81 Replies to “January 30, 2019: Reader Tips”

    2. I was part of the crew that installed the first ANI at the Howard exchange in Toronto, to enable direct long distance dialing.

      1. I spent 20+ years in telecom. I remember pulling an old cord-board exchange out of the hospital in Walkerton in 1982, and installing a Mitel SX-200. Later, I worked at Cantel, and had one of the first ‘bag phones’ – a car phone with a brick sized battery that I could sling over my shoulder. We’ve come a long, long way…

    1. I have been mulling a thought. What if the Chinese try to reach across the Pacific and conduct a rescue (or other escape)? What then?

      1. I’ve speculated the same thing for weeks.

        I do wonder if CSIS or some special unit of the RCMP is also closely monitoring her.

        1. I’ve visualised the same. A black Chinese helicopter hovers over a jogging trail in Vancouver.

          Meng is hoisted up into the chopper as the two Canadian security officers try to get through to the Mounties. Before the call is answered, the chopper leaves and within minutes drops Meng on the deck of a covert sub that soon dives into the blue Pacific.

          As Trudeau receives the call in Ottawa, CBC is instructed to release the news that Meng is lost in Stanley park.

          Meanwhile, Meng is feasting with the crew of the covert sub. The menu?? Smoked Pacific Salmon, poutine and Okanagon merlot.

    2. The chicoms have invested hundreds of millions into Canadian universities. Our students are heavily involved in chicom 5G research.

      How do you think this will end? The Americans are vigorously opposed as our security apparatus is fully integrated. They cannot allow bongo to proceed with a chicom 5G network.

      Canada should stick it to the chicoms immediately.

  3. I remember one corner store here known as EDs who never got around to updating his sign. Not sure what the actual name of the store was but everyone called it EDs because the sign outside said “Phone: ED x-xxxx”

  5. I remember those named exchanges from the early 1960s. A few years later, that slowly gave way to the numerical system we use now.

    1. In Canada we had worked our way up to 7 digit phone numbers as the number of subscribers increased. As late as the early 70s small places like PEI had party lines and the phone numbers were un-dialable. One had to ask the Operator for a connection. The numbers were like 7R2 or 8R4 etc, with the “R” meaning “ring” (as in a bell). Yes, the Operators did it all. They were well paid and had to work 24 / 7 / 365 or 6. Many had the telephone exchange equipment in their own homes. Imagine that. Now how’s that for service! Ha!

      P.S. No, they were not supposed to listen in but sometimes they did and in fact were allowed to if it was an emergency call to the Police or Fire Department. This was for safety reasons in case the caller was too distraught and the called party couldn’t hear the distress call. In many cases they could be helpful in relaying the information.

      We have come a long way since those days.

      1. I’m 49 and I can remember making the switch from 5 number dialing to 7 number dialing in small town Saskatchewan. Rural families still had party lines into the 1980s or so as far as I can recall.

        1. Gee, I forgot all about the 5-digit dialing. When I was much younger, the phone numbers were named but all we needed were the 5 numbers. In the mid-1960s, that changed to the full 7 digits, which took a bit of getting used to.

          1. They went to 7 when they started to run out of numbers. In smaller towns the little green men at your phone company used to put what they called a ‘skip’ on the first 2 digits as long as the whole town had the same exchange, say ST for the numbers 7 and 8, for example.
            We haven’t gone to 8 digit phone numbers which might be the case some day, but not for a long time.

            For many years the second digit of area codes were either a 0 or a 1. When fax machines were introduced the phone companies introduced additional numbers from 2 to 9 as the second digit of the 3 digit code. British Columbia, for example only had the 604 area code, then later 250, 778, 236 etc with the introduction of cell phones. With new area codes created, more combinations of telephone numbers were available.

            Additional new equipment at the phone companies called SP-1 allowed for speed dial and thus the touch tone phone was introduced. The rotary dial is considered obsolete, it is too slow with cross bar tandem step by step dialing.

            We’ve come a long way with speed dial we now have to dial 10 digits to telephone the person across the street! Such is progress, and the fax machine is almost obsolete.

      2. The operator listened to emergency calls in case she had to put out a general ring signaling a general emergency response. With coal and wood burning appliances fire was a constant occurance.
        In our community some were against the introduction of dial service because you would no longer have that general ring feature.
        We had 10 parties on our line so you can imagine the limited time you would have to use the telephone and the complicated ring sequence required to service each subscriber with their own ring.

        1. “A general ring signaling a general emergency response.” I didn’t know that. It must have frightened the subscribers! How did one learn just exactly the details of who, what and where to go? Radio?

          My, that was a good service that they provided because the volunteer firemen would all get out to help put out a fire, for example, I suppose.

          1. How did one learn just exactly the details of who, what and where to go?
            Good question. I’m not sure but the operator would speak to those who answered the general call.
            I guess those who missed the general call just didn’t learn the operator had a message for them.

          2. Nancy, further to your earlier comment, the area codes were not randomly allotted. The largest and most important cities & states in the 1940’s were assigned the numbers that could be dialed in the shortest amount of time. One can figure out the city rankings at that time with this simple guide:

            1st digit: 2 to 9
            2nd digit 1 or 0 (0 = 10)
            3rd digit: 2 to 9

            Examples:
            – NYC: 212 = 2 + 1 + 2 = 5
            – SF: 415 = 4 + 1 + 5 = 10
            – Montreal: 514 = 5 + 1 + 4 = 10
            – Toronto: 416 = 4 + 1 + 6 = 11
            – Manitoba: 204 = 2 + 10 + 4 = 16
            – Alberta: 403 = 4 + 10 + 3 = 17
            – Saskatchewan: 306 = 3 + 10 + 6 = 19
            – Vancouver = 604 = 6 + 10 + 4 = 20

            This article touches upon this: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/area-code-logic-north-american-numbering-plan

          3. @12:47 reply to Robert W

            https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telephone_exchange

            This link above relates some history of the telephone exchange. There are some interesting photos as well.

            The North America Numbering Plan assigns all Area Codes. For example, East to West in Canada, Newfoundland is set to have an additional area code in 2023, it will be “879”. N.B. in 2020 will add “428”, Saskatchewan by 2022 will get “474” and B.C. will add “672” by May 2019. There are new ones set for USA as well.

            Additionally, the Bell System is an interconnected system with Network Systems divided into Regional Offices with zones scattered throughout North America. These Regional Offices is in turn controlled by the Network Organization Control Office, or N.O.C.

            The N.O.C commands telephone traffic overload to be rerouted via another regional machine, as needed. One may never know that in order to make a phone call connection, their call may be rerouted via another city in a remote area where “traffic” is slower.

            Traditionally the busiest days for the Network are holidays but Christmas and Mother’s Day top it all. Network Control personnel are on the job those days.

            All this and more, to get you through your business day or to get you through to your family, in real time!

    2. Yep, in Don Mills, we were “Hickory 5-5555” in the early 60’s. I was so disappointed when I was told it was “445” now… where’s the romance in that?

      1. I was watching the movie Out of the Past a few weeks ago and I noticed one of the characters placing call using the named number. (As an aside, OOTP, with Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer as well as a young Kirk Douglas, is a terrific film noir.)

  7. https://youtu.be/UPrixYOTNHw
    The info given, lists different songs about telephones. They for got this one, from 1972 by Dr Hook …

    ” Sylvia’s Mother says Sylvia’s trying to start a new life of her own.” Then that poor caller says “Please Mrs Avery, I just gotta talk to her” then the damn operator wants another 40 cents….

    Well it’s enough to break a girl’s heart. The guy’s spending his money and can’ t talk to whom he wants, gets stuck with the mother! Golly!

        1. Would you believe Connie Smith is 77 years old, still looks great and still performs.
          BTW she’s married to Marty Stuart and that’s his band behind her.

    1. Nike holy war, now!
      Sounds like someone did it on purpose so they can have a recall and the company can resell the shoes back in their own country:

      Sign Say: Fo Salle One Dalla

    2. The Shia and Sunni muslims have been killing each other for 1400 years. Surely that is an insult to god if not Muhammad.

    1. Both AOC and Kamala Harris are too far left. Their agendas are what is dooming this country.

      Tonight’s Laura Ingraham Show on FNC they were discussing the ‘New Green Movement’ as being too costly on the USA. It would mean a job loss of 7.2 million people. At present the US economy is the gold standard around the world. Why would they change that?

      Way back Rona Ambrose said the same thing. Friggin country. Stephen Harper didn’t fight the last election hard enough.

      1. I agree Harper didn’t fight hard enough for one reason, he didn’t think the people of this country were stupid enough to vote for the Liberals with their front man Trudeau. The lesson learned here is never underestimate the stupidity of the average voter.

        1. The vote was rigged.

          They use dead people’s names, print extra cards, democrats come by the busload to vote here. What we need is voter I.D.
          I have been writing here, too often, that I wondered about Trudeau’s visit to Chicago last February. Did he bring David Axelrod some cold hard cash to arrange for the busloads, for the upcoming election? Do we need to implement a rule for a purple inked finger, after someone has voted?

          It is for good reason that there is no voter reform. It’s rigged.

          1. “The vote was rigged”
            I agree with this. But the media and Elections Canada are not interested. What happened to Joan Crockett’s report which I believe uncovered problems. There was also a lot of foreign money that went into anti-Harper quasi-political activities — like community talks claiming an anti-science agenda. Who paid for those? These were happening during the election. The publicity re where to cast your vote was also helped by foreign dollars. Where are Maude Barlow the Council of Canadians? Perhaps they need to change their name to Council of Leftists.

      2. I agree. Rona was right. Trudeau is literally destroying Canada’s resource industry in four year term.
        See Ontario John’s comment below about TransCanada pulling out of the LNG project in BC. I think that there are no projects on the go anywhere in Canada. Maurice Strong’s and Gerald Butts’ dream come true.

        AOC and Kamala Harris want to replicate the Venezuelan experience. Oh to be sure, they will get it right this time.

      1. I disagree Jay. Why, what makes you think he is nuts? With respect, give us an example to qualify your statement.

    2. “HRC will have a fit if Pelosi beats her to the Presidency” — so would much of the country. Even many of those who dislike Trump would not view this as legitimate.

  13. My old number started with 27 = CR. When you gave someone your number it was crescentx-xxxx. At first it was a party line where you could hear your neighbours conversation. Then the technology improved such that you would just get a busy signal if your neighbour was using the line. My grandparents and some other relatives lived in a small town in northern Ontario. For the longest time you only needed to dial the last 4 digits.

    Now Apple has an issue where your buddy can listen in on you even if you don’t answer on facetime or whatever it’s called.

  14. Toronto Sun reports that Google listed Omar Khadr as a Canadian soldier and hero. Of course leftists in Canada are upset that Scheer brought attention to this listing. Scheer is obviously Islamophobic.

  15. Another major victory for Trudeau, whiny indians, leftists, environmental terrorists, and the Tide Foundation. Trans Canada Pipelines is pulling out of the LNG project in B.C. that the NDP government is so proud of. It is selling its shares in the project. Meanwhile Big Chief Pam was on the CBC last night demanding more free stuff for indians.

    1. Is there a Nobel Prize for the efforts of how a sitting Prime Minister of a country can destroy a country in one term?

      1. Ya, latest ‘drop’…is millions of dollars in student loans forgiven …too lazy to go after the students! It’s too paternalistic, only something old people used to do, we young buck Liberals don’t do that because its 2019.

        Chuck twooey, spit! This blasted idiot government. One term…yes it better be, we need some sanity.

        1. That is close to theft in my view. Can we get a refund on student loans we scripted for years to pay back? I think that should end the student loan program. Why would anyone pay back?

  16. Wow, Hitler and Stalin were just novices when it comes to banning stuff. The Frankfurt School finally has a number of candidates running for POTUS in 2020.

    “Kamala Harris believes the state can ban at expense of your personal freedom: private health insurance, your car, affordable energy, political speech, your guns, for-profit colleges, and government office holding for practicing Catholics.”

    http://thefederalist.com/2019/01/29/kamala-harris-is-an-authoritarian/?utm_source=The+Federalist+List&utm_campaign=0643df672c-RSS_The_Federalist_Daily_Updates_w_Transom&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_cfcb868ceb-0643df672c-84055819

    1. I don’t think Amercans will go for this. She should think about replacing Trudeau instead.

  17. New Book Says White Parents Should Hurt Their Kids Because Of Racism

    When Gillette is lecturing you about how to behave, you know things have gone too far. The only result of this decades-long Marxist campaign is more outrage at good people.

    According to many on the left, I am supposed to teach my son of the repressive nature of his existence as he develops. I am to tell him at every turn to sacrifice himself to others for the transgression of being himself. This thinking is not only intellectually pitiful, but also profoundly evil.

    http://thefederalist.com/2019/01/30/dont-sacrifice-your-children-for-the-greater-good-of-political-correctness/?utm_source=The+Federalist+List&utm_campaign=0643df672c-RSS_The_Federalist_Daily_Updates_w_Transom&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_cfcb868ceb-0643df672c-84055819

  19. How will this mess the Butts Liberals have made with China and the US end with such incompetent twits at the helm? This has to be the worst yet.
    We are being played for what we are, stupid, we voted for it. It appears Conservatives might allow another term for the stupids, Conservatives are so good at blowing it, they wrote the book. Those who do not like the cut of Scheer’s jib will vote for Mad Max, and he did go away mad, which will allow the Liberal cabal to continue their romp to change the face of this country and all we were built on.

    1. Exactly correct, Liz J. Our intention in backing Mad Max is to keep the Liberals in power so that they will destroy the country totally and we can burn the whole edifice down to the ground and build it back up again the correct way with only us blue eyed people in charge. The brown eyed people will have to go as will the green eyed people. We haven’t yet decided on the hazel eyed people and the one eyed people.

    2. Except that Max was angrily told to get out by the Dairy Queen.

      As I told one candidate here that half heartedly tried to put the blame all on Max, part of leadership is managing the people you have around you, and Harper seemed to manage Max just fine.

      Where conservatives really seem to fail is by being too inclusive in the party leadership rules, and getting stuck with a non conservative leaders by leftists who have no intention of voting for conservatives manipulating the leadership vote. That is how we got Joke Lark, the Dairy Queen, and Canadas most socialist premiers in AB.

      I love the country, have no animosity towards any region in it, but I am recalling all those pre-flight safety briefings saying to make sure your own mask is secure and the oxygen is flowing before attempting to assist anyone travelling with you.

    3. Liz, I live in Alberta. I want Canada to burn. Canada deserves it. I won’t be voting for Mr.2%, or madmax either. My vote is parked.

  20. I remember being in England in the ’90’s and the phone numbers where the name of the local exchange plus a five digit number. IIRC You had to memorize the number of the local exchange or look it up in a book. The local phone book would would say something like “Ashbury 12345”, then you had to figure out what the Ashbury dialing code was. Very strange.

    1. try hong kong phone books ca 1990.
      NO listing by business type. gotta know the business name already, then look up the #.
      chirese are the most cheapskate race in the galaxy.

  21. I have a wall phone (Bakelite) version of the one in the vid.

    It works. The problem is it’s not wireless- no hands free you have to sit beside it…..

    1. According to the Antiques Roadshow, “Bakelite” jewelry is valuable.

      Back in the 70s my neighbor once needed a new wire for her similar old phone, like the one in the video, a desktop style. The repairman wanted to replace the whole phone. When she refused, he offered her $40-50. She still refused his offer. It was a lot of money to refuse. They were / are well built phones, unlike the junk that we have today.

      1. In addition about the trade amount …
        The repairman’s offer of about $50 would be worth $315.88 in today’s dollars. Considering that in those days Bell owned the phone, not my neighbour, the guy was a fair and decent sort to just give her what she wanted, just the new wire. He could have insisted that his Company compelled him to take the old phone away. As it was, there was no charge for the cord replacement.

        315.88 was

        1. The cord has been replaced on mine. It plugs into a standard phone jack. People are surprised when it rings. Yes you can dial out.

  22. This mornings trophy to Liberal hypocricy..
    Election Interference.
    We get a “high Power” bureau set up to monitor election interference..
    From the people who owe their election to foreign moneys flowing in ,to finance their campaign and to spend large on badmouthing,slandering and attacking their opposition.

    Looks to be a repeat of “Elections Canada” who are so partisan in their protection of our elections ,that I am surprised the opponents to our progressive comrades have not been declared in- eligible to run.
    Foreign interference?
    Oh dear what are Tides Canada,Greenpeace,WWF and all these other money launderers to do?
    Oh right”register with the Liberal Bureau” and carry on as normal.

    But if any USA free speech supporter dare donate to a promoter of saving the same here,Elections Canada can be counted on,along with the HRC’s and now the Bureau of Election Interference.

    1. The other 48% are going to regret coming here.

      52%? Wow that ought to be enough to “impeach” Justin Trudeau. The word should be “throw the bum out!”

  25. January 30, 2019 at 4:07 pm

    Turns out none of the DATA being used for the last 25 years by the UN IPCC and all the Governments who have been spending Billions on this Fraud and the CARBON TAX SCAM none of the DATA has been audited in 25 years. Here is the audit from an Aussie Researcher. Will useless Scheer challenge Trudeau on behalf of tax payers? https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2018/10/07/damning-audit-climate-change-scare-based-on-unreliable-data/?fbclid=IwAR1-nGGpGJJpmf0H-pSqctNFNbSZQpQJAMohDgtD8P2KH1zHT3y8gL4n0kY

  26. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Graham_Bell_National_Historic_Site

    There is a Bell Museum in Baddeck, Nova Scotia, opened in 1954.

    Some of you may have seen it, there was also a very interesting Bell Pavilion at the Montreal World’s Fair back in the day at Expo 67.

    It was Thomas Edison who suggested one say “hello” upon answering the telephone. Bell wanted people to say “ahoy.” Wonder what he would’ve suggested instead of “bye?”

  27. Good news for Toronto. Groper is burning jet fuel again tomorrow. He is heading for Milton for another of his propaganda town hall meetings. Women and potheads will be pestering him for selfies and journalists will be drooling on his funny socks. And the National Post has the story on a black Liberal Party MP ranting about white supremacy at the Robbie Burns dinner put on for MPs.

  28. In my collection of vintage items I havea yard stick from Central Hardware, Golden, BC, Prop: W G Hare-Carter.
    Phone: F-13, Mr Hare Carter was instrumental in founding the Legion in Golden after WW1.

  30. Like an election commercial about soldiers in the streets?
    ————————————————–
    …Wednesday morning several Liberal cabinet ministers convened a press conference to announce what they’re doing to do combat “fake news,” disinformation and foreign interference in the upcoming federal election.

    https://ottawasun.com/opinion/columnists/furey-be-wary-of-liberal-plan-to-police-fake-news-during-the-election/wcm/c3d67a28-d11a-4d26-a06f-5e6f6229d025

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