DOLLARAMA BASKET POLE -

DOLLARAMA BASKET POLE - 
By Bernard Bujold - 
My faithful Ulysse and I are frequent users of DOLLARAMA stores. 
However, one element of this merchant provoked a question in us which we got the answer to during the last weekend! 
Indeed, we were always wondering: what is the purpose of the metal rod (pole) attached to the baskets? Personally, I thought it was to warn other users that we were moving with our basket in narrow alleys and avoid collisions... This was not the right answer! 
And you, do you know the exact role of the "pole"? 
The correct answer regarding the metal rod (pole) on Dollarama baskets is to prevent customers from leaving the store with the basket! Indeed, we are always surprised by the number of baskets that are lying around in parking lots or on the side of the street, sometimes miles from the store. Homeless people, people in condos or rental buildings, residential garages, construction workers, building janitors, etc. 

A basket costs about $200 each. 

Basket thieves" prefer larger baskets such as those in grocery stores and I have never seen an abandoned Dollarama basket. 
We can conclude that the "pole" works... 
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=bernard.bujold&set=a.10167320030910541

HISTORY IS A WHEEL THAT TURNS...

HISTORY IS A WHEEL THAT TURNS... 
By Bernard Bujold - 

Some pundits compare the war in Ukraine to the Second World War and Vladimir Putin to Hitler. They are wrong as the war in Ukraine is more similar to World War I. 

Ukraine is a war for specific territories as was the War in 1914 when Germany wanted to establish colonies in Africa and fought about it with other countries of Europe. European nations were competing for colonies and territories around the world, which led to tensions and conflicts between nations. 

The Second World War in 1939 had the clear objective to change the world order by the expansionist ambitions of the three main Axis nations (the Third Reich, Fascist Italy and the Empire of Japan) which fought against the Allies ( other countries of Europe, URSS and the United States). The rise of fascist and Nazi regimes in Germany, Italy, and Japan fueled aggressive expansionist policies and a belief in the superiority of their respective nations, leading to conflicts and tensions with other countries. Many European powers, particularly Great Britain and France, pursued a policy of appeasement towards Germany, hoping to avoid another war by giving in to its demands. However, this approach only emboldened Hitler and allowed him to expand his influence. Hitler took the lead of the Axis as a dictator in Germany and he tried to conquer and dominate all of Europe as a sort of new «Roman emperor.» 

One could say that both Putin and Zelinsky are two local colonialist warriors as their war is targeted to territories of their own country, Russia and Ukraine. But for some reason the local war became World War III and as in 1914 and 1939, the Planet Earth of 2023 is divided into two polarized sides. 

Conclusion: Time is a wheel that turns and history always repeats itself! 

To be continued… 

SEE WORLD WAR I 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I 
SEE WORLD WAR II story 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II

LIVING THE HISTORY

A HISTORIC LIFE ...

By Bernard Bujold -
I can say that I have lived a historic life up to now with three great events that have transformed humanity, in addition to changing my personal life! 
1 - The first event, which has followed one another like an avalanche since 1960, was the development of communication with the birth of the telephone, television, the internet and artificial intelligence. When I was growing up, the only way to communicate was through the mail by train, which usually took a week, but sometimes a month for photos sent to Direct Films or catalog orders from Eaton's. Today I can communicate to the other side of the world in the present moment without moving from where I am on earth, or in space. 
2 - The second historical event that changed the world was the COVID pandemic in 2020. An event that ravaged and continues to ravage the entire planet. It was for me like the end of civilization and I thought for a moment that the end of the world had arrived... 
3 -Today in 2023, I am living a third great historical event with the Third World War caused by the political conflict between Russia and Ukraine. As with the pandemic, it is the survival of humanity on the planet that is threatened! We can identify the date of February 24, 2022 in the calendar as the day of the beginning of this Third World War, so it is one year ago today on this Friday February 24, 2023. 
In the end, I conclude that I have lived history in all its aspects, but to be complete, I only need to live the experience of winning millions in the lottery... If this were to happen, let's hope it would be soon, before the disappearance of organized life on Earth, because what's the point of being rich if there is no longer a civilization to spend one's fortune! 
Experts predict that humanity will experience, within two years, a worldwide internet virus that would paralyze all virtual communication on the planet... 
To be continued and above all have a good weekend! 
https://www.facebook.com/media/set?vanity=bernard.bujold&set=a.10166211179305541

THE FUTURE OF THE WORLD -

THE FUTURE OF THE WORLD- 
By Bernard Bujold -
It is said that destiny sometimes changes a whole life! Destiny can also change the future of a whole planet... 

If there is a difference between the current American president Joe Biden and Donald Trump, it is in their political ideology. Biden is a globalist while Donald is a protectionist. For a protectionist (nationalist), each country must look after its own affairs and not interfere in those of others. For a globalist, the world is only one territory.... 

It is obvious that if Donald Trump had remained the president, after the election of 2020, that the political conflict between Russia and Ukraine would never have become a international war because Donald never meddled in the affairs of other countries as Biden does and he would never have financed a local war between two European countries. So we can conclude that the Third World War would never have started. 

But the Americans (the Left) have chosen Biden as president and we are now living in a war that has become global! Good luck to all of us and let's hope that destiny brings us a solution to save the planet! 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=bernard.bujold&set=a.10166211179305541

THE WEST AGAINST RUSSIA -

THE WEST AGAINST RUSSIA - 

By Bernard Bujold - 

Vladimir Putin announced Tuesday that Russia is suspending its participation in the Russian-American New Start treaty on nuclear disarmament, deepening the rift with the West, which he accuses of having caused an escalation of the conflict in Ukraine. 

On the other hand, the President of China said he will go on an official visit next April or May to discuss with Putin an end to the current war against Ukraine. China wants to be the peacekeeper and replace the United States as the world leader! 

SPEECH VLADIMIR PUTIN 

https://www.lapresse.ca/international/europe/2023-02-21/discours-a-la-nation/poutine-suspend-un-traite-nucleaire-et-s-emporte-contre-l-occident.php 

PHOTOS 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=bernard.bujold&set=a.10166211179305541

WORLD WAR III

THE THIRD WORLD WAR OF 2022 - 
By Bernard Bujold -
In US President Joe Biden’s unannounced visit to Kyiv, one could see a preview of an increasingly direct contest and fight with Vladimir Putin. 

The WORLD WAR I lasted four years between 1914 and 1918; WORLD WAR II lasted for six years, from 1939 to 1945. One could predict that the actual WORLD WAR III will last many years ahead. The question is: " How many?" 

To be continued. 

SEE STORY NEW YORK TIMES 

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/20/us/politics/biden-putin-ukraine-visit.html?smid=url-share 

SEE PHOTOS 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set?vanity=bernard.bujold&set=a.1016621117930

SPRING IS COMING -

SPRING IS COMING - 
By Bernard Bujold- 
Today is Monday, February 20, and we are one month away from the spring of 2023 which will arrive in town on March 20th. 
Happy end of winter... 
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=bernard.bujold&set=a.10167299891110541

THE WIZARD OF THE KREMLIN

THE WIZARD OF THE KREMLIN -
By Bernard Bujold -
As it will be one year ago, on February 24, that Russia started the war against Ukraine, a friend of mine made me discover the book "LE MAGE DU KREMLIN" (in French) by the author Giuliano da Empoli. 

This novel is the book to read if you are interested to better understand this historical period that we live with a Third World War that develops between on one side Russia (China, Iran, India) and on the other side Ukraine (Europe and United States); that is to say the countries of the East against the West. 

If Russia's empire was "democratized" under Mikhail Gorbachev, who was described as the "President with a glass of milk"; with Vladimir Putin, we can say that it is a return to the time of the Tsars and an imperial vision! 

"THE MAGE OF KREMLIN" is a novel, but it reads like a serious political essay, whose details and descriptions match the reality of recent biographies of Putin. The author also presents us, through the voice of the main character of his novel, several reflections on power and on the behavior of people in front of power. 

SEE BOOK REVIEW 

https://www.lapresse.ca/arts/litterature/2022-06-15/le-mage-du-kremlin/dans-la-bulle-de-poutine.php 

SEE PHOTO ALBUM 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set?vanity=bernard.bujold&set=a.10166211179305541

OLD AGE...

OLD AGE... 

By Bernard Bujold - 

Aging is in itself a great beauty! 

See Josée Blanchette's column in Le Devoir https://www.ledevoir.com/opinion/chroniques/782082/chronique-le-masque-de-la-madone

LOVE IS AN EXTREME SPORT...

 

LOVE IS AN EXTREME SPORT... 

By Bernard Bujold - 

On this day of lovers that is Valentine's Day, February 14, 2023 edition, we can say that love has become a dangerous activity to practice... 

Indeed, on the one hand with the MeToo movement, it is necessary to be very careful in its advances towards the loved or coveted subjects; and the violence in couples who want to end their union makes love, or the end of this feeling between two people, the source of a danger sometimes mortal! 

This situation is very sad, because the ultimate happiness in a human life is basically love! 

One solution is to love your dog... 

Happy Valentine's Day 2023! 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=bernard.bujold&set=a.10167299891110541

POOR AND RICH IN 2023 -

POOR AND RICH IN 2023 - 

By Bernard Bujold -
An article in the Monday, February 13 edition of Le Devoir takes a look at the place of the rich in our society. 
Personally, in real life, I have a neighbor and friend with whom I like to discuss life and daily life.  We were just talking recently about the rise in interest rates and the disastrous consequences this will have for many property owners with mortgages to renew. We are both "old retired men" but the difference is that he is a rich retired professional... 
My friend confided to me that he did not understand why people on fixed salaries had taken on so much debt, so close to their financial limits, and were unable to face a rise in interest rates. According to him, he also doesn't understand why there are poor people, because he considers it so easy to make money... 
His perception is not unique to him, as I have other rich friends who also wonder why there are poor people... 
One could say that the world of the rich has other miseries than monetary issues. 
Personally, my theory on wealth is that it all depends on three factors:  
1. The inheritance from our parents (monetary and genetic); 
2. the timing of our lives (luck);  
3. the choice of our life passions (the job or profession and the kind of activity we choose to do in our life). 
Happy winter 2023! 
SEE TEXT ON LE DEVOIR 
https://www.ledevoir.com/culture/781481/ecrans-la-triche-des-super-riches-a-l-affiche 
SEE PHOTOS 
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=bernard.bujold&set=a.10167299891110541

By Berbnard Bujold -