Ali G. and Mercedes

This story is a short one that Ali G., my buddy told me about the jealousy of Canadians, years ago when we used to hang out, back in the early 2000's:

Ali G. purchased a used Mercedes for $,5000 for his daily commutes and everything else. Mercedes is a very reliable and good car, until it isn't. Barely needs any service. I think his was a 190 e. We went to Banff and Lake Louise with that and basically every time we hung out, he drove it. He told me that his colleagues (Canadians, all) always made fun of him and said stupid thing about driving a luxury car, although it was used, by a foreigner and he always ignored them. The car eventually stopped right in the middle of the road! People helped him to push it aside and he never drove it after that. He then bought a brand new 2006 Acura, I don't know what model but I do know it was considered a luxury car at the time. I don't know the stories about that car but I know he moved to Lerthbridge after that , to work for Pepsico.

(Photo: I and Ali G. used to hang out for a few years back in the early 2000's as I wrote above but never were close friends in a way to take pictures together or anything like that. Beside camera phones and digital cameras were not as popular as they are now and everyone takes pictures of everything including the time they have an intimate relationship and sell it, so there's no picture of his Mercedes but I believe it was something similar to this, above. The interesting thing is this car at the time it came out of the assembly plant was available in two colours: Black and Metallic Black! My grandfather had a Mercedes too but that would be, probably, the subject of another post)

A Jealous Asshole

One of the things that you face here in Canada a lot, is jealousy. The country has been the land of mostly poor people from around the world coming for a better life. People without education, running water, electricity, not enough to eat, barely covering themselves in anything, etc. Try The Philippines, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Ukraine, you name it. The funny thing is the last 6 called themselves European! European my ass! They cannot even feed themselves as well as India! There are also many Latinos and of course some Africans. So basically it is a toilet, as I have mentioned earlier. In case you wonder why I came to this toilet, I ran away from fundamentalism which is a separate story. 

When the US started to mess with western Asia, and for the ignorant who might read this and don't know where the western Asia is(!),  the area is at the west side of the biggest continent in the word which starts from Turkey and extends to Japan. Another funny thing is some public toilets, in the past few years have considered themselves European!!! Lands of absolutely nothing, tried to be part of E. U.(!!!!) as well. We'll discuss that in another post but western Asia consists of countries such as Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Iran and a few more. The region is called the Middle East(!!!!) by some alcoholic, ignorant, careless, toilet-fast-food-eater animals, in the US and many other places. For the exact same reason that those motherfuckers call the Native inhabitants of North America, Indians! These people's skull is filled with cat piss and dog feces. They can't think enough. They eat, shit (in the mouth of their own nasty mothers) and fuck! That is all they can do! 

Nevertheless when the things start going down in Iran, many people started to think about immigration. At the beginning it was the US and some European countries, mostly as students, then came Canada. These people were mostly educated and could handle their own lives easily. Some of my former classmates and colleagues now have very good, well-paid and stable positions in the US and Canada. This, cannot be accepted by, most of the, Canadians! They become jealous and all sorts of reactions could be seen. I will tell my buddy's story, Ali G., from the time we worked for Cargill Meat Solutions later. The jealousy is also seen within other foreigners. One of the assholes whom I had to deal with these years and I lied to him a lot is The Mumbling Guy and this is what happened recently:

I don't drive my new car, usually. Did not in winter because didn't want to spend money in winter tires. Now the ice and snow season is over, I'll take it to work once a week! I have told everyone who has asked about it, because it's an unusual vehicle, that it is not mine and made up an story for the jealous assholes. The Mumbling Guy approached me a few days ago and asked me about it. That was the second time he was asking. I told him the same story that I had made up for other assholes. This ignorant fuck doesn't understand the concept of Hybrid-Electric! So I told him that the car has a small battery (which is true) and is good for only 70 Km, which also is true! The poor ugly bastard thinks it's an EV! Then he goes this might be a issue!! Imagine an ugly motherfucker who does not understand basic English grammar after more than 20 years of living in the toilet and has a Master's Degree! I told him that I had talked to the company people and they told me it would be okay to plug the vehicle in! He said okay and fucked off! I made up a more detailed story about the owner of the car which is not needed to be said here, just to shut him up but he was not happy! 

(Photo: I took this picture in Nagasaki during a walk. I wondered why they have parked like that. Perhaps they leave at the same time. The front car is amongst a few Japanese cars that I have seen here in Canada and Japan, both)

How to become a Manager in Canada

This post helps whoever thinks they have the potential to become a Manager in Canada. This is based on years of working in different industries mainly manufacturing and engineering Please read carefully and follow everything. Any questions come to mind, send it to me. I will answer them all when I have time and one by one:

1) You need to be a Canadian Caucasian or born in Canada from any parents but act like a Canadian. What that means is say nonsense such as How was your weekend even if you don't care(!), complain about the weather all the time despite the fact that you are born in the country and are used to the damn weather, whine about it all the time like an old 89-year old retired man, go to the local fast food joints to fill yourself with poison, buy whatever you can get your hands on without thinking what it is. Discuss that the next morning at work. Be proud that you support the local businesses.

2) You can complain about everything but work. Remember working in Canadian businesses is similar to living a dictatorship such as Saudi Arabia, Myanmar, Turkmenistan or similar. The same way that criticizing the government results in ending up in a jail or morgue, criticizing the management or supervision results in getting your ass kicked out! So care about nothing but your own job, your bi-monthly paycheck and pleasing the assholes in the system by fake smiles and disingenuous remarks. 

3) You must NOT care about the environment, cleanliness, organization and order. Chaos and get the things done regardless of their affect on the environment or others is what helps you to get ahead. The dirtier and less organized, the more you look desirable in the eyes of business owners and top managers.

4) The mindset you always need to keep is " I have been doing this for this many years "! This is what get you in the high levels of management and six figure salaries in Canada. If you have been a dumb, drunk idiot who have been doing the same thing over and over for many years without even asking yourself once if there is anything to improve, you would guarantee your success in reaching the high levels of Management in Canada! 

5) Two completely opposite requirements depending on the background and industry: a) Either have no formal and academic education. Barely graduate the high school and pass the finals with the skin of your teeth or have some meaningless, bullshit, good-for-the-paper-only education and certificates such as PMP, M. Sc., P. Eng. and trashes like that. These are all meaningless titles, certificates and educations that the only purpose they serve, is creating jobs and generating revenue. The concept of having the title of, for instance, P. Eng. simply is writing a stupid exam and then paying the membership for as long as they need you to do! Even if you don't believe in what you have read and never understood it, repeated it like a parrot, that's what matters! It's similar to hundreds of idiots who drive like a disgusting maniacs but do possess a Operator's License! 

6) Lack of understanding in English grammar. This is very crucial. As long as you write like a second grader and people realize you're an ignorant and lazy retard, you'll be fine. 

7) Being a kiss Ass is very important. You need to act like a Puppy! As soon as you see a higher ranking person (it's not a Military position. It's worse!) run to them and wiggle your tail! 

8) No correcting your Manager or providing meaningful and constructive suggestions will almost guarantee to become them on day after their retirement or departure. 
(Photo: I was going to post a photo of my manager who possess a good number of the above attributes, while taking a nap in his office[!] but didn't find it. Then started to search the Internet and I told myself a simple photo would work. Here is our manager for this post whom I hope possesses none of the above!)

Weird Food (4)

When you look at the list of the food which causes the most harm to your body, Ice Cream is on the top and of course it's commercialized Ice Cream which is what everyone gets. No one makes Ice Cream at home. I do have an Ice Cream Maker but it's not so good. But why is Ice Cream the worst? The answer is simple: Sugar and Saturated Fat! Honestly, what does a bowl of store bought Ice Cream have? Sugar, animal Fat from cheap Milk, fake flavours, food colouring and some other crap. Anything else? At times a few pieces of nuts of other things to show they have made an effort! Although expensive these days like many other grocery items but once you're hooked on, you can't quit! Why? Because it has the most addictive and cheapest ingredient: Sugar! The funny thing about this box (or tube) of Ice Cream of this brand (Sold at Save-on-Food supermarkets) is the sarcasm! It literally kills you but not because of Chocolate, as there's really a little to no Chocolate. It kills you because of the amount of Sugar and animal Saturated Fat it has resulting in Diabetes and some major cardiovascular diseases! These guys use the term Chocolate to describe what they have added to mixture of Sugar and Milk to taste like real Chocolate! Do you think a greedy multi-million dollar company uses real Chocolate with that high price Coco in their cheap simulated Chocolate Ice Cream?!

(Photo: Western Family brand, a Canadian logo is sold mostly in Province of British Columbia but also in Alberta. I am not aware of other locations, if any)

One Month into the Spring

There's not much to do these days but work! I don't want to write about work in every damn post. It's become my whole life now! The local temperature plummeted to -8 ℃ (~ 17.6 ℉) yesteday morning and snowed of and on from Fri. to Sun. afternoon. One month into the Albertan spring! It's quite normal in this province but this year was different. 7 to 8 months of cold, wind, snow and ice becomes too much! Add to that a bad sickness (for me Gout!) and you'd have a miserable life! On the top of those is preparation for an upcoming examination, Income Tax deadline, you name it! There's no escape from any of those. And when are all of these located?! In an uncertain situation and a very expensive society! 

I went for jogging in the afternoon while it was only -3 ℃ (~ 26.6 ℉). Very refreshing, satisfactory and delightful! No other sole on the sidewalks, only a couple of people walking their dogs or simply strolling while bundled up! It was neither cold, nor windy. Just cloudy. 

(Photo: This was not taken yesterday but shows what exactly was going on in the past few days. I was too tired and lazy to take a new one!)

Staying Positive in the Anniversary

It was my first year anniversary at this new work, this week which we are about to finish it. Things have not been so bad but kind of stressful. The manager, The Mumbling Guy has proved himself as a spinless, stupid, ignorant, coward, shithead yet he matches the other fellas in the Barn! That's what the company is called. However there're some positive sides to this job. I don't have to drive too far. The total amount of time I spend on driving on a day does not surpass 1 hour, both ways and it's 95 per cent highway driving. I get as many as 20 days paid vacation. I learn a lot. There's not much or at all physical work. My working hours are fare. There are only a few assholes whom I have to deal with on a daily basis. I get the opportunity of writing a few examinations for certification and then get reimbursed. Yet I keep my eyes open for any better opportunity. 
(Photo: I used to spend as much as one hour and ten minutes on the road, one day, each way, five days a week! It took a toll on the vehicle and resulted in so much fuel and maintenance cost. Now they all are gone and I hope I can keep it that way)

The Alley of the Losers

The travelling season is close but between swinging weather, jumping cost of gasoline and diesel, as a result of the stupid attack by the US and Israeli forces on Iran and generally high cost of living, it is clear that the hospitality industry which had just come out of the Covid-19 pandemic, will have a tough summer. 

It's also clear that there're many differences between the Western culture and the culture of many non-Caucasian immigrants and refugees, but one thing is for certain is the great attention of the Caucasians to entertainment or in other words, Having Fun(!), as they repeatedly indicate. 

Many people are seen on a daily basis driving with a big crack on their windshield but they buy their wine and six pack regularly, they take their weekly trip to a Cannabis store and pay $80 or more for their phone plans. These are the very same people who post complaints about the cost of living in their social media profiles! 

Spend less to zero for legal contraband(!) and you will travel comfortably. 

(Photo: RVs stay on designated lots with some services available to them such as shower and toilet for a fee. Some losers park on big parking lots of major retailers such as Hideous Mart and The Home Depot to escape that fee and make regular trips to their public bathroom to save a few bucks! What do they spend that so-called money on?! Weed, alcohol, cheap food, healthy(!) snack and phone plans to post the pictures of their great 5-star experience trip to their social media profile! I call these line of motorhomes the alley of losers!)

A New Computer

I had this computer since 2019, I think, and it was giving me trouble from time to time because the system has become old in the past few years. I decided to replace it. The first thing I did was recycling! You cannot buy something, unless you get rid of the old one. Then I bought this ASUS for, what it seems so far, a reasonable price. The funny thing is that I then was able to watch a number of movies which I had not been able to watch them on the old computer for years! Here there are:

1) I bought this DVD set(!) in 2008 from a small shopping center in Greve, a small town near Copenhagen! This includes three disks: a) The Rise of Evil b) Yamato c) Twin Sisters.

The good thing is all the movies are in original language with either Danish, Finish or Norwegian subtitles choice! Maybe not all are good! The second movie is in Japanese, of course and the third one is German! The Rise of Evil is the story of Adolf Hitler which I had already read it. There're a number of famous actors but this doesn't necessary mean it's a good movie. They have added a sort of unnecessary intensity to the way the actor portraits Hitler which makes it unreal and excessive. I saw the same thing in Hangers Also Die, an old movie from 1943! I had seen this movie many years ago in the old country which barely remember it and wanted to see how the dubbing had worked. I couldn't go passed the first 10 minutes or so when I got an English version here because of the fake Nazi officer screaming at everyone in the beginning of the film but I will watch it later. In fact I will watch both. 

2) A friend of mine from the CFLRS days, whom I have not been in touch with since 2021, I think, made this digital copy of The Revenant available to me in the same year. However due to the size of the file which makes it a high quality picture, I had not been able to watch, this copy, until recently. The new computer makes it possible to watch and the picture is incredibly beautiful. The story, as I have written about it, is stupid, long and boring! 

I think it was a wise investment, not because of the movies! Technology progresses quickly and we all need to stay updated to function.  

(Photo: This library building was close to the train station which would take you to Copenhagen, if I remember correctly!)

He must be very good at something

I've never dated a Canadian woman. Not that I didn't want to! Most of Canadian women despise people like me. So do the Canadian men. Not that it bothers me much! A date, technically, must be considered a relationship of, I would say, several months to a few years. I went out with a French Canadian woman once and that was it. Only once! He was playing the game of text messages and I didn't like it. Never called her or messaged her after that! There were some others that I don't even want to mention them or I have and they are not considered a date either.

When this woman approached me, I was not sure what her intention was and still I'm not but I don't think these visits, talks or text messages lead to anything, remotely close to dating but we'll see. 

I was invited to have a non-alcoholic (of course!) beverage to their place and we talked about a few different things in presence of another friend (of hers). His little boy whom I had seen before was not home and she said that he was spending the day with a family friend. 

We're talking and the boy comes back with the guy. She says that she used to date him but it didn't work. However the two are quiet close, despite the fact that he is not his father. Here is a short guy, balding with a belly which is the first thing you see, in jeans and T-shirt. They hug and the I'm introduced to him. We shake hands and the guy sits. That's the time I realize I should get the hell out of there because the conversation no is focused on how they spent their day and stuff like. Something that I had no role in. In the meantime to women goes: What should I make? We have some chicken. This definitely was a warning that I had overstayed my welcome. I thought to myself: They're going to have dinner and to appreciate the guy taking care of the child, he's going to spend the night and they probably are seeing if they can get back together. What the hell am I doing here?! I say goodbye and egress! 

I always wondered what women see in a man which leads to have relationship. So on my way out I saw the guys vehicle. Cars have always been a sign of the situation of a person, perhaps not completely but can tell you something about them. This guy, like many people drive an SUV and it's a big. It looks a good one but not top of the line or anything luxury. The woman is not gorgeous but not ugly either. I think she can be called beautiful easily and has a lovely smile. I don't know her much because we are not dating we just visited a couple of time but she's tall. Taller than the fat and short guy! So here's the question, again: What does she see in him? Money? Kindness? Charm? Kind to the little kid? Or as Sheldon (from The Big Bang Theory!) says " He must be very good at coitus! ". I didn't know what to do when the woman approach me and now seeing the guy, I think I would not want to be in between two people who have used some time together and one of them has a child who likes the other. I bought the little present for the kid once before this meeting in order to make him happy and show that I understand that she has a kid and it's okay with me but it seems that would not go anywhere considering the relationship built between the two. 

(Photo: I have used the picture of a bowl of dates, since this is what this post is all about!)

The Afghans of The Soviet Union in Canada

Afghanistan has gone through the same things that Iran has, in the past 50 years, only harsher. Or perhaps with the new conflict in the region I should say that what has happened to Iran is more intense. Doesn't matter. Both the countries were transitioning from traditional religious societies to modern ones. That was the issue. The societies were not ready. It was soon. There was lots of resistance. Without going into what happened in Iran, I'll try to say what I know about Afghanistan. While Iran was trying to follow Western values, Afghans were redirected towards the former Soviet Union. The resistance resulted in the Afghan Government seeking assistance from the Soviets. They poured into the country from the north to fight what, at the time, was called Mujahedeen, who were in fact guerrilla fighters backed by Pakistan (SIS), the US (CIA), UAE and some other countries. Many Afghans fought against the so-called holey warriors or the Mujahedeen or I would like to call them the fundamentalist Islamist fighters. Many had the opportunity to live in the Soviet Union after the war ended or even while it was going on. 

The Soviet Army eventually left the country in little more than 9 years in 1989. 

If the Afghans thought it was the beginning of a new era of peace and prosperity, they were dead wrong! The country fell into chaos and entered a long civil war which ended when the Taliban, the successors of the Mujahedeen, only more frantic(!), took power for the second time after the Americans withdrew in 2021. 

The question which I had never had the chance to ask is: Why did the Afghans have to leave Russia after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and what were the circumstances under which they did so? 

These are the Afghan-Soviets that I used to know more than 20 years ago when I first came to Canada:

1) Gholam (meaning servant!): The name Gholam is popular within some Muslim communities. It shows their dedication to the Prophet's family. Gholam usually comes with a second name, not a middle name as it is not common in those countries, such as Gholam Hossein, meaning the servant of  Hossein who was the Prophet's grandson. Gholam was, and I believe still is(!), from the northeastern part of the country and from Tajik ethnicity. He was a shepherd until he was called to the army and became a Radioman. He got wounded during a firefight and was sent to the Soviet Union for treatment due to the severity of his injuries. He stayed there until he came to Canada under the circumstances that I'm not aware of but mostly likely through UNCHR. He went to his village after the Taliban was ousted by the Americans a few years ago but I don't think he would dare going there again! 

Aziz (As is!): Aziz was sort of an intelligent fella amongst the others. They used to get together and drink and Aziz was the one who always complained about his own drinking(!) but he was also the one who used to say that Afghans should do this or that! He was once asked why he, as a Muslim, drank and if it was not forbidden in the religion to drink alcoholic beverages, his response was: The backward Islam says so! I was smart enough to not to start a fight with him! One funny thing about Aziz (or a someone is a dear, if you translate it!) was his little stockroom. He had purchased a number of appliances and had shoved them in a little warehouse for the time his wife comes to Canada! The poor guy never understood that most of appliances and tools go through newer designs and models every couple of years or so! Something I never bothered to explain to him! 

Limping Larry (Courtesy of Seinfeld!): This guy used to be an officer in the Afghan National Army, resisting against the Islamist fundamentalist who blew the country to way before it used to be! He looked like he was in his early to mid-forties as far as I remember. He had lost a limb in the war and for that he was limping, wearing a prostatic leg. I, again, never asked him his story. This is what the other Afghans told me. I think he received a sort of disability from the Government of Canada because all I know he was doing was delivering newspaper (at that time newspapers were still in circulation, no even the blogs are not!) He eventually left one day. I was told he had gone to Montreal. If you can't speak the language and can't work, does it matter what part of Canada you live?! I think Quebec has somehow different laws but it should not have been a problem! 

The Qari (Arabic for someone who reads the Quran very well): Qari was a fat and lazy guy. I didn't know much about him. I saw him once in the yard laying down on a mattress! Quiet normal for an Afghan guy to do things like that! 

Mohammad of the God (I think i have written about him!): This guy was honestly the scariest. However, in order to know these guys with all these Islamic names and apparently culture, it's interesting to know that once I saw him at French Maid in Downtown Calgary, playing pool with one of the strippers! This was a good hangout for Afghans(!) and I was introduced to it by them! They were all hanging out there, drinking, playing pool and chasing the strippers or the local hookers! It's been many years that the club is closed and I haven't even been there to see what has been established instead. Here's the funny things about many of these people who call themselves Muslim! True hypocrites! 

The Principal: This was an older guy compare to all the other. He had a family of 6, including him and his wife, I guess he used to be a principal and had a business of his own at the side. So in comparison to all the other Afghans, he was in a higher class. You could sense that when he was talking to the other Afghans. he had Uzbek ethnicity and he always had a smirk on his face when talking to the other fella countrymen but when we were talking history and politics he condemn the Afghan Civil War between different ideas and ethnic groups. He even travelled to New York City with his wife and visited a friend. I still haven't been to New York City after all these years of living in Canada!. I shared part of his basement with his eldest son for a few months, one of a few major stupid mistakes I made in the first years of my life in Canada but if you hang on to the past, you die a little every day. He sustained a serious injury at work and loss the use of one of his hands. I saw him brooming the front of a business many years ago, a practice common in those countries(!) I didn't stop to say hi but I might go to see him. I think he was running an Afghan restaurant somewhere close to Franklin Station.

Married to a Soviet: There was this short, fat and bald Afghan who had a Soviet wife and a little pretty girl. They called him Khan, if I remember correctly. I remember is that the woman was in the process of leaving him, yet would ask him to do this or that or take him here and there! She would sit in the backseat as a sign of separation and contempt, probably(!) and the poor guy would go here or there probably with the hope to have her back! I also remember he used to sell Hot Dogs in Downtown Calgary, near the bars and clubs and this was his second job, maybe. Many Afghans had a delivery of some sort of second job. 

(Picture: A Soviet soldier taking Mujahedeen POWs out of a Mil helicopter. I don't know why his Avtomat Kalashnikov does not have a magazine!)

Weird Food (3)

 I personally believe until there's an effective judicial and punitive system exists, crime rates go up but I believe, at the same time, that the government has to provide opportunities for the people so they don't turn to criminal, not that it's the only factor. One cannot say because there're not opportunities for them, meaning specifically customized for them(!), they should resort to everything to make money although this is basically the concept that criminals adhere to! It's like that the Afghan guy I knew nearly 22 years ago. He had left Russia, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and came to Canada. The questions I never asked him or many other Afghan fellas who just had left Russia and came to Canada at that time was why did that take them 10 years to leave the former Soviet Union (considering the dissolution took place in 1991 and they were in Canada in 2000-2001) and how were they able to get to Canada and avoid being sent back to Afghanistan? This should be the subject of another post. However, the issue is that I no longer see any of those guys. 20 years have passed through the years that I knew many of those guys and I have no idea where they are now. The last one of them was seen last in late 2015, 11 years ago(!) but the point of bringing up Afghans to this point is their mentality and their expectations from the Government of Canada after living in the Soviet Union for years. For those who are not familiar with the former Soviet system, I will explain what I know:

People did not have a lot under the Soviet system but at the same time they did not have to worry about job loss, mortgage, insurance, healthcare and all today's worries. Many Afghans who served the Afghan National Army fighting against the US, Pakistan and UAE-backed Mujaheddin (not to be mistaken with the Taliban, although some later become one) were given the chance to leave Afghanistan and live in the former Soviet Union either after the war or during it. I will write about some I used to know in a different post as I said earlier but one of them, named Aziz (or perhaps As is, in English!) told me if the Government of Canada paid him, he would go back to school! This is the Soviet-era mentality that people are told what to do and they do it. Many of those Afghans had attended different schools in the Soviet Union, free of charge and they thought Canada was the same! One more word before going to the main subject: If powerful companies can do whatever they want and no strong judicial system cab protect the poor and abused, companies such as The Real Canadian Superasshole become a monster! With that in mind, I'll go to the main story:

When you go to a location of The Real Canadian Superasshole, all you see is false advertisement, fraud, overpricing and everything in that category. I understand that a good portion of what is displayed in a supermarket goes to waste and for that a business, to stay competitive and running, has to add the losses to the price of other items but acts like this is not acceptable. Look at the above picture:

1) Why do we get fresh Atlantic Salmon here in Alberta?! The distance between a major distribution center in the Province of Alberta and a main source of Atlantic Salmon is more than 4,400 Km (~ 2700 miles) while the Canadian Pacific Ocean ports are only 1000 Km (~670 miles) away! I bet the Lowblow guys have a nonsensical answer for this! 

2) Are the businesses not obligated to show the weight of a packed product on the label? Why is this important piece of information missing?! If you tell the store, they throw the box on a scale, tell you how heavy it is and ask you if they want it. If you file a formal complaint, they submit an insincere apology and offer you a $15 gift Card! 

3) Lack of responsibility and concern about the environment and true greed is seen in this product as well. A small product which adds another piece to the landfill because The Real Canadian Superasshole likes to make a 50% profit on a piece of fish, if not more!

(Photo: Saw this jewel during a tour last summer in a Superasshole location) 

Country Hills Toyota: Avoid at all Cost

I would like to expose one of the worst businesses in the Calgary area with the hope to protect consumers: Country Hills Toyota. I've had so many businesses with this so-called dealership but have been able to avoid them for the past year or so after I experienced lots of poor service, bad customer service, overpriced items, you name it. The thing about this dealership is the location. This is the only Toyota shop that serves northern Calgary and the nearby towns. The service charges are atrocious and the waiting time and appointments are the worst. I must add that the other dealerships are not much better than this but Country Hills Toyota goes for the price. Here are some examples of how I experienced different services of them:

1. I was there for a simple Oil Change once. I used to go there for Oil Change frequently. I don't anymore. The waiting time is incredibly long. Oil Change is the simplest thing that everyone can do: There's a drain on the bottom. Drain the old oil. Contain for later recycling. Put whatever(!) back on, add fresh oil and make sure it is enough. That is all. The entire process takes about 15 minutes or so. The important thing is just to make sure the old and dirty old is completely out. They keep you waiting for sometimes hours to intensify their operation(!) and make it worth the big bucks they charge you. Once I waited there for over three hours. They were so ashamed and embarrassed that they didn't charge me for that! 

2. You need to know that many of these businesses are just a source of employment. What I mean is that there're people who don't work the way they shall, due to lack of proper management and the ownership needs to compensate for the losses somehow. I was there one day early around 08:00 to have my oil changed. There were as many as, probably, 20 big lights were on! The amount of money that is saved by turning those lights off in a summer long day, is beyond the understanding of the people who manage the costs in these businesses.

3. I bought a 2025 Toyota ____ in Aug. of last year from a dealership in Calgary. The documents showed the vehicle had been made in July of that year and it was legitimate. I had given deposits to other dealerships in the area, including this place, Country Hills Toyota. I never received any calls or any updates about my order. I eventually got my deposit back. I had one counter with one of the ugly idiots from a village in ___! You'd be shocked to know about it: When I asked about the price of a Crown, he told me it was expensive! The Toyota I bought is a little less expensive than a Crown but I don't believe you should tell a potential customer that a car they're looking at is expensive to imply that they can't afford it unless you're a mindless, stupid, ignorant, dumb rube and that's what most if not all the salespersons in Country Hills Toyota are.

These guys are going to be alright because they cover a vast area in northern Calgary but I'm happy that I was able to cut my ties with them. I will go to other less fraudulent services in the town! 

(Photo: Country Hills Toyota showroom ceiling at almost 07:15 on a summer day. Imagine how much waste could be avoided here but the owner doesn't care. He adds all the extra cost to your bill. That's why I'm not paying $150 for a damn oil change service which literally doesn't take more than 20 min. from an unskilled labourer)

The Stinking Animals of the Barn

 There are a couple of women who come to the office usually in the last two days of the week, almost every week. They pretend they work but they laugh and talk more than they do! It gets worse when another one, who is usually quiet, when the other two are away, joins. 
Ha ha ha. Ho ho ho! Bela, bela, bela, Yap, yap, yap! 

Every 20 minutes. They never shut the f--k up. It makes the job very difficult by not being able to focus. Everyone knows nothing can be done about it. No one says anything! My solution is easy: When it becomes too much, I get the hell out and go to the other office! Spend a little time there and come back in 10 to 15 minutes, hoping their big mouths are closed! 
Something happened in an afternoon that shut these annoying, selfish, stupid, idiots up, a few days ago! One of the bosses was in the office, working! These brainless idiots became mice! Quiet. Coming and going without a peep! It showed how immature and stupid these women were. Laughing and not caring about anything and then quiet as a mute kid the minute the teacher walks in the class! Stupid and shameless. This is what I'm going to do: I've written down the date the manager was in the office and I will send these rubes a message about how pathetic they were on that day, when the time is right! 

In case someone wonders why I use the term Barn to introduce this stupid workplace, this term, surprisingly, was used first, by The Mumbling Guy and I appreciate it! It truly is what the word means! 

(Photo: The white roofed building, the barn, at William Pickton's Farm in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia. This was the place that Pickton murdered his victim's, mostly women from Downtown East side Vancouver [East Hasting] and allegedly fed them to his pigs! I lived quite close to the far, for a short while before 2011 started and that was the time that he already had been under investigation but not much had yet been done. The farm later was turned into a set of disgusting apartment buildings, like many other places in Canada. The barn that I work in is not as dangerous as this one. However it could be very annoying and traumatizing because of some worse-than-pig, human-like animals as I described above!)

Weird Food (2)

 I bought some batter this past Dec., probably for the first time after 20 years! I just needed for my Turkey cooking to avoid dryness. It worked and I've used it only once after that. It's now too fatty and too strong for me! It's taste throws me out! It's been sitting in the refrigerator for nearly three months. I should perhaps give it to someone! 

With that in mind I was in a couple of supermarkets this past week and I saw a new scam: Olive Oil Butter!!!!!!!!!!!! Olive Oil, if not mixed with cheap oils, which most of the bottling companies do(!) a healthy fat but when you turn it to butter, meaning you process it, even if it is originally Olive Oil, which it is not, it becomes a health hazard! I don't really know who eats butter these days or how they eat it but while I'm not very surprised, I'm baffled by the level of dishonesty, lack of care and deceitfulness that these businesses use to empty the pocket of consumers while affecting their health. 

(Photo: The butter section of a supermarket shows different types of butter. From European style to Olive Oil, perhaps flavour and benefit[!]. The latter goes for CAN $5.99 and it weighs 454 g, not even 0.5 kg!)

The Cockroach in the Front Yard

I've written about these assholes of the neighbourhood already once: Drunkards, lowlife losers, drug-addicts, thugs, you name it. I'm no perfect person but I have limitations and boundaries. If you have no red line that you believe you shall not cross at any cost, then you would do anything to achieve your goal and that's not too far to break a law. That's how I look at the things. 
With that in mind, we have this ugly loser whom I've written about earlier but I'd like to say about another encounter with this beauty queen! This ignorant retard is from Cosenza in southern Italy. For those how don't know, there's a big difference between the center and north of Italy and its south, including Sicily. That is why you see the majority or all the Italians who migrated to the US, in the 50's and earlier are from the south or mostly from Sicily.  I'm going to Italy this year, for the first time but my focus would be on north but from what I've read and heard about the south, including Cosenza, it is a poor region. I had a buddy here in Alberta who went back and now he lives there in his parents house. He worked as a painter here and told me once that he never had a chance to go to a school because he always had to work. I had this plan to go to Italy back in 2021 and he sent me a list of the things he wanted me to buy for him after telling me that I could stay with him and his Mom who was alive at the time. It was really funny:

• White Socks!
• Some sort of Vitamin (I don't remember what the hell it was)!
• Some other odd and ridiculous thing! 

He always complained about his life and everything related to it. He used to say that a friend of his lived and worked in a Pizza Shop (or owned it) in Ontario and then added: " I don't know how to make Pizza "! Or he said once that their home in Italy did not even have a stove! I don't know how they cooked and ate but I assume it was on an open fire. 

Now that you know how southern Italy is, a little bit, I go back to the Beauty Queen! She bragged about how his father was a business owner while she shopped at filthy stinking toilets such as Dollarama and Wal-Toilet-Mart! Despite the fact that, I think, she was looking for someone to satisfy her with her basic biological needs at the age of 62, and I've told that story, once we were talking, she kept saying " I don't work at the moment "! I don't know what she expected me to do for her! Hand her some cash? Bring her food?! You look like a healthy woman. Go get a freaking job anywhere in the city. You only have to overcome your biggest and most disgusting habit of being lazy. You can't do anything about the fact that you're a cheap, idiot. That's how your brain has been developed but you can stop being lazy and work. In this case you don't have to beg people for money. Then one day he said his Dad had passed away and he left her and her siblings some money. That was a big chunk in a way that she could pay her mortgage off! I don't know if you can do that. Most of the banks have regulations which prevent you from doing so as that is how they make money. You pay interest. Her begging and disgusting nasty behaviour did not stop there because once an animal is a filthy, nasty one, she most likely remains a filthy and nasty one. This time she started to convince me that I needed a major change to my yard to make it look better. I denied that. I simply did not want to spend any money. Then one day I came home and saw changes to the yard. It was not bad but it was unnecessary. I messaged her and thanked her. She demanded money! And I said to myself: Are you kidding me?! I'm not going to give you even a single Penny! First of all no one asked you to do so. You ain't even supposed to go to someone else's yard without their permission. Do I have to get a restraining order?! Secondly, You should've asked and negotiated the cost! Screw you. 

She barely talks to me after this which I'm thankful for. I'm just waiting for an opportunity to get the hell out of this shitty neighbourhood but I don't want to rush it. I will look for a bigger and nicer place within a better neighbourhood with less drunkards, drug-addicts, deadbeats, child-abusers, wife-beaters and mentally disturbed individuals! Seems to be a very hard task to accomplish but not impossible. I need to sell this place first. 

(Photo: A yard in Palm Springs, CA. It was heavily raining when I was there almost 2 years ago but because of the extreme drought and heat, particularly in recent years, many households have ditched the lawn) 

XRF and Litvinenko

I was reading about this recent conflict in western Asia (not Middle East which the average stupid, ignorant, calls it!) and it somehow was redirected to the role of Russia and then how the Russian government kills, assassinates (same thing!), silences and kidnaps or exiles its opponents and critics. The story continued with the strange death of a former FSB * officer, Alexander Litvinenko in Britain back in 2006 and then pointed at a scientific fact which I had read about during my XRF certification studies. I think it would be interesting to say it here:
XRF is a method (an NDE) of analyzing the elements of a material and their percentage: What a material is composed of and what percentage of each element could have a significant effect on its characteristics and performance. For example Nickel (Ni) is added to Steel to prevent oxidation. This is generally between 8 and 10 percent. If a corrosion-resistance material is ordered and does not have MTR or the provided one does not look authentic, XRF comes to assist to see whether the right amount of Ni exists or not. 
Next I briefly discuss how is XRF generated. XRF is generated by the way of radiation. We need to know what ionization means so then we get to these two types of radiation:

• Ionizing radiation.
• Non-ionizing radiation.

Ionization happens when an atom loses or receives an electron. It's a negative ion if it receives an electron, of course, and it's a positive ion if it loses an electron. With that in mind, it is needed to say that non-ionizing radiation, although could cause burns, is not so harmful to the body. Examples of non-ionizing radiation would be light, cosmic light, microwaves and radio waves. Ionizing radiation, on the other hand, could be quite dangerous. In order to see the level of risk when exposed to such radiation, first we need to understand the different types of ionizing radiation. They are:

• Alpha particles (α),

• Beta particles (β),

• Neutron particles, and

• X-Ray or Gamma Ray.

This diagram shows how different types of ionizing radiation travel and how they could be stopped

Describing what kind of radiation each of the above ones are, helps to get closer to the answer:

Alpha particles consist of two Protons and two Neutrons. For that they have +2 charge and they are heavy. It means that it cannot travel more than 1 to 2 inches (25.4 to 50,8 mm) in the air, lose most of their energy and stop after that distance is reached. Alpha particles could be stopped by a piece of paper or the outer layer of skin but if they are inhaled or ingested, they could be harmful and detrimental. 

Beta particles have higher energy and travel faster because they are lighter. They have a negative charge and  travel up to 10 feet (a little more than 3 meters). They also are emitted from the nucleus of certain radioactive atoms. They could be stopped by a layer of a few millimeters of plastic, glass or metal foil.

Neutron particles are the next strong ionizing particles but we're not going further. 

When Litvinenko was first hospitalized, he showed some early symptoms of food poisoning:

• Nausea and vomiting,

• Extreme fatigue and weakness,

• Diarrhea,

• Headache and confusion,

When the illness progresses, other signs start to emerge after a week:

• Immune system failure. At this stage a rapid drop in White Blood Cells leads to the body being completely vulnerable.
  Increase risk of internal and external bleeding. This is due to loss of platelets. Platelet helps with clothing. 
  Hair loss. This also starts to happen despite the fact that Alpha particles do not affect the victims through the skin. This was seen in Litvinenko's appearance. A symptom completely different from food poisoning. That baffled the physicians at the time.  

The severity of these symptoms depends heavily on the dose but how Alpha particles reached Litvinenko's body is the next question. Polonium 210 which is the source of Alpha particles radiation is assumed to be brought to the country (Britain) easily by a Russian assassin. It could be simply put in checked-in baggage, wrapped in a piece of paper. There would be no way to detect that and no harm to anyone, neither the assassin nor the security personnel in Russia and Britain. Then slipped into his beverage or food and waited for the slow but effective reaction. First signs of food poisoning, as described above and then other signs and symptoms which refute the theory of food poisoning. He was gone by the end of the third week. 

The above theory is what was concluded after autopsy had been performed and investigations had taken place but no one was ever charged and prosecuted for this crime. 

X-Ray radiation which is the fundamentals of XRF has more energy, travels faster and longer. We leave it here because we just wanted to see the way that the former agent was assassinated scientifically. The part that does not make me angry with the Russian Government and whoever pulled this off is once you work for one side and you go to another side, you betray your country and you automatically are a traitor. Traitors deserve death and in this case a very painful death. He deserve it more than Robert Levinson did. He only acted as an spy, he was not a traitor.

* FSB is the Federal Security Service organization of the Russian Federation which has its root in KGB of the Soviet time.

(Photo: Litvinenko's grave in a London cemetery. He is buried far away from his birthplace of the town of Voronezh)

The Sudden Jump

I went to get some gasoline on my way home from work yesterday and I got shocked! I knew the prices had gone up but I didn't expect $1.66 for a damn litter! It's in the news that the Strait of Hormuz in Persian Gulf where most of the oil and some other commodities have to pass through is chocked and that has resulted in this spike.

This picture taken from the south of the Persian Gulf, not the Iranian coast shows an UAE small warship escorting a commercial container ship at the Strait of Hormuz. This waterway has a width of 33 to 39 km.

Trump, as part of his confusion and the fact that now he doesn't know his right hand from left(!) has asked the European allies to help him to once again make the shipping possible through that waterway but the so-called NATO allies have said it was not their war! He's pissed now and has threatened to leave NATO!

I went to the port city of Mahshahr on the shores of the Persian Gulf just a few years before my immigration but have never traveled as far as that. I hope one day one the area is peaceful I can go and see this part of Iran.

(Photo, top: The picture taken yesterday shows what CAN $30 will get you. Not even 18 liters of gasoline in a PetroCanada Gas Station)

The 1986 Bombing of Libya

How many nations have been attacked by the United States attacked, say, in the past 50 years alone? Should we count?! I think we shall see why they do that first. There're a number of reasons for that:

1) When the Second European War, which some like to call it the Second World War!, ended (We'll get to that in another post) in 1945, most of Europe had been turned to ruble. It was the US that assisted them with the Marshal Plan to rebuild their countries and make it back to Europe. The Marshall Plan was a sort of financial assistance which helped the devastated countries to get back on their feet. The US ,then, thought: Why don't we do more of this around the world?! We can make more money! We encourage the nations to fight each other. We not only sell, at times to both sides, weapons, but also will help them to rebuild their countries through long-term and tedious loans, after the war ends! 

2) Oliver Stone once said in one of its movies that war is an $B 80 industry in the US. It shall be ongoing to keep the wheels of the economy rolling. There're barely any other businesses in the US which could generate that much revenue. Perhaps it's correct to say there's none! Automobiles?! Except for Tesla which has made significant progress in the past few years, the other American automakers are doomed. Not to mention that Tesla's joy of sitting on the top seems to be ending soon when the flow of Chinese EVs is directed to North America and Europe. Aircraft. Not bad but Boeing had a major issue 

3) American society is a troubled one. More than many countries that you can imagine. Despite being known as the Land of Opportunities or the Land of Plenty, there are lots of issues in its fabric. Racial tensions, drugs, unemployment, homelessness, political division, you name it. It's not that other countries do not have these problems. War helps the governments to conceal the internal issues and distract the public. 

The Jeffry Epstein scandal has many worries that sooner or later they might get exposed and have to face the trail. The disgraced Royal Family is for sure one of them although this is not the first time they face humiliation and shame. The so-called Prices of Wales used to sleep with every Tom, Dick and Harry while she was married to the then Prince Charles! Now the son of the past Queen has been stripped of his title and shamed, although these animals are so filthy that they don't feel ashamed! It also seems that many other people were his associates and they're afraid that the truth will be told. What's better than a war with all American propaganda to make people forget about that?! 

The Plaque about the F-117's mission in the town of Tonopah in Nevada. I took this during my first visit 

With that said, we go back to 1986, almost 40 years ago because it was in April of that year when Ronald Reagan ordered Operation El Dorado Canyon after the Congress had been consulted and practices had taken place. This operation ordered American bombers fly from for missions over The Madman of Mediterranean's country, Libya! That was the nickname Reagan had given Qaddafi. The interesting thing is neither of the countries on the north side of the sea allowed American planes to use their air space! That resulted in extra fuel and longer mission time. The operation was in retaliation of the recent terrorist and terrorist supporting activities of Libya in Europe and everywhere else and was considered quite successful. The Americans lost only one plane which resulted in two casualties and despite the success, Qaddafi remained in power. This, as the date shows, was way before the operations in Iraq and the US did not have any plans to use ground forces.One of the interesting things about this operation was the fact that the US Air Force intended to use F-117 Stealth jets for the first time but the decision was changed and they did not appear in the skies until Operation Desert Storm (Or as the Iraqis called it at the time Operation Westerrn Bandits in Arabian Desert which was a stupid but funny name change!). The F-117s were stationed in Tonopah at the time and they were kept there secretly for another few years. Another proof that war is a big business in the US!

(Photo, top: An F-111 fighter bomber in a base in Britain before the mission. The plane was officially retired 10 years after this)

Dazed and Confused

The war against Iran has entered its third week and all sides are dazed and confused. Some more than the others! I'm against every war but if someone imposes on you, you need to defend yourself. That is your right. Here are the different sides of this useless war:

1) The criminals of the US Government, led by the crazy Donald J. Trump and his pets. I must add that I have nothing against the American people and the great country of the US. I admire its strength and its beauty but I condemn the brutality of its criminals against humanity, particularly in the recent war against Iran.

2) The Government of Israel. These people need no introduction to the world. When concert goers were attacked in Israel in Oct.07.2023, I developed a sense of disgust and dislike against the so-called terrorists. The real terrorist and war criminals showed themselves soon after: Killing innocent children, elderly and women, shooting aid workers, killing the journalists who reveal the war crimes, bombing schools and hospitals, blocking the flow of food, looting homes and blowing up buildings. 

3) The desperate people of Iran, many delusional, thinking the war against their own country would do anything good! Now they regret they had wished for that! Be careful with what you wish for, punk! Remember this line?! If anything should happen to the criminals of Islamic Republic of Iran, it must start from the inside. It takes time. The fall of the Pahlavi era took place after 37 years of dictatorship and only after several factors were in place: The West wanted the King to go. People were duped that he's no good and an Islamic system shall be replaced and some other factors. Those factors do not exist in today's Iran's society.

This map shows the spots that either Iran or his proxy groups have already targeted as well as the targets in Iran hit by the US and Israeli forces.

4) The disgraced, foolish and phony Crown Prince Reza! This guy is quite a character! He enjoyed the money that his family stole, when they fled Iran in 1979 and hibernated all these years. This guy and his family have not worked a single day in their lives and that's almost 48 years! All of a sudden there's an opportunity to take power, he's political! Travelling to Israel, meeting with the Clown of Kiev, giving speeches! The funny thing is even the crazy Donald (Credited from Joe Davola of Seinfeld!) he doesn't think he's the one who could be a good choice and now with this conflict taking much longer than everyone anticipated, he has lost most of his credibility because he was the one who said he would tell the people when to come out to take control!! The answer is not too soon, apparently! 

5) The insider supporters of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Every regime has people who support them, no matter what. They are given perks, government positions, you name it. They will always be there. Some desert. 

6) The proxy groups. They are all over Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon and other places. Their major hide out, Syria was taken from them when Assad's regime fell. They're still active but they have suffered a major blow. 

Everyone is dazed and confused now! What will happen? Trump sends mixed messages, as usual! You can never rely on what someone like him says! I bet neither him nor any of his pets and his biggest protege expected Iran to stand for so long. This war, like any other one, without a doubt, has nothing but waste and destruction but for the US is also millions and millions of dollars of cost, the pressure from the public, the Congress pressure and inner party and between the parties debates. The US has the experience of war in Iraq and Afghanistan. They should really be very silly to start another one! 

(Photo, top: Led Zeppelin released Led Zeppelin I, as their first album in January of 1969 and it contains dazed and confused, although the song had been originally created by John Holmes, two year prior)