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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bad Habits Stick with you but do they Matter?

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

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

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

Who Dies Twice?!

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

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

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

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

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

The Mentally Disturbed!

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

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

More Excuses for Thrift Peak

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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