(Part 2) Best products from r/ottawa

Former city bike patrol officer here (for another city) who has done urban cycling in MTL, OTT and VAN who's hung out with bike messengers and other professionals of la bicyclette. Here's a bunch of advice in no particular order.

• Bike selection You want a road bike without any kind of gimmicky suspension as those weigh down your bike and sap the power of your peddling into the suspension, so I would not recommend a mountain bike. Especially given the heavy frame. You want a rigid frame that will transfer as much of the peddling you put into the road tires you have on large wheels (no mountain tires!). I'd recommend an aluminium frame over carbon fiber (too brittle/expensive) or steel (too heavy).
  
  
• Speeds You'll want as many speeds as you can get, 21 and up so that you can maintain as much as possible the same peddling speed (to avoid injuries, save energy and allow yourself to react better). Shifting a lot between your back cassette gears will be absolutely necessary in Ottawa, but the inclines here won't warrant using your front cassette too much IMHO. Get a good shifter that's quick and reliable. Get an aluminium chain to prevent rusting. Lube a lot, often.
  
  
• Accessories Don't have any kind of accessories (speedo, fancy lights, mirrors, etc.) on your bike unless they are permanently attached (screws) or reinforced with zipties to avoid thefts of opportunity. Keep everything on your helmet and yourself as much as possible. As bare a frame as possible basically.
  
  
• Urban camouflage go ham on reflector materials (I "distress" my bikes by putting a ton of reflection tape on it to make it distinguishable, visible, but hide the brand and make it look tacky). To avoid thefts mostly, but also to make yourself visible when biking between cars or when the weather is bad. If you can find reflective 3M duct tape, go nuts with that shit. You can also spray paint your frame (cover all the other parts) pink or some other colour before applying bits of tape everywhere to make it fugly. I call this the Millenium Falcon strategy.
  
  
• Lock holster Get an after market solution for your lock holster, I like this one because you can jerry rig it pretty much any which way and it works with most U-locks, it weighs nothing and it does not become brittle from sun exposure like some plastics. I'd remove your water bottle holders too and place the lock holster there.
  
  
• Bike locks After the bike, your priority purchases should be a helmet and VERY good lock. Even with a POS bike, get a good lock. I recommend either a kryptonite or an Abus lock. I prefer Abus locks as they are near impossible to pick without specialized picking gear, but kryptonite fuggetaboutit locks are pretty good too.
  
  Basically you want something that can't be pawned by a plummer's torch, a drill, hammer and flathead, a portable disk saw or a chain cutters within a 30 min time frame. You also want something that's easy to lock and unlock in a hurry, but can't be picked. At home you can add a chain (either a bike chain or save yourself money and get a zinc reinforced piece of chain at the hardware store that you can plastidip for half the price). Combined with a chunky padlock (most hardware store locks are garbagio, research yourself a good one) your bike should be good for stays outside that exceed 30 min. Always lock it the right way. The second lock is optional when you're doing under 30 min stops, but either method is good for overnight (I prefer method A, because I prefer a fixed front wheel (see my next point)). Any other locking method is wrong.
  
  
• Further proofing I would recommend having the quick releases on your wheels and seat removed to avoid theft/trolling and carrying your seat and wheel everywhere around with you. I'd also suggest replacing the screws you can with more exotic screw designs, but that might be overkill for Ottawa. Make sure everything is tight however and carry your tools on your person and not in a little pouch on your bike.
  
  
• Bike registration Register your bike with the cops if that service is still offered. They can burinate your bike and tag it. They'll give you a sticker. Put it on your bike to deter thiefs.
  
  
• Biking while carrying stuff I know messenger bags are trendy and Ubereats has these (ridiculous) backpack cooler thingies they give their people, but honestly, you want to avoid using a backpack to carry your load as much as possible. You can have a camel back to carry your water and your tools, phone personal gear, lights, but nothing else IMHO. The higher your weight on your bike the less control you have and the more prone you are to tipping over. It's also structurally easier on your bike if the weight is on the frame rather than on you.
  
  Having a heavy backpack also guarantees long term fatigue, injuries and chronic issues. Urban biking requires that you be more upright to remain aware of your surroundings and ready to react at a moment's notice. It's super stressful TBH so keep yourself nimble and aware as much as possible.
  
  
• Handlebar design Do yourself a favour and pick a smart handle bar design that will help you maintain an alert posture while in traffic while affording you various grips. I recommend, in this order, the following handlebar designs 1- Cowhorn 2- Mustache 3- Mountain 4- Trekking 5- Raised 6- Drop. I personally prefer mustache as you can easily convert any mountain handlebar into it with two horn appendages, for much cheaper, but cowhorns are more comfortable to be honest.
  
  I'd suggest distributing the weight on your bike in a 70/30 ratio where 70% of your weight and your load is on your back wheel and 30% of your weight and load is on the front. I'd thus recommend using a front and back rack like a cyclotourister. You can then either use ready made solutions or jerry rig some kind of setup that works for your loads. Your personal camel back should be a clown car of bungie cords. A basket on your handlebar will kill you, don't use it.
  
  
• Maintenance and modding your bike Find yourself a good bike shop if you can't handle the maintenance and customization of your bike, but in any case start educating yourself so that one day you're able to handle your own maintenance.
  
  
• Socks are important long and tall compression socks avoid your chain fucking up your pants/legs, keep you warm without bulk and are overall great for cycling in the city. Especially when they have integrated reflection. If its hot you can forgo them, but right now in September? yep, you want cargo shorts + long socks. If's its really cold add warm wool socks on top of your compression socks. Bring a minimal, portable top layer coat, ear coverage, grippy workman gloves and a balaclava in your camel back.
  
  
• Helmet spend on your helmet like a junky buying meth. comfy helmet = worn helmet vs uncomfortable helmet that's safer but never worn. Get something you forget you're wearing.
  
  That's all I can think of right now.
  
  I would recommend visiting my favourite bike shop in Hull, Cycle Bertrand. It's a mom and pops shop (or in this case a pops and pops shop). Their prices are stupidly good (for bikes and for maintenance) and they only sells bikes they personally like (their selection is limited to under 30 or so models, but they do not carry lemons and make themselves personally accountable for the stuff they sells). They are closed most of the winter and take every holiday you know off. They are clearly in it for their love of biking and not for money lol.
  
  The mechanic of the pair could probably customize you a bike based on what I've described for a very reasonable price. Both only speak french however, can be a bit grumpy, have ridiculous business hours and their website is old and outdated, but they are really effin' good mechanics, fast, and they charges a fraction of what the other trendier shops charge.
  
  MEC has good bike gear. Patronize them too.

I'd like to point out that the marketing of gyms always shows fit and healthy people using the gym. That's not the whole story, and I've always thought that the target audience is unfairly measured.

Gyms are there to help people start their goal of get fit and to maintain it. Don't think about the gym being only for people who are already fit. It's a great resource to get oneself to the level of fitness that they are happy with.

Suggestions:

• Call around and find a gym that offers a free session on sign-up. It's a great way to get comfortable with exercise, and they will help find what will be good for you.
  
  
• I find that audiobooks and podcasts are great. Not only can one accomplish a workout, but one can also take in a book, interviews, comedy, whatever. Many people are in their own world wearing headphones at gyms.
  
  
• Treadmills are great for improving fitness. Gyms are air conditioned in the summer, and heated in the winter. One can measure progress easier. Starting off slow and incrementing slowly over time is much easier to control with a treadmill. Also more time to get through that audiobook.
  
  
• Find a book with a plan to follow for both diet and workouts with which you are comfortable. I found this book to be very easy to understand but it demands a solid 3 mth commitment. The interesting thing is that the book is very open about how hard that commitment would be and very accurate when it comes to asserting that while the first couple of weeks will be difficult, that most certainly goes away and the groove sets in. The path becomes very easy to follow within a few weeks.

Most of the dogs come up from the US to groups locally, although possibly not directly in Ottawa. I used to have a retired racer, but that was in Vancouver and we drove down to Washington to pick him up. You could try flagging down an owner as someone suggested, or contact some of the local rescue groups http://www.adopt-a-greyhound.com/info.html or http://www.gracanada.com/. You can expect a bit of a process in adopting, as the groups will likely want to do a house visit and you would go through a meet-and-greet to get to know potential dogs before adopting. I totally recommend adopting a retired racer, but as with any breed, you have to look at your lifestyle and see if that type of dog fits. This book is a good primer, but the basis of it is that greyhounds are super calm, very sweet, and very sensitive, which is great, but the flip side of that is that they can have separation anxiety (so if you are out of the house 10+ hours at a time, it won't work well) and aren't as "dog" like as people are expecting, a lot of people are surprised that they have to always be on a leash unless it is a completely fenced in area. They pretty much want to sleep most of the day (preferably near you) and despite what people think, they are very low energy, but bringing them to an enclosed area to run briefly and some walks is all it takes. Good luck :)

I'm skeptical of populists of any stripe. I don't trust anyone who leads with " developers and corporate money are in charge at City Hall. " without providing any evidence. This is an easy yarn to spin, but if you're going to basically allege wide-spread corruption in local government, you should back it up with facts.

Other issues:

Proposes several new budget items without proposing how to pay for them. The only new proposed revenue source is a "mansion tax" on the top 1%. This is a seriously cynical way of appealing to Glebeites in the top 10% without actually threatening their livelihoods or doing anything to reduce inequality between the upper middle professional class and everyone else.

Supporting free public transit through his own ward without proposing a new tax increase to cover the losses. Users of other routes will end up subsidizing people who take the 6 and the 7.

His incoherent policy on housing supply. Menard both pledges to go out of his way to privilege the interests of "communities" over developers, to increase required inclusionary zoning, and to make housing more affordable. More money for public housing might alleviate poverty for those at the bottom in theory, but the city will still need to create the conditions for that housing to be built - it's likely going to be higher density and opposed by the same communities Menard plans to privilege. Furthermore, making it harder for developers to turn a profit makes it less likely they'll build new supply for those in the 30th percentile of income and above who will likely rent or buy on the private market. If an average person is finding themselves squeezed out of the housing market, they're more likely to try and take advantage of subsidized or public housing, thus pushing the truly poor out of the system and onto waiting lists. We need solutions for more affordable housing at all income levels, which Menard doesn't offer. Menard also advocates for stronger environmental standards in building construction, despite the fact this will likely increase the cost of owning/renting a home across the board. In his campaign video, Menard suggests it's "cynical" to suggest we can't pursue affordability and environmentally friendly homes, but this doesn't magically make the cost/environment trade-off disappear. Finally, Menard suggests charging higher fees to developper's outside the greenbelt. This fee increase will be passed on to prospective homebuyers, many of whom will have a greater incentive to move within the greenbelt. Unless there is a corresponding increase of housing supply inside the greenbelt, this will further push up demand and home prices.

Changing the rules to deprive TimberCreek of the ability to renovate their own properties and to provide better quality affordable housing. Again, his platform does not suggest he supports the creation of high quality affordable housing for the long-term.

Supporting the City's decision to force Immaculata high school to turn off their soccer field lights sooner without any legal authority to do so. Ottawa footy 7s invested in that field and now they can't even use it during standard operating hours because a few residents complained about noise.

Now that he's in office, maybe dealing with the constraints that come with governing will moderate his approach. We'll see. I look forward to the building of public housing in his ward near the mega-mansions on brown's inlet.

Just in having a look at Amazon.com, it looks like there are hardcover copies readily available at various price points. For example, you could get a new copy for $31.72 USD for the first book in hardcover (link), and the price goes down to about $20 for a 'good
condition book.

Another thing you could do is look at https://www.bookfinder.com/. It's not as 100% comprehensive as it claims, but it covers a number of used book sites.

If you could manage to get to Ogdensburg, it would probably be easiest and cheapest to order your books and ship them there. I didn't have a look at all of the books in the series, but if one can find the first book new in hardcover, I would imagine the results would be similar for the rest. Then you wouldn't have to worry about how used the used books are (although I've bought many a used book online without issue) and if you procure them from Amazon.com, it's from a major website, so the security for payment is as secure as one will probably get online.

If you were extra concerned and willing to make two trips, I would call to double check but I think the Price Chopper in Ogdensburg sells Amazon.com gift cards, so you could buy the gift card in store and then use the gift card online instead of a credit card.

Hope that helps! Best of luck.

Not a coffee maker, of which there are any number of great options, but the thing that's probably more important, a good grinder.

You need a burr grinder for the best coffee. For better coffee, this is the best single upgrade you can make, drip, press or moka pot.

My preferred grinder is the [Baratza Virtuoso] (http://www.amazon.com/kitchen-dining/dp/B000EG70IK). I've had one for years and it's a great performer for drip or press coffee. For a lot less, you can now get the [Encore] (http://www.amazon.com/Baratza-Encore-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B007F183LK/ref=pd_sbs_k_2). I've never used one - they weren't around when I got mine - but they get good reviews too.

Btw, both Grace in the Kitchen in Kanata and Paradis on Bank sell them in town

ahoy!

If you're finding it hard to make time for in person classes, there are tons of resources online that might suit you better for the time being. Youtube is an awesome resource, I really enjoy Aaron Blaise's channel but there are tons of other free lessons and tutorials available.

Tumblr is actually a really good place to find all kinds of art blogs/refs/tutorials. Even Reddit has some drawing sections where you can get critique from others!

Lynda.com you follow along with lessons and they provide working files you can can download.

FZD School of Design

Level Up!

Other than that just practice!
These books are a pretty good jumping off point if you want to just get a strong understanding of foundations.

Sorry for the long post, I likes me some drawing yar har :)

It looks like "Purple Urchin" has no certification. It looks like the only Canadian cosmetic organic certification available is from a private party, and it doesn't guarantee much. It certainly doesn't have anything to do with not including fillers or unnecessary ingredients. "Anything that is certified Organic[sic] justifies the trueness of it's[sic] ingredients" is straight-up nonsense. "Trueness"...?

It's not clear that there's anything wrong with "artificial additives." Many lab-created substances are quite good for the skin. In this thread you've recommended glycolic and salicylic acids, which are both generally synthesized products.

I don't think most people would buy cosmetic items that were free of preservatives; that sounds like a very bad idea for anything one isn't going to buy fresh and refrigerated and use up immediately.

Your answer really doesn't seem to mean anything or make any sense. Non-"organic" products are not going to be any more or less likely to have useful or useless ingredients than ones marketed as "organic."

"But those with active ingredients that are targeted toward the problems that you are experiencing ( the ingredients that would essentially "treat" acne in this context) don't include "fillers" or unnecessary ingredients" doesn't make sense. It would be one thing to be stumping for the use of, I don't know, shea butter as a moisturizer, and claiming organic farming processes produced a superior shea butter which gave better results on the skin. But effective acne treatments are things added as small percentages of a formulation; they require "fillers" if people are not interested in blistering themselves with pure acids, retinols, etc.

Below you've claimed oil of oregano is "an AMAZING active ingredient," but it appears there is no published evidence to demonstrate that that oil of oregano is effective for any medical condition.

The G.M Collin Active Exfoliant powder you recommend contains Plexiglas. It's probably a good product, but, you're talking out your ass through this whole thread.

(If anybody is interested in a recommendation for a clinic that has an actual dermatologist treating acne with lasers and chemicals, or places to buy active ingredients to make your own peels, serums, etc, PM away; I've spent money on this sort of thing to good effect, and did not deal with pseudoscience in the process.)

I am the brother. I bought one from amazon. Intex Challenger K1 Kayak, 1-Person Inflatable Kayak Set with Aluminum Oars and High Output Air Pump https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00177J4JS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_arbjDb5A3BAH0

The price is always around $90.00. Don’t be fooled by the scam sale. I love this thing so much. It is inflatable and fits into the bag in comes in. The bag is a big duffel bag. I kayak to work and I am able to keep it in my locker.
I absolutely love the freedoms this gives me. Without a car or a garage it is not feasible to keep a solid one. I keep it stored under my stairs in my condo. I have been out with it three times this week. Actually I really think it’s been three days in a row.
Like another poster said, don’t think you’ll win races, it’s pretty slow and I paddle up stream to work. It’s tough but I love a challenge. It gets me out and I’m able to switch things up and not go biking every day. I have spelt hours reclined in this thing reading and I love bragging to my colleagues that, ”I kayaked into work today.”
I have wanted a kayak for a long time but couldn’t handle the space so I never got one until I thought about getting one that could blow up. I searched on amazon and found this one. The reviews are really good. I was going to wait until this season to buy it but a freak sale came on late last summer. I don’t know why but it was listed for $26.00!!! How could I have resisted. Sometimes I see it at around $80.00ish but you never know when things are going to go on sale.
Make sure to check out the other options on amazon. Just type in blow up kayak.
Let me know if you want to go kayaking together someone! 👍

Second post because I went past the 10k character limit:

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>- [Temporary Foreign Worker Program Undergoes Major Changes
(C'mon in and stay!)] (https://www.cicnews.com/2016/12/temporary-foreign-worker-program-undergoes-major-changes-128744.html#gs.Ht7op4Q)

These are workers that already have employment, and have established social and economic ties in Canada. The 2011 provision by the conservative government meant that these workers would often have to leave the country and cut their social and economic ties in Canada. Employers using the TFW program would then have to seek out new workers, retrain them, and reintegrate them in Canada for another four year period -- expensive and unnecessary.

>- ["Canada has not received such a large number of immigrants (320,932) in a single annual period since the early 1910s during the settlement of Western Canada" (2016)] (http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/160928/dq160928a-eng.htm)

Not particularly a big deal if you consider what I've written above in my first point. This is a population increase of 1.2% and nothing correlated to any increase in unemployment.

>I'd like to point out how difficult it is to find even tangentially related sources for these points, because our government does not allocate any resources to gathering data that would contradict their objectives (suppress the middle class, lower the average quality of life, and exploit cheap 3rd world labour)

The government allocates tons of resources to gathering good data on immigration. We have an entire branch of government called Statscan that does exactly that. Have you thought about the fact that maybe it's not all just a conspiracy, and that immigration being positive on the whole is just a widely accepted economic fact?

I am curious though as to what makes you so inclined to believe modern immigration policy is this vast conspiracy perpetuated by all levels of government and academic institutions around the world. There's overwhelming evidence that it's positive, what motives would institutions and governments have to fudge economic data and analysis in favour of pro-immigration policy?

Anyway, if you're still really curious I implore you to explore /r/neoliberal a bit. It's a genuinely serious community of people that believe globalization, immigration, free-trade, and open-borders policy are societal net-positives. There's a lot of intelligent people there that can answer questions you might have from the opposing side probably better than I can.

And finally, I want to recommend a really good book if you have some free time to read: https://www.amazon.ca/Strangers-Gate-Peoples-First-Canada/dp/0802081177.

Just an FYI, I spend a LOT of time in the woods and put a lot of research into which leatherman to buy. Im so very happy I let a guy at Le Baron talk me into buying the Victorinox SwissTool RS. Its locking mechanism is way better IMO, the selection of tools is a little better, its got a much higher quality feel...all around just a way better product.

Does he spend time in the backcountry? Id highly recommend a Sawyer Mini. Pretty much the best filter you can buy. Can throw it right in line on a camel pack too. Super cool.

https://www.amazon.ca/HTML-CSS-Design-Build-Websites/dp/1118008189

HTML and CSS are typically complete different from JavaScript. I learned HTML and css first, but I see no reason why you can’t do concurrently. Just note JavaScript these days is pretty much using frameworks such as jQuery, Angular and React.js.

Regarding CSS being buggy, it’s something that just comes through experience and some stack overflow. I do use an IDLE such as Coda (for Mac) that helps me fill in the blanks for css.

Also, w3schools.com is my best friend.

Anyways hope that helps!

I was on the hunt for a stereo system so I can use my Satellite Radio (A $40 In-car & In-Home installation kit at a garage sale!). Was considering something really simple/free. Almost got a Yamaha receive for free(got beat to it by someone else). Was looking for something in the $100 range (not really an audiophile as well as not looking to spend a lot of money till work is consistent). Happened to see a Salvation Thrift Store nearby....went in and found these http://www.amazon.com/Craig-Electronics-CHT914C-Bluetooth-Technology/dp/B00EURR3BI For $8! They work great, a little worn, missing that 'round base' part but who cares. It works great, even Bluetooth works with my phone. Quite happy :)

Okay, if you really like Cutco's bread knife, all the power to you, but I'd like to give you an alternative point of view.

I actually have the Cutco bread knife. I bought it lightly used through Kijiji a few years ago on the cheap.

But last year I discovered America's Test Kitchen and started geeking out on their equipment review videos. Here's a link to their video about serrated/bread knives.

Last Summer I bought their winner, the Mercer Culinary 10 inch bread knife (currently $27 on Amazon.ca), and I must say I prefer it compared to the Cutco. The Mercer's handle is much larger and more comfortable; its serrations are wider and deeper, making for an easier experience cutting tough crusts and dense breads, which goes in line with ATK's findings.

I still have the Cutco and do reach for it on occasion for some basic breads, but overall I find the Mercer more useful.

There aren't really any places where lots could be built for cities. The best solution is to keep them off the roads and put them underneath the hospital buildings, even though that'll cost even more money to build.

In any case parking isn't a thing the city should be encouraging. This book makes a great case, but building parking is really expensive and already massively subsidized. It also encourages people to drive, and surface parking isn't just a blight on urban areas (inhospitable for people), but contributes significant to Urban Heat Island Effect).

I have this antenna:

https://www.amazon.ca/AmazonBasics-Ultra-Thin-Indoor-Antenna/dp/B01IN26Z5A

It is at a very good price, and an AmazonWarehouse deal so it will be in fine shape. I got mine from Amazon.COM a few years ago for more and am now tempted to buy this one if nobody grabs it, haha.

I have it on a second story wall, facing south, in Nepean and I get all Ottawa channels, plus PBS if the weather is right.

After a certain point, location and height matter more than the quality of the antenna. If you are in the city, don't really spend more than $50, it won't make a difference. use TVFool.com to see what channels you can get and where to point your antenna.

https://www.amazon.com/Chinese-Welcome-Bathroom-Outdoors-Entrance/dp/B079D663HJ

perfect floor mat for this thread

Available on blu-ray from Amazon 😂

https://www.amazon.ca/Shadows-Empty-Blazing-Magnum-Blu-ray/dp/B01AVMS8U0

You know we have an Amazon depot here now, right? $14 and here tomorrow. You are welcome.