What could be Canada's Number 1 Export?

There was a talk on CBC 1 a few days ago, this week, about repairing and fixing things. This craft died decades ago in North America! I remember my aunt and her husband coming back from New York, where their daughter lives and would tell us stories about appliances they had seen on the sidewalk! Two factors have combined to bring the art of crafting back, fully, hopefully:

1) Everything is expensive and easily broken and people prefer them fixed rather than tossing it and buying a new one or if they can't afford, they go for a used one.

2) The amount of garbage that the world produces on a daily basis is getting out of control. This definitely would help a little. 

We all know about the cost of living and the recent increases. There was one unreasonable kick after the COVID-19 pandemic and now the tariffs are said to be the cause of prices of many items going up. We might discuss that as a separate post but garbage is a real problem in the world. Countries of the Indian sub-continents are notorious for pollution and garbage. African countries are not much better. I don't know much about Europe and South America but here in Canada recycling is not taken seriously by the majority. It has resulted in generating an uncontrollable, huge amount of garbage. What have the so-called authorities done? They have decided to ship it abroad!
What's funny is where the destination is: The Philippines! If you search the net for pictures of this series of islands there're a few things that you see the most:

1) Young Filipina gals in short shorts and tight top sitting at a corner of a street with garbage scattered everywhere!

2) Blown up village by typhoon and storm!

Yes. The Philippines has nothing but cheap labour, lots of garbage, because people don't care to pick it up and the government thinks of nothing but filling their accounts, and dealing with seasonal storms! No offence to the people though. Now you add lots of more garbage to that! What happens is there is a huge demonstration on the streets! Why? Not because people dislike garbage or aren't fond of it. It's simply because they have nothing to do and now there's an opportunity! Why the hell don't they pour into the streets?! That's what they did a few years ago when they realized Canadian garbage has landed on their island! I don't know if their opposition resulted in anything that was in the news! 
Japan, on the other hand, and despite the fact that they generate lots of garbage, is one of the cleanest countries that I've been to. Don't ask me how they do that as I only witnessed its collection. I don't know how they get rid of them! 

By the way that was the first and last time that Canada could send containers of garbage to a foreign land and despite the fact that they had claimed that the container had recyclable items, Filipino authorities ruled to send them back but it was not accepted and finally buried there, somewhere!

(Photo: Filipinos took to the streets to show their displeasure about Canadian garbage. Many of them dream of coming to Canada to work and many are)

The Heckler Saw it

One movie that was referred to by the recruits when I was at the CFLRS back in early 2017 was Hacksaw Ridge. I had not seen the movie but I think what the recruits were asking, mostly, was whether the movie was real or not! I finally saw it this past weekend. There's no doubt that the film is based on the event surrounding Private Desmond Doss service, a Virginian volunteer and there's no doubt that Hollywood has added parts to make the story more marketable. Movies such as Saving Private Ryan, American Sniper and similar has always been praised greatly by American and even Canadian audience regardless of the accuracy and aim! When it was revealed that this guy, Chris Kyle, whom the movie American Sniper is made based on what he had done in Iraq, was a hoax, not many people paid attention to it. They didn't want to see the hero they have made in their minds being faded away and drain down the toilet bowl! 

The Heckler Saw it, is the name that I've given to the movie that Mel Gibson has directed based on the story of the young American fella who, despite volunteering, refused to garb a rifle and kill the enemy, at the time the Japanese. As a heckler I would taunt the the audience and ridicule the movie, at some scenes, if I could, because it was so stupidly fake and unreal that anyone with a brain in their skull would know! I am certain that Private Doss did his best and saved many of his comrades' lives but turning the battle ground to a propaganda scene and exaggerating events does nothing but degrading what a hero has done. However, this is what Hollywood does most of the time to make more money. Soldiers who get shot and their blood splashes out like jet stream, machine guns that never run out of ammunition, Japanese solders coming out of their hideout holding white flags, training officer who tries to copy R. Lee Emery's great performance in Full Metal Jacket and rookie actors with poor performances are some of the issues seen in this movie, not to mention the excessive and unnecessary graphic in different scenes. Nevertheless Garfield's performance is not bad. 

Is this a movie that I would watch again or recommend? No one cares what I but I wouldn't! The Australian girl's (Palmer) performance at the beginning is natural as she's very pretty. The rest is average and mechanical. No disrespect to her or any other actors in the movie. 

Apart from the story, what I wanted to add is that Americans have fought many nations throughout the history: Germans, Italians, Japanese, Vietnamese, Koreans, Afghans, Iraqis, Libyans, you name it! They have been all over the world, wanting something from each nation but I think despite their last humiliations in Afghanistan, which by the way caused by that pile of horse manure, Biden, no nation ever kicked the American's asses harder than the Japanese and if it was not because of the Atomic Bombs, it is hard to say that Americans could stop the Japanese.

(Photo: Private Doss, as a Medic, dragging a wounded soldier to safety in a scene of the movie about the Battle of Okinawa)

Is this an End to another Separatist Group?

 

There are lots of people who live around the world and call themselves Kurd. These people originate from the area where the following counties have their borders with each other or one: Iran, Iraq and Turkey. This area is called The Cradle of Civilization. Some stupid and disgusting Westerners, mainly from Britain at the beginning and then from the US call the area Middle East, obviously to degrade the people, their culture and generally their being. Now you go to the news to see what happens to the different communities of major cities in the US! They also encouraged these people, Kurds, to fight other people of the region! Something that Westerners have been doing for decades: Divide and Conquer! They started the Iran-Iraq War in late 1980 and destroyed the two of the biggest economies and strongest countries in the region. Before that, long before that they ripped India and created three countries out of it! 

Kurds have been fighting for an independent state since WWI and surely there're countries who benefit from that. Just explained above why! There were and still are different groups, parties and factions in the area. sometime they fought against each other simply for the power! One of the major parties which was started in the eastern part of Turkey, where a majority of Kurdish people live, was PKK or Kurdish Worker's Party. These people led by Abdullah Ujalan fought against the Turkish government for years. Ujalan was finally arrested outside Turkey and brought in for trial. He was sentenced to death first but then was reduced to life in prison and he was sent to an island off the coast of the country. That was the late 1990s. The funny thing is he only escaped death because Turkey just had abolished capital punishment as one of the requirements to join the European Union! The silliest and most stupid thing in the history of politics: Turkey, the residue of the Ottoman Empire, who fought Christians for decade and eventually captured Constantinople and renamed it to Istanbul, now was begging Christian Europeans to be accepted amongst them! Despite their constant begging for decades and kissing every European politician's ass, the Turkish Muslims are not yet accepted by the Christian of the European Union! I'm getting off the subject but it was necessary to mention that and it also is necessary to mention that Turkey is the only non-European, non-North American and non-Christian country member of NATO! So the question is how Turkey, who has been struggling economically within the last few years and has a very high inflation rate, is able to meet the 2% GPD contribution to NATO and Canada cannot!???!! This must be the subject of another post.

Ujalan finally after years of being the only prisoner in the island of Marmara Sea announced the dismantling of PKK and the members have given up their weapons. This means more peace for the region. Some other Kurds in northern Iraq have autonomy in their region but the ones in Iran still are fighting the central government. Syria also has a population of Kurds and I don't know what has happened to them under the new regime after Assad left the country for Russia. Peace might not sound good to the countries who always seek destruction and war for others because that is how they benefit. That is how they sell their weapons and that is how they bid on rebuilding projects!  

There's a population of Kurds in Canada, like everywhere else, I'd assume. There's a big community of them in Germany and that country had a big population of Turks and these two groups have been seen clashing on the street of major German cities while Kurds were holding PKK and Ujalan banners and pictures. I wonder what they are doing now that PPK is no more!

(Photo: Ujalan is seen here in an undisclosed location with Kurdish guerrillas, in the early 1990s) 

I'm a Dreamer (but Most of my dreams have Turned into a Nightmare)!

I've never used this personal website or weblog as a news site and sometimes I like about the news that interest me so I can come back to them years later to see what I was doing then! 

I made a bad and irrational decision in 2016 to join CAF. I wasted the entire year leaving on EI (I know it's so stupid!) with the hope that I can make the career of my life with the RCN. Wrong! It was tougher than I had thought. At least for me who is a very impatient person. So I decided to leave. When my comrades were asking me what was new. I used to name one of the most famous Ozzy O.'s songs: Mama I'm coming home! It was a 5 months of most of waste but rather than the money I made (The CAF pays you during your training, as an officer-in-training it was significant back in the day!), I also learnt what I was not good at! Nevertheless those days are long gone and I'm on a straight but bumpy road and I know I'm doing until my retirement day but that Ozzy's song has remained one of my all time favorite as well as his " Dreamer ". I'm a dreamer as well, just like Ozzy! The only difference is that most dreams have turned into a nightmare! 

I never dreamed about a big house or a luxury car, a beautiful wife or lots of money. I grew up in a household that everything was available to me and when I left home and came to Canada shortly after that, most of the time, I lived the way I wanted because I always lived modestly and knew my limits. My only dream has always been travelling to the countries I wanted and scrambling the mountains I like. These are the things that not everyone can do. Even the richest! I believe I still have time and I'm hoping that I can make it to a few countries that I always wanted to visit and hike up the mountains I wanted. I'm not going to talk about political dreams at all! That's up to artists such as Lennon and Osborne! Nevertheless losing another music icon is sad, especially in this day and age that there are many posers around(!) but everyone's going. For me British bands have always been my favorites: Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Def Leopard, Dire Straits, Rolling Stones, Beatles, Coldplay, and of course Black Sabbath and Ozzy. I listed Ozzy's band as the last one, not to be disrespectful. Just because I like other bands' style better and no doubt that the two above singles of Ozzy's are amongst my all time favorites. 

(Photo: Ozzy and his family in Emmy Awards in 2002. I think it has something to do with " The Osborne " show which I remember watching from time to time on CTV, back to the time that it was peaceful and I had an easier life and a television set! Photo courtesy of Reuters)

Who Opposes the Deportation of Border-jumpers?

The expulsion of border jumpers and foreign invasive entities (FIE) from the US who mostly enter from Mexico has been the hot topic since that piece of crap, Biden was in the office. Trump tried to expedite that by giving more power to Federal authorities which has resulted in some clashes, mostly, of course, in the southern parts of the country, to name California. The state administration didn't like the Federal intervening! But why?

There are different numbers for FEIs who have entered the US in the past recent years. It ranges from 7 to 11 million! Most of these people get involved in the jobs that Americans won't do. Why? There are two reasons:

1) The multi-million dollar businesses do not want to pay a decent wage that people can have a basic living with that or can't! 

2) Many people are just too lazy to do many of the jobs that refugees would do!

 
Now if ICE can successfully clean up half of the US infected states, the millionaires will have to pay a reasonable wage to the people who legally live and seek a job and they. I don't think they would like it! 

 
Trump is a businessman himself but I don't think many of his employees are from refugees. His hotels and real estate businesses and others, which I'm not familiar with, do hire, I would imagine, mostly legal immigrants and Americans. Some other businesses such as cheap food establishments (disgusting, nasty, vomit-like fast foods, the love of Americans and Canadians!), construction, agriculture (fruit and crop picking), food processing (meat packing plants, chicken farms, fish hatcheries), mostly use refugees and foreign contract workers. Those are the ones who are worried. Cargill Meat Solutions, where I worked when I came to Canada, at the time, had more than 90% of its employees from war refugees, Punjabi cheap labour Indians, Filipinos, Latinos, Africans and Vietnamese. There were a few Caucasian fellas, mostly in the rolls of lead hand and supervisor and a few labourers as well. For Canada, at the time it was easy to get those people. Nowadays, or perhaps I shall say in the past 10 years or so, they contract them out of the Philippines. I quit that job in 2006 while I should have quit much earlier but I got comfortable until I realized what the F---? I shall get myself out of this hole and I did. However knowing the US is about 10 times more populous than Canada, the labour shortage is a bigger issue over there. 

(Photo: CBP, Customs and Border Protection, an organization of Homeland security has the responsibility of guarding the US borders)

Cultural Discrepancies (6): Sympathy for Criminals (Thanks Constable Stothard for your Service)

One of the cultural values which was shocking to me, when I first came to Canada, and I'm still baffled by that, to this day, is the Canadian society's sympathy and support for criminals. I have to go through the Criminal Code of Canada which I was good at, at least at parts of it, when I was in the CBSA College, to find examples of the law being soft on criminals but from what I've read and witnessed from generally the public and the Government, I have to say that both encourage crime and individuals aren't ashamed of committing a crime or supporting the ones who commit one! Quite interesting! Ha? I guess the American society is the same. Perhaps even worse! Remember the Insurance guy who was shot in New York City? Many people praised the shooter! And why has he done it? It looks like that his insurance claim was denied or some issue of that nature! The funnier thing is the time that they were demanding the police to be defunded! In the US! In some cities, there's police and people kill each other in daylight! Imagine what would happen, if there was no police? It would be worse than Iraq and Afghanistan at the time the US troops where there. Way worse! 

I think this mentality comes from the concept of everyone deserves a second chance. I don't disagree with that but it would depend who that person is. The person who kills an innocent bystander, because he is under the influence of substances and alcohol, shall not be given the second chance. Stories of criminals who go to jail after killing someone, coming out after a few years and then again take someone's life, are countless. 

The other funny thing is everyone knows that a person who is convicted of a crime and goes to the jail, has very little chance of going back to normal life after finishing his term. They cannot, most of the time, get a decent job. Let alone being accepted by the society and at times by the family, friends and the community. There are only a few jobs that the employers do not check the background of the person. What are those? Dishwasher, construction worker, cleaner, perhaps. These jobs don't pay much resulting, the majority of the time, in the person going back to the same business which resulted in being imprisoned. 

When I say the system is a joke and has nothing but support and sympathy for the criminals, the statement is not exaggeration. A good example of that is the trail of Constable Craig Stothard  of the CPS. The officer and a few more responded to a report regarding intoxicated driver in a the ghetto of Calgary. The officer had to discharge his firearm, resulting in the death of the two culprit. Now he has been charged with second degree murder! How could the police do their job while they're so restricted! Shall we let the drunkards, drug-addicts, drug-dealer, wife-beaters and terrorists roam freely the street?! Shame on you the Alberta Serious Incidents Response Team. You all shall be put behind the bars for the rest of your pathetic and useless lives and served one meal a day and order to do hard labour until you die from starvation and fatigue! You're just useless. 

(Photo: This fella was in jail for drug related charges in, I think, Manitoba, and now he is out, he not only asks for help but also threats the society that if he does not receive the assistance he is requesting, he will go back to his drug dealing old job! His appearance which is quite common within Canadians tells you a lot about his character, his family, his bringing up and his attitude: Cheap and fake jewelry worn like a dog collar[I still don't understand what this means! Someone shall have him under control, perhaps!], tattoos [Oh sorry Canadians! I forgot that it's a value within you! You starve and go to Toilet-Donald's to graze but you spend $400 to desecrate your body!], cheap big-ass ring on the middle finger[!], shaved head, gas station sun glasses, and of course, the inevitable and unavoidable big-ass SUV to make sure you pay at least $100 a week for simply going to the grocery store and coming back home)

Out After 10 Year (25): The Chinese-Filipino Couple

One short story is left from my last year's trip to Japan. It has a lesson for the people who travel alone, so if you're one, you might want to read this. 

I had my layover in YVR and I think it was around 2 hours or so. That is how Air Canada operates. It was not a bad service but the next time I'm going which I hope will be 2027, I'm going to fly JAL. It's a bit more expensive but I think it has a better service. It was at YVR where I met an Eastern Asian couple while waiting. Nice people: A Chinese man and Filipina lady. I had a little chat with the lather and she was a very smart lady. I was quite surprised how she talked and about the thing she told me. I don't think they live in Canada because she was telling me stories about their road trip and I guess they were returning to China or the Philippines. She had advice for me which I recalled when it was too late when I was in Tokyo! She told me to find a company to enjoy the trip better. She didn't directly say a Filipina girl but when I was in a supermarket next to Tokyo Skytree, and was ready to pay for a few things that I had purchased, I realized that the cashier,  the girl was able to speak in a way that was easy to understand. Something you rarely see in Japan. She had a mask on and of course many East Asians look alike. When I asked her how she spoke very well, she said she was Filipina. I thanked her for her help and left but that was just after leaving when I realized what the Lady meant! It was too late but I know many men would go back to ask the girl out. I'm both shy and hesitant when it comes to women. That's why I'm lonely! 

I don't know what's with the Japanese meal size which are all small! Does it have to do anything with the average size of people?! Perhaps! This sort of Pizza bite for nearly CAN $3 looks very good but since wheat flour has never been a staple in Japanese cuisine I don't think they know how to bake it. I had difficulty sinking my teeth in and take it apart! 

I was once in a Korean store on the other side of the city and this time it was a Japanese girl, or at least that is what she said she was. I missed that too.  Nevertheless I think it's very good advice and it's very helpful to have a more enjoyable trip. I don't think I will be able to pull that off during my next trip. I will be too old! 

(Photo: The entrance to Life Supermarket just adjacent to Tokyo Skytree a tourist destination in the city. I think they want to make it somehow modern and Westernised although everyone I saw there was Japanese! It's a good shopping place for all sorts of food as long as you don't buy Western-style Japanese meal! This is where I met the young Filipina cashier and unfortunately blew it!)

Bad Habits Stick with you but do they Matter?

The price of food is so high these days that I have limited my meat, the most expensive food, consumption to, usually, once a week, or even longer period. Many people can't do that. Canadians certainly can't! The price is not the only reason that I cut on meat. Health reasons are another reason. Meat of any kind is strictly prohibited for the people whose their body produces excessive Uric Acid as it crystallizes at the joints and results in excruciating pain. This, as some might know, is called Gout. 

However McDonald's which claims to use 100% Canadian Beef, is not a healthy food. Yet people go there on daily bases, at all different ages. Why? The answer is very simple: It's the most affordable! What do they get? They don't care! As long as something is in their system and the stomach feels heavy, who cares what it is? Right? That's the majority of people's logic when they go to McDonald's and other fast food and restaurant-like businesses, everywhere in the world! Eating habits cannot be overlooked. If you are grown on greasy, sugary fast food, you won't feel good when someone serves you salad and poached Salmon!  

(Photo: I was at a local McDonald's for a coffee. There's no denial that their coffee is amongst the best and yes I prefer that to Starbucks, not because of the cost, because it's not as strong, and this old lady, possibly in her early 70's was there to order. I'm not even sure if I reach that age but if I do, I'm certain I won't be standing at a fast food joint counter to order!)

Who Dies Twice?!

There are many great actors and actresses across the world. Many of them become internationally famous through American movies. Many remain only nationally appreciated because they never get a chance to perform in an English language or Hollywood film. There are many non-English natives who have reached the top and there's no need to name any as all movie lovers know them but the thing I wanted to express here is what is said in Persian like a proverb or saying and it goes:

Actors and athletes die twice. What it means is that they are born like everyone else and there's a time they're famous. They're praised by everyone. Their pictures are seen in newspapers and magazines (when the paper newspapers and magazines were in full swing!), We see them on TV and hear them on radio. We might see them in public. When their years of athleticism or high performance are over, they are not seen or talked about that much and they slowly are pushed aside. New actors come in and new athletes with better records and performance go to the top of the chart. That is the time the actor or athlete dies for the first time! If they go to a supermarket or park in a shopping mall's parking lot, there're not many people to recognize them. As sad as it might seem to some, many deal with that logically. Some are not so mature and try to stay in the spotlight! They can't be blamed. They were on the top of their career, earning millions and loving the attention they received. It's not so easy to give that up! I didn't want to name anyone but one example is Throne whose picture is seen here. Why the hell a very good actress has to dress like this at the age of 50!? 

For the ones who have not seen Monster, it's a very strong and emotional movie which might not be the favorite of everyone. I still, to this date, have difficulty finishing the movie.

Throne, a native of South Africa, has some great performances. Her act in Monster was one of the most OSCAR worthy performances and she deserved that. I watched the movie when it came out and despite the fact that it's a very hard one to watch, no one can deny how magnificent she was. I didn't like The Fury Road that much. The story was poor but the performances, including Thrones, cinematography and design of the vehicles were superb. She had a small role in Prometheus and one can imagine how much she was paid to just simply say " Shit " or another longer line(!) but female actresses generally, and in Hollywood, specifically, have a limited expiry date! I hope it does not come across being rude but that's true. Many roles are not given to women past a certain age as there's always a younger actress. Many actresses past that age might feel forgotten or ignored. Going back to Throne, without targeting her or anything, she has adopted two Black kids! What does that mean? Is she trying to redeem Caucasian South Africans from what they did for years in the country?! Unbelievable! It's a gesture from Caucasian Americans. I think Madonna did something like that, years ago. These people might be good actors and singers but their brain only works for that purpose! I have nothing against Africans and Blacks, in general but why the hell would you go to an African country to help or adopt a kid while thousands of kids in the US need help!!?? Charity begins at home, you dickhead!

(Photo, top right: Throne wearing a fishnet-like cover in a photo shoot! It's not sexy. It's not elegant. It's not impressive!)

The Mentally Disturbed!

I've spent half of my life where people in North America and Europe, and probably many other corners of the globe constantly ridicule and downgrade it but never on those years and not now, through the news, never saw the crazy things that these sick American people do! I believe there is only one reason: Lack of family. The concept of family here in North America and generally the US, is either unknown or forgotten. When people do not grow up in families, do not receive instruction and guidance by understanding and caring parents and all they care about is getting high, getting drunk or who they can blow or who would give them a good head, they end up like these many people whom we see or hear about on the news every single month: 
1) A mentally disturbed, filthy, maniac from a family of drunkards and addicted (even if they're not, they're deserved to be called because they act like them) people dressed up as Joker and killed innocent moviegoers for no reason!
2) A crazy person kills people of a different race in a grocery store. He later apologizes and is sentenced to life in prison! 
3) Crazy students shoot their classmates and kill a few. This was discussed in Michael Moore's movie, Bowling for Columbine. 
4) A creature whom I cannot describe what it could be set fires on the forest and when firefighters come, starts shooting at the them!\
The funny thing and the reason to prove my statement is a fact I quote CNN here for you: We do not understand why this happened. Who said this to CNN? The stepfather of the shooter! We all know what stepfather means here! 
These issues and similar will never end in Western society where single moms and fathers are praised and where the governments are spineless in a way that they can never put a stop to gun violence. Here is what I'd like to say to the parent-less (not literally!) people who might read this and get upset or mad (or as I would like to put it, angry!): Calm down!

(Photo: A group of firefighters in Idaho where two were killed and one was seriously injured by a pinhead who later killed himself. Idaho has been on my list for a very long time because it's close by, it has lots of hiking and photography opportunities and it's not over-crowded. I hope I can visit there one day)

More Excuses for Thrift Peak

When someone fails to reach their goal, there are usually many excuses and blames. I'm not excluded! Here's the story of how I failed to reach the summit of Thrift Peak, again, yesterday. I'm sure it will be helpful for the ones who would like to visit this extremely beautiful area of the province and even if they have no plan to go, I hope they enjoy reading this post:
I woke up at 04:00 o'clock in the morning of the 29th and headed south on Highway #2 but turned back before reaching the city outskirts due to lack of confidence! As stupid and insane it might sound and it is, that's what I did. Then I went for my jogging and spent the rest of the day doing different things. I told myself that I would have to do the summit so, again, set up the alarm clock for 04:00 and woke up at that time and headed south again. I only had a quarter of tank gasoline and instead of filling the tank shortly after leaving home, I drove all the way until my stupid and old GPS, which I had turned on to show me the nearest gas station told me to go back to Southland Dr. It would have taken at least 16 minutes! Now at this point the time must be around 04:40 and I know the GPS is full of crap so I go to 130th. Both the damn Shell and Mobil gas station are closed!! So now I'm going further north to 114th to get gasoline. Here I lose at least half an hour, if not more.
My next stop is in Okotoks for a coffee but who has coffee around 05:00? McDonald's. Despite the acceptable quality, McDonald's service is always shit! So here is another 15 minutes or so lost! On the top of that and in order to get to Longview, which is the next destination, although I had no plan to stop there, the GPS, again, took me from an unconventional(!) road and added more to my anger and anxiety! 
By the time I reached the trailhead, geared up and was ready to go, it was 08:10! four freaking hours for a trip which shall not take more than 02:30, maximum! There's no doubt that my old vehicle is a contributor to this. Considering it was a working day for many, there was only one vehicle in the parking lot. It was a beautiful day and it was about to get hot but the trail was so green and wildflowers were seen everywhere. My first setback was when I walked up a big sort of rock and then I realized that I should have walked around to get me to a ridge! That wasted at least half an hour and then continued on a ridge with a drop-down on the left. I was very tired and it was really hot. I had to stop every half an hour or so to drink water and I was trying to preserve it as I didn't have much and there was no water on the trail. Another mistake was bringing the crampons! They were unnecessary wight in the backpack. All of these could simply have been prevented, had I been at the trailhead around 06:00, instead of 08:10! 

Despite the heat the area was green and covered in beautiful flowers

I then reached the spot where I think I could see the fire lookout and it was pretty far! It was around 12:15 or so, 4 hours of hiking and I was at a point where I had to go down and then take a ridge to get myself to the main ridge that leads to the summit! I was very tired and hot and I think for someone in my position, it would have taken at least 2 hours to get to the summit! Then add another half an hour at the summit and at least 5 hours to get back to the car. It would have been 18:00 and I would have had time but the combination of high temperature, exhaustion, lack of water and lack of confidence led to me going back. Besides there was absolutely no one in a 5 km vicinity or bigger and that's always the issue when you hike in a remote area. 
This was the fourth(!) serious attempt that I was hoping to accomplish the mission but I failed again. Now whether I will be in the area or not, is another question which I will answer by saying Yes! Here's my list for a successful hike to that peak:

1) Start at the trailhead no later than 06:00. Stout and I were supposed to have a tent set up in the parking lot or somewhere to be able to start early but I lost my contact with him and I don't think this is legal. Besides lack of water and other services and the isolation are other issues.

2) Drink lots of water and other healthy liquids before the start of the hike, have as much as you can on and store a lot in the vehicle for your arrival. Water is the biggest issue in this hike. I had a Coleman water backpack which was not very helpful. Nothing against it but I think I should have sucked(!) so strongly and I didn't! So I had to open the top and drink from there.

3) Food has never been a problem for me during hiking but perhaps if I had something fresh and easy to digest and absorb, it would have changed my mood because sometimes it's emotional. I had a handful of Almonds and a few Dates from last year(!) still in the backpack. I finish 3/4 of that.

4) Don't haul unnecessary weight. It will be a problem when you start feeling tired. 

I have to see when will be the first opportunity to try this peak again. 

(Photo, top: On a beautiful sunny day the fire lookout could be seen from the beginning of the hike, after, probably 30 minutes or so. Here in this picture it barely can be seen on the third peak from right)

Another American Propaganda

No one can deny American technology. They are on the top of many fields but high technology is not the only factor to consider when it comes to military conflicts. I think Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan are good examples showing that American technology was overcome by other factors. During the Vietnam War, China and the former Soviet Union continuously supplied the North Vietnamese Army with everything they needed. Pressure from the American society to end the war and unbelievable cost, eventually led to introduction of " Make the War, Vietnamese " or " The Vietnamization of the War " Concept by Richard Nixon. That meant if there was a conflict between different Vietnamese, it shall be resolved between themselves. The North Vietnamese entered Saigon, which has been changed to Ho Chi Min City now(!) and the Americans and their allies got the hell out of there. The result was nothing but American casualties, extreme cost and humiliation. Not to mention the South Vietnamese freeloaders who now were a burden to the American society, in other terms, the tax payers! 

Taliban is showing the captures or perhaps it should be said abandoned American vehicles in a parade 

The story was different in Iraq. The Americans overlooked the fact that the country was under the control of Iran. At least the majority of it! The Quds Force and the militia caused heavy casualties to the Americans until 2011 when Obama ordered the withdrawal of the forces but it was not until the first term of Trump that Iran felt a blow when General Qasem Soleimnai was assassinated. 

The third story is even worse! This time the humiliation was enormous! The US left nearly $7 Billion worth of equipment behind when they suddenly left the country but the biggest humiliation goes to the filthy rats of the Afghan National Army! The army collapsed like a porcelain plate on the kitchen counter(!), without even being touched. I don't believe there're nastier and more disgusting soldiers in the entire world than Afghans! 

Then when Trump was campaigning he introduced himself as the Peace President and he said that he would end the Russia-Ukraine War in the matter of 24 hours or some nonsense like that! But then he praised Israel for attacking Iran and gave a 2-week notice but attacked in two days! 

The attacks, despite the facts that caught Iranians by surprise, has not been as effective as Trump claims! Yes the B-2s flew all the way from the US to Iran, which is amazing and they bombed their target without any of them being shot or even detected in the first place, and yes no Iranian plane took off to scare them off but the result was another American propaganda and lie. So the Peace President no only has put an end to the Russia-Ukraine War but also started a war with Iran and encouraged Israel to continue their war with Hamas which now has been turned to war against the civilians! He has picked up a war with Canada, China and the European Union and no one knows where the hell this is going. Good job Americans selecting the 47th! 

(Photo, top: The map shows how the US B-2s and the escort planes flew to Iran from an airbase in MO. I admire Americans for how they played this game because for the previous one month or so there was so much talk about Diego Garcia Base in Indian Ocean and everyone, probably including Iranians, thought that if there would be an attacked, it would start from that base. The American trick was nice and worked)

Same Filthy Animal, Different Look!

The last time I voted in the Federal election was in 2015. That was the year that Canada started its steep decline by handing over to the nasty assholes of the freaking Liberal Party. I was surprised at the time but I think I know what happened. This time I, of course, didn't vote but was baffled by the results! It was bittersweet. The asshole who was leading the NDP, stepped down but Mark " Crap " ney was selected as the Prime Minister! 
It's like we haven't had enough of the asshole Justin T. and now he's replaced with an older version! This piece of dung has taken the footsteps of the younger asshole. Not that it's a surprise. The surprise is the animals who voted for him! Look at what he just announced last week:
The country is struggling with so many problems and he announces a $4 Billion aid to Ukraine! In a country that people are not duped by craps such as Marijuana, alcohol, gambling, Facelessbook and other shit that only have been introduced to keep you busy so you don't know what's going on around you and the Government and its lobbyists can do whatever they have planned to do to make their bank accounts bigger, people would stand against such a pile of shit. Not in Canada, as you can see.

(Photo: This cartoon is created by Bruce MacKinnon. I wanted to be clear, first. This shows an asshole takes over another asshole. The question is who is bigger. I think there's not much difference between these two but Crapney has proved he's such a Baboon)

Golden Dome will never be, Iron Dome is not!

 The problem with people, these days, or perhaps I shall be more specific, after Trump was elected to the White House is that they believe whatever he says! Everyone with a functioning brain should know that this guy cannot be taken seriously in many aspects! I'm not saying that he shall not be watched or paid attention to. I'm saying that he says lots of stupid things and it's up to people to distinguish between nonsense and worth listening to and it's not so hard! Let's go through a few things that he has said so far and all caused controversy:

1) Canada shall be the 51st state of the United States! 

If I was the PM or one of the Premiers I would react with derision and big smirk! What's he going to do? Invade Canada? Come on guys! He's just a nutcase! This is not the same time that Russian Tsar sold Alaska to you for a few thousand dollars! And what have you done with it, by the way? Let's not discuss that here!

2) Alcatraz shall be turned back to a Federal prison! 

Can you imagine how much it would cost to rebuild the prison?! It'd be easier and cheaper to build a new one from the ground up! 

3) We're going to thrive in the auto industry in the US! 

How? By importing or assembling more Japanese and Korean cars?! Why don't you add the Chinese as well? Then your accomplishment will be complete. I think you arrived at the party too late! The only American car company that could fight the Japanese and Korean ones a little bit was Tesla which has gone to shit after the Trump-Musk feud! 

Tel Aviv., Mon., 16-Jun-2025, morning. That is how the Iron Dome defends and protects Israel! What a joke! If it was not because of decades of financial and political support, does anyone think they could kill these many civilians, so far? I had so much sympathy for them at the beginning when the innocent people were abducted and killed during a concert. Not any more. They have killed and starved many civilians without achieving much. Hamas is still there and all the people who survive these attacks will continue taking their steps as much as and as long as they are able to, for generations. Some hostages are still held captive and many died. You did wrong Israel. You need to admit that.

4) We're going to build the Golden Dome and Canadians have shown interest as well! We will protect all by spending some $24,000,000,000 (Apparently the American dollar)! 

First off we just saw how fragile the fake Iron Dome was! That's number one. The so-called Golden Dome will be no different! Secondly, you need to straighten out many things with Canadians before going into the business of defense with them! You can't impose tariffs on businesses on one hand and then hold the other hand for a so-called silly Golden Dome, you blockhead! And then who's going to pay that big bill? You? Americans? Canadians?! The Government of Canada hasn't even been able to meet the 2% of GDP that NATO members are supposed to contribute, for years! You're just a joke, Donald! 

5) We're going to obtain Greenland! 

How? They way that you invaded and conquered Canadians and now rule over the country?! Sending the dickhead Vance and his Indian come-in-to-the-society(!) is not going to do anything to that part of Denmark! You're just full of shit! 

(Photo, top: I think one thing that cannot be denied is that Trump loves attention and that's most likely one of the reasons he decided to run for president in the first place because he didn't do that for the money, for sure. Here his big brain is working on the Golden Bowl!)

The Roller Coaster Weather

Everyone who has lived in Alberta knows that the weather here could change in a matter of minutes. One minute the sun is shining and then hail starts raining on you. After a week of disgusting and polluted air which resembled Delhi, not that I've been there but I've seen the Independence Day Parade and I know how bad the weather is, shower and rain cleaned the air and the beautiful sky of Alberta could be seen again.
I went to Nose Creek Park for a walk and it was very beautiful but when I came back, the rain started. For that I canceled my today's hike! If I want to be honest with myself, the cancellation was mostly due to being lazy and not wanting to go alone but what's the difference?! I'm here and I know I didn't go! 

(Photo: Big, white, beautiful clouds, resembling vanilla ice cream are seen in the sky once again)

The Return of Disgusting, Smokey Summer!

I haven't gone for my regular jogging since Fri., the 6th. Almost a week. A nasty dark blanket of smoke has covered most of southern Alberta and the air pollution index reached 10, yesterday. Today is not better and we aren't in summer yet! This weekend will be the second week that I had planned to go hiking and I will not! I started hiking in May, last year and I achieved nothing! I decided to start in June and I have already missed two weeks due to lack of having a reliable vehicle, mostly and then air pollution. 
Since my first destination is Bob Creek, I told I would be away from pollution and will be able to enjoy the hike but I feared taking my old vehicle and rentals are too expensive and scarce! I was not able to find any rentals less than $210 and adding gasoline would make the cost of hike at least $250. Besides The pollution might have reached there as well. 
Nevertheless I will try to get a vehicle for the 20th and this time I want that summit! 

(Photo: This picture shows a few seconds before a plane lands in YYC. You can see how dark the sky is and there ain't no cloud! They even had the guiding lights which illuminates the path for the pilots at night, on!)

Careless Idiots on Alberta Roads and their Operator's Licences

I got stuck on the road for more than half an hour one day last week and the people who commute in and around Calgary know what I'm talking about. This could happen any day! That's because there's lots of dickheads driving around. There's no doubt that people's driving habits are much better than many other countries here in Canada but there's something that you can't stop Canadians from doing: Speeding! Speed Limit is 110 Km/h (68 m/h) in primary highways in the province and I think people here or in B. C. wanted to increase that to 120 Km/h and I don't believe they succeeded here but I don't know about B. C. I haven't been there for a long time. 

I think it somehow makes sense why people are frustrated with the speed limit! Most of the modern vehicles, even mine, which is considered very old, have the capability of speeding up to, perhaps, 180 Km/h, safely and then your maximum allowable speed is 110 km/h! The question is shall the automakers be mandated to limit their vehicles' speed!? If not, why would you put the limit of 110 Km/h sign on the roads, if any speed higher than that is considered unsafe, then the vehicles shall not be able to make it! That's how I look at it!

The other problem is enforcement. There is not enough enforcement on the roads. The other day I was driving down Deerfoot Tr. and a BMW missed me with a foot and sped down while maneuvering between the other vehicles in the morning rush hour! It was very dangerous and had he hit me, there would have been multiple vehicle incidents with a number of vehicles involved and injuries for sure. Not to mention the southbound would have come to a complete halt for at least who knows how long! 

What is the solution to this issue? In my opinion it is simple to fix: Implement Operator's Licence renewal program and execute that every three years! Let's see how many of these dickhead, idiots could pass both their road test and written test and get their licence! 

what percentage of the assholes who had never seen a vehicle in their lives, unless on an old TV set, or passing by(!) in their country of origin, could pass the tests and get their licence if an honest examiner tests them?! I bet the Government of Alberta is aware of the fact that majority of the African, Filipino, Indian and others would not pass the test and would not be able to get their licence, if a restrict examination system was in place but that is exactly the Government and its lobbyist do not want! They want more people with licences so they can sell their registration, vehicles, insurance, you name it. I suggested that to a Canadian fella colleague of mine and this is what he said after I suggested talking to my member of the Legislative Assembly. He said no member of the assembly, most likely, would do that, because they all look for popularity and re-election! He is right. Imagine the number of the idiots who would disappear from the roads, including many senior citizens who still drive! who would want that?! I will see what I can do, regardless and will most likely have another post. 

(Photo: A beautiful but rare scene. An officer of CPS has stopped a driver for violating traffic law. We need more ways of enforcement on Alberta roads, officers, radars others and I will advocate for renewal program. I will start that soon)

Trans-Siberian

I had the opportunity to watch a good movie this past weekend: Trans-Siberian. A movie from 18 years ago! Russia and the former Soviet Union have always been on the top of my travel list and now with the silly war, it doesn't seem very easy to be able to make that trip happen soon. The only feasible options are China and Turkey but we'll see. Trans-Siberian is not a political movie but pokes at the Soviet Union and Russia at a few scenes. The only known actors, to me, are Sir Ben Kingsley and Woody Halerrson but there is another British, whose performance is really good and in fact is the center of the story: Emily Mortimer. 

A more official, if that word means anything here, map of Trans-Siberian railway courtesy of a tour company. If I'm going to Russia I will try to get on a train to take this route and will check the cities and towns in between but not using a tour. Not that there's anything wrong with them. It's not just my thing.

The plot has interesting twists and takes you with the story. I'm not going to spoil the movie by telling the story but after seeing it, I think travelling across Russia on Trans-Siberian could be very dangerous and it has nothing to do with the story! Why? It's Russia. I don't know how quick the emergency crew's response is if anything happens to the train on its 9200 Km (5700 m) trip! The movie is highly recommended. Enjoy but don't forget that it has been rated R. R for Robert! I'm kidding! This was part of a dialogue in one of my favorite movies of all time, Dr. Strangelove by Stanley Kubrick! R for movies, as you all know, stands for Restricted!

(Photo, top: Emily Mortimer, looking at the Trans-Siberian map in a scene of the movie)

Is Canada a Fake Nation and an Artificial Country?!

The pathetic and disgusting Government of Canada, lobbied by a bunch of greedy asshole business owners, and no mater if it is formed by what party (although the Liberals are way nastier and more repulsive, with that pile of stinking shit, mother**cker, J. T. being their leader for years!) in order to make more money, has let all sort of losers, war refugees, criminals, war criminals, separatists and so on, in and have turned this country to something that even the Quebec Premier called it a fake nation and artificial country! He's right. 

This country is now full of Afghans, Syrians, Arabs of Ghaza, Sudanese, people of Indian sub-continent, Latinos of different tribes and groups, you name it. There's no doubt that many jobs are not being done by Canadians. They simply don't want to do them. Canadians all want easy jobs and even if they make less money, which is not mostly the case, they do it. The company, that I work for, has posted a few labourer positions and the foreman said that half of the people who had been called by the HR, were not able to speak basic English so how would they follow the freaking instructions! Sot Canada needs foreigners to be able to run its economy but it shall be regulated and under control. Why should I wait 5 years for my visa and an asshole from India comes here as a refuge or student and starts working in a week? 

Are the jobs that Canadians would not do, not pay well? Are Canadians not able to do them? That, we will discuss later but letting people, who do not care about Canada, its environment, other Canadians and its economy, have more disadvantages rather than benefit for the country?! They serve CRA well! Do they not?! Not all of them. There are many who play the big cash card! 

I have recently had a post about bragging and I should've used this picture for that but I use it here since I've written below about a Punjabi Indian guy who was complaining about his situation here. If you run to an Indian, Filipino or Afghan and they bragged about their country or complained about their situation, show this mountain of garbage in India (or similar photo of the Philippines) and they shall shut the fuck up. Ask them to be thankful and a good citizen, not a motherf**cker asshole, as some are.

As I wrote above many Canadians do not want to do many jobs and that gives the Sikh Punjabi Indians from the villages of that country flock to Canada as students to do them! I hate Uber but once I was in an auto service center and they hired me one, for free, to go somewhere and I sat in. It was a Punjabi young fella and was complaining about the situation! My answer to this guy is, which should've been said while I was in the car but I avoided the confrontation: Did you forget where you came from? And did you forget why you came to Canada? 

If someone comes to Canada and avoids tax, brings all of the garbage (mentality, manner, attitude, etc.) from the old home here and stays belligerent and obnoxious, they should not be here in the first place and they shall be sent out. 

(Photo, top: Many Sikh Indians, or perhaps most of them, are the supporters of Khalistan Independence Movement. The question for them is what the hell are you doing here?! Take your argument to your original country and fight with who does not want you or let you split! This was taken in northeastern part of the city that the majority Sikhs live)

Why do some brag about their way Past?!

Everyone brags. East Indians are the experts on the subject. It is part of Iranians culture too but when it comes to Canadians they brag strangely, if I may say! They do not usually brag, or at least I have not experienced it or they brag they feel inferior to a foreigner! 

I was talking about hiking with this guy who is in his late 30's, younger than me, of course, and is completely bald, not that there's anything wrong with that, and he shows me pictures of 9-10 years ago when he still had hair and was hiking somewhere far away in another country!! Why? Just to say that you're a hiker?! Yes. I visited Newfoundland in 2013. I don't bring it up now and then! 

One day I was accompanying an inspector in the facility and somehow the discussion went toward traveling and he said that he had been to India, China and Japan. I think it probably was one he saw my G-Shock and I told him that I had purchased that in Tokyo. He was the one who started the conversation. I also told him that I had paid nearly ￥14,000 (~CAN$ 129) for it and I had traveled nearly 4,000 Km. It appeared that he was in China many years ago and used a weekend or something and flew to Tokyo for a couple of days or more! That was his trip to China and Japan! When I asked him what month he had been to India and he either hesitated to say or couldn't remember!! How could you not remember the month that you traveled to somewhere! I still remember my flight and then the start of the road trip from St. John's was in September. He then told me that the trip was 10 years ago or so and I don't know, and don't care whether that was part of the China-Japan work trip or not! 

The fact is once you're married and have kids you can't travel easily. Cost is a factor although I saw many Caucasians in Japan who have traveled with their kids as young as 10 or 11. So if you're not traveling any more there's no pint bragging about it. Just stick with your family life!  

Another example of this was the silly salesperson who told me about his hikes in Jamaica! I think I've written about it but this guy is in his early to mid 60's and told me about the trip he had when he was a teenager! Stop being stupid and quit bragging. 

(Photo: Not bragging but this building is a wedding venue and is located in Nagasaki. That night I was trying to reach Megami Bridge, which can be seen on the top left corner of the picture, unclear, though! It actually is embarrassing to say that I was walking beside a road which could be considered a highway in Japan, until I realized there was no sidewalk or the cars were too close and I turned back!)

Chaos and Disorganization

I finished the first month of my new job and have mixed feelings about it. It's close by. In the morning it usually takes me about 25 minutes on a highway to reach there. Only one set of traffic lights! People are all nice, respectful and helpful and no one bugs me. On the way home, in the afternoon, depending on the time and the route I take, It usually takes between 00:45 and 01:00 hour to reach home. There are many things to learn which will help me in the last years of my career, later, if I stay alive! The job is yet not very difficult but it's mostly shit! Doing stupid things in a very chaotic and disorganized environment! 

It's a pleasant weather now, there have been rainy days but they were not too bad. It will be a major issue during the cold season! The highway will be a death trap and the shop will freeze and become the best place to suffer from the extreme Albertan winter! It looks like the shop is not covered by a roof completely! I know it sounds stupid and impossible but that's how it looks like now unless the roof could be extended and put on at the time of cold! The people I directly work with, as I said, are mostly okay. My direct supervisor, if I could call him, is okay too but what can I expect!? Hell is Other People!I drove a minimum of 01:05 hours, in one way, at the previous job and paid nearly $450 a month for just gasoline! I think here I can reduce it to $120 a month and have a longer interval between my oil changes.

The reality is I'm tired of moving around and I'd like to stay in a workplace and retire there and enjoy the benefits. Every time a job is changed, there's a lot of stress and waste of time: Prepare tens of resumes and send all of them. Spend lots of time on each and expect the call to come and then go to a damn interview. Write the thank you letter and see their reaction. Lie! Yes! Lying is part of resume preparation and interviewing! You should've seen The Mumbling Guy's resume! Some of the things he has written there, and for that he's been given this high-paid salary, is beyond belief! 

What can I do? I have a challenging nature! I've contained myself so far and haven't said much in this new place and am planning not to do so! I don't want to induce people! Many of these people will be retired soon, not from my department, unfortunately(!) so I'm going to leave them alone! How can you change someone in his mid-60's and teach him new methods?! They say You can't teach an old dog new tricks! The company has had an attempt to obtain an ISO 9001:2015 Standard certificate and then decided not to go forward with that! Smart decision! From what I know about this company in such a short time, combined with my knowledge about that standard and also knowing the fact that many companies and auditors fake records and their audits, it would've been very difficult to deceit and defeat everyone to get the damn certificate and for what?!  

(Photo: Not taken from my workplace, of course, but not much different, in most places, from what I see every day. One of the reasons is that it's a very old place and many tools and machines look old and run down but still work. This has nothing to do with being neat, clean and organized but, again, what can you expect from a bunch of old timers!)

Reducing the Three

A long time ago I wrote about the three unpredictable things in life, particularly in Canada: Work, Whether and Women. This time I'm going to write about another three which I have been trying to reduce most of my life. If you do, you'll be happy as well! Here they are:

1) Responsibilities: We all have many responsibilities our lives but most of us don't take the majority of them seriously. Our responsibilities start from the time we wake up and then continues while we are on the road, until we get to work and then drive or ride back home. When we reach home, we sigh and relax but we still are accountable and responsible for our acts. We're just not responsible for what we normally are toward our employer! On the road you're responsible to other drivers and have to obey the traffic law or you'll be fined. Many of us challenge them on daily basis and some of us get fined. At work we are responsible toward our managers and in general our employer or we get written up and disciplined and eventually if it is too bad, canned. At home we are responsible for our families: Provide a safe shelter, provide good food, teach the kids the values of the society and train them to be good citizens, neighbours, students, friends and siblings. Our responsibilities are endless. Some not as important, some very critical which if we take them lithely, we will see the outcome later. By not having a child and spouse, I've reduced my biggest and most important responsibilities and could focus on others. That's my choice. Many cannot avoid this but I, majority of the time, sleep worry-free because I'm only responsible for me. 

2) Risks: We all face risks in our lives on daily bases but I'm the one who has taken many risks and have narrow escapes. However my constant effort for reducing and mitigating risk is never ending! The biggest risk in my life was buying a one-way ticket after getting my Permanent Residency Visa and coming to Canada. Many people do that these days but they all have people who give them guidance and a place to stay when they come. I stayed at Motel 8 during the first two days of my immigration! 

One of the biggest that we all face is the risk of unknown circumstances when we travel for vacation when we go to the countries which are notorious for trouble and issues. The country which Canadians WASTE and I would like to repeat and stress, WASTE their money is Mexico! One of the filthiest, nastiest most stinking toilets in the world. Every now and then there's news about explosions, kidnapping, mugging and other such incidents about the tourists in Mexico or the losers who move to live there but people never learn their lesson. I've been living in Canada for almost 25 years and never set foot on Mexican soil, the country where its people shove drugs up their own ass to smuggle them and make money!  

In the meantime I have taken risks every time I travel to the mountains. That's the type of risk which I'm willing to take because I have control over it. It's not like I'm walking on the street and someone's attacking me to rob me.

3) Cost: There are costs which you barely can reduce. There are some that you can do. You need to focus on the latter. I personally believe that there are many controllable costs. You only need to accept the fact that you cannot afford everything and know your limits. Don't say I'm hungry and get a small sandwich a can of Soda for $11 and stay half-hungry for the rest of the day trying to convince yourself that you had enough and it was a good lunch! It's not okay to go to a bar every other night and spend $20 on booze and think of how to pay for the credit card at the end of the month. If a piece of Stake is $21, you don't have to eat one every day. If you're not a contractor or mover, why would you need a big ass truck?! There are practically hundreds of ways to reduce your expenses and live an easier life but the question is whether you want it!

(Photo: Pick up trucks are very popular in Canada and many people who do not need them, drive them on a daily basis for commuting to work and back or even buying their daily needs. In fact the Ford F-150 pick up truck was the most sold vehicle in the Province of Alberta, last year. Imagine the amount of gasoline and consequently harmful gases which would not have been consumed and emitted, had these people simply driven a normal sedan)

Good but not Enough

Not much has been going on since I started this new position less than a month ago. I might have a few posts about that later but for now, there's nothing. Go to work. Come home. Do home chores. Exercise a little bit, if not too tired and again the same the next day and the days after!
What I wanted to write is what I saw in a nearby Sobeys today. I had seen that before but didn't have time to write about it: A Health Canada warning. This is really good but not enough. The warning label is placed on a pack of pastry and we all know how pastries and baked items are made here in Canada: Loaded with sugar and preservatives! I used to buy this stuff but I don't and it's not just because of the health concerns! It's the price too! The fact is if the pack is consumed within a family and gradually, in little pieces, it's not that bad but when I buy it, I eat them all and quickly! The question is can or should a government order to stop making a product or alter it in a way that it is healthier? My answer is yes. The same way that a government can ban consumption of certain drugs or criminalize prostitution, they shall be able to order a sort of food to be either stop or increase.

(Photo: Pastry pack in a Sobeys supermarket in Alberta. I think this one is sold for $7.99, if I'm not mistaken)