2024

[Farfromgeneva]

You all are making want to go to Canada now, vs Scotland. As a young kid we did the Cabot Trail towing a camper as a family. Do not recall much of it.

Scotland is dope too.

Glasgow > Edinburgh. Isle of Sky worth it not those north ones (Orkney? Maybe). If you can do it hike the highlands. I did it impressed liek an jerk in March and multiple times fell into wet high snow up to chest and got lost in last mile or theee of 36 km hike. Took me 2x a real hikers time such that the hostel I left from had called the emergency services and they were out looking for me when I finally made it to braemar (from Aviamore). And then shoot over to the distiller where they make Dalwhinnie and Royal Lochngear of course which is adjacent to the Royal families Scotland retreat joint.

[a fan]

Do yourself a favor, and stay at the Frontenac. You won't regret it. One of the most beautiful hotels in the world. Has an indoor/outdoor pool on one of the upper floors, overlooking the city.

Mrs. ggait and I love Canada. We used to go to Quebec City all the time when we lived back east. Old, historic (Plains of Abraham), French. We especially liked it in the winter -- but talk about COLD!!!

Frontenac is great. The other old Canadian Pacific Railway hotels out west in Banff and Lake Louise are also great.

I'm teaching some Master Classes at the Banff Whiskey festival again this November......the Fairmont Banff feels like Hogwarts, and is my wife and I's favorite hotel. It's breathtaking out there, and the food, service, etc. is all top notch for a fraction of what you'd pay for a subpar experience in Vail or Aspen, imho.

My son is headed to Banff in a week or so… can you recommend two spots for a nice drink? Thanks.

Just tell him to hit the Fairmont Banff. They have several bars in it....the "Rundle" is a patio, and is where you want to be this time of year. The main bar is as beautiful as they come. Nice selection of whiskies, too. And they make their own potato chips and french onion dip....sounds silly, but we could have had that for dinner it was so absurdly good!

[youthathletics]

How in the world has there been like 17 posts on Canada and none about Montreal and the transcendent nightlife entertainment that joint offers?

Makes no sense. None at all.

My son went in to montreal with a bunch of Navy buddies....great story to tell, not here though.

[a fan]

How in the world has there been like 17 posts on Canada and none about Montreal and the transcendent nightlife entertainment that joint offers?

Makes no sense. None at all.

Oh I'm here to help with that, too. Same for Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, and Edmonton.

[ggait]

I'm teaching some Master Classes at the Banff Whiskey festival again this November......the Fairmont Banff feels like Hogwarts, and is my wife and I's favorite hotel. It's breathtaking out there, and the food, service, etc. is all top notch for a fraction of what you'd pay for a subpar experience in Vail or Aspen, imho.

Totally agree. We haven't been up that way much since we moved to Colorado (which obviously has lots of mountains within short driving distance).

The setting of the Chateau Lake Louise is spectacular in summer or winter. Definitely worth a day trip up from Banff.

But the single best hotel food and service I've ever had was at the Post Hotel in Lake Louise. A smaller hotel run by a pair of Swiss brothers -- felt like we were in Verbier or Grundewald with James Bond sitting at the next table over.

[Farfromgeneva]

How in the world has there been like 17 posts on Canada and none about Montreal and the transcendent nightlife entertainment that joint offers?

Makes no sense. None at all.

My son went in to montreal with a bunch of Navy buddies....great story to tell, not here though.

I will hear it one day no doubt. My sister once told me, mid high school for me and I’m spouting off sophomoric stuff about religion having gone balls deep into existentialism (and other areas going deep, on god!) and she tells me which I still find helpful and poignant if simple: “you know if you don’t believe in any force or power involved in the world then you have to believe that all the amazing and terrible things in human history were at least a minimum extreme humans are capable of”

So I like to test the limits of human depravity and welcome all stories. I almost once was The Machine from 8MM but a few friends talked me out of it .

(she would’ve been upper 20s, +12yrs, a lot of this is her fault for giving me bold like The Stranger and Basketball Diariss and others to read when I was like 10-11)

[youthathletics]

Raskin sending in the roadmap for 6Jan2025 if trump wins: https://x.com/endwokeness/status/182054 ... a82I2GssRg

[lagerhead]

How in the world has there been like 17 posts on Canada and none about Montreal and the transcendent nightlife entertainment that joint offers?

Makes no sense. None at all.

Oh I'm here to help with that, too. Same for Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, and Edmonton.

The Calgary stampede is an experience. Winters not too bad with the +15 letting you move around.

[Farfromgeneva]

How in the world has there been like 17 posts on Canada and none about Montreal and the transcendent nightlife entertainment that joint offers?

Makes no sense. None at all.

Oh I'm here to help with that, too. Same for Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, and Edmonton.

The Calgary stampede is an experience. Winters not too bad with the +15 letting you move around.

I think this should be youths next trip

https://hedonism.com/

[NattyBohChamps04]

My son is headed to Banff in a week or so… can you recommend two spots for a nice drink? Thanks.

Just tell him to hit the Fairmont Banff. They have several bars in it....the "Rundle" is a patio, and is where you want to be this time of year. The main bar is as beautiful as they come. Nice selection of whiskies, too. And they make their own potato chips and french onion dip....sounds silly, but we could have had that for dinner it was so absurdly good!

Fairmont Banff view From ~15 years ago. Only problem with visiting in winter is that the sun sets early. When you get back from skiing the views are gone. Summertime view was amazing from the same bar. Had a wolf run across the fairway in front of us during a round of golf. Photos are like the grand canyon - they don't come close to doing it justice.



TLD - There is a gondola that has amazing views and there is a restaurant / bar at the top - https://www.banffjaspercollection.com/d ... ky-bistro/

Also, If he wants to have a fun dining experience, get the Exotic Fondue at https://banffgrizzlyhouse.com/

[old salt]

The TR carrier strike group was already in the Persian Gulf on a scheduled rotational deployment.
The Lincoln strike group was already scheduled to relieve them on station.
Ops normal. Not a big deal.
https://news.usni.org/2024/08/02/carrie ... nst-israel

UPDATE on our E Med/ME order of battle:

by my tally we now have 10 AEGIS missile equipped warships in the region. we appear to have Lebanon/Syria, Yemen, & Iran bracketed to protect Israel, our troops in Iraq/Syria, & our 2 capital ships deployed to the region.

2 destroyers out of Rota Sp in the E Med, off Israel, near the 3 ship Wasp Amphib Ready Group

2 destroyers out of Norfolk in the Red Sea to bracket Houthi launches from Yemen

1 cruiser + 5 destroyers out of US W coast & HI home ports, as part of the TR carrier strike group in the Gulf of Aden, positioned to intercept launches from Iran, with 2 of the destroyers to the S & W, in range to also intercept Houthi launches from E Yemen.

Still no word on which USAF fighter squadron is deploying & where.

No word yet on which air defense battery is being readied for deployment & destination.

[Typical Lax Dad]

My son is headed to Banff in a week or so… can you recommend two spots for a nice drink? Thanks.

Just tell him to hit the Fairmont Banff. They have several bars in it....the "Rundle" is a patio, and is where you want to be this time of year. The main bar is as beautiful as they come. Nice selection of whiskies, too. And they make their own potato chips and french onion dip....sounds silly, but we could have had that for dinner it was so absurdly good!

Fairmont Banff view From ~15 years ago. Only problem with visiting in winter is that the sun sets early. When you get back from skiing the views are gone. Summertime view was amazing from the same bar. Had a wolf run across the fairway in front of us during a round of golf. Photos are like the grand canyon - they don't come close to doing it justice.



TLD - There is a gondola that has amazing views and there is a restaurant / bar at the top - https://www.banffjaspercollection.com/d ... ky-bistro/

Also, If he wants to have a fun dining experience, get the Exotic Fondue at https://banffgrizzlyhouse.com/

Thanks. I will send this along. I heard Jasper is closed due to fires

[youthathletics]

How in the world has there been like 17 posts on Canada and none about Montreal and the transcendent nightlife entertainment that joint offers?

Makes no sense. None at all.

Oh I'm here to help with that, too. Same for Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, and Edmonton.

The Calgary stampede is an experience. Winters not too bad with the +15 letting you move around.

I think this should be youths next trip

https://hedonism.com/

Just looked it over.... Some of the write-ups in the "Group" tab are enticing.

[Kismet]

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is the VP pick for the Dems in 2024.

[old salt]

The Walz - Vance debates & their campaign shots against each other should be highly entertaining.

[njbill]

Don’t know much about this guy, but from what I know, I like the pick. I like Josh Shapiro, but his stance on Israel Palestine would be too distracting or worse. Would have hurt in Michigan.

Will be interested to hear why Mark Kelly didn’t get the job. Hopefully it’s nothing negative about him and perhaps was due to the Dems fearing losing his Senate seat in 2026.

[MDlaxfan76]

My son recommended this Pod Save America podcast video with Waltz.
Very liberal ex Obama aide doing the interview, see how he handles...the interview is about 46 minutes in. (if you're a conservative leaning person, you may wish to avoid the first 46 mins as it basically rips Trump/Vance etc... they're really smart guys, so if you want to understand that perspective, it's a good window) but see the interview of Waltz for Waltz..

Very entertaining and you gotta like this guy.
I think it answers the question of why Waltz is going to vibe so well with Harris yet with a striking contrast.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HfLac0R80Y

Seems to me that the Harris messaging should be that the Dems have a tremendous bench and it was super hard to narrow down the selections, she'd have been proud to have any of those vetted on the ticket with her, that they'd all have brought special qualities and she'd have had faith in their capacities to serve as President...however, she felt that she wanted a partner who could so superbly express a joyfulness in public service to the country that she feels as well. She wanted someone with both legislative and governing experience, effectively working across the aisle, a 'pragmatic progressive' as she sees herself, but with a midwestern and rural perspective that truly get's small town America.

You see that latter messaging in her announcement about Waltz's bio.

But watch the podcast, it's fun and you get an excellent feel for him.

[DMac]

He gets a thumbs up from me.

[a fan]

My son is headed to Banff in a week or so… can you recommend two spots for a nice drink? Thanks.

Just tell him to hit the Fairmont Banff. They have several bars in it....the "Rundle" is a patio, and is where you want to be this time of year. The main bar is as beautiful as they come. Nice selection of whiskies, too. And they make their own potato chips and french onion dip....sounds silly, but we could have had that for dinner it was so absurdly good!

Fairmont Banff view From ~15 years ago. Only problem with visiting in winter is that the sun sets early. When you get back from skiing the views are gone. Summertime view was amazing from the same bar. Had a wolf run across the fairway in front of us during a round of golf. Photos are like the grand canyon - they don't come close to doing it justice.



TLD - There is a gondola that has amazing views and there is a restaurant / bar at the top - https://www.banffjaspercollection.com/d ... ky-bistro/

Also, If he wants to have a fun dining experience, get the Exotic Fondue at https://banffgrizzlyhouse.com/

Yeah, we couldn't figure out how to take pictures, either! It's just.....like walking around in a postcard.

We'll be going every year, so long as the Banff Whiskey Festival keeps inviting me to speak, that's for doggone sure!

[Seacoaster(1)]

He gets a thumbs up from me.

Me too. Doesn't appear to have reinvented himself several times to appeal to this crowd or that crowd. Overall, a good guy, who likes his dog.

Story from 2019:

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2019/09/0 ... uppy-scout

More recent news about Scout:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/minnesota-go ... 48971.html