CSANews 105

BirdTalk Featuring the letters & concerns of our members SEND YOUR LETTERS TO Bird Talk, c/o CSANews 180 Lesmill Road Toronto, Ontario M3B 2T5 or by e-mail: csawriteus@snowbirds.org Bird Talk Ed.: If you leave from Canada and go directly to the cruise ship and then return directly to Canada, you are considered to be “in transit.” These days are not counted towards your sixmonth allowance. Dear Bird Talk, Hi, my husband and I have a 15-day Panama cruise booked out of Ft. Lauderdale next month. We will be departing from Toronto, ON and will spend one night in Ft. Lauderdale pre-cruise. 15 days later, we will disembark in San Francisco and will be departing from San Francisco for Toronto that same day. My question is, does any portion of our trip need to be claimed in the 182 days allowed in the U.S.? Thanks. Yvette Switzer Sudbury, ON Ed.: This is the classic example of “in transit.” No portion of your trip is counted. Dear Bird Talk, Your article on page 9 re: Bird Talk seems to imply that men live longer than women when married. If that is your implication, I would like to know where you got your info from. My wife and I live in a seniors’ area and in one building, there are 24 single people; all but two are women. There are only 14 couples. In another building, there are 50 units there and only six men living there. We go over to the retirement residences to visit and the majority of the residents are women. Check it out. Fred (Address Omitted) Ed.: The point being made was that married men live longer than single men. My guess is that their wives make them take better care of themselves and sharing makes big problems seem smaller. Women have been outliving all men, on average, as long as statistics have been recorded, but the gap is narrowing. Dear Bird Talk, Re: your fall 2017 issue, a reader was concerned that no receipt was confirmed or received when they submitted Form 8840. We have been completing this form for several years and, when sending in the form, we pay an extra $5 to have a receipt mailed back to us confirming that the government has received the form. A small price to pay for those who may be concerned about this issue. The card to do this (which is attached to the envelope being mailed) can be obtained at any U.S. post office. There is no indication that the government has read the form, only that they received it. Doug Morrison Toronto, ON Ed.: For those concerned this is an excellent idea, but we do not think it is necessary. I would simply note on each form when and where you mailed it and keep copies for several years. Dear Bird Talk, We travel to Florida every year and complete the Closer Connection forms...we are usually there for approx. 172-175 days. Our question deals with a “less than one day” visit across the border to shop, or play bingo or go to casino. If we were to cross the border and return to Canada the same day, would we be required to count this as a day in U.S. on the Closer Connection form? Thanking you in advance for your information. Dianne Strauss Ed.: Any part of a day is counted as a day so, yes, you are required to count that day. Dear Bird Talk, I have heard that if we leave the U.S. during our calendar year, we have to be clear of the U.S. for at least a 30-day period, otherwise those days away are still included in our U.S. day count. Is this true? Barry Woods Penticton, BC Ed.: Yes, it is true. This rule is in the guidelines (not law) given to border guards. Some guards are aware of it and some are not, so you can get conflicting statements when talking to officials. CSA is trying to get a more sensible ruling from the U.S., but we are not holding our breath in anticipation. Dear Bird Talk, In his article (fall 2017 issue 104), David Mcpherson incorrectly stated that Augusta James played in the RBC Canadian Open. Augusta is a female golfer. It was her brother Austin James who played in that event. I am certain of this, as I am their proud grandfather. Alan James Everett, ON Ed.: Proud grandfathers are always correct. That’s par for the course. CSANews | WINTER 2017 | 11

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