Workplace Stories (7): The Chubby Chicken

There was this fucking slow, lazy, bitch, working with us who barely moved her big fat ass or any other part of her nasty buddy but a finger! I did not have to correlate with her, happily but during the course of her sorry tenure I had a few short talks with her, of course all work related. Once I and a colleague asked her to rent a vehicle as we were going to visit somewhere, of course a business trip. The fucking bitch booked something that cost almost $70 more to the company and I had to go at least 4 times longer to get the damn car. 

Every time we had a mail, she would never notify us or bring it to our work station. If you were lucky and passing her desk she might have told you about the letter! She was to a few guys though. I think she had crush on them and was trying to get them. One of them told me that she had bought him Slurpee and stuff like that and the guy has a girlfriend. I'm not sure if she knew but it is very possible. One day we all received this message indicating that she did not work there anymore. The message was from H. R., of course. I never was curious to know what had happened to her. I always thought I was the only one who complained about her but this guy told me what happened: She apparently had done unauthorised purchases because these people have always some amount of the money of the company available to them. One of the purchases apparently was an individual cup brewer machine that she put beside her desk and took a sip of the prepared favourite beverages off and on! I do not think that was the only reason but according to another guy one day she just threw her card at someone and walked off! I knew that she was a farm girl. One of those girl who had horses and other animals in their ranch and they were financially secure. But I guess she wanted to try something different, be independent from the family and see other things. She did not badly need the job. So it was easy for her to pork around and leave whenever wanted. After all she was a Caucasian girl able to get a job anywhere she wanted in a blink of an eye! 

Miner's Peak

I finally was able to find the damn Ha Ling Peak yesterday. Quiet honestly it was a disappointment! The biggest challenge was to find where the mountain and the trial was! Rather than that a 70-year old woman or a 10-year old kid could go up there and in fact I saw people like that! 

Anyhow I left home early to be able to go back early and when I finally found Goat Creak parking lot, there was only a vehicle parked there. So I geared up and walked up to a road with a few construction vehicles. Over there I realized an old red Pontiac parked. I at first though it was just simply parked there but then I saw someone in there with a Security note on the windshield. Apparently he was watching the machinery over there and point at the trial head. I found it a minute and started going up. The trial is nice and it was a foggy and cloudy day so the sun didn't bother me. After awhile I head someone was coughing and I turned back thinking someone was behind me but in fact that was an echo and a girl was ahead of me. I passed her and went higher. The higher I got, the thicker the fog got. I didn't see much of the wildlife but a few birds and squirrels. There was not one single soul up there. After almost an hour and 10 minutes the fog was so thick that I was afraid that I might lose the path on the way back. As well a wind started blowing but it was not strong enough to clear the fog or clouds. I felt that I was closing to the ridge and in fact I was almost at the edge but I could not say if that was the end or not. So I just stayed a minute, took a photo and headed back. 

On my way back, I first saw the fat girl. She had not broken a sweat! I guess he took a break every 2 meters she elevated! Then people emerged one after another! One thing that I realized about hikes here, maybe not all of them is they are very lazy at getting up! The other stupid thing was they were all carrying big backpacks and sticks like they were going to The Himalayas! What a sorry exhibition that was! So I just started running down the hill as it is a very wide and easy trail. 

Now I understand why the peak is named after a Chinese guy! It is because Chinese people are all pussy and incapable of anything physical. So that jackass, whoever the fuck he was, though by going up that little hill he would accomplish the impossible in the history of mountain climbing and hiking! The peak is also called Miners Peak, according to the little plaque installed at the beginning of the trial and I believe that is a much better name because apparently miners worked inside this mountain and they are the ones who deserve the title. Nevertheless I guess I will have to climb this mountain one more time just to be sure that I reached the end. When I am going to do that next, I don't know. It will certainly not be the next one.

Thick fog prevented me from seeing Highway # 1 from the top. I could not say if I was at the end of the trail or not and because I certainly didn't have an intention to fall off the ledge, I climbed down and started to descend where I felt it was the summit! 

(Photo, top: Miners Peak from the road. The tarn besides it could also be seen)

Rochus Misch, A Loyal or Simply a Soldier?

One of the few people who was with the Fuhrer when he and his wife were about to commit suicide died last Thu. at age of 96 in Berlin. Rochus Misch (German spelling, in English it would most likely be Rokhos Mish) was the telephone operator and bodyguard for Adolf Hitler and was captured when the Soviets stormed into the last standing of the Nazis and sent to camps. Surprisingly he survived and was released after doing his time and went back to Berlin where he lived the rest of his life! With Israelis, Americans and British all hunting former SS officers and soldiers all around the world, keeping some of them like Rudolf Hess in jail to their 90s until the guys gives up and hangs himself, it's almost unbelievable for me that Misch was untouched and died of natural causes at that age! Was there anything special about him that the Soviets let him free no media ever points at that. 

Misch, a low rang SS officer, denied any direct involvement in any war crimes but admitted he know that concentration camps existed. He was so brave to step forward and ask not to destroy the Hitler's headquarters in Berlin when they had this plan for development in late 90s. They of course didn't listen to him. He was saying that the building was part of the German history and should be saved. The Allies and then the West German government did the same to most of the remaining of the WWII but there should still be some remaining. There is not much left of Burghof but I will be going there to see no matter what. 

Misch, in his interviews always defended or supported Hitler by stating that he had been a great boss or he was no brute and he was trying to save Europe from the evil Communism of Stalin! And still stayed untouched! He added that war crimes had always been part of the war and will always be, which is right, I think. Look at what Iraqis did to Kurds in northern Iraq and Iranians in the 8-year war, as well as Kuwaitis in early 90s. Balkan War had so much of mass murders as well as genocides in Africa. Isn't what Taliban doing to kids, girls and boys in the schools not considered War Crime? Because it is not in the definition?  They are all wrong but looking closer any war itself is a crime against humanity but sometimes inevitable. Soviets were defending themselves during Operation Barbarossa but would have they start an invasion if Hitler had not attacked them? That is a question which if Misch was alive today would answer it with yes based on what he has said in his interviews. 

(Photo: Misch is pointing at a photo that he took from Hitler in 1940 and in the picture below in his SS uniform. Apparently there was also a movie made about him. It is pointed at in his website. I tried to download and put a photo of him from that website here but could not. It shows him going here and there in Berlin, probably in his last years of his life because he's using a walker)

Elysium

I'm try not to jump in to conclusion about Elysium. I think I have to watch movies more than once in order to understand what the message is about. First off let's see what Elysium means. Basically in Greek mythology it is a place of ideal happiness that is promised; in other words, paradise. And in the movie it is name of the space station that the rich have chosen to live in there to escape from disease, pollution, dirt, poverty and so on. The movie has exciting scenes and unpredictable story at the most of the time and that is what makes it attractive. The end is too near in my opinion. When you create a new world, a new environment, you need to give enough time to the audience get gets him/herself familiar with that. Unfortunately it is inevitable in most of the movies, unless the movie has a sequel. For example in Waterworld you explore the world which people believe there is no land and they are searching for a possible one and then when they find it and while you are getting used to the atmosphere, the story is over! In Star Wars this does not happen because you have up to six movies to see and you are completely into the environment. 

There are parts of, scenes in the movies that I think could have had a better story or closer to reality. For example Max was in Spider's compound, I would call it, several times and was about to be shot at a few times but in never happened! In a real gangster world, criminals do not think before they shoot! They barely listen. They react based on what they see and immediately. Max should have been killed a few times for refusing, arguing or other disapproving gestures. Their law is: Shoot first and ask questions later! 

Overall the movie is recommended to be watched at least once. I will probably get the DVD and watch again. Not sure again. Have to see what else is available in the market for the movies that I have watched recently. The message of movie I guess is wealthy countries not helping the poor but as we can see in today's world poor countries are receiving aid from the rich and also their people are being let in. May be this is not enough in the eyes of the director and other people of the movie.

(Photo: Two non-Americans who act in Elysium, the man from South Africa who actually plays really well and a Brazilian woman in the scene when they are looking for Max, played by Matt Demon) 

Failed Attempt to Hike Miners Peak

I had listed a few mountains, peaks and ridges in Alberta and decided to hike them one by one as long as the time and weather allows so yesterday woke up very early and headed out. The fool had postponed the plan twice already so I didn't even bother telling him this time and decided to go by myself but everything started wrongly! I'm not superstitious but first of all before getting to Highway No. 1 I had a near miss! A fucking fool, I guess a Native woman was walking barefoot on 16th Ave. in the dark. I always watch my speed so I was able to see her and go around. Then I found the weather cold and people were driving like fucking maniacs is early dark morning using their high beams behind me! The temperature even dropped to 5 ̊ C at some point. Then I missed Exit No. 93 which is the first one to Canmore! I was watching the signs and for an unknown reason the exit number dropped from 98 to 93! So I had to take 91 and assume that going the opposite direction would take me back to 93 but that was a mistake! So I came all the way back, went to the other side of Highway No. 1 and drove to east until I got to Exit 93 and made a right. Then over there was another fucking confusion and I tried every possible 3 available ways until eventually found the one which took me to the Nordic Center. That was one I realized that I really did not need to necessarily exit from Exit No. 93 but that was too late! By the time I got to Canmore Nordic Center, I had wasted a good 45 minutes at least and it was light out but surprisingly I could neither find the parking lot that I had to park and start my hike neither a single soul who actually was there. I look around the available notes and maps and go nothing. So I just parked and took one of the trials in the south side and started walking. 

It was not so bad and I told myself that I had not found Ha Ling so I at least doing some hiking because that was why I drove all the way. All the trials are marked and named for the mountain bikers to a certain point. I went all the way up a good hour and a half until I kind of lost the trail. I had to reroute myself two time until I got somewhere that it required much challenge to go up and I had planned to reach back home by around 12:30 so I turned back. Again surprisingly there was not even one single hiker during the entire time. I realized that I was not on my way to Ha Ling but having so many peaks and mountains around, there should have been at least one or two hikers going up or coming down but not a soul! I was pretty sure that I only have to go down what I had already taken and came up but that was only an assumption and I found myself close to a very dangerous cliff which could be the end or simply getting stranded for hours! I didn't panic and the first thing came to my mind was the rescue helicopter which was flying around. I remember the sign that I had seen down by the lodge and I told myself that I would signal them and they come and pick me up. Then I said: No I am just going to go down that very steep ridge, get myself to the gravel road been seen from the top and then by taking the road I would be fine. But finally I decided to simply walk away from the dragon's mouth and head west a bit. I found it easier to go down but I still was away from the trails. Then after a few minutes I heard people talking and tried to getting their attention by shouting and whistling but they either didn't hear me or didn't give a shit! Even when I got down enough when I saw myself at one of the trials I didn't see anybody. So that was it and I had gone back to the trail. I walked down for about half an hour and found myself in the parking lot. Just a few people with their bikes had shown up. It was not as busy as I had expected it. I later checked with the information center in there and realized that I should not have come to the parking lot of the Nordic Center. Apparently after passing Olympic Way there is a gravel road which would have taken me to an unnamed parking lot called Goat Creek and that would have been the place that I should have been parked, had I known in the first place. I keep that in mind for the second attempt. 

(Photo: Canmore Nordic Center from south on my way back to the parking lot)

Quiet South Country of Alberta

I have been trying to get enough information about hiking in the past month so in case we are going, we will have no issue but it seems there are not enough. Yesterday i decided to go to southwestern Alberta and get as close possible to Holy Cross Mountain so when the time comes I know where we are going as well I did not want to spend the day at home. I unfortunately miscalculated and started a bit late because I had to do a tiny amount of shopping so when I got back to the City it was already dark.

I first drove to Okotoks and then to Black Diamond. The second tiny town is not comparable to the first one and I guess it is because Okotoks is closer to Calgary and many people who have high paid jobs live there while generally country people in Alberta are well off but the difference is obvious. After Black Diamond you drive south until you get to Longview and there you turn right onto Highway 541 and that is where the number of vehicles reduces to 1 in every half an hour! Alberta regardless of The Rockies is a beautiful place. Endless fields, vast ranches, wild flowers, streams, you name it. When you get close to Longview and turn to 541 the foothills start and that adds to the beauty but like anywhere else most of the land is separated from the road by barbed wire and fences. Another reason that not many vehicles are seen on the road is 541 leads to closed road in this time of the year and I saw the sign when I made the turn. So only locals drive up and down that road. I do not know how that road is the remaining months of the year. 

So I went until a sign shows Eden Valley and I took out my telephone to check it and I realized there was no signal! So I thought I should have gone back. The clock was ticking and I had no connection and I was out of reach. So I head back right after that while according to the map I was only 19 KM away from where I would have parked if I had gone to hike Holey Cross Mountain.  

Southern Alberta, below Calgary area has for sure the same beauty of Highway No. 1 area but there are not fancy shops, restaurants, bars and so on. If someone like the nature in fact he or she should consider that part just to feel hassle and traffic free. That is where I am going for my hiking when I am a little more practiced. 

(Photo: A house on the steps of a hill in Longview. The picture is small but you can see the tiny little dots on the right, the cows. A gravel road connects the houses to the main road. The masts are probably communication towers for mobile phones)