Checking a Lens

I purchased a 75-300 zoom lens from Vision Electronics. My first and only purchase from this store in all years that I've been living in Canada! In fact I had not stepped in a Visions Electronics before that but it was a good deal. The magnification is not very strong but with my budget I could not get anything better anywhere! 

Anyways I went to Inglewood Bird Sanctuary to test it out a few days ago. It was early afternoon weekday so it was not crowded. In fact there were only two people I saw there. The majority part of the sanctuary was fenced off because apparently they were doing construction but I walked around for about an hour and took a few photos. It was cloudy first as it has been like this in the past week or so in the area and then just when I was about to leave the sun came out. I took only a few photos, including this, this and this and of course the one you see here on the top. 

More photos would be all posted in the same website, if I took any.

(Photo: This tiny little birds are very beautiful but I don't know what it is. Anyone who knows please indicate here)

An Invitation

I was almost sure that I would not receive an invitation to do a physical test for a job that I had applied almost a months ago although my buddy, A. F., had said I would definitely receive one. He said that he had checked both my resume and the questionnaire and is certain I would receive the e-mail. So here I am with the invitation and I'm not confident but am a bit nervous. I just started going to gym again 2 weeks ago and now I'm older and do not have the same level of confidence that I had back in 2008-09. In those years I applied for a few jobs where all required physical test. I remember I had a very good time in Vancouver Police physical test in Downtown Vancouver, I guess that was the headquarters at the time and then they moved somewhere else. And there was another one that I did in Justice Institute of British Columbia and passed as well. It's not that I'm a whole lot weaker. I have to travel for hours to just get there first and there's cost because I will have to spend night or nights. So it's a hassle. Of course it would be much easier to do that here in the city or somewhere closer in the province where I didn't need that much of driving but known of those bastards that I have applied for a job with in the past two months have invited me for an interview. I'm going to prepare myself for the next few days. I have as long as a week or so to get ready and then I will give the last 2 days a rest because I have to drive and mu muscles have to rest as well. 

A Deer in the Park

I went for a walk to South Glenmore Park yesterday after the disappointing morning in Mt. Baldy! It didn't work either! I was tired as I had waken up at 05:00(!) and couldn't walk much. The park was empty. Maybe one or two people. You know how disgusting people here really are. As soon as the temperature drops to 2 C, they are disappear! In contrast I was in the nearby mall for a few minutes and it was packed! Were they shopping? Some were but the majority I guess were just window shopping or at the most were getting something from the fast food joints. 

One disgusting motherfucker animal caught my attention. A piece of crap, ugly. motherfucker, whore Iranian woman with her little daughter. This ugly piece of crap who had dyed her hair blond was walking and her little daughter was crying and ask her to by her something. The ugly motherfucker, disgusting, shit-in-the-mouth turned to her and said: I hit you hard in the mouth in front of everyone! and the girl burst in to tears! This is how civilized these people are. This is how great these motherfucker's culture is. This is how they treat their kids and raise them. This animal was even uglier than the goats and sheep I saw in Crocus Coulee Stable and had dyed her hair blond. Everyone in the first 2 seconds after looking at him would guess that she was from a stinking shit-hole of Third World and she is Blond! The fact is, and I know I'm distracted from the main subject, many woman behave in a way that automatically prevents others from respecting them. In this specific example, this ugly motherfucker is not only ugly in feature but also ugly in behaviour. She is a child abuser and her daughter should be taken away from her and she must be punished for the way she treats kids. 

The Deer stopped grazing and gazed at me. She wanted to be sure that I was no threat

Anyways I was walking on the pathway, coming from the nearby Safeway, going towards the parking lot when in the corner of my eyes I noticed a Deer's head popped up! I froze. I always have a camera on but on this specific occasion I should have brought my big camera particularly because I have recently purchased a 75-300 mm Zoom Lens but I only have my little one!

I approached slowly and tried not to scare the Deer. She, I assume it was, had white dots on her necks which cannot be seen in this second photo. She was grazing in new spring grass and she rose her head and looked at me. I took a few more shots (including this one) and walked away, leaving the poor animal to enjoy itself.

(Photo, top: This is where the head of the Deer is seen. It is small but you can see it in the lower center of the photo)

Attempted Mt. Baldy (Kananaskis)

I was serious and determined to do Mt. Baldy in Kananaskis today after all these waste of time here and there in Alberta when I went to different places and no good hike or scramble came out of it. These idiots of so called hiking group that I found them through Meetup are nothing but a bunch of fucking coward, whimps who wake up at 09:00 AM and start for a trail-head at 10:00! So immature and disgusting! No doubt that they are bunch of lazy drunkards whom happen to know something new called hiking! 

Anyways I woke at 05:00 and by 05:15 I was on the road to Highway No. 1. I got a coffee on my way, as usual, and fortunately I found the trail-head easily this time. I started the hike at 06:35 by heading up the trail. The entire Barrier Lake and valley was covered in a thick fog. There was no other cars parked around showing that people were aware of the foggy and possibly rainy weather and stayed away. 

Kananaskis Valley, Highway # 40 and Barrier Lake are all covered under thick fog. The camera here is looking south.

The trail was not rough. After passing a couple of nicely constructed(!) cairns, I reached a rocky and open area which I was able to see the entire valley covered in fog! This was very intimidating at that point and I decided to return for the following reasons:

1- I was by myself, as usual, and I didn't have my helmet on.

2- There was no one within probably 2 kilometers or so!

3- The fog was thick and visibility was very limited.

4- The path was full of loose rocks and dirt and very exposed at most parts.
5- I realized a GPS-provided map would have helped in this specific case although I most of the time do lots of route finding. 

So I headed back down and I got in to the vehicle in less than one hour from that point. I told myself that now I know the trail-head and I know how the trail is like. I will come back later in a sunny day with helmet and information will conquer the damn summit.

(Photo, top: A cairn is seen in the photo taken in less than one hour on the trail of Mt. Baldy. It's fairly easy up until here and then a little while after this. The exposed area starts shortly after the 1 hour mark)

The Inner Light

I never forget that the day I landed in Canada was the same day that George Harrison passed away. He was only 58. The other day I was watching a few clips on Youtube and I came across these clips of Concert for George. They were held in the first anniversary of his death in Royal Albert Hall. The Indian part of that concert is amazing. Apparently Harrison traveled to India or more specifically Mumbai once or maybe more and was taught the Sitar by Ravi Shankar who was a master in that instrument. Ravi died in 2012. Harrison performed a song called The Inner Light which in that the Sitar and other Indian instruments can be heard, Anushka Shankar, daughter of Ravi, who is a player herself now, plays that song alongside Jeff Lynne, whom was unknown to me until I saw this clip but apparently close to Harrison, and Harrison's son, Dhani. Here's the lyrics:

Without going out of my door

I can know all things on Earth

Without looking out of my window

I could know the ways of Heaven

The farther one travels

The less he knows

The less one really knows

Without going out of your door

You can know all things on Earth

Without looking out of your window

You could know the ways of Heaven

The farther one travels

The less he knows

The less one really knows

Arrive without travelling

See all without looking

Do all without doing

(Photo: This is probably the cover of DVD of Concert for George. I don't know whether that guy is George Harrison or his son Dhani because the resemblance is uncanny!)

Disgusting France

They call France the land of liberty, freedom of speech and democracy. I'd rather call it the land of disgusting, lairs, bastard opportunists and greedy hypocrites. Everything that I know about France proves what kind nasty, disgusting, creatures these people, mainly their politicians are. I list them one after another here to prove that I'm not just saying something without having any evidence:

1- Dr. Shapour Bakhtiar, the last appointed prime minister of Iran before The Islamic Republic Murderers of Iran took over left the country and lived in Paris after that. The assassins of The Islamic Murderers of Iran went after him and first had a failed attempt on his life. The second time, they disguised as journalists and murdered the patriot. After months of search, questioning and trail, the main suspect, Ali Vakili Rad was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. This piece of shit was later released by the disgusting French authorities after only serving 19 years in prison!! A deal had been obviously made with the murderer of Iran to accept one of their own back on the soil!

Dr. Shapour Bakhtiar is seen here in a sort of conference/debate meeting in the center of photo

2- France was one of the major suppliers of arm and ammunition to Iraq during the 8-year Iran-Iraq War. The delivery of five Super Etendard jets to Iraqi Air Force in mid-war made headlines for months. Iraq leased those jets and they had some successful missions over Persian Gulf and although it was claimed by Iranians that 3 of them had been shot down, France later claimed that 4 out of 5 jets were returned to them!

The delivery of French Super Etendards was supposed to be a breakthrough for Iraqis in their war against Iranians but it didn't function as it had been planned and although Iran finally had to accept the UN resolution No. 589 it was later in the war and not because of these planes but it had a significant influence in the spirits of Iraqis, positively and Iranians, negatively. I remember there were cartoons about these in daily newspapers and my cousin who later flee the country through Turkish border and now has been living in Denmark for over 25 years, was speaking about these jets with much excitement, hoping they help to the end of the war! He was worried about himself who had soon to go to his military service and deployed to the fronts and that's why he flee the country!

3- The cult of Rajavi or Mujaheddin Khalg Organization (MKO), the main opposition group of  IRMI, was assembled in France after they flee Iran. France claimed to be a country which supports freedom and the ones who fight for it! MKO later was asked to leave the country when a deal was made between the disgusting French government and The Islamic Republic Murderers of Iran! MKO moved to Iraq and there they made a complete fool of themselves! Although a few thousand people were among the group as they thought MKO has great ambitions but later many learnt that this is nothing but a cult which if came to power, would be as bad as IRMI!

Members of Cult of Rajavi or MKO. Just by looking at the faces you can simply realize what's going on inside of each of these determined members! These were part of the so-called Liberation Army who were about to overthrow Islamic Republic Murderers of Iran! They were worse than them! I have to have a post about these brain-washed idiots. A cousin of mine was arrested and put in prison for supporting them but then was let out, I guess because she rated out a few members!

4- French authorities ordered the remaining members of MKO to be arrested after the cult was listed as a terrorist group by The US and a few European countries. They later were released!! I don't know what kind of stupid dead had been made and between who this time but there's no doubt that they are a terrorist group who even murder their own people! 

5- Now the French, the motherfucker animals welcomed the piece of shit disgusting Mulla (an Islamic clergy) of Iran!! What the fuck you motherfuckers are doing?! I wish there was someone who could make a hole in the throat of this ugly motherfucker president of France, Hollande with a chisel and let him bleed to death! This disguising motherfucker is worse than Hitler, Pol Pot and any murder in the history of mankind. Look how senseless he's sitting beside that motherfucker animal murderer Mulla of Iran.

Shame on on you motherfucker animal Frenches. Shame on you piece of shits. I despise you. 

(Photo, top: It is recently taken when the president of France, with that cold disgusting face, met the Iranian clergy, Rouhani. France has no intention but to sell its junk such as Airbus and Peugeot to Iran, make a few hundred millions and prevent the bankruptcy of a few companies. It's all about the money they can make. All these terms of freedom, democracy and such are bullshit!)

Another Online Certificate

We had an annual evaluation at the previous job every year. That was the stupidest thing I had ever experienced! Not to mention that there never was any result from that. The piece of shit who evaluated me every year, my direct supervisor, knew basically nothing about the nature of the work but reading the contracts and that's what the company wanted and that's why he's still there and I'm unemployed for the past 6 months!

There was a section in the evaluation form which you could indicate the training you thought you might need. I indicated that I wanted to take a course from this American institute and I don't even remember what his reaction was! I then got kicked out while I already had started conversation with the institute for the course. Eventually I was able to gain access in December last year. The content was not very bad but considering it was the Review Mode of the online program, there were lots of issues.

The program comprises of 6 courses. There are quizzes for each course and final examination at the end. I easily passed 4 courses out of 6 and then was given the third chance for the other two. Each student gets only two chances for each final examination. I used the opportunity and was able to pass one. The other one was doomed and I didn't go higher than 67%! I needed at least 75% to pass. It was very disappointing. There were grammatical, spelling and technical issues with courses which I never expected them to exist to that level. I guess one of the reasons was that, as I recognized by the names and surnames, many of the staff of the said institute are from Hispanic background and it's not expected from them to know English as good as a native speaker of it. But how about the technical issues? That doesn't have anything to do with ethnicity!

Here is the most obvious one. This is about Undercut, a welding discontinuity which might occur due to different reasons including welder's poor workmanship. This is how they define Undercut:

Undercut is a groove in the base metal along both sides of the weld that is not completely filled during the welding process.

This is absolutely wrong and misleading as well! One, who's not very familiar with welding concepts, definitions and flaws, in general, by reading this definition, would think that there are grooves which should be filled by welders and if not then there would be a flaw!
Anyways I wanted to add that to my resume but since I haven't finished all of the courses successfully now all I can do is to indicate that I've finished 5 out of 6 courses of the program! There's no doubt that I learnt things but the disappointment was very unusual and I would say disturbing in a way. At the end I e-mailed the original person whom I had contacted first and showed my interest in taking the remaining course and paying for it but didn't receive any response. I might try that once again just to pass the damn thing and get my certificate But generally I have come to this conclusion that online learning or as some might call it e-learning is not a good way of learning.

Cougar Creek

This past weekend's hike was changed from something in way west of Calgary to a near hike/scramble of Mt. Lady MacDonald but unintentionally and mistakenly was changed to a not very pleasant rock walking (!) in Cougar Creek in Canmore. Why did I use the term rock walking? Because it was a painful walk in loose rocks for most of the time. I wouldn't call it a hike!

I woke up at 05:30 and realized I was too tired to even leave the bed! It must have been because I had just started weight lifting and my muscles were sore. I eventually got myself out of the bed and dragged myself to where I put my cloths on! I said to myself at the time: What if it was a group hike?! I got myself then quickly on Highway No. 1 and drove toward Canmore but shortly after leaving home and before getting in to the vehicle I realized I had forgotten something important: The map and instruction to Lady MacDonald but I was too lazy to go back in to get it. My understanding at the time was that I know the way and it would not be a problem to get to the trial and reach the summit. It was proven to me later that I was wrong!

Shortly after the start of the hike I saw this animal in the center of photo. It could be a Wolf but I think wolves live and move in groups. It also could be a fox because of the tail. 

I reach the trail-head at about 07:10 and started getting ready. There was a group of three who were getting ready as well but they hit the trail quite fast and left. The trail basically runs parallel to now very wide Cougar Creek and goes north. I took the trail and headed up north not knowing where exactly it branches to go the lady! Apparently I should have turned left shortly after the start of the trip but I guess I missed a sign and kept walking on the rocky terrain parallel or in the creek! As usual there was nobody else on the trail and I think the trio I had seen already had hit the lady's trail so I couldn't get a guidance and kept walking. It was not a pleasant walk because of all the small and big rocks, some loose and I was tired and cold! I don't know what the hell was wrong but I didn't feel good at all. There was nothing worth watching! No scene, no mountain, no flower or special vegetation! Nothing! But I kept going for the sake of exercise! Eventually I reached a dead end where a few summits could be seen including the one seen above and turned back. 

Half way through the trail people starting to show up and I even saw a few rock climbers practicing. I don't think anyone would want to hike parallel to Cougar Creek even in the best season. One would if he or she loses the trail to the lady. I actually encountered two girls who asked me where the trail was and I told them I didn't know. I later saw them coming back down the trail and then disappeared. Apparently they had found it! Not a good day it was overall. Wasting money, time and fuel for almost nothing but a few hours of painful walking in the damn rocks! It was almost 12:05 when I reached the then full parking lot. Almost 5 hours!

(Photo: This mountain is seen at the end of Cougar Creek trail and I'm not even aware of the name but seems a good exercise to climb it)

Volunteering at C. F. B.

I went for volunteering to Calgary Food Bank for the second time this week. It's not bad. Majority of the people there, volunteers and staff are Caucasian. It's amazing how this people work. It's obvious that no volunteer does what he or she does is just for helping others. Many of them are old or lonely people who are looking a few hours of company to share their life stories. Still it's admirable what they do, I guess. I guess once I read that if Calgary Food Bank had wanted to hire people to do its stuff, it would have paid over $2,000.000! 

The problem with food bank is not that everyone who really is need comes and gets what they don't deserve but what can I do?

The other thing that I noticed in the past two times that I have been there is some staff go to Candy and Chocolate bin and take the best brands such as Lindt for themselves! That is disgusting! Does these prevent me from volunteering at the place? No. I enjoyed that and even the second time I went there I easily managed to work-stations, meaning that I did the work of two people for the shift. No place is flawless and I will go there until either they ask me to stop or I get a job. 

(Photo: This paintings in a warehouse of food bank are hung from the wall. Kids must have painted them. Nice. They give a better feeling to the atmosphere) 

A Little Dough after 6 Months!

My last day at work was 07.Oct.2015. I filed for unemployment benefits immediately after that with my R. O. E. information. I received a message from the Government that I would not be eligible for the benefit for a long time since my last employer has given me a little money! OK! What could I do? I waited and waited and kept applying for jobs without any success! All I got was a few interviews. I eventually filed the first report in late April where I was told I would not be paid for that!!! Why? I didn't get a straight answer! Eventually the second report led to the deposition of a total of $880 two days ago! after almost 6 freaking months unemployment! Not bad ha? Imagine a person with a family, mortgage, other expenses. How could he survive? It must be tough. Newlywed is almost in my shoes with a big difference: He has a newborn, his in-laws are visiting them and his wife is out of work too because of maternity and gets nothing because she didn't have a full-time job, I guess. He complains that his expenses are too high and he needs a job but in the past 3 months that he has lost his job, he hasn't gotten even one single interview. He was laid off a month and half after me. Tough time for many.

(Photo: I've made Pizza dough a few times and it came out nicely. However unlike this picture I use Whole-Wheat Flour as it's way better for digestion and generally the body. Nevertheless this does not have anything to do with EI. I just like picture for posts! As long as there's a little relationship, it will be put up there!)

Olivier Salad

The Chef told me that he wanted to try Olivier Salad the weekend before we he was in my apartment. I cooked pasta and we both ate a lot. I don't know about him but I had difficulty sleeping and when I slept I had nightmares! So this past weekend he called me and he said he would go to a supermarket before I arrive and does all the shopping! That was wired but I didn't say much and agreed.

When I got to his place he said he already had made the food and had put it in the freezer to cool off! Fucking stupid! I don't know why he did both the shopping and cooking by himself this time but I asked him to take the food out! Olivier Salad , unlike what its name suggests has a Russian origin  but I guess a French chef invented it when he was working in Russia. Russians were obsessed with France and its culture back in the Tsar time. French was the second language of the country and knowing it was a sign of affluence! This meal can not be obtained in Canada It is made with the following ingredients:

1- Potato.

2- Egg.

3- Pickled Cucumber.

4- Green Pea.

5- Mayonnaise.

6- Salt and Pepper.

7- Chicken.

Basically what you need to know is Potato is the base of this meal, just like lettuce is the base for a salad. So you boil enough potato to create(!) the structure. Eggs should be boiled as well and you of course cook Peas and Chicken. When everything is ready, all the ingredients are mixed up after they are smashed, grated or pulled except Green Pea of course as there would be no need for that! A little Chicken Broth should be mixed with Mayonnaise before it is added to the mixture but not too much as it makes it runny. 

What The Chef had done was a disaster! There was no Egg while he insisted he had added 5! The Pickles had not been cut to small pieces so when chewing you would get a big piece of Pickle in your mouth! The percentage of Potato compare to the other ingredients was too low and he had added Green Chili Peppers! Being from south of Iran, the port city of Bander-e-Abbas he thinks he must add Pepper to everything to make it tasty! The good thing was the whole Peppers have been added and you would take them out, if you saw them but I accidentally ate one and my tongue was burning! 

Anyways I had some because in the morning I had been cycling for about 22 KM and I was hungry but that thing was not really Olivier Salad! However I didn't rub it in to his face and said it was good!

(Photo: I took this picture when half of the tray was empty but this is how it should look like except the fact that you should see more Potato and no Pepper! But all you see here is Green Pea, a little Potato, Green Chili Papers and Mayonnaise!)

Love and Sex in Calgary Public Library(!)

When I came to Canada first, used Calgary Public Library for a short time. At that time you had to pay for membership. I don't remember how much it was but that was not a lot. They provided different services. Just two weeks ago I went to see if I can renew my membership because I realized there are new services available. In addition to that I have lots of free time that I can spend and I don't want to stay home all day long. To my surprise the fee for membership is eliminated! So was my personal information in their database! Apparently it was gone because I was inactive for so many years. So I got the new card easily and quickly and then I borrowed a laptop, a Chromebook. A Chromebook is actually not that bad. When we went to buy a second computer back in summer of 2014, because my Toshiba laptop from 2007 was very slow at the time and now is resting in a recycling centre(!), we were told several times that we should not have bought a Chromebook but actually know I like it better than our Surface 2! One of the reasons would be the keyboard. Surface 2 is actually is not bad at all and you can add a keyboard for a little more than $100 but Chromebook already has it. The other benefit of Chromebook its battery life. I've been given a charger when I borrowed a Chromebook. Surface's is not bad either but it definitely does not last as long as Chromebook, I can say.

I guess I turned this post to a product comparison one! So I stop here. So I have been to two different locations of C. P. L. and they are not bad. One problem would be the noise which can be resolved using a headphone.

What's amazed me the most is the number of perverts who spend their time in C. P. L. to hunt something or maybe they think they can! It actually is not a bad place! Lots of moms go there and many of them could be a single parent. Many students go there as well. Women who are housekeepers too. So there's a good collection! I've seen plenty gorgeous women in both locations, even among librarians. I also have seen some perverts who, quickly by looking at them, you can say what they are looking for! Here are a few examples of horny people, people are in the library for matters rather than studying and people who do other things rather than studying in the library:

1- A young blue-eyed, blond woman, in her early 30's was spending time with his little boy, I guess on his homework. She had a very short mini-skirt with no stockings of any kind. Another boy who apparently was the first boy's classmate appeared in the library and the two kids waved at each and said hi. It was obvious that the father of the second boy, a tall mid-aged man was looking for this opportunity to get close to the woman but the woman paid no attention. Didn't even turn her face! The guy was looking at the woman with wide open eyes and mouth! They then went and sat at a table, not too far so the guy can pick good looks! The woman and her boy carried on with their studies and for a moment she had to stand up and maybe to show something to her son. When she stood up and bent over, you could easily see her ass chick! I remember specifically that it was her left! I was not right behind her but there was an old woman sitting right behind her who was looking directly at her ass and I could see a hatred in her eyes! She remained in that position for a quite a long time and the woman behind, still was gazing in shock and displeasure. The other guy, just a few feet away, also was checking her out but he was in a bad angle. So he got nothing!

2- A Caucasian young fella, maybe in grade 11 or 12 showed up one day and sat in front of me. He didn't attract any attention. He was a boy who probably had came to spend a few hours there. Lots of school kids do that. They hang out in fast food places, libraries, parks, convenience stores, gyms and public places like that after the school is out. I doubt that any student goes home right after they finish school. Back to my time, I remember that we would go back immediately right after we finished because the family was waiting at the table for lunch. Anyways this guy came and he looked around, looked at me and then got himself busy with something and then I noticed he continuously checks our around, like he was waiting for someone. Eventually an Asian girl showed. A pretty one too! Big boobs. Long dyed hair, a bit of makeup and not a bad feature. She apparently was tutoring the guy and constantly and at the same time fixing her hair, moving her body, at time putting, yes, practically putting her boobs on the table. Perhaps it was a major achievement for her to be able to see a Caucasian guy which might later lead to a date. It was obvious also that the girl was born here. She was fluent and obviously much better than the guy in that subject matter in English!

Stories like these are seen in the library everyday but if I had paid attention to all, I would have not been able to accomplish half of what I accomplished until now! but the two above were very obvious and caught my eyes.