Three Canadian warships arrive in Florida with hurricane relief aid

[HEyHEY]

http://www.recorder.ca/cp/National/050912/n091227A.html

A hurricane relief convoy of three Canadian warships pulled alongside a pier at a U.S. navy base in Pensacola on Monday after a six-day journey from Halifax.

The ships - HMCS Athabaskan, Toronto and Ville de Quebec - were carrying thousands of tonnes of relief supplies, everything from blankets and diapers to generators.

[Atman]

1. Who was rowing?

Sorry.

[HEyHEY]

6. Accepted, however

It would interest you to know Canada's Navy has some of the most technologically advanced ships on earth in its fleet.

[dancing kali]

12. Are you including our submarines

in that statement? Just teasing our navy.

I've been having this fantasy that our nice Canadian Naval personnel will be met with flowers and open arms... in front of network cameras... it's a dream I have.

Back to watching ash drifting down over my house as Burns Bog burns...

[HEyHEY]

17. Didn't you hear the GVRD today? It's not bad for ya!

[sakabatou]

32. That and the icebreakers

[ixion]

11. yeah, joke while you can... 'Murika is no longer the tech leader of the

world... it won't be long until our scientists are praising the greatest modern invention: the candle.

[Atman]

14. Seriously, I'm joking while I can.

Since America is pretty much the joke now, I gotta use 'em up while I still can!

[Spazito]

20. You obviously missed the news that there is a hurricane on the

east coast, the same east coast the ships had to travel. BTW, the hurricane, storm, hurricane, storm is called Ophelia.

[kitty1]

31. Get this, our Canadian medical team is not allowed to treat...

Americans. More bureaucracy crap to deal with. They can only refer people to the nearest American medical services. (I'm sorry sir, I can't give you any anti venom right now. To get help, you wanna go about 5 miles down that road there... )
My brother-in-law is in the Canadian navy, and helping out in Louisiana I'm happy about that.

[all.of.me]

2. gwb can personally tell them to go away today! bravo!

[Maple]

3. Yaaaaaay Canada!

[ChairmanAgnostic]

4. and so the invasion from the north begins. from the south.

If true Americans had any pride they would

a) be extremely grateful to our northern and southern neighbors.
b) be amazed that this would be necessary
c) be irate at the leadership that led us to this fiasco. The richest, most powerful country in the world, and Sri Lanka, Cuba and Bangladesh are offering donations.

[FlemingsGhost]

5. Any chance they can liberate the U.S. from a fascist regime?

I got flowers and candy.

[AnneD]

7. I have my

white flag of surrender ready----when are they taking over. The Mexican army is here in Texas...but frankly there is too much bad blood, so I'd rather go with Canada.

[CottonBear]

8. Thank you and merci! n/t

[nine23]

9. My nephew's on the Athabaskan...

..and my sister (his mum) has been getting emails from him. Apparently, what they're really itching to do is get their "hands dirty". Sure, they're got tons of medical supplies, doctors, diving teams to help get the water pumps going again, but, according to him, the regular seamen really want to get in there with the recovery. The nasty stuff. Shoveling mud, digging through debris, etc...

I say good on him. He's been into this since he was a 12 year-old sea cadet; he truly got into the military NOT to make war, but to make peace and help mankind. (Sounds smarmy, but it's true. He's a great kid.)

Godspeed, daddy-o! (My pet name for him since he was a young pup).

[Lisa]

21. that's our guys!

My officemate (who's off this month with a new baby) used to be a Canadian Navy seaman. He now teaches a college course on International Development. He joined up to help out, too.

Anyway, good on your nephew!

[ixion]

10. FEMA will no doubt turn them away any time now, as all is just ducky,

according to Vlad Cheney and clan. :grr:

[u4ic]

13. ...Vlad Cheney...

:rofl:

[Wordie]

24. I thought it was Darth Cheney... n/t

[u4ic]

29. I think he's called Vlad

on his 'playful' days...;)

[Wordie]

30. Given his wife's literary talents, I shudder to think. n/t

[daleo]

15. I am glad they are there to help

It is too bad it couldn't have been quicker, but I recall reading that Bush delayed giving permission by several days.

[SoCalDem]

16. And the USS Comfort is probably still docked in VA

waiting out Ophelia??

[triguy46]

18. I'm waving my white flag!!! Take me to toronto!! n/t

[iverglas]

19. okay ... in case someone has never heard it ...

http://www.snopes.com/military/lighthse.htm
Note that url.

ACTUAL transcript of a US naval ship with Canadian authorities off the coast of Newfoundland in October, 1995. This radio conversation was released by the Chief of Naval Operations on 10-10-95.

Americans: "Please divert your course 15 degrees to the North to avoid a collision."

Canadians: "Recommend you divert YOUR course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision."

Americans: "This is the captain of a US Navy ship. I say again, divert YOUR course."

Canadians: "No, I say again, you divert YOUR course."

Americans: "THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN, THE SECOND LARGEST SHIP IN THE UNITED STATES' ATLANTIC FLEET. WE ARE ACCOMPANIED BY THREE DESTROYERS, THREE CRUISERS AND NUMEROUS SUPPORT VESSELS. I DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES NORTH. THAT'S ONE-FIVE DEGREES NORTH, OR COUNTER MEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THIS SHIP."

Canadians: "This is a lighthouse. Your call."

It's like Smithsonian Barbie, just makes me snort every time I see it.

[applegrove]

28. I love that.

[Guava Jelly]

22. PLease invade us Canada these repuke nazis are nuts

Hey I like Moosehead beer Maple Syrup and one pot meals.
and even there health care and cheaper medicine

[calico1]

23. Thank you.

When is Canada invading? Please invade us and make us a colony.:)

[Wordie]

25. Um...why FL and not LA or other gulf states? Am I missing something? n/t

[HEyHEY]

26. It's the first stop LA is next

[Wordie]

27. Ahh, well that makes sense (with all the goofiness these days I wondered!)