Flashback (39): The Evening Cowboy

I have written about Cargill Meat Solutions before but I repeat here that I worked for the company for over 4.5 years! I'm looking back now at year 2006 and see what monster I used to be! That was the year I quit and it was August, 20 year ago! Four freaking years and a half is not a short time working a hard physical job and for a 6 days a week! I don't know how I did that but it proves how strong both physically and mentally I was or perhaps that is a source contributed to my Gout problem today!
Cargill Meat Solutions, in case you don't know, has a plant outside the town of High River in southern Alberta which when I started my job there back in Jan. of 2002, was 63 km away from where I lived! The company had established a sort of subsidized bus service to facilitate the commute of the labourers who came from far away distances, mostly Calgary. I would like to go to the plant one of these days and see how it operates and see if any of the guys I knew still are there. If I do, I will have a post. 
I remember I walked every cold morning form the place I had rented to where the bus would pick me and a few other ones up at the corner of 64 Ave. and Falconridge Boulevard. I don't remember how early it was but my assumption is that was probably 05:00 or 05:30. I can't recall. I then moved to Downtown Calgary which made the commute a little bit easier but not the job.
What I remember clearly and the scene is tattooed in my brain is the tall Caucasian guy who would wear a big Cowboy hat and walked down the street every Fri. nigh, probably just to go to a nearby bar, the closest being Cowboy Taphouse. I knew this guy worked in the slaughter house.  The plant is consisted of a few departments or sections:
1) Yard. Where the animals were kept and sorted before being slaughtered.

2) Slaughter House. Where the animals got processed initially meaning their heads, their guts and other non-edible parts would be separated.

3) Production. Where the animals were cut to little pieces and went for packaging

4) Packaging section. This was the easiest part which had most of the Caucasians employed. 

The Evening Cowboy, whose nickname resembles The Midnight Cowboy, the main character in the famous old Western starring Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman (which I haven't watched!) was such a nice and soft-hearted fella, always wearing a smile in comparison with some Caucasian Canadians who just hated your guts simply because you were a non-Chinese, non-(East) Indian, non-African, Non-Latino foreigner! 
I don't remember whether he quit or what but I never saw him after, perhaps, a few years but his image still is in my mind. I hope he's doing fine and is happy wherever he is because it's not easy to stay nice, kind and smiling toward others after a very hard physical work day but he managed to do that. A kind of Caucasian Canadian who can be found here in many communities in Canada while you may encounter the biggest jerks and assholes at the same time. I simply ignore the second group. 

(Photo: Voight and Hoffman in a scene of the movie Midnight Cowboy. Drop me a line about the film if you have watched it)

The Caps on the Fence

I've been to Highway #22 several times and by that I mean the south part of it where it takes you to Crowsnest Pass and the US border and I realized, every time that on one of the ranches on the right side of the highway, the west side, baseball caps are placed on the top of almost every and each fence post. I never knew what that meant and there was never anyone to ask.

I did a little search and I found out what this means, today! I was supposed to go to north, this weekend for some hike but the weather has been cloudy and rainy in almost every part of the Province of Alberta, from south in Coutts to north in Edmonton. So I'm writing this now with the hope that I can get out around noon to get a few things done, not that anyone cares.

The story is about a 90-year-old rancher near Longview who had been to Yukon Territory and had seen caps on the fences and decided to do the same thing in his ranch. He nailed, perhaps, nearly hundred caps to his fence posts. There's a full interview with the gentleman who originally is from Calgary and according to him was born in 1930 in CBC back in 2020. Now 6 years later I hope he is sound and well despite the fact that these caps mean nothing but a way of spare the time and create curiosity within the travelers who drive by! 

(Photo: Property fence on Highway #22 in Alberta, south of Longview)

Unbiased Opinion about Marlborough Dental

There's not much going on these days. Just the disgusting work and then home. That's my life! Therefore I thought I should write about my experiences with Marlborough Dental, in Calgary. I think I started going there back in, maybe 2003. So it's been more than 20 years. This dental office is located in a the ghetto, in a so-called mall of the same name. Many of the stores are ran by foreigners who come from absolute poverty and sell the merchandise which mostly their own people purchase. Nothing wrong with that. I think this dental clinic and maybe one or more businesses are the most prominent ones in the entire so-called mall. There used to be a Sears at one end but you'll know that Sears has been removed from the Canadian market. At the other end of the so-called mall is one of the nastiest and filthiest toilets in the entire City of Calgary: Wal-Toilet-Mart, where cockroaches and sewer rats hang out and enjoy their lives.

We are going to the dental clinic's history now that I have described the Marlborough ghetto to you. There was this Japanese-Canadian doctor when I first started going there: Dr. Higashi, if I remember correctly. He was very respected by the staff who at the time consisted of all or mostly Canadian young women and as far as I remember all pretty. He was not only respected because he was a dentist. He was tall, handsome and well-dressed and it comes from a heterosexual person. Imagine how those girls thought about him! Once I asked if he was Japanese and one of the girls said: His English is better than mine!

I was told later that he had moved to New York City to pursue his career and education, I think, when one day I went there and he was not there. I also remember most of the hygienists and assistants were all beautiful Canadian girls. I was there once on a Fri. afternoon and I realized that one of the girls seemed a little bit impatient. I told her that I understood it was Fri. night and everyone wanted to join their boyfriends! She said that was true and she really wanted to see her boyfriend! It's not that because I'm a loser myself and don't understand the need of a good partner in life but Canadians and I guess generally Westerners do not consider the single life as part of their lives! 

There are still a few Canadian girls in the clinic and they're all pretty but the front staff has been changed mostly to either Indian or Filipino girls. I started seeing Dr. Popp after Dr. Higashi took off and my experiences has been generally good but I heard many years ago that he overcharges and doesn't talk nicely and that came from a Canadian woman! What do I care? I'm just an expat! I don't have many choices. I would be treated almost the same or worse if I switched, I believe. The only time that I did not use Dr. Popp's services was when I was in British Columbia. In Squamish there was a dentist and in South Surrey-White Rock there was a very nice Vietnamese dentist. I remember he even called me after a procedure to see how I was. What a gentleman. When I moved back to Alberta, I went directly to Dr. Popp and I've been seeing him since. Would I change to another dentists? Maybe. I'm not sure. He's fine and I don't have any issues visiting the ghetto from time to time. Dental procedures are not something pleasant that you think about who does it. You just want to get over it! Is Marlborough Dental more expensive than other dental clinics? I don't know. I don't care about the cost at this time of my life, much. My insurance covers part of it and that's all I need. Can you shop around to see what clinic has a more affordable service?! I think not but there's something that I can recommend to people who might find that clinic or generally dental services expensive: You don't have to drink every day or smoke Marijuana 3 days a week or eat out every single night or do shopping for new cloths every week but you need to have good teeth. So cut other costs and do your dental. All those clothes, wines, shows, etc. are these and newer are coming every year. You will get your hands on them. 

(Photo: Lots of violence, drug using and homelessness is seen in the neighbourhood. This poor man was sitting at a corner next to the rear entrance to the so-called mall)

Strange Things in Google Maps

You have probably read about the strange things that are seen in Google Maps from time to time. I was looking for a different way to approach a local park and in its parking lot saw this picture: A fat, nasty disgusting pig loser in baseball cap and shorts, who probably drives that big ass truck, talking to a woman! You can see the look in face despite the fact that its blurred. While this is a normal reaction of a person when they see the Google vehicle, this disgusting fat pig might also be worried that he's caught talking to a nasty bitch! These all could be speculation but the story practically writes itself. I really hope at least one of them sees this! I've also heard it's very easy to reverse the blurred picture to the originals! I'm not interested in that but I clearly remember a freaking criminal was caught after the experts were able to turn his twisted face picture to normal! Lots of freaking sick pathetic loser in this society! 

My Salvation Army Story

Employers reimburse some of the employees' expenses, if they are legitimate. Education and safety gear are some of them. This story is about what I made up and sold to our so-called Safety Manager and my supervisor about the safety boots I had purchased and it shows how naive these people are. I did it mainly because as I've said this before most of the Canadians feel jealous when they see a foreigner, particularly someone like me from that specific part of the world, purchases valuable and quality merchandise.

I went to a branch of Red Wings and picked a pair of safety boots for a little over $300. My main goal was and still is to use the boots mainly for hiking, not for work! The guy in the store recommended another pair but because that was very heavy I picked the one I thought would be more comfortable although now I think I need to change this to a bigger size that it feels too tight! Why did I not do that in the first place? The answer is very easy: I become a lazy fool from time to time! 

With that said, I put the box in a tote with a big Salvation Army written at each side. This was given to me by my Mom and I did not ask her where she had obtained it from. I showed it to my so-called supervisor and as soon as he sees that he smiles and I think he believes that I had purchased it from a Salvation Army store! I decide to play along and rake that to the Safety Manager and tell him that I had purchased it from a Salvation Army store. He looks at the boots which obviously had never been worn and confirms that! I tell him that the guy who purchased it got into an incident, becomes injured and permanently disable as a result of them. He then sells the boots to the store to cover part of hi expense despite the fact that he is covered by insurance! The boots which are normally over $400 are sold for a little over $300! The idiot buys it, despite the fact that the receipt says Red Wings Shoes clearly on the top! He then approves it, I take it to our manager and he approves it as well. I then send the Expense Report and simply wait for reimbursement and will enjoy the boots in one of the upcoming hikes soon! 

I used another pair of Red Wings boots in a beautiful hike to the summit of Maze Mountain with my buddy Stout a few years ago but I'm not in the same state of mind and shape these days. I'm older and mentally shattered but I will try to do as many hikes as I can this summer and not only compensate for the losses but also bank more. 

(Photo: One of a few Red Wings boots which are made for hiking. I cannot tell whether this one is also a safety boot or not but when I asked the fella in the shop the other day he didn't know anything about it. The previous one was tried once, as far as I remember and was not too bad. I will have to see how this one will work after I change it with a bigger size)

The Amazing Ladies of Alfred Hitchcock!

I've watched a few old fantastic Hitchcock's movies recently and can't stop sharing with everyone who might be interested in a few hours of good entertainment, rather than wasting money on a film about someone who was repeatedly charged with sexual abuse! Some very beautiful and talented ladies have roles in those movie. You see them all here:

Tippi Hedren. Had roles in The Birds and Marnie. Now live in New York City and is the grandmother of actress Dakota Johnson. She is 96. As per Johnson, I've watched Black Mass which is a good movie and the Peanut Butter something! I think the attention that Johnson receives is mostly because of her physique and beauty rather than her talent and art of showing a character in a story but that's a separate topic.

Eva Marie Saint had the lead role in another Hitchcock's movie called North by Northwest. Her performance is brilliant. She is currently 101! 

The beautiful Diane Baker also has a role in the Hitchcock's Marnie. She had a small role as a Senator in The Silence of the Lambs. She is now 88.

Joan Fontaine had a major role in the Hitchcock's Rebecca but she was not the Rebecca! This British-American lovely actress was born in Japan and passed away in 2013. 

The beautiful Vera Miles portraited the murdered woman's sister in Hitchcock's excellent movie, Psycho. She is currently 95.

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, despite the fact that you're about to max out your C. C.!

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 these many years "! This is what gets you in the high levels of management and six figure salaries in Canada. If you are 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 and repeat it like a parrot, that's what matters! It's similar to hundreds of idiots who drive like a disgusting maniac but do possess an 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) Not correcting your Manager or providing meaningful and constructive suggestions will almost guarantee to become them on the 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)

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!)

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!)

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!)

Weird Foods (1)

  I'm going to start a series of posts under the title " Weird Foods ", today. This, hopefully covers the processed foods which are:

1) Harmful to the environment!

2) Harmful to the human body. Should come with a Health Hazard Warning!

3) Unnecessarily and unreasonably overpriced.

I must add that in North American societies and perhaps the other version of that, the Western European and most recently other societies of the world, creating revenue justifies doing anything. 
This first post is about a product from The Real Canadian Superasshole! It is called Naan Dippers! So what is it? It's a few pieces of flat bread made out of White Flour, in a plastic box and has 200 grams weight. It is sold for $4.99!!
Let me explain what it is and prove to you that The Real Canadian Superasshole's owners are nothing but a bunch of nasty animals and so is the Government of Canada. Naan in a few languages in western Asia means bread. What these filthy, disgusting animals mean by using a foreign language world and writing it with the English alphabet without having a translation of that, is beyond me! Then we go to the product itself: 200 g. of White Bread for $4.99!! You must be either a retard or born with some sort of mental issue to pay that!  
Here is the logic behind this and I admire it. These grocery stores lose thousands of dollars every month due to unsold, expired, rotten or stolen items. They need to compensate for that to be able to stay competitive. That is why they use dolts and blockheads as there's always an idiot who pays for shit. So here is a good example: a few grams of cheap White Flour, a little water and other ingredients and a few minutes turns to $4.99 product. What is the cost: Considering everything, not more than $2! However, you created a product which despite the fact that it generates revenue, it is harmful to the human body and to the environment. That little plastic box will not decompose for the next few thousand years. It's just another thing in the landfill. 
These people deserve a trial and a life imprisonment and the product shall be discontinued. Do you know how many different types of similar products exist in just The Real Canadian Superasshole?! And the asshole disgusting " Crap "ney called Canada " Environmentally Friendly "! What a piece of shit! 
(Photo: The disgusting bread pieces of The Real Canadian Superasshole)

The President of Peace

Trump has started something that despite all the nonsense that his pets (Hegseth, Rubio and Leavitt) bark, has caused confusion not only for everyone around him, as usual(!) but also for himself! I, always among a few who thought that if he was selected, he would make a good president, particularly because of the way he went after Biden and the mess that he created in Afghanistan, leaving billions of dollars worth of equipment there. He criticized the 20 years of the waste by the previous administrations and called himself " The President of Peace "! He promised to end the war in Ukraine! Every idiot, including The Clown of Kiev believed him! You have to think about what people say and look who's talking! 

The 14-month grandchild of Khamenei was killed during the bombing of the Supreme Leader's Compound. Was she evil too?! What has been gained now? The son of the Supreme Leader has become the Supreme Leader, you idiots! You did nothing! 

Remember what Led Zeppelin says in " Dazed and Confused "? " Lots of people talk and a few of them know "! How could you stop a war after three years (the time Trump was elected president) without talking to both sides and see what they want?!

" The President of Peace " is now in shit! He thought Iran would give up after a few bombs are dropped. He knows that there's no way that they can deploy ground forces! His growling pet, Hegseth knows that too. They have learnt their lessons in Iraq and Afghanistan. They just bullshit and trying to get themselves out in the least humiliating way possible. 

If there was a fair international tribunal all these fake democracy and phony guys would be tried for their war crimes, killing innocent civilians including many children. There's no fair trail in the world, unfortunately and the United Nation is as worthless of a piece of cow dong and these people have no shame. Now he's saying the war is about to end and Cuba is next! That is " The President of Peace "! Here is the great George Orwell says about these wars which have all started by the West or have the West's benefit in them: " The War is not meant to be won. It is meant to be continuous ".

(Photo, top: An Elementary School for girls in Minab, a town on the edge of Persian Gulf, was destroyed by American missiles and more than 160 people, mainly female young students were killed! This is one of many very precise attacks that Pete Dogshit is very proud of!)

Stuck in Toilet

What would you do if you ever got stuck in a toilet? There're different ways to deal with this issue but not all lead to freedom and even if they do, you will smell like shit for a very long time. Some will be careful and stay away from unsafe toilets. Some are not wise enough and step in the same shithole again and again. The smartest one is who never steps in a stinking and smelling toilet full of cockroaches and at times, sewer rats. 

I'm not a very smart person but I always stay away from dangerous toilets. This Nov. will be the end of my 25th years of living in Canada and I've never set foot on one of the nastiest and filthiest toilets in the world: Mexico! The closest I've been to the toilet was when and Alphonso went to El Paso, in southern United States and we didn't even try to cross into that country after we were given a warning although we just wanted to see the city of Juarez for a few hours and go back to the other side.

Driving south on 375 or Purple Hurt Memorial Highway and getting close to the City of El Paso on a Sep. evening of 2019

Thousands of Canadians travel to Mexico every year and there always has been a problem but these guys never learn their lesson! Kidnapping, scams, explosions, you name it. Now the problem is bigger. What the hell is the point of locking yourselves in a gated community and only have access to sand and kitchen?! That's what these people do. Lie down on the dirt and get drunk while looking over your shoulder to make sure no one is jumping over the fence to rob you or having an eye on your phone to see if half of the country now is in chaos! Enjoy, you cheap idiots!

(Photo: Sometimes the only way to clear a stuck toilet is flushing. At times flushing doesn't work or if you keep flushing it break. It seems that's the situation in Mexico this time)  

Trains, Planes and Automobiles

I had no idea what Trains, Planes and Automobiles was when my realtor mentioned it to me a few years ago! I asked him to find me a quiet place and when she sent me a few addresses, I asked her how the neighbourhoods were. Her response were: You know? Like Trains, Planes and Automobiles! She meant that all these sort of vehicles could be heard during the day. However none have ever bothered me and the other thing that I like is the neighbourhood is not so crazy and noisy. There're of course, assholes, thugs and drunkards but where is the neighbourhood without them?! Not many! 

I then got a chance to watch the movie a few years ago for the first time and watched it a few more times after that, including tonight! I must say that it's a great movie and both John Candy and Steve Martin are brilliant but Candy was a Canadian gem which there will never be anything remotely close to him. He had roles in other movies such as Uncle Buck and Home Alone and he was great in both, mainly the first one. One thing that I am surprised by, is the fact about the Canadians who travel to the US to work and then stay in the US which are a lot. Many of them are the artist that many know: Singers, professionals athletes, actors and actresses, politicians, you name it. Examples would be Jim Carry, Wayne Gretzky, Daniel Powter, many more. They barely visit their home town. Some never. Yet the Canadians expect the foreigners to go to their country of origin every chance they have! I haven't been to my country of birth for over 11 years now and when I was talking to our HR person before the last Christmas, she asked me whether I would go back home! I was going to respond by saying that first of all this is my home now and there's nothing you can do about it! Even your Government isn't the fan of me leaving Canada after I retire as I have to be in the country for at least six month of the year to be eligible to get my Old Age Security! You're from eastern part of the country which is maximum 5 to 6 hours flight from here, considering the stops and layover and you never go there. You expect me to be on a plane and in airports for over 18 hours?! F _ _  you, you idiot! I'm not going to do that and I don't care if you like it or not! 

Martin and Candy in the last and one of the most interesting scenes of the movie. This is supposedly Chicago and is a beautiful neighbourhoos as seen. Just like Home Alone's

Nevertheless Trains, Planes and Automobiles is a great movie. Watch it, admire it and recommend it to as many people as you can. It shall be considered one of the greatest comedies of all time. 

I feel my life is similar to Candy's character in the movie. Not entirely or not identical but I always have had an issue controlling what I say, I haven't been able to be with a woman I love since my wife left me 10 years ago and I'm mostly alone! I don't know whose life is more f _ - ked up? Mine or Dale Griffin's?! 

(Photo, top: Candy's tombstone. This guy neither died nor is buried in Canada!)

What Women Want

I considered this file(!) closed so I'm writing about this funny occurrence now. I was approached by a lady neighbour when there was a major snow storm a few weeks back. She helped to clear the driveway and then it looked like it was the start of a friendship of some sort. I made some baked good the next week and delivered to her as a sign of appreciation. She invited me inside and gave me her number. I know nothing would come out of this but I kept the number and then she one day later said that she would like to invite me over for an afternoon tea of something. Never happened! I was not surprised because I know the type and the later encounters proved that as well. I decided to invite her for the tea and it was accepted. We ended up talking for a few hours and it felt nice and enjoyable. 

The returning invitation, to have something at her place never took place. In addition to that she said she would help with some an issue in my place through of one her relatives and that never happened. The interesting things are what she said she wanted in this potential relationship: " We (her and her little kid) were looking for something to be able to rely on ". " We knew everyone in the neighbourhood but you ". 

Women always are in need of something or they would never approach you. My first wife, whom I was married to for only a short time got what she wanted from that relationship in that period and then moved on! She wanted to be transferred from the town she lived in to a main city and that would have never happened, unless she notified her employer that she was married to a person in that city! My second wife married me so she could benefit from my immigrant status and save herself from the unknow future. Her family were on her shoulder to get rid of me and they eventually succeeded! She moved to British Columbia, then years ago this month (Time flies by!) came back in a very cold months to finalize the divorce! Then a few month later she realized that it was not such a wise decision! She called me and said that she wanted to come back to me(!) and stated that it was very expensive there! I was in CFLRS at the time and I was hoping to finishing the Basic Training but I didn't and didn't get her back either! She, I'd assume, married her boyfriend of the older days and I guess they're living in that province happily. 

I never liked M. Gibson. That's why I haven't watched this movie What women want. However, since the title of the film is the same as the title of this post I thought I should post a picture of Marisa Tomei who has a role in the movie

Then I received a message from lady one day saying that she felt depressed and sad. I'm not really good at situations like this. What should I have said? Sympathy? I told her that I was fine and added that she could contact me any time she felt like that, although I thought she would not need it. I think that was turn off for her. She never contacted me after that again. I, truly, believed this friendship as she had described, would go nowhere. We had nothing in common, neither culturally, nor emotionally. Let alone physically! A tall, young, Caucasian, pretty woman with high sex drive, starting a relationship with an old, ugly, foreign man. My theory is not to even start a relationship which you can easily predict that will not going much far after the start point! That's how you save time and money! I, at this age, don't want to invest on a short relationship or as she wanted friendship! I have plans which all are costly and adding people to them would be next to impossible. So sending a message of " You don't need me ", I think was a wise decision. She never contacted her and I easily could see that she was trying to shift her focus on other individuals who were able to satisfy her on the One Night Stand basis(!) or provide the service frequently as long as it's requested and needed by her! I don't care. Let see how she gets assistance when she really needs it! 

(Photo, top: Canadian Rockies in Kananaskis, Alberta. This is taken from Burstall Pass area, exactly 10 years ago. Why I used it here is because I apparently received a call from my wife who was in British Columbia at the time but I missed it because of lack of service in the region, of course. She had earlier left me and we thought we would work it out. It didn't happen. We both suffered a lot from the broken marriage. I know I did. I don't know who suffered more but I know it was my fault too. I was not innocent in it) 

The Future of London Drugs

I bought my first computer from London Drugs  back in 2002. Something very fancy for over $2500. I was a Sony desktop with all the accessories which I sold to a fella in 2006 or 2007. This was the London Drugs at the corner of 36 St., and 32 Ave., NE. I continued shopping from the other branches, mostly the one in Downtown on 8th St. That one is now closed and turned to a filthy toilet full of flies and rats: Dollar Store! Why? Two reasons: A Canadian Tire was just open across the street. Canadians, mostly are broke. So they don't go for good quality products. They go for shit!  

There still is a Canadian Tire in this town where I live. However, they moved to a smaller building now. I think it was probably hard for them to pay the lease in comparison to the money they made. That's only my assumption. I wonder if they have enough customers in this new location. Most of the shelves are not complete and there're not much merchandise. The place does not see enough customers and the staff don't stay long simply because they can't afford their lives on that wage. You barely see any (East) Indian in the store. They mostly are hired by Wal-Toilet-Mart or The Real Canadian Superasshole. Some at McDonald's and other fast food joints. My assumption is that they think communication skills are lacking. What else would it be? However there was a mid-age tall (East) Indian fella in the Downtown location and an old ugly, obnoxious, hostile, nasty woman in the old location of this branch! There were a number of good staff in the old location but They're all gone. The future of this retailer is now at stake. When life becomes hard, people rush to filthy toilets such as above to get what they need. Not many think of chocolate bars, fancy biscuits and exotic beverages. We'll see. 

(Photo: The candy bar section with all the discount tags in a London Drugs store)

Capitalism Finally digs himself in (6): Begging Communist China!

 Carney traveled to China to beg for forgiveness(!) and see the possibility of hooking up with the country that they always, or probably just from time to time for the sake of argument, only(!), condemn human rights violations, a week ago! The fact is with the power that the Western countries have been giving to China or to be exact the Chinese Communist Party, in the past 4 decades or so, it is very hard for any country, even the US to stand against and stop the beast! 

It was just a short while ago that two Canadians, known as the Two Michaels, were held in the country and one of the main country's executives was under house arrest in Vancouver. Then Canada imposed a 100% tariff on the Chinese EV which was retaliated by imposing tariff on Canadian agricultural imports. Canada did not have any choice to reduce the tariff to only 18% so the farmers could make some money on their products. The country is also letting as many as 49,000 Chinese EVs annually, which has pissed off Premier Ford a lot or I should say, the Ontario auto workers, in fact! 

This map suggests that China might simply block the entire island instead of an invasion which could be as effective or even more successful and less costly. Map courtesy of Yahoo Australia

This proves all this nonsense of human rights and the other crap that these people of, or I should correct myself, these politicians of the US and Canada say is useless. If China wants to take the island of Taiwan back, they can do that in 24 hours or less and the US or no one other country would be able to do a damn thing! The Westerners only confront non-Westerners when there is a temporary benefit! They turn to a friendly face right after that to gain what they can! The West is so addicted to the Chinese products that if they stop the flow, half of the people in the Western Hampshire will be naked and hungry! Go to, for example, Canadian Tire. There's basically not many things Canadian but a few store employees and the building itself which is founded on Canadian soil! Everything is either made in China or some Asian countries such as Vietnam and Bangladesh. Even some employees are non-Canadians! The store shall in fact be called Chinese Tire and I would love to change the big sign on the top of one of these stores one day! I just have to look into the local Bylaw and The Criminal Code of Canada (in more than 1300 pages!) to see what the consequences were, if I did! 

(Photo, top: Robert Schellenberg was first tried and sentenced to capital punishment for narcotics-related charges in China in 2018. His sentence is now overturned after the PM's recent trip to that country. It shows that the Chinese like to work with Canadians as there are lots of benefits for them, more benefits than Canadians'!)

Another Wave of Stupid and Senseless Separatism

This is something that I wanted to write a few months ago but I got the chance today: 

My brother and I went to a local library as he wanted to check a few things and saw two ladies at a table with a bunch of papers and stationary items. It appeared that they were collecting signatures for a petition which basically opposed to the Province of Alberta's independence from Canada! We didn't think twice before signing. 

As a foreigner, who loves the country of Canada and its many people (not all of 'em!), and has been living here for over 20 years, I hate to see the country being mutilated and butchered! These filthy, nasty, disgusting, mindless, animals don't understand that people are strong when they're together and resolve their differences rationally and peacefully. 

Countries such as Yugoslavia and Soviet Union went through separatism. The first one was started with a bloody civil war which according to one of my training officers during CFLRS days, were too gruesome and inhumane. All the issues and battles within the Soviet Union started after the separation. Canada is different. There's not any ethnic differences but seems that people would like to separate for political and financial reasons. They claim that the Federal Government takes too much from Alberta's economy. I say that's no reason to seek autonomy, although there's enough autonomy with the province's political system now! What else do you need? 

The Premier has given these people to chance to hold a referendum, if the number reaches the required one, meaning somewhere some people are doing things that we were part of, to slice the country! I guess in a democratically elected system things of such are inevitable but should the stupidity of people  play a role in the future of a country?! I will look forward for the referendum to say a big no.

(Photo: Yugoslavia was divided to 7 countries, countries[!], after the stupid, meaningless, ethnic war with some still not recognized fully internationally!)

Snow Den in Christmas

It's Christmas season and I'm mostly stuck at home due to the extreme cold. It went down to -32 ℃ (-25.6℉) last night! I go to the windows every now and then just to watch snow. To see how much it has landed. Do I have to shovel or not? Then I said: I can't go out. It's too cold and dangerous. Why don't I watch Snowden, instead of snow? I always wanted to know what this guy's story was and now years later I'm about to find out. I guess I'm not very up-to-date with many things! People are going to laugh at me that I'm learning about this guy after more than 12 years! There're things that I follow closely and there are many that I pay not much attention. This did not catch my eye but I'm glad to watch the movie now. This is one of the Stone's but didn't sell much. One might wonder why. To me it's very obvious: The movie doesn't have any sex or violence in it! A movie like that would not sell much in North America but I liked it. Born on the Fourth of July, Platoon, W, The Doors and JFK are the movies made by him and I enjoyed watching them, some, including Platoon and JFK, several times. I didn't know, first, that he had made this movie as well. It is very good and the main character actors were great. In a society that consist of many mindless dumb, it's not surprising that they don't like this movie. 
Stone decided once to make a documentary or biopic about the former Iranian president, Ahmadinejad who created lots of controversy during the two terms he was in the office. It appears that he, the president, accepted to take part, at first but the project got cancelled later for a few reasons which are not very clear and I'm not going to dig into it.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the former Iranian President in the UN building.

All aside, Snowden is a good movie and I enjoyed watching it and most likely will, again. It's not as high as JFK, which I've watched several times and I like the dialogue but both Gordon-Levitt and the gorgeous Woodley play very well. Clint Eastwood's son, Scott, also has a small role. I'm not going to spoil the movie but highly recommend it, if you haven't watched. You'll enjoy it. As per the principals that Snowden stood behind and for them, later, he was charged with, I believe he was wrong! If your government has to monitor yours and everyone's conversations, e-mails, reading habits (as said in Se7en!), etc. to keep the country safe, they should. If you're not doing anything illegal, why would you care whether the government knows what you're talking about or not?! That, alone, is enough for me to abide by what the government does. Last thing: I know Snowden is written Snowden, not Snow Den!  
(Photo, top: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley and Oliver Stone. Edward Stone and his wife, Lindsay Mills live in Russia now. To me that is real love! The couple split once and then, according to the film, Snowden went back to her in the mainland States and after he had to leave to avoid apprehension, they were separated again until she joined her in Russia a few years later. That's a kind of girl you want in your life)