Canada Must Have Participated in the US Led Invasion

Stephan Harper criticized the Liberal government for not participating in the US led invasion to Iraq. He called Paul Martin an anti-American as he said we are not American, we are Canadian.
The verbal fight between the three major candidates for federal election goes to any subject, mostly Canadians' concerns, of course.
(Photo: The Liberal P. M., Chrétien, refused involvement of Canada in Iraq War)

Wasting Time And Money!

Ray forced me to go back to my suite and clean it on Sun., to get at least $200 back. I started cleaning there at almost 04:00 PM and finished close to 08:00 PM. It was so filthy that I got angry with me. Why did I give that stupid Afghan a cheque of $400 as the damage deposit? Actually The stupid is me here!
The landlord complained that the suite still needed cleaning and that wass not enough for getting even half of the deposit back! God damn me. I shouldn't have gone.

Moving

I moved to a new place today. Mr. T.'s townhouse in SE Calgary. It's a 3 bedroom place and is good enough for when Mom's here. She's supposed to be here in June.26. Her ticket is booked for that date. Unfortunately the Canadian embassy didn't issue visa for Farzin. Therefore what I do is apply for his and also Mom's immigration. It took hours to clean the house and get it prepared as it's mess all over! but it's good and ornamented with beautiful paintings and photos.

Canadians' Concerns

Paul Martin has announced June.28 as the election day. Four major parties r fighting for the seats in the Parliament. The party which gains more seats, will introduce the Prime Minister, as far as I'm concerned. It means Martin could be a very short-time Prime Minister. But I don't know why it's like this! Why there's a Prime Minister, elected by a party (Liberal) and then there's an election and he might lose! Sounds a bit silly. Doesn't it? May be because I'm used to another kind of campaign!
But what r in Canadians' mind and what do they want the next Government take care of? Here's a poll by CBC, but before that I'd like to say that the sample (2100 people getting a phone call) is pretty small, compare to the population (Canada's population: estimate of January 2004, 31,752,842) and according to statistical inference basics that can't make a good estimate

Calgary Will Go To Florida

Tampa Bay Lightning beat Philadelphia Flyers and made Calary to go to Florida to face him. This is the first time in 10 years that a Canadian team reaches Stanley Cup Finals. Tampa-Philadelphia series is pictured here:

1. Tampa Bay 3, Philadelphia 1
2. Philadelphia 6, Tampa Bay 2
3. Tampa Bay 4, Philadelphia 1
4. Philadelphia 3, Tampa Bay 2
5. Tampa Bay 4, Philadelphia 2
6. Philadelphia 5, Tampa Bay 4 (OT)
7. Tampa Bay 2, Philadelphia 1

As you see both teams have upwards and downwards. Tampa lost the 2nd game 2-6 but finally won the series and is waiting for Calgary the coming Mon.
(Photo: The Russian Goaltender of Tampa, Nikolai Khabibulin, faces Flyers' centre, the Canadian from Toronto, Primeau in game seven)

Cultural Discrepancies (1): No Pretending or Posing

One of the good attributes of people here in Canada, I mean people from European roots mostly, is that they don’t pretend to be what they are really not. Being free from pretence is Canadians’ merit. If someone is not rich enough to buy a brand name, high quality apparel, s/he restricts her/himself to extremely-regular (If I could say that!) products. For example you can buy a pair of Levi’s jeans for about $60 or purchase a Mexican brand in Wal-Mart for about $15 (Huge diffrence. Ain't it?). There’s big difference between these two pairs of jeans. Of course Levi’s fits better, you look nice in that and lasts longer but when you are out of budget, would you buy one? I know some people do. They deprive themselves from something else, mostly more important stuff, save and buy one.

Victoria Day

Tomorrow is Victoria Day and a national holiday in Canada. I went to Canada Olympic Park in the afternoon. Took about 40 min. through Bow River Pathway. C. O. P. basically was designed and built in 1986 for winter games like skiing, lugeing, ski jumpping and bobsledding. After the Olympic games was over, it was decided to use the facilities in a good way, making money. Therefore C. O. P. was formed. It has teahouse, Hall of fame and trail for cycling which actually is built for skiing!

It was just wasting money to get a season pass as there's no path for cycling and also I don't have time to go there, usu. Most of the bikers come over there and get a lift from the liftchair and then come down the hill!

But what make tomorrow a holiday? If you ask Canadians, most of them don't know anything about that, for sure! Queen Victoria (1819-1901) is the one who this day is named to her honor. This day is her birthday. It's said that Queen Victoria had a great influence in 19th-century British society through her strict moral and sense of duty. Victoria is also the capital of British Columbia.

(Photo: The most common photo of Queen Victoria who reigned Britain untill 1901)

Khorram-Shahr Liberation Anniversary

Today is the 22nd anniversary of Khorram-Shahr liberation. The city was attacked by Iraqis, the bastards, who are getting what they deserve, in the early months of Iran-Iraq war and was occupied by them for a period of time. Khoram-Shahr was one of the most beautiful and developed cities all across the country and Persian Gulf, before the revolution and of course the war.
I had a short trip to the city, just a couple of months before my immigration and it was disappointing and sad. Most of the people flee from the city just after the war began. The wealthy ones went abroad, mostly to the US and they still live there. The lesser income, the closer people go! Tehran, Isfahan and the other cities are all where people of Khorram-Shahr went and settled down.
The first place I used to stay, when I came to Calgary was D. H.'s house, The Bangladeshi guy. There was another tenant there, Ali Ayazi, who's from Abadan, a city nearby Khorram-Shahr and was surrounded (But not occupied) by Iraqis once. His family lives in Texas and when I asked him how he ended up here, he just briefly answered that they flee as war broke out and his father doesn't want to remember those days. He also mentioned that he had made many mistakes and had to leave the States but tries to get back there.
(Photo: A street in Khorram-Shahr after Iraqis are cleared out of the city)

One Good And One Strange Entertainment News

I wrote about SARS Benefit Concert and the performance of great music bands, especially my favorite, AC/DC. Today it's announced that the concert's DVD will be realesed soon.
Also Madonna is on a North American tour now. One of the most popular singers of 80s, 90s and the new millennium will perform in Toronto too. She's 45 now, still as young as a woman is her early 30s!
(Photo: AC/DC in SARS benefit concert in Toronto)

The First Team to 2003-20 Stanley Cup Finals: The Calgary Flames

I should write this, although I did not watch the game. After a 3-0 victory in San Jose, last Mon., today the Flames beat the Sharks, 3-1 and was qualified for 2004 Stanley Cup Finals. This is the first Canadian team in last 10 years. They'll face Tampa or Philadelphia (Lightning leads series 3-2). Tampa can sweep Flyers tomorrow but should wait and see what will happen.
(Photo: Calgary Flame fans in Pengrowth Saddledome)

I Hate This Weather!

I think Calgary's weather is the worst that I have ever experienced! Tehran is not this bad. If Tehran was not polluted, it would have a very very nice weather not like everywhere. For example in Farvardin (March 21st and after) and also sometimes in Ordibehesht (April and May) it has a very beautiful weather, esp. if it's not busy and crowded.
...But Calgary...It drives me crazy and I wanna smash my head to the wall!
You usually face one of these conditions: chilly, snowy, windy, rainy, dusty, shitty(!), crappy(!) and so on. Even in spring and summer u need a car because there's sometimes a strong wind that u can't even walk and dust is included too! Cycling is just annoying sometimes instead of being fun! I haven't studied enough since the beginning of the last week, just some last Sun. and I have my exam. in June.05. All because of this irritating weather.

Rumsfeld Was Aware

New findings about what happened in Abu-Ghuraib prison says that Donald Rumsfeld, the Secretary of Defence of Bush administration was aware of what was happening to the Iraqi prisoners and in some situations he ordered to hide prisoners from Red Cross. Whatever happened they deserved it!
(Photo: This cartoon claims that Rumsfeld and even George W. Bush knew the torture and abuse of Iraqi prisoners)

Calgary Lost The Last Two Home Games!

Calgary lost 2 home games against San Jose in Western Conference finals. The fist loss was a 0-3 one and the second one (Today's) was a 2-4. Some of the fans were disappointed, walking sadly in 17 Ave. SW but most of them were cheering, may be for coming victories!
I wanted to take some photos today from the fans but didn't bacause of the loss but there were good opportunities. I didn't use. May be in the next games.

Troy

 I and Keiv went to Westhills movie theatre and watched Troy. Everyone, I guess knows the story of Troy. Helen of Troy, The horse, Trojan War and Achilles jerk. I liked the movie very much. I usually don't get excited while watching a movie but this one really thrilled me. I think it had been years since I felt like this! May be I'm exaggerating!

The battle between Achilles and Hector and some other scenes was really exciting and interesting. Both actors (Pitt and Bana) obviously had enough training on sabers. For an unknown reason Roger Eebrt, one of the most famous film critics, has given a C rating to the movie and also a thumb down! Of course he has his reasons for this but I liked it, though. In a nutshell he says the whole epic poem of the Iliad by Homer has been changed, the Greek gods has been ignored and the Greek heroes has been conflicted in the movie. Keiv also mentioned that the movie is far from what he knows in terms of history. May be they are but I liked it anyways and I may watch it again. This time may be on a DVD. One more thing: It was the first appearance of Brad Pitt's brother Eric.

(Photo: The Trojan horse, built by Greeks, is pulled to the city by Trojans. At night soldiers came out and opened the gate and that was the end for Trojans)

C. O. P.

I went to Canada Olympic Park today to get my biking season pass. It's in the west of Calgary, When you take Trans Canada Highway to Canmore and beyond. The park has been built for 1988 Winter Olympic Games. It has 2 sky jumps. A 90 and a 70 m. Skiing and snow boarding is available in winter (and of course other seasons when there's enough snow) even at night and mountain biking in spring and summer. The pass has many benefit which u usu. can't use like many other benefits in Canada because of lack of time and sometimes money!

(Photo: The 90 m ski jump of Canada Olympic park in Calgary where the 1988 Winter Olympic Games where held)

An Old Friend

M. T. called me today in the early morning before I go to work. I was surprised. He's a very good friend of mine and I've known him for at least 22 years! I and him had 2 great journeys. We went to Qom by bike and returned home and also once rode our bikes to Roodbar, a town just 60 KM away from Rasht the capital of Gilan province. I never forget those wonderful trips.
He currently lives in Cologne, Germany. I would like to write his story here:
M. T. is a very nice, easygoing and calm guy. I remember him from grade 7 but we were not friends on that time. Just classmates. I remember him very well because our Religious Studies teacher gave him a nickname: Aboozar! one of the prophet of Islam's followers. It was because of his last name, which obviously means lonely. He was really a lonely guy. As far as I know he did not have any close friend and I was his only real close friend.
For years M. T. used to tell me about his dreams about leaving Iran and going abroad. He told me how he tried to get a visa for the US, Australia, Canada, Britain, etc. None of them ever worked.I was accustomed to his stories.
Once, just a couple of months before I migrate to Canada, he told me that he was preparing to go to Paris and then Amsterdam and wanted me to accompany him. I never believed him, thought it's one of his stories like others. First he told me that he'd go during Norooz holidays and then said as there's not enough tourists, the travel agency postponed the travel. The next time will be around June of 2001. I said that in this case I had enough time to think about it and get prepared. Meanwhile my immigration file was processing and I was hoping to get the visa pretty soon but I never told him anything about that except once and he refused my suggestion.
As we used to hang out almost 3 days and sometimes more in a week, after Norooz holidays I didn't c a sign of him for a couple of weeks, finally decided to call him and I did. Nobody answered. Therefore after a couple of days I went to his place. His brother showed up. When I asked about M. T., the answer shocked me. He simply said: M. T. has gone!
He went to Paris first, then to Amsterdam, Rotterdam and finally Cologne. If everything goes well, I'll travel to Europe to visit him and some other friends and relatives there. I have to listen to his story. Must be very interesting. He's a talkative guy!

Down and Out in Paris and London

I sometimes feel I'm George Orvwell in his novel Down and out in Paris and London. (I strongly recommend the book, You can buy it here) Orwell is my favorite writer. He's great and I believe that no other writer catches up with him. He gave up his life in England and went to Spain to fight against Franco and was wounded seriously there. He was shot in his neck, just millimeters away from a main vessel.
His story in Down and out in Paris and London is a story of living with poor, lower class people of the society and for being that he lives like them and works like them. Obviously I'm not that poor and also I don't spend time with them but I usually see them how they dress, how they talk and how they eat. And it's more clear to me compare to my life in Iran because I'm mostly lonely here and have more time to pay attention to these details.
Orwell actually didn't mention his feeling toward poor people very much in his book but sometimes implied that by just telling his story. He worked as a dishwasher for I don't know how long and by reading the book I didn't get the reason of his travel to Paris and exprience such a miserable life, starving, doing cheap jobs and living with lower class people. May be he had to. I really don't know. I may read it again!
(Photo: George Orwell [1903-1950] is a pen name for Eric Arthur Blair, who was born in India, obviously from English parents. His father sent him and sister (If I remember) shortly after to England as he believed the Indian society is not a good environment for his kids to grow up. Some of his other great works are including Burmese Days [1934], Animal Farm [1945] and 1984 [1949])

Who's Really Guilty?

This is what I wrote to CBC regarding Iraqi prisoners abused(!!) by American soldiers in Abu-Gharib prison, near Baghdad, last night:

I believe that what happened in the Iraqi prison near Baghdad is not a big deal. What Iraqis did to Iranian POWs during 8-year Iran-Iraq war was much worse than that and no one even complained.
American media just uses those photos against Bush administration to beat them in the coming election. Prisoners' abuse happens in every war and it's not something special.

(The above photo taken from TV, shows US secretary of defence Donald Rumsfeld shaking hand with one of the biggest murderers of all times, Saddam. Rumsfeld was in Iraq to sell chemical weapons to Iraqi military machine, used against Iranian troops and Kurds in northern Iraq. He has been taken accountable for Iraqi prisoners' abuse by American soldiers in Abu-Gharib prison)

NHL Is More Important Than Anything!

Canada just won World Hockey Championship today, in Sweden. They beat Sweden in final but the related news and games is not much covered in Canadian TV situations like CBC, CTV, Global and A-Channel (The all I access to) but NHL is continually being talked about and covered in different news programs and shows, especially after Calgary beat Detroit and went to Western Conference finals. Even The National, the most popular news programme (It's British!) is delayed while a game is in progress.
Calgary is the only Canadian team, still in the cycle. The Flames beat the Sharks, today in San Jose. The next game is in the same place, the following Tue.

SASSER And The Others

I have my computer back from London Drugs after a week. It was infected with SASSER worm and other viruses and costs me more than $100. I have to do the followings for it:
1- Switch to a less expensive Internet provider.
2- Buy a new keyboard.
3- Install a Pop-up blocker.
4- Register my Anti-virus software.
5- Upgrade Windows.