The Crap They Are In Now

I read somewhere that hundreds of thousands of application of immigration to Canada had been returned to the applicants and their fess were refunded. The Government stated lack of enough employees to review the files as one reason.

I also read in CIC's website that there will be no more Permanent Residency granted to parents and grandparents of the Canadian residents or citizens for I guess the next 2 years and instead they could use a permit to travel and stay in Canada called Super Visa which will be valid for a period of 2 years, I guess.

So eventually seem that the Government is doing something about this load of shit which is pouring to the country. Nowadays there is barely any place in the city that you go and you don't see a creature covered from toe to head. There are many services that when you go to, you will have problems because simply the one who provides that service is either unable to provide or unwilling to. It could be a Black or an Oriental for lack of communication skills or inappropriate training or a Caucasian because he or she sees all poor foreigners around him or her and get embarrassed. I had one case in a nearby McDonald's that we had been to for a coffee. There was a Caucasian blond, tall girl with blue eyes that if you had seen him out of her uniform on the street, you would have thought that she was either a salesperson or someone having a better position. Her lack of eagerness in providing the service she was supposed to was very obvious. I would have had probably the same feeling if I had been her surrounded by Filipino and Black guys. I do not know who she blames for that but the next time I was there I did not see her. May be she was off the next time but it is very likely that she has another job now. I know people that they do not feel comfortable beside foreigners. If I was her I would probably curse the Government for letting those people in! I say probably but I never know until I am in her shoes.

Anyways I do not know the long term plans of the Government but I do know that CIC has started taking actions recently. It might be a little late but better than nothing. There is no doubt that the Government will allow the investors and entrepreneurs. How much they have to bring, that will be the question.

(Photo: Jason Kenny, the Immigration Minister said once that there are many who abuses Canada's hospitality and generosity and the first thing they ask once they get off the plane is where their cheque is! I have interesting stories that will tell later)

Calgary Zoo

We finally got out and saw somewhere after a long time: Calgary Zoo. It was probably a little early because the city is still brown but we went anyway. One of the main reasons that people these days have plans to visit Calgary Zoo is penguins. A number of penguins were brought to Calgary and I saw that on TV news months ago and they are finally being displayed. The animals are from different types and although I know this is not the right term to use but you can see the difference. But you won't definitely see the very tall ones which I believe should be more than 1 m. The Zoo has made fantastic facility to provide the same atmosphere for the little animals. A few of a certain kind were outside in the sun and by a stream and seems to be fine. A few other ones where inside which was cool and humid a little. For those one we had to stay in a line for almost 1 hour and a half! I was told it had been worse the earlier days. At times people would stay in line for hours without being able to see the penguins.

Rather than those there were other animals that we had not seen them in Vancouver Zoo. So they were interesting to us. Amongst them were elephant which you could see them being bathed by the Zoo employees. Bison, a few South American animals including the very interesting Anteater and many more. It was for that 2 hours we spent on the penguins that deprived us from seeing the other animals and had to rush at the end. I will go for the second one especially because I messed up many photos (The ones by the SLR camera are coming out tomorrow).

Calgary Zoo is smaller compare to Vancouver Zoo so you can see the animals, mostly from a closer distance. If you're going and want to see everything the best plan is to be there at 09:00 when the gate opens, go see penguins and then see everything else unless their penguin place opens later. Also check the different programs that the Zoo might have on different days. You need to take food and drinks with you because the sources are limited and lines are long. I hate staying in the line and never do that even if I'm starving (F. F. stayed in penguins line, mostly!) so what we did was we drove out, got a bite and came back after half an hour. That was another half an hour loss which I will consider in my next visit.

(Photo: A Hippopotamus was vaccuuming the surface for hays! There were two of them and you could see them from 4 feet away. Quiet and interesting animals which walk very slowly and are mostly comfortable when they are in water)

Troublesome Vegitable

I have been called a Troublemaker by many and I admit that I am a person who is looking for chalenges but this vegitable gave me sort of trouble that I rather not try it again: Artichoke!

We bought a few times and tried to cook it but we acomplished nothing! It remains in the boiling pots for hours and hours and the result is a plastic-like piece that can be only chewed like a gum! Eventually I accidentally found a short clip in Youtube that show how it should be cooked.

The result is disapointing and worth not the effort, time and money. Only a very tiny part of the vegitable is cut and boiled. The rest is trash. I can not think of any fruit or vegitable like that.

(Photo: Artichokes in a local Coop Supermarket)

Not So Profitable Oil Sands For Canadians

Both the Federal and Provincial governments off and on talk about the Oil Sand projects in Alberta and insist that it is a great opportunity for Albertans and rest of the country. Not so true! Most of the manufacturers, or better to say the manufacturers of the major equipment of the projects are outside the Continent! Just a few not-so-critical machines are made here in North America. Majority of them only import and assemble. The manufacturers in Asia and Europe gain the most benefit from the projects. As per employment, yes it keeps unemployment rates down but at the same time attracts a large number of not-so-competent poor and hungry professional-like individuals from across the world and the country of course. It is mainly because it is not a high-tech industry. At least not for what is required to be done by them! This people come with their colour dreams of luxury cars and mansions with swimming pool and Tennis court! There is a few industries that now you can say that benefits from this: banks, retailers, insurance companies and such. Their real pleasure is the time that this industry falls off its throne! Just like 2008. That is the time when there will be lots of foreclosures and huge amounts of debt that people have to pay them off. But even thinking that the unemployment rate is kept low, I think, is wrong because everyone who has a job tells his friends or relatives about this mirage-like jobs and truck loads of sorry asses pour in to the country! I personally know a couple who are university graduates and work their asses off to pay their bills. They look like they are optimist but how long you can keep your hopes up with empty pockets!
(Photo: Huge trucks carry Oil Sand to the crushers in Northern Alberta)

Completed Peace Bridge

I went for a little run yesterday. It was after almost 2 weeks because I have been struggling with this damn disease, Gout, for the period mentioned. I barely could even walk in the first days. Forget about running! So instead of the usual 20 min. I decreased it to half, only 10 min.! It's amazing how your health could be deteriorated overnight. But I realized is even more interesting. I think it's more likely stress and fury that drive me sick. Both of them are producers of Uric Acid in the body or they increase its production. I am advised to stay away read meat, alcohol, fatty foods and rich meats like liver and I have been doing it and still have the problem. So it's obvious that these emotions, that I hardly can control them, are the cause.

Anyways I decided to check out the controversial bridge, the Peace Bridge. It was officially opened in 24-Mar-12 but because I had known it would be crazy I postponed seeing it on that day. The bridge is OK but like I said earlier there was definitely no need to spend millions of dollars on it especially because it was awarded to Spanish designer or probably a manufacturer in abroad as well. I guess Calgarians should have questions the piece of crap animal who decided to give this project to foreigner. A project which has no value for Canada should be stopped. It's like these all Oil Sands which have mostly no benefit for Canada as my buddy said and I will discuss that in another post. And then why the hell on Earth you have to find such a stupid name for a bridge? Do we live in North Korea or some other damn country that they name the things that they never had or will never see??!

I thought the bridge, which is covered would protect you from the regular horizontal snow, rain and hail in Calgary but it is open at side. May be it is designed and manufactured this way to be able to stand in front of the strong wind guts of Calgary. The absolute funny thing would be this bridge collapsing after a few months or years. I want to see what answer they will have!

(Photo: Peace Bridge over Bow River between 8th and 6th St., SW)