Crime of Passion, not Profit

I watched Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho a few days ago. What a great movie. Unbelievable! A movie like that made in 1962 equals hundreds of craps they make these days and they are just waste of time and money. The movie is amongst the ones I downloaded them in 2003.
There are sequels to that but I’m not interested. Notorious is another one and I guess these two are the only ones from Hitchcock that I downloaded them. I made a list of the movies that I have on DVD and CD and it turned out to be a total of 226 titles. I got rid a number of them which happen to be cheap stupid ones, all the ones Resurrect (Ray or Reza the Microbe) had brought them from his brother-in-law video store, the one which he ran later and then had to sell it and lost a lot! Idiot.
I’m not goin’ to tell the story of that crime here which eventually is known as a crime of passion not profit, as the main character, who actually is a two-face or two character man, commits. So if you like suspense and horrors, Hitchcock is the best and Psycho probably one of his best.

(Photo: A shocking scene from the movie, a woman is using a dagger, stabbing someone in the shower. You won't find out to the end who she really is!)

Christams Lighting and Decoration

I was walking home from work the other night (before Christmas) and just a few meters away from the main entrance noticed lights. I thought it was Christmas related but when I got closer I noticed an RCMP cruiser, actually two, and one with flashing lights. I recorded a short clip with my camera phone and thought it's better to put it here to see how stupid this clip cameras are today. I didn't want any mobile set like that but these days there's no mobile phone without camera, music player, radio and all kind of that shit. Have a look.

True Meaning of Christmas

It’s Christmas today and I’m home now. Might go out for a little walk. I asked three people, all Christians, about the meaning of Christmas tree and other Christmas stuff, two had no idea at all, the other one knew a little! What a bunch of jerks! I mean how the fuck do you do something that you don’t even know what it means?! You should be a real jackass!
S. T. told me that the idea of decorating an evergreen tree for Christmas has come from Germany. He, I believe is a religious Christian. Different Christians believe in different Jesus' birthday, but most agree on Dec. 25.
After all I know Christmas has been turn to a big shopping festival all across Canada, the US and Europe and then also assholes in the countries which are not even Christian! It was said once that retailers have over 30% of their annual sale in Christmas, something that I easily believe. It was though in the news last night the Americans’ spending for holiday has dropped 6% while their earning has dropped only 2%. I, myself needed many things, essentially, not luxury items, as explained but decided not to buy, as don’t know what will happen even tomorrow. Who does?!

No News is Good News

I learnt part of my English from my friend The Brave whom I used to live with as his tenant in his house for a little more than six months. One thing he used to say was No News is Good News. Now I truly understand what he meant. I have been always a big fan of CBC and especially its The National but these days I barely dare turn the TV on. It’s all about recession, global economic slump, bailout and all other crap like those.
I also remember the woman who used to say she never listened to the news because there was nothing good in them! I can understand her now. One thing that I don’t understand is why nobody ever wants to find the motherfuckers who are responsible for this fucking mess who damages the entire world! That would be good news to hear when I hear they have been sentenced to life in prison.

Higher Cost of Living

I went to the closest Safeway to get a medication for this damn muscle spasm which has bothering me since Thu., my first day off and had a look at the rice isle as I need to buy some. A bag of Basmati rice of that brand which I don’t recall at the moment is sold for almost $20 now. The exact same brand and weigh, (10 lb), I remember once I bought from a Safeway in Calgary for $14 and that was mid. 2006. It means the price of that product is 1.43 times higher now.
I got the same amount of rice from Superstore under the brand of No Name and it was not so bad and cost me only $11. It’s obviously not as good as that one but in this shit situation, I think I better spend as less as possible.
But Mom says something brilliant. She says better to spend more on a quality product and consume just enough, not more. So I’ll see which one works for me.

But it was mostly blamed on the high price of gasoline and gas is sold under ¢85 a litre now. It, I think was being used as a scapegoat only. At the same time the price of vehicles are goin' down. Look at a few examples I have here:

• New 08 Pontiac G5: $9988
• 08 Toyota Yaris Hatchback: $9988 (The last offer I had and it was almost 3 months ago was over $15000 for an older model and I was approved but escaped!)
• 08 Chevy Cobalt: $9988
• 08 Toyota Corolla $13888 ( I was goin' to buy a 04 for more than $16000 just 3 months ago from a motherfucker Chinese but didn't get approved and was rejected! Hope those motherfuckers are bankrupt now!)

It's hard for me to decide as it's very uncertain situation now. I think and am quite sure that I'll be hired for the next year but just am afraid of risking. I will need a reliable and nice vehicle nevertheless when my family comes.

Extreme Madness

I'm a big fan of Mike Tyson and regardless of what he has been through including the recent bankruptcy, I liked his as a good sportsman. At the same time I always thought that he's a crazy man. I look at his biography and watch a collection of his fights that I own and all I see is rage and madness.

I believed in that until I watched a few fights on TV: UFC, Ultimate Fighting Championship. That's absolute madness. Guys beat the shit of their opponents. The guys is bleeding like hell and is receiving punches. Looks like there's no rule. Fighters are in a cage and could be pushed to the fence and kicked until go unconscious. That's the time the referee stops the fight. So if you think Tyson or other professional boxers are crazy, rephrase your mind after watching one or two UFCs.

(Photo: Tyson here is seen in 2008 Cannes Film Festival where a documentary about his life was shown. I'll write about that later)

Games in Life

Remember when you were a kid, in elementary and playing snakes and ladders? I have it clearly in my mind: Roll the dice, go ahead, get stung, go way back, reach a ladder, jump up and on and on.
This is exactly how the Capitalism society of West works. You get a job, have a family, build a life and go forward and eventually you find yourself unsupported, suspended in the air. People take too much risk. They most of the time spend more than what they earn. At this time of the year, Christmas, people put so much on their cards and it’s usually takes 6 months to pay it off! Also it’s said that retailers usually gain more than 30% of their annual profit at this time of the year.
I’m getting off the road.
That’s anyway is what drove the whole world to this mess at the moment. People in the States received too much credit to buy homes and then they were not able to pay and received foreclosure. And that caused more trouble, like a domino game! So you have live your life in a way you play chess because there’re snakes everywhere and also ladders that might slide off when you’re climbing up.

Don't Do It!

I saw an advertisement in The Peace Arch News local newspaper about adult correctional facility officer opportunity and decided to apply. The wage sounds good and the job seems secure but decided to consult my former classmate W. M. who is a retired juvinal correctional facility officer. We were classmate for over 3 weeks. He’s a very nice gentleman in his early 60s. He wished me lucked in my way to the Navy. This is his wife’s answer to my question. She is a retired officer of the same position. Stresses and explanations by me:

Adult corrections have lost 75% of their employees – and there’s a reason. The inmates are abusive to you (physically and mentally), you have no one ‘backing’ you up for safety, you’re in the middle of a large room with up to 60 inmates walking around (you’re by yourself), you get spit on, feces thrown on you; you get crappy shifts and there’s no respect from your peers, your supervisors, your managers and certainly not the inmates. People who come in usually leave after a very short period of time.

There are some good things – the pay is good, the benefits are good. By far the negatives outweigh the positives. Also note that the money they get is only temporary as the wage increase was to entice more people to come on board. The money was offered temporarily – the Union expects the money will be taken away in 2010. You only get the ‘extra’ money when you work. Any benefits are paid at the normal rate, such as any annual leave, etc.

W. (don't mix it up with George W. Bush) worked in the business for 25 years and I worked in the business for 28 years. That’s a long time and one might ask why someone would stay in the business if they hated it so much. Everyone in the business agrees that it’s only been since 2004 that it all went to ‘crap’. That’s when Premier Campbell closed half the correctional centres and shoved all the inmates into cells with other inmates, and then cut back all the budgets for staffing by 30%.

So ...

DON'T DO IT!

Poverty (2)

I need to buy some stuff and those are not fancy things like an iPod. Those are things that I really need in my daily life. First of all I need a pair of boots because this damn pair of shoes licks. I have two winter jackets and both are more than 7 years old! The Columbia has no zipper in front, it’s broken or whatever you call and the Timberland has the same problem but has button. The problem with that is I lost the hood almost 3 years ago. So basically it’s useless. I paid more than $350 for that Columbia and think have to pay the same again.
Today I was going to a London Drugs to buy a bag for my cameras because I left mine in Nottingham when I was visiting my cousin but turned back because I don’t know where I will be in the next week. Car dealers advertise all over the newspapers with cash back, free gas, not to pay for 6 month, 0% financing, free oil change for life and other services and bonuses like that but I can’t buy even the cheapest one because I’m uncertain of my future.
I stopped eating out or buying fancy stuff and snack I used to in this shit situation and guess have to stick to the new my own rules until the future notice!

Se7en Sins after 13 Years!

1- Greed (An excessive desire to acquire or possess more than what one needs or deserves, especially with respect to material wealth)
2- Sloth (aversion to work, laziness, indolence)
3- Pride
4- Envy
5- Glutton (a person who eats or consumes immoderate amount of food or drink)
6- Lust (intense or unrestrained sexual desire)
7- Wrath
No! This is not what I’ve done in past 13 years. Or maybe I did! May be I committed some of ‘em! Let’s see:
1- I’ve never been the one with greed. I actually am against this and has clearly stated by my behaviour and also in my posts. A. J. is a good example, a person who does anything to gain money. That’s a different story but it’s mainly because he was deprived of everything when he was child and then after marriage he found someone who’s being looked down by his wife’s family and has been suffering from that ever since!
2- It’s something that I’ve never think of. I might be called workaholic and energetic. Who could work for Cargill Foods for more than 4 years and also get so close to all those fucking awesome jobs and then simply looses them!?
3- I might have been proud at times. That you could say.
4- Never! I’ve never been jealous or envied anyone. That’s probably why I never gain anything! Because I think what I am and what I have is good enough and better than the most!
5- I would be probably 250 to 300 Lbs not 185, if I was a glutton. I like eating and actually I eat too much at times but exercise and can, not eating for long periods as well.
6- That’s something would, for sure, made me laugh, if was told so. I think my sex drive is even below average! Sometimes I think of number of women and girls whom could be so happy with my one night stand and it never happened! I hope I never have problem with my significant permanent other!
7- This one could be a problem and I’m working on it, seriously but I might need a therapist.
The seven deadly sins of Christianity is what the movie Se7en is based upon but S. T. My British partner who’s fairly religious doesn’t believe this. I didn’t argue with him or asked more but he said that the sins were originally the 10 commandants.
Anyways Se7en was filmed in 1995 and I downloaded it in 2003 and just watched it last night, after more than 5 years! It’s a wonderful movie. Pitt and Freeman are simply fine. It’s the story that keeps your eyes on the screen. I think the movie won one Academy Award for it screenplay. It definitely goes to my favourite movies and highly recommended ones.

(Photo: A set of coffee cups representing the seven deadly sins. Some believe in another set of sevens which is not goin' to be covered here!)

Long Overdue Just Has Been Done

Stephan Dion finally stepped down as the leader of the Liberal Party. That could have been one of the most stupid mistakes ever the Liberal did in the history of their existence: putting Dion as the head of the team. He appeared for the last time in a video which was horrible: Blur picture, same English illiteracy and bad accent, etc. Michael Ignatieff eventually got appointed as the leader. No campaign, no banner, no party. The other two candidates simply stepped away and made the path clear for him. Ignatieff was being accused for two things which prevented him from being leader in that last campaign:
1- Showing sympathy to Hezbollah and Lebanese in 2006 short war between Israelis and Hezbollah.
2- Living abroad for a long time and not being aware of Canadian politics as a result of that.
But the Liberals, I guess, didn’t have anybody else and had to use him. Rae, a close friend of him who at the beginning looked like that wanted to start a long battle, changed his mind and the other one did the same before.
Now with the Parliament shut down until Jan. 26 we wait to see what will happen after that, what Ignatieff bring to the scene and how ready Harper is.

(Photo: Israeli mechanized artillery in 2006 Hezbollah-Israel war. Like the way Michael Jackson states in the beginning of his fabulous video, Thriller, showing Israeli tanks firing at Lebanese territory doesn’t imply any sympathy to Hezbollah or Lebanese)

A Very Pleasant and B-e-a-utiful Day

Today I experienced personally one of the most beautiful scenes that I’ve ever witnessed in my entire life. I’m still thrilled after almost 8 hours. Here’s what happened:
There’s this bar and there’s a guy who always parks where he’s not supposed to. He has a big truck and a trailer attached to it. I gave him a verbal warning once and then a warning ticket. The third time I saw him I gave him a real ticket and he said that he would meet with me the day after to discuss the situation and I obviously explained to him that I only enforce the law, I don’t legislate it or whatever you call. Then I ticketed him another time. So the number of tickets rose to 3.
Today I was driving and saw him parked there, this time in a way that no vehicle, specifically mine could get through. So I stopped in the middle of the road and ask J. M. to issue a citation, this time for obstruct. As he started I got out and took a photo and called the supervisor and explained the situation. He confirmed what we were doing. As soon as I finished my photography, the guy came out and said that he was parked on private property! He called the sidewalk and the street private property and didn’t care about blocking the roadway. J. M. said that it was city property and that drove the guy so mad. He started shouting and swearing like hell. I got into the vehicle and so did J. M. As I was backing up to get the hell out of there I saw the hotel people who were looking out the windows and we saw the guy took the ticket from the windshield and threw it away!
J. M., the idiot, whom has been told that should be careful around the neighbourhood, learnt a good lesson today, I guess. I had told him that we are surrounded by dangerous and violent people and we risk our lives every day when we’re at work and he denies all the time. So today was a good example for him. I told him that the guy took two steps toward him and was about to throw a swing at him. He believed that and added that the guy was drunk too. I don’t know if he was but he was not a very bad guy the two times that I talked to him. I also encouraged him to write a report but the asshole cannot write so just put a few words in the book. I added that he would have to talk to the supervisor. And he said he would! So I had a very good time today and I’m goin’ to mention that to J. M. every day from now on. May be he forgets that he’s a perfect guy and listens to everybody else.

Ghost Dog

One movie out of tens that I downloaded a few years ago, could be 5 years ago (Gosh! What a waste of life I’ve had so far!) is Ghost Dog. I just wanna say that it’s a great movie and a must see for sure, no doubt. The story just ends too soon, though. That’s the only problem with the film. And guess who the star is? Forest Whitaker. He became famous after he received an Oscar for the best actor in The Last King of Scotland. I have seen another movie of him and that’s Panic Room and that one is great one too.
There’re a few points in the movie which either the director or screenwriter/author wants to mention:

1- Elderly people watching cartoon while pretending reading book. Or watching cartoons as their first hobby.

2- The best friend of the main character of the movie is someone who doesn’t speak the language he does! They communicate and remain friends, play chess and everything.

3- A quiet and calm dog at times appears in front of Ghost Dog and stares at him!

4- Most importantly, the main character of the movie who’s a black man, bases his life on a Samurai book, which gives amazing advices.

You figure out what they are implying by the said points and let me know while I’m goin’ to find out more about the book and post here.

(Photo: Forest Whitaker as Ghost Dog and rapper RZA in a scene of the movie. This is the only scene that you can see RZA. Kind of Hitchcock tip!)

The Booming Business

There’s one business that is hiring and pays good, if you’re looking for a job in this uncertain economy. It’s not a supermarket of a fast food restaurant or a retailer in a shopping mall. It pays a lot more and you’ll be hired a long time and don’t have to be worried about your job security, especially if you have good customer service capabilities.
But there’s one condition and that might be applied to you: You should be female. Yes! They only hire women. They might extend their business to men soon, but there’s no near future plan, as far as I’m acknowledged.
So what’s this excellent opportunity which has everything that someone might need? I tell you what it is: Being a prostitute! There was news on YAHOO that the request for being prostitute has gone up significantly in the US, where prostitution is legal. The madam, a former prostitute who runs the whorehouse said she even received an application from a 72-year-old woman! She stated though that the rates are much lower than before. It means that people still want to have fun but don’t want to pay that much. She said that for a group sex party which usually she charges $24000, she just received $6000 which is ¼ of the regular cost.
If you open these local free magazines and even the paid ones which you can almost find everywhere in Lower Mainland, you see pages of escorts, massages, dates and sex therapist and we all know that they all provide the same service but only have different names and of course tastes! It’s like goin’ to McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King or A&W. They all serve hamburger but they all have their patrons. Not to mention that I don't eat at any of the said ones. There's one interesting thing that Resurrect (Reza the Microbe) said ones: instead of eating hamburgers 2 or 3 days a week, wait and have a steak once a months, if you know what he means. Good point!

Dion’s Avenge Goes in Vain

The three opposition parties formed a coalition to overthrow Harper’s new government. The reason was Harper wanted to cut back the public funds to the parties and that drove them mad. The Conservatives is the only party who’s not heavily dependent of the said source for his expenses.
Dion who’s under pressure from part of his caucus to resign, accused Harper of directed the country in the wrong direction. So did the NDP and Block’s leader. While Harper condemn what they had done, the parties expressed that same kind of coalition could have been formed when Harper is election race a few years ago.
Another election could have cost millions of dollars again and Harper simply didn’t want Dion who’s frustrated after his loss to become the Prime Minister that easy. So he asked The Governor General who was on a European trip to shot down the Parliament! She immediately came back and did that and now the Parliament is closed until Jan.26.
I, as mentioned earlier, didn’t vote in the last election but the Conservative has formed a minority government and I think, in this disgusting, unstable situation everybody should help the government, no matter who’s in it, to protect the economy. So I agree with what the Governor General did regardless the fact that might be considered dictatorship.

The Chess Players

I went to Burnaby to get a package sent by Mom from DHL last week. The asshole came all the way to my apartment and without phoning or buzzing just stuck a note on the entrance, two times. Can you imagine someone this much stupid? So my advice to you is never ever send anything by DHL unless it’s business related. If it’s residential building, you just waste your money.
Anyways I got there and it was pouring and the damn shoes was leaking! Again don’t buy any shoe from The Shoe Warehouse. I paid almost $110 for this pair and after 2 min. it’s like you’re walking barefoot! It’s actually even worse because your socks absorb water and get heavy! I’m getting off the road. So I’m in there and there’s a young East Indian fellow probably 15 or 16 and you know how they are mostly not open. The girl grabbed our receipts and said that she would be back in a few min. I said that we would be playing chess. I always joke around and people like that. Then I told the young fellow that I had watched a movie that two people were playing chess in their minds! He said that he had recently watched that movie with his dad but couldn’t recall the title. I still can’t ‘cause that was years ago. Then I thought that could have been The Chess Players directed by Satyajit Ray and told him. He didn’t know anything about the movie and the director but knew it was not an Indian movie.
I watched that movie years ago partially in IRIB and I stress partially because foreign movies in IRIB are always played partially and cut and also for whatever reason, perhaps studying, I didn’t watch the whole movie and can’t recall much of it. I think it’s about two people who are so into chess that they forget about everything including their wives and the women get involved in affairs and so.
I’m goin’ to either rent or buy the movie and in the meantime let me know the title of the other one if you find it.

(Photo: Satyajit Ray, the Indian film director)

Nov. Result

I didn’t have much time to do my Cooper Test exercise in Nov. That’s mostly a result of this stupid time frame of work. I most of the time have to start at 12:00 and finish at 20:30. Basically there’s time for nothing.
I performed my exercise only 9 days while the usual count is 15 at least. The result is not so bad. There are things that I have to consider for this month and after:

1- Always use the same treadmill. (This is not possible though!)
2- 14:00 to 17:00 is the best time of exercise. Don’t pass 18:00.
3- Gym attire is important as well. Don’t put on long sleeve and other clothing that make you sweet like a big.
4- Concentrate on the run especially in that last minute and half.
Let’s hope the above prescription helps.

(Photo: The horizontal axes is days and the vertical is time. No need to say that it was not nice consecutive days. May be I show the empty days in the next chart. Would be helpful)