Racism

I was told several times, even before I arrived in Canada that racism is a major problem for immigrants here. I, myself, experienced that after I came here but it all depends on how you behave toward them, how you are looked to them and who you are dealing with. If you show that there's no difference in you and them and basically you're one of them and you respect what they respect, act very friendly, make them understand that you like what they like and you do what they do, they finally believe you and trust you a little bit. Also if they believe that you're good at what might be beneficial for them, they'll trust you. But regardless of all what just mentioned it takes very long to be accepted in their society, may be even impossible.

I was surfing the net for information I need for my citizenship test as I checked my status and learnt that my file has been sent to Calgary office and I'll be contacted soon for my test and oath and found out that the new Governor General of Canada, who is the representative of Queen Elizabeth II, is a black refugee woman from Haiti!! and the Lieutenant Governor, who's the representative of the Queen in Alberta is a Chinese guy who was born in Calgary from immigrant parents and used to be a football player!!

The said people are not ordinary people of course. They are talented, challenging and brilliant in a certain way and that's why they have reached the pick. But their story is a little different from us. Their ethnicity doesn't bring fear. We have to challenge more and exert much effort to get what we're deserved to have, compare to them. But one thing that must be emphasized here is you can't find many people from Haiti or China in that level of society. Most of them are not even able to speak English after spending years in Canada. I remember I had a Chinese guy as my classmate when I used to attend an ESL course in University of Calgary. It was so hard for him to make you understand what he means. But he has a PH. D. and a good research position!!

Confrontation

Todd Bertuzzi had to face Colorado Avalanche and its fans for the first time after he punched Steve Moore in the neck and sent him to the hospital. Moore is still not able to play. In this game in Denver, Avalanche scored 6 times while Canucks did only 2 times. Regardless of this loss, Vancouver is leading Northwest devision with 17 points from 10 games. (Photo: Fans were ready for Bertuzzi, booed him or expressed their feeling with a placard like the one seen here calling him a coward!)

NS-5

A few days ago I wrote about my life and said it was not how a human being lives. I compared myself to an animal(!) and then a robot. I guess being a robot is more realistic, especially after I watched I, Robot on DVD. The movie is a good science-fiction as it's title indicates and is basically pictures the world in year 2035 (...well actually the US in that year or better to say Chicago!) In that time robots are seen everywhere and they are part of human's life, serve people like their servants.

Will Smith is a detective who tries to find out how USR's (United States Robotics) most important scientist and I'd say founder has been murdered. He doesn't like robots and suspects them right from the beginning of his investigation. He, with the assistance of a lady scientist of USR, finds out that a robot of the new generation NS-5 is the key. The whole idea of the movie is based upon Isaac Asimov's three laws of robotics. I knew them from years ago when I read one of his books, Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury. Asimov was introduced to me by my good friend, Soroosh.

So they understand that an NS-5 is not 3 laws safe, as it's said by USR, that is, it has been designed to got the choice not to obey them!

Here are the three laws: 

1. A robot can not harm a human being or let a human being be harmed.
2. A robot must obey the orders unless they would conflict with the law number one.
3. A robot must protect itself as long as this protection does not conflict with laws number one and two.

I guess what the movie wants to say is the same story which has been told in Terminator series. Machines rise against human. But it's entertaining and Smith performs very well. I aslo like the car, Will smith drives. That's a very fancy Audi.

Finally, I'd say I'm an NS-5 who can talk, walk and even sleep and dream like Sonny, the unique one does. But they don't do many other human things!

(Photo: Will Smith gets off his Audi at the main door of USR headquarters in Chicago)

Hockey is Back on the Ice

NHL is back on the ice after the long lock-out and Calgary lost to Minnesota, in the first day of the games, yesterday, 3-6. I watched the last 3 minutes of the third period of Montreal and Rangers tonight in TSN and that was as marvelous as usu. Montreal was winning the game, a 3-2 victory but in less than 3 min. to the end the Rangers tied the game. I finished watching the third period but could not watch the overtime. In the new NHL rule, there's no tied game. The teams play in overtimes (I don't know how many!) and then there's shots, I guess. I, then, found out that Montreal won the game in the first overtime, beat New York 4-3.

(Photo: One of the six scores of Minnesota against Calgary in yesterday's game)