da store guy

2004-03-02T19:04:00.000-08:00

pheeew
That has been a long time.....
So, what has happened since I last blogged?
The entire world has basically changed. Nevertheless, I am older, more grey, and panicky. Yes I am panicking. Where is my life heading? I have had a lousy winter- not that it was lousy to me, rather, I am tired of the cold. I am hating the cold so much so that I have thrown out the idea of heading to South Africa for a while. But I am getting resistance from Barbara. Although, Ali would like to head to sunnier destinations too. So, I am slowly attempting to convince Barbara that all is not as bad as it seem in Johannesburg. But I have not cracked this yet. I am trying tough.

In the mean time life goes on as usual.

2003-05-15T18:43:00.000-07:00

A good friend of mine, I found out today is a king in the Blogger community. AccordionGuy. Wow, My friend is a king, of course it helps when you are a programmer and have lots of years in the computer biz.
Anyhow, here are some thoughts I've being thinking about- in da store, where else?:
Is it okay to tell the truth once in a while, eg: telling a larger woman that it might be safer to take the (heavy duty) freight elevator to her floor?
How about recommending skim milk rather than 2% to another woman?
What is the plural of licorice- licori perhaps?
Difference between spectator and audience? What do you call a person checking out a corpse at a funeral parlour?

I just returned from playing squash. Is it true that squash players have one shoulder than the other?

hafta run

2003-04-29T15:55:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's been a while since I've last logged a blog. A lot has changed since then.
The war in Iraq is over (almost)
Syria is coming under increasing threat from the US
Saddam is still missing in action
WMD are still not found
US troops continue to shoot civilians in Baghdad
It's no wonder that they ar more and more not wanted in Iraq
Still no word from the US as to why the oil ministry and oil fields were protected by them, but not the National Museums
The US are finally pulling out their forces from Saudi Arabia after 12 long years
..... and more.
However, I am here at the GM dealership waiting for my car- oil change etc..
Fortunately, web access was available for use.
Also, there is the wait for my son and wife- cubs.
Boy, is that a pain, every week cubs meetings here, then there, and thereafter everywhere. We're at a downtown chapter, I expected downtown activity. I am sitting here at this car dealership waiting, located in the middle of Scarberia.
I was reminded of the lack of blogging and yes, GUILTY was I. So here I am.
People still want to read my thoughts.
Why, thank you!

2003-04-08T16:33:00.000-07:00

for pictures of anti war protests

2003-04-08T16:30:00.000-07:00

Winter continues to weigh heavy on the minds of many. Cold, snow, ice, cold, then the threat of war. Then war!
Interest rates begin to move up again, cold and flu season is in full swing. Just when you think that the end is in sight- you know, the ground hog and all.
Winter gives it one last shot. More snow and cold and ice. The war in in full swing.
Then SARS and more people are dying.
Before you know it, West Nile Virus is going to hit.
Well, at least baseball is back, and the hockey playoffs are set to begin.
The end of the war is in sight.
summer is about to make its return.
The bright hot sunny days are coming.
Only good things to look forward to.
Heading to the supermarket. Gotta do it.
Gotta get it......
Gotta throw some shrimps on the barbie.

2003-04-07T15:39:00.000-07:00

Have you seen the latest pictures of the anti war protests from around the world. Anyhow, here is a sampling of a few slogans of signs that caught my eye:
"Bush is another word for Cunt"
"The only Bush I trust is my own" with appropriate anatomy part drawn
"We shaved our pubic hair, read our lips, NO MORE BUSH"
and finally
"Bombing for peace is like fucking for virginity"

Well, I will let you go searching for more fun and readable signage.

2003-04-04T15:52:00.000-08:00

The entire country is looking for IN fact the entire world (the blog world and more) are searching, waiting, wanting more and more from 'dearraed.'
Todays main newspaper dedicated a quarter page to this blogger. Wow, no updates in a week or more and he has become the most talked about blogger with oodles and oodles of hits per day.
Of course, everyone is worried sick about him, where is he, how is he, is it a CIA scam or is it something more. Fact is we don't know. Real life experiences from the epicentre of the war zone is what people want to hear.
This is fantastic that blogging has hit mainstream with such force and its impact so great that huge national newspaper columnists are providing blog coverage and blog concerns.
TV, Radio your'e next.

2003-04-03T18:31:00.000-08:00

What's that there ringing away. Go and check you cell phone, it might be a call for you.... go.
Anyhow, today (03 April 2003) and if you're not 30 years old yet, well here's news for you. That cell phone in your purse or pocket is technology older than you. Yep, today is the 30th birthday of the very first public cellular call ever placed. Motorola, that's who! Guess who they called- a competitor!
The call- well they simply said that their technology works and the proof was the actual call.
So there!
For those over 30 years old, well it was the younger gang that brought the musical but mostly annoying ring tones to todays phones. Todays kids sure know how to mess up a good thing.

2003-04-02T20:13:00.000-08:00

Was 911 the doing of the American Government?
How long will it take for the US to blame SARS on Bin Laden?
Do the Iranians and Syrians have to worry about being next on the US list? North Korea need not apply, you know..... no oil!
Did you know that Black South Africans are pissed off at the US for not bombing the hell out of their country because the situation in South Africa was worse than that of Iraq.
ooops, no oil!

In Cambodia, damn.... no oil!

In East Timor, shucks..... that oil thing again!

Congo,
Rwanda,
Sierra Leone,
Zimbabwe,
Australia- those poor refugee claiments, oh..... no oil, no black, no yellow too.
What about China, lots of people, money, yes yes yes. But wait, they can kick ass just as hard. Maybe not, blame it on not enough oil.....
Maybe just stick to what we know, the Middle East with lotsa oil, lotsa confusion and lotsa our obsolete weapons.

2003-04-02T19:19:00.000-08:00

further chronicles: discussions here and there....

Where is the UN these days?
Have the Americans found any WMD yet?
Why is the one bombing innocent civilians called a brave American pilot?
Why is killing 1.5 million Iraqis not called WMD, instead it's called sanctions?
Why is killing of a people by saddam called genocide, and extermination of Native Indians called a proud and glorious episode in American history?
Why is Iraqi TV called propaganda, and CNN whose world news is a half hour of Pentagon briefing called fair and impartial?
Why was the 2002 elections of Zimbabwe called a flawed election, when the 2000 US presidential election with its serious irregularities called a victory for democracy.

.....damn those chads.

2003-04-02T19:00:00.000-08:00

The Store Chronicles: disscussions at the store....

Bet you've tipped the waiter/ess.
Bet you've tipped the hairdresser.
because they provided a (good/ satisfactory/ crappy) service.
Have you ever tipped because the service was fantastic but the food was horrible? How 'bout if the food was the best ever, yet the service sucked?
You tip because you think that the service provider is probably at the bottom of the totem pay pole.
Have you tipped your dental hygenist for cleaning your teeth?
How 'bout your mechanic for fixing that oil leak, or simply changing your oil?
Both provide a service, the hygenist probably paid the same as the bar tender or the flunkie changing the oil.
This is not a solicitation for tips, but have you tipped you regular variety store person who provides the daily smokes, or morning paper, or gum?
Are we simply doing what society dictates?
Are we tipping out of guilt?
Are we the 'anti dentite'
giddiyup!

2003-03-31T20:07:00.000-08:00

check this out when you get a chance:
www.newamericancentury.org
the PNAC website.
For the Americans, countries of the rest of the world are just pawns in a huge chess game, and the only players are the Americans. The Middle East their prize and focus to mould the Arab countries into western style democracy, into western style ideology and into western style religious doctrines.
Lives, many lives are going to be lost in this sick quest for domination in the Middle East.
It's not going to happen though. The cultural depth has been underestimated by PNAC. Religious and Arab blood ties run thick and spread over a vast area, including into the United States. Guerilla and terrorist groups have also been underestimated, especially their formidable sizes, and access and ability to infiltrate the United States undetected. The 911 tragedy is proof of this.

Let us hope that more countries have what it takes to recognize the push of the US and have the balls to stand up and be counted. Germany, France...... at least the ice has been broken.

2003-03-31T15:53:00.000-08:00

Here is something to ponder over...
Are the celetial patterns of the zodiac when viewed from the Southern Hemisphere seem up side down to when viewed from the Northern Hemisphere?

2003-03-31T15:42:00.000-08:00

It's no wonder that Canada has refused to participate in the American war against the Iraqi people. Canada's entire army of +/- 250, two ship- one without a heliocopter, ohhh and four, count 'em FOUR submarines, albeit leacky ones.
They helped the Americans bomb the bin Laden gang in Afganistan. What did the Americans do.... bomb 4 of our guys. Now we have only 246. The Americans want more help- this time in Iraq, and the Canadians refused, not because they can't, not because they are afraid of the Iraqi army, but because their job is made twice as difficult. First they have to watch out for Saddam's army, they they have to also watch their backs for the American army (lessons from Afganistan).
Just ask the Brits, they are losing helicopters, tanks, vehicles left, right and centre, and sadly... soldiers. Lots of them. Canada warned them about the Americans, but no they needed to see for them selves.
Anyhow, I wonder what kind of second thoughts Blair must be having, and those poor soldiers out there. They have to keep their eyes opened for the bad guys in front and have a set for their backs.
If Canada had sent their army to Iraq, who is going to clear up the snow come next winter. After all, there'll be no one left once the Americans finish them off.

2003-03-28T16:24:00.000-08:00

Today is a milestone in the life of a dad of an 8 year old. My son spent the most part of today in dastore with me, no school you say? Strike I say!
Anyhow, at the end of the day, we went into the local bank for a minor deposit acitivity. One for him and one for me. The young teller refused to speak to me and continued to flirt with my son. At first jokingly, but then with earnest. What has happened to the days of me being the centre of their attraction?
Nevertheless, I am quite pleased that he is at the beginning of a great cycle of continuation.
When we departed, I could not help but check the little passbook that she handed back to my son after his deposit.
I immediately noticed the glaring ommision! She did not slip her telephone number anywhere in the deposit book.

2003-03-26T18:00:00.000-08:00

So, Iraq MUST NOT have weapons of mass distruction, cannot possess rockets or missiles that go further that a set distance, get their radar warning equipment bombed, amongst other restrictions during a really difficult period of sanctions.

The worlds most technologically advanced countries, US and UK, with all the best modern warfare artillery money can buy, and all the weapons possible, none restricted.
OKAY! let's wage war, US/UK vs IRAQ.

wonder who will win this one? no matter that it is not fair.

2003-03-26T17:50:00.000-08:00

In the big scheme of things, the Middle East is a beach bordering the deep waters of the ocean. It's what you look forward to at the end of a long hard swim through the choppy waters of the US. A place you can always rely on to be there when the waters get too rough.
Like now, for instance.
Tough times on the home front, economy sucks, unemployment woes, record trade deficits, and those chads...
Anyhow, there is always the Middle East that can capture the minds of the public. Create some havoc on the other side of the world, convince a few dum dums that we should get involved with troops, and voila! The general public rally around the prez with undying patriotism.
Thank God for the Middle East. The best thing is that with revenues generated with the higher oil prices we could actually get out of the doldrums.
What a country.

2003-03-25T19:51:00.000-08:00

Just read for the first time the blogs of 'dearread'. Extremely moving accounts of life under the rain of bombs. My heart goes out to 'dearread' and the rest of the Iraqi people having to live under these conditions. Is this worse than living under a dictator? The fallout of Gulf War I are still being felt 12 years later, from poisoned water wells to scorched and contaminated farm lands.
How long will the effects of this war be felt, 10, 20, 30 years? maybe forever. Under the dictator, until an uprising. At least babies will be born normal.
So, how long will it take the Allied forces to clean up this mess after all is said and done. Oh, and todays news reports mentioned that Haliburton (Vice Pres Cheney's company) has the go ahead to do the oil fields clean up. How many other American companies and friends of the current US government are getting first crack at the Iraqi oil and money?
Makes me sick!

2003-03-24T18:09:00.000-08:00

So when the war is being fought, who really adheres to the Geneva Convention?. The US rounds up thousands of PoWs, and of course CNN is there to report to the American people about their brave boys conquering another land. Close ups of the prisoners behind barbed wire fences, baking in the hot sun, no shoes, some barely clothed, forced to lie face down and handcuffed behind their backs. Hey, no need for the Geneva Convention rules, because WE are the good guys here. WE humiliate who We want!
Iraq has a few GIs and plasters them all over the world on the Arab TV networks and tsk tsk tsk how could you, bad enemy, broken the Geneva Convention for the rights of the PoWs. That's it! Those are our boys, and We are the good guys, only We can do such things. We are going to bomb the hell out of you now!
Bring on the mother of all bombs.

2003-03-21T18:03:00.000-08:00

So why has the Bush government not substantiated on the post Saddam Iraq? Is the Iraqi oil so important to the US that no other country may have 'dibs' in it? Are they pissed off at Turkey for messing with their northern Iraq oil plans- when the Turkish army entered Iraq through the Kurd controlled space?
Said today, "..no country has unilateral right to invade the space of another" by the US government. Then what is the US doing in Iraq?