Flashback (22): Dog Restraint

There's nothing special goin' these days. I decided to tell one story about the time I did Law Enforcement in a municipal level. We were on our regular patrol that night and I don't recall when it was but could be between 10:00 and 10:30 when we received a call from the dispatch asking us to check on this address to assist the officers with a dog issue. We were not too far from the place. As soon as we got there one officer came out and briefed us quickly. There was a guy inside that was goin' to be taken by the officers but his dog in the bedroom, a Bulldog, was a problem. They did not want to leave the dog in the premise, I guess. It was me and M. W. on duty that night. I knew that he had no previous experience and training for situations like this and officers were counting on me. So after the drunk guy was taken out, and that was for a domestic disturbance or something like that the plot was this. I and M. W. went to the bedroom where the dog was, each of us holding a snare and then three officers, one with a baton, the other one armed with a Tazer and the last one with a firearm following us! It sounded stupid because if the dog jumped at any of us M. W. and me had a lesser chance of getting away without an injury but the send us ahead of themselves because they thought we were trained for situations like that and could get the dog under control with no harm and trouble. So I stepped forward and nudged it. The dog was at the other corner of the small bedroom. I asked M. W. to approach it from the other side so we could corner it and finish the job. The dog looked a bit confused and as we got closer seemed was looking for a path to escape. I had no other choice by jumping over the bed to get closer to him and did that while M. W. was getting a little closer and made it impossible for the animal to run from that side. I extended my arms and get the snare close to its head and before it could do much I grabbed him from the throat and locked him by pulling the cord. It was a strong dog, as I said a bulldog so started to fighting but I had it under control. We walked back to the van. M. W. opened the door and we released him in the small cage and transformed it to the pound. M. W. told me that I had done a perfect job but listen to what the fucking supervisor of us said the next day after we reported what we had done: We do not deal with vicious dogs!

No Real Christmas

Christmas this year was no close to a real Christmas everybody wanted: A brown Christmas. I went for my running of 21 min. today and felt no chill, almost 5 °C or so. Yesterday was the same and the day before that was just a little windy. We went to Nose Hill Park and hiked for about 01:30 and just wind bothered a little on the top.

As of shopping, I bought nothing. I didn't need anything. But I assume the major stores were as busy as a Boxing Day should be. We wanted to get a new TV and then decided not to. I've been hanging around the same old Sony from 2003. Of course it's no Flat or LED, LCD or shit like that but it shows and that's all I need. At times I watch my DVDs on my PC's screen, an advanced HP.

(Photo: Downtown Calgary from Nose Hill Environmental Park in 24-Dec-11. Not much snow can be seen. This year is forecasted to have the coldest winter in the last 10 years in Canada. Nothing has been seen so far but a few cold days way before Christmas)

Good Party

We had the company's Christmas Party last night in a nice hotel. It was a good one. We arrived there at about 06:15 shortly after it had been started and that was because I had called a cab for 06:00. I did not expect the cap to be on time because I had called several times but it was prompt. We started with drinks and talked to a few colleagues. And fortunately did not have to sit at the dinner table with jackholes! Cocktail was good and food good as well. The quantity and quality was good both but there was nothing extraordinary. If they really wanted to serve some good food there should have been a whole roasted lamb or pig, a few bowls of Lobster, Crab and Shrimp and a dish of Roast Beef. There actually was a piece of Roast Beef served by a chef and tried a little and was not bad but not hot enough. Drinks were available and I had too much before the dinner and after too! And there was dancing afterwards and that was good too.

We left at around 12:00 because the night before I had not slept more than 3.5 hours. Got a cab and quickly got home. The hangover was so bad that woke me up 2 times but eventually I woke up around 11:00 in the morning!

(Photo: The dessert table. Variety was good and quilt a little more than average. I tried different things and liked the cheesecake)

The Bird is Down

It was just last Sun. when I read that an unmanned American airplane, the kind that is used for reconnaissance had been landed by Iranian forces almost with no damage inside Iranian borders! That sounded very interesting. Americans, now humiliated to the utmost degree, have gone silence ever since. Denial, mostly has been their only expression so far. The next step would probably be saying that the bird is missing!

There are facts about all of the governments, the ones which applies to all of them. All of the governments hide the truth! And don't say it is for national security or any similar nonsense like that. Especially not this one. Islamic Republic government is all about lies. But this one I gotta say I like what they did. The US era has ended. They are in trouble in every field. They fell behind on most fields. They are so stupid that they can not simply admit that their bird is down and in Iranians hands! You lost it. OK! Admit it already! You are not always the best! You might have been the best in making automobile in early 1900 with Ford but now many Japanese automakers have already caught up with you and passed! So as in military. Americans may still have F-35 and other shit but ... This is so silly of Americans and that is because they are so embarrassed and humiliated!

(Photo: This photo taken from the official government TV station in Iran shows the RQ-170 unmanned plane that Iranian forces landed it down almost unharmed a few days ago)

Peace Bridge

This story of Peace Bridge was brought to attention in our weekly educational discussion meeting, I believe it was almost 2 months ago or so. I was aware of the delays but did not know the reason. One of the colleagues mentioned the problems with the welds, the welds which have been performed in Spain! Can you believe that!? We have so many manufacturers in Canada and so many more in the neighboring United States and we have to order a Spanish company to manufacture a bridge for us!! This is the ultimate stupidity! Someone may ask why the hell the City needs this bridge in the first place? There are several ones that pedestrians and cyclists can use. The City could use this $25 million in a much better way.

I guess Mayor Nenshi wanted to build something that later on reminds people of him!

(Photo: Peace Bridge is put over the Bow River but has not been open to the public yet. It happened a little than 1 week ago)

Coordination

These pictures you see here, these three and I'm hoping they are big and clear enough, show a great coordination that I indirectly witnessed in a manufacturing facility. Three cranes and one overhead crane worked together in such a smooth and nice way and transferred a heavy and lengthy unit to an eighteen-wheeler. I really enjoyed watching that. No accident, no waste of time. Just a perfect job.

10 Years Have Got Behind You

...

And then one day you find

Then years have got behind you

No one told you when to run

You missed the starting gun

...

This is part of the amazing Time by Pink Floyd. Ten years ago a day like today I landed in Calgary International Airport. After going through customs and immigration, i simply went to an information both, asked a young girl where I could stay. I hardly believe if anyone in the past 10 years have come to this country the way I did. Everyone at least knew someone. The girl that I will never forget her help, made a few phone calls and eventually got me a room in Super 8 where I could go with no cab fair. I stayed over there and then found a shared accommodation in Calgary Herald where I stayed for almost 6 months.

I look back now and I see that I have lost so many opportunities, many will never emerge again. I don't have much time left. I have to use the few coming years and rebuild the infrastructure which is not made strong enough. A wind like yesterday's would knock everything down, probably!

(Photo: The cover of The Dark Side of The Moon which contains Time)

A Very Disappointing Coffee Experience

It was a long time that I wanted to try this Wave Coffee until we gave it a try on Sun. eventually: A complete waste of time and money and a total discomfort.This new coffee house that they have tried to make it something like Starbucks, Good Earth or Second Cup was a combination of low quality design and everything else that you would not want in a coffee shop that you usually go to to have a few minutes of relaxed time.

We went in a mild and dry day. Not cold, no snow or rain. Surprisingly the cafe was as hot as an convention oven! The floor was wet and slippery. I though someone had moped it but they usually put a safety sign around. Nothing could be seen. So I figure out that water has spilled from a jar that was there for customers!!

Who the hell serves cold water in a plastic Wal-Mart/Dollar Store jar any more? Am I living in Mogadishu or Karachi? Then they had this display with a few different types of pastries with totally unreasonable prices. A very thin slice of a regular cake for over $4! Are you kidding me! The idiots could not even provide a nice price tag. It was written on a dirty piece of yellowish paper with a grade 3 handwriting!

The stupidity does not end here. Two people came to us to get our order and each ask different questions and at times same ones! For a moment I felt like I am in one of those sessions that there are up to four people interviewing you and each ask a different question!

At the other side there were three young eastern-European fellas sitting talking very loudly in their native language and presumably enjoying a themselves after years of depression under a Communist regime. The coffee was a total disaster and the table that we were using was loose. I felt I am on a boat in a stormy day. It did not take more than 10 minutes that I hated there. Then this very tall guy came in with his Cowboy boots. He ordered something and started marching around the room! You could feel that the entire room was shaking!

Project Calendar

There was this big Print Shop on 8th St., I guess, that I had been to for my photocopy reasons a few time back to 2003 and 2004. I remember they had this sign out of the store saying that you could have your personalized calendar with your own photos. The sign would emerge of course early Dec. That store is not there any more. The business is gone or have been moved somewhere else, I'm assuming like many others in Calgary in the past 10 years. I was thinking to myself: Why don't I take a good photos this coming year from different places every month and make 2013 calendar out of them? I can send a few to different friends and family members.

Yam Chips

Since everyone tries to combine some disgusting crap to sell it to the poor people and make money, I have decided to stay away from outside food and I do unless it is absolutely necessary to eat outside. One of the foods that you can find different types of it in the market is Chips. The best chips to my knowledge and experience is Lays. The rest I stay away, especially Pringles. They make different chips from different sources for example Banana Chips which has been the worst that I've ever had. Corn Chips and Potato Chips are usually OK but depends on the company and as said I prefer Lays. Apple Chips and other shit they all contain too much preservative and chemicals. So today I tried something new myself: Yam Chips!

All you need is Yam and Olive Oil, or any other kind of cooking oil but I rather that one as considered the healthiest. Just simply pour some in your frying pan and turn the hub on to low and then medium. try not to burn the oil. peel the Yam, wash it and cut it in thin layers and put them on the pan. Wait until they are golden or brown and then flip them. That's all. ready to eat. Doesn't even need salt or pepper! You may add a little ketchup but that is just for the time you are tired of the Yam's flavor and want to have a variety.

(Photo: A few of the pieces went too brown but I still like them. Don't overheat or over-fry them. Some don't like burnt ones)

Run in the Chill!

I decided to go for my regular jogging despite the fact that I had not have enough sleep last night, not more than 4.5 hours, at the most and also It was chilly. -17 C which was felt -29 C with windchill. So I went to a Sportcheck to buy a pair of gloves. I thought that would be the only thing I needed. I have to mention though that MEC is closer to me and I went there first but their parking was so crowded and I also had to pay a dollar for the parking, meaning parking, getting off the vehicle, going to the dispenser, buying, walking back to the vehicle, putting the receipt on the dash and walking back to the store! So I said fuck them. I drove for about 5 to 7 min. where there were lots of free parking spaces and bought a pair of Columbia Omni-Heat gloves. It cost me almost $52 but I assume I can wear them for as long as I live in Calgary.

Anyways I went and parked where CBC Building is and started my jogging alongside the slush Bow River toward west. This time the wind was not being felt I guess because it was so could that you would feel it everywhere but again I was generally OK and did my 20 min. and even a bit more very efficiently. The gloves though are not as good as I expect them. I could still feel the cold through the fabric but I think it helped to finish the job. Rather than that I had my ear muffs that I had bought them last Jan. or Feb. and my tuque from the previous work in B. C.

But walking then is different. I walked from the corner of 8th St. and 1st. Ave. SW to the Bankers Hall to take a photo and I did not have ear muffs and gloves on and I was about to die! Going and coming back did not take more than 10 min. I guess.

(Photo: The giant snow flake hanging from the structures in 8th Ave., between the 2nd and 3rd Street looks nice. The real snow flakes though are not 3 dimensional like this one!)

Appriciating Toyota

I wanted to pick up F. F. from work last night so I got the vehicle, parked on the street around 20:05 when it was almost -15 C or a little less. Turned the ignition on, boom! The first try and the engine was running! No block heater, no heated underground parking or shit like that!

Gave a couple of minutes while cleaning the windows from the light snow and drove it. No problem at all. Thanks Toyota! I hope It will run like this all 6 months of the winter.

(Photo: This is what the thermometer of the Corolla showed. The radio said it was -17 or around that. Not much difference!)

Getting Colder

I just came back from jugging. It was cold, almost -7 C and I had to wear a pair of gloves and a tuque. The gloves didn't help much and my finger were frozen on my way back. I did a 20 minutes jogging, a 10 min. to east and the second 10 min., without a delay, back to west. The return was harder because I had to run against the cold wind. generally I was OK. There was a little bit of flurries as well but just a few flakes. There were not many runners but there was a couple who caught up with me and I could not reach them to the end of my exercise. They were running like solid engines! Part of the river, Bow River, was frozen but not all of it especially around the Centre Street Bridge the water was running.

Edgar

We watched the new Clint Eastwood's movie, him as director, not actor, called Edgar, about the first director of the FBI. It was a bit tiring, especially for F. F. who doesn't know much about the States history. I had a little knowledge and could digest most of the movie. Eastwood's movies are usually good but at times I think he could do a bit better. For example Letters From Iwo Jima is an incredible movie, while Gran Torino is not what you expect from Eastwood after seeing that. Again Edgar was OK but not a kind of movie that I want to buy its DVD. DiCaprio as John Edgar Hoover plays well but during the movie a question arouse because he was saying that the Bureau needed more power to fight Communism and I wondered what Communists were doing there in the States in 1919! The Russian Revolution was ended in 1917 and I don't believe that the spread was fast enough to encourage people to start bombing and demonstrations in different The US cities!

Then after talking to my colleague an old Canadian gentleman who had been through all that shit, I realized that Americans would call anybody who opposed them a Communist! Like today that whoever looks like an Arab is called Middle Eastern and Terrorist! The US has to have an enemy all the time. They have to keep the people in a constant fear, so they can rule! That's what also Stone refers to in his JFK movie as well as Moore in his Fahrenheit 9/11. 

Anyway it appears after watching the movie that Edgar is the one that the US owes him a lot for establishing the FBI that you can see today. That's all and the movie is an appreciation to him. However it is also revealed that many things that he claimed that he had done, actually had not been done by him but he took the credit. His homosexuality, I don't know if it was being hidden from the public or not, was the side subject as well.

(Photo: Eastwood directs DiCaprio and a young actress on set of Edgar)

A Bussiness Called APEGA

I have written this N. P. P. E. of APEGA two times. Ones I had a very bad result because I was not prepared enough and the other time I was almost certain that I would pass it but failed again! I kicked (not kissed) it goodbye since that time. The exam is a hit now and on the other hand a big business. Passing N. P. P. E. and other requirements of APEGA and possibly other professional organizations in the other provinces does not necessarily mean that you're a good Engineer. It's not because I couldn't pass the damn exam. It's a hard exam to pass but it doesn't prove anything. And I have seen that at work. This asshole that works here, a chicken shit, he can not even write a simple report free from grammatical errors and is graduated from a 4th class university in Canada that I had never heard about it prior to knowing him. But he's a Professional Engineer. What a shame! The other ones are not much better than him. In fact the entire team is a bunch of ignorants who simply copy documents from previous projects and create new documents!

But the fact is this title, P. Eng., opens many doors and I have to write it if I want a better job with a better salary or if I want to stay in this business at all. So I have to stop being lazy and start studying but need to activate my file first. In fact I decided to do something else which is long time overdo, before that. I will write about it later.

Royal India

We decided to eat out last night so we went to a Indian restaurant in Downtown which was known to us from a classmate: Royal Indian. It was a disappointing experience. The food was not good compare to the little Indian restaurant we had eaten in previously and it was not hot. We decided buffet over the restaurant because going over the menu and reading all the explanations would not help in a situation like but that didn't change the result. It's $17.00 and something for each person and of course you'll add the tip. Indian foods are known for their hot and spicy flavours but out of 10 different meals that I tried at least 6 of them, there was not even one spicy food. It's like eating Sushi with no rice flavour or Hamburger when you do not have the taste of Beef in the patties! F. F. didn't like it at all and neither did I.

We went back home and because I was too tired I slept or better to say we slept early. We both were very tired, may be around 10:30 PM. So we woke up early this morning and I had a very bad feeling from the damn food from the last night. Stomach sickness prevailed the sleepiness in the morning. I had that feeling all the morning until I took a trip to the washroom around 10:40 AM and that was relief.

So in the nutshell if you want to try Indian cuisine, I suggest you not waste your time and money in Royal Indian, especially if you go early, you will have to pay for parking. Don't be fooled by the nice chairs and vase and good decoration and atmosphere. When I mentioned this issue the guy who was giving me the check he said that because most of his customer were Canadians from the offices around and they eat during the day, he had to stay away from spicy foods! He added that he and his family did not eat spicy food. What a nonsense! I should have told him, but didn't. I gave him a $2.5 tip for a little more than $40 meal for two. I, perhaps should have kept it to minimum. Another thing is that the waitresses would go to you and want to take your plate. Something that I didn't see in the other Indian restaurant. May be with the intention of preventing you from eating more. We ignored them partially, insisting that we wanted out plates or let it go and went and got a clean one!

The First Snow

Calgary received the first winter snow last Fri. It was just a few millimeters but made enough troubles from many. It was almost -8 C when we were leaving home around 09:35 AM and went up to almost 2 C when I was jogging in Glenmore. Surprisingly there were not many runners and joggers yesterday. I got the chance to discover around a little and see the trails and everything.

People are mostly rather to hang out inside, have a cup of coffee and do their choirs. Weekends are not usually for exercises in West, I guess.

(Photo: This hole, I found it in Glenmore Park, could let an animal at the size of a medium dog, let through. I have no idea what kind of animal lives in this and did not stay around to see what it might be)

Keeping Up the 25 after Making Yogurt!

F. F. wanted to do a little shopping so I dropped her at Chinook Centre and drove to Glenmore Park. By the time I got there it was almost 07:30 PM and dark. I parked and got into the path. There were a few people there all with their light on the foreheads. I have one but had not put it on. So I started my jogging and although the night before that I had not more than 4 hours of sleep I was able to do my 00:25.

It was not as cold as the previous time. I guess the path beside the Bow River is felt colder may be because the water there is running and the weather in the reservoir is almost stagnant. May be the other night was simply colder.

But why i had not enough sleep is another story but the short version is that F. F. and also I, both are interested in Yogurt so that night it was decided to make some instead of buying as we usually do from different supermarkets. So we picked up a jar of Organic Milk from Co-oP for I guess almost $8 or more (for 4 L.) and a she made at a time that I had to wake up at almost 03:30 AM and put the pot in the refrigerator. I did put it in on time and honestly it was excellent Yogurt!

Changes

I bought my first TV a 20" Sony Trinitron from a&b Sound in Downtown in 2003. I don't know much about detail; how I chose that or why but I remember that it was 2 or three installments. Considering that TV was around $450, it wouldn't make a big deal every month. Then I was offered a Citi Mastercard right after that and that was my first Credit Card outside my banking regulars.

I still have that TV and we will probably change that in a few month but the other two factors in this posts are already gone! That a & b Sound is not there any more. The building, an old building of Bank of Montreal, I guess, is still there but it's abandoned and vacant. They probably were paying a fortune to rent that but it was quite busy because that was the only major electronic store in Downtown.
My Citi Master Card has been bought by CIBC, I guess but I'm still using it after 8 years and soon that Citi logo on the face of it will disappear. I don't think many people have that type of old TV any more. We had an advertisement for our TV and it's stand in one of the popular used item website but did not get even one single telephone call or e-mail! Just in the past two weeks I saw two big TV of the same type as mine, at the side of the road. Changes are dramatic!

Running and Jogging

It's passed mid Oct. and still no snow, not even a heavy rain fall. Temperature is most of the time double-digit and not serious problems when walking. Well I don't have to walk a lot. If I'm going to work it's not more than 10 min. at the most. Everywhere else I drive. That's what makes life a bit dangerous: Lack of activity. Then I canceled my membership with Talisman starting Nov. simply because I didn't want to pay $60. Talisman gets really busy during the cold months and it's most of the time waste of money. That's because first of all people can not be out and then kids who do not have to pay a lot, hang out there usually after their school. It's good if you before 04:00 PM, even before 05:00 but for me there's no way to get there before 05:45 and that's the pick. Another thing is the tracks are most of the time booked by this team and that school and I don't really like to get on those stupid treadmills. So there's really no point.

Therefore I started jugging outside and my goal is to do either a 00:20 min. or if I'm alright a 00:25 min. and see if I can increase it. The weather is cold for running but have not made me wearing a tuque or gloves but I put there layers on. I usually take Bow River Pathway and go up and down, cross the river, etc. Have been to Nosehill once so far and today I tried Glenmore Park. It was very pleasant running around the reservoir but I couldn't make it more than 00:20 min.! I don't know how long I'm going to do that. It depends on the weather. I wanted to sing up for an Ice Skating course but the damn C. O. P. said that the course had been canceled and U of C had it full. So we might try MRU for regular exercise and swimming.

(Photo: With this stupid old camera this is the only photo that I can say it's worth seeing from my today's jogging in Glenmore Park. You can see the reservoir in the back. The reservoir was built in 1930 or 1932 and is the source of drinking water for Calgarians and a beautiful place for surfing, kayaking, rowing and all other sorts of entertainment including the Heritage Park which I haven't been to yet!)

The Big Year

Sometimes I am really surprised by people's habits, likes, dislikes and tastes! I see that they eat craps like McDonald's and other shit. I see that drive junks like Hyundai and others and I see that they waste their money and time at places like casinos! But i never expected them to like a movie like The Big Year! I'm not saying that I hated it but i can say for sure that it was not what we were expecting. The movie has three very well-knows actors, all has good movies in their file but it does not have anything but scenery of the US and a few nice birds' close ups!

I can guarantee you that you will not laugh more than 2 or at the most 3 times during the entire movie and it's supposed to be a Comedy. Sure you will laugh a lot more if someone sitting besides you tickles you! I can't say no more about it!

(Photo: A Tufted Puffin, not a still from the movie. That and some wide shots from American scenery were the only reason you would say you did not leave the theatre until the movies ended!)

Capitalism Finally Digs Himself in (3): Occupation

I don't know how this started but I remember that Obama said something a few weeks ago about taxing the very rich people in the States and that woke people up. First they started in Wall Street and then almost everywhere: London, Rome, Vancouver, even Calgary. I was running alongside Bow River last Thu. and at the south side while getting close to the Zoo I realized a few tents. First I thought they were homeless people but soon I realized that, first police would not let them camp on the city properties and then the Drop-in Center was just a few steps away. Then I realized their banners reading Occupy Calgary. Then I thought they were probably part of White Supremacy or shit like that because I remember a few years ago one of those guys wanted Caucasians moving to Calgary because he had assumed too many non-White people were in the city at the time. I carried on my running and went back home, not knowing that. Then listened to a few headlines on the radio while driving and reading a few more in a McDonald's, as don't have a TV, I finally realized what was going on!

What is interesting in all these demonstration is lack of support from any critic or opposition! Calgary Sun had a few articles denying what they demand and even a cartoon making fun of the demonstrators! They had gathering in Olympic Plaza today at 03:30 according to the local news but I didn't go. I was just curious. There seem to be no leadership and organization to all this but there should be something. How do they gather at the same time and same place? I will follow tomorrow to see what they gain.

I remember when HST was presented in B. C. there were petitions and then this guy, the former Premier, Zalm showed up and people eventually voted against it. But this issue which is much bigger has no leadership. The demonstrators are probably under-employed and unemployed people or people from low-income families, especially young guys. At least that's what I saw. Rather than that there are always people who like to go to such meetings to take photos, have a coffee and kill some time. Some get exited and involve. If it was for something else I would probably join but what the goal and objective was, no one knows! Taxing the rich? Providing more jobs? extending unemployment benefits? What?

The Council's Unanimous Decision

We were notified that the company would buy a professional sport's ticket for us, for a game in Oct. The company would cover part of the cost. I registered for that while I was told that the exact cost would be announced later.

Then I was notified that the company would pay for a ticket when the employee buys one. Sounded fair but then I realized that we are not types of people who would enjoy that game even if the half price would be covered by the employer.

I had to pay my share for one today and since I had made up my mind, I e-mailed the lady administrator and told her that the council had a meeting the day before and they had unanimously voted for not buying the ticket! The woman didn't get my point, which was actually us talking in between us and deciding not to go! She asked me what council I was talking about! And I said the council which had the responsibility to decide who would go and who would not! She said that she was sorry and she did not know anything about the council. All she knew was Mr. X had told her that the company would pay for one of the tickets, she said. I simply replied back as OK!

Got the Nose after 8 Years!

Today I went to Nosehill after almost 8 years! Sounds like a man's life. Fortunately it was not very busy as lazy losers spend their times in bars and cafes usually and posers stay in indoor sport facilities! It was cold and windy though. And that was my first time on foot. I used to ride my mountain bike back in 2003 but never actually ran or hiked it. I parked at the east side. Walked to the west and ran back to the east. Took me almost 20 min. to run back. I was feeling good. Did not get tired a lot. Just was a little cold. Nosehill has been changed like many places in Calgary. Now there's an asphalt path and there are donated benches for hikers but still no drinking fountain or similar. I guess everybody should bring his or her own. It is a park but not like the other parks you can see the usual facilities. I enjoyed my time.

(Photo: I used my old digital camera, a Cybershot Sony DSC-S650 to catch this beautiful flower in this windy and sunny day in Nosehill Environmental Park but could not get a good focus)

I'm In Love With A Friend

I decided to go back to what I liked a few years ago last night: Deep Dish. The guys seems that they are not together any more. This sickness has infected many bands so far: Pink Floyd, Genesis, Beatles, you name it. Why is it that people can't simply stay together?

Anyways I found a nice song of them on Youtube called I'm in Love With A Friend. Although these originally Iranian guys have been living in the States for years, since their early childhood but you can tell that English is not their first language. Or may be it's the feeling that I get when I listen to this song. The other songs of them that I used to listen had no lyrics. Now I'm listening to this and I know where these guys are from and I get this feeling. It's a nice song as mentioned and in fact I probably get one of their CDs this weekend but would someone step forward and tell me if they have the same feeling or not? And it's not just the accent. It's also the lyrics. The way the words are put together. Sounds like my own letter! When I e-mail someone, either at work or for a business purpose. If someone reads my e-mail and he and she is a native English speaker, can tell for sure that it is not my first language. I guess it could also be appreciated by reading these posts! I don't know. You tell me.

(Photo: Deep Dish members. Compare them to a few years ago in the old post's photo)

The Right To Vote

It was in the news last week that the King of Saudi Arabia had decided to give freedom and rights to women. In the country that a family runs everything and even they name it after they family name, this could mean a lot to people.
While women in Saudi Arabia do not qualify to apply for a Driver's Licence, now giving them the right to vote in election seems a big step ahead.
Ottawa Citizen's cartoonist depicted the story in this nicely drawn cartoon.
(Photo: This cartoon was seen in Calgary Herald but depicted but the Ottawa Citizen Cartoonist which I can not read his/her name!)

Farmers' Market

For years I knew that there was a Farmers' Market in Calgary but never actually have been to. Farmers' Markets are common in Canadian cities. Even White Rock, the tiny town close to the US border, in B. C., has one.

So last week I was driving around in SE part of the city and I realized that there was a parking lot full of vehicles. I asked myself what they were there for? Obviously no company was open in that day. I turned back and I realized that I had found it. You can get fresh vegetables and fruits in there mostly from the farms of British Columbia close to Alberta border. The farms are mostly ran by Punjabi and Amish people. Prices are reasonable and quality is mostly good. I good delusions seedless grapes for the first time in Canada from one of them and that was the only one who had it. You can not get that kind of grape in any super market in the city. I had a little last night probably after 10 years! Good stuff! I guess it was some $2.4 per pond. Expensive compare to most of the fruit but worth trying. Then I got to pint of fresh, real Blackberry for $2.5 each. That type of blackberry I only picked them up in White Rock and Surrey from the bushes, not in the store. The store ones taste horrible.

Rather than fruit and vegetables you can get anything else from home made Ukrainian Pie to Humus, Baklava, used clothing, CD and DVDs, collectables, different types of honey, coffee, chips and many other things that if I wanted to list them I would need a whole posting. It's a complete fun! Try it if you think you're into those stuff. I didn't even know that there is a website for it but looks like these days everything and everybody has a web home-page. Check it out at Calgary Farmers' Market. You'll see the address too.

(Photo: A fruit and vegetable stand in the Farmers' Market. You can get as many as 10 different types of peppers in here. As well as all other types of fruits and vegetables, all good)

First Neqab, Now Street Prayer

The French Parliament banned wearing Neqab (picture) in public place a few months ago. I think it should have also been passed by their senate. They passed it eventually, I guess. France has biggest Muslim population in the European Union. Most of them are from northern African countries, a few former French colony countries like Algeria. Also Morocco. Germany comes after that with mostly Turks. European Union countries have been struggling with the new wave of refugees with Greece having many Afghans and Iranians. That made the German Chancellor, Angela Mercer stating that multiculturalism does not work. The thing that did not sound very pleasant to many foreigners and also human rights activists. This multiculturalism thing as I pointed at also drove that Norwegian man to kill a few of his own kind! Harper also named Islamism the next danger which threatens the country.

Now following that ban, France also wants to ban street prayers, mostly performed on Fri.s. It actually is not a street prayer. It's a crowd prayer in a public place, this one that Calgary Herald is mentioning in an abandoned building in northern Paris. But the news sounded like the limited space and increasing number of prayers had forced people to go on the streets of that neighborhood.

The first question coming to the mind of a sane person is why in the first place you let them in? Don't give me bullshits like humanitarianism in the Western countries dictates that people who their life is in danger or are in need of any other kind, should be helped. If you let them in, you can't expect them to be like you. Even the second and third generations are under bombardments of their parents that they will never be a Westerner, most of them.

Look at the British Columbia or as I call it Brit"SHIT" Columbia here in Canada with the large population of Punjabi Sikh, mostly settled in eastern B. C. in cities and towns like Surrey and Abbotsford, you see many young men and women, and also teens who wear turban and their traditional dresses, eat their own cuisine, mostly and socialise with their own people. There's no way you can cut their roots, which goes back to 100 years ago when the first Sikh settlers came to B. C. So how would you expect the new Syrians, Algerians and Moroccans, even the ones speak French fluently, forget about their traditions and beliefs!?

(Photo: A Muslim woman wearing Neqab shakes her finger as a sign of threat(!) This type of Islamic veil is common among Muslim women but not very favorite. Not the majority of Muslim woman cover their faces like this)

No Trust Anymore

When I came to Canada first it was a different society back then, if we're talking about trust, not TD Canada Trust though! I don't know if this is the new people who came here or uncertain economic situation.

When I bought my first car in 2003 although I had to put some money down, the monthly installments was paid by the cheques that I mailed every month. Now it's automatic withdrawal. I don't remember I ever had any deposit for electricity. I've paid $250 so far.
I received a telephone call from RBC once in 2004. The lady at the other side offered me loan to buy a property because I had a good history of paying my bills. Now I don't think that I will ever get a call like that. I don't think they will ever agree with my loan application.

Employers do not hire people that easy anymore. F. F. wanted to have a part-time simple job. It not only took an application form fill out and a post-fill out interview, but also they asked her to answer an online questionnaire in a limited time! I guess it was some 68 questions in 20 min.! Nothing has been heard from them yet! The employers want to hire someone trustworthy. You see security guards in almost every store now. Something that barely existed in the past. I don't know where is this going to go!

Lylidale's New Challenge

Lilydale is one of the biggest food processing companies in Canada, with several different plants and hatcheries in different provinces. I have visited two of them, the Calgary one and the Port Coquitlam one. The second one in B. C. although have a few homes around it but most of the buildings surrounding it are commercial ones. This one in Calgary is located in a residential area with even a school across from the street. Most of the houses close to the plant remind you of abandoned houses in small ghost towns in the movies! I believe a few of them are purchased by Lilydale employees, mostly supervisors. I once saw one of them in work uniform and safety hat walking on the premises.

The area is subject to strong odor and high level noise. Big trucks have to go to the plant on daily basis and for a processing firm like that which runs 3 shifts a day, you can imagine how many trucks in a day go to the area, many of them in the middle of the night, I believe or early morning. In the winter the street that the plant is located in looks likes a battle field where mines and shell explosions have made numerous holes! If you have a Jeep, Hammer or a Tank, you'll be fine driving to and from the street. Anything else would not work! There is no doubt that the odor and noise does not bother the employees because that is part of their 8-hour work and then they go home and sleep it off but for the resident there's another story. They come home after may be a nasty day, because of the work or weather and face a new problem. Imagine you're sleep at 05:34 AM and you feel that you're bed is shaking! First you think there's another earthquake in Vancouver Island and that is how you feel it here. Then you hear a whining noise and that's the time you realize that a chicken truck has entered the neighborhood to deliver its daily load. The situation might not be as bad as I just narrated here but whatever it is that has recently made the people of the area to lunch a lawsuit against the company. People are demanding a huge chunk of money but Lilydale representative says that the company has not broken any law and will fight against the complaint.

It's a clear as crystal to me that these people know that they can not have the facility moved to another location so they are just trying to make some easy money for their retirement time(!) which is not a very bad idea but we will wait to see what they get!

(Photo: Lilydale Plant in S. E. Calgary in a Sun. morning. This does not look too bad now. Wait until winter arrives, employees vehicles are parked and 18-wheelers coming and going!)

Fast Food Eating Result

I had a McDonald's breakfast coupon as well as a few others for other meals. So I went to a local one and got two Sausage McMuffin with Egg. I had a bad feeling, like being in an oven or a furnace all day long!

Different people's body is different. I see men older than 70 at times in McDonald's and A&W eating sausage and bacon and egg and stuff like that. I can't! Some people either burn everything they eat or waste it. Some accumulate it! I suppose I am one of the accumulators and I do not do exercises in a week, at this age, I will have serious health issues, not that I don't have any now!

The good thing that I like about McDonald's is you can simply go to their website and check how much Fat, Cholesterol, Sugar, Salt, etc you absorb by eating every meal, drink or snack they offer. The amount of Cholesterol for that sandwich I had is horrible.

(Photo: Regular McDonald's coupons that come as flayers. I really don't know if that is possible to download and print one as it says here)

The Navy's Big Problems

Just a while ago there was a discussion over the name or title to be used before the Canadian Navy. It was being said the the term Royal should be put because after all Canadians feel very close to the Royal Family. They have shown it in the past few years that the members travelled to Canada. It was being talked over and over without mentioning that how big really the main problems of the Navy are.

I was going through the local newspaper and realized that HMCS Chicoutimi which was in trouble in 2004 and had to be hauled a very long way back home, still is not repaired! It's been 7 years now! I'm not very surprised because the country and in a way the entire world has been struggling in the past 3 years but still 7 years is a long time.

Another question is why does Canada have to but used submarines from the UK? is that because Canadians, again, feel so loyal to the Royals that have to spend millions of dollars on these junks? Carrying on the report, I realized that none of the said submarines, none of the ones which were purchased from Britain, is operational at the moment! The reports stated that major repairs needed for most of them at the time they were delivered.

It makes no clear sense that Canada spends a good chunk of money on submarines while there's no serious treat to the country. And this is not the first time that the Navy is facing a problem. Reports of different issues come out off and on. Protection and defence is necessary to a point but where there's no good management and planning, things like this happens and $900 M required to have all the problems gone.

(Photo: HMCS Chicoutimi has been parked since the incident in 2004 which resulted in an officer's death)

Apollo 18: A Strange Experience

We watched Apollo 18 tonight and I must say it was an extraordinary movie. I had expected a science-fiction because the little I read about it but not something like that. It was a horror-science-fiction, I would say and a different experience; something different from all the movies I've seen so far. The movie is shown in a way that you see the whole story through different surveillance type cameras. It's said that the forages are recovered, put together and the movie then was made.

Another thing is there's no website for the movie but there's a website which is referred to at the end and that is: www.lunartruth.org . See what you'll see when you click on it!

Overall I liked the movie and I might even get the DVD. The story is an old one but the way it's said make the movie interesting. I never stopped following it or got bored. If I want to say how scary it was, I have to say that there was a scene that jumped up and back to my seat but different people may feel differently. After all it worth the time and money I spent.

Correction: I found this website for the movie. The stupid YAHOO Movies does not refer to it! Well ... YAHOO has been always my search engine. May be it's the time to change the way I look at things. I found the movie's website through YAHOO but I just don't know why it is not in the Movies section of it! The website is as wired as the other one, well in another sence of course, if not more strange! You check it yourself! Enjoy both the movie and the websites, and possibly its DVD or Blu Ray in future!

(Photo: This picture shows presumably how the Moon is seen from the orbit ship and is seen during the movie over and over)

The Baader Meinhof Complex

I'm totally disappointed with this German movie about the most notorious terrorist group in the 20th century, The Badder Meinhof Complex.First of all this movie, which you see the FBI's warning at the beginning of i,t like all of the movies which are distributed in North America, has not been daubed. It has caption but the damn Germans talk too fast you barely can follow the subtitle!

Then how can you shrink the activities of a group like RAF which were active from 1970 to 1998 in a 02:30 movie without making it boring?! It's probably difficult. That is why did could not! It's always like this especially if the audience knows about the story. What I also did not expect was that the leaders of the group were captured and prisoned shortly after they started and then they got into fight in between themselves. How can you expect a group like that to reach its goals while there is no companionship and people are divided inside of it? Obviously they were not trained well enough to do those kinds of activities like setting bombs, robing banks and hostage taking and that is why as it's shown in the movie they go to Jordan to be trained but seems that it was not very helpful. One another big question is since when Westerners care about hungry people of Africa and South East Asia?! All Westerners have care about through centuries of civilization and before that was how to steal natural resources and cheap labour from the other countries. Going through history shows how Spanish, Portuguese and British cruised the oceans to find whatever they can take and no need to mention Americans slavery for years. Now all of a sudden, Germans, who had sensed that fell behind and initiated tow World Wars, have sympathy for the people who for decades were the Westerners' victim!A few scenes of the movie, the attack scenes are well filmed but the court scenes are really senseless and boring. I'm happy that I did not pay the full amount for this 2-CD case. But I'll keep that. Overall I the film changed my opinion on the group. I always imagines them as bunch of people who actually fought for something they deserved and were deprived of. The people who were well-trained and managed, with leaders who direct them through stages of operation. But the movies showed me the truth, just the way most of Westerners are: excessive alcohol drinking, smoking to death, cheating on your wife or husband, sleep with whoever is available because you have a great sexual desire at the moment, excessive use of profanity while talking to everyone even your spouse, parents or kids, getting angry and kicking at everything close and far(!) How is that other groups fights for decades and either gain something or remain alive but there's no sign of them now? According to the Web material they were active for almost 28 years what what had they gained during all those years? I am no supporter of ETA, PLO, Taliban or so but all these groups have been around for years and eventually forces their governments to either negotiate with them or at least accept part of their request. These guys of RAF got a big goose egg, may be only sympathy from a few number of their own people.

I once wanted to talk to one of Linde guys who was in the company that I worked for before my immigration, about the group but he was shocked and speechless for a moment and said nothing after all! No sympathy form him. He was really scared!

One last thing: Why the hell the movie was named a complex? There's nothing complex about them. There are questions but questions have answers. A complex is something made of interrelated and complicated parts. They were, the group members, where at times interrelated and at times apart(!) and there was nothing complicated about them. May be complex means something else in German. I should ask our German people in the company. I usually talk to two of them and there are more but they are kind of Nose in the Sky! One of them I like to see him a Nose Dive instead of Nose in the Sky! I will write if I get something from them.

(Photo: Andreas Baader, one of the founders of RAF, the group which is known as Baader-Meinhof. He committed suicide after his followers' attempts to exchange him with the hostages they took, failed)

TV Out!

For weeks it was being announced the all the TV receivers which use an antenna instead of a cable would not be able to be useful after 31-Aug. We had our cable cancelled and we were using an indoor antenna, receiving a few channels including Global, CTV, CBC, City TV and CBC French.

Now they are all, as it was promised, gone and only the French channel is left! The one which is useless anyway!

So we have to figure out what we are going to do. We can buy a kind of tool which makes our TV able to receive those channels or we can buy a cable.

Jack Was Here (2)

I've gotta say that I'm really surprised by the way the Government, politicians, especially the foes, I'd like to call them, and ordinary people treated Jack Layton after his sudden death this week. A state funeral which leaders from all the parties and present and past politicians and people all take part. I didn't no much of him but I know that his efforts moved his party from the third place to the very strong second in the past few years.

I wonder what would happen to a politician in the old country, if the same thing happened to him? Would his opposition treat him the same way Layton got here in Canada? That's something respectable. His battle in both field of politics and cancer is appreciable. Sure this Jack is not that Jack but no doubt he has done more for his country otherwise people would not line up for hours to pay him respect.

(Photo: Jack Layton's casket arrives at Toronto City Hall where he used to work and it's said did a lot for poor and homeless as well as others)

Down and Out in Calgary

I previously wrote about my feeling in life and that was actually a long time ago. This time I decided to feel practically what Orwell realized in his time period he was a low-life labourer in Paris and London.

I had talked to Hodani and he arranged a telephone call with his boss for the same position as himself: a dishwasher. I eventually got the opportunity(!) to show myself. It, in fact, was not as bad as what he has described in his book, obviously because years has passed and now there's a little law to support the laborers. I worked from 04:00 to 11:30 and they wanted me up to 12:30 but I made an excuse and ran away!

I was doing OK until 10:00 and I had one half an hour break with meal allowance which I didn't take anything but after that I started getting tired. And then I was asked to broom and mop the floor and that is the thing I hate the most so I argued a bit, not in a bad manner and did part of the damn floor. What Orwell has said in his book about the way the food is prepared remains almost the same after almost 80 years! Most of the food is come to the restaurant previously ready and they just heat it up and put it in plates and garnish it. Almost everything is made with hands that is barely washed during a 10 hour or longer shift. So the steak that you're having and is laid down in a nice and clean white plate has been touched by as many as 3 people before lands on your table! That could be the line cook, the chef and the waiter or waitress. The nice white plate that you have your food in it and is sparkling, could have been just cleaned by a rug in the kitchen!

But what's the point of saying these stuff? The people who eat craps like McDonald's every day with bare hand, they don't care about these stuff! The people who eat Hot Dog from street vendors don't care how they food is prepared. The people who drink Coke and other Phosphoric Acid-filled drink, they could care less about who and how their food is prepared!

The boss gave me my schedule for the nest week stating that he would need me at least for 4 days (one of their guys had just been fired). I accepted that but F. F. is really mad and I have to talk to her or simply call the guy to say that I won't be in!

Never Trust Google Maps

I at times need to check an address before I go and the first choice and the handy of one is Google Maps. But it usually does not suggest the most convenient and closest way. So it's good to look at Google Maps but you, as the driver are the only one who finds the best way.

I wanted to go to 4th St., NE yesterday and the way Google Maps showed me would have taken at least 10 to 15 min. longer if I had took it.

After all GPS is the best and easiest.

Good Coffee, Good Earth

Coffee, as I've written about it several time is the most favorite drink in Canada but that's not because people like to drink it more often, it's because it gives them a very mild relaxation that they can only get through alcohol when drank a little. And because they can't drink alcohol that much then coffee would be a good choice.

This was just a preface to tell you a short story about we, trying a different coffee house: Good Earth. Their coffee is good but expensive: $2 for a medium size. Their, bakery goods, I asked they make them on premises, is delicious and filling and a little expensive as well but if you don't care about the price, go ahead.

Last piece of information: You might want to pay $14.95 for an one Ounce bag of Colombian! That's almost 2 times a regular coffee in a supermarket.

(Photo: I should have posted a better picture but I didn't have a better camera on and was not sure they let me take a photo. I like that cup with steams coming off!)

Surya

No I'm not going to tell you the story of my trip to Syria! This is Suria an East Indian restaurant in Calgary that we just tried last Wed. and was good.

In fact it was my third East Indian cuisine try and the 2nd restaurant of the kind. The first time I and Hodani went to a restaurant in West Vancouver called Handi. That was a good experience because Hodani speaks the language and we had a good service.

This time we tried the buffet in this one in Calgary and we liked it. We paid $15.24 each (including tax) and we had three invasions. I mostly tried their vegetarian foods including one with Chickpea and the other one Yogurt Currey. Also they have a very thin Cumin Bread which although it is made of white flour but is very tasty. It's even thinner than a regular chip like Lays. There they have a kind of Rice Pudding which is exactly the same as Persian Shir-Berenj (Milk-Rice) and the other cold-served fruit of them is a creamy mixture of Mango and Grape, I guess which really good.

Oh! I forgot to say that you get a freshly baked bread on your desk too and it's really good but unfortunately again white flour as whole grain bakery not common in old cooking style.

For a full list of their menu check their website or simply go to 11th and 11th. I will compare this to the other East Indian restaurant that I will probably try later soon until I buy a recipe book!

(Photo: I did not have a chance to take a photo and I'm not sure if they allow it. I might check with them if we go there again. Picked one from their website. Just to add that this is not what we had but you can get if you really are hungry!)

Polar Bears

There was a documentary about the Polar Bears, these beautiful creatures of Canada which are in the verge of distinction on CBC the other night and it answered a question I had a long time ago. The story speaks about Churchill, Manitoba, a little town adjacent to Hudson Bay.

Every year the Polar Bears who are wandering around northern Manitoba and vicinity of Hudson Bay, get trapped at the south side of it because of the ice meltdown in July and have no way to go back north. For that reason they get deprived of having their most nutritious food, the seals. They have to roam around Churchill and other places for food, like garbage, goose egg, fish and small stuff like that. They, then, lose a significant amount of weight, some die because now the meltdown is longer as a result of global warming. The documentary does not say what happens to the larger population of Polar Bears who their habitat is not around Hudson Bay but generally blames global warming for as the prime risk for them. That's a sad story because just watching these beautiful creatures on TV is very nice. Imagine that you're in Churchill on that very special vehicle and watching them from feet away, where I wanted to go in 2005 and couldn't and I still want to. The Government apparently does not have a plan yet and I hope they come up with something before we only see them on Loonies. I hope the Government consider this problem as important as Somalia and Afghanistan!

(Photo: This map, although small, shows where Churchill in Northern Manitoba is located)

I Insist: Multiculturalism Does Not Work

I mentioned not a long time ago that multiculturalism does not work. This time I have a good witness: This Norwegian guy. They all say that he is a psychopath but the truth is he was tired of seeing all this women with a table cloths around their head and sleepers on the edge of their feet, walking in shabby cloths with half open mouth. He was probably also tired of seeing people with turbans and long beard walking on his hometown street. I'm not giving him credit for that but he would probably ask: Why should I work and pay taxes so these people who doesn't care about the country get benefit?

Again what he did was extremely stupid rather than criminal in my opinion. If he had that problem which we believe he had he should have let the others hear him through a member of parliament, like that guy in Netherlands, through a newspaper or any other media. After all the pen is mightier than the sword. What would you get by killing bunch of the kids who are camping on a small island? Just because you don't like foreigners and you're afraid that Muslims and Africans will take over your country that does not give you the right to kill bunch of people simply because they are from the party who supports immigrants. Another fact that should be mentioned here is the US and Canada and especially the US are more foreigner/immigrant/refugee-friendly because they have been accepting people from different corners of the globe for years but the world has changed and with all shit we see on daily basis I wonder when something like that happens in Canada.

(Photo: The Norwegian flag flutter half-mast on the top of the parliament building as a sign of sorrow)

New Calgary Police Office

There is barely a week that we do not see a police vehicle in our neighborhood. It's one specific building that looks like has problems. F. F. has a good suggestion: Calgary Police Service should open a new office in our neighbourhood! In that case they don't have to send officers to the building. They would just walk out, take a few steps, get in and talk the guys down!

(Photo: A police van is parked(!) in the neighbourhood. The officers are investigating. Not to mention the idling!)

Kiwano

As Canada is close to Caribbean and all those countries have tropical weather and have nothing much to export and make revenue but cheap fruits and vegetables and also because people like to try everything available no matter how much it cost them, you can find almost every kind of fruit, vegetable and food here. Not to mention that all immigrants and refugees from every corner of the world bring their own cuisines to Canada.

I, myself, have tried things that had never have them before my immigration. I made Sushi just last night, eat Avocado regularly and many other things on daily basis.

This one that I bought two weeks ago called Kiwano and although looks very attractive but tastes awful! I study a bit about that and it's eaten raw. It's added to the salad and is also called Horned Melon. So be careful with your money! Get a good recipe and make sure you will use the best of it because I had to dump half of it. Cost me some $4 one single damn fruit!

(Photo: Horned Melon looks nice although this photo is crap but taste wise, I wouldn't recommend that!)