Another American Propaganda

No one can deny American technology. They are on the top of many fields but high technology is not the only factor to consider when it comes to military conflicts. I think Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan are good examples showing that American technology was overcome by other factors. During the Vietnam War, China and the former Soviet Union continuously supplied the North Vietnamese Army with everything they needed. Pressure from the American society to end the war and unbelievable cost, eventually led to introduction of " Make the War, Vietnamese " or " The Vietnamization of the War " Concept by Richard Nixon. That meant if there was a conflict between different Vietnamese, it shall be resolved between themselves. The North Vietnamese entered Saigon, which has been changed to Ho Chi Min City now(!) and the Americans and their allies got the hell out of there. The result was nothing but American casualties, extreme cost and humiliation. Not to mention the South Vietnamese freeloaders who now were a burden to the American society, in other terms, the tax payers! 

Taliban is showing the captures or perhaps it should be said abandoned American vehicles in a parade 

The story was different in Iraq. The Americans overlooked the fact that the country was under the control of Iran. At least the majority of it! The Quds Force and the militia caused heavy casualties to the Americans until 2011 when Obama ordered the withdrawal of the forces but it was not until the first term of Trump that Iran felt a blow when General Qasem Soleimnai was assassinated. 

The third story is even worse! This time the humiliation was enormous! The US left nearly $7 Billion worth of equipment behind when they suddenly left the country but the biggest humiliation goes to the filthy rats of the Afghan National Army! The army collapsed like a porcelain plate on the kitchen counter(!), without even being touched. I don't believe there're nastier and more disgusting soldiers in the entire world than Afghans! 

Then when Trump was campaigning he introduced himself as the Peace President and he said that he would end the Russia-Ukraine War in the matter of 24 hours or some nonsense like that! But then he praised Israel for attacking Iran and gave a 2-week notice but attacked in two days! 

The attacks, despite the facts that caught Iranians by surprise, has not been as effective as Trump claims! Yes the B-2s flew all the way from the US to Iran, which is amazing and they bombed their target without any of them being shot or even detected in the first place, and yes no Iranian plane took off to scare them off but the result was another American propaganda and lie. So the Peace President no only has put an end to the Russia-Ukraine War but also started a war with Iran and encouraged Israel to continue their war with Hamas which now has been turned to war against the civilians! He has picked up a war with Canada, China and the European Union and no one knows where the hell this is going. Good job Americans selecting the 47th! 

(Photo, top: The map shows how the US B-2s and the escort planes flew to Iran from an airbase in MO. I admire Americans for how they played this game because for the previous one month or so there was so much talk about Diego Garcia Base in Indian Ocean and everyone, probably including Iranians, thought that if there would be an attacked, it would start from that base. The American trick was nice and worked)

Same Filthy Animal, Different Look!

The last time I voted in the Federal election was in 2015. That was the year that Canada started its steep decline by handing over to the nasty assholes of the freaking Liberal Party. I was surprised at the time but I think I know what happened. This time I, of course, didn't vote but was baffled by the results! It was bittersweet. The asshole who was leading the NDP, stepped down but Mark " Crap " ney was selected as the Prime Minister! 
It's like we haven't had enough of the asshole Justin T. and now he's replaced with an older version! This piece of dung has taken the footsteps of the younger asshole. Not that it's a surprise. The surprise is the animals who voted for him! Look at what he just announced last week:
The country is struggling with so many problems and he announces a $4 Billion aid to Ukraine! In a country that people are not duped by craps such as Marijuana, alcohol, gambling, Facelessbook and other shit that only have been introduced to keep you busy so you don't know what's going on around you and the Government and its lobbyists can do whatever they have planned to do to make their bank accounts bigger, people would stand against such a pile of shit. Not in Canada, as you can see.

(Photo: This cartoon is created by Bruce MacKinnon. I wanted to be clear, first. This shows an asshole takes over another asshole. The question is who is bigger. I think there's not much difference between these two but Crapney has proved he's such a Baboon)

Golden Dome will never be, Iron Dome is not!

 The problem with people, these days, or perhaps I shall be more specific, after Trump was elected to the White House is that they believe whatever he says! Everyone with a functioning brain should know that this guy cannot be taken seriously in many aspects! I'm not saying that he shall not be watched or paid attention to. I'm saying that he says lots of stupid things and it's up to people to distinguish between nonsense and worth listening to and it's not so hard! Let's go through a few things that he has said so far and all caused controversy:

1) Canada shall be the 51st state of the United States! 

If I was the PM or one of the Premiers I would react with derision and big smirk! What's he going to do? Invade Canada? Come on guys! He's just a nutcase! This is not the same time that Russian Tsar sold Alaska to you for a few thousand dollars! And what have you done with it, by the way? Let's not discuss that here!

2) Alcatraz shall be turned back to a Federal prison! 

Can you imagine how much it would cost to rebuild the prison?! It'd be easier and cheaper to build a new one from the ground up! 

3) We're going to thrive in the auto industry in the US! 

How? By importing or assembling more Japanese and Korean cars?! Why don't you add the Chinese as well? Then your accomplishment will be complete. I think you arrived at the party too late! The only American car company that could fight the Japanese and Korean ones a little bit was Tesla which has gone to shit after the Trump-Musk feud! 

Tel Aviv., Mon., 16-Jun-2025, morning. That is how the Iron Dome defends and protects Israel! What a joke! If it was not because of decades of financial and political support, does anyone think they could kill these many civilians, so far? I had so much sympathy for them at the beginning when the innocent people were abducted and killed during a concert. Not any more. They have killed and starved many civilians without achieving much. Hamas is still there and all the people who survive these attacks will continue taking their steps as much as and as long as they are able to, for generations. Some hostages are still held captive and many died. You did wrong Israel. You need to admit that.

4) We're going to build the Golden Dome and Canadians have shown interest as well! We will protect all by spending some $24,000,000,000 (Apparently the American dollar)! 

First off we just saw how fragile the fake Iron Dome was! That's number one. The so-called Golden Dome will be no different! Secondly, you need to straighten out many things with Canadians before going into the business of defense with them! You can't impose tariffs on businesses on one hand and then hold the other hand for a so-called silly Golden Dome, you blockhead! And then who's going to pay that big bill? You? Americans? Canadians?! The Government of Canada hasn't even been able to meet the 2% of GDP that NATO members are supposed to contribute, for years! You're just a joke, Donald! 

5) We're going to obtain Greenland! 

How? They way that you invaded and conquered Canadians and now rule over the country?! Sending the dickhead Vance and his Indian come-in-to-the-society(!) is not going to do anything to that part of Denmark! You're just full of shit! 

(Photo, top: I think one thing that cannot be denied is that Trump loves attention and that's most likely one of the reasons he decided to run for president in the first place because he didn't do that for the money, for sure. Here his big brain is working on the Golden Bowl!)

The Roller Coaster Weather

Everyone who has lived in Alberta knows that the weather here could change in a matter of minutes. One minute the sun is shining and then hail starts raining on you. After a week of disgusting and polluted air which resembled Delhi, not that I've been there but I've seen the Independence Day Parade and I know how bad the weather is, shower and rain cleaned the air and the beautiful sky of Alberta could be seen again.
I went to Nose Creek Park for a walk and it was very beautiful but when I came back, the rain started. For that I canceled my today's hike! If I want to be honest with myself, the cancellation was mostly due to being lazy and not wanting to go alone but what's the difference?! I'm here and I know I didn't go! 

(Photo: Big, white, beautiful clouds, resembling vanilla ice cream are seen in the sky once again)

The Return of Disgusting, Smokey Summer!

I haven't gone for my regular jogging since Fri., the 6th. Almost a week. A nasty dark blanket of smoke has covered most of southern Alberta and the air pollution index reached 10, yesterday. Today is not better and we aren't in summer yet! This weekend will be the second week that I had planned to go hiking and I will not! I started hiking in May, last year and I achieved nothing! I decided to start in June and I have already missed two weeks due to lack of having a reliable vehicle, mostly and then air pollution. 
Since my first destination is Bob Creek, I told I would be away from pollution and will be able to enjoy the hike but I feared taking my old vehicle and rentals are too expensive and scarce! I was not able to find any rentals less than $210 and adding gasoline would make the cost of hike at least $250. Besides The pollution might have reached there as well. 
Nevertheless I will try to get a vehicle for the 20th and this time I want that summit! 

(Photo: This picture shows a few seconds before a plane lands in YYC. You can see how dark the sky is and there ain't no cloud! They even had the guiding lights which illuminates the path for the pilots at night, on!)

Careless Idiots on Alberta Roads and their Operator's Licences

I got stuck on the road for more than half an hour one day last week and the people who commute in and around Calgary know what I'm talking about. This could happen any day! That's because there's lots of dickheads driving around. There's no doubt that people's driving habits are much better than many other countries here in Canada but there's something that you can't stop Canadians from doing: Speeding! Speed Limit is 110 Km/h (68 m/h) in primary highways in the province and I think people here or in B. C. wanted to increase that to 120 Km/h and I don't believe they succeeded here but I don't know about B. C. I haven't been there for a long time. 

I think it somehow makes sense why people are frustrated with the speed limit! Most of the modern vehicles, even mine, which is considered very old, have the capability of speeding up to, perhaps, 180 Km/h, safely and then your maximum allowable speed is 110 km/h! The question is shall the automakers be mandated to limit their vehicles' speed!? If not, why would you put the limit of 110 Km/h sign on the roads, if any speed higher than that is considered unsafe, then the vehicles shall not be able to make it! That's how I look at it!

The other problem is enforcement. There is not enough enforcement on the roads. The other day I was driving down Deerfoot Tr. and a BMW missed me with a foot and sped down while maneuvering between the other vehicles in the morning rush hour! It was very dangerous and had he hit me, there would have been multiple vehicle incidents with a number of vehicles involved and injuries for sure. Not to mention the southbound would have come to a complete halt for at least who knows how long! 

What is the solution to this issue? In my opinion it is simple to fix: Implement Operator's Licence renewal program and execute that every three years! Let's see how many of these dickhead, idiots could pass both their road test and written test and get their licence! 

what percentage of the assholes who had never seen a vehicle in their lives, unless on an old TV set, or passing by(!) in their country of origin, could pass the tests and get their licence if an honest examiner tests them?! I bet the Government of Alberta is aware of the fact that majority of the African, Filipino, Indian and others would not pass the test and would not be able to get their licence, if a restrict examination system was in place but that is exactly the Government and its lobbyist do not want! They want more people with licences so they can sell their registration, vehicles, insurance, you name it. I suggested that to a Canadian fella colleague of mine and this is what he said after I suggested talking to my member of the Legislative Assembly. He said no member of the assembly, most likely, would do that, because they all look for popularity and re-election! He is right. Imagine the number of the idiots who would disappear from the roads, including many senior citizens who still drive! who would want that?! I will see what I can do, regardless and will most likely have another post. 

(Photo: A beautiful but rare scene. An officer of CPS has stopped a driver for violating traffic law. We need more ways of enforcement on Alberta roads, officers, radars others and I will advocate for renewal program. I will start that soon)

Trans-Siberian

I had the opportunity to watch a good movie this past weekend: Trans-Siberian. A movie from 18 years ago! Russia and the former Soviet Union have always been on the top of my travel list and now with the silly war, it doesn't seem very easy to be able to make that trip happen soon. The only feasible options are China and Turkey but we'll see. Trans-Siberian is not a political movie but pokes at the Soviet Union and Russia at a few scenes. The only known actors, to me, are Sir Ben Kingsley and Woody Halerrson but there is another British, whose performance is really good and in fact is the center of the story: Emily Mortimer. 

A more official, if that word means anything here, map of Trans-Siberian railway courtesy of a tour company. If I'm going to Russia I will try to get on a train to take this route and will check the cities and towns in between but not using a tour. Not that there's anything wrong with them. It's not just my thing.

The plot has interesting twists and takes you with the story. I'm not going to spoil the movie by telling the story but after seeing it, I think travelling across Russia on Trans-Siberian could be very dangerous and it has nothing to do with the story! Why? It's Russia. I don't know how quick the emergency crew's response is if anything happens to the train on its 9200 Km (5700 m) trip! The movie is highly recommended. Enjoy but don't forget that it has been rated R. R for Robert! I'm kidding! This was part of a dialogue in one of my favorite movies of all time, Dr. Strangelove by Stanley Kubrick! R for movies, as you all know, stands for Restricted!

(Photo, top: Emily Mortimer, looking at the Trans-Siberian map in a scene of the movie)

Is Canada a Fake Nation and an Artificial Country?!

The pathetic and disgusting Government of Canada, lobbied by a bunch of greedy asshole business owners, and no mater if it is formed by what party (although the Liberals are way nastier and more repulsive, with that pile of stinking shit, mother**cker, J. T. being their leader for years!) in order to make more money, has let all sort of losers, war refugees, criminals, war criminals, separatists and so on, in and have turned this country to something that even the Quebec Premier called it a fake nation and artificial country! He's right. 

This country is now full of Afghans, Syrians, Arabs of Ghaza, Sudanese, people of Indian sub-continent, Latinos of different tribes and groups, you name it. There's no doubt that many jobs are not being done by Canadians. They simply don't want to do them. Canadians all want easy jobs and even if they make less money, which is not mostly the case, they do it. The company, that I work for, has posted a few labourer positions and the foreman said that half of the people who had been called by the HR, were not able to speak basic English so how would they follow the freaking instructions! Sot Canada needs foreigners to be able to run its economy but it shall be regulated and under control. Why should I wait 5 years for my visa and an asshole from India comes here as a refuge or student and starts working in a week? 

Are the jobs that Canadians would not do, not pay well? Are Canadians not able to do them? That, we will discuss later but letting people, who do not care about Canada, its environment, other Canadians and its economy, have more disadvantages rather than benefit for the country?! They serve CRA well! Do they not?! Not all of them. There are many who play the big cash card! 

I have recently had a post about bragging and I should've used this picture for that but I use it here since I've written below about a Punjabi Indian guy who was complaining about his situation here. If you run to an Indian, Filipino or Afghan and they bragged about their country or complained about their situation, show this mountain of garbage in India (or similar photo of the Philippines) and they shall shut the fuck up. Ask them to be thankful and a good citizen, not a motherf**cker asshole, as some are.

As I wrote above many Canadians do not want to do many jobs and that gives the Sikh Punjabi Indians from the villages of that country flock to Canada as students to do them! I hate Uber but once I was in an auto service center and they hired me one, for free, to go somewhere and I sat in. It was a Punjabi young fella and was complaining about the situation! My answer to this guy is, which should've been said while I was in the car but I avoided the confrontation: Did you forget where you came from? And did you forget why you came to Canada? 

If someone comes to Canada and avoids tax, brings all of the garbage (mentality, manner, attitude, etc.) from the old home here and stays belligerent and obnoxious, they should not be here in the first place and they shall be sent out. 

(Photo, top: Many Sikh Indians, or perhaps most of them, are the supporters of Khalistan Independence Movement. The question for them is what the hell are you doing here?! Take your argument to your original country and fight with who does not want you or let you split! This was taken in northeastern part of the city that the majority Sikhs live)

Why do some brag about their way Past?!

Everyone brags. East Indians are the experts on the subject. It is part of Iranians culture too but when it comes to Canadians they brag strangely, if I may say! They do not usually brag, or at least I have not experienced it or they brag they feel inferior to a foreigner! 

I was talking about hiking with this guy who is in his late 30's, younger than me, of course, and is completely bald, not that there's anything wrong with that, and he shows me pictures of 9-10 years ago when he still had hair and was hiking somewhere far away in another country!! Why? Just to say that you're a hiker?! Yes. I visited Newfoundland in 2013. I don't bring it up now and then! 

One day I was accompanying an inspector in the facility and somehow the discussion went toward traveling and he said that he had been to India, China and Japan. I think it probably was one he saw my G-Shock and I told him that I had purchased that in Tokyo. He was the one who started the conversation. I also told him that I had paid nearly ￥14,000 (~CAN$ 129) for it and I had traveled nearly 4,000 Km. It appeared that he was in China many years ago and used a weekend or something and flew to Tokyo for a couple of days or more! That was his trip to China and Japan! When I asked him what month he had been to India and he either hesitated to say or couldn't remember!! How could you not remember the month that you traveled to somewhere! I still remember my flight and then the start of the road trip from St. John's was in September. He then told me that the trip was 10 years ago or so and I don't know, and don't care whether that was part of the China-Japan work trip or not! 

The fact is once you're married and have kids you can't travel easily. Cost is a factor although I saw many Caucasians in Japan who have traveled with their kids as young as 10 or 11. So if you're not traveling any more there's no pint bragging about it. Just stick with your family life!  

Another example of this was the silly salesperson who told me about his hikes in Jamaica! I think I've written about it but this guy is in his early to mid 60's and told me about the trip he had when he was a teenager! Stop being stupid and quit bragging. 

(Photo: Not bragging but this building is a wedding venue and is located in Nagasaki. That night I was trying to reach Megami Bridge, which can be seen on the top left corner of the picture, unclear, though! It actually is embarrassing to say that I was walking beside a road which could be considered a highway in Japan, until I realized there was no sidewalk or the cars were too close and I turned back!)

Chaos and Disorganization

I finished the first month of my new job and have mixed feelings about it. It's close by. In the morning it usually takes me about 25 minutes on a highway to reach there. Only one set of traffic lights! People are all nice, respectful and helpful and no one bugs me. On the way home, in the afternoon, depending on the time and the route I take, It usually takes between 00:45 and 01:00 hour to reach home. There are many things to learn which will help me in the last years of my career, later, if I stay alive! The job is yet not very difficult but it's mostly shit! Doing stupid things in a very chaotic and disorganized environment! 

It's a pleasant weather now, there have been rainy days but they were not too bad. It will be a major issue during the cold season! The highway will be a death trap and the shop will freeze and become the best place to suffer from the extreme Albertan winter! It looks like the shop is not covered by a roof completely! I know it sounds stupid and impossible but that's how it looks like now unless the roof could be extended and put on at the time of cold! The people I directly work with, as I said, are mostly okay. My direct supervisor, if I could call him, is okay too but what can I expect!? Hell is Other People!I drove a minimum of 01:05 hours, in one way, at the previous job and paid nearly $450 a month for just gasoline! I think here I can reduce it to $120 a month and have a longer interval between my oil changes.

The reality is I'm tired of moving around and I'd like to stay in a workplace and retire there and enjoy the benefits. Every time a job is changed, there's a lot of stress and waste of time: Prepare tens of resumes and send all of them. Spend lots of time on each and expect the call to come and then go to a damn interview. Write the thank you letter and see their reaction. Lie! Yes! Lying is part of resume preparation and interviewing! You should've seen The Mumbling Guy's resume! Some of the things he has written there, and for that he's been given this high-paid salary, is beyond belief! 

What can I do? I have a challenging nature! I've contained myself so far and haven't said much in this new place and am planning not to do so! I don't want to induce people! Many of these people will be retired soon, not from my department, unfortunately(!) so I'm going to leave them alone! How can you change someone in his mid-60's and teach him new methods?! They say You can't teach an old dog new tricks! The company has had an attempt to obtain an ISO 9001:2015 Standard certificate and then decided not to go forward with that! Smart decision! From what I know about this company in such a short time, combined with my knowledge about that standard and also knowing the fact that many companies and auditors fake records and their audits, it would've been very difficult to deceit and defeat everyone to get the damn certificate and for what?!  

(Photo: Not taken from my workplace, of course, but not much different, in most places, from what I see every day. One of the reasons is that it's a very old place and many tools and machines look old and run down but still work. This has nothing to do with being neat, clean and organized but, again, what can you expect from a bunch of old timers!)

Reducing the Three

A long time ago I wrote about the three unpredictable things in life, particularly in Canada: Work, Whether and Women. This time I'm going to write about another three which I have been trying to reduce most of my life. If you do, you'll be happy as well! Here they are:

1) Responsibilities: We all have many responsibilities our lives but most of us don't take the majority of them seriously. Our responsibilities start from the time we wake up and then continues while we are on the road, until we get to work and then drive or ride back home. When we reach home, we sigh and relax but we still are accountable and responsible for our acts. We're just not responsible for what we normally are toward our employer! On the road you're responsible to other drivers and have to obey the traffic law or you'll be fined. Many of us challenge them on daily basis and some of us get fined. At work we are responsible toward our managers and in general our employer or we get written up and disciplined and eventually if it is too bad, canned. At home we are responsible for our families: Provide a safe shelter, provide good food, teach the kids the values of the society and train them to be good citizens, neighbours, students, friends and siblings. Our responsibilities are endless. Some not as important, some very critical which if we take them lithely, we will see the outcome later. By not having a child and spouse, I've reduced my biggest and most important responsibilities and could focus on others. That's my choice. Many cannot avoid this but I, majority of the time, sleep worry-free because I'm only responsible for me. 

2) Risks: We all face risks in our lives on daily bases but I'm the one who has taken many risks and have narrow escapes. However my constant effort for reducing and mitigating risk is never ending! The biggest risk in my life was buying a one-way ticket after getting my Permanent Residency Visa and coming to Canada. Many people do that these days but they all have people who give them guidance and a place to stay when they come. I stayed at Motel 8 during the first two days of my immigration! 

One of the biggest that we all face is the risk of unknown circumstances when we travel for vacation when we go to the countries which are notorious for trouble and issues. The country which Canadians WASTE and I would like to repeat and stress, WASTE their money is Mexico! One of the filthiest, nastiest most stinking toilets in the world. Every now and then there's news about explosions, kidnapping, mugging and other such incidents about the tourists in Mexico or the losers who move to live there but people never learn their lesson. I've been living in Canada for almost 25 years and never set foot on Mexican soil, the country where its people shove drugs up their own ass to smuggle them and make money!  

In the meantime I have taken risks every time I travel to the mountains. That's the type of risk which I'm willing to take because I have control over it. It's not like I'm walking on the street and someone's attacking me to rob me.

3) Cost: There are costs which you barely can reduce. There are some that you can do. You need to focus on the latter. I personally believe that there are many controllable costs. You only need to accept the fact that you cannot afford everything and know your limits. Don't say I'm hungry and get a small sandwich a can of Soda for $11 and stay half-hungry for the rest of the day trying to convince yourself that you had enough and it was a good lunch! It's not okay to go to a bar every other night and spend $20 on booze and think of how to pay for the credit card at the end of the month. If a piece of Stake is $21, you don't have to eat one every day. If you're not a contractor or mover, why would you need a big ass truck?! There are practically hundreds of ways to reduce your expenses and live an easier life but the question is whether you want it!

(Photo: Pick up trucks are very popular in Canada and many people who do not need them, drive them on a daily basis for commuting to work and back or even buying their daily needs. In fact the Ford F-150 pick up truck was the most sold vehicle in the Province of Alberta, last year. Imagine the amount of gasoline and consequently harmful gases which would not have been consumed and emitted, had these people simply driven a normal sedan)

Good but not Enough

Not much has been going on since I started this new position less than a month ago. I might have a few posts about that later but for now, there's nothing. Go to work. Come home. Do home chores. Exercise a little bit, if not too tired and again the same the next day and the days after!
What I wanted to write is what I saw in a nearby Sobeys today. I had seen that before but didn't have time to write about it: A Health Canada warning. This is really good but not enough. The warning label is placed on a pack of pastry and we all know how pastries and baked items are made here in Canada: Loaded with sugar and preservatives! I used to buy this stuff but I don't and it's not just because of the health concerns! It's the price too! The fact is if the pack is consumed within a family and gradually, in little pieces, it's not that bad but when I buy it, I eat them all and quickly! The question is can or should a government order to stop making a product or alter it in a way that it is healthier? My answer is yes. The same way that a government can ban consumption of certain drugs or criminalize prostitution, they shall be able to order a sort of food to be either stop or increase.

(Photo: Pastry pack in a Sobeys supermarket in Alberta. I think this one is sold for $7.99, if I'm not mistaken)

The New Horizon

If you watched movies as much as I do, and I admit this is something that losers do(!) you realize almost everything you have seen in movies, somehow reflects in your daily life! I have recently started a new job and it's too early to see how it will be but it has had ups and downs. One thing I can say is the ambiance reminds me of Aline 3! 

Run down and old place where many equipment seem they don't work! Some do. Signs from years ago which no longer apply! Old cranes. Many old cranes! Old people in shabby coveralls! If you must know Alien 3 was filmed in studios in England. The shore scenes were also filmed in that country. To be specific, the opening scene where Ripley is found and a few other ones are filmed in the east cost England where it's called Blast Beach. 

As I said it's too early to say how this place is but based on the salary and benefit, if I can get a better position, I will stay here for 3 to 5 years. I will post more about this new position as I go forward.

(Photo: The beach at Fiorina " Fury " 161, a maximum security prison where Ripley's EEV crash lands at the beginning of the movie. I purposely didn't use any picture of the facility itself in case someone recognizes that. Privacy is the paramount to me!)

The Loopholes

A large percentage of Indians (or as they're called in North America, East Indians or South Asians) are very rude, aggressive, hostile and racist people. No one can deny this. A recent example of that was last week when I went to a supermarket which is owned by a Sikh Punjabi Indian and the majority of the employees and customers are from the same region. I was looking for Wheat, not Wheat Flour. So I approached a young and ugly girl who seemed to be in her early to mid 20s. I asked her, politely, if they carry Wheat and her first reaction was frowning and yelling: What?! 

The ugly, repulsive idiot didn't even bother guiding me where she thought the product was. I forgot about it and left. In case you wonder what store it was, it is the Chalo Freshco supermarket near Saddletowne C-train station. I'm proud to say that I don't live anywhere close but I happen to be in the neighbourhood. So I dropped by to see if I can buy that. 

This is only one example of many that I can introduce about Indians. With that in mind, you can see where I'm getting at. The nation who, the majority of them have attitudes and manners like that, managed to put a suitcase of bombs in an Air India flight in 1985. The bomb detonated and killed innocent people. The Punjabi Sikhs. The very same people who had issues with Hindus last year and the very same people who are claiming Punjab to be a separate country called Khalistan! 

Going back to the Air India bombing, a number of these people were apprehended by the Canadian authorities and put on trail. They were mainly released without being convicted. Why? because there're loopholes in the system. Not only that, the Canadian Judicial System has the reputation of being soft on criminals! People commit an act of crime and they're out on bail! They get parole and violate that! Harper, at the time he was the PM, tried to resolve this issue and the new leader of Conservatives, Pierre Poilievre seems to have the same plans which will be great for Canada. It would change Canada from the Heaven of Criminals to somewhere a bit safer but we have to see the result of  the upcoming election. 

(Photo: Ripudaman Singh Malik was shot several times in July of 2022 near his business in Surrey, British Columbia where a large population of Punjabi Sikhs live. He later died of his injuries in a local hospital at the age of 75. He and Ajaib Singh Bagri were both acquitted of their involvements in the Air India Flight # 182 bombing which resulted in 313 people's death. I cant' say for sure to what extent they were both involved but we all know that lack of evidence could end a charge. An example of that is the trail of Michael Jackson for child abuse. He silenced a few of the accusers by paying them and for a few others no evidence were found! He never was convicted! A documentary came out many years after his death which in it, and I have watched it, it is called Leaving Neverland, a couple of people accused him of sexual acts on them, when they were young boys but what can be done now that he is dead! The accused always try to use the loopholes)

The Geniuses of Hideous-Mart (Wal-Mart!)

Some people are naturally born with lots of talent and are a genius. Where do you think, in Canada, you can see them? Engineering firms, trade schools, universities, government agencies and departments? No. You find them in Wal-Mart or as it actually has to be called Hideous-Mart! Don't worry, it's not difficult to find them in there! They either have navy blue or yellow vests with a big Wal-Mart written on their back, or easier to find, they're wandering around with shopping carts overflowing with junk food! Cookies, potato and corn Chips, Ice Cream, frozen Pizza (or Pitza! I think that's how it shall be written in English! We're not writing in Italian!), flavoured Yogurt, you name it! 

If you want to consider me amongst them, you're wrong. I'm not saying that I'm a genius or anything like that but I'm not so dumb to spend my money or much money for that matter in Wal-Mart. I was there tp buy a sort of less harmful salad dressing and when I realized they didn't have it, got the hell out!

(Photo: Taken from a nearby Hideous-Mart, this is proof who works and who does shopping at this place!) 

The Movies which never get Old

I first saw The Day of the Jackal in the old country many years ago. I remember I discussed that with my elder cousin, from my father's side. It was dubbed and of course a few scenes were removed but it was not too bad. I, then, purchased the DVD many years ago in Canada but don't remember from where. This is one of the movies that will never get old although it's the story of a WWII main figure being assassinated. I watched it a few days ago again for the many times and it still was amazing. 

What I didn't know is the assassination of Charles De Gaulle actually took place in 1963 and The Day of the Jackal which is made based on a novel of the same name by British writer (or novelist) Fredrick Forsyth, has only part of it and the rest is just fiction. 

Olga Georges-Picot as Denise in a scene of The Day of the Jackal 

I think there's a remake of the movie but it never gets even close to the original 1973 version with Edward Fox, Cyril Cusack and Olga Georges-Picot and a few other well-known actors and actresses.  

The sad thing I didn't know is the story of Georges-Picot, the French-Russian actress who played the role of a young woman who helps OAS (Organisation Armee Secrete) to transfer the information to Jackal so he can plan his assassination, accordingly, although he fails at the end. 

Olga Georges-Picot was the daughter of the French ambassador in China at the time that Japan had occupied part of that country. Her mother was Russian and all her relatives, from the father side were prominent people. She lived in different countries as his father was a diplomat, studied acting Paris and appeared in a number of movies but unfortunately committed suicide at the age of 57 in Paris. It's extremely heartbreaking to know a young talented and beautiful actress who took her own life at such a young age. What I read is her family has put a lid on the details of her suicide and even 

The Day of the Jackal is an amazing direction by Fred Zinnemann and of course because the story is very strong. Don't miss it, if you can't get it. 

(Photo, top: C. Cusak as a gunsmith, on left, and E. Fox as the Jackal in a scene of the movie when the custom made sniper rifle is being tried and delivered) 

Prostitution in Canada

Prostitution is illegal in Canada. It is indicated clearly in the Criminal Code of Canada and I will include the related part below later but let me tell you about my experiences(!) with that. Don't me judgmental and angry. I just wanted to tell the stories of more than 20 years ago when I first came to Canada and it used to be a different country, a different society. 

When I came to Calgary, I stayed in Downtown after staying at The Brave's for about six month and mostly hung out in the Downtown area and the majority of time with my buddy, Kevin. P. whom is no longer my friend. We had an argument back in 2005 and we haven't talked for nearly 20 years and never will. 

There's this Tim Horton's at the corner of 5 Ave. and 4 St., SW where we used to hang out, many days. Tim Horton's was a different place at that time. They had cakes. They owned by a Canadian company, you name it. It's turned really bad and I never spend a dime anymore.  I remember one day we were heading that way and it was a little bit and we were new. I approached one of the girls and asked her the address. She was a tall, blonde beautiful girl and answered my question very politely. That aside, just a block or two away to the west, there was this corner that the prostitutes would hang out. When I say that, I always feel bad for the women who have to do that because deep down we all know that no one would want to do that, unless they absolutely have to. It's a difficult topic to cover but I want to point at it, briefly, the question would be, who would want, or has to become a prostitution. I think movie Monster tells us a little bit about that: The girls who were deprived of parents attention and love and grow in poverty. That's one reason. Addiction is another one. Some get hooked on some really drugs and can't quit and have to have a job which pay them a lot and quick. Losing job and lack of support is another reason. I knew someone who resort to a sort of service during Corona-Virus pandemic because she had lost her job and had no one to support her. There might be other reasons.

Let us see what the CCOC says about this issue, in 286.1:

(1) Everyone who, in any place, obtains for consideration, or communicates with anyone for the purpose of obtaining for consideration, the sexual services of a person, is guilty of :

(a) an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than five years and a minimum punishment of:

(i) in the case where the offence is committed in a public place, or in any place open to public view, that is or is next to a park or the grounds of a school or religious institution or that is or is next to any other place where persons under the age of 18 can reasonably be expected to be present, (A) for a first offence, a fine of $2,000, and (B) for each subsequent offence, a fine of $4,000, or (ii) in any other case, (A) for a first offence, a fine of $1,000, and (B) for each subsequent offence, a fine of $2,000; or

(b) an offence punishable on summary conviction and liable to a fine of not more than $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term of not more than two years less a day, or to both, and to a minimum punishment of, (i) in the case referred to in subparagraph (a)(i), (A) for a first offence, a fine of $1,000, and (B) for each subsequent offence, a fine of $2,000, or (ii) in any other case,

(A) for a first offence, a fine of $500, and (B) for each subsequent offence, a fine of $1,000.

Section (2) of this clause talks about the same offence when it is committed while involving a person under the age of 18. We're going to scape that. 

Everything has become computerized and on the web now! Most of the massage places, where the Chinese stores are located, are a cover for prostitution or services in that range. I remember the previous mayor had a plan to clean the area up but it never materialized and now they are there. This is the oldest career in the history they say and no matter how you push people, they always come back from another side. 

(Photo: The Tim Horton's subject of this post, partially. We used to hang out in her at the time that Canada had not yet been invaded by these many border jumpers and freeloaders!)

Out After 10 Years (24): Car Dealerships in Japan

Japan is one of the main car manufacturers of the world. There's no need to elaborate on that. Everyone knows that, especially in North America where the life of the three main car manufacturers have been in danger since the Japanese (and Korean) car manufacturer's stepped in. I, however, do not like the latter and they are not subject of this post. 

With that in mind, one would think that there must be lost of cars and a lots of traffic in Japan. Wrong! Japan, in fact the cities that I visited last year, have the least amount of traffic and is very quite, peaceful and nice on the streets. That is because of the perfect and reliable public transportation available everywhere. Not to mention the Japanese culture. 

A small van in a Toyota dealership in Tokyo. These are very popular in Japan and many of them are fully electric. I do not think this one is. This vehicles goes for ¥1,874,500 which at the time was equal to CAN $17,683 and now is a little more expensive

I was not able to see all parts of Tokyo due to its size, of course, but didn't see many gas stations. Japan is a main importer of oil products and gasoline shall be expensive there. That could be another reason for not driving a car. Majority of the vehicles are either electric or hybrid. I also didn't see many car dealerships. I saw a few in Tokyo, Hiroshima and Nagasaki but in comparison to a city like Calgary, there were not many and not as big. All of the dealerships were major Japanese car makers and most of the vehicles on the streets were Japanese but I also saw expensive BMW and Tesla. It would be interesting to know whether there are specific regulations or tariffs for imported cars to Japan. I mean why the hell do you need to import any vehicle to the country which is the third largest automaker of the world and has one of the most, if not the most, convenient and reliable public transportation systems? 

(Photo: Nagasaki is fairly small city compared to Tokyo and much less populated. This Toyota dealership displays a new model of Land Cruiser. It is sold between $80K and $90K, even more, here in Canada. I didn't see the price in there and I barely saw any SUVs or pickup trucks on the streets. Perhaps one only. Driving a pickup truck, if you don't do any business which requires a big box in the back is absolutely stupid, in my opinion and many more! Try to make Americans and Canadians understand!)

The Disgusting Cheap Homes of Canada

 

I've decided to move to a bigger place. Weather it happens or not and when, I'm not sure of it. The prices are still so high and most likely remain at this level. There might be a slight decline but not much. I'm not going to live in Calgary. A nice house in a good neighbourhood in Calgary could cost at least $650,000. I might be approved for that loan but at my age, I don't think it would be a good idea. A house like that, most likely would require lots of work or would not be located in a nice and quiet neighbourhood. My ultimate goal would be settling down in a nearby town and commuting. If I sell this house, I will be able to buy a nice car, either an EV or a hybrid and even save some money. In that case my loan would not be too much, something that I hate a lot and my commute will be comfortable. There still will be issues in winter but issues always exist. There will be two major issues with this plan:

1) The family would like to be in Calgary for social and service reasons. Physician and dentists, as well as friends and some businesses are located in the city. 

2) A new car would most likely cause an issue at work! 

You might wonder why. Here's the story: I met Ali G. in Cargill Meat Solutions. We used to hang out. We don't anymore. He lives in Ontario now. He might be reading this now! He had an old but running Mercedes and he told me he had been teased by Canadians a lot! I've written about this a lot. Canadians, generally, do not like to see foreigners to be well-off. They general attitude is this a poor, uneducated, hungry fella or he would not be in Canada. So if they see you dress, nicely, clean shaved, have a good car, they don't like it and they grow resentment. He at the time was not more than 25 and it was very difficult for Canadians to see a young foreign guy drive Mercedes, even if it was not a new and he only had paid $5000 for that! They didn't know. I'm sure this will be a problem for me as well, especially because I'm about to join an organization. If I move and have to switch to a new vehicle from my 15-year-old car, it will cause an uproar and I'm certain there will be people who exert any possible effort to have me canned. 

Having said that let's go to the problems with houses. Most of the houses do not contain heat, especially the cheap ones. The cost of heating is really always a problem and is too high. I paid $166 last month and I was uncomfortable and cold, most of the time. I must have paid much more, if I wanted to be comfortable and cozy but I have to watch my bills now that I'm our of work. I don't think it would be anything less than $200, if I was to crank up the heat. 

The second problem is with kitchens. They are majority of the time built stupidly(!), small and insufficient! I think perhaps because there's not much cooking in Canadian culture or it is simple and quick. When I cook, I need lots of room. The smell and noise is another issue. When I cook there's lots of noise (pressure cooker, clang and cling, you name it) and aroma which spreads around the house and sticks for a day or two, especially in winter. There's no hood over the range. There's a disgusting and stupid microwave which I have never used. Replacing it with a good hood and fan will cost at least $700. The cheap bastard who built this shity house stuck a $450 microwave instead. There's no wall or door to separate the kitchen in any room! Why? That's how the nasty motherfucker builders make millions! How the hell do you think these guys build a house in a couple of weeks: Cheap material, cutting corner, missing essentials, you name it. 

That'a another reason I'm moving. I plan to buy a place and redesign it the way I want. I can't ask for a custom made as it would probably cost so much that I can't afford but I can redesign it gradually.

(Photo: I was looking at some proprieties the other day and look how stupid this house is. The nasty drunkard cheap idiot has put a refrigerator at one side or the room and a series of cheap cabinets at the other side, in the middle of the room and call it kitchen!!! Only an alcoholic, nasty, drug-addicted loser would accept to live in this pigsty!)

Various Types of Misatkes

We all made mistakes in our lives. Some big, some small. I've made many mistakes which resulted in this misery that I'm! In this stage of life, where I am, most people have a family or at least a partner, a job that even if they don't like, they can manage their lives working it, a reliable source of transportation, you name it. I have neither of them and whose fault is that? Mine! Mostly mine and no one else's! 

With that said, just to say how big of a loser I am, and make sure that I'm not targeting anyone else, I would like to describe the four major types of mistakes that one would make during their lives:

1) The mistake that you can compensate for the loss with some cost. 

Examples of mistakes of this kind are seen easily on a daily basis. I use one that I've made myself recently. When I wrote my CWB Level I Inspector examinations, there were instructions for the practical exam. which I missed and led to my failure! The exam was easy and I had once passed it but there were special criteria to be followed and I had not! It means that I was lucky that I had passed it the previous time. This time I didn't make the same mistake. I followed the instructions and passed it.

2) The mistake that you cannot compensate for it. It would be too costly or next to impossible. 

Here, again, is an example from my pathetic life! I wrote an exam for ASQ in 2006. I failed. It was a very hard exam. It's not an excuse. It is but not impossible to pass. I, at the time, thought, I was spending enough time on studying but perhaps it was not. My other mistake was that I didn't have much in my resume and was not able to build a strong resume so I tried to get this CQE certificate to enhance my resume and then apply for a job! What a stupid mistake! All I had to do at the time was to work on my resume a bit harder. There was not much competition in 2005-06 and I had a handful of interviews but being careless, I didn't work hard enough and ended up where I am here. That, however, was not my only mistake! I wrote the exam again and got closed to the passing score but failed again. Here is the big mistake: Instead of study harder and write the exam the next year, I left it and now 19 years after I am without the damn certificate and it would be very difficult to write and pass it now! 

3) The mistake which results in the person ending up in prison! 

I, happily, have not done any mistakes to that level, although, I have to admit that I was close a couple of times, if not more than that! 

4) The mistake which results in the person ending up in the morgue! 

This also, is a kind of mistake, that I have not made, obviously. 

(Photo: The Quebec Bridge collapsed twice, once in 1907 and the second time in 1916! This could be categorized under type 3 and 4 mistakes but since I do not know the details, I leave it to decide which one would be the better match! Feel free to simply categorize it under both! It's considered an engineering and design mistake, if I remember it correctly)

The UN Convention against Torture

 

The UN convention against torture and other cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment is an international treaty that prohibits torture and cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment. It defines torture as any act by which sever pain or suffering whether physical or mental is intentionally inflicted on a person by a state official or with their consent or acquaintance.

The funny thing is this convention or agreement, is not mandated and was only ratified in 1987! The other interesting thing is the US is amongst three other countries which have signed but not ratified the convention(!) but would that stop anyone doing so? Is anyone, particularly, a political prisoner, protected? What would the UN do, if someone complains about such an act being performed on their person? Is that why we have some international courts known as The Hague? This would be the subject of another post, if I would want to go deep in this subject. I just point at some examples of torture which I have come across in the past few years:

1) CAF was accused of torturing some Taliban detainees at the time the mission was on. It was at the time Harper was the PM, no offence to him or anyone at any rank but accusations, seemed proven, I think.

2) Russia and Iran, probably not in this order(!), I don't know exactly, are amongst the biggest violators of the convention. 

3) The US has been accused of torturing many suspects (of aligning with terrorism) in Guantanamo Bay prison and it was proven. I think that is why they wanted to close it and it hasn't happened, although there are not many prisoners left. It was even shown in a few scenes in Zero Dark Thirty.  

Now we're going to the main subject: Why do I have a post about torture?! This goes back to this recent job application. I was interviewed, or some might want to say, screened, over the phone once and then was interviewed by a panel, in person. I was supposed to have a formal chat, I'd like to call it, with one of the managers, and then it was postponed. I had then to go back all the way to the same location, in a few days. I had the conversation and then my buddy told me that I'd most likely am hired. 

If you ever have been laid off and have had a few interviews led to nothing and then you lived by yourself and had nothing to do and then had recently finished a certificate, passed the exam and received congratulatory message, you know what I mean by waiting when someone tells you that you'd be hired! 

Now the situation gets worse and I have this offer! I don't know what the hell to do and I don't want to be in a position that when the music stops, I'm the one with no chair, although this might not be applicable here! I started writing the thank you notes and after that and to my surprise, the said manager responded and said that he had instructed his people to process my file, meaning that I'm hired. Now I'm sitting on my butt and try to be calm until the damn offer arrives but this is a torture! The weekend passes without any message and I have to go through it with mental torture! 

Mon. is then the day. I check the e-mail twice, once around 08:00 and then around 09:00. Nothing! There in fact is a bad news! From someone else and there's no need to share it here! Now I'm really pissed and uncomfortable! It's shortly before noon that someone calls from their HR and says that the company would like to offer me a position! I finally am relived. Right? No! Because they say I would receive the offer within half an hour and when I check, it's not there! Now you probably feel what I feel! I check after another 15 minutes and finally see a few e-mails! 

The offer is in 11 pages and way more attractive than what I received last week, both in terms of the salary and benefits. In fact if I can manage my behaviour and keep up a good job, it might be easily a place to retire or in worst cases, work for at least 6 next years. However I will have to see how everything goes and what my friend says as he's a much ambitious person, in comparison to what I am.  I signed the offer and sent it back and now I will be starting soon, according to the terms of the offer. I have a lot to do. From planning for career advancement to trip and hikes. It looks like I'm back on the horse!

(Photo: A Canadian member of UN Peace Keeping team in former Yugoslavia. I could easily tell by the scope! Some of my trainers during the CLFRS days told me that they saw the most brutal fights, murders and rapes during the time they served in that regions in the 90's) 

K-19: One of the Best Movies I've Seen

I, and my friend, The Pika, have been fascinated by the USSR and Russia for many years. He had a chance to travel to the country, he said once, I have not. I know Russians aren't friendly people. My few encounters with them in Canada have proved that to me. Does that mean I won't ever go to Russia? No! In fact I'm waiting for the time that travelling to the country is easier. It's possible now but because of the sanctions there aren't many airliners who fly to Russia. Here are a few of my contacts with Russians: 

1) The IT guy #1: There was this really tough guy who ran our IT department or was one of the main fellas. I remember one day we got into this argument. It was probably 2012-13 so the details are not available! He was saying why would Iran want a nuclear power plant, while they have oil and gas for generations. They were saying the country has aimed to reach nuclear bombs. The same claim that Americans and his Western allies have, while it was in fact Russia who helped to finish Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant on the shores of the Persian Gulf. The story of that power plant is quite a long one but I'll have the short version here:

Iran's nuclear ambitions started at the time King Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was in power. He got the Germans to work on this project and Siemens was the main contractor. The project was halted in 1979 and the Germans left the country. No Western company would want to continue the project on the count of now Iran was an anti-West nation(!) in the region! It was eventually it was the Russians who accepted to do that and the project took so long and so much money was given to them that everyone says it wasn't worth the amount paid! Iraq tried to destroy the facility while it was under construction in the 80's. Damages were sustained but the project was carried on and was completed in 2011. Weather Iran is in search of an atomic bomb or not is beyond this post. I just wanted to have a short presentation of the subject of I and the Russian fella's argument. The guy left for another company while I was still employed and never saw him or heard of him after that.

2) The IT guy #2: There was another Russian IT guy who was a little less bitter! I think his name was Andre and I sat with him a few times and asked him questions about Russia because it was my plan to travel there at the time, some 12 years ago! I remember he always sat patiently and answered every question but never saw a smile on his face. He still, I think, was there when I got laid off. 

3) The Russian hiker: I was once on The Middle Sister trail and saw a man on the other side of the stream. Once we merged I had a short conversation with him and he said he was from Volgograd. He actually was the one who told me how to get to the summit or I had gone the wrong way but he turned back. He was the only pleasant Russian I've ever met! 

With all that said, I know Russians are usually not pleasant people to be around, they're not hospitable and not welcoming but I still would like to go there and can't wait for this silly war to end. That's how Russians are but they're also very patriotic. They're proud of their nationality and they don't sell themselves easily. This movie is about that and for that, I admire them. That, but not that alone, could be the reason why the movie was not a hit in North America. It's about Russians, not Americans but everything is better than many movies and particularly a submarine movie that I've ever seen. The only submarine movie that I put next to K19, is Das Boot. 

Everything is great in this movie: Direction, acting (Harrison Ford, Liam Neeson, Peter Sarsgaard, all of them), cinematography, story telling, you name it.

I found this picture which is a memorial of the real K-19 in Google Maps. The place is located in north of Murmansk, one of the most northern cities of Russia, somewhere I would love to visit one day.

This actually is loosely based on an actual event that happened to an atomic Soviet submarine. In my opinion it's way better than the known submarine movies such as Crimson Tide, The Hunt for Red October and The Abyss. I have watched all the named and as I said the only movie that come close and somehow match it is Das Boot. The main Soviet fleet was located in Vladivostok but I don't know what happened to all those submarine. I think I read somewhere a little while back that many of them are scrapped but there shall be some in service and I think it would not be very hard to get some basic information. Vladivostok has been on the top of my list for decades now and The Pika always teases me with that. The last time he did so I told him that I would one day go there. When he realized I was serious he suggested me to take tours from the old country. I know it'd be easier and cheaper but I'm not a tour guy and I have no passport rather than the Canadian. So that is scratched for now. To go back to the subject, make sure you get the movie and watch it closely. You will love it.

(Photo, top: Ford, on left, as the captain and Neeson as the X. O. of K-19 in a scene of the movie. Hackman and Washington, respectively, have the same role in Crimson Tide and despite their great performances, the movie never reached K-19)

The Manager's Interview

I was called back to the potential employer's facility for a formal chat, perhaps I can call it, with a top manager. It was supposed to happen the same day as the interview but I was told that something had come up and the gentleman had to leave!

I was there 10 minutes earlier because like the other day I was making sure that I was on time and do not make a bad first impression. The problem is the damn old Garmin GPS directed me from the east side of Deerfoot Tr., on the first day, which made me stop at, at least, 10 damn traffic lights! This was not the first time I was being screwed with this piece of garbage. 

That aside, the second day I simply took Deerfoot Tr. and avoided all the never racking lights! I waited another 5 minutes until the time that the guy I'm supposed to report to, directly, showed and invited me to his office. It was very kind of him. We chatted a little bit until an old gentleman whom I was told later would be retired soon, showed. The Mumbling Guy had briefly told me that he would replace an old fella who was a close friend of our colleague in the company we worked together! I immediately realized that was the guy. We chatted a bit and I suggested to have a coffee or lunch with the other old fella. He agreed and handed me his card. 

The manager finally came after 15 minutes and I was directed to a room and he started a conversation about the company, the position and other related similar stuff. It took a little over half an hour and that was the time I left, right after the the so-called chat. I followed the tradition (norm) the next day and sent him a thank you e-mail. He, surprisingly, responded to that and said that he had asked my file to be processed. Now I'm going to wait for this offer to compare it to the other one, while it seems the second would be more attractive. 

(Photo: I think I should not have called it an interview. He didn't even have my resume in front of him and said that he had seen it. However, I think, he could have overruled whatever decision had been made)