Probably because our cost of living is the highest in Canada. Our provincial income tax is 37% our federal tax is 18%. I seem to recall in 82 our flat rate was $10.50 per hour and the labour rate was $32.00, maybe $30.00 ? Barry and myself were trimmers, you know what they are, and were offered a garranty of 6 hours a day flat rate. We both refused because you have to stay there 8 hour to collect. If there is nothing in my stall i go home even if it's 2 in the afternoon. We both threatened to quit one afternoon and go to work for Ford. We got our flat rate up to $12.75. That is $25,500.00 in a 200 work day year. I remember those Master Technician exams. Every tech participated in those. I have a drawer full from Ford,G.M. Chrysler, and Toyota. No offence but they didn't mean much. They didn't increase your wages. Our average labour rate now is between $85.00 to $105.00 per hour. If you go to a Specialest dealer like B.M.W. , or Jaguar it is about $150.00 to $200.00 per hour. Now that is the place to work. I'ts usually straight time and if your good and don't mine night mares you write your own ticket. I remember working For Canadian Tire in the 70s making $15,000 - $20,000 a year. We were payed half of the labour rate plus commision on parts. It was good. Just a follow up on customers in our stalls. That was an absolte NO,NO. The insurance company took a very dim view of that. If my customer was waiting for his car i could go and bring him to his car if i had questions. I had to escort him to and from his car. Now that you mention it. I remember working for Dominion Motors ( ford ). The service shop was on the second floor. A horrible place to work. Hot as hell and you froze in the winter. Everything was done on the floor. No lifts. That was 1975. They payed $8.50 an hour just to get someone to work for them. They were the highest paying dealer in the city. Seems no one wants to pay any more to keep their guys. My nephew started out last month on the grease rack for Ford. They are only paying him $12.00 per hour straight time. He wants to go into diesle mechanics. They only pay $15.00 per hour for first year appentice. No wonder no one wants to work anymore. Don't get me wrong. I'm not a smart mouth. You don't servive up here very long at $15.00 per hour with our cost of living. Here is an example. An A.C. tech on a commercial job or roof top makes $47.17 per hour. An industrial A.C. tech. on a 20 ton chiller makes $52.73 per hour. If you bring your home computer into a shop for servicing or virus removal it's $90.00 per hour. If you bring in a brake rotor for turning it's $30.00 each. $22.00 for a new one. Spin balance a tire is $18.00 each plus weights. In 1992 i was being payed $27.00 per hour installing gas pipe in new homes and i was the low man on the pole. Just a little F.Y.I. on this side of the border. Have a good one.

Thanks for the input everyone! I went out this week and test drove a number of cars, but I'm going to wait until the 2009 Honda Fit and Civic come out in September before I make my decision. As of now, here are my impressions: the Prius, I saw one but could not test drive one. The one I saw was being reconditioned to sell as certified used. If I want a new one, it could take 6 to 7 Months! Some parts come from China so production has been at a standstill since the earthquake. I won't be buying one anyway. The controls look like a rocket ship, and although the visibility from the front and sides are fabulous, it is almost impossible to see out the rear window. I'm sure my height does not help. I test drove the Matrix while I was there but I did not like it. The steering was not as responsive as on our Hondas, and the ride was rough. Next I tried out the Pontiac Vibe. I did like it a lot; it is very comparable to the CR-V but less expensive. It is a bit bigger than I wanted though. I drove the 2008 Fit (which I reaaally wanted to love) and although the steering was responsive, the ride was rough and the road noise was awful. The seat height can not be adjusted and I felt like I was sitting in a hole, I could barely see over the dash! It also looked like the interior was made of cheap plastic, I expected better after driving around in our CR-Vs. They are supposed to be fixing these issues on the 2009 model so I am keeping my fingers crossed. I also tried the Civic Sedan while at the Honda dealer, I really liked it. The ride was smooth, the steering responsive, the blind spots were minimal, it was very nice. When the 2009s come out I might try the coupe out. Unfortunately the hybrid version has a smaller trunk because of the battery. Next I test drove the MINI Cooper Clubman. Boy was that fun! I loved driving it around! Unfortunately it is not very practical here in Illinois as a main car. The first time it snowed I would be plowed in! It is really low to the ground. The last car I tried was the Scion xD. I really liked it! It was exactly what I was hoping the Fit would be (and almost exactly the same size). So now I have to wait until mid Sept. for the new Hondas to come out and I can make my decision and order my car. Depending on the dealer they said between 4 and 8 weeks for delivery (other than the Prius). If anyone else has a suggestion I will look into it. I do prefer a wagon over a car since I do haul stuff sometimes (furniture, wood, etc...). I agree about never buying a silver car again! We have a Silver CR-V and a mist blue (almost a silvery blue) CR-V. Where ever I park there are always several identical CR-Vs! I'm thinking of getting red or blue. There are not that many cars in our area in those colors. At least 75% of the cars in our area are silver, gray, white or black. Joanne

I love when I have driven the CRV that a parent drives, its a wonderful vehicle, its old though from 1995 and so don't know what the up to date ones are like to drive and insides of it. My brother got a toyota rav4; love riding in it in the back seat, so comfortable and fancy everything they go in it, the new keyless, the dual heat/air conditioning which again is so awesome so driver and passenger the temepratures they want on them. My brother splurged since he drove through the mountains and one area he couldn't hear the radio and so got the satellite radio put in and wow, you can hear really great stations on it. Its way too small I feel for them right now as they go skiing themselves and sons and their bikes they have too as they bring them out to where they have a condo. And too fancy I felt for what they have used their huge vehicle they had before. I have sat in the back of the cvr and found it find but the only complaint for me is all vehicles the seat belts in the back seats strangle me and tighten and you can't loosen it up in the back seats. I hope those that are talking vehicles do try them all out. I did when I went looking for vehicle in 2010 and I wanted one that I could see when driving as they make dashboards, etc. too high for men and not thinking of women driving. Same with seat belts too, can they be moved down to women height to use. How is the highway noise and can you hear yourselves talking or the radio on? And if you live in a really hot temperatures, then make sure you get the right air conditioning as the bigger vehicles like those you really get good air but the smaller ones like mine, ou don't get it as much. Same with heat, if you live in cold temperatures, make sure too that you check that out. Check the windows as I don't like the back windows in like the subaru forester my dad has as it would come down a bit and so sitting in the back you couldn't get them down like you wanted too. How is the visiblity, if you struggle backing up due to not seeing well if you are short then go to a parking lot when test driving it and back up and see how it works for you. Also are the mirrors good too for bakcin up and using for yourself? What things come with that type of vehicle and do you like it all? I checked for like where can you put things you need in the car, what size is the back trunk area and what do you put and carry, what things do you buy and need space to buy and carry it and bring it home. does it fit your parking that you will park it in, also how easy is it to park it in parking lots as the spaces got smaller to park in then back out of them. How easy it is to turn it around corners,etc. Also where they put the automatic too, on the crv 1995 its way up at the steering wheel and the subaru forestor my dads has it down and mine is at an angle. Check too the pedals as soo many are as they age not stepping on the right pedal, gas instead of brake so check them all out, how fast can you stop it? I found with my many vehicles I wanted to find I didn't have alot of those problems anymore. My one frustration with new ones is the back windows are dinky size, not the nice big ones they used to have so I have to use mirrors and turn and watch and its hard these days due people walking everywhere and behind you and vehicles too and so its alot to watch. Can you safely reach knobs that you must while driving and not stray you from watching the road?????? How do things work, make sure they show you if you aren't sure, don't go home and go, ummm, I can do this but can't. Don't be afraid to keep coming back and trying things out, I did with my matrix. Also asked about this and that too. One guy told me he would throw in the liner in the back trunk area but the guy that sold it to us didn't, said now when he asked someone. Also I consider waiting if your old vehicle is still good to drive and get the colour and seats in it that you want if you drive it until its done for like 10 years. And take care of it too, so many do not but if you take it in regularly and get the work done and check ups, your car will last long time for you. Only you will know what fits well with your life style and if you drive lots and long distances you do what something that is comfortable both back and front seats plus good trunk space too. There isn't anything worse then sitting in the back and the driver doesn't and its so uncomfortable back there.

Interesting article and study discussed here. My personal observation of my vegetarian/vegan acquaintances fits this study too. Many have lots of general anxiety and other mental health issues. The real question to be addressed is do they change their diets because they are ill or does the diet have a causative effect on their mental health? My personal belief is that their pre-existing mental fragility makes them more susceptible to trying to fix things through diet and other woo methods. But without further, far more intensive studies, who knows? https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201211/youre-vegetarian-have-you-lost-your-mind