Anyhow, thank you and you have yourself a wonderful day! By-the-way, utilize some solar; even up there it can be used quite well to offset energy costs.

Yes, I AM a determined fellow. Last year, at this time through Decembemer, even into the early part of this year, circumstances and people did in fact knock the stuffing out of me. But, I keep on trudging along; and I have to as there's no one to get help from really and I'm not the type to accept handouts. Loans are one thing, handouts are another story completely. I listen to music, give out advice to others here and elsewhere [from improving fuel economy to some {can't give it all out} computer and energy saving information], and continue to try to learn something new; and check out some of the beautiful women and things in life, and there's much beauty out there. At times though, it's been insufficient!. Wish I did have more to work with though; as I'm sick of some telling me that 150 to 300 mpg vehicles are impossible to get on the road that are practical.

I'd love to see Canada in-person, but that may never happen and will definitely have to wait. Still want to see more of the US, but that'll have to wait too. I'm having horribly difficult times down here financially speaking, homeless for over a year straight now, still trying to find a place cheap enough to stay in, saving money where I can, etc. I was out of work for almost two years [20 months], spent almost all my savings, investments drained down to almost nothing, no unemployment benefits, etc. It was and still is rough, but, one day, it'll be better and maybe I'll be able to see the beauty of Canada, from BC to Quebec, and where ever else I choose to go. It would be nice to travel a bit again.

"America's spending seems to be a bottomless pit. The U.S. will hit the wall eventually and the reverberations of such recklessness will be felt throughout the world. " Good post! I think I need to vacation up that way someday!

thank you much.

Can you please tell me what you're paying per litre for regular and premium gas? I will be up in Ontario next week. Thanks

If BP fund payments are replacing wages then yes they are taxable income. Just like your wages or my wages are taxable. There is absolutely NO reason for them not to be taxable. But some of the payments that are not for wages will NOT be taxable.

Please become my Gas Buddy.

Way to respond to OGW.

My comments were meant for a couple of posters who had lambasted me for suggesting that the US needs to try to keep as many jobs as possible, particularly when we are losing hundreds of thousands of jobs each month thanks to this economy and the total lack of response by our current administration. These particular posters were Canadians who accused me of being focused on our problems and indifferent to other countries, particularly Canada. I felt they were a bit sensitive, so I took this opportunity to suggest that it was appropriate for each country to be concerned about their own job situation and to suggest that being concerned about your own countries problems was not being insensitive about others. And, I am familiar with the free trade agreement.