Dolla' dolla'....coin?

Oh hi!

So apparently, I dropped the ball and forgot that it was my turn to update the blog. That's why you've seen the same entry for the past two weeks. And while Nick's entry on Pokemon was awesome, it does not justify my behavior. Me and my hamster friend Wallace have only this to say.

Wallace brought you forgiveness flowers

Well, since that's out of the way, I just have a small thought to share with you today. Today's entry is about Canada, because I have no creative energy. All my mental energy is dedicated for the moment to things like calculating if a photon wavelength will have enough energy to cause a plate of sodium to emit electrons. It's way more fun than it sounds. Just kidding.

Specifically, I wanted to talk to you all about the currency here in Canada. Now, except for a few of my friends up here, I'm going to assume most of the Loitrons are American. With this in mind, I'm fairly certain most of you didn't know that Canada does not have a dollar bill. Instead, we have these two things.

Dumb and Dumber: Canadian style

This is the Canadian one-dollar and two-dollar coins, but everyone calls them the loonie and the toonie. It's because the bird on the loonie is called a loon, but that doesn't make the name any less stupid. Now I like Canada. I guess I should, being Canadian and all. However, I hate these two coins with a fiery passion that consumes my entire soul. Gotta love that totally original passion/fire metaphor.

Imagine you walk up to a Canadian eating establishment, intent on purchasing a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese, because nothing says a hearty meal quite like 760 calories and 48 grams of fat. You have a 10 dollar bill, and the total comes to, say, $5.45 or something(you're not getting fries and a drink because you're watching your figure. Good for you!). Well, put away your wallet, because your change is going to be entirely coins. That's right. You have to carry change around! I find this terribly inconvenient. In America, you dump all your change into the tip jar or throw it at homeless people. But in Canada, that's cash money! You can have 5 coins, and if they're all toonies, that's $10! $10 that weighs WAY more than 10 one-dollar bills, and doesn't fit in a wallet. It's ridiculous. The coin purse is not part of the American dream! Apparently Canadians don't believe in freedom! In order to protest this disgusting excuse for currency, I make sure to spend my coins as soon as possible. I don't think it's very cost effective, but it sure feels like liberty.

Pictured: Liberty