One of my Ramadan intentions was to stay away from world politics. AI approved saying: It is wise to step back from worldly distractions – it is easy to get overwhelmed and Ramadan is a perfect time to center your heart and mind.
Nevertheless, I have not fallen into the trap of relying upon AI for spiritual guidance. Instead, I find guidance in the Quran.
Quran !03: In the name of God – the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful. Wake-up Call to Humanity 1. By the passage of time! 2. Surely humanity is in ‘grave’ loss. 3. Except those who have faith, do good, and urge each other to the truth, and urge each other to perseverance.
This gives me hope and guides me in these troubled times. Focusing upon the absolute chaos, that surrounds us, trying to find meaning is indeed hopeless Instead have faith, do good, urge others to the truth and perseverance.
Nevertheless, I could not help myself, upon opening my inbox discovering a opened my inbox to discover an Al Jazeera news article: ‘Closest target’: Why is Donald Trump so focused on Canada? Tariffs and threats to annex Canada fall into Donald Trump’s wider vision for US dominance in the world, experts say.
(Please remember this: AI opined: “Alexis McBride is a Canadian” – ignoring the fact that I have a US passport, living most of my life in California. My allegiance these days is to my native land, am eager to help defend it against the brutes to the south of ‘us’.
Jillian Kestler-D’Amours begins:
In his first speech as Canada’s prime minister-designate, Mark Carney delivered what observers have described as a stunning statement.“I know that these are dark days,” Carney told a room full of supporters on Sunday after he won the race to lead the governing Liberal Party. “Dark days brought on by a country we can no longer trust. The country in question? An ally with which Canada shares the world’s longest undefended land border and, until recently, seemingly unshakeable ties: the United States.“That is jaw-dropping in the broader context,” Jon Parmenter, a history professor at Cornell University in New York state, said of Carney’s remark.
Carney is not alone, echoing the stance of Canadians (including me) ]
Experts say the idea that the US can no longer be trusted reflects a sentiment that has been spreading rapidly across Canada in recent months, however.In that time, Canadians have watched with a mixture of shock, confusion and anger as US President Donald Trump repeatedly took aim at their country — both as part of his global trade policies and his expansionist ambitions.
This question echoes a barely recalled oldie but goodie song: Why’s everybody always picking on me?
“Trump has imposed steep tariffs on Canadian goods and threatened more. He regularly calls for the annexation of Canada, and he has made unfounded and disparaging claims about outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Canadian electoral system.“The damage to the relationship is substantial,” Parmenter told Al Jazeera. “It’s going to be long-lasting.” Yet, as Trump’s attacks against his country’s northern neighbour continue unabated, many observers are now asking: Why? Why is the president targeting a country that had widely been viewed as one of the US’s most reliable partners? Why does Trump seem so fixated on Canada?”
Apparently Canada not not special says someone called Ettinger:
Within the scope of the Trump administration’s adversarial approach to foreign policy, Ettinger said he doesn’t believe Canada is particularly special. Instead, it “just happens to be the closest target, along with Mexico”.
Ettinger does go on to give Canada some kudos.
Canada also happens to be playing against type and fighting back pretty hard right now.”The Canadian government has imposed retaliatory tariffs on billions of dollars worth of American goods, further stoking Trump’s ire. It has said the measures will remain in place until the US president rescinds and removes the threat of levies.
(Kudos definition: praise and honor received for an achievement. Kudos comes from Greek and means ‘glory.’)
Apparently Trump has personal animosity towards Canadians – trust me buddy, the feeling in mutual. Hahaha. He tries to lure Canadians – telling them they will pay less taxes (that very seductive) no tariffs, and good military protection. But then, Trudeau sassed him back.
“The outgoing prime minister said Canada will never become part of the US and called the administration’s tariffs a “very dumb” policy.” Trump has a bone to pick with Trudeau. That animosity could be playing a role in Trump’s recent rhetoric against Canada, said Geoffrey Kabaservice, vice president of political studies at the Niskanen Center, a centre-right think tank in Washington, DC.“Trump is always looking for a way to exact revenge and retribution against people who have criticised him in the past, and certainly Trudeau would fall into that category,” he told Al Jazeera.
Trump is just having little boy’s takeover fantasies according to Kabaservice.
That said, when the US president says he wants Canada to be the 51st state, he likely isn’t thinking about what that would mean in practice, including how absorbing a country of 40 million people would alter American politics, said Kabaservice.“It’s sort of like just [a] boy’s fantasy: ‘Wouldn’t it be great if America could expand to take in all these other countries? Wouldn’t it be great if America was like Britain back in its imperial days, when the world map was covered in red?’ “I think that’s the level on which he thinks of these things.”
Someone called Koch thinks that Canada is just part of a bigger plan.
“It is [about] fully establishing dominance in the Western Hemisphere, and I think Canada is a part of that,” Koch told Al Jazeera.
Ettinger has it all figured out.
Ettinger added that, while people in the US and Canada keep trying to find the rationale behind Trump’s actions, the president may ultimately be “employing tactics without strategy”.
Ettinger knows what he is talking about.
For example, US stock markets plunged this week amid the uncertainty around Trump’s tariffs push, raising fears that the country could slip into a recession. “He knows that he wants to hit hard, or he wants to put tariffs, or he wants to escalate. But there’s no strategic means-to-ends calculation going on here,” Ettinger said. “And that makes the guy fundamentally irrational.”
That is it. Trump has no strategy and he is crazy as a loon. That old expression suddenly came to mind. Here is what I just found: What does crazy as a loon mean?
Undoubtedly the phrase derives from the loon’s unmistakable wild call – compared to a madman’s ravings. Which might suggest that the bird got its name from lunatic. But the origin of that is from the Latin luna – moon – and the notion that people acted crazy under the influence of the full moon. Another definition:a person who is crazy, silly, or strange
The origin of the word loon? The North American name “loon” likely comes from either the Old English word lumme, meaning lummox or awkward person, or the Scandinavian word lum meaning lame or clumsy. Either way, the name refers to the loon’s poor ability to walk on land.
I am on a total tangent with this loon stuff, here is more.
The loon symbolizes the wildness of the north—wildness that many of us, trapped in an ever-more-urbanized society, long for from the depths of our souls.This tangent about loons is about to end. A tangent is a completely different line of thought or action.
But we have not finished with this yet because suddenly I remembered this, and Wikipedia proving my memory to be as strong and fertile as ever.
“This article is about the current Canadian one-dollar coin. The loonie. The loonie (French: huard), formally the Canadian one-dollar coin, is a gold-coloured Canadian coin that was introduced in 1987 and is produced by the Royal Canadian Mint at its facility in Winnipeg.
That is It!!! No more loon or loonies I promise! Despite my support of Canada coupled with the sheer relief experienced from having, and holding, a Canadian passport I do not have any plans for a return. I am finding meaning and a home in Malaysia. Moreover, Islamaphobia remains alive and well. Taxation is atrocious, medical care is impossible to obtain. I have not, as yet, mentioned the freezing cold.
I have a friend in Penang. WE have fun with and laugh. Sent this email to him
Good morning! I am having a great morning. Finally not focusing on my navel (as I have been recently) and writing a blog about why Trump is picking on Canada. I am after all a Canadian according to AI – I might as well go with it. Do not want to make AI – artificial intelligence cannot be made to look stupid. Hahaha
Shamir responded. He is a great communicator!
He: Good AM To u too.Its good to hear that you are in a good mood .I am going to office soon and today in the evening i need to finalize some work and also meeting a guy to make takeaway paperbags for kashmir with our logo on it .✌🏼
Me: Great idea the paper bag. Can I have some to put on my head? Then I can be the property of Kashmir. Hahaha Alexis Kashmiri
He: Hahaha yes I will custom make one with 4 holes. 2 for your eyes nose, and mouth🤣
Me: Perfect! I will be a walking talking advertisement. One with blue eyes! Business will soar. Get to work on the upstairs immediately!! Hahaha
He: Good idea 🤣💪🏼
We discussed his communicating adroitness.
Me: It is confusing. I write to you on Instagram, on WhatsApp and I send you emails. What??????
He: Hahah We have 3 communication channels.
Me: You are the MOST popular. No one else has three.
He: Wow I won popular of the day.
Me: Defnintely
He then sent me a GiF. The Schitts Creek guy saying “I’m wildly popular. Some might even venture to call me Beloved.”
Me: I sent the GIF to your two contenders – wonder what they will say. I get communicator of the day particularly if you throw in the blog.
Shamir and I have constant competitions because we suffer from sibling rivalry. But we have worked it out. Decided the competition brings out the best in us, therefore, limit the competition by giving each other wins and having a lot of categories. It works.
Back to my relationship with Canada, my birthplace. It could be described as a love/hate relationship. I have returned twice with hight hopes, only to be dreadfully disillusioned.
Returned to Canada in 2017. This from July 2, 2017 blog
Canada Day proved to be a spectacular day of celebration. I was decked out in red and white and painted my face in the colors and shape of the Canadian flag. Thus attracted much attention and delight was heaped upon me. Cecilia and I began the day by trooping down to Canada Place. The festivities were joyous, very will planned and executed. It was a beauty to behold.
I became celebrity of sorts. A total of 82 people asked to take pictures of me with them included. Many are attached to this post. Cecilia is my private paparazzi cleverly photographing the process – the picture taking and the sharing of experiences. Mine – that I left Canada in 1967, some fifty years ago and now triumphantly returned, so proud to be back home in a country that I cherish. I am a born again Canadian and I plan to do everything possible to make this land even more true to itself.
I failed.
Photos of my then optimism pictured with some of the 82 people. Contrast those photos with the peace and serenity found in my mornings by the sea – in awe with Allah’s creation.
