The End of the World

It is no secret our present universe will be annihilated on December 21, 2012, when 5,125-year-long cycle in the Mayan Long Count calendar reaches its completion. There are some meaningless speculations, whether the Earth perishes due to collision with a passing planet, disappears being sucked into a black hole, or rather burns to the ashes with the arrival of the next solar maximum. Nobody knows exact circumstances inducing this event, but after it's all over, the actual causes will bear hardly any relevance to us. Yes, we're doomed and there's nothing in our power we can do to influence or alter the final outcome.

However, it is not all so hopeless, as it seems. We still have a plenty of time on our hands and we'd better use it wisely. As for me, I've got my priorities set. In 2012, instead of waiting for my presents till the Christmas day, I will open them the very latest on December 20th and I suggest to everyone to follow my example. Otherwise, we'd never know, what we got and it would be really sad.

Milo.

Summary Paper Bill Fee

Aha! There we go again!

It never fails to amaze me how perseveringly inventive they prove to be. By "they" I mean all those faceless and soulless institutions, (private and state alike) who are tirelessly trying to dig deeper into our pockets.

Just today, I've noticed a brand new extra $2.00 charge on my last Telus Mobility monthly statement. As usual, they've justified a new form of the rip-off by disguising it as a noble initiative. In this case, so called "Summary Paper Bill Fee" is according to Telus "an attempt to reduce paper waste and save the trees". Please, at least spare me of your fake concern and bogus noble-mindedness!

Apparently, it was Fido who introduced a paper bill option for a $2.00/month cost as oppose to free online billing and quite predictably this example was soon followed by Bell Mobility and now Telus as well.

All right, I know. You don't get much for your two bucks these days, so why even bother? But that's not a moot point here. This is yet another obtrusive hidden fee, which the hundreds, perhaps thousands of subscribers won't even notice on their bills and that's what I truly loathe. Those companies wager on people's stupidity and submissive indifference and at the end of the day, they always make the big time!

Milo.

Knee

For a week or two I've been experiencing a strange sensation in my left knee. Hardly anything even close to an intolerable pain, but rather a slight discomfort, that prevents me from running, let alone playing a football.

Fortunately, I don't care for running and I have never in my entire life participated in a single football game. Thank heavens for that! I'd be really frustered if I have.

Milo.

Wikileaks - Part 2

A few people responded to my previous Wikileaks article portraiting Mr. Assange as a brave, honest advocate for freedom of information and a whistle blower, who's been unselfishly uncovering evildoers among the elite and powerful ones. Sure. Possibly, he's also a compassionate family man and a cat-lover. No wonder Michael Moore likes him so much. However, it is not my place to judge him or his motives, yet once again, as for his latest adventure with the embassy cables, I cannot call it anything less than outrageously impertinent, if not downright criminal. Of course, if you arm yourself with the convincing arguments, you might be able to justify a murder, but no matter what, you still can't make it right. The Wikileaks fans suffer with disillusion, they do the right thing for the right reasons, but in fact, they don't even do the wrong thing for the right reasons - it is simply all wrong on all levels. They need to wrap their heads around the fact, that IT'S NOT OK to take anything they like, just because IT'S THERE. But I realize, that's probably too much to expect from this selfish instant and easy gratification generation.

The private correspondence is private because it is exchanged confidentially between close group of two or more people and no one uninvited into the conversation has any right to read it, hear it, and far from sharing it with public. Let's say, for the sake of argument, that I send you an e-mail, where I offer you my opinion on our mutual acquaintance Mr. H. and I add some unflattering remarks on his account. (And by the way, many of these cables reportedly contain exactly this - embarrassing or insulting remarks about some third party person). At some point, you might decide to post my message (that was intended for your eyes only) on your Facebook Wall and make it accessible by everyone. And you know, it is only a matter of time, before Mr. H., about whom I have spoken unkindly, get chance to read it. Now, let's examine, what you have actually achieved by taking this action:

1. You managed to upset and disappoint me, perhaps so much, I will never trust you again.

2. You've hurt and embarrassed Mr. H., who would from now on dislike and distrust you (and me), and might even think or actually proceed with some sort of retaliation.

3. You certainly won't gain any respect for yourself among your Facebook social circle, because everyone will be very cautious to take you (and me) into their confidence.

I believe, this is a classic lose-lose scenario and making public some mocking comments by one diplomatic figure on another will accomplish nothing, except of needless awkwardness, embarasement, shame and mutual tention.

Milo.

WikiLeaks

Unless you just woke up from a coma or you've spent a past few weeks in a cave, you have certainly heard about the WikiLeaks. There's not much to add to the ongoing discussion, the whole affair has been over-analyzed, many contending points of view have been made, all possible angles have been examined. Surely, as in many other controversies, there is a growing tendency to complicate the matter more than necessary. This is a strategy so often exercised by people with some sort of a hidden agenda, in order to confuse or manipulate the public opinion in one or the other direction. Whether it might be also the WikiLeaks case, that I don't know.

Those recent events, strangely enough brought back the memories of my mother. She was a simple, uneducated woman of a few words, but anything she had to say always held a strong underlined message of wisdom and common sense. For instance, she would believe, that in many arguments people tend to draw their elaborate conclusions, while overlooking the basic and the obvious at the same time. With provision for this notion, my personal take on the WikiLeaks issue is quite plain and rather unsophisticated.

The vast amount of the classified, private documents (never intentioned for the public record) have been obtain illegally, to be afterwards gradually released on line.The actual content of the materials is irrelevant and I doubt anyone reads them anyway. The very bottom line remains, Bradley Manning have stolen thousands of private letters (embassy cables, if you will) and another crook, Julian Assange is now making them public. By definition, both of the gentlemen have committed the criminal acts, the first one is a theft and as for Assange, his contribution is nothing but a clear violation of a constitutional guarantee on the privacy of correspondence. It is no different than steeling the private mail from the postal truck, opening it and posting the copies on the Internet.

Predictably, it did not take too long before the army of hackers offered their computer expertise to either post the stolen materials on their mirror sites or to attack some legitimate businesses who distanced themselves from the WikiLeaks charade. Those "freedom of information activists", consisting mostly useless freeloaders living in their parents basements are confusing the law-breaking with some kind of moral right for a free speech. What they don't understand is the fact, they're becoming the accessories to the theft and fraud. In the simple terms - the common criminals, just like their admired heroes Manning and Assange.

Milo.

Prescription drug dispensing fees

If you happen to be like me and don't visit your local pharmacy on regular bases, you may get caught surprised by paying relatively high extra charge on your prescription drugs in form of the dispensing fee. Yesterday, I had my prescription medications prepared by the Rexal Pharmacy in Vancouver. The combined cost for two different drugs was $11.79, however the total at the register came to $31.79. Why? The dispensing fees in amount of $10.00 have been applied to each prescriptions.

 

I haven't been able to find an information comparing those fees in Vancouver pharmacies, but I'm sure it would be very similar to the one bellow from Victoria. The amounts of the dispensing fees are apparently quite comparable across Canada, ranging from $9.00 - $12.00, but according to my research, the Costco stands clearly as a winner with more than 50% lower dispensing fees than any other competitors.

Milo.

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Prescription drug dispensing fees - Victoria, BC - November 2010:

Costco $4.49

Save On Foods 9.10

Wal Mart 9.60

London Drugs 9.60

Zellers 9.60

Bahrs 9.60

Medecine Shoppe 9.60

Thrifty’s 9.60

View Street Pharmacy 9.60

Safeway 10.60

Rexall 11.10

Shoppers 11.60

Peoples 11.60

Pharmasave 11.99

Perception

Our life opens in front of us many surprising paths with scores of intersections and multiple alternative directions to choose from. In many instances, a course of events runs beyond our control, but not so when it comes to adopting our own principal point of view. The choice is ours. You may opt to have a pessimistic world outlook and live a miserable, despondent life, or - like me - to cross to the sunny side of the street and embrace more rewarding, sanguine attitude.

Yes indeed, I am clearly a person perceiving my proverbial glass always as half full. Which, by definition makes me an optimist, no doubt. Incidentally, just as a marginal comment, it needs to be noted, my glass contents exclusively a lethal dose of poisonous, infectious, hallucinogenic, psychotic, highly caloric, morally corrupted, cholesterol loaded, decadent, foul smelling and politically correct Molotov cocktail.

Nevertheless, it feels truly satisfying to carry such a positive philosophical view and I'm not afraid to say it loud - it's great to be a HAPPY GUY!

Milo.

My Lucky Break

I heaved a sigh of relief at my luck!




Why, you ask?




Well, because I haven't flown to London for X-Mas this year, that's why.




What a mess over there, eh?




But then again, I never go to Europe anyway. So..... I guess, it's not such a biggie for me after all.

Milo.