Saturday, December 30, 2017

Questions asked: Official and satirical answers

Virginia: Travel+Leisure

Questions asked: Official and satirical answers

I very much appreciate the government health care, to be clear.

Questions from nurse and care worker (paraphrased)

As we come four times a day to provide peri-care for the Boss, would you consider providing peri-care at night when we are closed? Other family members do it....

Me: Real answer 

No, I have stated from the beginning of this process that that is not my calling. I deal with the finances, prepare three meals a day, do two-four loads of wash a day, purchase groceries and medicine for the Boss, medicate the Boss, and play garbage man. I also play Yahtzee with the Boss.

I suggest that workers arrive as soon as possible in the morning and as late as possible in the evening.

Thank you.

Satirical answer (Not stated)

Are you kidding me?

I am already grossed out as it is and I also work in academia.

How would you like to earn a European, PhD in Theology and Philosophy of Religion?

Not your calling?

Thought so...

If I desired to be a nurse I would strive to be Florence Nightingale...

Questions from two students of mine (paraphrased)

We should just pay you and cut out the middle man! What do you think? You could provide a better deal?

Me: Real answer

(After they told me how much the institution receives).

Hmm, well my hourly wage is good, but the institution certainty takes a big cut. At this point, I lack the infrastructure to start my own institution, but perhaps in the future.

Satirical answer (Stated)

Of course I am helpful; I am good with the all the education I have endured.

Well, the institution certainly has some knowledge I do not, at present. but with me being a primarily English writer and speaker, it certainty has its advantages when assisting foreign students in the Vancouver area.

(They laugh)

Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Futuristic Fire Engine?



Cited

'GYROSCOPIC TRANSPORTATION OF THE FUTURE amazing concept from DAHİR İNŞAAT highlights what could possibly be the future of transport. this was designed for the urban commuter looking for an entirely new and unique driving experience.

With just two wheels, the glass-dome cabin is self-balancing and can be controlled with a joystick instead of a steering wheel. This has a huge potential to provide an efficient, economical, safe, environmentally friendly, comfortable, and maneuverable conveyance that is independent of the general traffic flows on arterial roads. That is because the lane separator between lanes satisfies all of the requirements for the creation of this mode of transportation. It will inevitably take its rightful place as a modern urban form of transportation. It is just simply too tempting to be able to travel without traffic jams at any time of the day or night.

It is a friendly vehicle that is always nearby and is never late. It makes no audible noise, and when you travel on it, you will be able to relax in one of its comfortable seats. Dahir Insaat considers the gyro monorail to be a priority business project. Starting today I am ready to accept offers to license this mode of transportation.

I am prepared to sell everything from a manufacturing license to the exclusive right to operate this vehicle in specified countries. Respectfully yours, Dahir Semenov.'
---

Interesting idea. It seems largely a reasonable one in theory. These would be very large vehicles in traffic even on 'two wheels'. How smoothly would this work?

The cost?

Kool, but less than ideal music. A dance club for toddlers?

You Tube



Monday, December 25, 2017

Merry Christmas philosophy

Mumsnet.com

Columbia Bible College 1991-1995: Professor J

'I don't have time to read fiction because there is too much non-fiction for me to read.'

(I held to that view. Now I assist students with English literature...)

Sunday, December 24, 2017

Merry Christmas Eve philosophy

Narcity.com: Ottawa

Former Presbyterian pastor of mine (paraphrased) to the congregation during sermons:

There is a God, and it is not you.

Thursday, December 21, 2017

My neighbour: The real Grinch

A neighbour's door...

Curious what motivates someone to create this type of Christmas art.


Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Bullet Wednesday: Better than dog food

Miracle on 224th Street? Maple Ridge News
•I have been loosely following my television chef and Vancouver dietitian's, diet, for the better part of the year now.

•Loosely, in that I am following mainly the ingredients suggested in a written meal plan. However, I am not an adventurous chef. I cook  better than dog food, but my food is far below the quality of professional French and Italian chefs.

•It is mainly a plant-based diet but also includes, separate from the dietitian's diet, but accepted as okay by her, fish, whole wheat pasta and brown rice. I have never been a large meal eater, or high calorie intake person, but I now only eat beef on social outings. I have been told I am continuing to slim down as I have been mainly for years now. But this plant-based diet seems to work better than any prescription medicines or sleep apnea appliance.

•But alas, I shall never be the pretty, six-pack, man-boy that many evangelical North American and British women, prefer, according to many of those online sermons.

•This is now a similar diet that I followed when I lived in England. But I would eat the grass fed beef with steaks and burgers. They were delicious from the butcher. The beef is typically grain fed in North America.

•The health benefits of grain fed beef and grass fed beef will be debated by many. I have found that overall, my system works better leaving beef for 1-3 times a month, as in social outings.

•Since it is my favourite food, eliminating beef completely would be an overall, psychological negative, but eating more fruits and vegetables and natural peanut butter (protein) seems quite beneficial.

•I had a crazy (I was warned by the office) female student to tutor the other day. I had not met her previously. By God's will, my deduction skills were correct once again (not always). She admitted, I correctly deduced that she was the young woman that was on the toilet with her headphones on the other day, as I had to close up the institution and put the alarm on. She did not respond to most of the building lights being turned off by me. After I left for home, she set the alarm off, attempting to open the front door. The RCMP and office staff were called. When one of the office staff informed me of what I happened by email, I correctly reasoned out the type of person it was, but he did not verify this whatsoever. I reasoned that I checked every room, but not the women's washroom, other than by walking by it and glancing in.

•By the way, when I was working HSBC corporate security, virtually all of us security officers, except 'Those guy' would never check the women's washrooms, against site orders. I reasoned a potential 'perv' charge was not worth it. The entrance to the washroom's was monitored via camera.

•By the way, again, HSBC corporate policy would take a complaint against a security officer or any employee by another employee and keep the name of the person (s) that made the complaint confidential. This would not allow the accused to face the accuser as with the biblical example from Matthew 18, where one is to face a person that has offended him/her with sin. If need be involve the Church.

•Yes, I was wise not to check the women's washrooms...

•In the not surprised but disappointed department: I noticed yesterday that a former commentor on my Blogger websites has Facebook defriended me. I have no definite reason why, I was never informed, but I sensed a coldness from this person over the last few years. This person has a similar terminal degree as mine, but more ministry and less philosophically orientated.

•In line with Matthew 18, if this person had problems with me, as if I might be sinning against him or the Church, for example, with my critical views, I should biblically expect a person to person critique and then be allowed to counter critique. But, that is not the way so often today, even many Christians that should know better are very risk averse. There is a risk aversion to having worldview, theology, views on romantic relationships challenged by friendly discussion.

•To be clear, I do not enjoy confrontation. I dislike 'endless' debating. I am online with my two Blogger websites and my Facebook blog, to learn more in Christ, hopefully assist a few others, and promote my work for continued employment. I find it quite spiritually and intellectually disappointing that when there is a problem, I am not informed, with truth and love, but instead deleted. There are not many deletions!

•For example, in regard to my controversial and critical views on evangelical, Christian dating which I reason are largely worldly and overly market value based; I would gladly take being told I am too old, too ugly, too kingpin, too this and that, in order to get my points in, with a possibility of repentance with certain types of people...

•My view is that these kinds of conversations when guided by the Holy Spirit can shed light where there is darkness. Sin and wrong thinking, including mine, is exposed in the light. (John 3). Too often, in my humble opinion, people in the Church stay in darkness because it is risky to expose views to the light. The evangelical church risks appearing Pharisaical at points.

Thursday, December 14, 2017

Don't eat yellow...

The government has to tell parents this fact?
When I have toured Britain while on the top deck of a double-decker bus, a person could be struck by the overpass if standing when one should be sitting. There were no warning signs...

But of course, eating yellow snow would be worse than a potentially fractured skull or related...
Pinterest: I am thinking...too much substance abuse and snow sports.
Funtodrive.com: The local government will not invest in more street lights. This sign is cheaper.
Collegehumour.com: Oz and the Wicked Witch are to the right...
Funtodrive.com: Most males know to go behind a bush, if absolutely necessary; not in public.
Boredpanda.com: The dog walking bird and that dog, should go on tour.
Boredpanda.com: The six-pack people were awarded their own special walkway by the government.


Too bad the bottom images were removed...I wrote:

One has to develop a walk slide technique while staying low to the ground (I live in Canada).

This cat might also be upset because well-meaning 'Mom' put him/her in that Christmas suit...a violation of the cat's sovereignty.

Monday, December 11, 2017

Mysterious Blue Alarm


Mysterious Blue Alarm

I stated on October 21

My 'newish' Nissan SUV has a 'blue light' alarm (Satanic?) that will go off unless the truck is opened by the fob and closed by the fob.

If someone tries to break in or some 'fool' tries to open the SUV door normally with the key (Apparently both have already occurred), the alarm takes over. The mechanic told me it was a high-end, after-market alarm and work keeping.

According to the mechanic, if the alarm is set-off, some Kingpin has to sit in detention in the truck for fifteen minutes plus, with engine running, while the alarm goes on and off. This can both entertain and irritate the public. The alarm may then resume normal programming, but one must open and close the truck with fob only and one must never, ever, ever, let the battery in the fob die or else Kingpin will be back in detention.

Obey the blue light...Actual product not shown.
---

I thought the worst was over...

After leaving the TriCity Church on Sunday afternoon, I headed out to the parking lot. I heard what sounded like a loud vehicle alarm. But it sounded different than my blue alarm that I have heard, now several times. There were two or so vehicles left on the lot and as I headed toward my truck it was sounding as if my Nissan, American, SUV had another type of alarm sound. As I came within a few feet of the truck, the alarm stopped.

This was troubling.

Does the vehicle alarm have another type of alarm sound? I was wondering if someone had touched the vehicle or like.

Is there a 'break in' alarm sound and an inappropriate touch alarm sound?

I headed home, incident free.

That evening I washed the vehicle in the building garage. After I locked it up and set the alarm, I decided to go back and (against what I have done for years) take a towel and dry off the glass of a vehicle, as too many water stains were remaining after a wash, and I do a lot of driving with my vehicle.

All was going well until I moved the mirror and then the blue light went flashing and the alarm went off. But this was the regular alarm sound.

I am still not sure what the alarm sound I heard in the TriCity parking lot means. I was handling the mirror...

Does the alarm sound alternate after awhile?

By the way, when the fob battery runs out (I think), it plays a loud tune.

On the bright side, in agreement with my mechanic, my vehicle is pretty secure.

On the dark side, I am never really sure when the alarm is going to act up and what it is going to demand...

Sunday, December 10, 2017

My earliest USA education

Zazzle UK


Incredibly, all these years later, the music from these three videos, reportedly from Schoolhouse Rock, still go through my adult Canadian and to a much lesser extent, British mind.

This is evidence that these films are very well-done artistically.

A Columbia Bible College professor of mine, and Chucky's very dear, Uncle Gerry, while advising me stated that every country has their mythology.

Well, here are some American cartoons as examples.

What is a Canadian equivalent for me?

I suppose those National Film Board of Canada documentaries we were forced to view in grade school.

Anyway, the propaganda in the 'No More Kings' cartoon is particularly amusing. 'Those evil Brits! (Even though we are colonizing Brits!)'

This is not to be confused with 'A Farewell To Kings' from Rush in 1977, also artistic music from the same era.

And again, these are well-done artistic cartoons.










Wednesday, December 06, 2017

As in 2013, Chucky refuses to sit beside a 'fat guy' at concert

December 5, 2017

Friday, July 26, 2013, Roger's Arena,Vancouver: Rush 

Saint Chucky is placed in seating that he states is next to 'A fat guy'. Rather than take my advice and move to the empty seats above, Charles Chucklins II, gets up and walks toward the stairs and then stands. Soon a heavily 'tatted' audience member is yelling at Pope Chuckins to move.

Arena security deals with Mennonite Chucky and he is moved to a seat, by himself, not too far from where I suggested he move to.

Tuesday, December 5, 2017, Moore Theatre, Seattle: Mahavishnu Orchestra

As I purchased balcony tickets, as I prefer, we are directed to the second balcony, general seating. This is contrary to the assigned seating on our tickets, which Chuck disliked. He then states that he is not sitting beside 'a fat guy'. He then attempts to sit by me and states: 'This won't work!'

I move my elbows out hitting him in the side several times and state that I am not sitting by 'a fat guy'.

He moves behind me, to the right, after stating that my head was too big to sit directly behind me...

No bathroom at gas station

Give a hoot, don't pollute

Artistic, Moore Theatre, Seattle

Religious theme? Humanistic theme?

Good atmosphere

John Mclaughlin guitar solo section

Drumming and bizarre verbal counting

Part of The Dance of Maya, intro
---
There
Reflections

The Lord definitely blessed us on the Seattle trip, yesterday to see a form of the Mahavishnu Orchestra. This is John McLaughlin's stated last North American tour and a very rare tour and performance of mostly Mahavishnu Orchestra material. For electric music, Mahavishnu Orchestra and Rush, in alphabetical order, at this point in my life are my favourite artists. Neither may tour again in any form.

It was also a blessed trip because Saint Chuckles and I have had some disturbing trips in the past, including our last trip to the Moore Theatre in Seattle (2002) where a certain 'computer guy' left his camera in sight, in my car, which was then broken into during the concert. Glass abounded. Strangely enough, Mr. John Wee returned the favour to Chuckles (2017) in downtown Vancouver, after a singles event we attended. I laughed for some reason as Chuck's car windshield was smashed in and vehicle seats covered in glass. John's clothes were stolen, and my expensive sunglasses were untouched. They were prescription, anyway...
There he is again...

Joking aside about America, and I joke online about Canada and the United Kingdom as well, there are two things specifically, that I very much enjoy about the United States of America when I visit, and this was a particularly positive visit.

One, is the availability of product. My very likely only chance to see Mahavishnu Orchestra live, did not take place in the Vancouver area. Vancouver, Metropolitan Vancouver and the Fraser Valley are rather isolated parts of the Western World,  and as well, Canada has a much smaller population than does America. This area is not the most 'happening' area of the free world...

The variety of products available, the variety of restaurants, compared to Canada is intriguing. Saint Chuckles and I went out for his belated birthday to Buffalo Wild Wings for the first time. This place is probably common to my American readers, but we had not heard of it. We appreciated the food and the service.

Two, is the religious nature of America, compared to Canada which is less religious. On our way back to Canada late night and early morning, we viewed religious imagery, including a very bright white cross, which we assumed was likely on a hill or like.

As with my philosophical and theological mixed views on Europe/United Kingdom and its Christian heritage of church-state, in regard to the United States of America, I have mixed views on this quite religious nation. I reason the biblical gospel is prevalent there but there are also many Christian and non-Christian cults which focus of aberrant doctrine and sometimes heresy. Overall, the evangelical church does seem in decline and the nation is becoming more secular. I also find the lack of embraced Reformed theology, in the evangelical church, disturbing (Covered in my British academic surveys), as well as the over-dependence of the evangelical church on culture as opposed to Bible on many issues, for example social and political.

I find the religious Christian nature of America, fascinating. And Christianity is still significantly more culturally and politically relevant, than in Europe, in 2017.
Seattle: We were not on a church tour