The Beautiful Spring of Alberta

Snowing and extreme cold is not unusual in April and even May in Alberta but Global Warming has had a significant effect on that. There haven't been many cold days any more and by " a cold day " I mean a day when the temperature is bellow -15 ℃ (5 ℉) because any temperature above that it's not considered, or perhaps I should say, it was not considered, a cold day.
With that in mind when it snowed nearly 5 cm (nearly 2") the other day I was both happy and sad! I was happy that perhaps this would help to avoid drought and was happy that I didn't have to drive in that condition but I was sad that the temperature was nearly 0 ℃ (32 ℉) which means the snow will melt quickly and we will soon be deprived of the beautiful scenery! 

(Photo: The heavy night snowfall of the last week in a nearby neighbourhood. I stopped to take this picture)

A Phone Interview Courtesy of The M. G.

I was wasting my time(!) on the computer yesterday morning and the telephone rang. It was a lady who introduced herself as an HR person with the company that The Mumbling Guy works for. I thought she might call but didn't expect a call so early. Here's what happened:
I found a position a couple of weeks ago and was going to apply but the product of the company suggest that it was the same that The Mumbling Guy had told me that they were manufacturing. So I thought I should ask him before applying and I did. He said: Don't! I was a bit upset but I didn't because I know he would be the one who evaluates the candidates. His reasoning was someone from the floor had been selected and would start soon, someone who is a relative of one of the managers. 
Nearly a week passed and one they he called and said: Apply for the position in the company I work for! He is the type of the guy who NEVER calls unless there's something really important! So I wondered what had happened. He said that the selected fella would be going to another province for a high pay job. Good for me!
So I applied for the job through the web and also sent my resume to their HR as he had instructed me. The HR person called me just one day after sending the resume, very unexpectedly, as I wrote and sort of asked many questions, some that I had never head in any of the many interviews that I had attended. Here are some:

1) Did you get year-end bonus?(!)

2) How was your vacations or How many days off did you get?(!)

3) How do you deal with issues?(!)

4) Did you have insurance coverage?(!)

I think I've listed the main wired ones!
Then later I received an e-mail and was invited to an couple of interviews(!) at their office. I sent a thank you e-mail and confirmed. The Mumbling Guy though, argued why I had not asked for enough money?! I was going to say that I'm not sure whether I would be hired. Why would I be ruin an interview with a number which most likely not be given to me? He bullshitted for a little while and that was it. Now I have to prepare myself for the interview.

(Photo: I thought I shall use a picture of one of the products of the potential employer but privacy is very important. So I used the line of Natural Gas Pressure Regulator that one of the companies that I worked for as a trainee, many years ago in the old country, manufactured) 

The Second Application

You know how frustrating it is to wait for an interview for days and weeks and then when you're invited to one, you realize that's the same person who interviewed you a little more than 3 years ago! That's what happened to me last week! 

I remember this guy and I remember that I wore a suit and tie (it was probably a very big mistake for a low-level job like that!) and went to this little building while wearing a mask because it was still Corona time and was interviewed. The other details are in the above link, which many might not even bother going there and it's fine by me, but I don't know if the company has its name changed or what. When I first saw the position I didn't realize that I had applied for a job there and had been interviewed because I couldn't remember it. When I checked the address then, I learnt that I had been there!
The guy, this time, wanted to have a phone screening, first! One can imagine why! They call you to interview when it's a pandemic and they screen you over the phone when everything is normal!  

So he called and talked for a short while and I always have my stories set! When he asked me why I was looking for a new job, as I have indicated in my resume that I still work there(!), I told him that I need to be with my family. He also asked about my salary expectations and I know it would be as cheap as the last time, probably a little more, but because I hate staying at home, I'm going to take this job, if I can and then move on. He said that he would like to interview me and would send the address, which I already know(!) and everything. Again, fine by me.

On the day of the interview I'm there two minutes early and he keeps me waiting for about 5 minutes! The funny thing is that the guy recognizes me immediately when I'm shaking hands with him and I deny it, respectfully! I don't deny it actually. I play dumb! I apologize to him and I tell him I do not have a good memory but I also add that I'm more experienced now which indicates that I would be a good candidate for the position! He says that the company has been obtained by another company and that is why, probably, I didn't realize it was the same with a different name! 

He sounds more mature now and this time he offers me a better compensation but I make up so much that at times I think he doesn't believe me because he's looking directly into my eyes without blinking! He never called me after the interview although I sent him a thank you note. I guess I missed this one as well.

(Photo: Phone screening gets rid of a portion of candidates)

Religulous

 This documentary is an amazing one that I don't think you can show it anywhere: It's called Religulous! The word Religulous is amalgamation of the words Religious and Ridiculous! This is a documentary by Bill Maher about different religions and how nonsense they all are! However he reviews the three main religions: Islam, Christianity and Judaism. The other thing is that the film was made in 2008 where the social media was not even introduced and there was not this much religious tension in the world. 

What can I say about it as I don't want to ruin it for you. You have to see it but if you're a Muslim or Jew and even a Christian, you'd most like not like it and some would even be offended. I'm an atheist and I like films like that but I have to conceal it at times because you can get hurt even in Canada!

I remember when I came back, failed from CFLRS, I was sent to this toilet company, a big warehouse and in there a House N - - (!) and I got in to a sort of discussion and he said something to me like God does this or says that and I told him that I didn't believe in God! He didn't like it and was about to preach but I don't remember what happened exactly because it was 2017 but what happened next and I'm not sure if this was the direct result of that or not but maybe it has some impact, I was asked not to go back to work! I said: F- - it! I got a better job just a few months after that. Anyway if you're not religious or have doubts make sure you watch this documentary. 

(Photo: Maher in Vatican where he questions Catholicism!)

Still Scary Downtown!

 I did two out of the three CWB examinations for my Level I certificate this week. This was, probably the third attempt! No! You can call me dumb or anything you want but I don't even want to discuss that here. I either have not had enough time to study or was too tired to do so. That's my excuse! I fail at least one of the three each time and then I either have to re-write it or my time is up and I have to write all the three! I will write about this attempt when the results show, next week, most likely but I paid Kevin M. a visit on my way back, in his Downtown workplace building. 
I barely remember when was the last time we had met but I think it was 2019, perhaps. He looked much older and had lost a great deal of hair. We are all aging but I think his aging has been fast. Whatever is left is gray now but we leave him alone in that department. The good thing, for him, is that he has been with the same company since, If I'm not mistaken, 2011 and he will, most likely retire there. I don't think he makes anything less than $130k or he'd be a sucker! Even if he doesn't, and even if he makes $100k, the important thing is he's all set, in comparison with me that I have to start over! I saw them to see if he could do anything about the application I had earlier sent. I highly doubt that. 
Nevertheless, I had to park somewhere and walk to the building and Downtown seemed scarier as always, perhaps even scarier! Despite a small population of some Caucasians and some foreigners who work in the businesses and buildings in Downtown, the majority of the people you face are foreign refugees and asylum seekers, fraudulent immigrants or poor addict and extremely low income and almost homeless people. Downtown Calgary is way better when you compare it to Vancouver but still gives you a very bad feeling, in most corners of it, particularly on a cloudy and cold day of March! 
Shopping carts with dirty clothing piled up in it, lots and lots of Punjabi Sikhs, male and females marching around (I spent an hour with my friend and when I came out, saw the same people wandering around then all went inside a building in Downtown west side, almost opposite Kerby Center, which I don't know what it is but we all know many Indian Sikhs come to Canada as student and work), construction and more construction, smokers and lost of smokers. You get depressed by walking in certain parts of Downtown! And then I saw one or two moving trucks and told myself: I will do anything it takes not to have to move to a rental building and generally anywhere in Downtown Calgary! My mental health has been affected enough, I certainly don't want to end up in a mental institution!

The interesting thing is you never see disgusting, scary and nasty scenes you see in Western cities in any Iranian cities and despite one or two individuals, I saw no one like these creatures in Tokyo with more than 14M inhabitants!  

(Photo: McDougall School, which is known as McDougall Center now, was built in 1907 as a center for training teachers. It is located in the less scarier part of Downtown Calgary!)

Escape from Alcatraz

Prisoners, either they're POWs or inmates have been the subject of movies many times. Some are based on true stories and some have fictional characters. If I wanted to name a few I would say The Great Escape, The Bridge Over the River Kwai and probably a few more. These two movies were a big hit at their time but probably not today. They would most likely not impress the young audiences today. I saw the first one many years ago when I was a kid in the old country on VHS(!) and it was dubbed. It was a favorite movie by adults at the time because of McQueen's role. I did or perhaps I still do have the second movie on digital but couldn't watch past the first few minutes!

This movie that I've watched and is a bit better has a historical accuracy: Escape from Alcatraz is based on the attempt and actual escape of three inmates from the maximum security prison in the island of Alcatraz, nearly 1.25 miles off the shore of San Francisco in 1961.

It's obvious that many parts of the movie is based on the speculations that the writer and screenplay write have but it is still good considering many events could have been checked with the former inmates who were there at the time. 

Alcatraz Island and the main prison building. Photograph courtesy of FBI. The island is a tourist destination which I don't mind visiting. Perhaps sometimes soon when things go back to normal.

The movie has a few known actors. Eastwood is the main character. Fred Ward who has an amazing play in Southern Comfort comes in later and becomes one of the characters who plan and participate in the escape. There're a few more who are not known as much but they play well. The movie might sound a bit boring because it's not an action film. It's about planning for an escape but still worth watching, if you can get your hands in. I read that there're tours for the island and the facility, which was closed less than a year after the infamous escape but with all the opposition to travelling to the US, I wonder if it will be a favourite destination for many! 

(Photo, top,: From Left Frank Morris and brothers Clarence and John Anglin, escaped the maximum security prison in the north of San Francisco in 1962. The FBI does not believe the men could make it and handed the file over to the US Marshals office in 1979)