World of Spies

I spy on you. You spy on me. We spy on them. They spy on us. This world is one big SNAFU !!!

Happy Father's Day

Fathers of the World: if your children don't say Happy Father's Day to you, still say Happy Father's Day to yourself and to your father. Be happy, no matter what !!!

Edward Snowden and Uncle Sam

Dear Uncle Sam: to spy on foreign governments and countries is one thing, but to spy on your own citizens and the citizens of the whole world is just way too much.You must be very mad at Edward Snowden, but he is a hero to many Americans and non-Americans in the world.

Back to the Future

Just finished watching an old, yet timeless, movie 'Back to the Future' on T.V. It gave me a strange but wonderful feeling of 'Back to the Future' when it was over, 'cause I met Michael J. Fox in real life more than 20 years ago, and now it is 2013.A few funny scenes made me laugh so much :)

Eagle, Dragon and Beaver

American politicians argue a lot but do little. Chinese politicians argue a little but do a lot, and quickly ! Neither country is perfect. How about Canada? Ha Ha Ha ... I don't live in Ottawa!

Rob Ford

Should Rob Ford,the mayor of Toronto,resign? Many said yes. However, he is only down but not out. He still has many supporters,who believe that the damning video about his smoking cocaine with two drug dealers is nothing but a hoax.What do I think about the video? Well, I have not seen the video. Even if I did, I would still give Rob Ford a benefit of doubt, unless it was proven to be genuine, because nowadays,it is very easy to produce a fake photo or video.Am I taking side with Rob Ford? Not at all.On one hand,like many,I wish that he would resign, but on the other hand,I think that he does have the right to fight for his job and reputation.Innocent until proven guilty, that's what I believe. I am waiting to see how things are going to play out. .................................................................................................... Canada, though on the whole a peaceful,free and rich country, is not perfect like an absolutely innocent child or pure angel from the Great White North.In Canada,you can find police brutality, discrimination against aboriginal and minority people,environmental abuse and negligence, stealing, murder, money laundering, even hunger and poverty,and all kinds of other evils,including corrupted politicians and people in high places.Compared to the big crooks, the big bad guys, and the big criminal fat cats on the top,hey,Rob Ford is only a little fish swimming in troubled waters.Many wish him go away,but he is still struggling in the troubled waters, not yet drown. ........................................................................................................... I watched the news: there was a conference of municipalities which Rob Ford would not attend.The attending mayors from different parts of Canada were happy about that.A few mayors from the Province of British Columbia made some comments about Rob Ford.The mayor who stood out was Frank Leonard,the mayor of Saanich B.C. His remarks sort of impressed me,but not quite in a good way.What do I mean? I mean he did have the right to make negative comments against Rob Ford, just like Rob Ford's supporters had the right to make positive comments about him. After all,Canada is a free country.People,including politicians,journalists and everyone,are free to say whatever they want. ......................................................................................................... So what do I really mean?I mean Frank Leonard is the mayor of Saanich B.C. What he said was something from a Canadian mayor against another Canadian mayor of the City of Toronto in Ontario, a much larger municipality than Saanich B.C. His comments were hastily judgmental and carried a strong moral tone, like having an attitude of I am a " holier than thou" mayor. He said Rob Ford had lost the trust of the people of Toronto and Canada.How the hell did he know that?It's true that Rob Ford has lost the trust of many people in Toronto.It is also true that he still has many supporters.But Rob Ford has lost the trust of the whole Canada? How did Frank Leonard know that for sure? Some people outside Toronto don't even care.They watched the news and just laughed it off.Look,Rob Ford is the mayor of Toronto.He is not the prime minister of Canada ..................................................................................................... Frank Leonard also said that Rob Ford should be in jail.How the hell did he know that Rob Ford was definitely guilty? Why did he unwisely play the role of a judge, and make such judgement in advance? This is one Canadian mayor telling another Canadian mayor to go to jail.Innocent until proven guilty,remember? Politicians should be careful in what they say and how they talk.Maybe Frank Leonard should have said something like this,"If it's found to be true that Rob Ford used illegal drugs,then he should go to jail." Again, am I taking side with Rob Ford? Not at all. I think that politicians should avoid cornering or handcuffing themselves, or hastily jumping to conclusion, or like throwing out a boomerang too fast only to see it hit back at themselves.What if the Rob Ford video was found to be a hoax? What if Rob Ford was found to be stupid, but not criminal? Frank,would you then apologize to Rob, or go to jail yourself? Just saying !

Canadian Senators' Scandal

What else is left for me to say,when this Canadian senators' scandal has already been widely reported in the media? Well,here is what I want to say: ........................................................................................................... Mike Duffy and Pamela Wallin are not stupid people.Before they became senators, they were professional journalists.It is unacceptable to the taxpayers that they could simply play dumb, by saying that it was only a misunderstanding or accounting problem,or due to some unclear Government rules and guidelines,that they somehow made such allegedly false claims for their traveling expenses and housing allowances in Ottawa. .......................................................................................................... How could a senator claim that his or her primary residence is in certain province,if they didn't pay income tax to their supposedly home province? How could they claim certain province is their home province, if they were not covered by the provincial medical plan of that province?It is true that the senators may have to spend much time in Ottawa to do their work,and have a need to travel a lot between Ottawa and their home province,but to play dumb and tell lies about one's legal domicile, in order to make claims for housing allowance in Ottawa,is highly unethical. .......................................................................................................... Both Mike Duffy and Pamela Wallin have left the Conservative caucus.I have serious doubt that prime minister Stephen Harper did not know anything about the $90,000 that his chief of staff Nigel Wright gave to Mike Duffy.Not knowing the mechanism of payment is not the same as not knowing about the payment at all.In the news,it was reported as a personal cheque from Nigel to Mike, how generous! But then Mike at first said that he got some kind of loan himself from the Royal Bank and it had nothing to do with the prime minister's chief of staff.By now, Nigel has stepped down. Nigel is a rich man, but I doubt he would give away $90,000 to Mike as a personal gift with no strings attached whatsoever.This whole thing smells fishy, and likely won't pass the smell test. .......................................................................................................... Did the senators break the law? I have no idea, but if it was not something serious, then why was the Police called in to investigate? Just to create some good optics? I don't see the senators as criminals,but being very selfish and unethical.I know it is very difficult to fire a senator,but they themselves should feel ashamed and quit.If they want a second chance, then they must pay back all the money wrongfully claimed, and sincerely apologize to the Canadian people.Now what is a senator? A legalized cheater and free loader? I feel sorry for the innocent senators, because this current scandal has changed the perception of the senate.Where is its integrity now? ...........................................................................................................I saw an interesting cartoon in the newspapers.There was a thief who had stolen some money and got caught by a policeman.The thief said,"Can we pretend I am a senator? Please let me go.You can have the money back!" ........................................................................................................... Another interesting story: the Canadian UFO Survey shows that in 2012, there were record numbers of UFO sightings reported in all the provinces of Canada, except Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island,which are respectively the supposed home provinces of senators Pamela Wallin and Mike Duffy.Ha Ha Ha,even the aliens didn't want to go there.People of Saskatchewan and P.E.I.,"Are you sure you still want Pamela and Mike represent your province?" Peace!