Let’s see what a new US President can do to Canada’s controversial oil industry and in particular TransCanada – with their Keystone XL Pipeline: [ https://globalnews.ca/news/7582352/keystone-pipeline-cancelled-biden/ ] [NOTE. TransCanada changing their name multiple times – see also TC Energy Corp : – [ https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/a-timeline-of-the-controversial-keystone-xl-pipeline-project-1.1550203 ].
An Insider story – TransCanada.
Pipelines, oil and natural gas, the story of Canada’s primary resource. When I arrived in Alberta in 1976, after having spent years in the United States, among others completing my Master of Science (IST) at Syracuse University, my very first job had been a temporary computer programming assignment for now one of the largest Telecom companies in Canada. [NOTE. Joe Biden – https://news.syr.edu/blog/2020/11/07/joseph-r-biden-jr-l68-becomes-first-syracuse-university-alumnus-elected-president/ ]. Shortly thereafter I was hired by Alberta’s oil industry. The first of them strongly connected with Canada’s own history – Hudson’s Bay Company; the oil corporation was HBOG – Hudson’s Bay Oil & Gas Co. Does not exist any more. Others along the way were also taken over by large US corporations. Along the way, I worked as System Analyst, Project Leader for large corporate computer systems – hardware and software. I survived – that in itself inside the oil industry – is extremely stressful.
Turn back the clock to the 1980s when TransCanada Pipelines took over Maligne Resources (Dow Chemical), and all employees like myself were now part of the takeover corporation – TransCanada Pipelines/TCPL. The culture within – thinking back – reminds me now of being incarcerated in something like Guantanamo Bay. TransCanada had sent down enforcersfrom their Toronto HQ. to control former employees and work on plans how to reduce the workforce, using asocial tactics and creating illegal firing situations. Resulting in many layoffs, (women first) without even so much as offering pensions for long term employees. The enforcer offered me C$14,000, this after almost ten years in that industry. Yet, I walked out with dozens of high-class Reference letters from employers in the oil industry and others since starting in information systems and computer work in the 1960s, including three from TransCanada Pipelines TCPLmanagement as well the President at that time. Afterwards I survived with computer contracts work until the mid-1990s.
Coffee – Cafe – Kaffee
COFFEE – CAFE – KAFFEE
2020 the best year of my life, with a world wide pandemic, virus here, there and everywhere. What’s a person to do to have at least a feeling of a social life, especially if you are alone. Often I go out (in fact daily) for a walk, or take my bicycle, to the park, sit down, have a coffee. Better, yet, sit somewhere in one of the newly created outdoor cafes. Even sitting alone at a table feels better than sitting alone at home. YUK !
Coffee for many years has become an important part of my traveling life. In Europe, and on the continent. Victoria, BC, Vancouver Island: Although I have not tested all cafes, some are good, some not so, some are too expensive for the quality of coffee.
A decent cup for C$2.00 is pretty good. Murchies, 100 year old pattissery and eating place downtown. Not bad. Crust Bakery on Fort C$ around 2.00, also, but must sit outside, lots of street traffic. Other places (being that Starbucks closed down a lot) can go anywhere from C$2.50 to even over C$up to 4.00. Too expensive. My Italian shop in Victoria, on Blanchard, has the best Italian imports, everything (dozens of different panettones during Xmas season), and also a little corner cafe to sit. Regular coffee not so strong, espresso, Americano good. Prices good. [Reminds me of my Panettoni story: During Xmas 2015 went to Italy, from Cannes, bought a big Italian Panettoni, took it home to Canada in my suitcase.]. Yet, nothing beats a good Weihnachtsstollen.
While traveling in France, spending three months in Cannes, Mediterranean, ordering a coffee/cafe would always mean tiny cute little Espresso, good, but one shot. Netherlands, where I worked and lived for eight years is different again: You want to find a Cafe to sit down for a coffee ? Unless you intend to smoke pot or get some cannabis, those places are the ones. Real cafes bakeries for a coffee and dessert are bakeries (bakkerij patisserie). Germany, Berlin: There is a tiny historically old section, the Nikolaiviertel, one can sit down outside, have wonderful coffee, mostly coffee implies a little can, and have a cake. [Founded about 1200, the Nikolaiviertel of Alt-Berlin, together with the neighbouring settlement of Cölln, is the reconstructed historical heart of the German capital Berlin.]
St. Petersburg, Russia, is huge, a wonderful city. Near the Neva strolling along the Nevsky Prospect down to the landing dock for ships going to Finland, found a nice little restaurant, have a coffee. Good.
[Every morning I make my own cappuccino in my old-fashioned Italian Espresso machine.]. Continue enjoy, as long as you look at each other from the distance.