the comments.
I'm hoping for everyone's sake that your next trip to IKEA goes better.
I don't know about you, but now that the leaves are falling from the trees and the nuts are tumbling down alongside them, my neighbourhood has been completely overrun by squirrels. No word of a lie, when I opened my front door this morning I was able to count 8 of them as I looked around my immediate vicinity. EIGHT. It's almost as if they're amassing an army...
So what say you? Can you come up with a militaristic yet cute caption for our little rodent army man above?
The endless parade of Threadless sales marches on this week, as they're offering (almost) all of their t-shirts for $10! Hoodies are getting their own sale price too, having dropped to $30. Sale ends on the morning of 10/14. Click here to check out what's still available.
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I couldn't help but post up this picture of a Disney fan devouring a Frontierland turkey leg -- and between the look on his face and the presence of Chef Goofy, this one seems rife for the captioning!
As popular as they are amongst park aficionados, I just can't imagine eating anything that Goofy cooked.
So what say you? Do you have a festive Thanksgiving caption for the Disney fan pictured above?
Thanks to my involvement in the world of tech journalism, I recently had the chance to spend some time with two new Kodak products -- both of which embrace the company's new philosophy of sharing.
"Share" is a great buzz word for the photo industry, because it's what most of us are looking to do with our pictures once we take them. The latest line of Kodak cameras and pocket camcorders has embraced this buzz word, offering up what they like to call the "share button."
The share button is a button you can press on the back of the camera while you're browsing through your photos that will let you upload any pictures you want directly to your Facebook, Flickr, email, and more. Once you've selected what you want to share and told it where you want to share it, all you have to do is sync up your camera and it takes care of the nitty gritty for you. Neat, right?
The camera I had the luxury to play with this on was the M590, and as you can see from the sample pictures I've taken here and here, it takes a pretty great shot for being a low-end model, well worth it's entry level price of $199.
It's a nice thing to know about if you're buying someone a camera -- but let's get real -- the chances of that are probably slim. What's more likely, however, is that you'll be shopping for a digital picture frame. This is where the idea of "share" really comes into full swing.
The Kodak Pulse picture frame is quite literally the gift that keeps on giving. Once you've given it, you can continue to update the frame from the comfort of your desk by e-mailing new pictures to it whenever you want! What better gift for Grandma than a picture frame given in December that gets little league photos in the summer and graduation pictures in the spring?
And since the frame just uses a conventional e-mail address, you can give it out to everyone in the family so that new pictures can arrive from all sorts of familial photographers! The frame gets bonus points for streaming Facebook photo albums too, should you simply want to stream a particular album belonging to yourself or your friends right out of the box.
You can pick up the Pulse as a 7 inch frame for $129, while the 10 inch is available for $199. If you were already thinking about getting someone a digital picture frame this Christmas, why not get them one that you can update for them all year round?
I was at a baby shower for some friends this past weekend, and while the endless parade of cute clothes and recieving blankets will no doubt see their use, there's one present that truly stuck out. It was a baby doll -- but not just any baby doll. This one was wearing a hat made from the skin of Yo Gabba Gabba's Brobee, had the ears of what appeared to be Gizmo, and had been somehow fused inside of the sea turtle from Finding Nemo. It was a brilliant, charming, horrifying creation called a Franken Toy.
Franken Toys are unique works of art created by a Hamilton-based artist Rachel Peters. Rachel takes a variety of stuffed animals, disassembles them, and then makes amazing -- and slightly macabre -- new toys by stitching together different body parts. This can lead to everything from the cutesy (JackJackceratops) to the downright bizarre (Half and Half).
The current offering of dolls ranges in price from $24.95 to $74.50. Is it a steep price to pay for $3 worth of toys from Valu Village stitched together? Absolutely. But it's also a wholly unique piece of art that you're not going to find anywhere else.
If you're looking to give a one of a kind, totally unique gift to the friend on your list who loves things that are a little ...eccentric, then these are pretty much guaranteed to satisfy. Check out Franken Toys on Etsy.
If you've never had a chance to read The Wealthy Barber, you should probably drop everything you're doing right now and go hunt down a copy. David Chilton's 1989 book about personal finance is the definitive guide to common sense savings, paying down debt, and everything else the a money-conscious SmartCanucker should know. What's more, unlike most personal finance books it's written in a friendly and accessible way.
"Ok Jim, it's a good book. But why are you bringing it up more than 20 years after publication?" Because The Wealthy Barber is coming back! David Chilton will be publishing a brand new book discussing how best people can tackle in their finances today, and it's coming out in the Summer of 2011 -- The Wealthy Barber Returns: Significantly Older and Marginally Wiser.
Want a taste? The Toronto Star just published an excerpt from the book, and it's available on their website. There's also a great recent interview with Chilton here.
Most of our dietary intake is made up of common North American cuisine - vegetables, pasta, Hot Pockets - the list goes on and on. But some of the things on our menu are distinctly Canadian. Great Canadian Foods is a new weekly feature on SmartCanucks exploring the tastier side of Canadian living.
The other day I was at the market and saw something I hadn't noticed there on any previous visit: a cheese vendor. What's more, he had a big sign advertising "FRESH CHEESE CURDS." As a good Canadian boy, what else was I to do? I bought a small bag of curds, picked up a can of sauce on the way home, and made myself a nice deep dish of poutine.
Like any good modern food, the origins of poutine are largely up for debate. A number of restaurant owners in la belle province lay claim to the title of poutine's creator. Regardless of who was the first to combine cheese curds with gravy on fries, everyone can seem to agree that it originated somewhere in Quebec, and sometime between 1957 and 1964.
The term "poutine" seems to have an equally cloudy origin. The word itself is often viewed as a francicization of the English word "pudding." Prior to the deliciousness we know today as poutine, the word was used to described any dish created using a hodgepodge of leftovers or a combination of ingredients that seemingly make no sense together. Considering what goes into a poutine, I couldn't think of a more fitting description.
Since it's birth into the world of Canadian cuisine half a century ago, poutine has become a staple of not only Quebec diners, but every fry truck and food court across the country. Even international fast food chains like Burger King and McDonald's have gotten in on the action, offering poutine on their menus in select regions throughout the country.
It's cheap, it's fatty, it's delicious -- and it might just be the most popular Canadian food item we have going. So where can you get one?
Well, you can obviously order it just about anywhere -- but if you want something truly delicious, I suggest checking out Smoke's Poutinerie in Toronto. I know, I know -- you're bound to have better in Quebec -- but as a Southern Ontario resident, I'm bound by what I know.
Smoke's has a number of locations, and -- in addition to the traditional poutine -- they offer more than a dozen flavor combinations to tempt the taste buds of every type of eater. Curry Chicken Poutine? They've got it. Philly Cheese Steak Poutine? They've got that too. If you're looking to host the world's unhealthiest wedding, they even cater!
Make it at home, grab it at a diner, or treat yourself to Smoke's -- however you enjoy your poutine, just remember: gravy stains don't always wash out. ;)
83 days until Christmas. It may sound like a lot, but if you like getting a deal (and if you're reading this, we know you do) then you'll want to get your lists together early to keep an eye out for sales/clearances/other awesome deals. While "Neat Christmas Gift Ideas" may not save you any cash directly, maybe it'll get you thinking about great ways to spend all the savings you've stockpiled throughout the year thanks to SmartCanucks.
Earlier this year, LEGO has one of those "I can't believe we didn't think of this before!" moments and unveiled a line of 12 board games made up entirely of LEGO pieces. Players will need to construct their game boards before playing, and in many cases, be able to set the boards up differently to allow for different play experiences. If someone on your shopping list is into board games even a little, these LEGO offerings would make a great purchase.
Much to our surprise, we're not simply talking about 12 different versions of a similar game, either. LEGO has gone all out, creating 12 wholly unique experiences. One game will have you trying to collect pieces to assemble your own robot, for example, while another is a Snakes and Ladders inspired racing game. You can choose games that let you mix potions, hide from a minotaur, and even show off your creative side as you build certain things out of LEGO in Creationary. It's a bottomless pit of fun!
So what's the bottom line when it comes to cost? $12.99-$44.99. There are a wide range of games here, and LEGO has wisely priced them to suit every budget. A $12.99 game like Robo Champ or Magikus might be smaller and less involved than the $45 Creationary, but that doesn't mean it'll be any less fun.
Want to learn more? Check out the official LEGO Games website. You can find these in just about every major retail outlet, so keep an eye out for a board game sale before picking one up for the gaming/LEGO aficionado on your list.
I know, I know.. The obvious answer to this is "candy," but don't you want to be the one house on the block that does something different this year? Something hip and cool?
There's always the one house that gives out cans of pop and full size chocolate bars -- and it's pretty easy to become the most popular house on the block doing that -- but what about doing something that'll really stand out?
No, I'm not talking fast food gift certificates (though those are always nice) or something wacky (like a live squirrel) -- I'm talking comic books.
Starting in 2009, certain comics publishers have been banding together each fall to offer Halloween mini-comics. They're small enough to fit in a child's candy bag, big enough to read comfortably, and cost about the same as a quality candy product. One of my local comic shops (featured previously on SmartCanucks) is selling them in bundles of 20 for $5. We get 80-100 kids every year, so I dropped $30 and squared away my Halloween hand-out shopping early. The best part? Rather than giving kids more junk food (they'll have every other house on the block for that) I'm giving them something that can stimulate their minds a little. Plus, I'm not going to be tempted to eat the comics while waiting for 10/31 to roll around.
Thinking of doing the same? Call your local comic shop to see if they're carrying Halloween mini-comics. Not thinking of doing the same? Tell us what you're giving out this Halloween!
Netflix -- better known as the harbinger of doom for brick and mortar movie rental places -- has finally made it's way to the great white north ...or at least it's streaming service has.
If you want to rent DVD's you'll still need to use Zip.ca (or your local video store), but if you want the convenience of checking out thousands of movies instantly without every leaving the comfort of your couch? Netflix has you covered.
For $7.99 a month, you can stream thousands of movies and TV shows to your computer, your TV -- even your pocket. Better yet, the first month is free with absolutely no commitment to stay on past those first 30 days.
Is there a catch? Kind of. To get Netflix to work on your TV you'll need a device that is Netflix-enabled, like the Nintendo Wii or PlayStation 3. Also, streaming movies can use up a surprising amount of bandwidth. I don't have the exact figures, but the number that's been floating around is something along the lines of 1GB for every hour streamed. If you're using a Lite internet service with a low data usage cap, this probably isn't the movie service for you.
For the rest of us, $7.99/m for unlimited movies and TV shows is a hard price to beat -- especially when we can stream these to our TV's, computers, iPhone's and iPad's. And with the first month free, what do you have to lose? Give it a try, and let us know what you watch first.
This week's caption challenge comes to us courtesy of the wild world of mutton busting. What's mutton busting, you might ask? It's kind of like bull-riding, but for kids ...and on a sheep.
Don't be baa-shful. Give us your best caption!
With back to school barely behind us, Halloween costumes and decorations are already out in full force in every store imaginable. Heck -- some already have their Halloween costumes on sale!
Do your kids already have their trick-or-treat plans all set? What are they planning to go out as this Halloween? How about you?
Most of our dietary intake is made up of common North American cuisine - vegetables, pasta, Hot Pockets - the list goes on and on. But some of the things on our menu are distinctly Canadian. Great Canadian Foods is a new weekly feature on SmartCanucks exploring the tastier side of Canadian living.
While it's still a fairly new column, I'd like to think that "Great Canadian Foods" has a bit of structure. We talk a little bit about what the food is, where it came from, and great ways to find/prepare it.
Ketchup chips has none of that.
Everyone knows what they are, nobody seems to know where they came from, and you can find them in every corner store in the country. What makes ketchup chips so special is one unsolvable question: why are we the only ones who love them?
Evidence of the ketchup chip in Canada (or at least the evidence we could find) dates back as far as 1967. While that may not be as historical as some Canadian foods, it's still a treat that dates back generations. And it's well-loved, too. Old Dutch says it's one of their top two most popular flavors (the other is Salt & Vinegar.) Even Seth Rogan sang it's praises on Jimmy Kimmel a few years back. But in America? You can't GIVE these things away.
A number of leading US chip manufacturers have tried to offer this delicious ketchup treat, and every time they fall flat on their face. A few smaller US snack companies produce them, but the average American consumer is going to have to special order/go on a manhunt if they ever want to taste it's deliciousness without travelling across the border.
Do you have any thoughts on this mystery? Why do Americans have no interest in our most-beloved potato chip flavour? And when was the last time you bit into a tasty ketchup chip?
We all love the hip and occasionally silly clothing designs at Threadless.com, but don't you just hate to pay for shipping? All this month any order with a hoodie in it will recieve free shipping. One hoodie and ten t-shirts? Free shipping. 2 hoodies and an infant onesie? Free shipping. Anything + hoodie? Free shipping.
The hoodies aren't cheap, but they are nice. And with other shirts available for as little as $5, this can be a great time to get everything shipped to Canada without incurring the annoying extra costs. Click here to get shopping.
Don't like what they have on offer? Prove you can do better and design your own!
Week 2 of the NFL is well underway, and as I settle in for a long afternoon of football and writing, I can't help but ponder the future of football in Canada.
The CFL has seen a big resurgence in recent years. In fact, not a season has gone by in the last decade where we haven't heard about average attendance numbers going up. But as much as we've re-learned to love Canadian pigskin in recent years, it's unlikely that you'll ever find a CFL fan that isn't an NFL fan too. Despite this, Canada has never had an NFL team.
We're in the NHL, NBA, MLB and even the MLS (go Toronto FC!) -- the only major American league we don't have representation in is the NFL. But do we need to? The Bills seem to think so.
Since 2008, the Bills have been playing both a pre-season game and a regular season game in Toronto. It makes sense, since the team has a pretty strong fanbase in Southern Ontario -- but it also feels a little like testing the waters. Due to economic problems in the Buffalo area, the Bills have to keep their ticket prices far lower than their competition. A move to Toronto would address this -- after all, look at how much we're willing to pay for Leafs tickets. 
Whether it's the Bills, Toronto, or any other mix -- would you want to see the NFL in Canada? Or are you happy to have the CFL in your backyard, watching American Football from a comfortable distance?
As I type this I'm watching the Packers pummel the Bills. Keep that in mind before you cast your vote for the NFL's most lovable losers. (for more info on seeing the Bills in Toronto, check out the official website.)
Tomorrow night, CBC will be hosting a very special presentation of Queen Elizabeth II's 1953 coronation... in 3D! As a result, Canada Post's across the country are offering free pairs of 3D glasses so you can enjoy the experience from the comfort of your own home... but you knew that already, didn't you?
While checking the Queen out in three dimensions is all kinds of patriotic cool, there are lots of fun things you can do with those free glasses after the event. Here's a few ideas;
Even if you're not interested in the Queen, there's lots to do with a free pair of anaglyph 3D glasses. If you haven't yet, be sure to grab your pair at Canada Post -- and let us know what cool 3D fun you end up having with them!
I don't know about where you live, but in my part of Canada things just got real cold real quick. Two weeks ago I was still in shorts. Last week it was jeans and a fall coat. This morning I had to add a sweater into the mix. It's not snow weather yet, but it's definitely been a chilly reminder that fluffy flurries are coming... and soon!
In celebration of all things cold, this week's caption challenge sees a cute little terrier with a terrible case of dandruff winter fun. What cute little thoughts can your words put in that poor puppy's head?
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