Wow. Stephen Downes is quite right. There are a lot of thigs we do well. But in my view, winter isn't one of them. There's a company in Quebec called Chlorophyl that makes great winter clothing. Another is Kanuk. we make wonderful winter boots too. MEC is a wonderful company. What connects all three are the physical pecularities of Canada. There's a program at the U of Man. which does research on cold, particularly hypothermia. These are all elements based upon our day-to-day existence, which is quite different from many other countries. So why don't we have a Canadian Winter Institute, for example? A centre for the study of winter's effects and affects? AirBus and others fly into Canada to coldsoak their new designs before certification. Are they there just for the climate? I'd like them to be there for the expertise too. I think part of the reason we don't have a CWI is because we too infrequently look within our own predicaments to find opportunities. Yes, the Dash 8 is a wonderful and tough airplane. and its engines were designed and are built in Longueil, near Montreal. I think the PT6 family is the most successful turbine engine in history. And the Canadair RJ is a solid performer but rather lacking in space. Ironically, it was begat from the Canadair Challenger, a biz jet that was known as Fat Albert because of its girth. As for entertainment, I see it as a mixed bag. We've always had lots of great singers and bands. But government regulations helped get them airplay here and then their talent got them fame across the border. But really, English television entertainment in Canada is almost 99% American. That's why a lot of young Canadians think hoodies are warm (or cool). We may have lost sight of where we actually live. That CBC TV reality program called The Dragon's Den is a rip of that New York real estate guy with the limp hair and the vulgar taste in hotels and wives. In Quebec, most people watch their own television shows. And Quebec is quite a hive of innovation in many different areas, technological, and social. Is there a connection? I like to think so. My piece on proximity as the problem wasn't meant to diss our accomplishments, but to challenge us to understand that where we are is different from who we think we are. Why aren't we the world's leading experts on winter? Why don't we lead in the design of snow tires, for example? Why do we sell cars with windshield washer containers designed for people in Atlanta? Why do we tolerate the hidden windshield wiper, when it just fills with snow and freezes. As I said, in many cases I think it's because we've faced south so long our bums are frozen.