The Trash Bin Salman is Worried

I follow the news of the war within Persian Gulf and western Asia region. No. That's not middle east. Middle east (I purposely do not use capitals to defy the theory of being it being the correct term) is an incorrect term, used first by an ignoramus person which has no meaning. Just the way of using the term Indian for the Native People of North America has no meaning and is pure stupid and absurd! Yes. Read a few books, get some good education. Life is not just Faceless Book, Beer, Weed, Casual Sex or making babies. There's a whole lot more to it.
Yes. I left the country of my origin nearly 25 years ago and I haven't been back for almost 12 years but there're still things about the country that I love and I have so many good memories from the years I lived there. I left when the country started its decline and the decline had a very steep angle. People had so much hope and were very optimistic because war had just ended and there were news of reconstruction and new developments every day. That's why I still read the news to see what's going on in the region. I do not support the regime but I do not believe in war especially from someone who calls himself The President of Peace! All those nonsense of The help is on the Way and such meant nothing to me from the beginning but for the people who were desperate and had made so much mistake, supporting the wrong government, for the past 20 years or so, it sounded the only option left.  

UAE and specifically Dubai is the destination of the poor and devastated, mostly and I'm not saying that because I consider myself a prosperous and successful individual. I'm probably one of the biggest losers on the face of this Earth but the UAE is the final hope for Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakestani, Nepali, Sri Lankan and Filipino to get themselves our of the whilrpool of poverty and make some money by working the jobs that no Arab would like to do. It also is the destination of the cheap Americans and others who would like to have an inexpensive vacation. Add to that prostitution which is also big in the country and the last but not least the trade of drugs! It's understandable how much the recent war has impacted millions of people just in the past few months. This picture shows the Dubai Airport hit by either a drone and missile.  

The fact is all the Government of Iran was doing throughout the Progress and Development Plan years was building military infrastructures and proxy groups within the region of western Asia, countries such as Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen. I personally do not believe there's anything wrong with investing on defense but it should be done in a manner that the society is not deprived of their basic needs such as secure jobs, safety, affordable housing, available medical services, affordable groceries and good education. The fact is all the said was ignored and overlooked for the sake of building thousands of drones and missiles and spending billions, yes billions of dollars on the proxy groups. 
When the war started in late Feb., I was really shocked. I, probably like many, had believed in Trump when he said he would stop the war in Ukraine and he was The President of Peace. What I didn't know is he is a weak narcissist! He loves attention and what attention is better than being in the center of a war, forced by the Israelis?! The thing that he didn't expect is Iranians hitting back hard! 
I don't understand how someone who claims to be so smart and having the strongest army in the world does not appreciate the fact that when they have several bases within the ranges of the enemy missiles, going into the war will not result in quick favorable outcomes!! 
That is why Trash Bin Salman has contacted Trump and asked him to hold the f*** back! The damage to the US bases and his allies infrastructures has passed billions of dollars. The Saudis know that if the war continues, it will become a continuous war and that is what the Government of Iran wants and that will cost them a lot. Hothi Yamanis just got involved and the Trash Bin is not worried about the US or the innocent civilians of Iran. He's worried about himself. Trump is worried too because his popularity has been declined significantly and the cost is to the roof. He covers his anxiety by lying as usual and doesn't care much about the loses. The Trash Bin, however, does. We will see how long this new uncalled ceasefire remains in effect. 

(Photo, top: The Trash Bin Salman is the Crown Prince of the Saudis, the family who has named the lands that they have occupied by their family name, although there's no family name in Arabic and people go by their father's or their tribes name. He runs everything. Nevertheless it's like someone in Pakistan changes the official name of the country to Bhutland on the houner of the Bhutu family!)

The Smell of Cigarette

I was imprisoned at home for two days! Not that I could not go out. The weather has been horrible. Smoky. I couldn't go for my rutine jogging. What else is to do when you're single? Going to a bar and drinking? I'm not a frequent bar visitor and certainly not a big drinker. Besides, I hate going to the same place regularly. It makes me sick. I go to different supermarkets, as much as I can, when it comes to shopping. 
I checked Environment Canada last night and decided to go to Bob Creek Wildland, the place that I've been to many times and failed to reach Thrift Peak as the ultimate goal. That seemed to be far away from the smoky area. Bad mistake. I woke up at 04:45 and went down and there was this strong smell of cigarettes! I  knew some lowlife trash in the neighbourhood regularly and even heavily smoke but I barely smell that! That is by the way one of the reasons I have planned to move out and find a nicer place. That was when I realized it was the damn smoke from the wildfires in British Columbia and perhaps Washington. 
I left home after loading my stuff but  turned back after only going as far as Piegan Tr.! I don't know what's wrong with me rather than being bored with going to the same destination and driving a long distance! I went for a little shopping and had breakfast and at around noon I said to myself: I can't sit like this. I have to go for jogging and I will see what happens. One guy was cycling when I reached there. I started jogging after 1 round of walking and finished the exercise with another round of walking. When I got home I felt a little discomfort but I'm fine now. If I die later soon and nobody notices at least you'll know what the caused has been! 

(Photo: You can clearly see the smoke in the air. Welcome to New Delhi! This area is not too big for cycling but it's safe because there're no car. My old Steve Bauer bicycle have been sitting in the garage for a long time. I don't know weather I should have it fixed, buy a new one or forget about it!)

XRF Level II Examination

I wrote my XRF Level II examination this week. It was a very easy exam. I failed though! Why? The answer is simple. I was lazy and discouraged and didn't study enough! I have to re-write the damn exam and pay again and the employer only covers the cost of the exam which I show the proof of passing. The stupid thing is you only need 70% to pass. I barely passed 66%! 

The misleading part of the material is sections which says Recommended for Level II! My understanding was that the question will only come from this sections of the material! Dead wrong! The entire material was covered! It's an excuse. I should've studied the entire material and completely and I will. I will try to book it for the end of Aug. I month will be enough now that I even now what sort of questions there will be. The funny thing is I think I had answered some of them in my Level I exam.! I might be wrong. They could be quite similar. Here are some of the topics of interest:

a) The different laws and regulations that govern XRF activities.

b) Unit conversion.

c) Some basic physics about atom and all the related.

d) Safety and calibration of the analyzer and related devices.

e) Other usages of the analyzer such as soil analysis. 

This is just a reminder for me so I won't waste time and money again, although most of my life has been waste. I hope your hasn't been and won't.

(Photo: A case of Olympus hand held XRF analyzer)

The West's Gift to the World

I did not go hiking for the third week. Why? This damn ugly, polluted and hot weather doesn't allow a good sleep, so despite the fact that I wake up when the clock goes off at early hours, I'm so freaking tired that I can't even get out of the damn bed. I hardly can get out of the damn bed even during the week but I do as I have to go to work.

There was a program on CBC 1 (AM 1010) about the poor asthmatic children whose lives are in danger now. This program was about the B. C. Interior, and I think one of them has already passed away as a result of extreme air pollution in the region. So sad but who's fault is that? Every issue we have in the world is the fault of the greedy Western companies. Their non-stop hunger for money has brought the universe to the position that many environmental scientists believe there's no cure for it. Who introduced plastic to the world and have been using it non-stop in every aspect of life? They introduce a ridiculous law at different levels of the governments and think they have done plenty. They have banned plastic bags from groceries and many opposed that at government levels at the time I remember, and then they repealed it. What a bunch of filthy disgusting, nasty, sewer rats! Then you go to a freaking supermarket and there are thousands of, literally, thousands of disgusting nasty, filthy, vomit causing, processed food items wrapped and bagged in several layers of plastic! That's how they protect the environment. They have wars all around the world and imagine how much waste and how much smoke and other health threatening items are going into the atmosphere every year. Who has started or lengthened the wars in Ukraine, Iran, Sudan, Yemen (all current) and Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria?! 

They do nothing or minimum and brag about it. I hope the temperatures drop at least a little in the few next days so I can go hiking. 

(Photo: This little storm pond is close by. I went for a half an hour running around it. It is so peaceful and there's barely anyone there and there's a nice breath. You don't even feel the heat!)

The Worst Olives

I like Olives very much, not that anyone care and not that many people like it here. If it's not Chips, Cookies, Candy Bar, Licorice or so, it's not considered snack. I used to be Olives from The Real Canadians Superasshole but then realized that these thieves have increased the price so much that it's not even worse going to the store. I tried the Kalamata Grocery in Downtown Calgary, a few time. It's not bad. There're so many varieties and that's what makes the selection very difficult. 
Lina's, based on my experience, is the best source for Olives. I'm not saying they have the best, I'm just saying that they're the best to go. Limited variety, reasonable price. Available both in bulk and jar and of course the bulk is from a big jar! 
The Olives don't last long, when I buy. I add them to my salad, to my sandwich or just eat them as snack. I bought a pack of 1 Kg Moroccan Olives from kalamata Grocery nearly three months ago. More than half of it still sitting in the refrigerator! I had added Morocco to my travel list a few years ago. I was hoping to do a hike and see a couple of places. I considered that to be a good trip and attractive price-wise. I have moved it to the bottom of the list now with the possibility of completely removing it but that's not why the Olives have not been eaten! The damn Olives are too salty and dry and no flavour. Perhaps that's normal in Morocco but comparing it with all sorts of other olives I've tried from different sources, this has been the least appealing and has had the worst taste. 
I have a plan to visit an Olive growing country before the end of the year and despite the fact that most of my time will be spent in the non or less Olive growing regions(!) I will try to buy and try as much as I can. I believe based on what CBSA says I can bring as much as 20 Kg or 20 L. for personal use. We will see.

(Picture: The Moroccan Olives as they are seen in a container in the refrigerator. I tried one and they're not rotten or anything. I think olives last long but this one's story is different. Just not good!)

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)