Karbalaeinematmoeeney(!)

You might say ' What the hell is that? ' by looking at this post's title. I was surprised when I read that word although it was not as much as you did. In fact it's somebody's surname! Yes!

There's this Basketball player of Memphis Grizzlies (the team which used to play in Vancouver) who's originally from Iran, named Hamed Haddadi. He's not a starter and has joined the league recently. I was goin' through today's news and I realized that the guy has just been charged with an assault in Memphis, TN. What the media says is Hamed and his gf who's surname is mentioned above get into an argument which leads to a physical altercation(!) and both get injured(!) The girls family name which is Persian of course is actually Karbalaei-Nemat-Moeeney, consists of three different parts and was even hard for me to understand and analyze it the first 2 times that I read it! Some people get so patriotic and nationalist that they don't want to change to alternate their names and family names here in North America. Iranians and East Indians are amongst them. Chinese and Korean are a bit more flexible.

Anyways the family name doesn't mean anything even in Persian. I can explain a bit but doesn't get us anywhere. But look at the parts of the news I've selected:

... the court orders were translated from English to his native language of Persian by a court interpreter(!) I don't blame the poor guy. He never had the chance to study English in his native Ahvaz and after that to be able to understand the complicated Judaical system terms.

... the court judge allowed Haddadi to be free on bond but ordered him not to have any contact with his gf. Haddadi's defence lawyer said the judge's order is for his client's protection(!) (She might beat the shit of him again!)

The two used to live in California where a large population of Iranians live before settling in Memphis.

(Photo: Hamed Haddadi looks really disturbed, stressed and terrified here in this picture taken from him outside the courtroom)

Flashback (21): Being Pulled Over in Calgary

I said that I would tell the story of me being pulled over, ticketed and towed in Calgary and here it is: It was a cold night like this in Dec. and I had just finished my exercises in Talisman Centre and was heading south on McLeod Tr. for home. It was chilly and the car's windows were frozen and it was not really easy for me to see around. I noticed a CPS cruiser on the second line shortly before I reach 58th Ave. I was driving slowly and made sure that I won't exceed the speed limit. I was hoping he passes me but instead I saw him behind me when I had a quick look in my rear-view mirror. It happened so fast. Then I crossed 58th while the light went amber and there he was putting his beacon on! I pulled over and two officers jumped down. The leader asked for my documents and of course my insurance had ran out long time ago. He called the tow truck. But shortly before the truck arrives there was another cruiser with two officers. When the truck came I allowed me to get out of the vehicle. I asked them something like what was goin' on and one of them said that they were there only for back up! I don't know what sort of back up was needed that 4 Police officer had been gathered together for a lone driver with a small car! One of them explained to me what was goin' on, handed me the violation ticket and asked me if I needed a cab! I simply said that the LRT station was not too far and started walking to Chinook Station. Now compare it with the tow I had just a few weeks ago by a RCMP member. You see a huge difference. I understand the jurisdiction difference but the severity of the penalty in Calgary was too much. I had to pay for the ticket, tow truck, parking and of course the insurance. Here I paid nothing to the tow truck driver and he never took me to the yard. I could simply driver without buying insurance again, which I didn't and never will again and the ticket has enough time to rest before it's paid!

(Photo: McLeod Tr. South in front of Chinook Centre, southbound where I had this wonderful memory of mine!)

Two Disastrous Weeks

The last two weeks were so bad that I barely want to write anything about them. I failed a major position first step and probably another position as well although I haven't received anything from the second organization.

The weather was horrible in a way that I got a bad cold last Sun. and still am not recovered. I certainly am not a good driver and don't like driving back and forth to work. The roads were so dangerous which I'm surprised that I was able to make it. This type of snow is not usual in British Columbia but it had been predicted. Then there was the work which got so physically demanding. I was mostly dead tired when I got home all day last week especially because I had to work overtime last Sat. and Sun.

Canadian Retarded

I went to a local Canadian Tire, which I'd like to change it to Canadian Retarded for an oil change and I don't know if the guys over there were drunk or sleepy but my next oil change was set to 138,590 KM(!) While I only have a little more than 8200 KM on my vehicle! I was goin' to see their service manager and ask him if they ever do drug test for their employees or not but decided not to. The stupidity is not just limited to that. They also put Feb.10 as the next next oil change date. That should be something really strong they consume!

(Photo:That might not very clear photo as I took it in a cloudy evening using my old cellphone but you can clearly see what I'm talking about)

Trapped!

I decided to give the stairs a try in this new building of ours that we just moved in less than a month ago and got trapped. It's a high-rise and everybody takes elevator and of course the elevator only stops at your floor when you use your fob. Our unit is passed the mid-building and I wanted to go all the way up but soon, before getting too high I realized that there's no way in. The doors open only from the lobby of the each floor to the stairs but you can't get from the stairs to the floors. So if you get in to the set of stairs there's no way to get out. I was lucky that someone was just passing the door after a minute or so. I banged on the window and he let me out!

(Photo: I don't know how this emergency door is supposed to help. There are doors behind the building which might open to these stairs but I haven't dared trying them yet!)

Remembrance 2010

The above photo is all that I can present for Remembrance Day 2010: Bunch of old planes flying over Lower Mainland, B. C. I believe the Canadian Forces mission in Afghanistan has been the toughest among all they ever have participated in. The Canadians not only have to fight ghost-like enemies but also the weather condition, criticism of some people and at times scandals. Poor guys and gals. The mission was about to be ended in June 2011 but I just heard that the Prime Minister had changed his mind and the CF mission is being extended. I don't know any details but I will follow up.

(Photo: Last minute picture of planes before they hide behind the building)

Caught!

I was driving to work yesterday after a failed court appearance as a witness (the trial had been canceled while I had no idea) and I only were less than 3 minutes away from the place where I noticed a police cruiser on a street crossing the main road. I thought that I can get rid of him easily: I get before the big truck and hide myself until I get to the road that I had to turn right and then I'd be in the parking lot. I did that fast but he was a fast as me and apparently was waiting for me over there based on a tip. He quickly put his beacon and siren on and I had no choice but pulling over. I was sure that he pulled me over for my expired insurance but had no clue how he had known that. I remained in the car and the officer appeared at my window and told me the reason why I had been pulled over. That was the time that I was sure that somebody had reported on me but didn't know who, when and how?

Anyways I didn't waste time making up stories and fabricating lame excuses. So he handed me my violation ticket and called the tow truck. So here I was sitting in my car watching curious people who were driving by, waiting for a tow truck. I had waited for a tow truck more than 30 times in the past 2 years but not as someone who gets towed because of a violation but as someone has authority to do so! The good thing was as soon as the tow truck showed up the officer took off. He had told me that that would be up to me to where to go which was completely different from the last time I had been towed in Alberta! I don't think I have told that story but the cops over there were much tougher and stricter than the RCMP here in B. C.

Nevertheless the tow truck took me to the nearest insurance place and although asked for $70 first, he surprisingly charged me nothing! I quickly bought insurance and drove to work! But I still feel that I have to tell what happened when my car was towed in 2005 in Alberta.

Not So Early Bird

My wrist watch alarm went off at 06:00 and I started getting ready to go to work. I got the vehicle out of the parking and drove to the street. Seemed not busy at all. Made sense: Sunday morning, 06:15 AM. I carried on driving. The highway seemed normal too me. Then I passed the first Tim Horton's on my way: No line up. Lights off!? What the hell? Then I went to the McDonald's that I always get my coffee. Same scene over there! What's goin' on!? I drove to work, confused. Not as many cars as usually are parked there! Did they shut the site!? I parked and went inside: No one was in the gathering room. The security guard was standing in front of a board and reading something. I asked him if that was a working day. That was the only thing I though I could asked. His answer was yes. I asked him why there was nobody there then. He said that I made the same mistake that a few others had done: Day Light Saving had ended earlier today! Damn! I completely had forgotten! I, then, left and drove to the McDonald's parking lot waited until they opened. Got a coffee and spent the time there until it was the time to go to work! That had never happened before!

COPAT

I did COPAT this morning and that was a stupid test. I guess we were some 35 guys and gals and maybe only 2 failed! Such a fake test! What kind of test is it that everyone can pass it with just a little effort!? The time to beat was 02:50 and I did it with a big difference. But it was a piece of cake compare to the other physical tests that I'd done so far. Nevertheless I was dead tired at the end because I exert too much effort and at the end made a mistake two times! So I had to do the last exercise two more times! I believe this test was just a formality and the other steps make a difference. So if you're not in shape, did not have enough sleep the night before the test and drank too much, don't worry. You'll pass! There were guys who did the initial steps wrongly and the instructor took them back and let them start the beginning! What a dumb! They sent you printed material. They explain everything in detail and you watched the other guys doing that and you still make a mistake! What can I say!?

Dense Population

I have 3 government jobs lined up for me at the moment, 2 with the Federal Government and one with the Provincial Government. Not that I will get all of them or even one. I'll try my hardest. So I went to the municipality today for some application related work and Jesus I had to circle around for about 10 minutes and eventually I did not find a parking spot and I left parked in a nearby road and walked for about 6 min., something that most of people don't want to do simply because they are so freaking lazy. So anyways I went in and it didn't take long. There was a very helpful and nice lady over there and she did everything quickly and accurately without a charge of course and I was out of there in less than 20 min.

It was there that I found out why the municipality is planned to be relocated to a new place. Many major offices are gathered in one place and there is usually not enough parking spot for the people who have businesses with municipality itself, the court, the national police or so on. I hope the move will be a wise one, making life easier both for the employees and customers.