is it possible to start a listing of Canadian MeFi members' postal codes? September 6, 2003 10:17 PM Subscribe
Following up on Frasermoo's MeTa post from the fourth ("How international are we?"), is it possible to start a listing of Canadian MeFi members' postal codes? [more inside]
you pretentious canuck bastards with your fancy-nancy alpha-numeric postal codes are pissing jakob nielsen right the fuck off.
posted by quonsar at 10:33 PM on September 6, 2003
posted by quonsar at 10:33 PM on September 6, 2003
i hate to admit but i have to side with quonsar on this one. wtf philfromhavelock?! first you want to be viewed as an independent country that doesn't rely on your big brother USA. now you're whining about zip codes. what then? you're own air force?
when will it end?
posted by poopy at 11:00 PM on September 6, 2003
when will it end?
posted by poopy at 11:00 PM on September 6, 2003
oh, and yeah, you have a good point you bastard canuck fuckface :)
posted by poopy at 11:01 PM on September 6, 2003
posted by poopy at 11:01 PM on September 6, 2003
Nah, he's talking about the geocode locator thing-a-mabob. I'd like to see something better than a zip code, too. Didn't Matt mention something about a latitude and longitude?
And noboby deserves it more than jakob nielsen.
posted by ashbury at 11:07 PM on September 6, 2003
And noboby deserves it more than jakob nielsen.
posted by ashbury at 11:07 PM on September 6, 2003
Since we all live within 100km (that's roughly 63 miles for you imperialistic folks) of the U.S. border, just enter the zipcode of the American town nearest to where you live.
You know the place...it's where you go to buy your cheap gas, milk and cheese.
posted by filmgoerjuan at 11:30 PM on September 6, 2003
You know the place...it's where you go to buy your cheap gas, milk and cheese.
posted by filmgoerjuan at 11:30 PM on September 6, 2003
You know the place...it's where you go to buy your cheap gas, milk and cheese.
Disneyland?
posted by PrinceValium at 11:41 PM on September 6, 2003
Disneyland?
posted by PrinceValium at 11:41 PM on September 6, 2003
You know the place...it's where you go to buy your cheap gas, milk and cheese.
Don't forget drugged up hookers.
posted by Space Coyote at 11:45 PM on September 6, 2003
Don't forget drugged up hookers.
posted by Space Coyote at 11:45 PM on September 6, 2003
If someone in this thread says "Blame Canada," I am going to loose it.
posted by Quartermass at 12:26 AM on September 7, 2003
posted by Quartermass at 12:26 AM on September 7, 2003
and beer, eh.
Yes, because all Canadians love American beer. It is their very favourite thing. In the whole wide world.
posted by transient at 5:06 AM on September 7, 2003
Yes, because all Canadians love American beer. It is their very favourite thing. In the whole wide world.
posted by transient at 5:06 AM on September 7, 2003
Since we all live within 100km (that's roughly 63 miles for you imperialistic folks) of the U.S. border, just enter the zipcode of the American town nearest to where you live.
Well, here's the thing. That would mean I'd have to say I live in Buffalo. And that's just not gonna happen.
/snob
posted by stonerose at 6:24 AM on September 7, 2003
Well, here's the thing. That would mean I'd have to say I live in Buffalo. And that's just not gonna happen.
/snob
posted by stonerose at 6:24 AM on September 7, 2003
Since we all live within 100km (that's roughly 63 miles for you imperialistic folks) of the U.S. border, just enter the zipcode of the American town nearest to where you live.
No. I live in Canada and I'm proud of that fact. I'll wait until matt makes it a lat. and long. thing. If that never happens, oh well, no pony for me.
posted by ashbury at 7:09 AM on September 7, 2003
No. I live in Canada and I'm proud of that fact. I'll wait until matt makes it a lat. and long. thing. If that never happens, oh well, no pony for me.
posted by ashbury at 7:09 AM on September 7, 2003
I'm with stonerose. No way am I living in Buffalo or Detroit even hypothetically. I would love this feature, but if it can't be I'll float to the end of my time here.
As for my buying milk on the other side of the border, a co-worker of mine recently moved to Toronto from Chicago and told me he just can't adapt to the way we sell our milk - in bags. Lad, that's the way nature intended it to be.
posted by orange swan at 7:20 AM on September 7, 2003
As for my buying milk on the other side of the border, a co-worker of mine recently moved to Toronto from Chicago and told me he just can't adapt to the way we sell our milk - in bags. Lad, that's the way nature intended it to be.
posted by orange swan at 7:20 AM on September 7, 2003
Wha?! You sell your milk in bags? Here in the U.S., the only bags that carry milk are the bags of flesh & subcutaneous delight that 50% of our population posess. And while a very small minority of them are willing to sell it, and it is "the way nature intended it to be", it's just not that economical.
posted by jonson at 7:31 AM on September 7, 2003
posted by jonson at 7:31 AM on September 7, 2003
while a very small minority of them are willing to sell it, and it is "the way nature intended it to be", it's just not that economical.
Exactly, jonson. That's why our bags of milk come in a wide range of fleshy colours, and include the handy nipple dispenser. We also drink our milk at body temperature. Special garments allow the male of the species to mount two of these bags at chest level, so as to experience the sense of nurturing that accompanies traditional lactation. Passers-by are welcome to suckle at the simulated teats of perfect strangers, whether at bus-stops, in airports, or during hockey games, lacrosse matches, and seal-clubbing fests. This gender-bending conditioning accounts for our more multilateralist, peace-loving, socialist bent as a country.
Actually, I'm not sure why your T.O. colleague is having trouble finding cartons of milk, orange swan - every grocery store I've ever been in sells it both ways.
As to the great beer debate: when the Canadian dollar was stronger, we did used to go across the border to buy exported Canadian beer and repatriate it. The customs officers would usually let us across with a 12-pack, a bag of groceries, and a tank of gas without bothering to charge duties and taxes.
/massive derail
posted by stonerose at 7:58 AM on September 7, 2003
Exactly, jonson. That's why our bags of milk come in a wide range of fleshy colours, and include the handy nipple dispenser. We also drink our milk at body temperature. Special garments allow the male of the species to mount two of these bags at chest level, so as to experience the sense of nurturing that accompanies traditional lactation. Passers-by are welcome to suckle at the simulated teats of perfect strangers, whether at bus-stops, in airports, or during hockey games, lacrosse matches, and seal-clubbing fests. This gender-bending conditioning accounts for our more multilateralist, peace-loving, socialist bent as a country.
Actually, I'm not sure why your T.O. colleague is having trouble finding cartons of milk, orange swan - every grocery store I've ever been in sells it both ways.
As to the great beer debate: when the Canadian dollar was stronger, we did used to go across the border to buy exported Canadian beer and repatriate it. The customs officers would usually let us across with a 12-pack, a bag of groceries, and a tank of gas without bothering to charge duties and taxes.
/massive derail
posted by stonerose at 7:58 AM on September 7, 2003
That would mean I'd have to say I live in Buffalo. And that's just not gonna happen.
Say it's Niagara Falls. At least it's more romantic
posted by matteo at 8:16 AM on September 7, 2003
Say it's Niagara Falls. At least it's more romantic
posted by matteo at 8:16 AM on September 7, 2003
Say it's Niagara Falls. At least it's more romantic
That's a popular misconception. I grew up in Niagara Falls, Ontario, which is simply a tourist trap. Niagara Falls, NY, on the other hand, is an ugly, dangerous, depressing social and economic wasteland.
posted by stonerose at 8:19 AM on September 7, 2003
That's a popular misconception. I grew up in Niagara Falls, Ontario, which is simply a tourist trap. Niagara Falls, NY, on the other hand, is an ugly, dangerous, depressing social and economic wasteland.
posted by stonerose at 8:19 AM on September 7, 2003
no, what they've built around the falls is ugly and depressing and a crime against architecture
but you have to admit that the falls themselves are magnificent
posted by matteo at 8:32 AM on September 7, 2003
but you have to admit that the falls themselves are magnificent
posted by matteo at 8:32 AM on September 7, 2003
but you have to admit that the falls themselves are magnificent
Well okay, but I used to work in a restaurant across from the falls, and trust me: you haven't seen that many disappointed German and Japanese travellers since 1945.
There's a reason Oscar Wilde said "Niagara Falls is the bride's second great disappointment."
posted by stonerose at 8:48 AM on September 7, 2003
Well okay, but I used to work in a restaurant across from the falls, and trust me: you haven't seen that many disappointed German and Japanese travellers since 1945.
There's a reason Oscar Wilde said "Niagara Falls is the bride's second great disappointment."
posted by stonerose at 8:48 AM on September 7, 2003
well, I'm a sucker for touristy stuff, I have to admit that three weeks ago I was in Toronto and, having an afternoon to kill I drove to Niagara Falls because I was really curious -- I knew that the town itself (on the US side at least) was pretty run-down and far from exciting, but the falls didn't disappoint me. but then, I'm not a bride
you're probably disappointed if you traveled all the way up there just to see the falls and find yourself stuck in a far from exciting town. but I was in Toronto for work and as a day trip it's really good, imo
anyway I stayed for about a couple hours and then I quickly drove back to Toronto
posted by matteo at 9:13 AM on September 7, 2003
you're probably disappointed if you traveled all the way up there just to see the falls and find yourself stuck in a far from exciting town. but I was in Toronto for work and as a day trip it's really good, imo
anyway I stayed for about a couple hours and then I quickly drove back to Toronto
posted by matteo at 9:13 AM on September 7, 2003
Geeze, matteo - everyone knows that you do not fuck with glamournet.
posted by stonerose at 9:17 AM on September 7, 2003
posted by stonerose at 9:17 AM on September 7, 2003
That would mean I'd have to say I live in Buffalo. And that's just not gonna happen.
So say you live in tony, exciting, cosmopolitan Tonawanda or Lackawanna. Or perhaps Angola-On-The-Lake.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:39 AM on September 7, 2003
So say you live in tony, exciting, cosmopolitan Tonawanda or Lackawanna. Or perhaps Angola-On-The-Lake.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:39 AM on September 7, 2003
Or we could all realize that half of the Canadian MeFites live in Toronto, another third in Vancouver and the few of us nutjobs who haven't moved to either of those places looking for work yet will probably bump into each other eventually.
If there are any other PEI-raised MeFites I'll be fairly impressed, though I know there's at least one since he started cityfilter.org. Couldn't say who on here that would be, though.
posted by Space Coyote at 9:58 AM on September 7, 2003
If there are any other PEI-raised MeFites I'll be fairly impressed, though I know there's at least one since he started cityfilter.org. Couldn't say who on here that would be, though.
posted by Space Coyote at 9:58 AM on September 7, 2003
maybe we should all start putting our long/lat on our user pages and someone can grab the info and make the map? (a spinnable globe would be cool...and it would save matt some work)
posted by amberglow at 10:23 AM on September 7, 2003
posted by amberglow at 10:23 AM on September 7, 2003
I don't think the long/lat thing is ever going to happen, but how hard would it be to adapt the zip-code widget as philfromhavelock asks?
posted by timeistight at 10:31 AM on September 7, 2003
posted by timeistight at 10:31 AM on September 7, 2003
I had thought of putting in the code of the closest U.S. town, but I've never been to Buffalo (or any of its tony suburbs), let alone having had my heart broken there. So I typed in the first five of my post code.
Any post code starting with M or H indicates the Toronto or Montreal city transit limits, but you would have to include something of sliding scale for other ares: the second/third number/letter for, say, the Ks, to distinguish Ottawa from Kingston from Havelock from Finch, or for the Vs, to distinguish Vancouver from Prince Rupert or, alas, Kelowna. M1 and M9 are likely closer to each other than are V1 and V9.
Or we could all realize that half of the Canadian MeFites live in Toronto, another third in Vancouver...
I think you're right. I don't remember Ottawa, Edmonton or Montreal ever being referenced.
(And from the Niagara Falls tourism board, the butterfly zoo and the Buddhist temple, the latter of which, for shame, was nay listed among the tourist suggestions on the paper placemats in the diners along museum row.)
posted by philfromhavelock at 10:56 AM on September 7, 2003
Any post code starting with M or H indicates the Toronto or Montreal city transit limits, but you would have to include something of sliding scale for other ares: the second/third number/letter for, say, the Ks, to distinguish Ottawa from Kingston from Havelock from Finch, or for the Vs, to distinguish Vancouver from Prince Rupert or, alas, Kelowna. M1 and M9 are likely closer to each other than are V1 and V9.
Or we could all realize that half of the Canadian MeFites live in Toronto, another third in Vancouver...
I think you're right. I don't remember Ottawa, Edmonton or Montreal ever being referenced.
(And from the Niagara Falls tourism board, the butterfly zoo and the Buddhist temple, the latter of which, for shame, was nay listed among the tourist suggestions on the paper placemats in the diners along museum row.)
posted by philfromhavelock at 10:56 AM on September 7, 2003
Space Coyote, I'm a Mefite from Prince Edward Island.
I didn't start charlottetown.cityfilter.org, Jevon MacDonald did. I think his plan, down the line, is to export the cityfilter idea to different areas, with a subdomain for each city that participates.
posted by will at 11:49 AM on September 7, 2003
I didn't start charlottetown.cityfilter.org, Jevon MacDonald did. I think his plan, down the line, is to export the cityfilter idea to different areas, with a subdomain for each city that participates.
posted by will at 11:49 AM on September 7, 2003
You egocentric, selfish Canuck Yankee doodles. What about the rest of the world? *sobs*
My long lat thingie has been on my usepage for some time now. Waiting, gathering dust, in a small lonely corner.
I've never asked for a pony Matt, but can I have a Shetland?
posted by ginz at 12:06 PM on September 7, 2003
My long lat thingie has been on my usepage for some time now. Waiting, gathering dust, in a small lonely corner.
I've never asked for a pony Matt, but can I have a Shetland?
posted by ginz at 12:06 PM on September 7, 2003
this lat/long finder might be helpful to some of you.
And, yes, philfromhavelock, the butterfly zoo kicks ass.
posted by stonerose at 12:30 PM on September 7, 2003
And, yes, philfromhavelock, the butterfly zoo kicks ass.
posted by stonerose at 12:30 PM on September 7, 2003
From a quick google search I found this, an excellent explanation of how canadian postal codes work.
I like the story of how
Raymond, Alberta's T0K 2S0
was changed from T0K 1Y0, because their mail kept ending up in Japan! and also how Santa Claus has his own postal Code - H0H 0H0.
posted by carfilhiot at 12:34 PM on September 7, 2003
I like the story of how
Raymond, Alberta's T0K 2S0
was changed from T0K 1Y0, because their mail kept ending up in Japan! and also how Santa Claus has his own postal Code - H0H 0H0.
posted by carfilhiot at 12:34 PM on September 7, 2003
p.s surely distance between gps points are easy to calculate?
posted by carfilhiot at 12:36 PM on September 7, 2003
posted by carfilhiot at 12:36 PM on September 7, 2003
even though i'm in nyc for a year now, and i lived in toronto for 6 years, home to me will always be thunder bay. 8 hours east of winnipeg, 7 hours west of sault ste. marie and 4 hours of duluth equals one weird middle of nowhere that's looked up to by the rest of northwestern ontario.
[aside] carfilhiot: thanks for the link about the postal codes, although not for the obvious reason. i used to work with mark brader a few years back and he was one of the most prolific USENET responders i've ever known. an encyclopædic knowledge of minute trivia to the point of horror. now i'm compelled to through and find out where he ending up now online.
posted by myopicman at 1:43 PM on September 7, 2003
[aside] carfilhiot: thanks for the link about the postal codes, although not for the obvious reason. i used to work with mark brader a few years back and he was one of the most prolific USENET responders i've ever known. an encyclopædic knowledge of minute trivia to the point of horror. now i'm compelled to through and find out where he ending up now online.
posted by myopicman at 1:43 PM on September 7, 2003
Will: ahh, there you are. Apologies for the callout of sorts. I just signed up to cityfilter as Al O, seems like a great idea so far.
posted by Space Coyote at 1:47 PM on September 7, 2003
posted by Space Coyote at 1:47 PM on September 7, 2003
No problem, I'll just look into a mirror and make witty jokes about you when I host the next Charlottetown mefi meetup - which is scheduled for 2 minutes from now when I scrub my chompers. ;)
They're fun, but I am getting tired of the looks at restaurants when I declare a "Party of one please."
With that kind of sarcasm, I just realised how much I really do belong here.
posted by will at 2:36 PM on September 7, 2003
They're fun, but I am getting tired of the looks at restaurants when I declare a "Party of one please."
With that kind of sarcasm, I just realised how much I really do belong here.
posted by will at 2:36 PM on September 7, 2003
Heh. I've refused to watch the blasted play or read the damned books.
posted by will at 3:04 PM on September 7, 2003
posted by will at 3:04 PM on September 7, 2003
So true. I still haven't seen the musical they put on every single year :)
posted by Space Coyote at 3:53 PM on September 7, 2003
posted by Space Coyote at 3:53 PM on September 7, 2003
I don't think the long/lat thing is ever going to happen
but, but... matt promised...!! kinda.
posted by t r a c y at 4:19 PM on September 7, 2003
but, but... matt promised...!! kinda.
posted by t r a c y at 4:19 PM on September 7, 2003
Space, fire me off and we'll chat about how we're related like true Maritimers.
posted by will at 5:02 PM on September 7, 2003
posted by will at 5:02 PM on September 7, 2003
I want a lat-long pony, too.
I don't have my GPS right at hand, so I can't supply exact numbers at the moment (it's close to N50 14 53 W119 19 50, Elevation 440m).
posted by five fresh fish at 8:03 PM on September 7, 2003
I don't have my GPS right at hand, so I can't supply exact numbers at the moment (it's close to N50 14 53 W119 19 50, Elevation 440m).
posted by five fresh fish at 8:03 PM on September 7, 2003
Maybe you'll find out that you're bosom friends and kindred spirits, will. </snarky Anne of Green Gables reference
posted by orange swan at 8:04 PM on September 7, 2003
posted by orange swan at 8:04 PM on September 7, 2003
Wonder if there's a way to use GeoUrl for this? They use
posted by arto at 8:30 PM on September 7, 2003
meta tags though, which (I think) need to be in the head section of your HTML, and thus aren't simply something you could wack in the "what does your username mean?" blurb.posted by arto at 8:30 PM on September 7, 2003
[fixes unrelenting stare on will while wondering whether she should tell him she owns a copy of every book L.M. Montgomery ever wrote]
posted by orange swan at 6:21 AM on September 8, 2003
posted by orange swan at 6:21 AM on September 8, 2003
I want the Lat/Long pony as well (yes, I am well aware that nobody cares). The links that stonerose provided above is quite good, although their map of my area is a couple of years out-of-date and does not include my street, so the most accurate I could get was -27.9402 , 153.3252
posted by dg at 3:42 PM on September 8, 2003
posted by dg at 3:42 PM on September 8, 2003
Haven't you been paying attention, dg? I've been pleading for it ever since it was mentioned.
Or are you saying that I'm nobody?
posted by timeistight at 4:05 PM on September 8, 2003
Or are you saying that I'm nobody?
posted by timeistight at 4:05 PM on September 8, 2003
How global indeed! NOT! I'm requesting a GPS donkey pony too!
In the name of good neighbourly relations, you understand.
stonerose's maporama is close, but no cigar. Seems to not include postal code in the search, street name only, disregards the number completely. I tried 100's of my street and 1000's of my street, it gave me the same location! Feh. We are talkning a major artery here.
So, Mathowie, about those postal, codes....... can we, can we, huh, huh?
posted by alicesshoe at 5:35 PM on September 9, 2003
In the name of good neighbourly relations, you understand.
stonerose's maporama is close, but no cigar. Seems to not include postal code in the search, street name only, disregards the number completely. I tried 100's of my street and 1000's of my street, it gave me the same location! Feh. We are talkning a major artery here.
So, Mathowie, about those postal, codes....... can we, can we, huh, huh?
posted by alicesshoe at 5:35 PM on September 9, 2003
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posted by philfromhavelock at 10:22 PM on September 6, 2003