Embarrassment to the Fullest

I got the final result of the CWB Level I Inspector examinations and passed only two, out of the three! which I wrote last week, today. I was a little surprised of their speed and speed is usually good when you get a good result. I didn't! I failed, again(!), miserably(!) the closed book exam! But guess what? I got 2 points higher than the last time! Isn't it something!?

It's so frustrating and embarrassing that I don't know what to write! I don't think there's much to write about it but I know what I will have to do: I will start studying tomorrow and also will order a number of major modules, most likely Electrodes & Consumables and Welding Processes! I only have until September of this year and if the third shot doesn't work I would have to start everything over! There's no other way.  

Here is, again, the topics that I know I have to study very well and master them, for myself. As for everyone else who has a plan to write CWB Level I Inspector exam, this is helpful for them as well: 

1- Allocation of electrodes to processes

2- Specific attributes of processes

3- Welding positions

(Photo: A common way of showing frustration and, perhaps, embarrassment!)

Moore is not Right this Time

I like most of Michael Moore movies. Fahrenheit 9/11 is my all time favorite. I first watched it in a theater years ago when just came out and then bought the DVD. I like it despite the fact that I admire George W. Bush for what what he did in Iraq. I don't wanna go there because it was 19 years ago. Bowling for Columbine which discusses the gun violence issue in the US is another favorite of mine. The best part, in my opinion, is when Charleston Heston walks out during the interview! Sicko, I couldn't see it! For me it's too intense! I can't see medical procedures and stuff of that nature. Capitalism: A Love Story is good. I totally understand that although some of the people shown in the film and were interviewed looked irresponsible and careless! I don't totally blame them for what happened, though. Watched Fahrenheit 11/9 in a theater when it came out first but need to watch it again, although I don't like Biden!

The last movie of him that I've watched is Where to Invade Next? From the title, first, it sounded to me that he is criticizing the US's foreign policy since they have the intention of putting their noses in  many country's affairs by simply using military force. It is not that. Moore, in this documentary, travels to different countries, mostly in Europe, to see the ways they administer different aspects of their societies such as education, judicial system, food, etc. Then he indicates that, for example, this country's approach to corrections (for inmates) is effective and should be adopted in the US! 

Wrong! 

I'm surprised that he doesn't understand that every society is made for a way of management. Or he is aware of that and just wanted to make a new movie! Beside that what should be considered is a transition or gradual change. Any attempt to alter or change something overnight, would lead to a disaster.

Take the recent Corona-Virus pandemic around the world. All the masking, social distancing and vaccination, although was not mandated overnight and introduced gradually, as the death toll rose, it made problems within societies. If you want, for example, adopt the way prisoners are treated in Norway, the way it's shown in the movie, in any of the correctional facilities in the US, I don't think it would work!

Consider the people who come to Canada from all different corners of the world, as either refugees or immigrants. The majority of them have very limited change in their behaviour, their eating habits and beliefs. When I lived in Squamish, British Columbia, shortly, back in 2006, there were a bunch of Punjabi Sikh people in the town, as there're many of them in British Columbia, mainly Surrey. They had a community of their own, apart from the rest of the town, where they all lived. They mostly and unless they had to, and that is everywhere in Canada, never interacted with anyone else, ate anything rather their own cuisines and basically did anything that they didn't do back in India, even after years of living in Canada! This mean the change of food, culture, way of dressing, you name it, barely was and still is on these people, even after years. So is with other people from other backgrounds. 

Perhaps Moore would make another documentary to show how he adopted the other ways of running a country to the US!  

(Photo: Moore is sitting with school children in an European country while making the documentary and discussing the different aspects of their daily eating)

What's Wrong with this Picture?

I bought a whole case of Tomatoes last week. Some 20 Lbs., I guess. They're from Alberta but don't get excited! They're grown in a greenhouse! Here in this province and most of Canada , fruits and vegetable either come from southern US or Mexico. Some from China too! Very small portion from different provinces with B. C. providing the most. One can imagine how disgusting most of them are! The fact, though, is people here, either they know it or don't know it, don't care! You feed them whatever, they eat it! War refugees, Filipinos, Africans, Chinese, Latinos, liches from southeast Asia (Indochina), all live cheap and as long as they have some crap to throw it in the back of their mouth, with a freaking chopstick, they don't care what it is! They mostly have a bowl of nasty, filthy, cheap White Rice, a few pieces of boiled and bland vegetable and shreds of meat and they're set for life! The meat, used to be dog meat, something which is illegal to have here in North America, and I'm talking about most of the Chinese and the majority of the Filipinos. For Africans meat could only be seen on the body of their compatriots or wild animals around, before coming to Canada! Now they're here, they at times get something from either Hideous-Mart or their own specialty stores! 

So with this demography in the country and the current economy (inflation, high cost of living, under employment, ...) do you really expect many to think about what they buy to eat?! 

The picture clearly shows that the freaking tomatoes probably do more bad than good! But I bought them! How on earth all the freaking tomatoes could be the exact shape, colour and probably even weight?! Unless they are made, artificially or technically saying genetically, they can't all be this perfect. Now can they?!

(Photo: The disputed tomatoes!)

The second Try

I wrote the three examinations for CWB Level I Inspector certificate for the second one today. Did I feel better this time? No! It seemed even harder than the first time but the good thing I did was I reviewed the entire closed book Exam. once again, sat to the almost end of the session (2 hours) and changed a few answers. I think at least 8, out of 75. I'm not sure if that'd make any difference or I even pass but I tried. The problem was I had not had a good sleep the night before! I was watching The Departed and at 22:00 or a bit earlier I felt tired and went to the bed. Then after turning and tossing a number of times, I got out and watched the last 40 minutes of the movie(!) because I couldn't sleep. Even after finishing the movie I was not ready to sleep. I woke up once at 06:34 and then at 07:00 when the alarm went off. Dressed and drove to the exam venue without even a coffee. I was feeling not too bad for the first 2 hours or so but when the open book exam on CSA 178.2 started, I felt sleepy and yawned a few times! 

Then on practical exam, I was really tried and wanted to get out as soon as possible! I found that I'm not really good at this part. I need to study a lot because I don't have the chance of actually do any test and measuring. The questions were from every part of the textbook except from Metallurgy section but this time I realized how hard actually the exam was because the area to be covered it vast. These are the areas that I have to work on, in case I have to re-write the exam (which I hope it doesn't happen) or get a position:

1- Electrodes and consumables for different processes

2- Specific and detailed about the main welding processes such as GMAW, FCAW, GTAW and else

3- Weld faults

4- Weld measurement using different tool

5- Weld positions (for groove, fillet and pipes)

with that being said, I ask this question of whether I will pass or not?! There are lot's of things to keep in mind and if you're in the environment and use them regularly, it's not a big issue but being away and having limited time to study, makes the passing difficult. The result usually comes in a week. I'll wait. 

(Photo: An inspector is using a Bridge Cam Gauge to measure the weld reinforcement on a pipe. I intend not to be a weld inspector, solely, but prefer to have a job as a Quality Coordinator but I was asked if I had the certificate in the last interview and many positions are requiring that. That's why I am doing it)

Why do I love American Made?

Movies with political theme usually fail in North American market. Hollywood knows that and tries to avoid making them often. JFK, which in fact tells the truth behind an American President's assassination, is one of them. Or maybe people say: This is something that happened years ago. I don't care about it anymore! American Made is one of those movies which despite having a popular superstar doesn't do well in the box-office. It tells the US's reaction to a number of the Central American countries' falling into the hands of Soviets in the 80's. That's why the American and most certainly Canadian movie-goers don't like it! I, however, relate to it and love the movie. These are the things that I remember them all, despite my youth when they happened. Not in detail though! 

The movie has exaggerations, like most of the Hollywood's but everything is great. The story is fantastic. You wouldn't want to stop until you find out what happens next. The little animation they've made is really nice. Tom Cruse's performance, as well as others' including his wife in the movie and the State Authority General (despite the short role) is great. 

This movie, beside being very entertaining, shows one, amongst many of, mistakes that Americans have made throughout the history of their country: The Iran-Contra scandal. But It looks like that they will never learn! One of the stupidest thing that they did and it's shown in the movie is bringing the Latinos in for military training! The people who had never seen cars, who had never had a decent job, had never had anything but a living body(!), are brought to the US and were expected to be trained and then fight for something that they don't even believe in, mostly! What then would happen? They would disappear to the woods! They were even worst than Taliban! At least Taliban soldiers have some boundary. You never hear a Taliban defects to a nearby country or give up for a slice of Pizza! Those people, the Contra, were horrible and Americans' plan was stupid. That's why they failed. The country, Nicaragua, might be fine now but back in the day, it was a chaos.  

See the movie and then, if interested, read about the Contra, Oliver North, Sandinista, Daniel Ortega and everything related to the Cold War era. You'd agree with me. 

(Photo: Tom Cruse in the scene of the movie where he is chased by CBP planes and is ordered to land. He lands on a street. No matter how this scene is related to what actually Barry Seal did, it's fantastic)

Thing will get Worse!

People in North America, the majority of them, either American or Canadian or the liches (the refugees!) or even most of the immigrants are isolated. They mostly don't know what the hell, really, is going on in the other parts of the world because their choices are limited to what the mainstream media feeds them. Look at the current Russia-Ukraine conflict. I bet none of these idiots who think they're supporting Ukrainians because 10% of the population of the Province of Alberta has Ukrainian background, didn't even know where Ukraine was(!) or what is the history of Russian Empire and the area! They are bombed constantly with bullshits of American media such as Concocted Nonsense Network (CNN) or Face-shit-book or other false ones! 

With that being said I'd like to introduce Aziz Nesin, the late Turkish novelist and humorist, to the readers. Nesin, which by the way is his pseudonym, was very popular in Iran when I was young, in junior and Senior high. His short stories still is funnier than any clip you guys see on different social media. He kind of faded out of the society after the so-called Islamic Revolution, gradually at same time that many other form of art were banned! Why? Because he was a secular and he criticized Islam in his writings and for that he was tried a few times. This, rejection and banning by Islamic fanatics intensified when he translated the controversial book of the British author, Salman Rushdie, The Satanic Verses! I enjoyed hours and hours of reading his stories in my teenage years when there was no Internet and the TV didn't have much to show and there was no VCR or CD/VD Player, let alone digital format of movies in Ultra HD! 

Nesin explains the situation of a guy who works hard and saves enough money to be able to have himself included in a bank's lottery, something which is not common here, in one of his stories. Some banks in countries, in that part of the world, have lotteries once in a while and the more money you have in your account, the higher your chance of winning something valuable like a car. The guy is in trouble after he deposits a big chunk of money because he doesn't have enough to eat(!) or do anything essential in his daily life! I don't remember much about the detail because I read it more than 25 years ago but he goes to the bank and angrily asks for his money! The banker tells him that if he takes all of his money out (which is what he wants) he wouldn't be qualified to be part of the draw. The guy who is so frustrated says that he doesn't care about the draw and wants all his money back! Upon receiving the money, he goes to a luxury hotel in the city and enjoys whatever available for a whole month! 

This is a bit similar to my current situation! Not entirely! What happened is I went to a Toyota dealer yesterday to see if I can finance a new car. I have a Prius AWD-e in mind and that has been there(!) for over a year now. The guy told me that I should pay $2000 as down payment and wait between 6 and 8 months! I don't mind the wait but paying $2000 would be a bit of a problem now! I have that much and even more but I always intend to keep some cash in my accounts in case something comes up, unexpectedly. Beside it was $1000 down payment when I was in the dealership last year. He says it just is for the situation that the customer does not come to pick the vehicle up and it would be difficult for them to sell a car which is ordered specifically for a customer! I told the guy that I would think about it and would contact later. I was worried that my old Corolla halts(!) in the middle of the highway particularly now that it's Check Engine light is on again! Besides the crazy incontrollable price of gasoline has become a pain in the padded ass(!) but today I realized that the light is off while I was going back home, while it was on in the morning! It means it was a system malfunction. The interesting thing is I asked one of the service guys in the dealership about the light and he said I should check the gas cap(!) first and if it didn't go off after a week they charge $80 and up to look at the it! 

The fact that I always keep a few thousand dollars in my accounts is not the only reason that I don't wanna pay that much for down payment. The deadline for depositing to RRSP was just passed a week ago and I had a contribution. Now not much is left. Plus I have other expenses coming up. In a nutshell my situation is quite similar to the Nesin's character in the story I just mention with this difference that I'm not that broke and I won't pull my money out of the bank! 

(Photo: Aziz Nesin the late Turkish writer. Even in Secular Turkey he was not let free!)

A Scapegoat

The price of gasoline jumped up last week and they say it's a result of Russia-Ukraine conflict! It in fact because there's no enough refineries in Canada! And not to forget the way that the Oil Cartel works. They always wait for an excuse to shoot the price up! 

The first day that it went up above $1.5 per liter I went to a local gas station and purchased $10 worth of gasoline. The attendant asked me if I had see the price. I said I had. He goes: Blame Russia for that?! I responded: What does have Russia to do with this? And he got surprised and asked: Are you Russian?! I, in no way look like a Russian and don't know why that idiot assumed so. I just answered No and left! The truth is the oil companies, as I said above, always use a scapegoat to benefit from that, particularly now that the pandemic is near over and people are planning for summer trip. This time it's Russia!

Shell gas station at 14th Ave. and 12 St., SW Calgary in 15-Apr-2020

The funny thing is now all sorts of analysis pours into the media! This guy was talking on The Roy Green Show today and saying that while Russia is after Ukraine (and possibly the rest of Europe!), China is aiming to get Taiwan back and Iran has plans to expand its territory in the so-called Middle East, the stupid term that some idiot Westerners invented years ago and still is being used, similar to the term Indians they use for the native people of America! Everyone with a little brain knows that if China wants to get Taiwan back, they can do that in less than 24 hours! PLA has more than 2.8 million active forces. Do you really think they would wait for your analysis, if they really wanted to get Taiwan!? Same with Russia but let's drop it here. I just wanted to point at the conversation I had with the gas boy but the other funny thing happened at work with a number of geniuses! I have this picture that I took it at the beginning of the pandemic and shows a low price of gasoline. People all got excited and asked me where the gas station was! I first told them and then said they not only have to travel in distance, but also in time because the picture was taken in 15-Apr-2020!

(Photo, top: Gasoline price today in a shell gas station in Calgary)