What to do with

I have thousands of images of no significance. Note the whiteish arachnoid hiding in the shade.

What am I to do with them? Where does digital trash go? Just as where does light go when we turn the source off.

Can you spot troll hill?

Mosquito

Summer 2013, looking over a Saskatchewan slough at Titanic.

That is a mosquito, just right and above the power pole. I am not saying she was big or anything. That was not fog rising, but mosquitoes, sounded like a distant roar, but my hearing is not what it was. I could not stand it and took cover.

The Power of Apathy

The power of apathy,
I just do not care.

It allows freedom of concern
for who's in front, the reds or blues.
the gray or the bay,
or 6 or 12.

The economy of attention,
to mind that which matters,
but the negative word, apathy,
does he wish not to be heard.

We can define positive,
that which is,
or we can define negatively,
that which it is not,
yet when we speak,
attention is lost on that which is not.

Yet of mindfulness,
there is a uproar, a big push, a thirst,
Yet what it is not,
the opportunity cost of mindfulness,
ignoring of some things, apathy,
the praises are not sung.

To try to make sense or the push with pull,
the ying without yang
and yet the world is held together with the attractions,
but not to close by the repulsions,
physics tells us so.

We humans are like pebbles in the stream bed,
touching but separate, sometimes,
big stone to big stone.
If reworked, or ice laid,
the fines separate us for a touch of geology.

But what do I know?
Be well, breath deeply,
smile easily, and enjoy what life has to offer.
Daoish.

Next?

My writing is based on some quotes.

Ed. Ralph Waldo Emerson  “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds…”

and then William Cowper   “Variety's the very spice of life, that gives it all it's flavour.”

Mark Twain  “Anyone who can only think of one way to spell a word obviously lacks imagination.”

Peter Hamilton  “If you don't stand for something you will fall for anything.”

Who's problem is it anyway?

Now to finish this post. Those quotes could allow me to say something like  "You are two much! " as a suggestion that you BMI is high. 

Lao Tsu

When virtue is lost, benevolence appears, when benevolence is lost, right conduct appears, when right conduct is lost, expediency appears. Expediency is the mere shadow of right and truth; it is the beginning of disorder.

3000 years and this has not changed.

We recommended that the foundation be placed on unfrozen ground, and a frost free condition be maintained; in addition, that good engineering and construction practices be followed.

They allowed the foundation to freeze. They built a tall form, and poured the concrete without the benefit of cleaning the form, heat, vibration to the bottom and segregation protection. Then had concerns of freezing, as well as possible snow melt out, segregation, void, and obvious signs of no vibration.

Now they have to chip and redo piecemeal, and they still do not want to heat.

So what is the next step?

The weight industry- both food processors and diet

The weight industry is in a natural conflict, they require obese desperate people to survive. The food industry produces hyperpalatable foods  (hyperpalatable is defined and the ability of a food to stimulate the desire for more); food that stimulates insulin production. Not good for weight loss or maintenance. The food industry also owns many of the weight loss programs, a definite conflict of interest; so how can anyone actually beleive there experts?

Lustig 2.0 shows the reason real food, low carb works. Insulin blocks leptin signaling. Keep insulin down, we can see the leptin. When we can see leptin, we do not physiologically need to eat. We still need to deal with conditioned eating, emotional eating, temptations, obsessions, compulsions, impulses, first pass effect hunger, and all those other things that drive eating.

But if everyone did that, the doctors would be unemployed. There would also be changes in the products of farms.

“May you be well; may you be happy; may you find peace.”
But then what do I know? Breath, smile and enjoy what life has to offer. Dao.

Conflict of Intrest

When a salesman offers his product as the only and best choice in town, is he in a conflict of interest? No, he is a salesman of that product.

If that same salesman sits on an advisory board and recommends use of his produce? He is in conflict of interest. He is not acting as a salesmen but as an advisor.

So if RITZ suggest that you should buy their product, they are not in a conflict of interest, but if they recommend to a third party that you should use their product, they are.

http://www.weightymatters.ca/2013/11/guest-post-ritz-hits-fan-in-manitoba.html 

So no food salesmen, or food industry trained dietitian, or anyone paid by the food industry... should ever sit on an advisory panel. As the food industry funds the dietitian boards, are any of them independent?

There are two separate schools of thought on what is a proper diet, the ancestral diet group, and the modern diet group. Which one is right? No doubt in my mind. Modern 30% obese, another 40% overweight, Traditional diet, 1-3% obese and overweight.

But what do I know? Breath, smile and enjoy what life has to offer. Dao.

Final Leduc Rec Centre

Previous: http://fredjustdoinglife.blogspot.ca/2013/11/lrc-part-3.html

I am not part of the target demography. I have come to accept this. If I want/need to use their facility, I must adapt to fit into their target. It ain't gonna happen.

There is no need of me going into the abusive comments of certain staff. It is pointless. All I need say is that some of their staff have a sadistic side, and leave it at that. I suppose that that goes with bodybuilding - self abuse, trying to get the last bit of muscle growth out of your biology, but not everybody is into self abuse. All I need is a few hours a week to keep in reasonable shape to carry me to my grave.

Their is no point in complaining about them objecting to me lifting a few weight while wearing street close. I am not their target demographic. A few lift is just enough to warm up before a walk, but these young exercise freaks do not know nothing about being old, beyond what their textbook said. It is not about muscle building nor protecting their upholstery, but the rules, while being in such a hurry as to miss what is going on.

As I am not the target demographic, we the fat and scaly, it does not matter if we do not like to display our bodies. All that would be required is a change cubical or two, but non keeps us out.

I am not the target demographic, so it does not matter when the gay decide to have a meet up in the showers. It is non of my business if the perverts are part of the target demographic, that I as a taxpayer am required to pay for.

Is there any hope. No. The government makes so little difference that elections are a joke. One quarter of eligible voters do not agree, oh well. Shit happens. And you wonder why we have no respect for politicians?

 

LRC part 3

Part 3 find 1 and 2 here and here

Now I need to remind myself that it is not the situation that cause distress, but rather my opinion of the situation. But I do beleive that the previous stairwell issue with the lady I let out was abuse of staff power and elder abuse. Or perhaps just bullying, but if you want to keep people out, it should be signed so, and the signage must be respected by all, including staff, Leduc Fire training, and the private fitness instructors and groups, which occupy the corners. In addition, there are combustible materials being stored in the bottom of that stairwell.

Now, I propose that those stair wells have thumb unlocks on the top floor, in this case. There may be situations where the fire exist are being used for wrong purposes. I guess that kids could sneak in and  exercise without paying, or do something else... but not what are the chances, and the bottom door has exiting only hardware, and perhaps even alarmed or monitored - I do not know.

Now we need to recognise that guideline of safety, as in the building codes and fire codes are general guidelines, but there are cases where these guidelines produce an unsafe condition, and some allowance must be made.

There is the case of hard toed boots, for example. When applied to winter boots, there is a problem. Toes of hard toed boots are bloody cold. So in the extreme cold and long jobs, you have a trade off, in low risk situations. Frozen toes that will occur or crush resistant toes that might happen. Sometimes regulation for safety are just not appropriate. Anyone who insists on enforcing the like is just an ass.

Seniors need special care. It is time that the City of Leduc take responsibility for the actions of their staff, not just follow regulations. They will just go away, silently, and not even bother to vote, as nobody listens anyway. Some of us are less silent, and difficult to silence. You can ignore, but is that your way. It is opinions motivate us, and therefore matter.

Does a little blog have an impact. I do not know. You be a judge of this review? http://kimmyberla.blogspot.ca/2013/01/gym-review-flexfx-fitness-centre-leduc.html

Next we move to the locker room.

But what do I know. Breath, smile, and enjoy what life has to offer. Dao.

Part 2 LRC storey.

In "the old days", winters, i used to walk in the arena, around the rink. It was good place to walk most mornings. Not a big volume of people around most days, except when something was going on. I could walk around by the locker rooms, or add a few stairs in the circuit. Stairs are great for us old people, they raise the heart rate and keep the legs strong, especially if I did the steps up two at a time and fairly slow. The stairs were nice, up at the south end, down on the next run, along above the penalty box,  then up and down to ice level, and a gentle walk around the ice surface. After an hour or so, I would say enough, and go home, work or whatever. Then they built the new facility. After the flat track showed it's weakness, I tried to go back to the old part, but the staff objected, and drove me out. It is doubtful if there is a reason beyond ego driven rules.

After the new facility, they started to charge. Oh well. But it was not senior friendly much. I missed the stairs, and looked for them. Several of us started to use the west fire stairs, block the door open if it was not open, and a few trips up and down, close the door, and do a few laps. This could work. But then someone stated to object, and the private equipment moved into the corner. Oh well, shit happens, development happens. I question running private businesses out of a public facility, but graft is everywhere. Development is not always progress. It frequently displaces the silent majority, and we sit by and silently take what ever government dishes out. No more. We can speak out. But do not expect much to happen.

Then the management allowed us to use the east stairwell for a while, and that was OK. The east well is a lot colder than the west was, but is OK if the door at the top is blocked open most of the time. But it is a fire exit, and should be closed when not in use. But then one of the staff started closing it, without checking if it was in use. I got locked in once, and I let others out quire a few times. The staff drove me off the use of those stairs.

Then they sighed that corner private, and "dependent erratic random variable" staff insisted on closing the door and locking people in. He seemed to enjoy locking people in, and seemed to enjoy it to much. It is not funny to see a old lady locked in and panicking. I knew that the bottom door opens out (no need to panic), as all good fire exits must, but never had to use it. I know a bit of a thumb latch and signage would resolve the issue, but no one wants to do anything. Also the private use corners that pisses me off. Staff act like it is their building, we are just allowed to use it sometimes.

Locking people into stairwells deliberately is just abuse of power, and an ego trip for the staffer. He knows who he is, as I do.  It is senior abuse, and drove several others out of using stairs. Perhaps fire stairs are not the best to use, but it is far less problem than public stairs. Oh well, they drove me out.

But there is more to come.
Perhaps the civic politics need a lampoon type person on them.

But what do I know. Smile, breath and enjoy the gong show. Dao.

Service Review LRC

This is intended to be a multi part look at the utilization of the facility by this senior. It could be a source of post material for a few weeks, some parts may even be a twisted funny bit.

Leduc Recreation Centre has driven me out. As a grumpy senior (independent variable, possible a free radical) in pain, coping with stupid bureaucracy is not my strong point. It took about 8 or was it 9 phone calls to find out who to talk to, and a phone number. Then there was a issue with reaching the individual. Even the City councilor did not seem interested in the issue. Oh well, that is bureaucrazy. I figured she was nuts anyway, running for city council.

I think they need someone to poke at them. Kid. Stick. Hornets nest. (with a can of Raid® in the rear pocket)

It is a wonderful facility, but it has staff performance issues and operational guideline issues. The facility needs a few minor tweeks to make it more suitable, or should I say this senior friendly.  We need to separate facility from the operation, from some of the staff, and some of their operational guidelines, and standards of personnel training. It is a subdepartment of the City of Leduc, and as a taxpayer, I have the right, if not the responsibility, to express the events or perhaps I should say, my experiences within the facility.

I have been using the facility for a bit now, and it has not always be pleasant, at time just necessary, but there are choices. When my basement stairs becomes a better choice, there is something rotten in Denmark, if you know what I mean.

There is always a question of "who's storey is correct" but as the customer / client, it is I who decides to use or not use the facility. If you are trying to grow clients, is driving away clients who were coming the best way? It may be just economics. They may need to select suitable clients, but as a taxpayer, it should be possible to provide a schedule of target customers. Seniors - stairs walkers, east fire escape and track. 8 to 10 am, for example. It could then be targeted, less volume in the jungle drums, not as loud as the fan, no hearing protection required, no staff locking seniors in the stairwell. If they want to keep the stair well door closed, all is needed is a thumb latch on the inside.

As a senior, I need to ask "who is their target customer?" It seems to me that I am not part of their target demographic. And if you say everybody, just get real. You cannot target seniors and youth for the same facility, at the same time. Loud jungle music and seniors? Well if the senior is deaf, it might work. I can hear, even if I cannot write well. All those years of hearing protection over 75 db may have had an effect. My poor sister is as deaf as a post, but she never did listen to much anyway.

The last thing that happened was when I tried to explain, the `person in charge` ( bounded variable) started to explain her staff actions, before I had explained the whole long storey. How is that for " dealing with customer complaints," but then I spent all those years providing a product nobody wanted, some needed, but many were required to have, against their will. There is no reason to turn the volume up when asked to turn it down, unless they are trying to drive me out. Doing nothing was what I expected to happen, but I was the only one there.

But what do I know? Breath, simile, and enjoy what life has to offer. For today, Dao.

Stories to come:

Walking on the track should not require hearing protection.

Use of stairwells for exercise should not involve harassment by the staff.

The staff should not make comments about fat, deformed, scabby, old, flabby bodies, especially to other clients.

The locker rooms could have a couple or one "change" room, so that we do not need to expose our skin lesions,
and fat flab folds to other.

The gay staff members should not use the locker rooms for their "meetups". When I walked in on that...
I will not go back there.

Blunt pointer

Obesity is the result of chemical addiction to processed foods. Until you all understand and accept that, the problem will continue.

It is not just industry that produces processed foods. Grannies, good cooks, and food addicts all have the capacity.

We have the capacity, in the modern kitchen, to produce hyperpalatable foods. These are the problem. Just take flour, and flavor, sugar, seed oil. Or a bit of protein or fat, add wheat flour, sugar, flavors, fats, and what do we have? Hyperpalatable food.
The definition of hyperpalatable is food that we want more of, the definition of addiction.

Enough Already

Do red poppy sales glorify war? The white poppy peace people say so.

The legion does it's part to glorify war, and the whole US economy is based on war. Motion pictures glorify violence, the gun culture, and the like. Canada is more lay back in this regard, but poppy sales? It is my opinion that the poppy sales do not glorify war, but the organization it supports does. So how do we split a hair? It is easier to split a hare.  

Doug Ford smoked crack whoopi.

Doug has the wrong body type to be using much crack. Crack use goes with weight loss. Not Doug.

Alcohol, and food are Doug's Drugs of Choice.

Now Mike Duffy, either he is eligible to charge for his accomication in Ottawa or he is not from PEI, and therefore is not eligible to be part of the senate.  Government cannot have it both ways.  

earthquake ref

3rd World Habits coming to Alberta

Of later I have noticed a lot of horn blowing in traffic. This is a 3rd world habit, that seems to be occurring much more. The driving manual used to say, stop, and see what is going on before proceeding.

Horn blowing is just noise pollution from rude impatient people, to downright arrogance and other trying to drive my car. When I have the right of way, you assholes just have to wait for traffic to clear so I can make my left off the street. Blowing your horn is just a display of your ignorance and impatience.

Blowing your horn when you have the right of way is arrogance. Get on with life and get out of the roadway at the proper speed. The world is waiting for you. Stopping when you have the right of way, and there is nothing blocking you is just wasting others time, and is just ignorant.

Horn blowing is a 3rd world custom, that has been imported along with the people, and should be left in the 3rd world. It is distracting, irritating, and often shows your ignorance. By the way, Old world, New world, and 3rd world, so we are second world. It is time you immigrants learn Canadian Customs, and abandon your savage ways.

It is all that damn Trudeau's fault, he let in the first big bunch of Vietnams, but others had before, but not to the extent.

Grammer

http://www.newrepublic.com/article/115280/golden-age-grammar-myth

This reminds me of the rules of grammar,
and the number of "authorities in control"
that I have worked in my life.

Grammar is something that some of the
control freaks have insisted that their
style be matched, even when it was wrong.
In general, now, I just do not give a damn,
about any style,
for that matter, not much of anything.

Now how does one learn in a situation like that?
The first was a fellow we
referred to as Brezhnev. Then there
was Billy C, the pleasant evil person,
who sold leased cars to the leasing company,
and then leased them back.
Creative financing,
he called it.
Then there was the worst of the
bunch, DC, the asshole in many way,
followed by the religious thief and fraud artist,
but he went to church each Sunday.

Each had a style unto themselves,
and they each insisted it be matched.
Billy C was the easiest to match;
say as much as possible, but preface
everything as: it may be found: XY showed:
take no authority for anything: etc..
He also insisted on parallel construction,
that is a long list of phrases, of the same type,
separated by commas.
One of this reference books,
called his style type as over-commas-ed-ass.

Oh well, he was a pleasant fellow,
but he never paid all the bills.
He created so much ill will that
it was difficult to work for him,
and the company was a target
for the people he screwed.

Sugar in gas tanks,
and anything lose walked off,
things went missing,
even the employees had it in for him,
such was life.
Expense claims not paid,
employee deductions not remitted,
then no health insurance,
when sickness happened.

Bouncing paychecks,
and expense claims,
rent not paid,
the sheriff seizures,
(in Canada the sheriff are civil),
Such fun.

But he was a wonderful speaker,
with no follow-through.
He had the habit of disappearing
for days at a time,
then surfacing in some small town
with a job for us to do
at a giveaway price.

He came from a company
that was said to have the father,
the son, and the holy ghost.
After they got rid of him,
it provide for many people for years,
until it was taken over by an eastern concern,
which could not pay for it,
and then it was returned to Frank,
who was buried the same day as my mother.
 

 
  

Minimals

Minimalism is a lifestyle that keeps the acquisition of materials as low as possible. It is a frugal and brutal lifestyle, but it is one of the common intentional lifestyles adopted by excentrics. I have only one thing to say about it. How do the children brought into it fair?

I was one who was raised on farm, where the farm came before people, and there was nothing spent on the people unless it was necessary. It was a brutal life for me. People on welfare had more that we lived on. There was no shortage of work or food, but there was little else.

Anyone adopting a minimalist lifestyle would do well to not force it on anyone.  

The daily questions

Every person has or should have a set of questions for the underlings, or am I the only one. Here are mine, more or less:

How's it going?
Any issues?
Possible solutions?
Previous solutions?
How can I help?
Upcoming issues?
Anything else?

Advertisement

http://www.eatdrinkpolitics.com/2013/07/09/nutrition-standards-wont-fix-big-foods-worst-child-marketing-tactics/

All advertisement/marketing is basically corrupt, low ethical, but it does influence buying decisions. These people are devoid of integrity. Anyone making a living that way should be in the same Buddhist group and arms merchants and poison merchants. Not suitable for a Buddhist, more suitable for criminals. It does have a use of letting customers know about potential new products, but it has become too much. If a company cannot operate without advertising, perhaps, it is not retaining customers, and the product should remain in stores.

We can inoculate the young against advertising, and then where would the economy be. Stoic, Cynic, Epicurian, Buddhist, Hippy, The Moneyless Society, what ever.

We, the people, need to stand up to big business and vote with our feet, but how? I need a new little truck gofer. What choice do I have? Fix the old one, but that will cost more than it is worth, and what will be next to let go? Oh well, that is a prepaid expense, not an investment. But there is no alternative to big business. Years ago, I could have bought North American, but now what is the choice for small pickups...Korea, China, Japan, ... or full size. But I have heavy trucks to run, so it is not a urgent decision.    

Seneca letter 47

Dipping into the old Romans, I came across a statement that made me think for a while. 

Seneca claims "Each man has a character of his own choosing; it is chance or fate that decides his choice of job."

I will suggest that the truth of this statement is not in question, but rather the current population thoughts on this matter. I suggest that the current population think that character is fixed or fated, and is generally more fixed than flexible, and that job is more choice. Backwards to Seneca's view.

Now which is right. Job choice is first, among the available options, somewhat flexible, but the options are not so flexible. It may be that we have some choice, but many hold on to a ideal, and then desperation sets in, and end working as a cabbie, while holding a Ph.D. or as a dirt tech with a Masters in Library Science. Oh well, shit happens. 

Now on to the first half. Is character fixed or flexible? How much have I changed over the years. A great deal, and not always for the better. Much of the change was forced as a way to deal with the situation that existed. I suppose there were other choices... but I did what I did... It seemed the best choice, not the wisest choice, but a choice none the less. So personality is a result of choice, but those choices are dictated... or forced decisions... by environment... situation... for the most part, not choice as the result of any plan.

There are many fraudsters, sociopaths and psychopaths walking our streets, driving in traffic today. And they became that way by choice, for they will prosper financially in this environment of today. They have a choice, so Seneca is largely right, and the common thoughts of modern society is wrong again.    

 

Next Stage of Retirement

I have reached the next stage of retirement, that is failure to renew the company engineering permit. As of July 1, 2013, TGL is no longer an engineering company, but rather a government identity without a purpose or source of income, and will remain so until it drys up and blows away soon. 

I will retain my personal permit, and may conduct engineering through ENC for the next 9 months or so, mainly in a training capacity, when I shall relinquish my personal engineering permit. 

Thank you all for the support over the years. It has been an experience.

Now perhaps I can get on with the fun part, telling stories, lies, exaggeration, streches, and a few facts, just to keep some truth in the writing. 

  

ethical question?

This is a situation that has, in various form, occurred repeatedly. 

We did a geotechnical report for a building company back in 2001 or 2002. They called last week looking for the Schedules and were told them to go away as we did nothing other than the report. The competition showed up here yesterday asking about the project and were explained what transpired. He then told us that he was going to go and look at the building and, if everything appeared ok, he was going to sign off on the Schedules. We think that he is committing fraud as there was no design or field review conducted and he will sign off.

The Alberta building code schedules are a requirement of building code to prevent under-sizing by the contractor, engineer, owner - whoever, by requiring the circuit to be closed, aka, geotechnical investigation, design to match, construction to design, and a commitment to say it is all correct. Anyone signing a C-2 after the fact is committing a breach of Alberta engineering ethics. 

Is it fraud? Likely, certainly un-ethically, but if all the parties know what is going on, I am not sure that it is fraud. The City building inspection department does not likely care, as long as they have the paper they need. The builder and piling contractor are long gone on to other things.  That leaves the owner, engineer, and geotechnical engineer, and likely future owner. Our competition is taking on tremendous liability by accepting responsibility for the foundation, likely at the change of ownership. He could be sued by the new owned if he find anything, even with change of use, if what the contractor did was not as per plan.

It is definably prostitution of the stamp. That says enough about the man's ethics. Be aware also, you cannot hang about the animals without picking up the smell. But, will you have the proof required to take it to APEGA? Not likely. Without the proof, APEGA will do nothing. What it says is our completion is unethical, possible fraudulent, but nobody has the willingness to spend the money necessary to prove it. You could report it to APEGA, and that might make you feel better, but do not expect results. There could also be blow-back, which we do not need.

This whole industry is corrupt, bits and pieces, from time to time. I am glad I am retired soon. Perhaps I can wash the smell off yet.    

Retirement

I think it is time for me to retire completely, at least, not take on new work from old clients. I quit taking on new clients, then relented for a few referrals, and one more did not pay. He did not like what I had to say. He dug a hole below the water level, and expected it to stay dry without waterproofing. Oh well, shit happens.

So to that ends, when my company engineering permit comes up for renewal, I think, I will decline renewing it, and will renew my personal engineering permit one more time. At least that is the current plan.

Now what am I going to do with all the spare time created?

Stoic

As I go about my daily activities, I will meet jerks, idiots, aggressive, passives, and a few nice well adjusted people. Patience, tolerance, and understanding is required, and ignoring that which is none of my concern is required. Heavy use of the delete button also. 

Mind Crap

from http://relievemypain.blogspot.ca/2013/01/chocolate-for-stoics.html, but could be AA

Soldier on!
Hug someone--it could be the last time
Steel yourself
Have you insulted yourself today?
Quit buying useless crap
Tolerate someone detestable
Chin up!
Accept the inevitable
Make do and mend
Throw yourself into your work
Enjoy what you already have

and then some more common but wrong from the testing years

Ignore reality, and just do it.

Ignore it, it will not bite.

If it bothers you, just don't look at it.

Just cover it, know-body will know.

It is only a test result. fail it and we will get to test it again.

Fudge some of the tests, nobody cares.

Nobody cares, they are just meaningless tests.

I do not believe in failures, you must have done the test wrong.