Conference kaosws::canada

    Wow, a snow blower with a bagger, what a great Idea. I have never
    heard of that offered down here in the States. (yes, we do get snow
    in Mass.,maybe not quite so much) 
    
    Are these bags vented like a lawn mower bag? I would also think
    they would be very heavy to move once they are full.
    
    You are kidding aren't you? I just blast the snow to each side of
    my 350' driveway.
    
    Jim

    I don't think Pat is kidding.
    
    	I understand that the availability of SNOW BAGS has become quite
    a going concern here in Canada. It seems that more and more Canadians
    are deciding to mulch their snow because they find the bags to be
    a bit impracticle, if you get my drift......  So because of the
    drop in demand, the snow blower industry has decided to phase out
    the snow bags. Soon snow bagging will become a thing of the past.
    
    	Who ever heard of a vented snow bag?? Not too useful for those
    powdery snow falls.
    
    Glenn

    
    
    I personally will miss the SNOWBAG feature on my Sear's 5 HP rear
    bagger model if bag become obsolete. I have save a considerable
    amount of money on my water bill in the summer by simply storing
    my bags of snow in the backyard till the summer. Then in the summer
    I use the bag full of water now, to water my lawn and garden.
    
    	I must point out to anyone wishing to do this,that you should
    not mix your driveway snow with the snowbank that is left by the
    snowplow at your entrance. I learned the hard way the first year
    I tried this and ended up with a pre-salted vegetables in the summer.
    I suppose there could be some possible markting value here, but
    the city would have to use a more refined salt. I any case, to be
    guaranteed a full supply of SNOWBAGS for the next 10 years, you
    can be sure that I will by up all store quatities in my area before
    I tell you were to get some. (SORRY but it's a DOG eat DOG world out
    here in SNOW COUNTRY.)
                                                       
    
    
    Dirty_Pierre_the_snowbagger_bandid
    
    

    Re .0
    	I also have a Mastercraft 8HP Snow Blower.  I got the -BF model,
    	(for use in <0C weather).  
    
    	I've used both the disposable, (which by the way are also available
    	in the 20 litre size), and the reusable.  I've gone back to
    	the reusable.  The way I see it, the disposables are for sissies.
    
    	Peter

    Where have you guys been this past year??  Haven't you heard about
    the recycling program that is offered for the city of Ottawa and
    Nepean (unfortunetely Kanata doesn't have it yet)?  The city will
    supply to you a large blue container (larger than the one you presently
    use for paper and glass recycling) that you can use for your snow.

    During the regular trash pickup, a special truck will pick up your snow
    and take it to a local ski resort.  The ski resorts, who are becoming
    more enviromental-oriented are buying this snow instead of investing
    into larger artificial snow-making equipment.  Mt. Pakenham and
    Calabogie Peaks are currently doing this.  Vorlage, on the Quebec side,
    is considering it but will have to resolve the issue of transporting
    snow across interprovincial borders for commercial use.  

    Canadian Tire has developed an attachment that will fit your
    Mastercraft snowblower that will pack the snow into a bail and `throw'
    it through the same opening as where you would put the snow bag.  The
    containers are designed to hold up to 3 bails each.  For your driveway
    (.0), I would suggest that you get a few containers.

    This is a much more reasonable alternative to your snow bags since
    it is cheaper in the long run (only need to but the attachment) and you
    will be able to sleep nights knowing that your snow is not being wasted
    away in a snow dump and is instead greatly improving the skiing
    conditions in the area.

    Eric

    P.S. The only disadvantage to this recycling system is that you will
    have to separate the `clean' snow from the yellow snow.  They don't
    recycle yellow snow.  Also, you will have to make sure you don't
    salt your drive or walkway.

Thanks for the replies fellas, but I still need a supplier.  One
suggestion was that I could use a HAY BAG which is a viable solution.
A word of explanation is probably required here about HAY BAGS:

	You have probably noted that increasingly farmers are using
round bales now instead of the older rectangular bales (which require
barns in which to store them).  The round bales are stored outside
at point-of-use, and should be protected from the elements and the
damp ground.  Thus, the introduction of the HAY BAG.  Each bag is
made of 5 mil white polyethylene, about 15 metres in length and
about 1 metre in diameter.  The farmer just rolls each round bale
into the bag (placed lengthwise on the ground) until it is full.

	To me this is an alternative to the standard SNOW BAG, but
it may be my only solution, and it has the following advantages:

	It can store more snow without moving and removing the bag, the
bag could be placed on the property for use in the spring and summer
for lawn watering and to fill my swimming pool, it's white, and because
of it's 5 mil thickness it could also be used as a condom for moderately
large leviathons (or normal sized Canadians).

	But seriously, people of middle earth, where are the suppliers?

Still holding the bag,

Pat

    Dear Pat,
    
     If you could wait a few more weeks, preferably until the snow starts
    flying out here, I would have a constant supply of bags of snow
    for you. In fact I will gladly become your supplier of snow. In
    fact you can come and harvest bags of snow from my walkway, driveway,
    front step etc. My parents have a laneway that is almost 3/4 of
    a mile and I am sure that you can bags and bags of snow from their
    place as well as mine. In short, if its bags of snow you want...
    
    
    
    Er, whats that,
    
    You said snow bags??????????????
    
    Aw, nuts, and I thought I was going to be getting rid of all those
    bags of snow I've been saving these past years.

    Pat,
    
    Since you are stuck with the idea of using those silly bags, I checked
    with a friend of mine in the States.  Here is his response.
    			**********************
    
Eric,

	I'm sorry, here in the states, only rear-mounted snowbags WITH
Velcro are legal.  

	Personally I use my Army surplus flame-thrower.  It will deal with
the snow AND keep all the little kiddies off your property.  Just think,
no more Frosty the Snowbagman. Or is it Snow bagman?

A.

>>I'm sorry, here in the states, only rear-mounted snowbags WITH
>>Velcro are legal.  

Eric, isn't that typical, eh?  I mean 'rear-mounted with Velcro'!!  Those
guys are real wimps.  I bet he likes quiche as well!

But using a flame-thrower as a snow-removal device is definitely illegal
in Almonte since it has been known to kill a locally endangered specie
of the snow snake.  Generally, it resides in snow drifts and is very
rarely seen (when was the last time you saw one, eh?).

As far as we in Almonte are concerned, we no longer speak of Frosty, as
he has definitely been identified as a cannibal.  Apparently, he was caught
eating snowballs!!

By the way, the next time Andy is in Canada he should pay penance by laying a
wreath of macram� snowballs at the tomb of the unknown snowman.  No one
should be allowed to use 'rear-mounted with Velcro' snow bags!!

Must shovel off,

Pat

re: All

You guys mean to tell me that with the new Free Trade in effect (it is,
isn't it?) between the Great White North and US, along with this past
Summer's drought in the U.S. Midwest, that no one $$ capitalized $$ on
the situation with all that bagged snow you have left over from last
Winter?

I'm surprised no one from Texas jumped on this, now that I think of it.

Kip

ps - How ya doin', Jim K., (The Mad Weldor...)?

    They could also sail the bagged snow down to Texas via the ocean.
    
    
    Jim
    
    Hi Kip.
    
    NO free trade yet........I had to pay duty on some bagged snow I
    bought back last week.....

Perhaps this is one way to reduce the trade deficit; ship the
bagged snow to Saudi Arabia in return for oil! Can you immagin
huge barges of bagged snow being towed up the St. Lawrence and
across the pond?

cal hoe

Snow bags have become an important part of the US Presidential electiion.
According to the news media last night, Gov. Dukakis is jumping on the
bag wagon and will be introducing a bill in the state legislature to
institute universal-bag-care for all citizens of the state.  All citizens
will be entitled to a quota of so many bags per season, regardless of race,
creed, color, or sex.  In addition, this will allow the government to control
the quality and use of the bags to insure equality for all.  He hopes this
program will be a standard for the nation and will snow blow away his
opposition to the Presidency.

The Selectmen of my town (Massachusetts) also feel that snowbags are the
solution to their problem about our town dump.  It seems my town is running out
of room in the landfill, and the Selectmen feel that by bagging snow, the
citizens can continue to meet their quota of so many bags per family, but the
snow will melt due to heat from the composting of the garbage in the dump, and
this will leave room for more bags to be left at the dump.  They are concerned,
however, that they may have to wire the dump with heating coils to help melt
the snow.

Allen

    
    Hi
    
    I too have had such problems with my snowblower. Since I live much
    further south, I operate my blower without a bag. There was a time
    when I actively used the bags but discontunued thier use because
    of enviormental concern as well as the difficulty in getting them.
    Some of the sources that I was pointed towards but did not persue
    were; the Goodyear Tire Company and Fuji. While Goodyear has been
    in the business for years there are some that are just getting into
    bag making because of the large percieved market (Fuji is one of
    these). The problem that you might have with Goodyear is that might
    only make English measurement sizes (non-metric). 
    Now I would like to address the enviornmental issues in using snowbags
    Snowbags are becoming an increasing hazard in the enviornment because
    of careless use and past parctices. Not long ago a snowbag was washed
    up on a beach in Boston harbor. People nearby were almost injured
    when the bag broke open. Who knows what will happen to these people
    in 5, 10, or 20 years form now. They may die. An investigation is
    being launched to see who was responsible for the irresponsible
    disposal of this snowbag, though they may never be found because
    there were no markings on the bag. Eariler this year, one of the
    Whale watch boats reported a whale a snowbag caught on it by its
    fluke. These are just some of the signs of the rising tide of snowbag
    pollution. Just putting then on a barge and shipping some place
    else is no longer a solution. Third world contries are turning these
    ships of doom away in increasing numbers. A North African country
    has stopped accepting snowbag barges because of the dammage it was
    doing to the country. I think the country is Libya and there are
    reports of trees growing around a snowbag dump site in the desert.
    If you must use snowbags, please do so in a responsible manner.
    Don't think that the problem will just go away after you dispose
    of the snowbag. Thanks. 

    Hi:
    
    I read in the Globe and Mail the other day that the United States
    Gov't is considering placing snowbags on one of the upcoming shuttle
    flights in the hopes that they can "place the snowbags in a decaying
    orbit around the earth". The thinking here being that the snowbags
    would burn up upon reenty into the atmosphere.
    
    Can anyone else comment on this? 
    
    Ron!

RE: .15

The shuttle flights have been delayed so many times recently that I haven't
been keeping up with all the latest scuttlebutt.  Interesting, though.

The Russians, being the smart-niks that they tend to be, have already sent
out an experimental satellite-load of snowbags that'll orbit the sun and
return to earth with the hopes that the sun's thermal energy will melt the
snow, thereby yielding precious, nearly-pure water that can then be used in
drought-stricken areas of the Soviet Union.  If there is enough, some of
it may possibly be used for turning the Black Sea from salt water to fresh
water so they can set up resort areas for all those capitalistic Ruskies
that'll result from all that restructuring they're alledgedly going through.

If all goes well, it's scheduled to return to earth sometime early in the
next century because that Siberian snow is rock-hard.  We'll have to wait
and see.  (What they do with their used crude snowbags, I have no idea.
Afghanistan, maybe?)

Kip

Is not funny, when silly American capitalists suggest that glorious
Motherland is sendink peoples snow into cosmos.  Many heroes of 
Revolution is sprayink hard bits of snow with black paint and is puttink
into little glass jars.  Great Soviet Republic then is sellink to
silly American capitalists and their lackeys as caviar!

Stick that in your dovdonya!

Dovda danya,

Comrade Patrova

    Since when does one need *fresh* water for a resort area? The Black
    Sea area is already a Soviet resort area, as are Florida, California,
    the Bahamas & mostly all of the Caribbean, etc, etc. All salt water.
    
    Scooter_from_Canada's_Ocean_Playground_(N.S.)

    How much to "our friends south of the border" pay for their snowbags
    on average? Here in Canada the gov't has put a new tax on our snowbags
    bringing the price up another %5.0. I would like to know if it is
    worth driving down to Buffalo for a snowbag trip or just pay the
    extra dollars and stay home.
    
    Ron

    If you are environmentaly minded, you'll stick with the 'Canadian'
    snow bags because they are bio-degradable unlike their 'American'
    counterpart. Soon the Northern U.S. states will be in a serious
    quandry over what to do with the mile-high piles of used and nearly
    indestructable snow bags. Bill SB-56 passed in Parliament last fall
    requires all snow bags to be bio-degradable in order to protect
    Canada's environment. If you take a trip down to the local snow
    dump, you will not see vast piles of plastic snow bags rustling
    in the wind as is the case with the snow dumps south of the border.
    I am sure everyone will agree that Canada has come up with an 
    environmentaly sound 'Snow Bag Policy'. 
    
    Snow bags are here to stay people so let's work at it instead of
    hitting the sack!!!
    
    In true containment,
    
    Glenn 

I've been getting my snow bags at Spags, the only place in New England where
everything of value and importance can be found.  For you northerners, Spags
is a local store owned by a short, chubby man who wears a big cowboy hat.
He walks around his store and watches people buy things.  I saw him once.
He has filled up his parking lot with 18-wheeler-type trailers and uses them
for storage.

Last week there was an ad in the USA Today for a "Snow Bag Maker Machine".
You feed it plastic garbage bags (without the garbage of course), turn the
crank, and out comes snow bags of any texture and thickness that you want.
It has an option to make ventilated bags.  The nice thing about the machine
is that you can also use it to make pasta.

I'll report back when mine arrives and I've tried it out.

Allen

    	Now who ever heard of a ventilated snow bag??? Get real will
    ya??!!!
    
    Glenn

>>..."Snow Bag Maker Machine"...
>>The nice thing about the machine is that you can also use it to make pasta.

Allen:

	That's terrific!!  How much is this sucker??  Could any pasta maker
work?  Maybe I could use my espresso coffee maker with the appropriate
adapter.

Pat

Well, Glenn,

According to the article in USA Today, the ventilation is to give you
freeze-dried snow so it will take up less room in the bag and be lighter
to move around.

Pat,

The bag maker lists for $15.99 (US) + $39.38 VAT.  I'll post the address
if I can find the ad.

Allen

    Ron,
    Careful coming down over the border to buy your snow bags. A
    few weeks ago I was crossing in Albany and the car in front of me
    was checked (I mean really checked) My family and I watched in horror
    as they took the car apart. They found some sort of box in the trunk
    and ripped the end off of it. Well, the border guards hauled the
    driver, his wife and there two small children off in handcuffs! (the
    little girl slipped right of hers and started to run, but they caught
    her by the hair) Anyway, the guard that found the box in the trunk,
    just looked around and walked over to a car in the parking lot and
    put the box in the trunk along with many other boxed allready in
    the trunk. 
           My family and I didn't really think much of the incident
    of the box, but thought they were a little rough on the family in
    the car. You see, we don't use snow bags in Mass. and I didn't know
    what they confiscated till I read this file. So be careful around
    this time of year, or tell them at the border that you are going
    to bag leaves, (now, what a novel idea, bagging leaves, I bale them
    and burn them in my wood stove to heat my house during the cold
    months.)
                                           
    Jim

    re .25 
    
    	Since when is Albany on the Canada/U.S. border? I think your
    story is borderline at best..... I believe that this is an American
    custom though.....
    
    In Geographicness,
    
    Glenn

    opps, See the incident was so trimatic that I said Albany instead
    of Cornwall.....
    
    My daughter is still in shock about the little girl in the handcuffs.
    She gets all nervous when she sees a person in uniform.
    
    Jim
    
    ps I understand that there was also a insident at Dorval airport,
    when a passenger tried to convince the inspector the she didn't
    have any hard sided luggage and used snow bags to carry all her
    belongings. She was returning from Mich. and they apparently detained
    her and charged her for trying to get into Canada with out paying
    duty on the snow bags....
    
    Also rumor control said something about a traveling circus and the
    package found in the elephant cage marked "condoms". The story is
    unconfirmed at this time....

    	A few years ago I found that the best solution to the Snowbag
    shortage was to trade in my snowblower for a Shop-VAC. The bags
    are more available and have a better design. The kids use the bags
    for building snow-forts and at Winter Carnival time they are of
    great help.
    	The only problem I've encountered is that if you don't work
    fast sometimes the heat of the Shop-vac melts the snow in the bag
    and it gets a bit messy.
                             

My snow bag maker came last Friday, and I tried it out over the weekend.
It works great!

It did take me several hours to get the first bag made -- the manual
isn't very user friendly -- but I've got it all figured out now.  After
making several bags of different thicknesses, I decided to use the 
machine to make the crust for pizza.  Ah... I love pizza!  As I set the pan
on the table, the cheese was bubbling and the smell filled the kitchen.  The 
crust was golden brown.  As the kids dug into the pizza, I felt good that
I had made the crust from scratch with my new machine.  After a few 
moments, though, I began to get worried.  The kids weren't eating more than
one piece -- very strange for the Leigh household!  Later that evening, my
oldest daughter confided to me that that pizza was different than the ones
we've had in the past.  She said, "This probably sounds strange to you, but
the pizza sorta tasted like plastic bags."

Late that night, after the household was asleep, I made a few more bags
with the machine.  Even though the bags are snow bags, I thought I could use
them for garbage bags, so I used those bags the next morning for our weekly
garbage pickup.  The garbage man seemed to think the bags were regular
ones and he didn't show any concern about them.

One thing strange that I can't figure out is that all of the neighborhood
dogs have been congregating on my driveway and making a lot of noise.  They
haven't done that before, and I'm not sure why.  Strange.  Another strange
thing is that my neighbors are saying that they can smell fresh bread or
something similar, but they can't figure out where the smell is coming from.

I'm busy making bags every night after work.  I can hardly wait for snow!

/Allen

    I noticed that the Robins have returned are attempting to wake up
    my herd of worms in the front lawn. I've also noticed that there
    are fewer CATS around the neigborhood this year, probably victims
    of my snowblower. This all points to the sure sign that Spring has
    Sprung in the National Capital.
    	Any body got some pointers on how to get the Snow stains off
    the snowbags before I put them away til the Fall?

    I have heard that rubbing grass clippings or dead leaves on them
    helps. I just try to hide mine under the garbage, hoping they'll
    haul them away, and I buy replacements in the fall.
    
    Tom

    I've never heard of a snow bag.  Guess its sort of like a grass
    bag for lawn mower correct?   What does the snow pile so high that
    you can't shoot if over the bank on the edge of the drivway?
    
    This has yet to happen in the Boston area as far as I know.  The
    most snow we've had since I've been around is 4 feet back in 1978.
    We labeled that the Blizzard of '78 because it took the whole region
    by suprize plus we had exremely high tides with a full moon and
    all.  I'm sure some of you heard of this event before.
    
    
    
    I'm just curious as to what this is.
    
    
    
    Bryan

    
    On the northern island of japan, they also use snow bags. There is
    lots of snow especially in Sapporo during the wintertime. Honda 
    snow blowers, are the best buy. They also come with snow bags. They
    disintergrate during the sakura season.

    re. 33 
    I thought they recycle the snow/water in the snow bags there in
    Japan.
    
    Jim

    
    re: -few Japan
    
    A friend of mine who emigrated from Kyoto told me that some of the
    universities in southern Japan purchase and store full snow bags
    from Sapporo for use in the initiation and frosh weeks at the schools.
    
    Apparently a lot of students from the south have never seen snow
    and one of the ordeals is to be completely buried in snow for approx
    five minutes with just your head sticking out. The longer you last
    the more acceptable you are.
    
    Peculiar people the Japanese.
    
    Roger

    Snow bags...now I'm really confused.  When I moved to Ottawa, I
    was told that these were the ugly women that skate on the canal
    during Winterlude.

Your ears must be plugged Neil! I live rite next to the canal (wish I was 
home), and we call them "dirt-bags".

fred-in-yokohama

    Fred:
    
      Oh...that's where I've been going wrong.  

< Note 107.32 by XCUSME::KING "GO METRIC USA" >

<<Hmmmm never heard of this before?? 
<<I'm just curious as to what this is.

Well Bryan aren't you in for a treat.  Snow bags in this area of the GWN are
as common as dirt, and yes, we do have dirt bags but that is another issue that
we could discuss later.

After the spring thaw, the proliferation of deflated snow bags gives the 
appearance of a raucus night out on the town by the Jolly Green Giant and
a few of his female companions - flinging his 'used protection' willy-nilly
about the neighbourhood lawns.

I've even seen a plaid snow bag which apparently is only available on Robbie
Burns Day (25 January) and only from Beaver Lumber (they sell wooden structures
to protect your beaver).  But I digress.

If you would like a sample of one of our snow bags, I'm sure I could scrub one
clean and send it to you - by the way, does anyone know of a good snow bag
cleaner?  I've been using VIMTO for years but I hear that it is environmentally
a no-no ( it seems that it is an anagram for VOMIT).

Pat_who_has_some_big_bags

    Will snow bags work on my lawnmower bagger? If they will, I'll stop
    by Canadian Tire when I'm up above the border in the near future.
    
    Jim

    re -.1
    
    	Who ever heard of using a SNOW BAG on a LAWN MOWER?!?!
    
    	Have you taken leave of your senses man????
    
    	What use is there in bagging grass clippings anyway?
    
    	If you do want to buy some snow bags for next winter, Beaver
    Lumber has the new 'Environmentally Safe' snow bag. This bag is
    bio-degradable and does not emit any CFC's in the process. Just
    turf them in the yard once they're full and in the Spring......
    PRESTO no limp snow bags standing in the back yard as Pat put it
    so well. But I digress.
    
    Glenn

    No Glenn, you got it all wrong...............I want to save the
    grass clippings for the winter....you see it gets real dreary
    during the Winter and I want to add some color to the landscape.
    That way I could keep recycling the snow bags.....water for the
    lawn during the summer and green for lawn during the Winter...:-) 
    
    
    Jim

RE Honda snow bags.

I just heard from the Arabia News Service that Saudia Arabia has
a major contract with the Japanese government to ship the bagged
snow to Saudia Arabia to help offset the trade imbalance of
Japan's need for Arabian Oil. It seems that the yen to use oil in
Japan has gone up 2000% in the last two years.

Perhaps they might recycle the snow bags by filling the same bags
with crude oil?

cal hoe; in colorado springs

    Cal, Japan may be shipping snow filled snowbags to Saudia Arabia,
    but they can't send oil back in "Honda bags". A friend gave me some
    snow bags made by Honda, because he had no use for them anymore.
    Anyway I tried one this year, (we got only a few inches of snow
    but I just had to run my snowblower). I have an older Snowbird
    snow blower and the motor is tired from many good years of use,
    and it leaks oil. I spilled some oil on a "Honda" snowbag and it
    developed a large hole!!!!!! and desolved before my eyes. Other
    generic bags I got from Canadian Tire were fine, only the ones printed
    with the word "HONDA". Maybe cause I was using good oil Penn. grade
    oil to keep my machine running, the bags couldn't handle it.
    
    
    Who knows...
    
    Jim...off to Montreal this weekend...

    Has everyone stocked up on their supply of snow bags for this year?
    I understand we are suppose to get more snow this year than last
    year. I still have plenty because we only a few inches last year.
    
    Jim
                                    
    

    
    	I was flicking through the channels the other night and stopped
    at the Canadian Home Shoppers Club when I heard them mention Snow
    Bags. I thought they were just trying to sell their own type of
    snow bag but as it turned out, they weren't selling snow bags at
    all. They were offering a new attachment for your snow blower that
    would eliminate the need for snow bagging. The device was called
    the HASSEL-1 and was only $119.95 for new members. This adapter
    is supposed to fit directly over the chute of most snow blowers
    and the hot air it generates causes the snow coming out of the 
    chute to be instantly converted to a high pressure directional
    water jet. Snow bags will become a thing of the past with the advent
    of the HASSEL-1, which by the way is an acronym standing for Hot
    Air Snow Shovel Eliminator Liquefier. They even showed pictures
    of a clever consumer using the HASSEL-1 to wash his car.
    
    Before you stock up on Snow bags for the season, I suggest that
    you check out the HASSEL-1 first. Maybe CHSC will be offering a
    better sale price before Christmas.

    Glenn

     nah, stick with snow bags and stay HASSEL free, that's my motto.
    
    Scooter

   > They even showed pictures
   > of a clever consumer using the HASSEL-1 to wash his car.
    
    Did they by chance show the clever consumer trying to get into his
    car when he was done?
    
    nah, I think I will stay with the bags...
    
    
    b.

    re.48
    
    I heard that if you use the snow at the end of your driveway, you
    know, the stuff the city has prepared with salt, to rinse your 
    car, it won't freeze the doors and locks.... 
    
    Jim

RE: .45
    
>    Has everyone stocked up on their supply of snow bags for this year?
>    I understand we are suppose to get more snow this year than last
>    year. I still have plenty because we only a few inches last year.
    
    I heard that there was a bad run of snow bags from Taiwan or Malaysia
    (can't remember which) last year, causing these things to deteriorate
    in summer storage.  Back where they make 'em, they keep 'em in
    climate-controlled warehouses - sorta like apples.  But the heat and
    humidity of a North American summer is likely to weaken the bags.  Just
    when you get a bunch of 'em piled up, they're likely to break and spill
    all over, and you'll just have to blow the snow all over again.
    
    Worse yet, it'll be all clumped together and icy, so it'll be harder to
    handle with those little electric or one-stage snow blowers.
    
    And just imagine what would happen if you loaded a stack o' bags in
    your pickup truck, and they burst open just as your little kid was
    walking by:
    
    		BACKYARD AVALANCHE BURIES SIX-YEAR-OLD;
    		RESCUE SQUAD STRUGGLES FOR MINUTES TO
    			FREE TRAPPED YOUNGSTER
    
    Do you want to take that risk?
    
    Mark

<<    		BACKYARD AVALANCHE BURIES SIX-YEAR-OLD;
<<    		RESCUE SQUAD STRUGGLES FOR MINUTES TO
<<    			FREE TRAPPED YOUNGSTER
    

	Is there a film at 11:00?

re: .46

Where does the HASSLE-1 get all the hot air to melt the snow?
Snowblowers don't put out nearly enough BTU's to cope with all that ice.
Do you have to buy canned politicians and re-charge it every week?

The HANDY HOOSIER,

Russ Schwartz.

    Mr. Rushton and Mr. Richardson would be more than happy to supply
    you with all the hot air required for the harsh Canadian winter.
    These two gentlemen, probably have enough hot air for the next 5
    seasons for at leat 50 people using the HASLE-1 snow melter attachment.
    Should you or a friend require further information or would like
    to sign up for your dose of hot ait, please leave a reply here,
    and I am sure you will be accomodated.
    ;-)
    Regards, R. Tomkins

    In the last note I had said hot ait, I of course meant HOT AIR.

No, thanks, I'll have to pass on the offer.  I'm reading these notes with my PC 
acting as a terminal emulator.  Everytime I open this conference I get 
"meltdown warnings" on my screen...

	;-)

Russ Schwartz.

According to the Boston Globe, snow bags are out this year.  The new thing
is a snow shredder.  The article claimed that by shredding snow and letting
it decompose, you will enrich your soil while prolonging the life of your
land fill.  Anyone tried it?

Allen

    Allen,
    Now what the heck am I going to do with all the snow bags I picked
    up on my last trip north of the border???
    
    I wonder if I can use my "air shredder" I have installed in my
    fireplace?
    
    The Mad Weldor....Jim

    Given the weather in Ottawa lately my mind has been on the snow blower. 
    Anybody see snow bags on sale???
    
    cheers,
    b.

    No, I've switched to the HASSEL-1. Refer to .46.
    
    P.S. The reason it's been so cold is that a friend of mind had
    installed his air conditioner backwards. I pointed it out to him
    and he said "ooops!"
    
    Glenn

    Stolen from files of Middleville Daily Screech:
    
    TORONTO - 21 Aug. 1992 - The Ministry of Transportation of Ontario
    (MTO) has awarded a contract to Bob's Used Storm Doors and Nuclear
    Waste Disposal of Moosonee to design and build 300 Animal Unit
    Composters.  The purpose of the machinery is to pick-up and homogenise
    animal carcasses found along Ontario's roads.
    
    	The stipulation of the contract is that the devices must attach to
    the front-end of existing snowblower-equipped MTO trucks, and that no
    materials should escape into the environment.
    
    	A spokesperson for Bob's... was quoted as saying that existing
    technology will allow his firm to complete the contract before next
    year's killing season.  Apparently, a sub-contract has been let to
    Cuisinart of Canada, Ltd in Sarnia.  Additionally, material to ensure the
    environmental impact contraints are meant will be supplied by Canadian
    Tire Corporation, using their Model RKB-1 bag attachment on the exhaust
    chute of the Cuisinart modification.
    
    	An offer has been made by a well-known fast-food chain to accept
    delivery of the composted animal units.  Ministry of Health officials
    are conducting an impact study.
    
    	A public demonstration of the first prototype will be conducted on
    Highway 17 between Haley Station and North Bay - the public is advised
    not to park along the roadside as the bag-attachment will not be installed
    for this demonstration.

	Pat,

	It's not suprising that the MTO is so far behind in adopting the
	Cuisinart device. These governments simply take too long to
	study the use of handy devices designed with them in mind.

	I have been using Cuisinart animal mincer for the discerning household
	with the TRP-2000 attachment. The TRP-2000 is great for those nasty
	kitty's that bless ones ornamental gardens with their excrement. This
	attachment is also great for groundhog's, racoons and porcupines in
	the vegetable garden.

	CTC makes the appropriate sized bag for this unit, the part number,
	for those interested, is RKB-1-HH. They are freezer safe.

	Charlie

	ps For all those in the Ottawa area, my annual BBQ is as usual on
	the 31st of September. Don't worry about hamburger meat, I have lots.

    
    re: .60
    
    A slight change to this "News Flash"...
    
    Thanks to NAFTA, please change all references to Cuisinart of Canada
    (Sarnia) Ltd. to Cuisinart of Mexico (Tijuana) Ltd.

    SET /MODERATOR
    
    OK folks, I think that references in these notes to identifiable
    companies should cease.  Obviously this notes string is a spoof
    but should anyone from one of them should happen to get hold of this
    they may not be so amused, because inevitibly it would be out of
    context.
    
    I have not asked for their deletion, or set them hidden because of
    the spoof nature ... yet.
    
    Stuart

    I just bought my yearly supply of snow bags from a totally fictitious
    snow bag vending establishment.

    If you would like to know more, merely make something up and scribble
    it on a piece of moist napkin or bathroom tissue.

    Sincerely,

    Glenn

            The city I live in(within white oyster launching distance
            of KAO4), recently decided to charge a fee for the removal
            of snowbags.  The fee would be applied for each snowbag in
            excess of a 2 snowbag limit per household.
    
            Next thing you know, some idiot's going to come up with
            the same idea for collecting garbage bags!
    
            ruffled

    You are a silly man.
    
    Well, not really.
    
    Ok, I'll discuss more later.
    
    Glenn

    You know, the 2 snow bag limit will cause people to dump snow
    illegally. You will start to see a lot of suspicious looking people
    emptying their snow bags in ditches along side roads. 

    This is a bad idea.


    Sincerely,

    Mr. Flummery

I must agree with Mister Flummery. Being a resident of a rural township I must
strongly oppose this bylaw. Townships have already cut back on plowing the
raods , THANK"S to BOB. 

We'll have cityite snow contaminating our local water supply. Basements will
be flooded! We'll have flooded out beavers and rats! Now we can't have that
can we?

				Serverly Disgruntled!

    re. -.1
    >>>We'll have flooded out beavers and rats!
    Don't forget groundhogs.  At least one good thing will come of it!
    
    shane

    
    Does anyone know if the Snowbag removal people can be bribed? I keep
    getting nasty yellow notes put on my snobags, "oversize" "excess # of
    snobags". Course I tried to stuff an old Baycrest kitchen range in
    one...I hope they don't recognize what I have done. I have given up
    trying to get rid of my grass clippings that way, they seem to be
    on to that one....
    
    Pat

    re -.-1
    
    *** Course I tried to stuff an old Baycrest kitchen range in
    *** one...I hope they don't recognize what I have done.
    
    	As long as it's the stock white finish, I think that should be
    	sufficient camouflage.  My yuppy neighbor put an avocado colored one
    	in his snowbag last week.  They caught onto that one real quick.
    
    ***	I have given up trying to get rid of my grass clippings that way, 
    *** they seem to be on to that one....
    
    	Try raising the scraper bar on the back of the snowblower, that way
    	you won't get grass clippings(and frozen dirt) mixed in with your
    	snow. 8*o
    
    	Shaw
            

    Of course one other concern is that in those places that are
    experimenting with recycling the snow all of these stoves, grass
    clippings, DECstation 2100s and the like are create contamination that
    results in whole truckloads of snow winding up in the landfill anyway. 
                                                                           

    

    	I read in Scientific Canada, a project being headed by Volvo
    Canada using their intercooler technology to Freeze dry the snow 
    prior to exhausting it into either, the environment, or snow bags. 
    It mentioned this new leading edge technology has the ability to 
    reduce the actual volume of snow by ~70 percent. Personally I think 
    these numbers are a little optimistic, but with technology moving 
    in strides the way it has, well,.... anything is possible. The
    funding by some of the major ski resorts has accelerated the testing
    schedule as they want to use the new technology by 1995.
    	Environment Canada has begun an environmental impact study, but 
    has not as yet presented any findings.            

    Ahh Mike, you haven't heard about Renault buying Volvo ???  They
    changed the project to discover how they could make French Fried
    Snow for use in special Snow Bags.  The problem they are having
    is in the testing when they stack the snow bags in front of the
    doors to keep winter out ... Above each door is a sign "Revolvo"

    Stuart, do you really expect us to believe that?
    
    Stop kidding around.
    
    Glenn

Apparently there was a major accident in the well known snow bag capital
this morning. Due to our recent storm, some snowbagite decided that s(he)
could not wait for the normal pickup hours and put thier snowbags in the
street hoping a plow or sander would go by.

Some replica of a North Americian vechical couldn't manouver around the
snowbags causing a major pile up. Major damage was caused to all involved
including a  Kenmore stove. Go figure...

    Snow Bags have made it into soapbox! Go get 'em!
    
    
               <<< PEAR::DKB100:[NOTES$LIBRARY]SOAPBOX.NOTE;1 >>>
                          -< SOAPBOX.  Just SOAPBOX. >-
================================================================================
Note 776.59                Trash $.50/bag in Worcester                  59 of 60
HAMER::MONTALVO "this monk's robe has no pockets"    10 lines   1-NOV-1993 13:20
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    why not make snow blowers compact the snow into bricks (ice cubes)?
    
    we got "chippers" that change a tree limb or leaves into chips, don't
    we?
    
    all that's needed is compression.
    
    then you can stack the ice cubes, or carry them down to the cr'ek.
    

    And we thot it couldn't be done, luv :-)

    
    I'm sure you will all be absolutely overwhelmed to know that the
    proposal to move to user pay snobag removal was soundly defeated
    at Kanata town council meeting last night.
    
    The proposal would have cost each individual taxpayer 1.53 per
    bag and as we well know, the distribution of snow is totally
    unpredictable and would result in bankruptcy for those living
    in quiet cul-de-sacs where snow often accumulates.
    
    The rumor is that the region will take over the snobag issue
    in the near future anyway.
    
    Pat

    Well, they avoided a flurry of protests for sure.

    Have they considered starting a slush fund?

    Glenn

	Sounds like a snow job to me!

	Frosty

    Ya, they'd be laughing all the way to the bank, if you get my drift....
    
    Glenn

    
    Just goes to show the high number of flakes we have in politics
    up here.
    
    Pat

    It makes you want to just plow them, don't it?
    
    Glenn

    You guys "CHILL OUT!!!"

    I can see that this discussion is snowballing...

    ...maybe it's just slushing...

	All this talk of snow bags has prompted me to go out and get some
	at the XYZ Tire Store tonight.  I hear there is supposed to be
	frost on Saturday, and all us Canajuns know that means there'll be 
	snow and -40 degree temps on Sunday.

	Chilling thought
	Leapingly
	Frosty

    Gee!  The mods haven't stepped it int yet!
    
    
    
    cheers,
    b.

    mods- frozen trigger fingers!

    More like gun shy.
    
    ;-)

    Used sno-bags for sale. 1-800-SNOWFLAKE
    			    1-800-766-3525
                                  

    Well now you've gone and done it. For sale notices are to appear only
    in the designated note. Nyahhh!!!!

    
    Alert!
    
    Due to overwhelming demand, snobags are completely sold out across
    the province. Please advise on alternate methods of disposal. My
    neighbors are getting suspicious about how I'm getting rid of this
    glut of white stuff.
    
    Arg!

    
    "Borrow" some 21" monitor boxes from the plant.
    

    
    Re-use the plastic bags you get from the supermarket.  Not only are
    they free, they're biodegradable!  And you can tie them at the neck
    with the little handles rather than using plastic or wire twist-ties.
    
    The only problem I can see is that they're small, and will fill up
    quickly.  I suggest setting your snowblower on "turtle" rather than
    "rabbit", and clean your driveway and sidewalk EARLY and OFTEN.
    
    
    

    Well, if you could get there the shelves are still full in Toronto
    where we're still talking about the snowfall in terms of cm not m. Just
    talked to an old high school buddy who still lives in the Niagara
    Peninsula, he volunteered for the Icewine harvest this weekend and
    spent most of the time digging the vines out from under the snow before
    they could pick (seriously) but luckily they don't need bags there
    since they load it up in trucks, sneak it over the border and dump it
    in Buffalo, this is why when the snow buildup gets really bad in
    Buffalo they close the peace bridge, to keep more snow from being
    trucked in.

    What the heck is all this nonesense about snow bags??
    
    Korff O'Barbunk

	I tried to hide snow in with my regular garbage and the %^&%#&'s
	found it! To add insult to injury, they left the bag there, cut
	open, with a sign; 'It is unlawful to throw out snow with the
	regular garbage pickup, all snow should be recycled'.

	I was furious. I phoned the municiple office and suggested
	that my blue box was already too full of plastic, glass, tin,
	and paper to accomodate snow!

	I was politely reminded that, for a small charge of $20, containers
	can be purchased at the regional office to promote the composting
	of any excess snow.

	Hats off to the Township on such a wonderful idea.

	Reg Tabel

    Charlie, it sounds good over the phone but we bought one of the
      $20.00 containers and the bottom fell out of it! They're made of
      crap. I complained and got my money back, I'd be careful about
      wasting time or money on those things if I were you.